Antioch Church


A listing of over 100 plus early Cass Township, Sullivan County, marriages and residents



 The history of Antioch Church of Christ written by Garrett H. Miller, 1960.

 

Antioch Church of Christ 1829-1832

 

   The Antioch congregation was organized in October 1829 at the home of Thomas Neely by gospel ministers Henry Palmer and Philip Urey.  The first gatherings were held in the home of Thomas Neely.  Later members assembled in a log school building near the site of the present meeting house.  This was a pioneer school building in the wilderness and the men carried their fire arms with them for protection against wild beasts of the vast surrounding forest.  Thomas and Philip Usrey were the first elders.

 

The First Antioch Meeting House

 

The first Antioch Church of Christ meeting house was built in the year of 1832.  The building site was about seventy-five feet east of the present building.  The structure was made of hewn log construction, rectangular in shape, longwise east to west, with board type roof and windows in the north and south sides with it’s entrance in the east end.  The floor was made of puncheon and the original seats were made of split logs.

                                                              Memories of Philip Miller

                                                                  presented by: Everett Rhodes

 

The First Antioch Dedication 1832

 

Ministers Henry Palmer and Philip Usrey dedicated the first meeting house and set the congregation in order.  Thomas Neely and Philip Usrey served as elders until the death of Philip Usrey in 1846.  Robert Moore was then ordained and served until his death in 1855, when James S. Griffin and William Bledsoe were elders and led the congregation until 1865.  Then Samuel Bonham and Andrew J. Usrey were ordained elders.  November 6, 1870, elder Bonham resigned and in July, 1871,  Richard Pigg and Robert Gambill were ordained elders.  September, 1871, Andrew J. Usrey died.  In 1882 when a new meeting house was erected Corder Miller and Joseph Patton were elders.

 

Some of the ministers who worked with the congregation were Henry Palmer, Philip Usrey, James

Griffin, Alexander Engle, W.C. Pigg, Joseph Wolfe, Brother Abrams and Joseph Patton.

 

Pioneer families who worshiped with the Antioch Assembly were the Neelys, Usreys, Gambills, Piggs, ‘’

Wrights, Moores, Thompsons, Bledsoes, McBrides, Millers, Walters, Frys, Poes, Jacksons, Shephards, Sextons, Ringos, Hollys, Combs, Neals, Griffins, Powells, McPeaks, Filberts, Alumbaugh, Robertsons, Humpherys, Wilkes, Coopers, Pattons, McGrews, Randolphs, Popes, Graves, Rhodes, Dudlelys, Burges, Harts, Shipmans, McGills, Keens, Mosses, Hawtins, Abrams, and others.

 

Marital ties that helped to bind the Antioch Community and families closer together.

 

Joseph and Nancy Ann (Horton) Neely

Philip and Mary Francis (Warren) Usrey

Martin and Susan (Shaddon) Gambill

Richard and Sarah (Graves) Griffin

Robert and Drucilla (Miles) Moore

Thomas and Jane (Usrey) Neely

Morgin and Elenor (McGrew) Gambill

James and Judy (Neely) Miller

James and Mary (Neely) Pigg

Martin and Matildly (Vernon) Pope

James and Nancy (Moore) Shipman

William and Elizabeth (Shipman) Moore

William and Polly (Robertson) Patton

Francis and Phoebe (Gambill) Combs

William and Susan (Neal) Bledsoe

Joshua and Elizabeth (Moore) Powell

William and Elenor (McGrew, Gambill) Combs

John and Francis (Neely) Shepard

George and Mary (Bledsoe) Neely

William and Charalett (Moore, Bledsoe) Neal

Andrew J. and Hariett (Griffin) Pig

Joseph Jr. and Elenor (Powell) Neely

Joseph and Nancy A. (Pigg) Powell

David and Susan (Pigg) Usrey

Josiah and Judy (Bledsoe) Gambill

James and Hannah (Gambill) Griffin

James E. and Sarah (Graves) Moore

Corder and Carylan (Gambill) Miller

Sanders and Hannah (Gambill) Pigg

Flemmon and Susan (Gambill) Keene

Martin Jr. and Sarah (Combs) Gambill

Jefferson and Alzenia (Pigg) Fry

Benjamin and Susan (Pigg) Fry

George and Mary E. (Pigg) Usrey

Jasper and Mollie (Alumbaugh) Dudley

Jacob and Eliza E. (Pigg) Rhodes

Phillip and Margaret (Neely) Miller

William and Lucinda (Gambill) Walters

Robert and Nancy (Humphrey) Gambill

Alexander and Elizabeth (Moss) Mitchell

James K. and Sarah (Griffin) Usrey

Elias and Harriet E. (Miller) Brewer

Elias and Mary (Pigg) Ringo

William and Francis (Griffin) Fordice

Wiley and Nancy S. (Neely) Gambill

David and Mary Jane (Miller) Bledsoe

John and Mahalia (Combs) Griffin

William and Sarah (Griffin) Pigg

George and Mahalia (Moss) Bledsoe

Philip and Betsy Ann (Neely) Pigg

Daniel and Alzenia (Pigg) Moss

Joseph and Sarah Jane (Roach) Patton

 

(more marital ties)

Jesse G. and Sarah Jane (Pigg) Moore

James and Barbara (Fry) Pigg

William and Elizabeth (Wallace) Patton

Samuel and Lucinda (Pigg) Fry

Tillman and Nancy J. (Pigg) Norris

Levi and Elizabeth (Moore) Gambill

John and Alzenia (Hawtin) Gambill

George and Louvisa (Walters) Usrey

Philip Jr. and Nancy S. (Crowder) Usrey

John and Nancy (Neely) Powell

Stephen and Elizabeth (Neal) Moore

Joseph E. and Elizabeth (Shipman) Powell

Morgan M. and Hannah J. (Shipman) Pigg

Nathanial and Rebecca (Simpson) Powell

Jepa and Julia (Empson) Pigg

Wiley and Clara (Doane) Miller

Hammet and Alzenia (Miller) Luzader

James and Malinda (Gabbard) Shipman

William J. and Jane (Bledsoe) Shipman

Joseph and Mahalia (Walters) Pigg

Charles and Mary S. (Pigg) Filbert

Wiley H. and Nancy (Pigg) Gambill

Joseph Warren and Pathena (Sharp) Usrey

Samuel and Sarah E. (Patton) Cooper

William and Harriet Rebecca (Magill) Patton

William and Eva (Miller) Headley

Everett and Clara (Marshall) Rhodes

 

 

A re-cap of a letter from Sister Mary B. (Patton) Hawtin of Flint, Michigan.

 

My father and his parents:

 

Joseph Patton, the son of William and Mary Ann (Robertson) Patton was born in North Carolina, February 22,1827, and moved with his parents to Tennessee when he was 9 years old.  My Mother was born in Virginia, June 16, 1832, the daughter of Elija and Willeth (Owens) Roach, and came to Tennessee when she was 11 yrs. old.  Father lived near the Shiloh Military Park in Tennessee.

 

Father began reading the Bible and obeyed the gospel and began to work for the Lord.  He preached to both the Union and Confederate soldiers, is supposed to have preached at the Shiloh Church to the soldiers on the day before the great battle began.  My mother and grandmother told me about this as they lived near the battle field.

 

Regarding the Millers, my Aunt Sarah Ann (Patton) Cooper married Jacob Miller.  They both lost their companions by death.  I remember playing with Uncle Jacobs grandchildren, Sarah and William. Uncle Jacob was a Civil War veteran.  My uncle William Patton was a Union soldier and was seriously hurt in battle and was moved to a veterans hospital, later coming to Indiana and lived near to Shiloh.(Note from Mike: Shiloh is another Church south and west of Dugger) I can remember the hardships we had, my father preached and traveled to places where the gospel was not preached and would be away from home for weeks at a time.  He moved by ox to Indiana before the close of the War.

 

No. I don’t think the first church at Antioch was log.  I was young then, but I do remember going there with them.It seems to me that it was boards of wide planks.  The next church I remember well.  I hope you can read this.  I will be ninety-one the ninth of January.  I have a good home with my daughter and husband,  he is a deacon in the church.  I thank God for my long life, but am waiting for a better home where one never gets old.  I can say I am happy and just waiting to cross over.  I am shut in and am not able to go to church, but I do have lots of Christian friends come to see me.  I have a grandson preacher, my daughter’s son, he is so much like my father in his preaching.  This is written in Christian love and I hope you will excuse the mistakes.

 

Your sister in Christ, Mrs. Mary B. Hawtin

 

More Antioch Church History(part 3) By Garrett H Miller 1960

Election of Trustees of the Antioch Church

 

At a meeting of the Antioch Christian Church situated in Sullivan County, Indiana, but holding a meeting in Greene County, Indiana, at a school house near the home of Robert Gambill, it was ordered that an election be held for selecting of trustees at the aforesaid school house in the month of June, 1856.  It was further ordered that James S. Griffin be appointed to serve notice of said meeting and publish same in the Sullivan Democrat, a weekly newspaper published in Sullivan, Indiana, together with the date, terms and place mentioned therein.

 

the aforesaid notice was published in said paper of May 24-31, as follows: NOTICE; There will be a meeting of the members of the Antioch Christian Church in Sullivan County, Indiana at the school house near Robert Gambill’s on Saturday the 14th day of June, 1856, for the purpose of electing three trustees for said church.

            by order of the Church

             James S. Griffin-Clerk

The church met at the said time and place aforesaid and proceeded to the election of trustees.  Resulting in the electing of Andrew J.Pigg, Lewis Walters,  and George W. Usry, Trustees.

           Recorded: J.H. Reed, R.S.C.

 

Indenture, recorded 1857 in deed record book #13., page 638 Sullivan County Records:

)  Andrew J. Pigg and Harriet Pigg his wife convey to the trustees the land for the church and cemetery for $15.00.  Total land about about 2 acres.

Archable Sexton J.P.

 

The following list of names is taken from and old Antioch Church register.  This register is in the possession of Mrs. Harod Headley of Dugger, Indiana.  It is an heirloom from her grandfather, Corder Miller, who was and elder of the Antioch congregation.  It is dated 1870-1871;

Nancy Gambill                                     Robert Gambill

Eliza Bedwell  Mary E. Usrey             Elizabeth Pigg

 Caroline Miller                                   Lucinda Pigg

John G. McBride                                  Philip Usrey

Sarah (Usrey) Pigg                                Letha Puskesoe (?)

Andrew Powell                                       Joseph Patton

Corder Miller                                          Elizabeth Mitchell

Mary A Moss                                          Wiley O Umphries

John Umphries                                         Philip Miller

Allen McBride                                         Madison Gambill

Leni Gambill                                            Josiah Gambill

Margaret Gambill                                    George Miller

Lucinda Walters                                       Thomas McBride

Juda Bledsoe                                             Sarah Bledsoe

Mary J Neal                                               Rodea Walters

Barbara Pigg                                             Phebe Ann Combs

James Pigg                                                David Usrey

Caroline McBride                                     William K. Peok

James Poe                                                   John Holly

Hannah Griffin                                            Elizabeth Umphries

John Hawtin                                                 Hoshua Powell

Lucretia Poe                                                John Hickson                                                             

Alzenia Alumbaugh                                      Thomas Gambill                                                              

Harriet Pigg                                                 Andrew J. Pigg                                                                                            

Nancy Jane McPeak                                   Margaret Neely

Jene Gambill                                                Eliza Dean

Polly Holly                                                   Sarah South

Nicholas Maxwell                                        William C. Pigg Jr.

 

William C. Pigg Jr.                                         Sarah Woyman(probably Wayman)

Philip Usrey                        Thomas Hill

Martin Gambill Jr.                  Sarsh (Gambill)Bledsoe

Elizabeth McBride             Madison Wilks                

Easter Powell                       Mary Jane Bledsoe

John Mosue                    Jesse Powell

Meda Manuel                   Mary Galisbury

Rebecca Ann Moss              John R. Bledsoe

Mary (Bledsoe) Gambill              Joseph W. Usrey

Catharine Ringo                     Wiley Gambill Sr.

Nancy Gambill                       Mary Bledsoe--wife of David

Jane Driver                   Elizabeth Waymen

Parris O. Thomas                    Rebecca Thomas

John Shephard                       Margaret Pigg

John Francis

 

 

A New Antioch Church Building 1882-1883

 

In the years of 1882and 1883 the Antioch congregation built a new and larger meeting house.  It was erected on the site where the present building now stands.  The new building was dedicated  July 15, 1883.  Minister Alexander Engle delivered the dedication sermon.  Joseph Patton and Corder Miller were the elders of the congregation at the time.  The building was of wood frame construction with windows in the east and west sides and the entrance in it's north end.

 

Other elders who led the congregation between the years 1883 and 1933 were Elias Brewer, Charles Pigg, William H. Gambill, William B. Pigg, William Mitchell, Jacob Gillman, Lano Bledsoe, Hezekiah Gambill and Thomas Stevenson.

 

Ministers who at some time preached at Antioch through the years of 1883 and 1933:

 

W.H. Williams, Joseph Wolfe, Alexander Engle, Joseph Patton, John Boles, Brother Hill, Daniel Price, Eugene Fields, Brother Weddle, Elias Brewer, Charles Neal, Brother Vanhawtin, Logan Hatfield, E. G. Dinney, S.D. Baker, R.J. Clark, William Elmore, David O. Squires, W.W. Adamson, Omer Porter, Vernal Stevenson, J.C. Roadly, Stanford Chambers, Brother Chowning, Joseph Wilson, William Taylor, and others.

 

Members of the Church of Christ, pioneers who helped to establish the Antioch congregation and were deceased when the new frame building was erected:

 

Joseph Neely  1833

Nancy Ann Neely  1851

James Pigg  1841

Mary J. Walters  1852

Robert Moore  1855

Dru'celia Moore

Nancy S. Gambill  1858

Jane Neely  1866

Philip Usrey  1846

Judy Miller  1861

Philip Usrey Jr.  1851

Nancy Pigg  1853

Elizabeth Powell  1866

Jane Bledsoe  1858

Richard Griffin  1865

Sarah Griffin  1864

Mary Usrey  1852

Morgan Gambill  1852

James E Moore  1862

Polly Hickson  1859

Marin Gambill

 

From 1883 until 1933 the second Antioch meeting house stood as a semblance of faith and spiritual inspiration to many people.  Many inspiring meetings were held, minister of the gospel, Vernal Stevenson, held a protracted meeting: September 8 to September 28, 1926, when fifteen persons obeyed the gospel and were baptized.

 

May 20, 1933, during a severe storm, The Antioch church building was struck by lightening and burned.  Many old church records were destroyed in this fire.

 

Antioch Church

 

Soon after their meeting house was destroyed, the congregation met and appointed a three man building committee.  Brother Thomas Stevens, Everett Rhodes, and Harold Headley were appointed to plan and oversee the erection of a new meeting house.

 

Plans were drawn and a new building was erected on the site of the previous building.  Richard Shepler of Paxton, Indiana was appointed head carpenter and several members of the congregation and brethren of neighboring congregations donated their time and labor in the erection of the new building.  The Allen A Wilkinson Lumber Co. of Sullivan, Indiana, was awarded the material contract: and the seats were purchased from Mr. Gilmore of Hymera, Indiana.  The new building was erected in about sixty days, and then was dedicated by the congregation November 26, 1933. 

 

During the interval that the Antioch congregation was without a meeting house, the members attended services among the neighboring congregations.  Dugger, Mt. Zion, Cass, Shiloh, Ellis, Linton and Summerville.

 

Friends and Brethern who helped to build the new Antioch meeting house.

 

Ozro Pigg

Wayne Emery

Philip Cox

Vernon Headley-Cass

Elmer Rhodes-Summerville

Cyrel Whitemoss-Neighbor

J.R. Clark-Dugger

James Boone

Lawson Smith-Mt. Zion

Delphia Rhodes-Summerville

Everett Norris-Cass

Tony Young

Charles Marshall

Charles Pigg

Granville Pennington-Neighbor

Clarence Miller

Harod Headley

Howard Peterson

W. Whitemoss-Neighbor

Lon Mitchell

Donald Robertson

Everett Rhodes

Thomas stevenson

Orvill Miller

Richard Shepler-Mt. Zion

George Kirk-Cass

George Mayfield

Joe Shipman & son-Cass

Lacy Smith-Bethany

Emett Haney

Robert Gambill-Dugger

F.M. Goldman-Dugger

Wm. Emery-Neighbor

ruel Robertson

Lee Rhodes

Claud Alumbaugh

Floyd Miller

Orvill Pigg

Frank Abram-Dugger

Frank Boone-Neighbor

Herbert Pigg-Cass

Jimmie Rhodes

Alvie Dudley-Neighbor

Mart Phillippee

Gene Cox

Claud Livington-Ellis

Frank Long-Mt. Zion

Charles Herks-neighbor

Earnest Robertson-Shiloh

Louis Alumbaugh

Denver  Slemer-Dugger

Orvill Moody-Neighbor

 

Thomas Stevens, Harold Headley, and Everett Rhodes were elders when the new building was erected in 1933.

 

Ministers of the Gospel who labored with the Antioch Congregation from 1928 to 1960:

V.S. Stevenson, Elmer Ringer, Brother Vincent, Brother McKee, Jules Clark,Logan T Hatfield, Paul Neal, Horace Hines, Brother Hamm, V.M. Gilbert, Max Wright, Paul Wright, Brother Clymore, and others.

 

Leading families in the congregation in 1960 were Harold Headleys, Everett Rhodes, Guy Eddes, Lee Rhodes, Floyd Millers, Wayne Dudleys, Warren Canadas, Jack Hawkins,  Vergil W. Bledsoes, and Alvin Mukes.

 

The wheels of progress and industry have dealt harshly with the Antioch community.  Thousands of acres of coal land have been stripped and laid waste.  Many families have sold their lands to coal mining companies and have moved away.  Still the glorious one and a third centuries of  the Antioch congregation remain as a beacon to light the pathway of succeeding generations.

 

               Garrett H. Miller, May, 1960

 

Blessed are they that do His commandments, that the may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  Rev.22:14