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Subject: [NJHUNTER] Kingwood Baptists
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 16:23:46 EST

Hi,
Me again with my final installment about the early days of the
Kingwood (aka Bethlehem Baptist and Baptistown Baptist Church).

THE LOCKTOWN BRANCH

"Soon after Elder Curtis began his work in Baptistown, he also began
to preach every three weeks in the lower part of the township, which later
became known as Locktown. This branch of the church was organized at
Baptistown on July 27, 1745. The original members were:
Elder Thomas Curtis James Wolverton
John Walter (clerk) Ruckman
David Drake Job Warford
Thomas Hill Eleanor Hunt
Edward Slater Elsie Curtis
Martha Burtis Mary Still
Mary Green Agnes Drake
Abigail Wolverton Elizabeth Collins
Ann Larue Elizabeth Warford
Elizabeth Barris

The records show that Andrew Bray was ordained a ruling elder of the
Baptistown congregation in 1747.
Elder Curtis died April 28, 1749, in his 64th year. During his
service to the churches he was known as a peacemaker and was so well liked
that we find the high esteem in which he was held surviving almost a century
after his death. His five children married into the families of the
area--the Andersons, Peers, Macauleys, Hills and Thatchers.
The congregations of Kingwood and Locktown were actually one
congregation, with many of the original members on both church rolls and
services were held alternately in the two churches. The first meetinghouse
in Locktown was built in 1750. It was only 30x38 feet, built of logs, and
located near the site of the present church. Mr. George Burket donated the
land."

CHURCH BUILT IN LOCKTOWN

" In 1814, the church met to consider the need for a NEW [
emphasis mine] building in Locktown. On January 1, 1819 the congregation
agreed to erect a 35 x 35 foot stone building on ground offered by Daniel
Rittenhouse, with Elisha Rittenhouse chosen as building superintendent.
While the building was being ereted , the congregation met in the public
school in Loctown. On Oct. 16, 1819 , the first service was held in the new
building. The two churches then agreed to share meetings equally. At the
same time, the cleaning expenses rose to a new high of six dollars a year per
building."

Altogether this little book has thirty--five pages of text, two pages
of footnotes and bibliography and eleven pages of photographs.
They said that Elder Curtis was a peacemaker and the rest of the
history of the church is full of incidents where peacemaking was needed
especially in the instances where doctrinal differences caused splits in the
church.
I do not know where or if you could purchase a copy of this booklet
now, but I would suppose that the HCHS might have one on its shelves at
least.
In coming days I will try to transcribe the parts of the book that
list individuals names.

Kay Larsen

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