History of Hueysville Church of Christ
1909 - 2009
At the Annual Meeting of the Churches of Christ of Eastern Kentucky, held on September 24-26, 1909, DavidMurphy (Uncle Murph) Allen was assigned to the Salt Lick Church, which later was called the Hueysville Church of Christ (after the Hueysville Post Office). D.M. Allen was born January 11, l870, and died March 17, 1942. He was baptized into Christ by Keen Goodman in 1890. He was ordained to preach in 1891 and became one of the most prominent Church of Christ preachers in FloydCounty.D.M. taught school and was later elected Floyd County Superintendent of Schools. His father, Archibald Allen, was also a Church of Christ preacher. D.M. served as first deed trustee of the Church as well as its minister for many years. He preached for 51 years and never accepted pay for his servicesbut contributed generously to the upkeep of other preachers. Later, Zigler Reed, Joseph Gearheart, and Oscar Webb were elected to serve as deed trustees.
The original church building at the mouth of Salt Lick was begun in 1909 and finished some two years later. By the first of October 1910, there were twenty-five church members at Hueysville, as recorded by R.B. Neal in the Christian Standard. The church was built on land owned by Susan Allen Hayes, sister of D.M. Allen and mother of Frank Hayes, and deeded by Mrs. Hayes to the Church of Christ on September 29, 1911. It was due to the untiring efforts of D.M. Allen that a two-and-a-half story building was erected. The huge wooden pillars in the center of the sanctuary, which extended through the second story of the building, were donated by D.M. Allen. Hauled from Magoffin County, they were hand planed on eight sides by Green Allen. Volunteers hauled logs by horse and wagon to D.M. Allen’s sawmill on Salt Lick Creek. The sawed lumber was then hauled to the church site at Bosco Station. Food for the workers was provided primarily by the women of the church, but many volunteers outside the Church also donated food and labor. The "largest and most attractive building in the valley," according to newspaper accounts at the time, the building was fifty feet long and forty feet wide.
Early ministers who conducted services or revivals at Hueysville, in addition to D.M. Allen, were R.B. Neal (for whom Neal Hall at Kentucky Christian University is named), Tom Meade, James Evans, Matthew Gillespie, A.J. Hall, John Marshall, Henry Parsons, Julian Hunt, George Patrick, S.P. Pittman, and Alvis Ford (father of Bill Ford and Rob Ford). In 1928, Alvis Ford organized a Sunday school and a Ladies Aid Society at the church. He conducted a revival and baptized thirty people into Christ, which contributed a great deal to the revitalization of the Church.
From the mid-1920s into the mid-1930s, Brother James Evans, a watchmaker and minister from Garrett, walked the two miles to Hueysville every Saturday night. He preached Sunday morning and Sunday evening, staying both Saturday and Sunday nights with Frank and Lucretia Hayes. On Monday mornings, he walked back to Garrett with a coffee sack of groceries from Frank Hayes’ store on his back. This was his salary. According to Dr. Paul Hayes, brother of Rondal Hayes, Brother Evans came through heat, cold, rain, sleet, or snow and seldom missed a Sunday.
A major leader in helping to keep the church alive and the doors open was Brother Lawrence Price. Throughout the late 1930s into the 1950s, he preached and helped in every way as often as he could. This was in addition to his full-time position as principal of Wayland High School and minister at Glo Church of Christ. Later, both Brother Price and Brother S.C. Honeycutt (of Auxier), another faithful friend of the Hueysville Church, preached on alternate fifth Sundays of the month for several years.
In April 1941, Frank Hayes and his family returned to Kentucky after living for seven years in Ohio, where four of his children attended college. For a number of years thereafter, Frank was the only elder in the Church. He kept the doors open with the help of his oldest son, Rondal, a deacon who taught Sunday school, organized recreational activities for the young people, provided transportation for their trips, served as secretary and treasurer of the church body, and maintained the church property in the combined roles of custodian, janitor, carpenter, and groundskeeper. In later years, in addition to the services listed above, Rondal was an elder, youth leader, preacher, and adult Bible study teacher. He organized baseball, softball, and basketball teams for the youth of the church, scheduled their games and arranged transportation for them, and served as church bus driver (for many years he drove five routes every Sunday morning and maintained the church bus at his own expense).
In late 1941, Julian Hunt conducted a revival at Hueysville, adding many new members to the church. A renewed interest in the church, sparked by the revival, resulted in the painting of the outside of the church, a major undertaking at that time. The inside was also painted and a stage was constructed at the front of the sanctuary. D.M. Allen was re-elected a deed trustee.Frank Hayes and Luther McCloud were also elected to serve with him as deed trustees. Services were held every Lord’s Day, even when there was no full-time minister.
In 1950 and 1952, the famed young evangelist, Joseph Bachman (the beloved ‘Little Joe’), held revivals at Hueysville, as well as other churches of Christ in the area. He added many to the church, and inspired many young ministers, one of whom was Walter Webb, who preached at Hueysville for several years. S.C. Honeycutt of Auxier, Clarence Greenleaf of Grundy, Virginia, and E.W. Damron of Ford’sBranch, alsoheld revivals during the 1950s and 1960s. The visiting ministers usually stayed with Frank and Lucretia Hayes and delighted in Lucretia’s cooking. Mildred Duke Martin’s piano was brought by truck to the church for the revivals. If special pianists did not travel with the ministers, Mildred would play the piano.
On May 8, 1957, the Garrett Church of Christ merged with the Hueysville Church of Christ. James and Perry Rice became strong leaders along with Frank and Rondal Hayes in the combined church, enhancing the services with their song leading and participation in a gospel quartet.James’ wife, Hazel, faithfully served the church as pianist for many years. In her later years, she shared these duties with Melanie Patton Turner, who continues to play the piano every Sunday morning, along with Barry Combs playing the organ). The merger of the two churches helped spearhead another renovation of the building. The upstairs was divided into classrooms and painted, and the sanctuary and exterior were also painted. On May 1, 1960, a beautifulheated baptistry was installed.
In 1965, plans were made to begin raising funds for a new roof, but a building inspector informed the church that the building must have a new roof immediately. Irene Hayes proposed putting together a cookbook, as a way to raise part of the money needed. The women of the church helped her compile and publish What’s Cooking in Kentucky, which was so successful that a new roof and restrooms were funded and installed.New pulpit furniture, a new piano, and a church bus were purchased with additional funds generated by the sale of the cookbook. Later, new pews, stained glass windows, and storm windows would be installed and were mainly paid for by memorial donations. In 1967, the leaders of the church asked Mrs. Hayes to assume control of the cookbook because they believed the church should not be associated with a business venture. She revised and enlarged the cookbook many times and continued to donate to the church from the proceeds of the cookbook until her death in April of 2007.
During the 1960s and 1970s, W.L. (Brother Bill) Ford, son of Alvis Ford, held regular revivals at the church and baptized over a hundred people into Christ. He often brought the choir from Zebulon Church of Christ with him. From the beginning, Brother Bill took a special interest in the Hueysville Church. He gave Bible-based advise whenever asked. His influence in strengthening the Hueysville Church of Christ and keeping it alive cannot be measured. He and his wife Laura came for revivals, funerals, and sometimes just for fellowship. Bro. Bill's success was due to his love for the Lord and his fellow man, always preaching the true gospel of Christ. Other evangelists of the time who were very influential in the life of the church were Mike Bridenbaugh and Ed Bausman.
The Hueysville Church of Christ was a training ground for many young preachers. Brother Smith was followed byJim Viers, (a Timothy from the GrundyChurch of Christ under Brother Clarence Greenleaf).There was a succession of visiting singing groups and part-time ministers. Lonnie Bennett, a student from Cincinnati Bible College, was one of the first. There were several ministerial students from Kentucky Christian College at Grayson, Kentucky, such as Rob Ford (brother of Bill Ford), Francis Nash, Terry Kidd, Lonnie McNabb, Myron Williams, Paul Williams, Mark Hatfield, Fred Klatka, Marty Dailey, Gus Andrews, and Tom Napier. Rondal Hayes was now an elder and served as their mentor. Many visiting preachers stayed overnight with Lucretia Hayes, Rondal and Irene Hayes, and other members of the church. Excellent meals were provided by Sarah Alice Reffett, Ada Gearheart, Mag Patton, Irene Hayes, Verna Martin, and other women of the church.
January 11, 1976, the smaller Glo Church of Christ merged with the Hueysville congregation. Two members, Mitchell Nichols and Tramble Turner, added their leadership talents to the Church.
In September 1981, Cecil Sherman and his wife Edith came to the Hueysville church from East Point. He had preached several revivals at Hueysville and church members welcomed him and his wife with open arms. Brother Sherman was highly regarded in the brotherhood for his strict adherence to the true gospel of Christ. He faithfully followed the Apostle Paul’s admonition to Timothy “to preach the word.” Brother Sherman had many offers from other churches which he refused, saying he planned to finish out his ministry at the HueysvilleChurch of Christ.
On December 10, 1981, the church building burned to the ground. There was a heavy snow and the hill leading down to the church was very slick, hampering the efforts of the volunteer fire departments from Maytown and Wayland, who were unable to save the church. There was no insurance and no money to rebuild. Services were held at AllenCentralHigh School for one year and nine months while building funds were raised and the new church was begun.
Rondal Hayes retired from his job as postmaster to work full-time on drawing the plans and rebuilding the church. Hehappily greeted anyone who came to help. The women of the church, led by Irene Hayes, sent letters to every Church of Christ and Christian Church in Kentucky and many churches in surrounding states to ask for contributions for rebuilding the church. Outsiders from as far away as Alaska were among those who made contributions. One gift of $100.00 was even received while the old church was still burning.
During this trying time, Brother Sherman did a tremendous job of holding the church together. While the new building was being built, and for some time afterward, he accepted only a small remuneration for his services so that the money could be spent on rebuilding the church. God richly blessed the rebuilding effort. Because of the money and labor donated by individuals and other churches, it was only necessary to borrow $5,000. to complete construction. They began holding services in the unfinished church in the fall of 1983.
In 1987, a steeple and Westminster chimes were installed with funds donated specifically for that purpose. Each hour from sunrise to sunset, those chimes continue to sound a comforting hymn that echoes through the valley. Also in 1987, to protect the church, Rondal and Irene Hayes deeded to the church all the land surrounding the back of the original church to the low-water mark of Beaver Creek, and land on both sides of the original church deed.
In 1989, ill health forced Brother Cecil Sherman to retire. It was a terrible blow to lose this dedicated and beloved servant of God. John Paul Billiter from the Martin Church of Christ often came to preach and teach Sunday School classes after poor health forced him to retire as full time minister at Martin Church of Christ. Greg Nichols then served as minister until the mid-90s. After he began teaching school full time, Greg declined all but a small amount of his original salary, insisting that he did not merit it because he could not spend enough time at the church. For the next few years, Jeff Prater and Rondal Hayes filled the pulpit on Sunday mornings. On Sunday nights, Kevin Jett would preach and helped by visiting the sick.
Thanks to the urging of men like Adrian and Hammer Lovely, Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones honored Rondal Hayes by designating September 4, 1994, as Rondal Hayes Day statewide, in recognition for his many years of service, untiring work,and strong Christian influence with the youth of the area. At times, the Big Sandy Area Youth Rally was attended by over 200 young people Rondal brought to the monthly meetings in a repainted orange and black school bus.
In 1998, Brother Chester Ray Varney came to serve the church as a full-time evangelist. He and his wife Geri, originally from Pike County, Kentucky, are well-loved and have sustained the church through their efforts as a couple who love and serve the Lord. Elders James A. Duff, James Slone, and Ralph Crisp and Deacon Jeff Patton, along with Chester and Geri and the entire Hueysville congregation, take great pride in being known as “The Hugging Church” and for the glowing reports of the friendly, loving atmosphere at the church “where everyone is made to feel welcome.”
May God continue to reward the Hueysville Church of Christ with blessings from above as its members remain steadfast in their devotion to the Lord. The following statement about the Church of Christ is found in the book Christians Only by James DeForest Murch:
“No creed but Christ. No book but the Bible. No name but the divine name. Where Scripture speaks, we speak. Where Scripture is silent, we are silent. In essentials unity; in opinions liberty; in all things love. We are not the only Christians, but we are Christians only.”
View All Galleries
.jpg)
