The lumber was sawed at the mill of J.D. Pennington, Baxter and the ready-made windows were furnished by T.S. Ward, who also furnished the church bell. The house was built bt T.G. Harris and J.H. Blackburn.
Mrs. Martha Jones, grandmother of Abner Jones, Will Jones, John Henry Jones and Hiram Jones was one of the fore-runners of the church, transferring her membership from the Catrons Creek Baptist Church to the first one in Harlan, called Mount Pleasant.
Alice Cox Organist
Alice Cox played the organ for Sunday School and "singing schools." She, Martha Jones and Critt Jones were among the faithful attendants. They were always on hand every time the door opened.
Critt Jones was a favorite with the children. They stood around the pot-bellied stove waiting for Sunday School to begin with anxious eyes watching for Critt to reach in his pocket for candy. He was so good to the children, they expected it every Sunday.
The Men's Class was near the right side of the room near the back. Sometimes the class was taught by the Rev. J.W. Mahan and sometimes the Rev. Ran Browning. During the term of court held in Harlan. Judge and Mrs. Will Sampson rode horse back from Hagen into Harlan and always taught while here. The Sampson's lived in Pineville. It was nearer for them to ride on the train to Hagen and cross the two mountains horse back.
The Women's Class was near the center of the room. Mrs. Mahan and Mrs. Martha Jones were the teachers. The children's class was on the left side of the church. Mrs. Sarah Huff taught them for many years.
Lights Kerosene Lamp
Old timers remembered that one of the boys climbed into a chair to light the kerosene lamp every night before services. Among the first ministers were the Rev. N.H. Noe, the Rev. C. C. Quillen, the Rev. W.H. Shoemaker, the Rev. Ran Browning and the Rev. J.W. Mahan.
The Rev. Browning lived across the street from the church and was said to have marrid hundreds of couples.
The first W.C.T.U. was organized by Mrs. Martha Jones. She was among the first superintendents of the Sunday School also. Her husband, John Jones was a pioneer merchant in Harlan. The Jones lived on Main Street near the location of the Singer Sewing Machine Co. All visiting Baptist preachers who came to town, stayed at the Jones' house. The welcome mat was always out.
Shortly after 1872 Mrs. Jones organized the first Sunday School ever held in Harlan. It was called a union school. Representatives from every family in Harlan attended. A few parents came, but not many. The union school was carried on until about 1894 when the Rev. J.T. Ragen and others advocated seperation and consequently afterward there was organized a Presbyterian, Methodist and Christian Sunday School in Harlan.
Sunday November 16 1952
Volume 51 Number 271
Pages 1 & 8
