History of Mulberry Spring Baptist Church

Lamar County, Alabama

“The history of Mulberry Springs is very uncertain. The Church was constituted during the time when historical records were not always preserved, followed by the Civil War. Many of the records were destroyed by fire in the burning of the Marion County Court House, and in later years the burning of the home of the church clerk. The accounts and information about the early church included in this history are gathered from oral tradition, all available Yellow Creek Associational Minutes, all available Lamar Baptist Association Minutes, an all Mulberry Spring church Minutes that were available.

The Church that we know today as the Mulberry Springs Baptist Church, according to oral tradition, was constituted into a church on Saturday, July 27, 1844 as the Chincopen Grove Baptist Church near Moscow, Alabama.

The Church adopted an abstract of 14 articles of faith and received 15 charter members, being certified and constituted into a church by A. H. Eledge and H. H. Holcombe. The exact location of the first building is not certain. It was a log building and was said to have had a balcony where the slaves were allowed to attend worship. These 15 Charter Members were: Samuel Alexander, John Terry, William Barrow, James Rasberry, Richard Terry, James Holladay, Philip Woods, Katharine Woods, Elvira Marchbanks, Mary Holladay, Sarah Rasberry, Barbara Burrow, Sarah Terry, Charity Rasberry, Mary Ann Alexander. The same day the church received James Woods and Lucinda Woods by letter.

On Sunday Morning July 28, 1844, the Church met according to adjournment and received Jacob Webb by experience and a girl belonging to D. W> Hollis named Deeler by experience.

On Monday July 29, 1844, both of the above were baptized and Margaret Walker and a girl belonging to John P. Alexander named Miley were received and baptized.

On Tuesday, July 20, 1844, the Church met according to adjournment and received by letter and experience the following: James Moore by letter, Kibble Terry, Sarah Walker, Mary Alexander, Edmond Mason, Margaret Mason, A. H. Moore, John H. Moore, Susan G. Moore by restoration, Eliza Webb, Mary Moore, Mathews Taylor, Amelia Harris. Jesse Taylor, Nathanel Meadows, Nancy Terry, Collin Johnson, Ranson Rasberry, and Adaline Walker.

The next meeting of the Church was on August 24, 1844. The Church met according to adjournment and after a sermon by Brother Eledge they met in conference and opened the door for reception of members and received Samuel Weeks. Then the Church went into business session to elect a church clerk. The motion was made to elect Brother Kibble Terry and he was elected. There are no further records of Chincopen Grove or Mulberry Springs until 1874 in the Yellow Creek Association Minutes. There are no records as to why the name was changed other than by oral tradition, that after the Civil War the old church was given to the blacks, and a new church was built.

The Yellow Creek Baptist Association was organized at Shiloh Church, Fayette County, Alabama on Saturday, November 24, 1860. The Fourteenth session was held with Bethabara Church, located 4 miles northeast of Kennedy, in 1874, with A. Markham, Moderator, W. A. Reynolds, Clerk. Mulberry Springs Church was received into the association.

Minutes of Yellow Creek Association stated, “Mulberry Springs in a rather cold state”.

Minutes of Yellow Creek Association in condition comments stated “Mulberry Springs had but little preaching this year, are at peace, asked for interest and prayers“.

Minutes of Yellow Creek Association in condition comments stated “Mulberry in a cold state”.

Note: This was the year that was listed in the Lamar Baptist Association as the year that Mulberry Springs was organized. We have not been able to find any information as to why, or to substantiaste this date. This is the reason for this history. We thought we would be celebrating our Centennial.

Minutes of Yellow Creek Association on condition comments stated “Mulberry Much Revived”.

Comments Yellow Creek Association, “Mulberry Springs is in a prosperous condition and desires your prayers. From the day book of Thomas Moore Woods, “owned saw mill” there is a page dated August, 1891 for Mulberry Springs Church. The size of the order would lead us to believe this could be when the frame building was built. this would have been the beginning of Mulberry Springs at the present site.

Yellow Creek Minutes comments: Mulberry Springs ask an interest in your prayers. Mulberry also requested to be changed from first district to second district.

Yellow Creek Minutes Comments: Mulberry Springs “All at Peace”.

Yellow Creek Minutes Comments Mulberry Springs “We had a prosperous year”.

The present church property was purchased for the sum of one dollar for one acre of land from A. A. Hill and his wife, Ann Hill on September 2, 1907. Sold to Steve Taylor and James Clark, deacons and to their successors, in the Mulberry Springs Church. the deed was filed in Lamar County Court House in Vol. 28, Page 476 of Record of Deeds in Probate Judge Office, R. L. Bradley Probate Judge. Annual Associational Meeting of the Yellow Creek Association met at Mulberry Springs Church.

Mulberry Springs, Shiloh, Vernon, Pleasant Ridge, Fellowship, Corinth and Prospect asked for letter of dismission from Yellow Creek Association. Motion was made and voted down to grant letter of dismission. On a second motion the Yellow Creek association withdrew fellowship from the same seven churches for un-scriptural practices in co-operating with the Southern Baptist Convention and added Cody Church to the others.

On October 20, 1911, these same seven Churches came together to form the Lamar Baptist Association. this meeting was held at the Vernon Baptist Church. Mr. Walter Hill was elected clerk of this association, he was a representative of the Mulberry Springs Baptist Church."

The above information was taken from the history of the Church published in 1988.