Red River Baptist Church History
Page last updated 1/5/2008
HISTORY
Red River Church was started in 1849 in the Willow Chute community of Bossier parish with the following 13 charter members: James Engram, J.G. Curry, Caroline Curry, Dudley Curry, Matilda Curry, Peter Curry, Jane Curry, Adline Pouncy, William Perrit, Nancy Perrit, Selener Romby, Thomas Hamilton and Louisa Hamilton. Brother Benjamin and Sister Hermy were the first two slaves admitted as parishioners of the church within its first year of existence. The church adopted the 16 Articles of Decorum and heavily enforced member discipleship. For instance if you failed to attend 2 consecutive Saturday's you were considered "disorderly" by the congregation. If you were ever absent thereafter, you were required to apologize to the congregation and remained in danger of having your membership excluded. They initially held church services on Saturdays but later changed to Sundays to increase attendance. Here are some other reasons for membership exclusion: dancing, using profane language, drunkenness, gaming, leaving a spouse, birthing "illegitimate" children, running away from the plantation, working slaves on the sabbath day, moving around and fishing on the sabbath. September of 1866 the church issued letters of dismal to many of the former slaves in order for them to form their own church at Gold Point. In spite of the large exodus, there were still former slaves who choose to remain at Red River.
The following are selected entries from the church minutes between 1862 - 1870.
June 1863- Excluded Caroline, Gama, Emiline and Lizza Buck colored members of Red River Church, servants of J.B. Pickett on Gold Point Plantation.
Sept. 1863- Restored Caroline, colored woman of J.B. Pickett
Oct. 1863- Received by experience Henry & Olla, colored people belonging to J.B. Pickett on Red Chute Plantation.
Dec. 1863- Excluded Charlotte Ann colored woman of J.B. Pickett for disorderly conduct.
Nov. 1864- During the last ten months there has been no records kept in consequence of the absence of the Clerk. The church however held its regular meetings and received four colored members on the plantation of J.B. Pickett.
Jan. 1865- Received at Gold Point 3rd Sabbath, 1865 the following freed men by experience..Ving, Dolly and Nancy
Sept. 1865- Received from Cash Point by baptism the following named freedman 3rd Sun in Sept. Moses Jackson, Lucy & Mary
Oct. 1865- Received on the Cash Point plantation on the following freedmen by experience and baptised them the same day..Charrity Polly, Judy and Judy again, Mealeen and Samuel
Sept. 1866- Granted letters to the following freedmen on Gold Point Plantation, Jim Hoverkin, Frank, Randle, Jerry Tall, Lewis, Jim "Buck", Edmund Talley, Alford, "George", Calvin, Albert, Teague, Phillip, Dave, Jerry Whitehat, Harry, Peter, John Barrett, Ben Carrey, Sam Morris, Seborn, Wade, Jessey Brown, Gracy, Cicily, Samule, Moasy, Knack, Louisica, Elizabeth, Charles, Hester Jr., Hester Sr., Rose, Eliza, Sally, Hertia, Ellen, Caroline, Annie, Sophai, Dalphrin Jr., Louisiana, Linnese, Nancy, Charity, Lucy, Dollie, Bethenay, Amanda, Mahala, Vilot, Mary Bess, Mineva, Marcy, Josaphene, Ester, Mahala Jr., Leddia, Vilot Jr.
Sept. 1869- Received by experience the following freemen, Toby Gilliad, R. Fordinham, Andrew Williams, females.. Cary Ann, Mary Jackson, & Julia Bell and John by letter...sir name not known, once a slave of Mr. Arnold.
Oct. 1870- The following freedmen having applied were granted letter of dismissal...Reuben Pickette, Stephen Jackson, Anna Jackson, Mary Jackson, Carry Ann Lee, Emily, Adamia, Nathan Murphy, Mike Hensley and Toby Gilliard, Sarah Vaughn and Tom Jackson.
Source: " A Lighthouse for God", History of Red River Baptist Church, Benton, Bossier Parish, Louisiana, 1849-1949 by James Harold Jones
Slave Membership at Red River Church
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Slave Members of Red River Church from Goldpoint Plantation |
|---|---|
Albert Alford Anney Barnette Ben Calvin Caryl (received by sponsors) Cassaty Charlotte Dave Edie Edmund Emily Frank George Gracy Henry Jerry Tall Jerry White Hat Jessie Brown Jim Buck Jim DeBows Jim Hickory John Larry (excluded) Lewis Mike Morris Moses Jackson (Cash Point) Peter Phillip Randle Sally Sam Samuel (Cash Point) Seaborn Stephen Stephen Teague Tom Wade |
Amanda Annie Betsey Caroline (excluded) Charrity Dafney Ellen Eliza Eliza Big Elizabeth Cht Emiline (excluded) Ester Hester Jr. Hester Sr. Hetty Jane Jennry Josaphine Judy (Cash Point) Judy A. Liddy Livey Lizzie Buck (excluded) Louisia Louisiana Mahalia Mahalia Jr. Mary Mary Ben Mary F. Minerva Mary Cupid Mary Knox Mealien Nancy Olla (Red Shute) Olla Polly Rose Sally Sophia Violet Viny Violet Jr. |
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