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"Presbyterian Church Histories of the
Synod of Alabama, East Alabama Presbytery"
Compiled by Rev. C. H. Rogers, 1889-1920, pages 34-36
Transcribed from a typed transcript copy located at the Alabama
State Archives, Montgomery, AL
No corrections made to punctuation, spelling, or grammar
Submitted by Teri Tait
"AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PALMYRA CHURCH FROM
ITS ORGANIZATION UNTIL THE PRESENT TIME, 1889"
Palmyra Church is located in Barbour County, Alabama,
on the waggon
road leading from Clayton, the County Seat of Eufaula, about nine miles due
east from Clayton and about twelve miles due west from Eufaula.
In the latter part of the year, 1838, a church was
organized, by order
of East Alabama Presbytery, about one and one-half miles east of the present
location, and known as White Oak Springs. It was organized by Rev. Duncan
S. McCormack, a licentiate from Fayettville Presbytery, N.C. and Rev. Jesse
Stratton of Flint River Presbytery, Geo, who was then located at Covington
(now Eufaula).
About the year, 1850, the present church edifice was
built at its
present location, and the name changed from White Oak Springs to Palmyra.
It is a wooden structure costing about One Thousand Dollars. The original
Elders were Alexander D. McRea, Angus Ferguson and Duncan Cunningham, the
original members were:
Angus Ferguson, Martha Ferguson, Duncan Cunningham,
Katharine
Cunningham, Angus McLeod, Margaret McLeod, Roderick McSwean, Mary McSwean,
Alexander Campbell, Margaret Campbell, Alexander Stewart, Nancy Stewart,
Margaret Stewart, Senr. Margaret Stewart, Junr., Katharine Gillis, Katharine
McLeod, James Ferguson, Katharine Ferguson, Mary McMillan, Sr., Alexander
Gillis, Flora Gillis, Nancy Walker, John McGilvary, Margaret McGilvary,
Alexander D. McRae, Margaret McRae, and Katherine Fulton, twenty-seven.
PASTORS AND STATED SUPPLIES
Rev. Jesse Stratton, S.S., from its organization until
about the middle
of 1839.
Rev. John McIntyre, an aged minister, from Fayettville
Presbytery,
N.C., S. S. from about the middle of 1839 until the latter part of 1840,
returned to N.C.
Rev. R. C. Smith, S. S. from the latter part of 1841
until the end of
1842.
Rev. John Warnock of Fayettville Presbytery, N. C. as
domestic
Missionary during, 1843. Died at Union Springs, Alabama.
Rev. Malcom A. Patterson, S. S. 1844, 1845 and 1846.
Licentiate, O. D. McNeily of Concord Presbytery, N. C.
Served the
church about two years as S. S. between the years, 1846 and 1850.
Rev. Malcom A. Patterson, S. S. from 1850 until 1858
emigrated to
Arkansas.
Rev. John R. McIntosh who was principal of Union Female
College at
Eufaula served the church as S. S. for about two years about 1863 and 1864.
Rev. James A. Wallace S. S. from 1866 to 1877 became
dissatisfied at
some grouping of churches by Presbytery and quit preaching at this church.
Licentiate Baxter, D. D. Greer S. S. 1880 and 1881.
Rev. Baxter, D. D. Greer, Pastor 1882 until 1885,
removed to Cuthbert,
Macon Presbytery, Geo.
Rev. Paul P. Winn P. from 1885 until the present time.
RULING ELDERS
Alexander D. McRae from the organization of the church
until about
1846, removed West Florida. Angus Ferguson from the organization of the
church to 1843, dismissed at his own request
Duncan Cunningham from the organization of the church
until his death in 1877.
John Stewart, Esqr., from the organization of the
church until his death in 1852, but being a very aged man, he might be consider
an elder Emeritus.
Alexander McLeod from 1852, until the present time.
Alexander Stewart from 1837 until his death in 1881.
John C. McNab from 1869 to 1873, until he united with
the Protestant Episcopal Church.
John C. McSwean from 1869 to 1877; emigrated to Texas.
Charles F. Stewart from 1875 to the present time.
Angus McSwean from 1880 until the present time.
Alexander Turner from 1880 until present time.
DEACONS
John McLeod from 1866 until his death in 1886.
Dan'l Gilchrist from 1880 until the present time.
John A. McLeod from 1886 until the present time.
John S. Stewart from 1886 until the present time.
There has been a Sabbath School conducted since about 1
850 with scholars varying from 25 to 75 and teachers from 3 to 5,
until the present time.
REMARKABLE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
In the summer of 1866, the church being at the time
vacant, Rev. Robert
Nall, D. D., assisted by Rev. Mr. Adams, who was then located at Eufaula,
carried on a meeting at this church for about twelve days, which was attened
by a most precious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, resulting in the addition
of some 50 or 60 to the communion of the church, many of them heads of
families and a considerable number of aged persons.
We have had many of seasons of revival and awakening at
various times
not now remembered.
The membership of the church has varied from 27, the
original number,
to 100 at one time and back to about 80 at its present membership.
The church was in the bounds of East Alabama Presbytery
until that
Presbytery was dissolved. It is now in South Alabama Presbytery.
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