About Us > History

History of New Hope North Missionary Baptist Church

Organized September 3, 1931

The order of ordained servants was as follows:

Reverend E.W. Joiner – Moderator, Cullman, AL

Reverend D.E. Brown, Cullman, AL

Deacon J.L. Sullins, Lacon, AL

Deacon Dock Robins, Lacon, AL

The stories and history of the present day New Hope North Missionary Baptist Church, located on Wilhite Mountain, southeast of Lacon, was remembered and given by a few old timers that are still with us.  Most have passed on.

Three stories from our old timers, it is said, that a lady who lived on the west side of the present day church driveway would bring her sewing materials up to where the cemetery is now located and sit under an oak tree and do her sewing in the shade of that tree.

Her request was that, when she died, she be buried under that oak tree.  Her request was granted.  She is buried under that oak tree on the south side.  We believe the grave to be about 100 years or more old.  We believe this lady to be Ann Gurley.  This land was owned and later donated as a community cemetery by J.P. and Mary E. Knighten.

The first church located on Wilhite Mountain was located approximately one-half mile west of the present day church and called Chigger Ridge Church and also served the community as a one-room school house.

From two sources, the first church was started in 1927.  But, the first written documents stated that it was 1931.

The name of the church was changed to Knighten’s Chapel and is the present site and next to where the cemetery is now with the grave of Ann Gurley buried in it.

The first church was erected next to the cemetery and was built on land that was donated by J.D. Hadley.

This first church was a one-room church built from lumber that was donated by “Uncle” Johnny Vinsant, also the owner of the Chigger Ridge Church and school.  It was closed down and served as a home, first occupied by Henry “Mathie” and his wife, Nancy Smith Knighten.

It was told that Johnny Vinsant was never inside the church until the day of his funeral.  It was said that this church brought the whiskey maker out of the woods from their stills and into the new church to worship and shout.  It was said to have had more than a hundred people packed inside and more outside looking in the windows to worship.

Later, the first church was torn down, and a new church built.  The first church would have set about the middle of the present day parking lot.

A new church was then built and renamed New Hope North Missionary Baptist Church, which now serves approximately forty members.

The church purchased an additional one acre of land, adjoining the back of the church in the latter part of 1997, for additional building purposes and cemetery space.