COUNTRY CHURCH ANTIOCH CHRISTIAN

This church was organized September 25, 1859. The original In embers were James B. Reed, J.P. Nelson, J. R. Yeager, E. Hansbrough, R. M. Brown, J. Redd, Nelson Lovelace,Lucy Nelson, Sarah Coons, Fannie Dingle, Susan Nelson, Mary Mathews and E.Coons. The church is a brick building and was built in 1871, on the southeast quarter of section 14, township 59, range 6, at a cost of about $3,000. The pastors that have served this church have been Thomas Sheppard, S. M. Doyle, R.L. Cave, B. H. Smith and D. R. Lucas. The present membership is 50. The present elders are James A. Scott and Jerry Taylor. The deacons are Samuel Connell and Wm. L. Nelson. The latter is also clerk.

BETHEL CHURCH

[Parties promising to furnish information concerning old Bethel Church have neglected to do so, and the history of this historic old institution must be omitted with great regret]

MT. OLIVET — (M. E. SOUTH)

The congregation of this church was first regularly organized July 30,1871, with the following members: John Mays, Mary C. Mays, John A. Smith, Susan E. Smith, Dr. S. F. Bonney, Mary Bonney, Elizabeth Hickman, Ellen Taylor, George W. Frazier, Thomas J. McKay, Sarah Ellen Smith,and Felicia Smith. The clerk of the organizing meeting was John Smith.The church building, a fine brick structure, situated in a pleasant,natural grove, on the sw. corner of the sw. 1/4 of the se. 1/4 of section 11-59-6, was built in 1872, at a cost of $3,000. It was dedicated by Rev. Wesley G. Miller, the second Sabbath in November, 1872. The pastors that have served this church have been Revs. Elmore Carlisle, James Penn,George Primrose, John Pope, John Taylor, Daniel Rader, Berry H.Spencer, L. Rush, James Penn (again) and T. R. Kendall. Some of the presiding elders of the district in which Mt. Olivet is situated have been Revs.Wesley McMurry, Wm. Penn, A. W. Austin, Dr. Win. Rush, and J. P. Nolan. The trustees for 1883 are John Mays, H. S. Potter, John A. Smith, T. J. McKay,and Dr. S. F. Bonney. Church conference secretaries – 1879-82, John A. Smith; 1882-83, H. S. Potter. Stewards for 1883-84, H. S. Potter, John Mays.

A Sabbath school was organized in connection with the church, March 23,1873.  The superintendent from 1879 to 1883 was John A. Smith; present superintendent, H. S. Potter. There are now five teachers and about 25 scholars.

Mt. Olivet Cemetery is located near the church, a little south, but on the ne. quarter of section 14. It was regularly laid out in 1872, and contains one and one-half acres. The first interment oil the site was that of Mrs. Margaret Mays, wife of Col. John Mays, many years ago. The first interment after the cemetery was regularly laid out was that of Mr.Samuel Wiseman.

Source: History of Marion County, Missouri: Written and Compiled from the Most Authentic Official and Private Sources : Including a History of Its Townships, Towns, and Villages, Together with a Condensed History of Missouri, the City of St. Louis, a Reliable and Detailed History of Marion County, Its Pioneer Record, War History, Resources, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Prominent Citizens : General and Local Statistics of Great Value, and a Large Amount of Legal and Miscellaneous Matter, Incidents and Reminiscences, Grave, Tragic and Humorous. St. Louis : E. F. Perkins, 1884.