INTRODUCTION:

                In reading through the History of Sutton Baptist Church from its inception, the plans for building a Church seemed doomed from the beginning with many obstacles to overcome. Here are a few of those obstacles:

(1)In 1847, Benjamin Huffman, was the first and only Baptist in or near Sutton for several years.

(2) It was in the late 1850’s before the next Baptist appeared when W. W. Warder moved to Sutton.

(3) In 1853, the nearest Baptist in Sutton except Brother Benjamin Huffman and his family were Daniel J. Stout and Dennis O. Wade, his wife Lucinda Jane Wade who lived in Flatwoods. Arthur Kyer lived eleven miles away at Sugar Creek.

(4) The only preaching in Sutton due to the move of Brother Benjamin Huffman to his farm on Bee Hill, were a few sermons preached between 1853~1855 by Reverend Aaron Barnett, who lived at Bulltown.

(5)Reverend John Stump, who lived at Steer Creek in Gilmer County, began preaching in Sutton in 1855. He preached occasionally until April 1857.  During this time, Brother Pembroke B. Berry, Catherine Rogers and family moved to Sutton and vicinity.  In April 1857, Elder John Stump, John Woofter and John Bennett organized the Sutton Baptist Church with the following members: Benjamin Huffman, his wife Drusilla Huffman, Dennis O. Wade, his wife, Lucinda Jane Wade, Pembroke B. Berry, Catherine Rogers, Eulene C. Warder and Arthur Kyer.

(6) In May 1857, a Committee consisting of Benjamin Huffman, Pembroke B. Berry and William Warder were appointed to secure a lot and build a Baptist Meeting Place.  A lot was purchased and construction began in 1861.  However, before completion; it was burned to the ground by a detachment of Union Soldiers.  Later, MUCH LATER, the government paid restitution to the Church in the amount of $775.00. Records indicate that Phillip Troxell, grandfather of Mr. Lee Armstrong, acquired the lot’s title which this church was started.[i] 

(7) A contract was given to Pembroke Berry to build another church.  After the frame was build and roof on a severe windstorm blew it down. Still these hearty early Christians forged ahead and rebuilt the church. 

                These eight dedicated Christians became the eight Charter Members of the Church. They held their meetings in the Court House until it was destroyed by fire in 1862.   On June 17, 1857, Mary Jane Beall was received as the first member of this newly organized Church.

From February 1861 until the spring of 1866, no preaching services were held by the Sutton Baptist Church. The church during the Civil War was not drawn into or connected with the controversy between the North and South in anyway. Prayer services were held at the home of Benjamin Huffman, or in a school house until the new wooden court house was erected. At this time, there were eighteen additions to the Church some by Baptism and some by letters.

The church proceeded to and did call the Reverend John Stump as Pastor.  The amount of salary is not stated, but the State Missionary Board of Virginia agreed to pay Fifty Dollars annually, on Pastor’s salary which continued until 1861.

A deed dated March 19, 1877, for a lot purchased from Pembroke Berry and his wife, Nancy J. Berry for the sum of $200.00 for the only proper use and benefit of the Baptist Church.  This lot was situated on the south side of Main Street (Now the residence of George Skidmore) and designated on the plot of Sutton as lot 26.

We do not know exactly when the church building was erected, but we know that a church was being fenced in April 1885 and being repaired and repainted in 1888. Also, a line fence was made between the church and a lot owned then by P. B. Berry.

Quoting from the Church Minutes, November 10, 1888: “On motion by Brother A. M. Lough, it is resolved that the church building now owned and occupied by the Baptist Denomination in the Town of Sutton, Braxton County, be on tomorrow, November 11, formally dedicated to the Lord.”

The dedication services were held November 11, 1888. The Reverend John Stump preached the dedication sermon.  Reverend Huffman had been asked to preach but could not comply with the request.  The dedication prayer was made by the pastor, Reverend Theodore Givens. It is not known whether it was a dedication after the above-mentioned repairs had been made.[ii]

No definite date was found in the records for the building of the parsonage.  It was found however, that a committee was appointed consisting of H. H. Beall, Alex Dulin, A. N. Lough and Jacob Huffman to select a site and prepare a design for a parsonage.  In May 1892, the committee made a report and was discharged. The following committees were appointed to raise money for the parsonage. Committee to raise money: Brother B. Huffman, H. H. Beall and A. Dulin; Building Committee: Jacob Huffman, A. N. Lough, P. M. Berry and Benjamin Huffman. From these records, it is assumed that the parsonage was built in the fall of 1892 or early in the year 1893.

By the mid 1950’s, it had become obvious that the church could no longer meet the growing needs of the congregation. It was voted to purchase the Yeager Property (where the current parsonage sits) and on December 5, 1957, the purchased was finalized. The old parsonage was used for additional classrooms. By the mid-to-late 1960’s, the nearly 100 year old church was slowly becoming unsafe and costly to operate. The bathrooms were outdated and considered dangerous. In addition, there were not enough Sunday School Rooms to accommodate the membership.  Cost wise, it was not economical to repair the outdated Church.  Therefore, a committee was formed to purchase a lot for the building of a new church. A lot purchased from Stanley B. Dean, is where our current church now stands at 602 Main Street.

On Sunday, August 28, 1979, a formal ground breaking ceremony was held at the site on Main Street, which will be the location of the new Sutton Baptist Church. The church congregation was present for the brief gathering in which several church members turn the first spade of earth.  The first to handle the gold shovel was Interim Pastor, Dr. Raymond Jones, Building Chairman Allen Donaldson, Contractor Osborne Facemire, Chairman of the Deacon Board Layton Heckert; Congregation Representative the Reverend Fell Kennedy and Chairman of the Trustee’s Board Gerald Jackson.

When completed, the new church consisted of over 6,000 square feet with sanctuary and educational units all on one floor.(iii)

On July 13, 1980, the new church was dedicated.

BAPTIST BEGINNINGS IN SUTTON AND THEIR GROWTH

Clerk, Alex Dulin, wrote the following article between1932-1938 (at the time of this writing Reverend W. G. Martin was the current pastor his tenure was 1932-1938): Article copied from paper in possession of Church Clerk in Record Book Beginning January 1, 1904.  Unfortunately, in the year 2017, this Record Book cannot be located. For the early history of Baptists in Sutton, in addition to the record kept by the Sutton Baptist Church, the undersigned is indebted to Brothers Huffman, P. B. Berry, Granville Huffman, and Reverend L. J. Huffman.[iv]

In 1847, Benjamin Huffman moved to a farm on Bee Hill, about two miles east of Sutton.  He was the first and only Baptist in or near Sutton for several years. Afterwards, sometime in the fifties W. W. Warder moved to Sutton.  The nearest Baptist in Sutton, in 1853, except Brother Benjamin Huffman and family, were Daniel J. Stout, and Dennis O. Wade and wife, who lived at Flatwoods, near the present junction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and Arthur Kyer, who lived at Sugar Creek, about eleven miles below the town of Sutton.

The only Baptist preaching, in Sutton, after Brother Benjamin Huffman moved to his farm on Bee Hill, until 1855, were a few sermons preached by Reverend Aaron Barnett between 1853~1855.  Reverend Barnett lived at Bulltown, Braxton County.

The Reverend John Stump, who lived at Steer Creek in Gilmer County, began preaching in Sutton in 1855. He preached occasionally until April 1857.  During this time, Brother Pembroak B. Berry, Catherine Rogers and family had moved to Sutton and vicinity. In April 1857, Elders John Stump, John Woofter, and John Bennett, organized the Sutton Baptist Church, with the following members: Benjamin Huffman, his wife, Drusilla Huffman, Dennis O. Wade, his wife, Lucinda Jane Wade, Pembroak B. Berry, Catherine Rogers, Eulene C. Warder and Arthur Kyer. The church was organized in the Old Brick Court House that was destroyed by fire in 1862.

The church proceeded to and did call Reverend John Stump as Pastor.  The amount of salary is not stated but the State Missionary Board of Virginia, (I am informed), agreed to pay Fifty Dollars annually, on Pastor’s salary, which continued until 1861.

At the time the church was organized, the following preamble and constitution and rules of decorum were adopted:[v]

“We the professed followers of Jesus Christ, believe it to be our privilege as well as bounded duty to serve Him, who loved us and washed us from our sins, in His own blood—we do therefore give ourselves to God and to one another and form ourselves into a regular independent Baptist Church, built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ, being the Chief Corner Stone, to be governed by the following rules:

1st – This church shall be known by the name of the Sutton Regular Baptist Church.

2nd – It shall be composed of regular baptized believers, baptized upon a profession of their Christian experience.

3rd – No one shall be admitted into the fellowship of this church except on application by letter or restoration or profession of faith in Christ and baptism by a regular Baptist minister.

4th – The officers of this church shall be a Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer, and Deacon, all of whom shall be chosen by the church.

5th – It shall be the duty of the Moderator to preside over each meeting, preserve order, propose questions and announce decisions.  He shall have no vote except in case of a tie, when the moderator shall have the casting vote.

6th – It shall be the duty of the Clerk to keep a record of the proceeding of each meeting and read the same when called upon.

7th – It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep all moneys placed in his hands and pay the same to order of the church.

8th – Each member shall be entitled to equal rights and privileges.

9th – This church will not take up matters or difficulty occurring between her members or another church, except Gospel steps first be taken.  Moreover if thy brother trespass against the & c. Mat. 18th-15th, when an offense is committed against the law of God and against an individual member, the discoverer shall tell it to the Pastor or deacons and they shall dispose of it as they, in their wisdom, thinks best.

10th – No member shall be arraigned before the church without first being notified.

11th – We will commune with all regular baptized believers.

12th – We will not give countenance or support to any minister who is in orthodox.

13th – Visiting brethren and sisters may be invited to seat in counsel and may vote on all questions not involving the internal rights of the church.

14th – It shall be the duty of each member to attend the meeting of the church as often as God in His providence permits, and in case of disability they shall report to the church by letter or otherwise at least one in six month

15th – It shall be the duty of each member to contribute regularly according to their means to defray the expense of the church.

16th – The pastor shall be the Moderator and in his absence or at this instance any other that the church may appoint.

17th – Alterations and amendments may be made to this constitution by a proposition made at one meeting and confirmed by a two-third vote at the next meeting.”

At the church meeting held in May 1857, Brethren Benjamin Huffman, P. B. Berry, and William Warder were appointed a committee to secure a lot and build a “Baptist Meeting House”. They purchased a lot which now stands the dwelling house of Amos Bright on Main Street and erected a building thereon. The house was enclosed and covered and the lumbar for the finishing was stored in the building. However, the building was destroyed when U.S. Union Soldiers burned it down along with the courthouse in the fall of 1862. Sometime later, the U.S. Government paid a restitution of $775.00. Later, Mr. Philip Troxell, acquired title to said lot.  The first member received into the church was Sister Mary Jane Beall, who was received at the meeting of June 27th 1857.  She had been previously baptized. 

The church applied for admission into the Mt. Pisgah Association, August 22, 1857, at which time Brethren P. B. Berry, Benjamin Huffman, and D. O. Wade, with Arthur Kyer as alternate were appointed delegates to the Association.  This Association met at the mouth of Big Sandy in Kanawha County that year.

The first services of the church were held in the Old Brick Court House in Sutton up to the fall of 1862, when it was destroyed by fire. Until the new wooden or plank Court House was built, the Church met at the dwelling house of Brother Benjamin Huffman on Bee Hill and in a school house which stood between Beall’s Mill and the mouth of Otter Creek.

The only services held by the church from February 21, 1861, until April 21, 1866, was an occasional prayer service conducted by Brother Benjamin Huffman at the homes of the members. The first record of preaching service is that of April 21, 1866, by the pastor, Reverend John Stump. 

There were no preaching services held by the Sutton Church from February 21, 1861, until the spring of 1866. This church, during the Civil War, was not in any way drawn into or connected with the war or controversy between the North and South in anyway.

The first Revival Services of the church were held at the mill building at Beall’s Mill, in the summer of 1868, by Reverend John Stump, assisted by Reverend William Dobbins.  There were about eighteen additions to the church by baptism and a number were received by letter from other sister churches.

The next published article of the Sutton Baptist Church was compiled by the Great grandson of Pembroke Berry, Robert Lee Pullen, in 1934 at age 15.[vi]  

A contract was given my great-grandfather, Pembroke Berry, to build another church.  Uncle Levi Huffman was superintendent of the work and started the move to build the church.  The logs were cut and hauled from Bee Hill by Uncle Jake and Levi Huffman by six yoke of oxen’s.  They were sawed by a mill here. 

After the frame was built and the roof on, a severe windstorm blew it down. It was rebuilt, part of the men worked on the sides and part on the roof. The benches were made by Pembroke Berry, John Humphreys, Granville Berry, Granville Huffman, Jack Evans and Uncle Jake Huffman.

The cupola was made by Uncle Jake Huffman and John Humphreys.  They also made the preachers stand for the Bible. This has a very peculiar piece of work in it, as the letters (God is Love) were cut from white walnut and placed in the dark wood so they would show up plain. The outside weather boarding was all planed by hand and the work was done by Uncle Jake Huffman.   The balcony was added later.  Later the Ladies Aid furnished the money to build the baptizing pool. Thomas Berry painted the church with money contributed by others.

Reverend John Stump was the first pastor and served the church until 1870.  Many were added during his pastorate. Reverend L. J. Huffman succeeded him and was pastor for sixteen years.  Many revivals and scores of members were added.

In 1886 Reverend Levi Huffman resigned and Reverend Theodore Given was called to the church and served as pastor for two years.

The next published article was on November 9, 1944.  The following was read at the home-coming of the Sutton Baptist Church. It was written and read by Mrs. Kelley Smith, wife of the minister of the church.[vii]

Her writings are the same as previously written, however, I came across this account: At a church meeting held in May 1857, Brother Benjamin Huffman, P. B. Berry and William Warder were appointed a committee to secure a lot and build a “Baptist Meeting House.” They purchased a lot on which now stands the dwelling house of Mrs. Harriet Lynch.  The building was started in 1861 and before it was completed it was destroyed in the fall of 1862 by Union soldiers. For the damage the government later paid $775.00 in restitution. Mr. Philip Troxell, grandfather of Mr. Lee Armstrong, later acquired title to the lot on which this church was started. 

A lot was purchased from Pembroke B. Berry and his wife, Nancy J. Berry, for the sum of $200.00, for the only proper use and benefit of the Baptist Church. This lot was situated on the south side of Main Street and designated on the plot of Sutton as lot 26.  The deed was dated March 19, 1877 and was made to the trustees of the Sutton Baptist Church and their successors.  The trustees named in the deed were:  Ellis S. Hyer, Benjamin Huffman and Henderson H. Beall. (Presently,George & Judy Skidmore’s residence).

The first minutes we have of church meetings, was Saturday, March 1885. This was during the pastorate of Reverend L. J. Huffman.  Mr. Dulin, in a “History of Sutton Baptist Church”, says, (published in minutes of Elk Valley Association in 1917) “It is reported that every plank in the building passed through his hands before it was placed in the structure”. [viii]

It is not know exactly when the old church building was erected but we know there was a church being fenced in April, 1885, and being repaired and re-painted in 1888.  Also, that a line fence was to be made between the church lot and lot owned then by P. B. Berry. 

Quoting from the Church Minutes, November 10, 1888: “On motion by Brother A. M. Lough, it is resolved that the church building now owned and occupied by the Baptist denomination in the town of Sutton, Braxton County, be on tomorrow, November 11, formally dedicated to the Lord.”

The dedication services were held November 11, 1888. The Reverend John Stump preached the dedication sermon.  (Reverend Huffman had been asked to preach but could not comply with the request).  The dedication prayer was made by the pastor, Reverend Theodore Givens. It is not known whether it was a dedication after the above-mentioned repairs had been made.

No definite date was found in the records for building of the parsonage.  It was found, however, that a committee was appointed consisting of H. H. Beall, Alex Dulin, A. N. Lough and Jacob Huffman, to select a site and prepare a design for a parsonage.  In May, 1892, the committee made a report and was discharged.  The following committees were appointed: Committee to raise money for the parsonage: Brother B. Huffman, H. H. Beall and A. Dulin; Building Committee: Jacob Huffman, A. N. Lough, T. M. Berry and Benjamin Huffman. For these records it is assumed that the parsonage was built in the fall of 1892 or early in the year 1893.

In reading and studying over the minutes of the Sutton Baptist Church we are led to believe that a Mission was sponsored by this church, around Beall’s Mill and the mouth of Little Otter. This mission resulted in the organization of the Little Otter Baptist Church, which later became the Gassaway Baptist Church. In October, 1895, a special meeting, 38 members asked for letters of dismissal and recommendation to be organized into an independent Baptist Church at the mouth of Little Otter, Braxton County, W.Va.  The church was to be called the Little Otter Baptist Church and was dedicated November 9, 1895.

The Sutton Baptist Church was one of the 14 Baptist Churches that left the Mt. Pisgah Association in 1903 and were organized into the Elk Valley Association.  The first two moderators of the association were Alexander Dulin and Van B. Hall, members of the Sutton Church.

The educational plant that we now have at the front of the church was partly built under the pastorate of Reverend Harry L. Poe and completed since Reverend Kelley Smith became pastor.  The new gas heat system was installed during Reverend Poe’s pastorate and this has been paid for.

During the past year, Dr. Pickett was sent $550, for the purpose of constructing a cabin at the State Baptist Camp at Cowen.

Early pastors preached one Sunday a month. The Saturday before they had services, the pastor preached a sermon and then they held a business meeting of the church. Some of the “business” of these sessions was looking after the members.  A committee of three was appointed to investigate members.  If they were not ready to report at the next meeting, the committee was held over until they had a report. Instances are given where a member apologized and were forgiven.

One of the lengthiest investigations concerned two brothers, “on motion charges were preferred against one brother proceeding against another brother in law without first obeying the injunction of our Lord, as recorded in the 18th Chapter of Matthew.  As the brother did not ask the Church to mediate his trouble, a committee was appointed to investigate and report to the Church. As two or three meetings failed to, they were still asked to make a settlement. Four months later they reported the difficulty had been settled in a manner satisfactory to the Church.”

A deed dated March 19, 1877, for a lot purchased from Pembroke Berry and his wife, Nancy J. Berry for the sum of $200.00 for the only proper use and benefit of the Baptist Church.  This lot was situated on the south side of Main Street. Do not know exactly when the church building was erected, but we know that a church was being fenced in April 1885 and being repaired and repainted in 1888. Also, a line fence was made between the church and a lot owned then by P. B. Berry.

Quoting from the Church Minutes, November 10, 1888: “On motion by Brother A. M. Lough, it is resolved that the church building now owned and occupied by the Baptist Denomination in the Town of Sutton, Braxton County, be on tomorrow, November 11, formally dedicated to the Lord.”

The dedication services were held November 11, 1888. The Reverend John Stump preached the dedication sermon.  Reverend Huffman had been asked to preach but could not comply with the request.  The dedication prayer was made by the pastor, Reverend Theodore Givens. It is not known whether it was a dedication after the above-mentioned repairs had been made.[ix]

No definite date was found in the records for the building of the parsonage.  It was found however, that a committee was appointed consisting of H. H. Beall, Alex Dulin, A. N. Lough and Jacob Huffman to select a site and prepare a design for a parsonage.  In May 1892, the committee made a report and was discharged. The following committees were appointed to raise money for the parsonage. Committee to raise money: Brother B. Huffman, H. H. Beall and A. Dulin; Building Committee: Jacob Huffman, A. N. Lough, P. M. Berry and Benjamin Huffman. From these records, it is assumed that the parsonage was built in the fall of 1892 or early in the year 1893.

By the mid 1950’s, it had become obvious that the church could no longer meet the growing needs of the congregation. It was voted to purchase the Yeager Property (where the current parsonage sits) and on December 5, 1957, the purchased was finalized. The old parsonage was used for additional classrooms. By the mid-to-late 1960’s, the nearly 100 year old church was slowly becoming unsafe and costly to operate. The bathrooms were outdated and considered dangerous. In addition, there were not enough Sunday School Rooms to accommodate the membership.  Cost wise, it was not economical to repair the outdated Church.  Therefore, a committee was formed to purchase a lot for the building of a new church. A lot purchased from Stanley B. Dean, is where our current church now stands at 602 Main Street.

On Sunday, August 28, 1979, a formal ground breaking ceremony was held at the site on Main Street, which will be the location of the new Sutton Baptist Church. The church congregation was present for the brief gathering in which several church members turn the first spade of earth.  The first to handle the gold shovel was Interim Pastor, Dr. Raymond Jones, Building Chairman Allen Donaldson, Contractor Osborne Facemire, Chairman of the Deacon Board Layton Heckert, Congregation Representative the Reverend Fell Kennedy and Chairman of the Trustee’s Board Gerald Jackson

When completed, the new church consisted of over 6,000 square feet with sanctuary and educational units all on one floor.[x]

On July 13, 1980, the new church was dedicated

31 Pastors have served this church since it began in 1857.  Listed bellowed are the pastors’ names and when they served

• John Stump –1857-1870
• Levi Huffman –1870-1886*
• Theodore Givens — 1886-1890
• J. F. Brown — 1890-1891
• T. T. Vulcoff — 1891-1894
• J. E. Hutchinson — 1894-1904
• G. W. Tupper — 1904-1907
• Levi Huffman — 1907-1914*
• A. A. McQueen — 1914-1919
• W. H. Barlow — 1919-1924
• J.F. Cost — 1924-1926
• L. T. Harvey — 1926-1929
• E. S. Gaylor — 1929-1930
• H. W. Martin — 1932-1938
• Harry L. Poe — 1938-1941
• Kelly Smith — 1942-1952
• Lawrence B. Lutz — 1952-1954
• Frank B. McKinster — 1954-1961
• Clyde Hibbs — 1961-1968
• Clyde Bush — 1968-1974
• Bruce Wood — 1973-1975
• Richard Sargent — 1975-1979
• James C. Bird — 1979-1979*
• Raymond Jones — 1979-1980*
• Charles Hambel — 1981-1986
• Ron George, Jr. — 1987-1992
• Raymond Butcher — 1993-1998
• Fred Dillion — 1998-1999*
• Mike Sisson — 2000-2009
• Allan Copenhaver — 2010-2018
• Eric Thomas — 2019-Current

    *The Reverend Levi Huffman served on two different occasions for a total of twenty-three years serving more than any other pastor.

    *The Reverend Fred Dillion served as Interim Pastor.
    *The Reverend James C. Bird served as Interim Pastor.

    * The Reverend Raymond Jones, served as Interim Pastor

     

    [i] Taken from document prepared by Alex Dulin dated 1912.

    [ii] Introduction from several Historical Articles.

    [iii] Taken in part from Citizen’s News, Aug. 27, 1979 Ground Broken for new Sutton Baptist Church, donated by John Thomas.

    [iv] Baptist Beginning in Sutton and Their Growth by Alex Dulin ~1932-1938

    [v] Baptist Beginning in Sutton and Their Growth by Alex Dulin~1932-1938

    [vi] Robert Lee Pullen, great-grandson of Pembroke Berry, age 15 years. Taken from article published Braxton Democrat March 15, 1934.

    [vii] History of The Sutton Baptist Church written by Mrs. Kelley Smith, Braxton Democrat, November 9, 1944

    [viii] Taken from unknown author of “History of Sutton Baptist Church” 1957 document.

    [ix] Introduction from several Historical Articles.

    .