======================================================================================= ======================================================================================= 1850 Deed of Daniel J. Abbott to the Fellowship Baptist Church (now Spearsville Baptist Church) Spearsville, Union Parish Louisiana ======================================================================================= ======================================================================================= HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The Fellowship Baptist Church was constituted on 5 June 1848. In the deed transcribed below, Daniel J. Abbott donates five acres of land located about four miles east of Spearsville for the church. The church presumably constructed a building at that location and met there during the early 1850s. In August 1855, the church minutes recorded the church name as the "Church of Fellowship at Spearsville." This implies that by this date, the church was holding services in the village of Spearsville. At the church conference on 2 February 1856, after preaching by Rev. Samuel T. Cobb, the church approved a motion to change the church name from Fellowship to Spearsville. The Spearsville Baptist Church has held services in the village of Spearsville since then. The old church building was reportedly given to the local black Baptists who withdrew from Spearsville Baptist Church after the Civil War. It retained the name of Fellowship Baptist Church. All of those listed in the deed were members of the church. William Cleaton Carr and George W. Clayton were two founding members who served the deacons. Carr had settled in what is now Union Parish about 1836, was elected as the first sheriff, built the first house in Farmerville, and served as the Representative of Union Parish in the Louisiana Legislature during the 1840s as a member of the Whig Party. He had apparently moved to that part of Union Parish in the 1840s, but in the 1850s he returned to the Farmerville region. Richmond Carroll, one of the witnesses to the transaction, was also a founding member of the church. The other witness, Ruffin G. Pleasant, joined the church by letter in October 1849 and served for a while as church clerk. ======================================================================================= ======================================================================================= Union Parish Louisiana Conveyance Record D, p. 138. ======================================================================================= ======================================================================================= State of Louisiana } Parish of Union } Know all men by these presents that I Daniel Abbot a resident of the State of Louisiana for the Love and goodwill I have for the Baptist Church of Christ called Fellowship doth give and donate unto W. C. Carr & George W. Clayton two Deacons of said Baptist Church or their successors in office a certain Lot of parcel of Land lying and being in the Parish of Union and State aforesaid it lying and being in the North East Quarter of Section No. two Township No. 22 Range two West containing five acres of Land including the Spring and meeting House together with all the Timber and appertaineces thereunto belonging the said Deacons or their Successors in office to have and to Hold forever to the exclusive use of said Church but it is expressly so understood by the Donor and the parties before signing this instrument that whenever the Said Church ceases to be a Baptist Church the same with all its appertainences thereunto belonging returns back to the Donor done and signed in the presence of the undersigned witnesses on this the 12 January 1850. Witnesses: D. J. Abbot R. G. Pleasant Committee Richmond Carroll W. C. Carr G. W. Clayton ==========================================================================================================