ALTOGA BAPTIST CHURCH
On May 14, 1892 a Baptist church was
organized which was originally known as the Missionary Baptist Church of Christ
at Stiff Chapel. Elder Giles Dunn preached the sermon at the organizational
service. The presbytery was composed of Elders J. S. Cameron, W. H. Roland,
Giles Dunn, and J. H. Vermillion. There were thirty-eight charter members.
The congregation met at Stiff Chapel until its new building was completed in
September, 1895. The first service in the new building, located in Altoga, was
on September 20, 1895. Brother J. S. Cameron brought the sermon. Although no
records are available indicating when the church formally changed its name, it
soon came to be known as the Altoga Baptist Church.
The congregation built a new building in 1938, dedicating it on May 5th of that
year. On December 3, 1972, a dedication service was held for the present
building, constructed under the leadership of Pastor Peck Williams. The previous
building was retained and is used as a fellowship hall.
The Altoga Church has seen two former pastors become foreign missionaries. Rev.
Gerald Schleiff served in Africa, and Rev. H. A. Zimmerman went to Brazil. The
1985 resident membership of the church was reported as ninety-two. Stan Norman,
the present pastor, has been with the church two years.
ALTOGA BAPTIST CHURCH
History
The Altoga Baptist Church is approaching its 100th anniversary. The Altoga
church was organized on May 14, 1892 at Stiff Chapel. The Presbytery consisted
of Elders James S. Cameron, W. H. Roland, and James H. Vermillion. The first
sermon was delivered by Rev. Giles Dunn (1820-1913), a retired Baptist minister.
A total of 36 presented themselves as charter members:
R. J. Bevel, J. A. Blake, Jemima Blake, Margaret Blake, S. G. Blake, Elder
Cameron, Lidda Cameron, W. J. Dearmond, Rev. Giles Dunn, Mary J. Dunn, Fannie
Farley, Rosana Farley, Joe Franks, J. A. Gray, M. A. Gray, Mary A. Hatler, Jacob
E. Lacy, Caroline Lindsy, J. W. Lindsy, Beula Lovelady, John C. McCoy, Charlotte
Moore, Evaline Moreland, Nancy C. Moreland, John K. Moreland, Thomas J.
Moreland, Melissa Mounger, Susan S. Stapp, Thomas J. Stapp, Mary Stiff, Robert
Stiff, Minnie A. Watkins, Elizabeth Whitson, Angelina Williams.
James S. Cameron was called as the first pastor, and Thomas J. Moreland
(1850-1915) was elected the first church clerk. The church joined the Southern
Baptist association in August 1892, and the regular Baptist Articles of Faith
were adopted in September 1892.
The church met at the Stiff Chapel schoolhouse until the summer of 1895 when the
first church house was built at Altoga. The first church was built on land
donated by Isaac T. Moreland (1847-1902). I. T. and Evalina Moreland donated
2.25 acres on March 4, 1895. Sunday school, also called Sabbath school, was
organized in 1896 with P. R. McGee as Superintendent. On the fourth Sunday in
July, 1900, the church house was dedicated to the Lord. The dedicatory sermon
was preached by Rev. J. S. Cameron. At that time, John B. Vermillion (1867-1963)
was Church Clerk....
The following pastors have served at Altoga: 1892 - 1895 J. S. Cameron, 1895 -
1896 B. L. Lough, 1896 - 1897 W. H. Dunn, 1897 - 1899 C. E. Morgan, 1900 - 1901
J. S. Cameron, 1901 - 1903 J. B. Wilbanks, 1903 - 1905 B. A. Hall, 1906 - 1907
B. D. Griffin, 1908 - 1911 George A. Dale, 1911 - 1913 W. T. Newsom, 1913 - 1915
W. H. Dunn, 1915 - 1920 John R. Hilger, 1920 - 1923 A. H. Ethridge, 1923 - 1924
H. A. Zimmerman, 1924 - 1925 A. M. Harrington, 1925 - 1926 E. P. West, 1926 -
1927 John R. Hilger, 1927 - 1929 W. O. Majors, 1929 - 1930 T. H. McSpadden, 1930
- 1931 Kermit Melugin, 1931 - 1932 Al Novak,, 1933 - 1935 Ernest E. Gilbert, 1935
A. W. Cunningham, 1935 - 1936 G. B. Airhart, 1936 - 1939 Leslie Davis, 1940 -
1941 Clyde Sampson, 1942 - 1943 Joe Kelton, 1943 - 1950 L. B. Morgan, 1951
Forrest Rogers, 1952 - 1953 Troy Corzine, 1953 Raymond Butts, 1954 - 1955
Hershel Rutledge, 1955 W. E. Logan, 1956 J. M. Cave, 1956 - 57 A. L. Woodall,
1957 - 1958 Johnny May, 1958 - 1963 Henry Davenport, 1963 - 1965 Gerald Schlieff,
1965 - Donald Cox....
Altoga
Churches Index
- Recommended citation:
"Altoga Baptist Church, Collin County
Churches," Collin County, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy
Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13 13:37:28 US/Central 2004 ].
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