OUR FAMILY

Nelson and his wife Elizabeth McClendon Carter had nine children, and Charles and his wife Anne Heidleberg Carter had fifteen children. Out of the union of Nelson and Elizabeth came anne Frances Cager McCarty who had four children, Albert Nelson Carter who had five, and Rev. John Lemuel and Mary Ella Carter who gave birth to twelve children. Mingo and Elizabeth Carter Johnson had two children and Oicar and Lugenia Carter Wilson had eight children. From these close knit Christian families came seven generations of grandchilden and great grandchildren

Three church’s in the area, Tribulation Baptist, St. Paul Methodist, and Sweet Pilgrim Methodist (erected: 1862 — 1941 — 1996) provided for spiritual growth of these families. The children, along with those of the McCoy, Stewart, Evans, and Williams families attended six-month church school at St. Paul Methodist church, since there was no public school for them. After seventh grade, students walked seven miles to and from Shubuta Junior High since no buses were provided. After junior high they left home to attend Shirley-Owens High School in Quitman, T. J. Harris in Meridian, SmithHughes High in Wayne County, or Oak Park High in Laurel to earn their high school diploma.

Farming was the main source of survival. Although they bought flour, sugar, tea, and coffee, everything else they ate was raised on the farm.

In spite of such hardships, many determined students worked hard and long to earn their college degrees, some Masters and Ph.D.s. Many became teachers, professors, doctors, nurses, servicemen, and other professionals. God came first, and words of wisdom passed a “rainbow of hope” to new generations.

Written by M. J. Reesefrom sources
submitted by Edith Carter, Lula Pugh Haskins, and
Dr. Samuel Blakney

TRIBULATION BAPTIST CHURCH
CLARKE COUNTY SHUBUTA, MISSISSIPPI

Tribulation Baptist Church is located approximately six miles west of the town of Shubuta, Mississippi. A cemêtery is’ located on the east, a short distance from the church.

According to the only available church records, a small one room unpainted church probably made of wood and shingles was built in 1862 on two acres of land. The Reverend I. B. Williams was the first pastor. Brother’s Alford McClendon, Handy McCarty, and Berry Cooley were the first dçacons and perhaps along with some other leaders, were the founders of Tribulation Baptist Church. A big iron bell hung high next to the church on the west side.

On April 19, 1913, J. W. and M. A. Menasco sold Tribulation Baptist Church two acres of land.

In 1941, lumber was used to build a larger One-room church on a more solid foundation. The interior included a pulpit platform and a stage platfom with a section for the congregation to sit on.

Brother’s Eugene Pugh, Jessie Spells, and S. C. Barlow were deacons prior to 1941. They served the church a number of years until their deaths. Deacon Pugh passed in September 1954. Deacon Spells and Barlow died some years later. No record shows who served as pastor after Reverend Williams. However, it is known that Reverend W. A. Hardaway, of Enterprise, Mississippi, served as the spiritual leader for nine years. The Reverend John L. (Shug) Carter was the Assistant Pastor for some years. Later Reverend S. B. Arrington of Heidelberg, MS was called as the minister.

The McClendons, McCartys, Cooleys, Pughs, Spells, Carters, Barlows, Evans, Blakneys, and Watts were the pillars of Tribulation Baptist Church.

Using the Bible as his spiritual tool, Reverend Hardaway taught the congregation how to live in harmony with each other. He was an advocate for strong Christian morals, values, and high educational goals. He consistently encouraged parents to provide a quality, high standard of education, a’better standard of living for their children, and to maintain moral values acceptable to the Almighty God. The same quality of discipline had been handed down from the teaching of the Reverend Millage Pugh. The Reverend John L. (Shug) Carter’s messages delivered a similar philosophy.

Families, except the Jenkins family from the Pugh School Community, walked three or four miles to attend Sunday school and church. The Jenkins family had horses and a wagon. Later Emma D. bought a car. The families who walked to Sunday School and church, had to cross Mingo Creek to get there. When the water was high, the parents carefully helped each other and their children cross safely, by the way of a huge log that was stationed over the creek, above the average water level. Lula Pugh warmly remembers that at age thirteen, her father Deacon Eugene Pugh, sat her up on his shoulders and waded them across to get to Sunday School on time. Families from the Shug Hill Community walked, rode in buggies or wagons, or horseback to Sunday School and church.

Deacons and other leaders of the church secured a portion of Mingo Creek, an area adjacent to the creek, directly north of the church. The creek was not far from where the Pugh School community families crossed every Sunday, which was used as a baptizing pool. Sources do not know exactly when the hole was discovered and prepared for use by the church. It is known, that the area surrounding the baptizing hole was cool, shady, comfortable, and beautiful. It was a happy place to be.

Everyone who came there cherished the fellowship.

On Friday, the last day of the Annual Revival Week, the church members and visitors spent the day at the baptizing hole. New candidates were baptized. They were given the right hand of fellowship and welcomed into the fold. Dinner, a happy spiritual day, the pastor, and other ministers led the crowd to the church to prepare for Friday Night Revival services.

The Annual Revival for Tribulation always began the fourth Sunday in September. That was the Homecoming Revival Day to spiritually revive. Relatives and friends would come back home from different states and towns within Mississippi. Area church members visited all day, and several different preachers preached throughout the day. Night service was held, and dinner was served on the grounds. Non-members operated concession stands down the road, south of the church, selling snowballs and soda pops. Of course, Cousin Sallie, Cousin Virgie, Cousin Ella, Cousin Snookie, Cousin Willie Mae, and Cousin Birb saw to it that no child from Shug Hill Community or Pugh Community left the crowded church ground to buy a snowball. As soon as the afternoon church services began, all the children from the two communities had to go inside and sit on the front benches.

Deacon Eugene Pugh, a devout Christian worker, would walk miles and miles every Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning to collect pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters from members and friends, who for some reason could not attend Sunday school or church services. He performed this good deed of service in order to increase the Sunday School treasury, and give the pastor a monetary contribution for his spiritual services rendered.

He was also an active Sunday School Superintendent. Maria Jenkins, Emma D.
Jenkins, Ella Carter, and others, were the Sunday School teachers. Little Sallie Blakney and other young Sunday School goers held the position as secretary at different times. Maria Jenkins, Ella Carter, Virgie Pugh, and others trained and rehearsed with the children for fine program performances.

One major service that Tribulation Baptist Church rendered to the surrounding communities was that of toning the big bell. A huge iron bell stood high outside on the west side of the church. When there was bad news, a bell toner would stay at the church, until people from different communities came to hear the message. The receiver than swiftly delivered the message to the people gathered. The convience of today’s telephone replaces the ringing of the big iron bell. Presently, the bell stands on the floor in one of the classrooms of the modem church that was built in 1969.

Contributed by Lula Hoskin