Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/533

 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 473 troductory sermon by M. J. Whitaker, M. V. Baird, moderator, C. B. Crumb, clerk. Churches 22, members 923. The meeting in 1SS5 was held at Oak Grove church iu Dunklin county. Eld. R. H. Doug- lass was moderator and C. B. Crumb, clerk. There were 25 churches represented and the total membership was 1,018. The introduc- tory sermon was preached by Rev. S. M. Brown. The fifty-fii*st annual meeting was held at Philadelphia church in Stoddard county in 1886. Eld. R. H. Douglass was moderator, and R. P. Owen, clerk. The introductory ser- mon was preached by the moderator. Eighteen churches reported 978 members. About 1890 the association was divided, the churches in Stoddard county organizing the Stoddard county association and those in Dunklin county retaining the original organ- ization and name. Among the older churches of this associa- tion are Bloomfield, organized in 1846; Oak Grove, in 1858; Liberty, 1866; Shady Grove, 1866 ; Four Mile, 1866 ; Kennett and Cotton Plant. This association is now confined to Dunklin county. In 1910 there were 24 churches in organization with a total membership of 2,449. The churches were : Bible Grove, 76 ; Caruth, 75; Cardwell, 202; Campbell, 144; Clarkton, 208 ; Friendship, — ; Gideon, 17 ; Holly Grove, 66; Holly, 36; Holcomb, 90; Hornersville, 276; Kennett, 289; Little Vine,— ; Lulu, 98; Maiden, 119 ; New Prospect, 74 ; Oak Grove — ; Octa, 97 ; Palestine, 115 ; Parma, 80 ; Senath, 148 ; Shady Grove, 82 ; Stanfield, 73 ; Varner River, 91. The man, who more than any other per- haps, contributed to the prosperity of the Baptist church in this association was Elder J. H. Floyd, who was a native of Clark county, Missouri, born in 1832. Together with his fa- ther 's family he came to Dunklin county about 1850 and" began the work of preach- ing in 1858 continuing in the ministry there, with the exception of one year, until his death in 1874. He was a man of veiy great energy and not only preached continually, having charge usually of three or four churches, but also sujiported himself by farming. Doubt- less to his labors is due more than to that of any other man the growth which the churcli exijerienced in those years. Another of the early ministry was John W. Brown, who died in August, 1868, after hav- ing spent a number of years in the work of the church. Still another one was L. L. Stephens, who served for a number of times as moderator of the association and also as missionary. He died in 1874. ^Vmong the ministers who contributed very greatly to the success of the churches in this association were M. V. Baird, M. J. Whittaker, R. H. Douglass, and J. N. Richardson. Eld. Richardson came to the association from Ar- kansas though a Tennessean by birth. He was a careful student, an original thinker, and a powerful and pleasing speaker. One of the influential citizens of Dunklin county is and has been for a number of years Rev. Martin V. Baird, who was born in Wil- son county, Tennessee, June 7, 1837. He came with his father's family to Missouri in I860; he had received a good education before com- ing to Missouri and after living for a time in Dunklin coTinty he was licensed as a minister of the Baptist church and began his active work in 1870 ; from that time until the pres- ent he has been one of the foremost ministers of that denomination in that county. At one time or another he has been pastor of prac- tically every Baptist church in the countj',