The Graham Baptist Church was organized the second Saturday in August, 1829, at the residence of Elder Lawson Stephenson, where the meetings were held monthly until the fourth Saturday in February 1839, and the church was known to this date as the Baptist Church of Liberty. At this meeting the name of the church was changed to "Graham Church;" also, beginning at this date, the meeting were held alternately at the residences of Elder Lawson Stephenson, on Little Graham creek, and Vardaman Hughes, on Big Graham creek.This church was organized with nine members, to-wit: Benjamin Merrel and Lucy Merrel, h is wife; Jane Merrel, his daughter'; Lawson Stephenson and his wife, Elizabeth Stephenson: John Stephenson and Mary Stephenson, his wife; Azariah Merrel and his wife, Elizabeth Merrel. At the organization, Azariah Merrel was chosen church Clerk and one Joseph Clarke presided over the meeting as Moderator.
At the third session of the Coffee creek association, in the fall of 1829, Br'n Benjamin Merrei and Lawson Stephenson were chosen to bear a letter to that body asking admission with instructions, it admitted, to sit in council with them. The church was afterward transffered [sic] to the Madison association in 1832.
The church continued to meet at the private residences above named until their July meeting in 1848, at which time the Trustees were instructed to superintend the building of our present house of worship.
From the time of the organization of the church until the third Saturday in March 1831, a space of two years, the church was without a pastor; Bro. James Alexander preaching occasionally. At this meeting Bro. Lawson Stephenson was ordained to the ministry. This council was composed of members from the following churches, to-wit: Vernon, Freedom, Concord, Bethel, Hebron, Versailles and Middle Fork. Bro. Lawson Stephenson served as both Pastor and Moderator until the time of his death, being August 25th 1835, without receiving any compensation for his labors. After the death of Bro. Stephenson, had no regular preacher until the first in April 1840, when Bro, Taylor Stott preached at that meeting, and continued to labor for the church until the first Saturday in July 1845, when he was called to the pastoral care of the church. The church at the same time called Bro. J. M. Cox to preach on the third Saturday in each month for one year. During the same year the time of meeting was changed from the first to the third Saturday; Bro. Stoll being released from the call and Bro. J. M. Cox was called as pastor.
Here ended the labors of Bro. Stoll of Bro. Stoll as pastor of the church, he having served the church five years, for which labor he received as a consideration for his services a suit of blue jeans clothes, made and presented to him by the sisters who composed the church at its organization.
During the year of 1844, Bro Ashael Neal was called to preach for the church for one year, In conjunction with Bro. Stoll:
Bro J. M. Cox then served as pastor until 1867. On the third Saturday in April he resigned his position as pastor, having served the church twenty-two years, not receiving any compensation for his labors. By a call of the church, Bro John Stott, on the first Saturday in July 1867 took the pastoral care of the church and served as pastor until the first Saturday in July 1869, when Bro T. D. George accepted a call from the church as its pastor, he only attending two meetings when be was taken sick, which sickness resulted in his death.
On the second Saturday in August 1870, Elder N. Johnson accepted a call as pastor, serving the church until the second Saturday in January 1874.
================= [From Madison Baptist Association Minutes, 1876. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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