The Early History of St. Hill M. B. Church
Newton County, MS
St. Hill was organized in 1865 and the first church was called "Bush Harbor" by the then members. It was located southwest of the present location from 1865 to about 1870. After that time, a more permanent building was constructed as St. Hill Church and was established by freed slaves (It was maintained until the 1900s):
The freed slaves included:
- Rev. Morris
- Deacon Alonozo Pelt
- Nelse Wash
- Steve Wash
In the early 1900s, a later structure was built near the site of the old church and it served as the house of worship for many years.
Years later the current church was constructed on the same site (Pictured below):
A church member at that time, Charlie Maxwell, was working at the Confederated Hospital in Newton, was given some bricks and used them to construct the foundation for the building that the church is in today.
The current church maintains a large cemetery:
The cemetery covers many families in the Newton County Area.
Pastors of the current church from then until July 2013 were (in order):
- Rev. Morris
- Rev. Alf Curry
- Rev. Doc Garr
- Rev. Barns
- Rev Jessie Adkins
- Rev R.B Ooten
- Rev. Thomas
- Rev. Easter
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- Rev Stewart
- Rev. Horsley
- Rev J. R Smith/ Rev. J. D. Jordan
- Rev. Rudolph Whitehead
- Rev. Otis Brown
- Rev. B.R. Nichols
- Re. Dwayne Bigham
- Rev. Carl Bickham II (current)
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Deacons from 1865 to 2009 (Ordered from start to latest available)
- Steve Wash
- Nelse Wash
- Lonzo Pel
- Granvill Jordan
- Charles J Ordan
- Jeff Wash
- Joe Moore
- J.F. Moore
- Richard Harris
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- Charles Maxwell
- Bro Gains
- John Shumaker
- Steve Wash II
- Wesley Chapman
- Ferry Jones
- Anthony Wash
- Willie Graham
- James (Pete) Moore
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- S.V. Kidd
- Charles Dudley
- Albert Gary
- Archie Moore Sr
- Charles Wash
- Lonnie Chapman
- Archie More JR
Current Chairman of Deacon Board
- Bo Hardy
- Finas Evans
- Walter Lee Jordan
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Female Church Members (Some, not all leading up to 2009)
- Erma Chapman
- Lelar Jones
- Annie Graham
- Annie Harris
- Hattie Williamson
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- Vigia Williams
- Mattie May
- Mary Hughes
- Lela Huddleston
- Ruthie M Wash
- R. C. Moore
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