October 3, 1953 – In the State Archives at Jackson there are many old records. It has been my great pleasure to look many of them over throughout past years where there is revealed many things of a hundred years ago. Among them are records of many of the old churches.
While there I sought to find the date of the organization of Turkey Creek Baptist Church. The records show no report for 1842, but show the oldest record known in report for 1853. These may be traced almost complete until 1876 when the church joined the Calhoun Baptist Association. In the Mississippi College Library the records are complete since that time.
The author of this sketch has made infrequent visits to the well-known church for almost half a century, and reports of interest have come from older citizens that are very informing.
At a time when the automobile was unknown, large crowds went there on horses, in wagons and buggies. On the outskirts of the church grounds large rocks arranged just right, with steps, and some three feet high made what was known as the upping blocks, where the ladies mounted their horses after services were over. They were removed when the beautiful new house was erected a few years ago.
The church made its reports in the Yalobusha minutes prior to 1875, and many of those reports show progress all the way along.
In 1873 the Association met there, and the church reported 26 baptized, the largest number ever reported. Reports have it that when the influence of the Association was at its height, an oldtime shout broke out, and people were praising the Lord all over the house. The clerk had the table overturned, and the minutes were scattered over the place.
Many well known and familiar names dot its records, among which may be found the Costs, Newmans, Nations, Forsyths, Trustys, Fullers and numerous others.
Then, too, out in the cemetery are records visible which are of interest.
A man helped to dig a grave for some one who lived away. They dug it down to the vault one afternoon. On the way home a mule threw the man against a tree and killed him. They learned the next morning that the grave was dug in the wrong place. They dug another for him, and buried the man who helped dig it in the first grave.
A fine tomb stands to mark the graves of Rev. and Mrs. W.A. Bruner. The epitaph shows that they were born on the same day, were married at about 23, and died at almost 80 within six weeks of each other.
Such pioneer preachers as R.F. Stokes, Lee Linder, G.W. Riley, H.L. Johnson, J.J. Gibson and J.L. Roane did some very effective work there. Its membership was at one time almost at the top of Calhoun County.
When the Eternal Records are made known there will likely be made known much that the records of this world’s does not show.