THE FIRST CONGREGATION HERE<\/p>\n
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Sometime around 1895, three women began meeting in a home known as the Mitchell Home.\u00a0 This was located north of Highway 4, East of Curtis Creek near the present location of Billy Peeler\u2019s sawmill site, between the Hugh Graves and W. T. Simpson homes.\u00a0 These women began studying the bible together, and were gradually joined by others and thus the birth of the present congregation here.\u00a0 From 1895 until sometime in the early 1900s, they continued to meet in homes and in an old school building.<\/p>\n
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THE FIRST PREACHER<\/p>\n
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William Eli Crum was born at Hickory Flat, Mississippi on September 28, 1860.\u00a0 Brother Crum was converted at the age of fourteen and baptized by this father who was also a gospel preacher.\u00a0 He began preaching in 1880 and preached continuously until his death in 1924 at the age of sixty five.\u00a0 Both he and his wife, Olivia are buried in the Old Hickory Flat cemetery.<\/p>\n
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THE FIRST MEMBER<\/p>\n
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The first known member of the New Testament Church in the area of what is now known as the Beech Hill community was Mrs. Parolee Graves.\u00a0 She was baptized in 1898 at the age of sixty three.\u00a0 Brother Will E Crum administered the baptism.\u00a0 The exact date of the penning of the name Beech Hill is not known, but assumed to have been when the first building was erected.\u00a0 Stories handed down credit Parolee with the naming, probably influenced by large beech trees in the vicinity of the first building.\u00a0 Mrs. Graves died October 12, 1911 and is buried in the Shelby Creek cemetery.<\/p>\n
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THE FIRST BUILDING<\/p>\n
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John Peeler, an early worshipper, lived in Shelby Creek bottom.\u00a0 Around the turn of the century, he donated land on top of what is now Hobson Hill for a building site for the first church building.\u00a0 The first building was constructed by Billy Johnson, also an early member.\u00a0 The one roomed structure was approximately forty by fifty in size, and faced the east.\u00a0 It was located just south of the three grave markers that are still standing.<\/p>\n
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All early baptisms were done in Shelby Creek, down the hill on the west side of the building.\u00a0 Many remember people being baptized in all forms of inclimate weather.\u00a0 It has been said that one of the original elders was baptized in a severe snow storm.\u00a0 In later years, the pond near the Spight May home was used for baptisms.\u00a0 This was located behind the present J. T. Street house.<\/p>\n
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In 1940, a new church building was built at the present location.\u00a0 This building was never torn down, but over the course of years has been enlarged and remodeled to look as it does today.<\/p>\n
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THE FIRST APPOINTED ELDERS<\/p>\n
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Louis Graves, Spight May and John Peeler.\u00a0 Brother Peeler died in 1954, Brother May in 1964 and Brother Graves in 1981 at the age of 101.\u00a0 All three of these men obeyed the Gospel in early manhood and served the Church for many years.<\/p>\n
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THE FIRST FULL TIME PREACHER<\/p>\n
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Marvin Rainey was born in 1919 to Bynum and Lillie Brown Rainey in Alcorn County, Mississippi.\u00a0 He graduated from Freed-Hardeman College in 1949, and was very knowledgeable in preaching the gospel.\u00a0 Brother Rainey came to the Beech Hill congregation to preach full-time in 1955.\u00a0 This was the same year the first preacher\u2019s home was built.\u00a0\u00a0 Brother Rainey died on October 12, 2000.<\/p>\n
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OTHER FULL TIME PREACHERS<\/p>\n
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1959-1961 William (Bill) Lambert<\/p>\n
1961-1964 Roy Balkcom<\/p>\n
1964-1967 Burt Perry<\/p>\n
1967-1971 William Jerry Coats<\/p>\n
1972-1975 David Lipe<\/p>\n
1975-1981 Howard Reese<\/p>\n
1981-1990 James Draper<\/p>\n
1989-1992 Mike Eaton, Associate<\/p>\n
1990-1992 Raymond Seig<\/p>\n
1992- ____ King McCarver<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE FIRST CONGREGATION HERE Sometime around 1895, three women began meeting in a home known as the Mitchell Home.\u00a0 This was located north of Highway 4, East of Curtis Creek near the present location of Billy Peeler\u2019s sawmill site, between the Hugh Graves and W. T. Simpson homes.\u00a0 These women began studying the bible … <\/p>\n