RIDGEWAY MISSOURI AREA CHURCHES ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD WAS BEGUN YEARS AGO BY REV.AND MRS. LLOYD HAMILTON.A DOWNTOWN BUILDING WAS RENTED AS A BEGINNING CHURCH.  ON MARCH 21, 1941 A LOT WAS PURCHASED AND A BUILDING MOVED TO THE LOT.  THE CHURCH WAS REMODELED INTO A CHURCH AND PARSONAGE WHICH SERVED ITS PURPOSE UNTIL TIME AND DETERIORATION TOOK ITS TOLL, FORCING THE CONGREGATION TO SEARCH FOR A NEW LOCATION.  ON JUNE 4, 1967 A BUILDING FUND WAS STARTED.  ON MAY 16, 1970 THE WILLIAM CERADSKY HOUSE AND LOTS WERE PURCHASED AND ON APRIL 25, 1971 THE LOCAL CONGREGATION, ALONG WITH FRIENDS AND DISTRICT OFFICIALS CELEBRATED GROUND BREAKING CEREMONIES. EXCERPT TRANSCRIBED BY: MELODY BEERY SOURCE: RIDGEWAY THEN AND NOW 1880-1980 ARTICLE SUBMITTED BY: EVA WILLIAMS RIDGEWAY BAPTIST CHURCH IN AUGUST 1957, THE RIDGEWAY BAPTIST MISSION (SPONSORED BY CAINSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH) HELD ITS FIRST TWO MEETINGS IN THE HOME OF HARVE AND MAUD CRAWLEY.  THEY THEN HELD THEIR SERVICES IN CRAWLEY'S POULTRY HOUSE.  THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF GILMAN CITY FURNISHED PULPIT FURNITURE.  MR. BOB BOGGESS LOANED THEM CHAIRS.  THE FIRST PAID MINISTER WAS DENNIS HAHN IN 1961.  HE WAS ORDAINED IN DECEMBER OF 1961, AT WHICH TIME SERVICES WERE BEING HELD IN THE DWELLING HOUSE LOCATED ON THE LAND PURCHASED FROM HENRY RINEHART IN 1960.  THIS IS THE SITE WHERE THE CHURCH WAS LATER BUILT. EXCERPT TRANSCRIBED BY: MELODY BEERY SOURCE: RIDGEWAY THEN AND NOW 1880-1980 ARTICLE SUBMITTED BY: HELEN JENNINGS AND RUTH JINCKS RIDGEWAY CHRISTIAN CHURCH THE CHURCH WAS FIRST ORGANIZED IN 1881 AS THE CHRISTIAN SOCIETY, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ELDER W.H. RICHARDSON WHO DONATED THE GROUND WHERE THE CHURCH IS TODAY.  HE WAS ALSO ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO PREACH IN THE ABSENCE OF A MINISTER, UP UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1914. OTHER MINISTERS WHO SERVED THE CHURCH IN EARLY YEARS INCLUDED J.H. COFFEY, ELDER PARKER, B.A. WILKINSON AND JAMES CONNORAN.  W.H. HOBBS WAS MINSTER FROM 1906-1910. OFFICERS OF THE EARLY CHURCH INCLUDED WILLIAM RAKESTRAW, WILLIAM ELLINGTON, GEORGE GRANT, T.J. HASTY, JAMES HUGHES,ELISEPH MUNSON AND ELLIS HOPKINS. PRIOR TO THE FORMAL ORGANIZATION OF THE CONGREGATION A FRAME BUILDING WAS ERECTED IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE VILLAGE,AT THECOST OF$1500.00.  IT WAS COMPLETED IN THE SPRING OF 1881.WHEN THE CHURCH WAS INCORPORATED, THE NAME FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF RIDGEWAY WAS GIVEN. IN 1900 THERE WAS A REVIVAL MEETING CONDUCTED BY W.W.MORGAN AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS.  ONE DAUGHTER LATER MARRIED FRED ELLINGTON OF THE COMMUNITY.  THE ATTENDANCE WAS SO LARGE THAT THE EAST END OFTHE BUILDING WAS TORN OUT AND A TENT PUT UPTO TAKE CARE OF THE OVERFLOW CROWD.  AFTER THE MEETING, THE BUILDING WAS TORN DOWN AND THE PRESENT BUILDING WAS ERECTED.  AN OUTSTANDING FEATURE OF THE CHURCH IS THE BEAUTIFUL STAIN GLASS WINDOWS,ESPECIALLY THE LARGE EAST ONE. EXCERPT TRANSCRIBED BY: MELODY BEERY SOURCE: RIDGEWAY THEN AND NOW 1880-1980 ARTICLE SUBMITTED BY: FAY YOUNG RIDGEWAY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH THE RIDGEWAY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WAS FILLED TO CAPACITY MARCH 23, 1980 IN OBSERVANCE OF ITS 100TH BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY. THE FIRST CHURCH WAS ORGANIZED IN A CORNCRIB (1880) IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF TOWN (WHERE THE RIDGEWAY LUMBER CO. IS NOW LOCATED). BROTHER CHIVINGTON FROM BETHANY WAS THE MINISTER AND SPENT MUCH TIME IN GETTING A CHURCH BUILT. THE COST WAS NEAR $1,500.00 AND DONATED BY THE MEMBERS.  AS THE COMMUNITY GREW THERE WAS A NEED  FOR A LARGER CHURCH.  IN 1898 THE OLD CHURCH WAS SOLD TO YANKEE RIDGE. WHILE IT WAS BEING MOVED IT WAS MYSTERIOUSLY BURNED.  REV. O.P.KUTZNER WAS THE MINISTER WHEN THE PRESENT CHURCH WAS BUILT AT A COST OF $3,000.00. EXCERPT TRANSCRIBED BY: MELODY BEERY SOURCE: RIDGEWAY THEN AND NOW 1880-1980 ARTICLE SUBMITTED BY: IVEL PROVIN BUCKLEY CHAPEL THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE BUCKLEY CHAPEL COMMUNITY WAS BUILT IN 1889.  PRIOR TO THIS TIME SERVICES HAD BEEN HELD IN THE UNION SCHOOLHOUSE WHICH STOOD ACROSS THE ROAD AND SOUTH OF THE CHURCHYARD.  J.K. BROCK GAVE THE LAND FOR THE BUILDING AND M.C. BUCKLEY MADE THE LARGEST MONEY DONATION.  THE PASTOR, REV. SLIGER, WAS THE MINISTER OF THE EAGLEVILLE CHARGE WHICH CONSISTED OF EAGLEVILLE, BLYTHEDALE AND LIBERTY CHAPEL.  THE COMPLETED STRUCTURE WITH CHAIRS AND NEW ORGAN SEEMED VERY MUCH UP TO DATE, BUT IN JANUARY, 1903 THE BUILDING AND MOST OF THE CONTENTS BURNED.  THE JANITOR HAD BUILT A FIRE TO WARM THE CHURCH FOR SINGING LESSONS, TAUGHT BY J.V. MILES OF LORRAINE.  AGAIN THE CHURCH SERVICES WERE HELD IN THE UNION SCHOOL AND PLANS WERE MADE TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH BUILDING.  THE NEW BUILDING WAS COMPLETED AND READY FOR DEDICATION IN JULY 1905.  THE PEWS WERE PURCHASED FROM THE BETHANY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, AND SEVERAL OF THE MEN HAULED THEM ON HAY RACKS DRAWN BY HORSES.  A NEW ORGAN WAS PURCHASED WHICH IN TURN WAS REPLACED BY A PIANO IN 1917.  JULY 24, 1955 THE FIFTIETH HOMECOMING WAS CELEBRATED IN THE CHURCH AND NEARLY TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE ATTENDED. EXCERPT TRANSCRIBED BY: MELODY BEERY SOURCE: RIDGEWAY THEN AND NOW 1880-1980 KIRKLEY CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH KIRKLEY CHAPEL CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED FOLLOWING A TENT-TABERNACLE MEETING HELD BY THE REVEREND KIRKLEY LITTLE IN AUGUST, 1888.  THE LATE LELA INKS CASEBOLT AND CHARLES H. MCELHINEY OF OUR COMMUNITY ATTENDED THE TENT MEETING. LAND FOR THE CHURCH AND THE CEMETERY WAS DONATED BY SHERMAN TAYLOR AND WIFE, MINNIE,AND BY BIRDINE TAYLOR AND WIFE MARY.  LUMBER FOR THE BUILDING WAS CUT, SAWED AND HAULED FROM THE MARTIN SKINNER FARM NEAR THE OLD GARDNER RAILROAD STATION.  ROBERT W. BUZZARD AND CHARLES MCELHINEY HELPED WITH THIS LUMBER WORK.  THE CHURCH BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN THE SPRING OF 1889 AND REGULAR SERVICES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED SINCE THAT TIME. ONLY ONE-HALF MILE NORTHEAST OF THE CHURCH SITE WAS THE HIDE-OUT OF AN ACTIVE RING OF HORSE THIEVES. A NATURAL SPRING SUPPLIED WATER FOR THIS OPERATION. JESSE JAMES AND HIS GANG ALSO HAD HEADQUARTERS AND WATERED HORSES AT THIS SPRING.  A BOOT-TOP "HIDE-OUT" GUN WAS PLOWED UP ON THE FRANK HALLOCK FARM A FEW YEARS AGO NEAR THE SPRING LOCATION.  THE NOTARIOUS BANDS LEFT THE VICINITY SOON AFTER THE CHURCH WAS BUILT AND RELIGIOUS INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES BECAME PREDOMINATE IN THE COMMUNITY.  MT. OLIVE CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1902, TWO MILES EAST OF KIRKLEY CHAPEL. THE FIRST BOARD OF TRUSTEES:  ALBERT REEVES, MARTIN SKINNER, MINNIE B. TAYLOR.  THE FIRST MINISTER WAS REVEREND DAVID CAVE.  THE FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT WAS "UNCLE JOHNNY" GATES. LIFETIME MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH BOARD OF TRUSTEES:  NATHAN EARL LAIR, CHARLES H. MCELHINEY, JOSEPH W. POLLEY, W.E. BLAKEMAN AND GARLAND L. BUZZARD. EXCERPT TRANSCRIBED BY: MELODY BEERY SOURCE: RIDGEWAY THEN AND NOW 1880-1980 ARTICLE SUBMITTED BY: AVIS (LAIR) GRAHAM PLEASANT VALLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH MAY 8, 1898 A GROUP OF FARMERS LIVING 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF RIDGEWAY MET TO ORGANIZE A COMMUNITY CHURCH. JOSEPH WHISLER AND WILLIAM ELLINGTON ACTED AS CO-CHAIRMAN AND WERE ELECTED AS ELDERS, WITH CYRUS GRANT AND JAMES HARRISON AS DEACONS, AND S.C.MORRIS AS PASTOR. MEETINGS WERE HELD IN THE HOMES AT THIS TIME. PLANS FOR LOCATION AND FOR A BUILDING WERE DISCUSSED.  HUGH CRAB DONATED 1/4 ACRE AND THE CHURCH PURCHASED 3/4 ACRE AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE CRAB FARM. A COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF PETER RINEHART, W.H. HICKMAN, AND ARTHUR WHISLER WERE APPOINTED TO SOLICIT FUNDS.  THE BUILDING COMMITTEE WAS JOSEPH PONTIUS, WILLIAM ELLINGTON, AND W.M.POINTER.  A MR.GARDNER WAS EMPLOYED TO BUILD THE CHURCH.  THE NAME ADOPTED WAS "PLEASANT VALLEY CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH".  MONEY WAS SCARCE BUT THE COMMUNITY REALIZED THE NEED OF A PLACE OF WORSHIP.  MANY DONATED TIME AND MONEY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING.  THE BUILDING WAS COMPLETED AND A DEDICATION SERVICE WAS HELD ON NOVEMBER 4, 1900 WITH ELDER T.H. POPPLEWELL OF INDEPENDENCE, MO. AS THE SPEAKER. SOME OF THE EARLIEST MINISTERS WERE: S.C.MORRIS, SAM OXFORD, ERNEST HOUSE, ELDER GOLIGHTLY, BRO. POPPLEWELL,   BRO. HOBBS, BRO. FULLER, BRO. HEDGER, AND BRO. WALTON.  NOEL T. ADAMS GAVE HIS FIRST SERMON THERE AT THEAGE OF18, LATER IN 1917 HE WAS HIRED FOR $200.00 FOR ONE YEAR.  BEFORE THAT YEAR ENDED HE WAS DRAFTED TO SERVE IN WORLD WAR I AS A CHAPLIN.  HER RETURNED AFTER THE WAR AND WAS MINISTER AT THE VALLEY UNTIL 1921. EXCERPT TRANSCRIBED BY: MELODY BEERY SOURCE: RIDGEWAY THEN AND NOW 1880-1980 ARTICLE SUBMITTED BY: MERRILL GRANT BACK TO CHURCHES MAIN PAGE BACK TO HARRISON COUNTY MAIN PAGE Copyright © Genealogy Trails All Rights Reserved with Full Rights Reserved for Original Contributor TRIPLES with EMMA