Spring Dale Church of Christ
The Church of Christ at Spring Dale had its beginning in the early 1900's. Several families from Table Rock, Raleigh County, moved to small farms in this area, including E. L. Gill and Walter Gill. The adult members were members of the church in Raleigh county having been baptized by G. W. Ogden there. In the beginning they held meetings in their homes. Then, G. W. Ogden came and held a meeting at which time several people were baptized into the church. Some of them were Charley Cox, Enoch Cox, Haze Cox, Rhoda Cox, and Ida Lee Cox. During that time, Ogden, Garten, and C. C. Thompson, were ministers to them.
On March 20, 1921, C. C. Thompson called a business meeting to organize the church at which time E. L. Gill, Walter Gill, and Haze Cox were appointed as leaders. Charley Cox and Walter Sanner were appointed as deacons. Enoch Cox was secretary.
Mr. E. L. Gill went to the leaders of the Spring Dale Baptist church and received permission to meet in their building when they were not using it. The Baptists would meet on Sunday mornings and the Church of Christ in the afternoon.
On February 26, 1924, the Meadow River Lumber Company deeded a lot above the old Spring Dale school to be used for building a church. This lot was not built upon for several years. During these depression days, money was scarce, but $100 was raised to buy one room of the old school house for church meetings. This was possible because the two-room school building was being replaced around 1930 or 1931. This one room was eventually moved ot teh lot given to us by the Meadow River Lumber company.
While still meeting in the Baptist church, L. V. Bays came for gospel meetings between 1934 and 1936. During this time an organizational meeting was called. As certain people had left the area, other officers were elected. Walter Gill was reappointed as trustee, H. B. Cox was trustee, A. E. McGuire was trustee, and E. L. Cox was appointed as secretary and treasurer. The adult bible class teacher was H. B. Cox and the junior class teacher was Enoch Cox. A deacon was A. E. McGuire. The trustees were notified to complete construction the building as soon as possible.
During these years, some people were away doing war-related activities and others were in the armed services. The church was inactive between 1936 and 1939. At that time, Martha and Donnelly Crowder brought Bernard Mason, a preacher living in Rainelle, to reorganize the church and get the building going. New officers appointed were H. B. Cox, Viven Bragg, and Perry Bragg as trustees; Perry bragg as secretary; and A. E. McGuire as treasurer. The building was finished and they met in it for several years.
About 1949 to 1950, Donnelly Crowder gave a lot and the members had a cinder block structure erected on it which was the beginning of our current church building. Since then, an extra room has been added, the rest rooms have been installed, a well has been drilled, the parking lot has been paved, and the church has been bricked. During these later years, many able ministers have served the church. Some of these are:
Bernard Mason
Leonard Bragg
Novvis Taylor Yale
Canfield
Tom Butterfield Blaine Hescht
Jim Swafford
Ray Dotson
Lloyd Barker
Cobert Zopp
Blaine Cook
Lewis Mikell
This information is as nearly accurate as I have been able
to determine.
-Fannie Jordan