The following is edited from my father's book: A Branch Of The Sturgill Family, Volume I Decendants of Francis Sturgill Sr. & Rebecca Hash. Barring transcription errors, the wording is his - THS
Sturgills and the Church
From the earliest records of our family in America to the present time, most Sturgills have had deep religious convictions. Our Scotch-Irish ancestry and the history of the Scotch-Irish people tell us that they were among the first protestants in Europe, and they came to the new world, as did many others, to escape religious persecution. Many of the earliest records of our family are church records. The family has produced many church officials and ministers, and many Sturgills are active in the ministry and church work today.
Sturgills are members of many different denominations and faiths, but regardless of church or creed, the majority of them are basically fundamentalist in their beliefs. The largest percentage of them are Baptists of one group or another; southern Methodists are a close second. The family is also well represented in the LDS Church, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Church of Christ, The Holiness Church, and Jehovas Witness.
About 1820, a small group of people, mostly Sturgills, constructed a small arbor on the South Fork of New River as a place to hold church services. This open arbor was thatched with pine boughs, and the seats were split logs. This group was not affiliated with any organized church during the years they met here. In 1840, they all agreed to affiliate with the Baptists, and a special meeting was held to organize the church. The following records of that church are included in this story of the Sturgill Family exactly as they were copied from the church record book. Most of these records have little historical value, and some may seem humorous to us now, but they are included to give us a better insight into the character and moral principles of the people from whom we inherited our name.
--David Andrew Sturgill
Constitution of the Flat Grove Church, February the 29th day, 1840.
We the Baptist Church of Jesus Christ was constututed by the name of Flat Grove
Church on nineteen members. James Sturgill, Mary Sturgill, Rebecca Sturgill,
Francis Sturgill, Rebecca Sturgill, Jane Williams, Andrew Williams, David Sturgill,
Rosannah Sturgill, and John Sturgill, these from Cranberry.
John Austin, Peggy Austin, William Porter, Franky Porter, James Sturgill, Su-
sannah Sturgill, and David Allison, these from Piney Creek. These from Cemtre.
John Ballow, Sally Ballow, being given from Cranberry, Piney Creek and Centre churches
which was solemnly set apart as a church of Jesus Christ being found authodox in
the principles of the Gospel and sound in the faith. Also having the keys of the
Church of Christ delivered unto us by the Presbetery with all the priviliges and
authorities of a Church of Jesus Christ and in union and fellowship with all the
regular Baptist Churches. This be done by the date and date above written.
Drury Senter
Tobias Long, presbytery
Henry Vanover
March the 4th Saturday, 1840.
We the Baptist Church of Christ at Flat Grove met at Bro. William Porters and
after prayer proceeded to business and was found in union. Then appointed bro-
ther Francis Sturgill as clerk and received brother James Sturgill as our Deacon.
F. Sturgill C C
May the 4th Saturday 1840
We the Baptist Church of Christ at Flat Grove met at brother John Williams
and after prayer proceeded to business and was found in union and received sis-
ter Jane Sturgill by baptism.
F. Sturgill C C
August the 4th Saturday 1840.
We the Baptist Church at Flat Grove met and after prayer proceeded to busi-
ness and was found in union and then proceeded to made a contribution to the asso-
ciation and received from the brethren as follows,
John Williams 12½¢, John Austin 11½¢, James Sturgill Sr. 12½¢, John Stur-
gill 12½¢, James Sturgill Jr 12½¢, Francis Sturgill Jr 12½¢, William Porter 13
¾¢ making an aggregate of $1.00
F. Sturgill C C
Note: In 1840, there were still many acres of land in the area which could still be
bought for less than 12¢ per acre.
November the 4th Saturday, 1845
We the Baptist Church at Flat Grove met and after prayer proceeded to busi-
ness and was in union. Then took up the report against brother John Williams
and brother Hudson Jones to invite him toi our next meeting. The report is this ---
that he had bin drunk and swearing and singing worldly songs. Opened the doors
for admission and received brother Hardin Williams by letter.
F. Sturgill C C
May the 4th Saturday 1847
We the Baptist Church at Flat Grove met and was in union, then took up the
case of brother Hardin Williams and excluded him from the fellowship of the
church for playing cards on sunday.
July the 4th Saturday 1847
We the Flat Grove Baptist Church met and was found in union then took up
the case against the wider Rebecca Sturgill and excluded her for having a
bastard child.
David Sturgill CC
NOTE: This was Rebecca, wife of Francis, who had served as Clerk of the Church
until his death in 1845. In 1850, she and her children were in Letcher Co., KY,
living with Alexander Hall who she later married. This child named William
Sturgill, was raised in Kentucky. She stated that the minister of the church
was his father, but apparently she was not believed, as no action was taken
against him. William later changed his name to Hall, but some of his children
reverted back to Sturgill.
November the 4th Saturday, 1847
Received Sturgill Lucy, a black woman, by experience.
NOTE: In 1847, all of the Sturgills who owned slaves freed them by mutual agreement
and gave each of them a piece of land to use as their own. As they could not be
legally freed in North Carolina nor own land at that time, they remained in the
area, where they were actually free but technically and legally slaves. Lucy
had been a slave of James Sturgill Sr. She left the area in 1867, and lived to
be over 110 years old.
March the 4th Saturday, 1848
We the Flat Grove church met and was in union and then took up the case
against brother Hudson Jones and he was received to fellowship by acknowledg-
ment.
The church took up a grevience against brother John Williams for writing
a letter to Lewis Wyatt. After writing the sed letter he was instructed that
it was wrong and then he still forward it on. Also saying that while Lewis
Wyatt was hunting for his shoat that Hudson Jones was cracking the bones and
eating the meat and denying of it.
July the 4th Saturday 1851
The Flat Grove church mey and was found in union. Then took up the report
against bro. John Ballow and the report was this -- that he did not intend to
come to meeting any more until bro. Porter and old brother James Grimaley quit
giting drunk and also for saying that if they sed much more to hiim that he shud
insult some of them and invited Nathaniel Price and James Sturgill to invite him
to our next meeting.
2. Also took up the report against brother Wilborn Richardson and the report is
--- that he has bin drunk and fiting. J. Caudill and Blake Weaver to invite him
to our next meeting.
3. Then petitioned the association to alter the naem of the FLAT GROVE church
to the name of SOUTH FORK CHURCH.
Jan. the 4th Sat. 1852.
The SOUTH FORK church met and was in union then took up the case against bro-
ther Wilborn Richardson and the report was this -- that he had been drinking and
fiting and allowing fiddling and dancing in his hoiuse and apinted James Sturgill
and Blake Weaver to invite him to our next meeting.
July the 9th day 1855 Brother James Sturgill died strong in the faith of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
July 1857. The South Fork church met and was in union then perceded to ancer
the association consarning the school or college of a high order and ancered to
the same that the church was divided
Sept 17, 1857 The South Fork church met according to the appointment. Resended
the act of the church of the july meeting consarning the school question and ancer
to the same. In ancer to the school question we say that we are not opposed to ed-
ucation or to an institution of that kind upon sound principles but we are not willing
to engage in it at this time but will only say to those who wish to do so it shall
be no bar or test of fellowship with us. Nathaniel Senter, moderator
David Sturgill, clerk
NOTE: The school refered to above was the Oak Hill Academy located between Volney
and Mouth of Wilson, VA., which was the first school, of higher education in
this area and for many years the only one. Oak Hill Academy has florished
as a modern high school and prep school operated by the Missionary Baptist Church.
Students from all over the USA and abroad attend this school today.
September 1857. The South Fork Church met and was in union and then took up the
case of bro. Wilborn Richardson and agreed to send for him at our next meeting
in consiquence of him drinking too much spirits and apinted C.G. Fowlkes and
Dave Sturgill to invite him to come.
July 1859. The South Fork church met and was in union and then took up the report
against bro Wilborn Richardson viz of his allowing drinking spirits and playing
cards in his house and appointed brothers to invite him to our next meeting, to wit,
Allison Waddell and C.G. Fowlkes
Oct 1859. Took up the case against brother Wilborn Richardson and he was ex-
cluded from the fellowship of the church according to the allegations against him.
NOTE: These references to Wilborn Richardson are included to illustrate one point:
A century ago the code of conduct, as set forth by most churches, were far more
strict than those subscribed to by our present churches, and they were more
rigorously enforced. It will be noted, however, that they also tempered their
judgements with mercy and forgiveness. The records of this church show that
time after time the same member of the church was received back into fellowship
after public confession of his wrongdoing.
From this date on, the old records of this church reflect the growing clouds which were to erupt into the Civil War. Many questions were being raised in all churches, but none causes more heated debates than the question of slavery. One large faction held that no man could live according to the principles of Christianity and own slaves. The Sturgills were in this group and had already freed their slaves several years before. This question and other moral issues were to eventually divide the church, as they were dividing the nation.
When the big split up of the Baptist church finally came, most of the Sturgills sided with the group who opposed slavery and supported Abraham Lincoln and his desire to maintain the union. This group formed a new association, the Union Baptists, which is still active today. Other groups were the Primative Baptists, the Missionary Baptists, the regular Baptists, and the Southern Baptists. In later years, another group split off from several denominations to form a new group called the Free Will Baptists, at present a very active brach of the Baptist Church.
In 1947, after a century of existence, the old South Fork Baptist Church ceased to exist, even though another group still carries that name. Once again disputes arose over questions of doctrine which could not be resolved, and the church split into two groups. This left the legal question of who owned the old church building. This dilemma was resolved when each group erected a new building of their own. Shortly thereafter, the old church building, which had known so much joy and sorrow was demolished. Today, only a small meadow of green grass beside a new highway marks the spot where it once stood. One cannot help but wonder if all these groups will finally resolve their differences after that last roll call.
--D.A.S.
