| Ephesus Cemetery -- Northeast of Sprott, Alabama: Families: Ham; Hughes; Morton; Hughey |
| Marv Hamm's Genealogy Home Page |
| Ephesus Baptist Church -- Northeast of Sprott, Alabama |
| The above notes are from Ephesus Baptist Church History written in the mid 1980's List of Charter Members from 1865 forwarded courtesy of James Tanton |
| History of Ephesus Baptist Church On November 5, 1865, Henry O. Haggard and Jesse M. Heard, ordained ministers of the gospel, met at a school house near Matthias Nichols and formed themselves into a Presbytery and after examining the brethren and sisters upon the principles of faith adopted by the Cahaba Baptist Association, and being found Orthodox, they constituted the following 28 names into a church. These charter members are relatives of many of the present membership: David Gentry F. M. Nichols George W. Hughey Elizabeth Gentry T. E. Nichols Catherene Nichols Melinda E. Nichols Elizabeth M. Pannells Tempa M. Worrells Matilda A. Nichols Sarah A. Clark Arminta E. Barnett Mary Logan H. O. Haggard William T. Gentry Joseph Smith W. J. Hughey Louiza Perry Sarah E. Nichols Dorothy G. Nichols Malissa J. Nichols Mary Henly Manervia A. Nichols Alanrue Nichols Margaret E. Harrison Barbara Nichols Emily Hughey Jesse M. Heard |
| There are many interesting items one reads in the old minutes. The foreign mission offering in 1917 was $2.32. A quotation reads "paid on pastors salary April 14, 1917, $3.70." An old associational letter for the year 1923 shows that the pastors salary that year was $90.50. Total church expense was $105.22. We think of that in comparison to our church budget of today. The original building was of hewn logs which later burned around 1880. A frame building was constructed then which, with many improvements, still serves as the sanctuary today. In the fall of 1938 a Sunday School room was added. New flooring, doors, windows, were repaired in the early part of 1955. Five Sunday School rooms were also completed at this time and butane heat installed throughout the church. In October 1960 work on the inside of the auditorium was completed. The floors were refinished and new pews were added in February of 1963. In 1969, we installed central heat and air conditioning, dug a well and added bathroom facilities. We added carpet in the sanctuary and it was ready for homecoming in 1973. Early 1974 we added the vestibule out front to our building. An electric organ was purchased and put in our church for homecoming 1975. In June of 1979 we added carpet for the Sunday School rooms. In November of 1983 we built and furnished a fellowship hall adjacent to our church. As one improvement is completed another seems to take its place and we hope for many more in the years ahead. Under the leadership of Rev. Jack Drinkwater, Ephesus Church agreed to go full time on a trial basis in March of 1960. We have remained full time ever since. The average membership during the life of the church has been from 120 to 150 members, with a present membership of 131. Sunday School has been held here for a long time. In 1949 a Training Union was organized and functioned until October 1978. At that time it was decided that, due to lack of interest and people, it be discontinued. We have a very active WMU organization, organized in 1934, which at many times has been the very life of our church. They recently celebrated their 50th anniversary with a celebration at our church. |