THIS IS OUR HISTORY!

This church is one of the oldest in Fayette County, having been organized in 1830. At first, meetings were held in a log building which was used as a schoolhouse during the week. (An 1875 Atlas of Fayette county states that the Baptists of this area met in a log cabin in 1835 with the preacher a Rev. Tuttle. This could very well be the Sugar Creek Baptist Church.) The cemetery is very old and must have been selected before the church organization for there are monuments standing dating from 1810.

Henry Baughn, a settler from Culpepper, Virginia, and his son Zachariah gave the land for the church. (The Northwest territories, opened up by an ordinance of the United States government in 1787, had been surveyed by a firm in New York (the Smith-Snead Survey) who "stepped off" the land grants without ever coming near the Ohio Territory. This resulted in much confusion as to land boundaries. The people of that era were also very lax in recording their deeds. It was not until around the time of the Civil War that a reliable survey was made in Fayette County and correct property lines established. We theorize that it was this uncertainty that caused Henry Baughn to see to it that a "proper instrument of conveyance" was put on record.)

The earliest recorded deed states that Henry Baughn leased the land for a meeting house and burying ground to the trustees of the Regular Baptist church known as Sugar Creek on November 17, 1838. In 1840 a long, one-room frame building was erected, which was in use until 1900.

On April 21, 1849, B. F. Baughn sold the same parcel of land to the trustees of Sugar Creek Regular Baptist Church for the sum of ten dollars. This evidently superseded the lease arrangement. He also sold them the cemetery land for another ten dollars with the stipulation that if the church becomes extinct, the trustees will hold and occupy the lot of land as a burying ground forever.

Documented early members of the church include Henry Baughn, his wife, Elizabeth, Zachariah Baughn, his wife, Rebecca, Simeon Baughn, Charles Sexton, Samuel Higbee, Richard Baughn, Enos F. Yeoman, Joab Carr, his wife, Elizabeth, and Peter Fultz.

The Sunday School was organized in 1850. Information is sketchy about the first half century of the church's life, as the church records prior to 1906 were lost in a house fire. Sunday School records exist from December, 1 887, which log the scripture reading, the offering (an average of 45-55 cents per Sunday) and the total attendance, which ranged from 37 to 56. It is interesting to note that one Sunday in particular, there was $1.02 in the treasury, $1.00 was paid out for something, and the balance was two cents. Males and females were counted separately. A typical report would read: Number of officers present - 4; Number of teachers - 4; Number of male scholars - 19; Number of female scholars - 20; Visitors 4; Total - 51.

Evidently the church did not have a full time preacher or preaching services every Sunday, but did hold Sunday School every Lord's day. Some of the early preachers were Sam Smith, D. D. Johnson, Jimmy Jones, Rev. Thomas, Rev. Bond, and Rev. Burnett. The roster of early Sunday School officers included such names as William McCord, Elon Thornton, T. C. Michael, Frank Plymire, James McCord, J. J. Baughn and Noah Baughn. In 1887 the hymn book in use was "Gospel Hymns". In 1896 the congregation sang from "Select Gems" and "The Finest of the Wheat".,

At a business meeting on February 11, 1900, the church mem bers voted to empower the building committee to proceed with the promotion and completion of a new church building. The following is a record of the business session relating to the erection of the new structure.

SUGAR CREFX BAPTIST CHURCH February 17, 1900

The church met in regular session, Benson Parrett, moderator. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. The following resolution was presented:

"Be it resolved by this church in regular business session that they empower the building committee to proceed to collect any and all monies subscribed and that they use the same in such manner as they deem best for the promotion and completion of proposed church building. To enter into contract with any party or parties in such form or manner as they shall think best for the erection of said building and that the present building is placed at their disposal to be used as they may deem to be to the best interest of the church."

The above resolution carried. Motion to adjourn carried. T.C. MICHAEL See. Pro. Tem.

The last services were held March 4, 1900, when a picture was taken of the congregation and the old church. At this meeting, deacons from the Methodist Protestant Church at the corner of Palmer and Bush Roads were in attendance and invited the congregation to meet with them during construction of the building. Work to tear it down began the next day.

The building committee consisted of Elon Thornton, Jackson Baughn, Judson Baughn, Noah Baughn, and Jesse Fultz. The carpenter who planned the building and supervised the work was Tom Michael. Work continued throughout the summer and when completed, it was dedicated on November 12, 1900. The services were conducted that morning, afternoon, and evening by Rev. J. P. Curran of Hillsboro. There was an indebtedness remaining at this time, but in 1901, it was re-dedicated, free and clear of debt, by the first pastor of the new church, Rev. J. E. Medick.

Eighty years ago, this was An ultra-modern country church. It had a baptistry, acetylene gas lights, beautiful stained-glass windows, a Sunday School room, a coal furnace and an elevated floor. Mr. Bill Willis, owner of the Willis Chair Factory on Lakeview Avenue, donated the chairs forthe Sunday School room.

Being such a small church, it was necessary for the congregation to share a pastor with other churches for many years. Worship services were held in the morning and evening on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Sunday School was held every Sunday, and each Thursday evening, the members gathered for conference and prayer, with the last Thursday of the month being a covenant meeting. In 1916, worship services were changed to the first and third Sundays. It was not until 1958 that the church was able to obtain a full time bi-vocational pastor, Rev. Paul Minnick.

At various times the church was served by student pastors from Denison University at Granville, Ohio. They gave their enthusiasm, and in turn, the church helped them finance their education. Among them were Harold Phillips (1916-18), Raymond Spoerri (1926-28), Kenneth Esyt (1928-29), Richard Brandt (1929-30), William Powell (1931), and Paul Kubick (1931-33). C. Raymond Buck, presently the foreign secretary of Cleveland Mid-Missions, served the church from 1945 to 1947, driving each week from Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended seminary. These dedicated men would sometimes bring in gospel teams who in turn would teach Sunday School classes, have charge of the worship services and furnish music.

While Mr. Spoerri was pastoring the church, he started the Baptist Young People's Union, which started work on digging the basement in 1927. From this group the work extended to the church members and eventually the men of the community joined in to complete the task. Mrs. Robert McCord, Blanche McCord, Mrs. Roscoe (Ruth) Haines and her daughter served the men coffee and home-made doughnuts as they labored. The women of the church held chicken suppers at Chaffin school as a money raising project to pay for the basement. Mr. Robert McCord built the stairway to the basement and the cupboards for the dishes. The women of the church also served "corn dinners" to the community and earned the funds to equip the kitchen with dishes, silverware, coal-oil stoves, and butcher linen tablecloths which were embroidered by Mrs. Elmer Baughn. The acetylene gas lights were replaced by electricity in 1933.

On November 12, 1950, a "homecoming" was held to celebrate the golden anniversary of the church building. Over the years, many improvements were made to the existing structure. In addition to routine maintenance, an oil furnace was installed in 1950-51 to take the place of the coal furnace and classrooms were built in the basement in 1956-57. The church was also redecorated at this time. The sanctuary was carpeted in 1964 and the exterior of the building was refurbished with aluminum siding in 1972. A water system was installed in 1967 with restrooms being a welcome addition in 1974. The sanctuary ceiling was lowered in 1976 to aid in fuel conservation. A two-manual, full pedal Wurlitzer electronic organ with chimes was purchased in 1979 as the service project for the sesquicentennial celebration to replace the Thomas organ donated by Claude Foster in 1958.

A new communion service was put into use in June of 1955, and 1960 saw the installation of new oak pulpit furniture which was hand made by one of the parishioners, Mr. Robert James. It included the pulpit, flower stands, worship table and communion table.

We know from existing records that both the Ladies Aid Society and Women's Mission Circle were in existence in January of 1909. These societies contained the same members but each provided a different form of service. The Ladies Aid worked for the betterment of the church building and the Mission Circle labored for home and foreign missions. In March, 1916, the Mission Circle and Ladies Aid united to form the Baptist Women's Missionary Society. It is still in existence today.

The Christian Board of Education was established in 1959.

The church, as well as the Baptist Women's Missionary Society, is affiliated with the Clinton Baptist Association (formerly Caesar's Creek Association), the Ohio Baptist Convention, and the American Baptist Churches of the U.S.A. The BWMS also takes an active part in Fayette County Church Women United.

At the present time there are approximately 120 members on the church roll, and of these, about sixty are active in the work of the church.

SUGAR CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH.

3263 US ROUTE 35

WASHINGTON C.H., OHIO

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