western tidewater living
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looking back
FRANKLIN BAPTIST CHURCH ORGANIZED IN 1871
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n Sunday, Sept. 19, Franklin Baptist Church marked and celebrated its 150 years of existence. On Sept. 19, 1871, in the village of Franklin, 16 men and women joined together to organize the Franklin Baptist Church — under the able leadership of Alexander W. Norfleet, superintendent of the community Union Sunday School. Charter members of the church were Erastus B. Barrett, Wiley Councill, Joel H. Cutchins, Jordan Edwards, Junius K. Fox, Kenneth R. Griffin, A. W. Norfleet, Mary R. Barrett, Nancy Councill, Susanna Edwards, Josephine J. Goodman, Ella V. Griffin, Virginia Griffin and India J. Norfleet. The first gathering place for the newly established church was in the Masonic Hall, then located on the east side of South Main Street between the river
STORY BY CLYDE PARKER wharf and the railroad depot. The small group of worshippers met there until 1872 when they erected their first real house of worship — at the southeast corner of Main Street and Fourth Avenue — on the spot where, later, the Stonewall Hotel stood. The first pastor of the church was Rev. Paul Repiton who served from 1871 to 1873. In the early 1900s, Franklin Baptist Church was feeling growing pains; therefore, they decided to seek more spacious quarters. Church leaders Robert J. Camp, John R. Knight and Dr. A. P. Cutchin obtained land on the northeastern corner of High Street and Second Avenue. There, in 1903, a new brick facility was built. Perhaps the most beautiful part of the new house of worship was the stained-glass windows, donated to the Church as a memorial to
Sallie Cutchins Camp, wife of George Camp II and mother of their children: Mary Eliza, Paul D., John S., Joseph E., James E., Benjamin F., William N., Sarah V., Robert J., and James L. In 1913, during the pastorate of Rev. J. L. McCutcheon, membership in the Church reached 400; and, once again, the Franklin Baptists needed more space — this time, for their Sunday School Department; soon, 16 rooms were added to the rear of the church — at a cost of $9,000. One of the most active Bible classes ever assembled in a church must have been the Bruner Men’s Bible Class which was organized in 1908. Over the years, some of Franklin’s most outstanding community leaders were members of this special group. The class was started by Dr. Weston Bruner — one evening See CHURCH, page 30
