470 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI Elder ]IcElmurry was moderator and S. J. McKnight, clerk. Within a few years Elder William Little, B. Clark, and N. G. Ferguson were added to the list of ministers. This association was an aggressive and ac- tive one and grew rapidly. Its territory in- cluded the counties of Wayne, Stoddard, Dunklin, and Madison with parts of other counties. In 1850 the association dismissed twelve churches principally in Wayne county to form a uew association and in 1857 five churches were dismissed to form Cane Creek Association in Butler county. This left 18 churches in Black River Association and its territory was reduced to Stoddard and Dunk- lin counties. At the meeting of 1860, which was held at Bloomfield in Stoddard county, there were messengers present from the following churches : Providence, Bloomfield, Gravel Ilill, Bethany, Mount Pleasant, Grand Prairie, Kennett, Bethlehem, Pleasant Valley, Pales- tine, Shiloh, Oak Grove, ]Iount Union, White Oak Grove, New Hope, Duck Creek, Pleasant Grove, Ebenezer, Point Pleasant, Friendship, Union, Concord and Casterville. There were 125 baptisms reported for the previous year and a total membership of 962. The ministers belonging to the association were R. P. Paramore, Samuel Walker, Ed- ward Allen, F. W. Miller, W. B. Howell, A. E. Watson, W. W. Whayne, William Macom, James H. Floyd, Lewis L. Stevens, John Mil- ler, and Jonathan Snider. In 1881 a meeting was held at Bloomfield at which time R. P. Owen was moderator and C. B. Crumb was clerk. At that time the ministers of the association were David Lewis, B. F. Bibb, W. H. Dial, T. B. Tunibaugh, R. S H. Douglass, T. Hoben, M. B. Baird, L. D. Cagle, J. J. Wester, J. H. D. Carlin, and M. J. Whitaker. The following s.ynopsis of the first forty- four meetings is taken from the minutes of 1880: 1st. Anniversary held at Greenville Sept. 3rd, 4th and 5th, 1836. First sermon by Bro. Mcp]lmurry. Wm. Street, moderator, and Wm. W. Settle, clerk. 8 churches and 228 members. 2nd. Anniversary held with Columbia church Randolph county, Ark., Sept. 30th, 1837. First sermon by Bro. McElmurry. Wm. Street, moderator, Wm. W. Settle, clerk. 9 churches, 252 members. 3rd. Anniversary held at Providence church, Stoddard county, ]Io., Oct. 27th, 28th and 29th, 1838. Wm. Street, moderator, and Wm. W. Settle, clerk. Churches 10, members 287. 4th. Anniversary held at Mt. Pleasant church, Wayne county. Mo., Sept. 7th, 8th and 9th, 1839. First sermon by Bro. McElnuirry. II. McElmurry, moderator, Elisha Landers, clerk. Churches 11, members 312. 5th. Anniversary held with Black River church, Wayne county. Mo., Sept. 12th, 13th, and 14th, 1840. First sermon by Bro. McEl- murry, E. Rhewbottom, moderator, and E. Landers, clerk. Churches 12, members 320. 6th. Anniversary held with Black River church, Wayne county. Mo., Sept. 11th, 12th and 13th, 1841. First sermon by Bro. W. W. Settle, W. W. Settle, moderator, Elisha Land- ers, clerk. Churches 13, memliers 357. 7th. Anniversary held M'ith Black River church, Sept. 10th, 1842. First sermon by Wm. Jlaeom. Elisha Spiva, moderator and Elisha Landers, clerk. Churches 12, and 322 members. 8th. Annivei-sary held with Black River church Sept. 9th, 10th and 11th, 1843. First sermon by Bro. B. Clark, M. A. Short, moder- ator, Elisha Landers, clerk. Churches 11, members 625.
