Coyt Baptist Church History

Coyt Baptist Church History

Submitted By Coyt Baptist Church

Written By Judy Repsher

Information From the Records of the Mississippi Baptist Association, Antioch Baptist Association 1909-1914, Liberty Baptist Association, and Wayne County Baptist Association

If one could journey back in time, one would find that many residents of Coyt Community had family roots and ties to the Hurricane and Emory communities in southwest Choctaw County Alabama. Some attended Hurricane Baptist Church and buried their loved ones in its cemetery. A visit to the "Old Emory" Cemetery reveals ancestors of residents of the Coyt Community today. Through their faith in their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Coyt residents were willing to travel miles over dirt roads and through the woods by walking, on horseback or by wagon, wading creeks and conquering such obstacles as the Braswell Hill to attend church at Hurricane. As the Emory Community declined and its people moved out, some settling in the Coyt community and others moving in from Hurricane and elsewhere, the desire to have their own church grew so that they began meeting under a brush arbor.

Coyt Baptist Church was organized in 1907 with meetings under a Brush Arbor at the location of the Coyt School which sat "back down in the woods" by the "double branches" just north of the Cedar Hammock Bridge on Buckatunna Creek. Whether or not the Brush Arbor was specially built for these meetings or belonged to the school is not known. The Arbor would lead one to believe that the first meeting may have been in the summer, as it would provide shade as well as a gathering site. It has been said that the first meeting started when the Buckatunna Creek was out of it banks, making it impossible to get to Hurricane Baptist Church, just across the state line in the Hurricane Community of Choctaw County, Alabama. The first meeting may have been a revival. Rev. A. D. Coyt, for whom the community was named and also a doctor, may have preached there at some time.

The church probably began meeting in the school building when weather prevented meeting under the Arbor. Then when the Coyt School was closed, the old school building became the Coyt Baptist Church building. At this time, the church became a full-time church. Hurricane Baptist Church, Hurricane, Alabama, chartered Coyt Baptist Church on February 13, 1909 with Elders J. L. Carney and G. W. Fagan, present.

The "Old Coyt" Church has been described as a one room shotgun building, having windows without screens, having 11-12 homemade pews, a wood heater to keep warm by and kerosene lamps for lighting. The men would stand outside by the windows and listen to the preaching, giving the pews to the women and children.

The newly chartered church called J. L. (James Lewis) Carney as its first pastor on February 20, 1909. The first deacon was George A. McAdams and Lynn G. Stallworth served as first church clerk. The first to be ordained by the church to preach the gospel was Bro. G. Jeff Fagan in March of 1910. Jeff Fagan represented the church at the Antioch Baptist Associational meeting held October 22, 1909 at Isney, Alabama. Bro. G. W. Fagan was reported to be the pastor at the end of the church year, September 30, 1909 and the total membership was 23.

Today, double culverts on the now named Coyt Road identify the area known as "Old Coyt". The members faced several obstacles to attend church there: the creek would get out of its banks, the branches would flood the area, and the mosquitoes were bad. These problems along with the fact that the church would not abtain a clear title to the property led the members to look for another church site. It is unclear if the land was still county property or belonged to Oscar Napp.

In 1943, the church moved to the Valley Bow School building on the southeast side of Buckatunna Creek, across the road from the Davis place. Several services and a revival had already been held there before the move. The church used the basement part of the building while the school used the top part. This basement may have also been the parsonage when the church moved to its present location. Even though the building had changed for the better, still there were homemade pews and a wood heater for heat. Kerosene lamps for light were still used until electricity was brought to the community in 1948. Some of the men still stood outside and listened through the open windows. The Wayne County School Trustees and Board of Supervisors deeded the school property to Coyt Baptist Church on March 5, 1945. The Valley Bow School had closed in 1941 when it was consolidated with Central School in Waynesboro.

But a permanent church site and a cemetery were visions for the members of this church. On November 15, 1952, one and one tenth acres of land were acquired from Robert Land for the precise purpose of establishing a church site and cemetery. This land was conveyed to Deacons, Stephas (C. A.) Thomas, Loyd (Lloyd) McAdams, and Ben Evans of Coyt Baptist Church and its successors. Later an additional acre was acquired from the Land Family on June 29, 1965, with the goal of building a parsonage. Another acre for additional cemetery space was acquired from Ernest Land on May 30, 1985.

The Building Committee was authorized on November 25, 1965, to purchase a blue print for the new church. A vote on the building site was cast on Sunday, January 16, 1956. The church agreed on Sunday morning, January 13, 1957, to hire Cecil Mills of Clara, Mississippi, as contractor. he begun working on the foundation on the following Saturday, the 19th of January. The handmade blocks used in the construction of the church were ordered in late 1955 from Mr. Odom of Eret, Mississippi. Alba Brown, Cleveland Brown, and Ike Evans hauled enough of these blocks on Saturdays for the masonry layers to work during the week. The rafters are of one piece 2x6 rough-cut lumber which was cut on Stance Davis' sawmill. Stained glass windows not only added beauty but was said to make the men come inside to hear the preaching. The homemade pews were replaced with new padded ones in April 1979. A propane gas system and heaters were installed in November 1958, replacing the wood heater for heat. Electricity was turned on in April 1959, and a water well was drilled the same year.

Even though the windows were yet to be put in and it was cold, the newly built Coyt Baptist Church had an eventful day on Sunday, May 5, 1957

The first preaching service was held.
It was Dedication Day with Rev. Leon Young preaching the dedication sermon.
It was Homecoming Day, with dinner and singing in the afternoon.

The first revival began on Sunday, July 14, 1957 running through Friday, the 19th. Rev. Pellum Gross conducted the revival with one new member received, Douglas Royce. The first Vacation Bible School was the same week with an average attendance of 64. The first Lord's Supper may have been on September 1, 1957. Chester McAdams placed the first sign "Coyt Baptist Church" over the entrance soon after the church was built.

Bro. N. R. (Dan) Thornton was the first to serve as full time pastor of the newly built church, being elected on October 16, 1957. He and Mrs. Thornton lived in the parsonage of the old church building (Valley Bow). A Building Fund for a new parsonage was started on February 14, 1965. A house plan for the new parsonage was presented in June 1965, by the pastor, Bro. Edward Mercer. The new pastorate in March 1968, and his family were the first to use the new parsonage. Rev. Ronnie Jones and his family were the first to live there on a full-time basis in 1981. Bro. Danny Walters and Bro. Eric Hattaway also lived there on a full-time basis.

Bro. M. R. Hux was instrumental in the building of the recreational/fellowship hall in 1969. Bro. Harold McInnis promoted the additional wing of six classrooms in October 1985, with the first classes being held on November 24th. Bro. Dewayne Crane set in motion the plans for a new fellowship hall with the ground breaking ceremony on this Homecoming Day (2007).

The very first pastor, J. L. Carney's great-granddaughter, Janet Reamer Donald and her husband Gary were the first to be baptized in the church baptistery, which was installed in January 1981. Baptism prior to this was at Buckatunna Creek, Tom Davis' pond when the creek was too high, and occasionally at the First Baptist Church Waynesboro.

From the beginnings under a Brush Arbor, to the Old Coyt School building "back down in the woods by the double branches", to the Valley Bow School building, Coyt Baptist Church came to rest on a hill on the road that leads back to the Hurricane and one thriving Emory communities. Coyt Baptist Church holds a special place in the hearts and lives of residents, former residents, former residents and other with special ties to this community.

The Lord has blessed Coyt Baptist Church with faithful servants and resources needed to "Share the Gospel" for 100 years. With His continued blessings, Coyt Baptist Church will prosper with spiritual growth as it reaches out to "Share the Gospel" with a lost and dying world before it is eternally too late.

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