Churches of Hardin County, TX

Pine Ridge Baptist Centennial
By Thelma Austin
PINE RIDGE COMMUNITY

[Unknown newspaper, unknown date. Sent in by Russell Jordan, dandyman59@hotmail.com
-- Transcribed for Genealogy Trails by K. Torp --
[original spellings kept]

There is a lot more to a centenial celebration than meets the eye on the day of the gathering. The various committees that are "putting it all together" as well as ones who are gathering material, pictures and "funny or Interestings" are sharing with each other their findings now in preparation for the 100 year celebration of the Pine Ridge Baptist Church to be held all day August 25th., according to Mrs. Jimmy Weaver, chairman of the steering committee.

A picture of the old school house church with some of its congregation has been "passed around" recently with citizens of the community "picking out" the persons who still live In the area.

There is also a large picture of the Rev. D M. Jordan who is credited with starting the church, donating the land for the church and cemetery and serving as its first pastor. Many of the Rev. Jordan's decendants still live in Pine Ridge, Sour Lake and other parts of Hardin County. There is a copy of the artist's drawing of the very first church and many pictures of family groups and individuals that will be on display for the group's enjoyment and reminissing.

Mrs. R. R. Rankin is chairman of the publicity committee. She is being assisted by Mrs. Taylor Ellison and Mrs. G. H. Trahan.

The schedule for Sunday, August 25 is as follows: 9:45 a. m., Sunday School; 10:45 a.m., worship service; 12 noon dinner on the grounds; 1:30 p.m., picture taking and reflections of pastors.

Every one is invited to attend. Basket lunches will be spread. Each person is invited to bring pictures and momentor of the past to share.

Other pastors who have served the church are: the Reverns J.W. Teel, S.M. Stovall, C.C. Swearington, R.L. Nash, H.E. Hogan, F.C. Roark, W.A. Clark, Darious Herrington, W.E. Wright, J.O. Berry, and Tommy Huff.

Also R.L. Blackman, H.E. Hogan for the second time, M.E. Warner, Leroy Craven, G.M. Stanley, J.F. Robertson, J.D. Horton, P.A. Helmes Jr., W.F. Walker, Jerry Hubbard and the present Kenneth Eells.

Providence Baptist Church

Recorded in the minutes of a conference of Beech Creek Baptist church, April 21, 1860 is a resolution offered by J.G. Collier, stating, "Resolved that we are in favor of franchising a new association we of the Neches River in the present bounds of the Bethelem Association". This obviously was a reference to the organization of the New Bethel Association, but other sources give the organization date as 1858. This association served Pine Ridge church until the 1920's.

The David Jordan family came to Hardin County in 1858 and organized the Providence Baptist Church north of the present city of Kountze. He lived in this community and preached in the church there for 8 or10 years. Deed transfers on record show that he sold land there to Z.W. Guynes in July 1867. A 1860 census showed that he was living in Providence hill at that time and owned property. It seems that he moved to this part of Hardin County in 1867 or 1868, but membership in the Providence Church was continued until the chartering of the church here in Pine Ridge in August 1874.

D.M. Jordan and wife, Susan, seven of their children, 2 sons-in-law, a sister and brother of Mrs. ? Jordan were the charter members of the church organized in August 1874. The charter members were Rev. D.M. Jordan and wife, Susan Taylor Pierson Jordan (Becky)
W. J. Jordan
George B. Jordan and wife Sultana Laird Jordan
Jessie Daniels and wife, Missouri Jordan Daniels
Rev. J.W. Teel and wife, Miley Jordan Teel
Mandy Jordan (Shaw) Cotton
Mary Jordan
Jane Jordan Teel
Aletha Laird Herrington (sister of Sultana Jordan)
Thomas Laird (brother of Sultana Jordan)

Land was donated by Rev. Jordan and a church building was constructed of rough pine lumber. The walls were boxed with weather-boarding. This building served as a school as well as a church. Lanterns and oil lamps with reflectors were used to light the church for the infrequent night meetings. Homemade benches were arranged on each side against the walls, leaving a large aisle down the center to the pulpit. Women sat on one side and the men on the other. Homemade quilts were folded and placed in the aisle next to the bench were the mother sat. These pallets were occupied sleepy children who found them a good place to stretch out during the long sermons.

Rev. D.M. Jordan was pastor of the new church. He also led the hymns by reading a stanza from one hymnal and then singing that stanza. Each stanza of the song was repeated in this fashion.

[Source: Obituary from the Baptist Standard, 1908. Submitted by Russell Jordan and transcribed by K. Torp]

There is a lot more to a centenial celebration than meets the eye on the day of the gathering. The various committees that are "putting it all together" as well as ones who are gathering material, pictures and "funny or Interestings" are sharing with each other their findings now in preparation for the 100 year celebration of the Pine Ridge Baptist Church to be held all day August 25th., according to Mrs. Jimmy Weaver, chairman of the steering committee.
A picture of the old school house church with some of its congregation has been "passed around" recently with citizens of the community "picking out" the persons who still live In the area. There is also a large picture of the Rev. D M. Jordan who is credited with starting the church, donating the land for the church and cemetery and serving as its first pastor. Many of the Rev. Jordan's decendants still live in Pine Ridge, Sour Lake and other parts of Hardin County. There is a copy of the artist's drawing of the very first church and many pictures of family groups and individuals that will be on display for the group's enjoyment and reminissing.

Mrs. R. R. Rankin is chairman of the publicity committee. She is being assisted by Mrs. Taylor Ellison and Mrs. G. H. Trahan. The schedule for Sunday, August 25 is as follows: 9:45 a. m., Sunday School; 10:45 a.m., worship service; 12 noon dinner on the grounds; 1:30 p.m., picture taking and reflections of pastors. Every one is invited to attend. Basket lunches will be spread. Each person is invited to bring pictures and momentor of the past to share. Other pastors who have served the church are: the Reverns J.W. Teel, S.M. Stovall, C.C. Swearington, R.L. Nash, H.E. Hogan, F.C. Roark, W.A. Clark, Darious Herrington, W.E. Wright, J.O. Berry, and Tommy Huff. Also R.L. Blackman, H.E. Hogan for the second time, M.E. Warner, Leroy Craven, G.M. Stanley, J.F. Robertson, J.D. Horton, P.A. Helmes Jr., W.F. Walker, Jerry Hubbard and the present Kenneth Eells.