Our History – Stanfordville Baptist Church

July 25, 1847

Founded

July 25, 1847, The Liberty Free Baptist Church was founded. The believers of the Rhinney Creek area met in the Chalker schoolhouse. There were 13 charters members. They were Henry Roe, the first church clerk, and his wife Charlotte; Stillman Fuller, the first deacon, and his wife Henrietta; Grover Howard, Simeon and Esther Knapp, Nathan and Polly Marvin, D.C. and Amanda Marvin, Austin Marvin and Spencer Lewis. C. L. Vails was the first Pastor with Pastor John Webster also helping to organize the church. In nine years the church grew to 32 members.

1866

Moved

In 1866 the church changed its location to the Stanfordville area. They met in the brick Methodist church. A wind storm later destroyed it.

1867

Faithful

In the spring of 1867, Simon Warner was chosen church clerk. He held this office for 52 years. He was elected deacon in 1876 and held that position for 44 years until his death in 1920. He was Sunday School Superintendent for 38 years, from 1882 to 1920. Because of his dedication to the Lord, he saw to it that there was Sunday School each Sunday whether or not there was a worship service

1876

Land Donated

Spencer Luce gave some land for the congregation to build a church. In November 1876 the foundation was laid. In December 1878, after an expenditure of $750 the church was sufficiently complete for holding services. It was later dedicated after an additional $250 was spent for its completion. Spencer Luce was a faithful officer in the Sunday School. He served for over 40 years as its treasurer from 1882 until his death.

1881

Peter Caswell became a member of the church in 1881. He served many years as a faithful deacon. He and his wife, Bertha, brought their daughter Rena to church regularly since 1891. Rena joined the church in 1909. At 81, Rena was still active, attending services all day Sunday and prayer meeting on Wednesday.

1909

Deacon Emeritus

Ernest Fish joined the church in 1909. He was elected deacon in 1919. This office he had until his death in 1971. The later years he served as deacon Emeritus.

1925

Sexton

John and Lillian Johnson were active in the work. They joined in 1925. He served on the pulpit committee and as sexton. (One time they "taxed" each one a little to help pay the sexton a small amount.) Mrs. Johnson was a church clerk and financial secretary.

1936

Moved (again)

About 1936 Route 29 was widened. This meant that the church needed to be moved back several yards. During this change, the horse sheds were torn down and a basement for Sunday School was constructed.

1939

The church enjoyed the faithful ministry of Pastor H.T. Hinds from 1939 until his death in 1954. His pastorate was the second longest of our history.

1947

Parsonage

In 1947 the parsonage was built on land given for that purpose by Daniel Stanford

1956

Kenneth Brown served as Pastor Hinds' assistant while at the same time attending Baptist Bible Seminary (at that time located in Johnson City, NY). Mr. Brown followed Brother Hinds as pastor. He was ordained in the church on June 29, 1956

May 1956

Changes

In May 1956 the church voted to withdraw from the Free Will Baptist Association. In May of the next year the congregation decided to fellowship with the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches(GARBC). At the 1956 annual meeting the Ladies Missionary Fellowship was brought into existence.

1959

Additions

Two additions were made to the original building . In 1959 it was decided to construct some Sunday School rooms on the north side of the church. The auditorium was extended over this addition.

1965

Additions (Part 2)

In 1965 the south side addition which consisted of both basement Sunday School rooms and sanctuary was built.

2000

Independent

The church voted to leave the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC) and Pennsylvania Association of Regular Baptist Churches (PARBC) and became a true independent Baptist Church.

August 2015

New Building

Ground breaking for the new Sanctuary

May 31, 2016

First Service

First service in the new Building

Pastors

1. C. L. Vailes	1847-1866
2. John Webster
3. L. D. Howe
4. R. Carpenter
5. Stillman Fuller
6. Elder Rowland
7. A. H. Fish	1867-1870
8. C. Phelps	1871-1873
A. H. Fish	1873-1875
C. Phelps	1876
9. Bela Cogswell	1877-1878
A. H. Fish	1879-1884
10. Elder Prescott	1885-1886
A. H. Fish	1885-1886
A. H. Fish	1887-1888
11. E. C. Coffin	1889-1890
12. Elder Egan	1891
13. Elder Whitacher	1892-1900
A. H. Fish
14. Charles Wilson
C. Phelps
15. Elder Munn
16. Elder Coles
17. Elder Jayne
18. Elder Brand
19. Elder Matison
20. William Wandell
21. John D. Skellet
22. Elder Marwick
23. Daniel Brown	1901-1905
24. Charles Wilson
William Wandell
25. E. C. Layton
26. Elder Lindslay
27. H. M. Pease	1906-1909
E. C. Layton	1910-1911
28. Elder Robins
29. Elder Tilson
30. Elder Sherwood

31. A. B. Browe
32. Ray Fisk	1912-1915
33. O. G. Brush	1916-1919
34. W. C. Grover	1919-1925
E. C. Layton	1925-1926
35. C. H. Wilcox	1926
36. I. N. Meeker	1927-1929
37. Lewis Falk	1929-1930
38. R. Anderson	1930-1932
39. H. C. Beers	1932-1933
40. Grover Clink	1934
41. E. J. Wilbur	1934-1937
42. Dr. Geo. Newman	1937-1939
43. H. T. Hinds	1939-1954
44. Kenneth Brown	1954-1958
45. Keith Whitney	1958-1963
46. Richard Metcalf	1963-1968
47. Robert Quick	1968-1972
48. Edward Walker	1973-1984
49. Roy Garthwaite	1985-1995
50. Lloyd Penberthy	1996-2008
51. Philip Hunt	2008-Present

There is more of our history to write. We are missing a few Pastors as well as some other details. If you have additional history to share with us we would love to have it. Feel free to use the Contact Us section at the bottom of the page to send along any additional dates, pictures, names of Pastors, etc. that might be of historical significance to us.