Who knows what treasures you will find as you go back through your old genealogy papers?! And "stuff"?!
Today: Here is a publication I ran across. Its title is Pike County Alabama: Bethlehem Baptist Church Records and it was contributed by: Mrs. B.W. Gandrud of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
I have highlighted in orange hi-lighter, on my paper copy, family names which jump out at me: Cadenhead, Dennis, Edge, Bishop, Carlisle, Reynolds (a name from my kids' paternal line).
Note, especially, the beginning explanation of how these records came to Mrs. B.W. Grandrud. They were given to her by Winfred R. Horne of Clayton, Alabama, in September of 1960. Mr. Horne has the following comments to make on the Church Register:
"Mr. Hobdy, in 1898, made only a brief condensation of the minutes, omitting practically all mention of individuals except what is contained in the following references."
Included is a list of the Founding Members. Equally important is a description of the history of this church: "The Bethlehem Baptist Church, near Louisville, Alabama was founded 25 April 1824. This was in Pike County (Alabama) at that time, but since 1832 in Barbour County. Louisville was the county seat of Pike County from 1822-1832. This church is seven miles from Clayton, three miles from Louisville, on the Clayton-Louisville Road.
Founding Members:
- Warren Jackson
- William Anglin
- Randol Jackson
- William Cox
- William Cadenhead
- James Cadenhead
- James A. Head
- Elizabeth Jackson
- Elizabeth Cox
- Eliizabeth Head
- Mary Pruit(t)
- Elizabeth Warren
- Anna (a woman of color)
James Cadenhead was the first preacher and moderator and James A. Head was the first church clerk.
One wonders (I wonder), where is the appropriate place for this type of historical record? And how is it helpful to one? I did find, online, a Bethlehem Baptist Church reference at www.findagrave.com. And, in that cemetery there are mentions of "Dennis" (one of my family names) burials. But, I am thinking that the State Archives in Montgomery, Alabama might be a place to send a copy of this document which was cited in the Alabama Genealogical Register, 13 August 2003. Or check their collection for that publication.
I continue to use this type of publication to look for clues online or elsewhere (local library, FamilySearch, etc.). For example, Mathew Bishop + Pike County Alabama + OR Alabama cemeteries. Certainly, you would want to census records for a time period that was defined according to information gleaned from a cemetery or document. For example, T.J. Carlisle was a church clerk in 1879. I check my genealogy software database...There was a Thomas Carlisle who was a sibling to Dr. Charles Carlisle. I am not related to Dr. Carlisle, but he was married to my third great grand aunt, Emily Lenora Rabb! Their children are my cousins (albeit distant)!
Sometimes squeezing information from near relatives' profiles is better than no information! I have my round about ways! And I'll take what I can get when it comes to folks who may have played a role in the life of "my" people!
