CRAIGSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH

1922

Fordwick Baptist Church

It is impossible to separate the history of the Craigsville Baptist Church from that of the Fordwick Baptist Church.

In 1899, the Old Dominion Cement Company began building a cement plant and houses one mile east of Craigsville along the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, at Portland. Since there were no religious services within two miles, those employed

by the cement company became interested in conducting their own. First came a Ladies' Aid Society, where the ladies were not only sewing, but also planning for a meeting house.

After a church was organized, Sunday School in the afternoons and preaching services twice a month were held, first in the upper room of a shanty belonging to the company, later in one room of a boarding house, and then in a school house. A church building was erected and dedicated in 1905, the same year that the Fordwick

Baptist Church was constituted.

But then, about 1911, the Craigsville building was sold, and the Craigsville Baptist Church consolidated with the Fordwick Baptist Church. A church historian wrote:

"The Craigsville membership's moving with the Fordwick membership was not

accomplished without some resentment on the part of some of the Craigsville

members,but the feeling was overcome and harmony and goodwill prevailed."

By 1916, the church was enjoying a progressive and prosperous era.

Then the historian continues:

"In 1932, the church at Fordwick burned, and, since the church did not

own the lot in Fordwick, it was decided to purchase a lot and erect a building

at Craigsville which was only one mile distance. This placed the church in

close proximity to the doors of both Craigsville and Fordwick. Under the

almost unsunnountable obstacles and dissenting voices of sane of the members

in moving the church site, the handsome stone structure was erected .••.

Membership at Craigsville reached a peak in 1968,with 218. Then in 1970, the Church Counseling Committee reported to the Association that "Rev. Claude Williams led a group out of the Craigsville Baptist Church to form an Independent Baptist Church and that approximately 85 members were left" and funds divided by the two groups. Membership is now 30.