Graham Baptist Church & Cemetery

On 600E at Graham Baptist Church (Established 1829) about a mile south of San Jacinto and about five miles from Hwy. 7.
                                                    Burials on both sides of Blacktop and west side of church.
     Pictures below taken July 6, 2009 they are followed by Church History and then cemetery listing combined from listings at the Jennings County Library. Below the cemetery listing is photos of headstones also taken July 6, 2009.
                                                                                        Sheila Kell


















 





























































                                                                    1829-Liberty-Graham Baptist Church-1999

   On the second Saturday in August, 1829, nine members of the Stephenson-Merrill families met at the home of Lawson Stephenson, on Little Graham Creek, nearly two miles east of the present church, to form a church compact. With help from Brother James Alexander of Middlefork and brethern from Bethel and Freedom, they had prayers and gave each other the right hand of fellowship, and took the name of Liberty.
   Licensed to preach by Bethel in 1828, Lawson Stephenson was ordained in 1831 and become both pastor and moderator, without compensation, until his death in 1835.
   The church started meeting alternately at Vardamon Hughes; which was a mile or so west of the present church on Big Graham Creek, and the Stephenson home. In 1839, the name of the church was changed to Graham, and it was decided to build a meeting house more centrally located. After many changes of sites, it was agreed to build a 36 by 40 brick meeting house on land donated by James and Jane Hughes and John and Martha Hicklin. The members worked several years preparing the lumber and materials. The bricks were burned on the site. In May, 1848, Brother Read claimed there was enough brick to build the house by, "dispensing with the chimneys".  Construction started in July, 1848, and many of the men and boys had a part. Rev. Jacob Cox's nine year old son blistered his hands so badly, working with the brick, that he carried the scars the rest of his life. (It was built by a labor of love.)
   A major remodeling was done 1898, when the roof was raised and the building built higher and a belfry and bell added.  When this was completed the church looked much the same as it does today, one hundred plus years later!
   Graham has had good times and bad times, but the worst of all was the time it was advised by the State Baptist Officials to close the doors and merge with Dupont. This was during the great depression, and it was hard to get a pastor and even harder to pay one. But with prayers and plenty of faith, the fifteen loyal souls kept the doors open and services continued. In fact, Graham has now completed 170 years of continuous service for the Lord!
   In 1940, when the U.S. Government took land for the Jefferson Proving Ground, Bethel Baptist Church was included. Several of the Bethel members joined the fellowship at Graham. They bought with them $700.00 from Bethel and that became the start of a building fund for Sunday School rooms. The first Sunday School/dining/recreation room was built on the back of the church in 1947. Electric lights were installed and a cistern made at this time. In 1956 there was need for more rooms so a basement was dug, the rooms added, along with central heating and bathroom facilities. Through the years many changes and improvements have been made for the needs and comforts of the members. Recently new windows, new siding, new central air, and heat have been installed and the parking lot paved. When a faithful member was called home in 1996, her husband and friends donated the beautiful stained glass windows above the front doors.
   There have been forty some pastors at Graham, the longest who served was Rev. Jacob Cox, who labored twenty-two years without pay. In recent years, many have come as students at the seminary in Louisville, so do not remain long. The church thanks the Lord for each one, as each has brought their different talents and abilities, as they serve.
   Graham is proud of the little church in the valley, but does not lose sight of its reason for being. It is to welcome any and all who will come and worship, as it has called others, through the years. Graham is the only Baptist Church that has ever been established in Bigger Township, and she has a long and glorious history of serving the community for 170 years.
   


                                                                                 GRAHAM'S PASTORS

James Alexander (preached occasionally)                                       1829-31      No Pastor                                                                                            1929-32  
Lawson Stephenson                                                                       1831-35 C.E. Hughes                                                                                               1921
No regular preacher                                                                       1835-40 Alfred Hankins                                                                                            1933
Wm. Taylor Stott                                                                           1840-45 Isom Ferris                                                                                                 1934
Ashael Neal                                                                                        1845  Brainard Lee                                                                                         1935-38
Jacob M. Cox                                                                               1845-67 __________                                                                                              1939
John Stott                                                                                      1867-69 G.E. Stillwagon                                                                                     1940-41
T.D. George                                                                                        1869 O.D. More                                                                                           1941-44
Nelson Johnson                                                                             1870-73 Lawrence Bradley                                                                                      1944
John Chambers                                                                                   1874 James Stertz                                                                                         1945-46 
Nelson Johnson                                                                             1874-76 Denton Coker                                                                                      1947-49
John McCoy                                                                                       1877 A. Kilpatrick                                                                                              1950
Nelson Johnson                                                                             1878-80 Henry Durham                                                                                      1951-54
John McCoy                                                                                 1881-85 Thomas Steele                                                                                      1954-56
Nicholas Smith                                                                              1885-98 Alton McEachern                                                                                 1956-57
E.E. Connelly                                                                              1898-1900 Bobby Dollar                                                                                       1957-60
J.C. Nicholson (supply)                                                                        1900 Thomas Hearne                                                                                   1961-62
Frank Klotche (supply)                                                                        1900 Arthur Burcham                                                                                   1962-64
Nicholas Smith                                                                              1900-01 Wm. Mocherman                                                                                1964-67
Franck Klotche                                                                             1901-05   Larry Highland                                                                                    1967-69
R.M. Priest                                                                                   1905-07 George Sears                                                                                      1970-71
Elvin Hughes                                                                                 1908-09 Emory Hall                                                                                          1971-73 
W.T. Seburn                                                                                       1910   Victor Sheilds                                                                                      1973-75
Thomas Schwab                                                                           1911-13 Otis Bentley                                                                                         1975-77
A.O. Rhodes                                                                                1913-16 David McMahon                                                                                  1978-82
F.E. Hammel                                                                                      1916 F. Carson Riley, III                                                                              1982-84
G,C, Mangum                                                                              1919-20 Larry Simpson                                                                                     1984-86
C.E. Pascal                                                                                  1920-21 Michael Day (Interim)                                                                          1986-87
J.W. Snelson                                                                                      1921 Larry Tomlin                                                                                        1987-89
Elvin Hughes                                                                                1922-24 Ray Coleman                                                                                       1990-94
H.J. Reamy                                                                                  1925-27 Arthur Myers                                                                                       1994-98 
Robert Marlett                                                                             1927-29 Reed Shepherd (Interim)                                                                      1998-99

   Ordained deacons that have served Graham: Azariah Merrill, Robert Armstrong, Lankston Johnson, Barnett Johnson, Jacob Wildman, John H. Cox, F.M. Cox, Smith Williams, B.F. Wildman, Daniel Marsh, Wm. Fall, James Custer, A.S. Johnson, John Losey, George Visnon, Chas. Sawyer, Walter Beach, Logan Vinson, Herbert Holmes, Wm., Hayden, Virgil Mills, Vernon Brooks, Chester Buck, Marion Vinson, Harry Pettit, George Horstman, *Ronald Wahlman, Andrew Johnson, *Joe Lee, Raymond Perkins, *Thomas Welch, *Ralph Petit, *Sam Pettit, *Vernon Ingram, and *Robert Hoyt. 
     *Presently serving as deacons, (in 1999).



While I prefer listing by rows, the list I have done by rows is not a good one, so I am doing it in alphabetical order

Ahman, Infant Son                             4-18-1896          4-20-1896

Anderson, John M.                             3-30-1794           8-3-1876   

Anderson, Nancy                                2-21-1799           2-22-1876

Anderson, Oliver M.                           3-22-1867           9-2-1918

Anderson, Orlando L.                         4-15-1903          10-15-1905

Amderson, Washie                              1-22-1876           6-13-1882

Anderson, Washington W.                  2-16-1817           6-30-1894

Bailey, Allie J.                                    12-14-1872          1-15-1905

Bailey, Elizabeth                                  9-26-1852          9-26-1879

Bailey, J. L.                                        12-11-1872         8-16-1873

Bailey, Joseph                                              1836                 1915

Bailey, Ora L.                                      6-29-1893            1-7-1900 

Bailey, Pennock                                           1803                  1890

Bailey, Rebecca                                   10-21-1839          10-2-1866

Bailey, Theodore R.                              7-14-1850          11-12-1881   

Bailey, Zella                                          2-26-1847             5-3-1887  

Ball/Fall, Willie                                     1-14-1863          10-23-1866

Batchelor, James U.                              1-18-1871          11-21-1871

Beam, Flora May                                          1871                   1953

Beam, Marian B.                                          1862                   1930

Bowers, Alice                                                1874                   1943

Bowers, Charles E.                                  2-3-1938           7-30-1969

Bowers, Edgar                                               1898                   1955

Bowers, Ella Jo                                        6-2-1969            6-3-1969

Bowers, Glen                                                 1895                  1960

Bowers, W. H.                                               1874                  1937

Bright, Eliza                                                  1817                  1898

Bright, Jack                                                  1824                  1910

Brown, Alwilda                                             1850                  1916

Brown, Cyrus                                        2-19-1814         10-17-1885

Brown, Georgia                                                             age 3 years

Brown, Gracie                                       7-16-1883            4-6-1892

Brown, Hiram L.                                   10-7-1847            4-2-1899

Brown, Mary                                         2-19-1825           4-25-1899  

Brown, Reese                                       12-24-1886            2-1-1886

Callicott, Chester                                 11-16-1882         11-28-1958

Callicott, Eugene                                     4-2-1870          10-11-1873

Callicott, Jessie H.                               11-12-1844          10-21-1927

Callicott, Sarah A.                                10-7-1839            5-10-1914

Cole, Ben                                               1-23-1790           10-1-1865

Cole, Ben Jr.                                         11-7-1842          12-31-1863

Cole, Christopher                                          1855                   1929

Cole, E. H.  (F. Marion)                        _________         _________
 
Cole, Lucy M.                                               1880                   1965

Cole, Rosanna                                               1857                  1904

Cox, Amkey                                             8-4-1842           1-4-1920

Cox, Byron                                            3-27-1878          1-10-1879

Cox, Ezraetta                                                 1872                  1946

Cox, Francis M.                                    10-17-1835         3-19-1900     Co. I,  140th Reg. Ind. Inf.  Civil War

Cox, Lafayetta                                               1868                 1950

Cox, Maratha                                         8-16-1816         10-3-1876 

Cox, Mary E.                                           7-2-1880           7-5-1880

Cox, Rev. Jacob M.                              12-15-1799         9-15-1867

Cox, Thomas L.                                    10-15-1840         2-16-1863

Cox, ?                                                   12-19-1853         9-25-1861

Craig, Emma L.                                        2-9-1863        2-14-1863  

Crank, Arvilla P.                                            1861                     ?

Crank, George                                                1891                1918    Batt. B. 17th Brigade,  F.A.R.D.

Crank, Otto G.                                               1851                1939

Custer, Elizabeth                                      5-8-1835         3-20-1912

Custer, Ruel F.                                       7-16-1832           1-5-1918

Davidson, Ruben                                                                               Co. E. 14, Ky. Cav.

Dear, Christian                                              1863                  1944

Dear, Florence                                               1871                  1960

Denton, Eliza W.                                           1809                  1896

Eble, Frank                                              4-4-1884        11-28-1908

Eble, Sarah E.                                                     ?          9-14-1901

Estell, Joseph                                                 1862                 1956

Estell, Mary E.                                               1868                 1923

Fall, Agnes                                                     1863                 1942

Fall, B. H.                                             11-15-1828           8-4-1890

Fall, L. T.                                               8-20-1825        11-28-1904

Fall, William E.                                              1861                  1943

Fewell, Albert                                                 1861                  1926

Fewell, Benjamin                                    8-22-1821          4-11-1875

Fewell, Ben S.                                        10-8-1860           7-19-1877

Fewell, C. B.                                            8-16-1811           10-5-1875

Fewell, Eda                                                    1868                   1927

Fewell, Ernest E.                                  11-27-1893             1-1-1919

Fewell, Margaret                                   5-16-1820            8-30-1901

Fewell, Talitha                                     12-17-1826          11-27-1912

Fewell, Willard E.                                 3-26-1900            10-1-1900

Gildersleeve, Bertha J.                           8-6-1913            5-23-1913

Gildersleeve, Daisy                                      1866                    1903

Gildersleeve, George W.                       3-25-1910             8-5-1916

Gildersleeve, Naomi                                     1918                   1943

Gildesleeve, Niles                                         1884                   1946

Graham, Mildred                                         1838                   1901

Green, Sper L.                                                                                      Company A,  9th Ind. Inf.

Hadley, Margurite                                       1886                   1903

Hand, Phillip                                       7-26-1826            8-24-1899

Hardesty, Joshua                                 9-28-1828            1-26-1889

Hardesty, Joshus Jr.                             6-1-1878               1-1-1905

Hardesty, Margaret W.                         2-4-1829             1-16-1906

Hared, Fannie                                      5-4-1846               8-2-1888

Hendricks, Emma J.                           1-13-1870              1-3-1873

Holmes, Martha A.                                    1860                     1928

Holmes, William E.                                    1859                     1931

Hughes, Ben W.                                         1835                     1905

Hughes, Edith B.                              12-24-1881              3-21-1899

Hughes, Isabelle O.                                    1843                     1922

Hughes. Martha E.                                    1838                      1870

Hughes, William T.                                    1844                     1924

Hughes, Willie V.                                 6-4-1879               4-8-1894

Johnson, Adoline C.                                  1855                     1932

Johnson, Albert                                         1870                     1923

Johnson, Byron                                         1903                     1932

Johnson, Jacob B.                                     1853                     1915

Johnson, Jennie                                        1870                      1923

Johnson, N.                                       4-18-1826             6-10-1901

Johnson, Nellie A.                                     1878                     1062

Johnson, Sarah                                  1-11-1836             5-28-1908

Jones, Elizabeth                                 1-25-1824              4-8-1858

Kail, Edmund H.                              12-25-1852             8-11-1883

Kamp, John                                               1861                    1920

Kendrick, William E.                         9-21-1852              9-7-1876

Kick, Horace L.                                 3-15-1897              2-9-1898

Lazuras, Anna L.                              _________           _________

Lazuras, George M.                          _________           _________

Losey, Anna                                             1846                         ?

Losey, Cecil E.                                         1880                     1913

Losey, John F.                                         1844                     1921

Maltby, Clayton                                       1851                    1923

Maltby, G. A.                                           1858                    1935

Maltby, Mary L.                                      1857                     1871

Maltby, Waty                                           1832                    1871

Maltby, William                                       1821                    1861

Maltby, ?                                                  1861                   1880

Morris, Mary A.                                8-14-1860           12-6-1934

McLanglin, George C.                       10-7-1859           1-31-1912

McLanglin, Susanna                          5-24-1868         10-10-1881

McLanglin, Thomas                                                                         Company A, 25th  Ind. Inf.

McLanglin, Wesley A.                        9-8-1886          11-27-1873

McGannon, Thomas                           2-2-1827             2-2-1882

Morris, Lydia A.                                9-16-1880          3-20-1881

Mosley, Harriett                                6-11-1816            8-8-1884

Mosley, John D.                               12-30-1820          3-10-1907

Mosley, William                               11-13-1861            9-6-1867

Neill, Dilsworth                                  7-10-1871           3-14-1872

Neill, Jasper A.                                  4-16-1857           9-12-1857

Neill, Julia                                       10-19-1872           2-28-1873

Neill, Mary                                      11-27-1807           2-27-1860

Nicholas, Grey E.                                6-9-1811           3-12-1880

Passmore,   Infant                              8-17-1869          8-28-1870

Peterman, Clara                                  7-4-1849           4-22-1922

Peterman, Gabriel                              9-12-1844          1-10-1910

Peterman, John                                          1880                 1947

Peterson, Blanchett                           3-13-1875          9-28-1905

Peterson, Gladys G.                          3-23-1895           8-2-1895

Peterson, James E.                                    1839                 1885

Peterson, Roy                                  12-31-1882         6-20-1883

Peterson, Scott                                  3-26-1867         11-5-1872

Peterson, Willie                                 8-14-1862         8-14-1872

Peterson, Wright                                                                   Company A   22 Reg.  Ind.  Inf. & 18th Ind. Bat.

Rea, Martha                                             1886                 1943

Rea, Simpson                                           1878                 1951

Reece, Ivy L.                                            1906                      ?

Reece, Rev. Roy E.                                   1894                1958

Reed. Ella                                        5-18-1866        11-26-1874

Reed, Martha                                    5-7-1824            5-5-1882

Reed, Perry                                      3-11-1813        10-28-1885

Robbins, Amasy C.                                  1841                 1905

Robbins, Mariah                                     1844            5-3-1909

Robbins, Phillip                                                  ?

Rogers,                                             Infant of W. A. & E. L.

Roose, George G.                            3-20-1862          5-16-1881

Ross, E. M.                                                                                     Co. 22nd  Ind. Inf.  Civil War

Ross, John Jr.                Infant                                9-14-1934

Rousey, Alzora                                4-7-1872           1-14-1935

Rousey, John H.                            4-27-1859           8-22-1936

Rousey, J. Frank                            4-22-1909          8-10-1941

Rousey, May                                          1902                 1912

Sell, Thomas                                          1905                 1954

Shuch, Clara E.                             10-4-1865         11-28-1890

Smith, Betty J.                               1-23-1928        _________

Smith, George R.                           3-20-1927        10-10-1962

Smith, Hester A.                                    1842                  1920

Smith, Joseph H.                                   1842                  1902

Spaulding, Anna                             3-2-1806            ?-?-1886

Spaulding, C. T.                                                                        Co. C.  9th Ind. Inf.  Civil War  

Spaulding, David                           5-18-1872        11-25-1949

Spaulding, Leah                            5-13-1832            5-1-1857  

Spencer, Eva                                 5-15-1857           5-11-1894

Spencer, Harriett                          3-10-1846           12-4-1866

Spencer, William H.                     5-29-1857            3-17-1892

Sprong, Olive                              12-22-1870         12-22-1896

Sprong, William Sr.                              1866                   1935

Stribling, George                          4-20-1788           3-19-1870

Stribling, Martha                         10-5-1834            3-27-1911

Stribling, Nancy J.                        4-2-1822             1-30-1864

Stribling, W. T.                          10-16-1846            6-20-1892

Sullender, Elougo                        6-10-1850             _______

Sullender, Mary                         10-16-1846           11-30-1902

Thomas, Stanley                          9-13-1818            8-25-1860

Ulrey, Stephen G.                                1838                    1914

Vinson, Charles L.                              1883                    1958

Vinson, George S.                               1874                    1958

Vinson, Harry C.                        11-5-1904             12-1-1904

Vinson, Hazel, J.                                1893                          ?

Vinson, Martha F.                              1878                          ?

Wagoner, Alfred                                 1868                     1940

Wagoner, Lorene B.                            1879                         ?

Walker, Clyde P.                                 1896            11-25-1937

Walker, George T.                               1901                      1943

Walker, Hannak O.                     3-19-1822                2-6-1901

Walker, Harry D.                          5-5-1863               9-13-1910

Walker, Jeremiah                                                                       Company A,  25th Ind. Inf., Civil War

Walker, Libbie                           12-7-1865                 4-2-1917

Wildman, Charles M.                  2-9-1864                7-27-1918

Wildman, Earl                          12-24-1881               7-18-1888

Wildman, Eliza A.                      10-1-1861               8-20-1893

Wildman, Hazel                           3-4-1823                2-2-1915

Wildman, Jacob                        4-18-1814                2-15-1908

Wildman, Jocob Jr.                          1855                        1944

Wildman, Julia A.                      4-1-1859                2-25-1884

Wildman, Katie K.                            1861                       1925

Wildman, William A.                        1853                       1922

Wise, Alfred                                      1897                       1901

Wise, James F.                                  1898                       1899               

Wrey, George                                    1873                       1928

Wrey, Sarah J.                                  1845                       1916

Wright, Louren                                 1904                       1929




                                                       






























                                     

   



      

        



























































 




















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































 



 
















































 
























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































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