Church History

The Primitive Baptist doctrine was brought in to Iredell County, in the 1870s, by a body of farmers who moved into the area from Person and Caswell counties in search of land and conditions favorable for raising tobacco. Intensified settlement and the widespread clearing of land in the eastern counties had depleted the supply of hardwood necessary for the production of charcoal used in the curing process. Therefore these farmers had moved westward in search of a more abundant supply of hardwood, as well as land, and finally settled in Iredell County.

The first church was organized and established at Pleasant Hill, July 1879, near the cross point of what was then, two of the main cross-county roads; Old Mountain Road and The Buffalo Shoals Road. This church has continued to serve, through the years, those who share the “predestinarian belief and doctrine of their faith and order.”

The church was erected on a tract of land given by Addison Rimmer to the trustees of the Primitive Baptist Religious Society. John W. Eudy and Samuel R. Rimmer, for the consideration of one ($1.00) dollar. The deed, dated July 18, 1878 was for one and one half (1 .5) acres of land, lying on the west side of The Buffalo Shoals Road and included right-of-way to a spring in the back of the church, “For the use and benefit of Primitive Baptists as long as it was used as a Place of Public Worship.”¹

November 8, 1879 a Presbytery of Elders met with Elders Philip Snider, from Bear Creek Association in Stanley County, as moderator, and Oliver Rogers, clerk, to examine the people concerning their faith. This body wrote into the church records that “having examined the people and finding them duly trained in doctrine, discipline, dismissed in order from their previous church, did therefore set them apart to keep house for the Lord.” The minutes of the church conference held the next day included the following list of members:

• John W. Eudy and Permeley F. Eudy, received from Bear Creek meeting house, Stanley County, NC, August 17, 1878
• Mary Kestler
• David Liles

An additional tract of land was bought August 2, 1878, from Adam and R. L. Troutman for five dollars ($5.00). It is described in the deed² as a tract of land containing one (1) acre, and situated across the road from the original church lot. This land was to serve as the church cemetery. In 1882 the first burial took place when Sarah Hargis, wife of Hezekiah Norris, died.

September 30, 1882, Brother John W. Eudy met with the Bear Creek Association at Jones Hill Church in Stanley County, and presented a letter from the Pleasant Hill Church asking for membership in that organization, which same was granted and signified by extending the right hand of fellowship.

As it was necessary for preachers to travel many miles between churches and most of the time on horseback or by buggy, it was customary to hold services one Sunday a month. The preacher arrived in the community Friday night, stayed over night with some of the members and held services Saturday afternoon and again Sunday morning at the church, with a Prayer Meeting and singings in the evenings. At the beginning the church was served by itinerant preachers and licensees, then in 1884 they called Elder James A. Burch as their first pastor. Elder Burch served until 1906, when in July Elder James A. Monsees of Abbotts Creek was called to serve in his place. When in July, 1907 Elder Monsees resigned Elder C.A. Davis of Salem was called to serve until he left in 1923. Following Elder Davis, Elder D. Pink Broadway of Salisbury came to lead the church and served for a longer period of time than any other pastor. Many other able men, too numerous to try to name, filled the pulpit from time to time either as supply or as visiting preachers, none of whom were turned away. One of these was S.G. (Shade) Caudill of Sparta, who according to tradition, served at a sister church, Warren’s Chapel, which was started with the help of some of the Pleasant Hill Church. The deed³ states that I.G. (Iverson Green) Warren and his wife O.W. Warren, sold to J.R. Murphy and J.S. (John Sam) Norris, trustees of Warren’s Chapel Primitive Baptist Church of Iredell County, for the amount of ten dollars ($10.00) a tract of land lying along the Statesville-Wilkesboro road, containing three-fourths (3/4) of an acre. On this land a building was erected in which services were held and according to random items in back issues of the Statesville newspapers, this church continued to be active for a number of years. Exactly how long remains uncertain as the membership is all scattered or dead, and the church records are not available if indeed they are still in existence. The church building was used during the early 1900s as a grist mill operated by one Samuel T. Norris who was married to one of Green Warren’s daughters, Nancy Adams Warren. In September, 1885, John W. Eudy and John Sam Norris were chosen by the church body and set aside to be ordained as the first Deacons of the church. The ordination was held Oct. 4, 1886, with Elders S.C. Little, N.M. Clark, G.T. Chaney, J.B. Mills and R.W. Snider serving as the Presbytery for the laying on of hands. Other ordination services were held over the years. One in 1906 installed J.M. Hartsell as a deacon, then in 1923 Samuel Rimmer was also ordained as a deacon and in October, 1936 Lloyd G. Cashion was ordained to preach. After assisting Elder Broadway in the pulpit at Pleasant Hill for many years, he eventually assumed the pastorate of that church when Elder Broadway resigned.

On June 24, 1961 Elder J.A. Langham visited Pleasant Hill, at the request of Elder L.G. Cashion. The church called Elder Langham, for their pastor, May 26, 1962, after Elder Cashion resigned. On November 22, 1980, Bro. Harvey Carpenter was ordained at Pleasant Hill, for the work of the ministry. He assisted Elder Langham, who faithfully served Pleasant Hill for almost a quarter century.

On May 19, 1985, Elder Langham resigned as pastor. The same day, the church voted to call Elder Harvey Carpenter as pastor. After a week of prayer, Elder Carpenter accepted. Elder John Draper, full-time pastor of Pine Primitive Baptist Church, had an appointment every other fourth Sunday, which he served for several years. After May 1985, Elder J.A. Langham was asked by the church of Pleasant Hill, to have a regular 3rd Sunday appointment. He accepted and served beginning in May of 1985. This marked almost a total of 33 years Elder Langham preached at Pleasant Hill.

Remainder of church history is forthcoming…

Bibliography
1. Deed Book 6 – Page 643 Iredell County Court House
2. Deed Book 6 – Page 751 Iredell County Court House
3. Deed Book 5 – Page 715 Iredell County Court House