This is the earliest known group picture of the Cannonsburg Baptist Church (as it was known then) and it dates from about 1932.
A Brief History of the
First Baptist Church of Cannonsburg, Kentucky
By Stan WilliamsIn Septemeber of 1930, Eli Williams asked W.S. Mitchell to secure a building in which W. K. Wood could hold a church meeting. Mr. Mitchell secured a small store building on the banks of Marsh Run Creek, in Cannonsburg, from Mrs. J. A. Patton. A mission school was operated for a year, then it was organized and constituted into a church in 1931. Our charter was granted by Fairview Baptist Church of Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1931, the building was leased from Celia Patton Hornbuckle for two years. In 1933, the church authorized the trustees, Sherman Mitchell, Joanas Reffitt and Mrs. Robert Eastham, to buy the building from Celia Hornbuckle for $300.00. This amount was loaned to the church by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Eastham. Fifty dollars was paid down and the balance was paid at $8.00 per month, without interest. The dimensions of this plot was 63 ft. X 41 ft. X 70 ft.
On September 30, 1941, the church authorized the trustees, O. J. Towler, Lutie Davis and Mrs. Robert Eastham, to buy the lot where the first sanctuary was constructed. Its dimensions were 65 ft. X 100 ft. X 35 1/2 ft.
In 1949-1951 when Carroll Caudill was Pastor, the building was constructed. Patrick Salyers was the contractor. Mr. Salyers and the members of the church completed the building without any indebtedness against the church.
In 1953, the church authorized the trustees, Ray Harper, Bob Layne and Lutie Davis, to buy the remaining plot, which is about six acres.
In 1960, the church authorized the building committee; Bill Owens, Bob Layne and Curtis McGlone, to start plans for the new addition to the church. It consisted of a nursery, rest rooms, and nine new Sunday School rooms. Ora Slone was Pastor at this time.
In April 1962, the Church voted to build a parsonage. It was completed in August, 1962. W. R. Bradshaw was Pastor. The cost of the parsonage was $9,370.00. Several monetary donations were made to purchase items for the parsonage. Eight thousand dollars was borrowed on this building. In 1963, an organ was purchased for the church at approximately $2,700.00. Approximately $11,500 was paid in two years. On New Years Eve, December 31, 1964, the note of indebtedness was burned.
In July 1966, the church authorized the Building Committee; Bill Owens, Earl Jones, James Ramsdell, Jack Coldiron and Curtis McGlone, to proceed with the construction of the present sanctuary. On April 16, 1967, ground was broken for the new building by Pastor Charles Mitchell, Bill Owens, and Bob Layne. Construction of the sanctuary was under the direction of the Building Committee. Bill Owens supervised the work. The Sanctuary was dedicated December 3, 1967, with Rev. John Ivey, Greenup Associational Missionary, delivering the sermon. The note of indebtedness was burned on August 7, 1977.
In 1978, the old sanctuary was converted into eight Sunday School class rooms, an office, and one rest room.
In February, 1995 First Baptist Church,Cannonsburg financed the construction of a church building in Marmont, Haiti called the Ebenezer Baptist Church. The concrete block and corregated tin roof building measured 36' x 63'. Eleven men (including pastor Stan Williams and Buck Jackson) from the Greenup Association of Baptists volunteered to go to Haiti for two weeks to work on this project. Our SBC Missionaries serving there were Mark and Peggy Rutledge.
In 2000, ground was broken to build a Family Life and Youth Center at a cost of approximately $455,000.00. The new building measures 100' x 50' and houses four classrooms, one storage room, one mechanical room, two restrooms, one large kitchen, and a half-court gymnasium downstairs, and a 50' x 50' youth center and a mechanical room upstairs. The building was dedicated at our Homecoming service in September, 2002. Asa Greear, Director of Missions for the Greenup Association of Baptists, was the guest speaker and Joed Rice, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Ashland and a former member of FBC Cannonsburg, led the Prayer of Dedication. The note of indebtedness was burned on July 9, 2006!
The following Pastors have served the church:
Eli Williams Sept., 1930 - Dec., 1931
R. N. May Dec., 1931 - 1933
V. N. Maggard May, 1933 - 1936
S. M. Meade Sept., 1936 - 1943
V. N. Maggard April, 1943 - 1944
C. W. Caudill April, 1944 - 1957
Ora Slone 1957 - July, 1961
(Without a Pastor...Ten months)
Alonzo Outland, Interim a few months in 1965
Charles Mitchell Jan. 1, 1966 - 1968
Cecil R. Fultz Feb. 19, 1969 - Oct. 16, 1977
Wade Williams Interim, Dec., 1977 - May, 1978
Carl Gallion June 4, 1978 - May 31, 1981
David Walters Sept. 13, 1981 - Nov. 9, 1984
Gordon Duncan (Interim) January - March, 1985
Gordon Duncan March 17, 1985 - Dec. 5, 1986
Stan Williams April 19, 1987 - Present============ [From the Church website. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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