Vincent Chapel Baptist Church

A Brief History of Vincent Chapel Baptist Church

(Submitted by Keith Kearns - taken from Cabell Co. Heritage 1996)

The original building of the church was started around April 4, 1887, when Vincent Cooper donated the property to build the church on. The deed was made April 19, 1887. The church was used as a school until a school could be built. It is located on Fairview Ridge, in Lesage, WV.

On May 14, 1921 a committee was formed to remodel the church, at which time it was known as Vincent Regular Baptist, now to become known as the Vincent Chapel Church. The committee was made up of the following members, Sylvester Mount, William Anderson, Henry Schlagel, Leo Brewer, Tolbert Mount, George Brewer, and Frank Oswald.

When the church was finished and ready to have service, a Bible was purchased for $3.00 plus postage. The following donations were made, William Anderson gave a $1.00, S. Massie gave .50 cents, Talbert Mount gave .25 cents, Rufus Short gave .25 cents and George MacRoy paid the postage.

They sold scrap lumber, and galvanized roofing to get a total of $388.00 to be dedicated to the church. By September 1921, the total cost was $620.03 to remodel the Church again.

The following names have been recorded as having the task of getting the logs to the mill, and getting the building under roof. They were: George Mount, S. Massie, Rufus Short, Henry Schagel, Otis Dunfee, Leo Brewer, John Mount, Allen Pittman, and Emzy Henry. Provie Clary and Jim (his mule) along with S. Massie, and Tolbert Mount worked at the saw mill when the teams of horses arrived with the logs. Some donated money such as .50, some donated their time, as well as money to get the church built.

There is a hewed tree in the center of the church serving as a floor joist.

The altar of the church, was made by Tolbert Mount. Even today the altar has a crack in it, where brother Earl Whitmore was so happy the night his mother was saved. There has been a wood support made to hold the altar where the crack is.

In the winter months the church usually would close as the roads were difficult to travel. In 1954, brother Oliver Bud Davis went to brother Beuford Coleman, and asked if he could reopen the church. Brother Coleman said he was happy about this. June 10, 1954, Brother Earl Whitmore was ordained to preach. February 6, 1954 Brother Albert Queen was ordained to preach. In 1957 brother Woodrow Kingery was ordained at the same date, as brother Beuford Coleman was ordained as a deacon.

In the early 1970's the church was remodeled. Brother Beuford Coleman was asked to order the lumber of which he did. George Davis and Delbert Staley did most of the work. George Davis built the steeple at home, and brought it to the church to have it erected and the bell installed.

The deed now reads that the church his Vincent Chapel Baptist Church.

(Since this article was written, I have learned the church is closed).