POCAHONTAS CHURCH DATES TO WILDERNESS YEARS

Polly Gailus and Robert Hope read a Bible that was printed in 1898. Behind them are old photos of reverends who preached at Apple Creek Presbyterian Church.

Some of the members of the Apple Creek Presbyterian Memorial Association stand outside the church near Pocahontas. The association works to preserve the history of the church, which was founded in 1821.

The rocks mark the burial place of a slave named Peter. He is buried next to his owner, Alexander McLain, who fought with the North Carolina Militia in the Revolutionary War. The Daughters of the American Revolution placed special markers at both men's graves. Several graves in the church cemetery date to 1822.

Robert Hope kneels beside the grave of Robert Steel, who was buried in the church cemetery in 1822. Many old markers are hard to read, but the cemetery is well kept. Last year people from 10 states visited it, many were researching their family histories.

So old is the cemetery at Apple Creek Presbyterian Church, nestled on a hushed hillside just east of Pocahontas, that many aged grave markers there cannot easily be read.

The names, birth and death dates hand-chiseled into them since 1822 have weathered and faded; green- and rust-colored moss cling to some of the white and gray stones.

Alexander McLain is buried there. He fought in the Revolutionary War as a private in the North Carolina Militia. He's buried next to a rock formation marking the grave of his slave, Peter.

A while back the Daughters of the American Revolution placed special markers at the graves. McLain's marker shows militia men with muskets in the woods, huddled around a flag with 13 stars. Peter's marker reads: "Peter, Beloved Slave of Alexander McLain."

Robert Steel and Charles Harris are the oldest occupants of the picturesque cemetery. Not much is known of them, but they went under in 1822.

There are 814 grave stones in the cemetery but more people than that are believed buried there.

"There was supposed to have been a cholera epidemic that killed a lot of people," said Robert Hope, superintendent of grounds of the Apple Creek Presbyterian Memorial Association. "The old part of the cemetery is said to have a lot of unmarked graves."

The memorial association was established after Apple Creek Presbyterian Church dissolved as an active congregation in 1962, due to dwindling membership.

Ann Henderson, president of the association, said the group perpetuates the memory of Apple Creek Church -- the third oldest Presbyterian Church west of the Mississippi. It was organized in 1821.

Polly Gailus, association secretary, said several histories of the church have been written over the years. One such effort, "The History of the First Apple Creek Presbyterian Church," covers the years up to 1933. It was written by Irene Kasten, who's 104 years old.

"She did a real good job on the history," said Carolyn Thompson, the association's organist; she plays the 1878, foot-pumped organ at the two annual church services.

Kasten's 14-page history in booklet form contains the original organizational records, a list of ministers with dates of service, a list of elders and deacons with dates of service, and histories of the cemetery, Sunday School, women's work, the manse (parsonage) and buildings.

Another history is called, "Old Apple Creek Church and Its Early Membership." Written by John A. Hope, a descendent of three charter members, it was published in 1926 to note the church's 105th anniversary.

"A Sketch of First Apple Creek Church (1821-1911)," by Willis Knox, and an updated alphabetical listing of people buried in the cemetery are also available.

"We've been able to gather a lot of information about the church and cemetery," said Hope, the superintendent of grounds. "People from 10 states visited last year ... a lot of them do genealogy work."

A historical sketch

Apple Creek Presbyterian Church was started by two groups of Scotch-Irish settlers who relocated to the area from North Carolina in the early 1800s.

One group staked out land near Shawneetown and the other made homes in the Indian Creek area east of Fruitland.

With help and encouragement from the Rev. Salmon Giddings, a Presbyterian minister assigned to the area, the two communities united and formed the church at a point about midway between them -- near Uncle Joe Abernathy Spring (now Baldridge Spring) just east of Pocahontas. The church became the "mother church" of Presbyterianism in Cape Girardeau County, since it was only the third such church to be established west of the Mississippi.

The church was organized on May 21, 1821, with Reverend Giddings officiating at the organizational meeting held on the Hope farm, within sight of the present church.

Giddings used a 2-foot-high limestone rock as a rostrum while acting as moderator, according to church histories.

In 1822 church members cut logs from timber felled on the property and built the first church, which had 24 pews. For 10 years the building well served its congregation, but was replaced in 1831 with a larger framed structure nearby. Wooden shingles were tacked to the outside.

In 1873 the building was torn down and replaced by the present church. An organ was purchased in 1878, but caused dissension -- some church members believed it was sacrilege to use any instrument while singing God's praises.

At some point the organ was sold; however, it would return. A Sam Hartman acquired the organ, restored it and returned it to the church in 1969.

As membership dwindled, the church was dissolved as an active congregation in 1962. The Apple Creek Presbyterian Memorial Association was then formed to perpetuate its memory.

Excerpts from the church records

Nov. 15, 1840 -- Sampson W. Burch, an Indian of the Choctaw tribe, having resided in this county for two years, presented himself, and after examination was received as a member of this church.

July 22, 1842 -- Session consulted as to the proper way of commemorating the Lord's Supper; whether by sitting at tables, as did the Apostles, or ranging themselves in rows, as did the 5,000 when fed by Christ in the Wilderness.

Session Resolved: That henceforth we use tables at the Lord's Supper -- as being more solemn -- as drawing a more distinct line between the communicants and the impenitent.

Feb. 12, 1849 -- James Abernathy appeared before the session, admitted that he had been angry and had used profane language as unbecoming a Christian. He was admonished to be more careful. Soon after Henry Little plead guilty to the same offense.

May 21, 1871 -- On this day Rev. A. Munson, upon invitation of session, preached the 50th anniversary sermon from the text, 1 Sam. 7-12. "Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Shen and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."

Irene Kasten, in the epilogue of her booklet, "The History of the First Apple Creek Presbyterian Church," writes:

"Apple Creek is a typical country church standing among stately hickory, oak and gum. Measured by numbers it would not stand high in the list, but measured by the forces that have gone out from her by the life-giving streams of upright lives, she need not to feel ashamed. Her sons and daughters are found as officers and leaders in many city churches.

"As we think of the history of this church, we are persuaded there are so many scattered over the Southland and the welfare of the country church must not be neglected. They must be preserved that they may continue to pour into our cities small and great those forces that will keep them from destruction."

On Sunday, May 21, at 11 a.m. the Apple Creek Presbyterian Memorial Association will hold one of its two annual church services. The public is invited to attend and walk the grounds. There will be food and beverages.

Memorial association officers

The 1994-'95 officers of the Apple Creek Presbyterian Memorial Association are Ann Henderson, president; Harold Hope, first vice president; John Blue, second vice president; Roy Yancey, third vice president; Polly Gailus, secretary; James Hope, treasurer; Tom Henderson, historian; Carolyn Thompson, organist; and Robert Hope, superintendent of grounds.