Written (1993) and Updated (2005) by Lorraine (Renie) Huff  Bullock

Pictures courtesy of Ethel Collins and Renie Bullock 

1912 Charter members of the Mt. Olive General Baptist Church, West Jennings Street were: Rev. Charles Clayton Chase, Rev. Eli Smith, Rachel Smith, Mrs. Emma Gibbs, Ollie Wilson, Mrs. Mary Johnson, Mr. & Mrs. John Gardner, Mr. & Mrs. Willis and Josie Taylor, Mr. & Mrs. John and Annie Taylor, Mr. & Mrs. Tom and Mary Price, Mr. & Mrs. John and Jessie Price, Mr. & Mrs. Alex and Hattie Pruden, Mr. & Mrs. Bob Derrington, Mr. & Mrs. Ben Sloan, Mrs. Lizzie Moore, Mrs. Lou Kennedy and Mrs. Lucy Rivers.

 From the dream of these charter members the Mt. Olive General Baptist Church had it's beginning. The first meeting was a cottage prayer meeting in the home of Bro. Tom and Sis. Mary Price. They continued to meet in various homes until 1912, when Bro. Tom Price offered a little three room dwelling at the West End of Jennings Street as a meeting place.

 They continued to meet in this small, humble dwelling until a need to organize a church was imminent. Rev. Charles Clayton Chase, a young dedicated man of God, a native of Kentucky who moved to Newburgh at the age of seventeen was instrumental in the church being organized in 1913. Rev. Gates led the congregation until Rev. Chase became the pastor following the organization in 1913. Rev. C.C. Chase served the church as pastor until 1915.

Rev.C.C. Chase  (1870-1960)

Mt.Olive General Baptist Church

622 West Jennings St.

Newburgh, IN.

1912-1970

The congregation was a poor working class of people. Many of the men worked in coal mines or on farms. The congregation had a dream of a building in which they could worship. The women and children would haul lumber, bricks and needed building material with a horse drawn wagon during the daylight hours, and the men would work on the building in the evenings and on Saturdays, as the men were working in the coal mines. The first renovated three-room dwelling served as their first church, with no electricity, no inside plumbing and heated with a pot-bellied coal stove.

There was only one house farther west of the church. This small three room dwelling was home to Willis and Josie Taylor and their seven children. Josie was custodian of the church until her death, August 1951.

The Millard and Ella Bice family lived directly across from the church with their seven children. Other charter members, John & Annie Taylor, Tom & Mary Price, Eli & Rachel Smith, Emma Gibbs, John & Jessie Price and Lizzie Moore lived close by. All of the early members lived near the church in the West End. Harry & Emma Powell and their family attended church at this time also.

World War I brought heartaches and sufferings to all of our nation, and the little town of Newburgh was not spared. Church members attended church to pray for our nation and our sons away in battle on foreign fields.

1912 - 1922

The first decade of Mt. Olive General Baptist Church were struggling, yet eventful years for this small congregation. The ladies aid met one day a week to quilt and fellowship. Small children played around the church as mothers quilted inside. In 1918, the association minutes reported 22 members in the ladies aid and their annual contribution to the church from their quilting was $79.44, which was a substantial contribution at this time. It took sacrificial giving from all to survive.

This congregation was poor in material things, but rich in spiritual things. The worship services were meaningful, with communion, foot washings and shouting praises unto God. The church was the center of the social life of the community.

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