Zion Hill Baptist church was 100 years old on July 7, 1960, and as the church had purchased Wooten school, east of Ozark, Pope County, Nov.18, 1960 to be on a good gravel road they observed its centennial and dedication Sunday, Nov. 27, 1960.
Olive church dismissed their services and came and assisted in the singing and as Bro. Tison could not be present for the morning sermon, the Olive pastor, Bro. Joe Goolsby, brought a good message.

A sumptuous dinner was served at the noon hour and after group singing and reading of the church history, Bro. Clayton Humphrey delivered a splendid dedicatory message his subject being " I will Build My Church Upon a Rock and the Gates of hell shall not Prevail Against it."
Other ministers present were: Bros. Chas. Holland, Charlie Evitts, and Harold Mills.
The oldest resident George V. Stone, age 91, was present, a grandson of John Stone where the church was first organized. This house is known as the Uncle Doc and Amanda McCuan farm, more recently Eutha McCuan farm joining the John A. Maxwell farm. Ralph Stone and wife were also present. He's a great-grandson of John Stone and Ralph's grand daughter, Margaret Rumsey, who is a great-great granddaughter of John Stone, was present.
Maude Nichols and Dill Lay were present. They too, are granddaughters of John. Seymour Stone, a grandson and his daughters, Frances Harlow and Roberta Baker and his son, Laurel Stone are great-grandchildren of John Stone and were in attendance.

From the minutes, July 7, 1860

"A convention met in persuance of a call from the brethren and sisters interested at the home of John Stone in Pope County, Illinois, south of McCormick and southeast of Ozark, Ill., for the purpose of organizing into a church the brethren and sisters of the vicinity.
The following composed the council: Elders Wm. Fersell from Davis Prairie church; Wm. Reams from Mt. Zion church; Eph Parmley from Mt. Zion church; R. Lewis from Little Saline church.
After the sermon by Eph Parmley, the council organized by choosing Eld. Wm. Reams as moderator and R. Lewis as clerk.
After reading the letters of dismission and Articles of Faith, it was unanimously voted to acknowledge the following brethren and sisters as a regular organized Baptist Church of Jesus Christ:
1. John Stone
2. Almeda Stone
3. Anna Stone
4. M. G. Wooten
5. Mary S. Wooten
6. William Miatt
7. Nancy Miatt
8. Joshua Bratton
9. Nancy A. Morray
10. Zarilda Morray
11. Matilda Aliston
12. Martha Cole
13. Elizabeth Mounce
14. Vinetta Wallace
The charge to the church and prayer was given by Elder William Fersell.
After organization the ( Zion Hill Baptist Church) went into conference.
First, visiting brethren were invited to seats in council; second, opened the doors for the reception of members; third, proceeded to elect a pastor for the ensuing year. Elder E. Parmley was unanimously chosen; fourth, on Saturday before the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of motion agreed to hold services on Sat. each month or four services each church time; fifth, on motion and seconded, the conference adjourned._ Elder Wm. Reams, Moderator; Elder R. Lewis, Clerk."

George V. Stone, 91, and the oldest citizen here and oldest grandson of John Stone in whose home this church was organized, remembers the first church made of logs and having 12 corners. He also remembers helping drag the sills in 1888 for the frame building they vacated in 1960 to come to the present or Wooten School site. The first pastor he remembers was Marion Jackson.

I remember my grandfather, George Chrisman, telling of walking from Mt. Zion Church in the Rock community to Zion Hill a distance of 20 miles.
The oldest record book burned but my father, John A. Maxwell, had copied the first minutes in the new record book dating from 1914 to 1949. Most of the minutes are written by him as he was the clerk most of the time and a deacon for 50 years, also a trustee.

The first minutes I copied from this book dating from 1914 to 1950 was in my father's handwriting.
March 29, 1914. Zion Hill United Baptist Church met on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in March. After song, prayer and preaching services, the church was declared to readiness of business.
First: Visiting brethren were invited to seats in the council: Second: An opportunity was given to anyone wishing to unite with the church, none; Third: The minutes of last meeting were read and approved; Fourth: Called for unfinished business --- by motion and seconded the conference adjourned._ Elder Hugh Roberts, Pastor; John A. Maxwell, Clerk.
July 25, 1914, the church voted to send $1.50 to the association for minutes and appointed a committee; Minnie Stone, Allie Lawrence and Jewel Bethel, to draft resolutions of thanks to Bro. Orange Jackson and his wife, Paralee, for their gracious donation to the church.
August 22, 1914, Resolution of thanks were read with the minutes; Whereas, Bro. Jackson and wife out of the goodness of their great hearts and in the spirit of liberality, and love for the church of God have endowed Zion Hill Church of Pope County in the sum of $1,000.00 in real estate and whereas the members of said church feel that the church will be thereby enabled to extend the love of Christ very appreciably by reason of such endowment; therefore, be it resolved by Zion Hill Church membership that a unanimous vote of thanks and appreciation be extended to Bro. And Sister Jackson for their remembrance of the church and be it further resolved that a unanimous prayer of the church now assembled be offered in their behalf, that they may be rewarded in that upper and better kingdom, which is of God and eternal.
Resolved that these resolutions be spread upon the church record and a copy be sent to the Illinois Baptist for publication.
October 1914, Orange Jackson and his wife and Wes Jackson joined the church by baptism and Cyrene Baker and wife, Della, joined by letter from Mt. Carmel Baptist church, east of McCormick.
Messenger appointed to the Assn. were John Lawrence, John Maxwell, Paradus Groves, Dale Jackson, alternate.
November 27, 1914, Deacons and ministers were invited from Mt. Carmel, Hopewell
( now Ozark) and Simpson Springs Baptist church to examine Bro. Wes Jackson, preparatory to ordination as a minister.
January 2, 1915 A Presbtry consisting of the following ministers and deacons organized for the purpose of examining Bro. Wes Jackson preparatory to ordination. Ministers: Bros. Beryl R. Sharp, Sherman Leverett, Samuel Parmley.
Deacons: Bros. Wm H. Grissom, Simpson Springs; Wm. Cross, Eddyville; Isaac Groves, Paradus Groves, John Lawrence, John Maxwell and Dale Jackson, Zion Hill.
Bro. B. R. Sharp was appointed moderator to question the candidate.
Dr. Samuel Parmley to deliver the ordination prayer. Bro. Paradus Groves to give the charge to the church. Bro. Sherman Leverett to give the charge to the candidate. Bro. Wm. Cross to present the candidate, after a thorough examination which proved satisfactory to the church.
A motion was made and seconded by the church to proceed to ordination which was done by prayer and laying on the hands.
After a hearty handshake, the meeting was adjourned by Bro. Jackson._ B. R. Sharp, Moderator; John Maxwell, Clerk.

August 26, 1916, Church pledged $5.00 to the Assn. of Missions and $1.00 for minutes.
August 10, 1917, Wes. Jackson held a three weeks' revival resulting in seven professions and baptisms; Jewell Lay (McCormick), Nellie and Opal Parmley, Minnie Maxwell (Womack), Eric Jackson, Gladys Lawrence and Rheuben Claridy.
August 21, Resolutions of Respect were written in memory of Orange Jackson and Minerva Wooten, deceased members.
September 20, 1920, Charlie C. Allen held a great revival for four or five weeks, resulting in 18 professions and baptisms: Nathan Lawrence, Wells Jones, Pearl Stone, Lula Stone, Ralph Stone, Charlie Thomas, Orlan Cox, Andy Odum, Belle Lay, Florence Cavitt, Gladys Cox, Blanchard Wells, Bertha Cox, Leah Lay, Nye Lay, Winnie Cavitt, Faye Lawrence, Dora Belle Groves, and by letter: Jim Brown and Bessie Odum.
These were all baptized in the Isaac Groves pond. Soon after, three more joined and were baptized in the George Murphy pond: Verna Wells, Irvin Lawrence and Wm. Robertson. Because of sudden sickness in the preacher's family, he was called home with ten people at the altar.
October 17, He came back and baptized: Florence Cavitt and Belle Lay.
1921: messengers to Assn: Ralph Stone, Alfred Groves and John Maxwell; alternate, Cyrene Baker.
August 11, 1922: C. C. Allen of Marion came back and held the greatest revival in the history of the church. His preaching was with so much force and earnestness accompanied by the Holy Spirit that it seemed to reach the hardest hearts and many of these middle-aged people. This meeting resulted in 22 professions and baptisms; four joined by letter and one by recommendation. This baptism was in the old baptizing hole east of George V. Stone's home.
Orlena Rushing, Henry Rushing, Leon Carter, Floyd Richerson, Pina Estes, Blanche Robinson, Julia Baker, Lewis Carter, Lula Mae Carter, Lela Wells, Faye Grissom, Ernie Lay, Seymore Stone, Herbert Brown, Dill Lay, Ott Lay, Charles Rushing, Esta Stone, Paul Grissom, Dewey Palmer, Clyde Baker, and by letter: George Robison, Lura Robison, Pina Blanchard and Beulah Blanchard, and by recommendation, Nora Grissom.
There was much shouting in these meetings and people had to stand because of great crowds.
1923: Messengers to Assn.: Herbert Brown, John Maxwell, Ernie Lay and Minnie Stone, alternate.
March 29, 1925; Elder George Smothers baptized Ruth Maxwell.
Sept. 7 to Oct.2; Bro. J. C. Booten held a good revival; 13 at the altar the night the meeting closed. He baptized Virginia and Asel Sellers, Gene Baker, Ina Newton and Alfred Anderson.
Sunday, October 3, 1926: Oscar Reynolds baptized Mary Lawrence, Arthur Meyers and Georgia Cox in Isaac Groves' pond.
July 28, 1928; Edith Maxwell joined the church.
March 29, 1930: Zion Hill organized a Sunday School, Tom Sellers, superintendent; Minnie Stone, assistant; Pearl Stone, secretary-treasurer; J. A. Maxwell, teacher of Bible class; Lula Stone, Intermediates; Anna Gray, Card class ( She is the mother of our congressman, Kenneth J. Gray); Lula Mae Rose, organist.
October 11, 1930: Albert W. Cole baptized Helen Stone, Clara Miller and Alma Maxwell.
September 26, 1932: J. C. Booten baptized Ethel Maxwell.
January 8, 1934: Mary Ann Maxwell was called by death and Resolutions of Respect were written.
July 28, 1936: The church voted to buy an Aladdin lamp, that was quite an improvement over the coal oil lamps.
August 1935: Herbert Brown was called by death and February 18, 1935, Minnie Stone was called by death, Resolutions of Respect were written in memory of them.
October 27, 1935: The church met to ordain three deacons: J. Will Harris, Herbert Stone and J. Lewis Carter.
Tom Sellers led in the examination of the candidates. A. W. Moore gave the charge to the candidates. Fred A. Underwood gave the charge to the church. John W. Lawrence presented the Bible to the candidates. _H. W. Estes, Pastor; Helen Stone , Clerk.

September 1935: A Ladies' Aid was organized; Lula Stone, president; Edna Harris, vice-president; Mary Ann Maxwell, sec.-treas.
1936: Church voted to pay asst. pastor, Tom Sellers as much as the pastor receives which is $8.00 per month.
October 1937: Church appointed Hazel Hambleton Janitor and pay her $1.00 per month.
June 29, 1939: Matilda Maxwell joined the church on the promise of a letter from Mt. Zion church.
October 1940: Resolutions of Respect written in memory of Blanche Ross and Emma Lawrence.
October 25, 1941: Church adopted the budget system.
June 27, 1942: Resolutions of Respect written in memory of the church's oldest member, Mar-Warren, 93, and a member of Baptist churches over 75 years. ( name and age blurred)
1946: messengers to Assn.: Lewis Carter, Pearl Stone, Tom Sellers, alternates, John Maxwell and Herbert Stone.
October 1948: A WMS and Brotherhood were organized.
June 26, 1949: A committee was appointed to see about moving the church site to a gravel road. That afternoon Roy Jennings baptized Roberta Baker, Laurel Stone and Frances Harlow ( the children of Seymore and Lula Stone).
April 1946: Church granted Georgia Cox and Edith Robertson letters to the Ozark Baptist church and Lula Mae Carter to New Burnside Baptist Church.
October 1946: Church granted Mary Cox Glascock a letter to a church in Chicago.
About this time Clayton Humphrey held a great revival at the church and revived the church into going to half time on second and fourth Sundays.
December 17, 1957: Herbert Stone, last deacon of the church passed away and Resolutions of Respect were written in his memory.
1960: The church voted to go back to once -a- month meetings….one each fourth Sunday. The Saturday meetings discontinued years ago.

The first minister probably was Wm. Reams who was the first moderator at that first meeting, July 7, 1860.
The first record burned when the John Lawrence house burned, but the clerk, John A. Maxwell had copied the first minutes and a list of all church members in the new record book, so all preachers can't be recalled or date of service given.
The first preacher our oldest citizen remembers was Marion Jackson.
Others were:
Eph Parmley
Berry Parmley
George Parmley
J. J. Cates
Wm. Lewis
Henry Gossage
Sherman Leverett
Isaac Blanchard
Kyrum Maynor
Bert Noel
Wm. Henry Dixon
Tom Cook
Sanford McClure
Hugh Roberts, 1913
Beryl R. Sharp, 1914
Bert Baker, 1916
Wes L. Jackson, 1917
W. A. Weigant, 1918
Earl Groves, 1919
Bert Baker, 1920
George Smothers, 1923
Oscar Reynolds, 1926
Albert W. Cole, 1932
J. H. Estes, 1935
Ezra Hancock, 1936
Roy Jennings, 1930
Clarence Tison, 1951 (living)
Roy Jennings, 1954 (living)
Ulys Blanchard 1959-1960 ( in hospital now)

Deacons:
John Maxwell
John Lawrence
Paradus Groves
Dale Jackson
Herbert Stone
(all deceased)

Clerks:
John A. Maxwell
Minnie Stone
Helen Stone
Pearl Stone
Lula Stone at present. She had a stroke about three months before this history was prepared and was unable to walk or to talk much.
Members in early history were discharged for several things:
One member was discharged for betting on horses.
One member was discharged for wife abandonment.
One member was discharged for bigamy.
One member was discharged for heresy.

Present List of members:
Present list may not be complete.
Nora Grissom Rose
Florence Cavitt Boatright
Maude Nichols
Seymore Stone
Lula Stone
LaurelStone
Roberta Stone Baker
Frances Stone Harlow
Matilda Maxwell
Helen Stone Carter
Winnie Cavitt Solomon
Glenn Street
June Street
Wm. Duncan
Mrs. Wm. Duncan
Pauline Wooten
Marion Sellers
Orlan Cox
Bertha Cox Bailey

Teachers Present
Teachers present who taught at the Wooten School were: Pearl Stone, Lula Stone, Faye Bradley, Lizzie Morris, Georgia Cox, and Minnie Womack, as it was a great homecoming. It was good to be there, with the present members and friends and so many old members who came back home.
Several children, grandchildren and other relatives of many of the former pastors who walked, rode horseback, in buggies receiving little salary and bore the burden in the heart of the day.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Murphy came bringing a young ministerial student, Harold Mills of Carbondale with them. Her father was one of those good pioneer ministers who preached because he loved God. He was Sanford McClure. Though Zion Hill is small in numbers, now, Rev. Humphrey says, "No church is small in God's sight."

_________ Recopied by Faye Bowman, February 12, 2000