Pleasant Grove Christian

This church is situated on section 3, township 54, range 9, five miles east and one mile north of Paris. Its formation occurred in December, 1862, Elders S. H. Smith, C. W. Chowning, J. N. Reaves and J. J. Crigler, Milas Johnson, W. F. Adams, H. C. Greening, Alexander Smith, William Y. Smith, Joseph Smith, S. O. Adams, A. H. Adams, Sue Elliott, Annie E. Long, Mattie A. Long, Nancy Adams, Lucy J. Reaves, Allie E. Crigler, Sallie A. Greening, Rebecca Johnson, Delia Searcy, Mary Adams, Eliza Norman, Patsy Smith, Elizabeth Reavis, Mary Johnson, Isabel Chowning, Mary A. Scobee, Sallie Adams, Hannah Livingstone Jane A. Adams, R. Underwood and Andy Underwood comprising the organizing members. Of these 18 are dead, and 15 survive. In 1868 a frame house of worship was built for $1,400. The pastors of the congregation (which now numbers 108) have been E. J. Lampton, Alfred Wilson, Bob Wallace, Henry F. Davis, G. W. Surber, Philip Bruten, A. J. Myhr, R. M. Giddens, J. N. Wright and Jacob Hughley. Several successful revival seasons have been held by E. J. Lampton, W. M. Featherston, Alfred Wilson, A. H. Rice, William Martin, J. C. Reynolds, H. F. Davis, G. W. Surber, R. M. Giddens, J. N. Wright, A. B. Wade and J. J. Errett. Mrs. E. M. Howell is superintendent of a Sabbath-school numbering about 70 scholars.

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Pleasant Grove Christian Church Has Last Service of 107 Years

Pleasant Grove Church Members: The remaining members of the Pleasant Grove Church are shown in above photo taken Sunday at the final service. They are front row left to right, Mrs. Audrey Dooley, Mrs. Charles Simon, Mrs. Jim Evans, Mrs. Bessie Scott; back row, Charles Simon, Rev. Aubrey Russell, pastor, Jim Evans. Mr. and Mrs. Sam White, the fifth family, were absent when the picture was taken. Picture by Calvert.

End of Career: This is the Pleasant Grove Christian Church building, as it appears today. The picture was taken by the Appeal from the north side, looking southeast. Back of the building where a creek runs, normal water levels of Mark Twain lake will in the creek channel at about the point where a bridge crosses. At flood time, the water could be well up on the sides of the building. The yard is one of the prettiest in the county, with several magnificent old oaks growing in it.

An all day program was held Sunday at Pleasant Grove Christian Church and was the final service to be held in the church after it had been in existence 107 years. Since the waters of the Cannon Dam and Mark Twain Lake will take the building, the five remaining families, who have kept the church going for many years, decided to close its doors.

The Sunday program, attended by around 45 persons opened with letters being read from former pastors of the church. The morning speaker was Lester B. Rickman of Jefferson City, secretary of Missouri Christian Churches. A carry in dinner was served at noon.

During the afternoon session trustees were elected who will have the authority to sell the building and contents. The building will in all probability be bought by the government for the Cannon Dam and the contents will be sold at public auction The proceeds of the sale and all other money will be given to the St. Louis Christian Home (a children’s home).

Trustees elected were Jim Evans, Charley Simon, and Mrs. Audrey Dooley.

Mrs. Charles Simon gave a history of the church and Jack Barnes, third district minister, was the afternoon speaker. Eugene Ott, administrator of the St. Louis Christian Home, conducted the communion service which closed the days program as well as being the final service of the church.

According to the history compiled by Mrs. Simon, the church was organized in 1860 with 31 charter members. The church has had six young men and one woman who became ordained ministers. They were Mrs. Anna Scott Carter, W. E. Reavis, Frank Reavis, B. G. Reavis, Overton Reavis, Frank Tibbs and Claude Hamilton.

The Ladies Aid was organized in 1906. Their main project was to travel by buggy to gather eggs at Easter time for the Orphan’s Home in St. Louis, the name by which it was known at that time. They also contributed homemade rugs and comforts to the home. The Ladies Aid was changed to the Christian Women’s Fellowship in later years, and although the membership was small, it was an active group until the past year.

Over the many years, the church was the scene of many bazaars, oyster suppers and ice cream suppers.

One incident the members remember vividly is a revival held by W. E. Reavis at which time 40 additions came into the church, some were by confession and some by letter from other churches.

During revivals the evangelist always brought in a packed house and in the days of the two day conventions, when the church took its turn as host church, many of the visitors were “put up” in the homes of the members.

A corner of the church was called “the Amen corner.” This was where elderly men sat and when they agreed with what the preacher was saying called out “Amen.”

The church has always contributed to home and foreign missions.

A complete list of the ministers has not been kept, but among them were Revs. Strong, Alexander, Burns, Johnston, S. H. Anglemyer, Cunningham, J. B. Weldon, and S. B. Owings.

Rev. Owings was the minister for the longest period, 9 years. After his death in 1957 the Owings Pastoral Unity was organized with Santa Fe, Tulip, Oak Ridge Churches also taking part. The Unity has continued for ten years using one minister with a worship service held at each of the churches one Sunday during the month. The Tulip Church withdrew from the Unity some time ago but the other three churches continued together until September of this year.

The five remaining families of Pleasant Grove church plan to transfer their memberships to other churches in the county.

Provided by: Judy Baker Barklage from an article in the Monroe County Appeal, October 26. 1967.

Additional notes:

Mother has annotated:  "Ray, Roy and Mildred TURNBOUGH (mother) joined the Pleasant Grove Church July 30, 1931.  Minister Reverend Willard REAVIS began his meetings at Pleasant Grove July 15 and closed July 30.