First Baptist Church
Pleasant Hill, Pike Co IL

Photo contributed by Billie Browning

The members near Pleasant Hill wishing to be constituted an independent Church at
Pleasant Hill sent a petition to the mother Church at Martinsburg,
which was granted May 4, 1857; whereupon the following
persons received letters of dismissal for that purpose:

G.W. Gregory Sarah Simpson Susannah Lewis
Wm. Mitchell Eliza J. Venable S. H. Lewis Jr.
Susan Mitchell Redman Crews David Wilson
Joseph D. Brooks Winny Crews Isaphena Wilson
Mary J. Brooks Ann E. Crews Keziah Lewis
Lawson Turner G.W. Bybee Lauretta Smith
Susan Turner Rhoda C. Bybee Daniel Crossman
John Lapp Jacob Windmiller Nathan Wilson
Frances Lapp Sarah Windmiller Mary Ann Taylor
Jacob Emmert Wm. Jackson Abigail Turnbaugh
Eliza Emmert Frances Triplett Margaret craigmiles
Mary Collard Jacob Turnbaugh John N. Collard
John Sapp Smith W. Leek Mary A. Collard
John A. Thomas Wm. E. Smith Sr. G.W. Branson
Sarah E. Thomas Mary Smith Lydia Sinklear
E.T. Gresham Elijah Antery Wm. Cannon
Elenor Gresham L.C. Lewis Joseph S. Davis
Elizabeth davis John Sinklear

At the April meeting after letters to the above persons were granted, John A. Thomas was appointed to prepare the Articles of Faith and Rules of Decorum, and advised to copy from the Church.


Observe 125th Anniversary Sunday (1857 - 1982)
The 125th Anniversary of the First Baptist Chruch, Pleasant Hill, IL, cordially invites you to come and celebrate with us May 16, 1982 with service from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, with a carry in dinner at 12:30 p.m. and afternoon service beginning at 1 p.m. The speakers will be Dr. Larry Lewis President of Hannibal LaGrange College ast 11 A.M. and Dr. Mosley Executive Director of I.b. S. A. at 2 P.M. There will be special music.

The Pleasant Hill Baptist Church enanated from Martinsburg Baptist Church May 1857. A trotracted meeting was held in Pleasant Hill. Twenty-five were added to the church, which made a majority of the church residing at or near Pleasant Hill. In conscquence of this there was a call meeting at the School house at Pleasant Hill. The members near Pleasant Hill wished to be constituted as an independent church and sent a petition to the mother church at Martinsburg wihch was granted. Whereupon 42 members received letters of dismissal for that purpose.

Arrangment were also made for constituting a church at the next meeting in May 1857, M.M. Modisett and Albert Mitchell from MO were invited to attend and assist in organizing and consitituting the church at Pleasant Hill.

The Pleasant Hill Baptist church became a member of the Salt River Assoc. of MO soon after her constitution was made and continued to be affiliated with that Assoc. until Oct. 1863. The churches of Pike County IL met to consider organizing an Assoc. on the IL side of the Mississippi River on Aug. 19 and 22, 1864. The Pleasant Hill Baptist Association was organized with six constituted churches affiliating. In 1894 the name was changed to the Bay Creek Association.

The first pastor was Rev. W. W. Mitchell (1857-1861). The present pastor, Rev. Waylon Inge who with his wife Diana and three children have been here three years.

The first building was erected on the hill now Washington St. The present building was erected 1916-1917. The present membership is 206, Sunday School is 292 with an average attendence last year of 93. Truly God has richly blessed the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, through these 125 years of her history,a dn the leaders of the church have been alert to the voice of God, and have been led of Him. May the Lord bless during the next 125 years.