By J.L. Boyd, for Mrs. W. D. Hughes, Coila, MS, Oct 3, 1955
Sources: Minutes - Yazoo Baptist Association 1869 to 1920; Minutes - Carroll County Baptist Association 1921 to 1924
The Mt. Nebo Church appears in the records of the Mississippi Baptist Historical Society, in the Yazoo Baptist Association minutes of 1869, the year that the Association convened with Mt. Nebo the first time, but the church doubtless had been constituted some two or more years previously.
That year, there were 31 members of the church, 13 white and 18 colored; with Rev. John A. Linder as pastor and E. J. Whitehead as clerk; and the 4th Sunday of the month as preaching day. N.C. West and W. A. McMath were delegates that year.
By 1871, the church roll contained 116 names and 142 names in 1872, which was a marvelous record.
In 1873, Rev. Henry Pittman was pastor and their regular meeting day was the 2nd Sunday. The church apparently had purchased a Mississippi CollegeEndowment Bond. In 1874, Pastor Pittman was getting $150 a year for his services, and the church roll numbered 145, of whom 14 were colored. Though 16 other churches in the Association reported Sunday schools, Mt. Nebo did not, and did not for a long times afterwards. In 1876, Rev. R. A. Cohran was the pastor at $50 a year salary, with only 95 members, of whom 20 were colored, she being the only church having colored members that late; and it was the last time any are reported. Ladies Aid Societies were reported that year: Carrollton, Mt. Nebo, Vaiden and West, which Pastor H. F. Sproles of Carrollton had been instrumental in organizing since his recent arrival from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.
Rev. Matt Lyon of Winona was pastor in 1880 at $150 salary, and on the 1st Sundays, when church house was valued at $1000, and members down to 84. The next year, 1881, Rev. Henry Pittman was back as pastor at $100 salary, and 1882 the salary was down to $63.00, and total gifts reported as $113.70, including salary; but the church pledged to raise $50.00 for Mississippi College by the following year, the highest pledge of any church in the Association.
In 1883, Rev. J. T. Zealy was pastor for half time at $150 salary when they had only 55 members, and still no Sunday school nor Woman's Aid Society. In 1887, the church went back one Sunday a month when total gifts were $199.00, including $46.00 to State Mission Board and $150 pastor's salary. F. S. Young became clerk of the church that year, and N.C. West, Jr. was a delegate to the Association.
In 1891, Rev. Joel Baskin of Clinton (perhaps a student) was pastor at $110 salary, and though 19 churches reported Sunday schools, Mt. Nebo did not have one. N. C. West was a delegate again to the Association.
By 1900, the membership was back up to 88, but only 30 reported active. Rev. J. R. Hughes of Greenwood was pastor and W.N. Penticost was clerk of the church. In 1906, Mt. Nebo Church entertained the Association again when Rev. B. G. Ha?????? Of Winona was pastor and N.C. West became clerk of the church. By 1910, the church roll had increased to 124, when Rev. Martin Ball was pastor at $125 salary and P.I. Johnson was clerk.
In 1912, the membership had dropped to 70, and the pastor's salary down to $10.00(may be a misprint), the visiting preacher at revival meeting was handed $20.00 for his services and $20.00 was given to the poor.
In 1914, Rev. W.W. Muirhead was serving Mt. Nebo as pastor at $65.50 salary, when the church roll had 91 names listed, and total gifts amounted to $101.47. But a Sunday school was reported with 53 enrolled and John Hendrix as superintendent. No missionary society , nor B.Y.P.U.
In 1916, Dr. A. V. Rowe of Winona, who had served many years as Corresponding Secretary of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, was the pastor at $60.00 salary, when the church had 66 members and a Sunday school with H.D. Young as superintendent.
Mt. Nebo was out of the Association from 1918 until she joined the Holmes County Baptist Association in 1921. (This association was organized October 12, 1920, but Mt. Nebo was not there, at the time, by messengers) Thye reported 40 on the church roll in 1921 and in 1922 only 35 members, When Rev. T. N. Lusk of Winona was pastor and L.K. Ray and wife were messengers to the Holmes County Baptist Association. They had paid their pastor $100.00 salary, and their total gifts, including salary, amounted to $101.50. The church house was valued at $1000 with seating capacity of 350 persons.
And that is the last we can find about the Mt. Nebo Baptist Church, Carroll County.
Note: This is surely the church that was located at the site of the present NEBO Cemetery. According to the letter from Mrs. S. E. Sumrall, a copy of which is attached, both her grandparents and great-grandparents are buried in Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Cemetery, inside an iron fence. There is such an iron fence in Nebo Cemetery and the markers indicate that her great-grandfather and great-grandmother,Nathaniel and Margaret West are buried there. They also indicate that Cynthia J. West, wife of N.G. West is buried there. Her husband, the other Nathaniel West may also be buried there, but the marker is missing.
