Photo made Feb. 19, 2004

Harmony Baptist Church

The first accounts of Harmony Community we can find are from the Harmony Baptist Church records.
The church was organized November 7, 1823 with 15 members. The services were conducted in the homes
of the members and later in the Harmony School. The church building was erected in 1840 being of brick.
In 1850 the roll had 127 members.                                                                                                                         

In 1854 singing classes were organized for part singing.                                                                                 
Elder J. U. Spurlin was called as pastor in May 1859 at a salary of $150 per year, to preach once a month.
In January 1860 the church experienced a great revival when 30 whites and 29 colored were added to the membership by baptism. In 1861 another great revival added a large addition of both colored and white.
A four day revival in Jan. 1862 resulted in the addition of 62 members of whom six were colored.
Until the end of the war, colored and white worshipped together.
Elder J. U. Spurlin remained through the war and resigned in 1864.

The Harmony Church could be called the "aristocrat" country church. The second building was built about 1885. Brick was molded and fired from a kiln on the premises. Today, after one hundred years, it still stands. Dr. W. O. Yates, president of a Baptist college in Russelville, Kentucky, served 33 years as pastor at Harmony.

In 1948 Harmony and Otter Pond Baptist Church merged to become Midway Baptist Church. The furnishings, pulpit chairs and pews, in Harmony were beautifully carved and polished. The pews, the podium and the pulpit chairs are being used in the Midway Church.

Harmony Church members were from the wealthiest families to the poor. Before 1900 and thereafter, large landholders surrounded the church. Very few of the original family names remain on the Midway roll. A few of the older members were the Quisenberrys, Grooms, McConnells, Whites, Simses, Woods, Pollards, Howards and Lesters.

There was a schoolhouse as afore mentioned. Sometime around 1900 there was a country store with a second story. The proprietor of the store built caskets. At one time he built and delivered by wagon a casket for $25.00. Dick Pool was the owner of this store. Wylie Jones, father of William, Bernard, Frank, Gene and Eloise, was store clerk.

A few of the later teachers were: Elnora Cartwright, Mamie Cravens Murphy, Floris Morris, Constance Lester, Allie Litchfield and Lola Patterson. This school was disbanded in the early 1920's.

There was a stable with stalls owned by individuals for their children who rode to school. The school had an enrollment of about 35. Some former pupils still living are: Howard McConnell, Sammie Overby Murphy, Louise Lewis Cummins, Robert "Boot" Lewis, Dorthy Hawkins Carpenter, Earl & Elsie Wood, Bertha Wood Smith, Hattie Cravens Hollowell, Lavergne Murphy Catlett, "Buss" and Dorothy Ferguson, Margaret Lewis Goodwin, Ethel Murphy Smiley, Lucille McConnell Leech, Pauline Nabb and Percy Piercy.

From the stories told by some of the men, there must have been some very mischievous boys. In spite of the mischief, some very intelligent and prosperous men have come from this one room school. The three R's and discipline were top priority, as so well taught by one-room school teachers.

Written by "Buss" and Dorothy Ferguson in 1987

______________________

W.D. "Buss" Ferguson
born Dec. 21, 1908 Caldwell Co., Ky.
died July 29, 2000, Caldwell Co., Ky.
a charter member of Midway Baptist Church
buried Millwood Cemetery, Caldwell Co., Ky.

Dorothy Ferguson
born May 15, 1912 Caldwell Co., KY.
died June 25, 1997 Caldwell Co., Ky.
a charter member of Midway Baptist Church
buried Millwood Cemetery, Caldwell Co., Ky.

Both were the children of: Lawrence B. Ferguson & Annie B. McCargo Ferguson

Page by Peggy Gilkey