History of Weldon Baptist Church

The History of Weldon Baptist Church is closely related to the early history of the Weldon community. The community was first known as the Alabama Camp Ground where revival meetings were held annually under an arbor. When and how the community became known as Weldon is not clear, however, it was possibly named after the Weldon family about 1850.

Prior to 1835 very little is known of the settlers in the Weldon area. In 1835 steamboats began navigating the Quachita River and the lower parts of D’Arbonne and Corney Bayous thereby making the region accessible to settlers. The pioneers who moved through and into the area were primarily traders and farmers. The area was dense forestland and required hard labor to prepare the land for crops. The fertility of the soil attracted the farmers and transportation by water was the magnet for traders. The farmers attached themselves to the soil, and the descendants of many of these early settlers still live in the area.

Sometime around 1835, Mr. Samual Smith and Mr. John Green established residences in the area. Mr. Smith settled near Cupps Crossing on Corney Bayou. In 1842 Mr. A. C. Barber settled near Summerfield and purchased a yoke of oxen from Mr. Green to break land for his first crop.

The early founding of churches by the pioneers showed the strong faith these men and women had in God. It also clearly showed the deep need of spiritual consolidation among these brave, strong-hearted men and women. The task of establishing homes in the wildness far from all that was familiar and friendly was more than they could accomplish without the sustained presence of God.

Mr. Severn Ozley and Mr. John T. Beville owned much of the land in the Weldon area. They in turn sold portions of the land to J. T. Wade, Aaron C. Harper, J. R. Fuller, J. J. Booles, T. G. Weldon, C. A. Wade, T. H. Land, J. E. Haynes, J. H. Haynes, T. H. Williamson, C. A. Roach, O. E. Glover and J. M. Houst. As soon as the pioneers provided shelter for their families, churches were established and then schools to educate their children.

Weldon had its beginning at the Alabama Camp Ground where revival meeting were held annually under an arbor. The community was not known as Weldon until years after the beginning of the Alabama Camp Ground, probably about 1850. The Alabama Methodist Church was established at Weldon in 1846. Mr. W. B. Nicholson was a founder. Several members of the Harper family became members in 1848.

The Hebron Baptist Church was established about 1847-1848. The Rev. R. A. Hargis, MD was the first pastor and Mr. Richard Young was the first deacon. Hebron Church served as the community center and a private school. Mr. Buggs and Mr. Higginbotham were the teachers.

The first school in Weldon was a private school in 1857 taught by Miss Laurinda Kidd, daughter of Dr. J. L. Kidd. The schoolhouse was an 18 square foot split log building with a dirt floor and split log seats. A peeled stump stood in front of the schoolhouse with pegs driven in to serve as a locker and cloakroom for the pupils.

The Thurmon School and Weldon High School were established about 1905 and 1920, respectively. Unfortunately, the schools were located too close to the parish line and Bernice School. The Thurmon School and Weldon High School students were transferred and consolidated to Summerfield schools in 1926.

Early businesses in Weldon were three general stores: Strickland, Glover and Foust, and a gristmill.

Rev. W. M. Cooksey organized the Weldon Baptist Church on August 25, 1900. Deacons were Mr. Henry J. Odom and Mr. George W. Stewart. Worship services were held in the Baley Schoolhouse located about three miles southwest of this building. There were no Baptist churches within a five-mile area of Weldon. Five miles was a long way to walk, ride a horse, wagon or buggy to church services.

A committee consisting of Bros. Marion Odom, Charlie Culpepper and Ellec Hanes was immediately appointed to obtain a building site for a church. Soon, one acre of land was purchased from Mr. A. C. Harper, a Methodist brother in Christ, for $20.00. Mr. Harper made the Methodist Church available for the Weldon Baptists to hold worship services one Sunday each month until a church could be built. The new one-room church was completed and dedicated to the Lord debt free in the spring of 1902 at this present site. Pastors were paid $20.00 a month.

Until 1949 worship services were held once a month. By the grace of God, many improvements and additions were made to the original building. In 1949 the church was remodeled and three Sunday School classrooms were added. For the next two years, services were held on the second and fourth Sundays of each month. In 1951 weekly worship services began.

In the late 1950s four additional acres of the present property were purchased from Mr. Clay Roach. The boundaries are Louisiana Highway 2 Alternate on the south, Union-Claiborne parish line on the east, and Marie Foust’s land on the west and north.

In 1964 the church purchased a building from Homer Oil Field that served as the parsonage. Bro. Tommy Mellinger, with his wife, was the first pastor to occupy he parsonage on church property.

In 1980 the Lord led Weldon Baptist Church to construct the present sanctuary so that the body of Christ could be built up. Expansion programs included the education building in 1984 and the fellowship hall in 1986. In 1991 the church replaced the old parsonage by purchasing the home of Ricky and Vickie Rea about a mile west of the church. In 1996 three more Sunday School classes were added. On March 30, 1998 Weldon Baptist Church was incorporated. In 1999 a pavilion, playground and chain link fence were constructed on the church grounds.

By the love, grace and guidance of our Lord Jesus Christ, Weldon Baptist Church is the lighthouse of this community.

WELDON BAPTIST CHURCH PASTORS
(Full Time Pastors 1900-2000)

1912 - J. T. King 1912-15 - J. R.Durham 1915 - H. T. Killen 1916-18, 36-37 - M. V. Burns 1918-21, 23-41 - B. C. Smith 1921-22 - M. A. Price 1923 - W. P. Lofton 1923-27 - M. F. Swilley 1927-28 - G. C. Odom 1935 - Bro. Crawford 1941-42 - John Wesley Green 1943 - Carlous Rockett 1949 - Mike Tridale 1949 - W. C. Smith

1958 - James Gantt 1962 - Bro. Wilsey 1963 - Tommy Mellinger 1968 - Orville Bryant 1971 - Mike Parker 1972 - Roger Johnson 1974-75 - M. M. Melder 1975-77 - Kevin Barron 1977-81 - Phillip Smith 1981-86 - Jim Gunether 1988-89 - Gene Thomas 1989-96 - Neal Everett 1996-2000 - Allan Barnes