Church History/title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0"> <meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document"> <meta name="Microsoft Theme" content="copy-of-capsules 000, default"> <meta name="Microsoft Border" content="tlb, default"> </head> <body> <p class="MsoNormal">Elizabeth Chapel Church is located on the hill below the village of Thivener, an old settlement built around a mill which was established early in the 19<sup>th</sup> century by Nicholas Thevinen presumably one of the French 500. The villiage, officially named Thivener (a corrupted spelling of the name of the family Thevinen) acquired its unofficial name, Yellowtown, in a very peculiar manner. The legend tells of an eastern salesman who visited the old mill to presumably do business with one of the Thevinen’s. It was a terrible rainy day that resulted in a muddy mess. Upon leaving the mill the salesman slipped in the yellow clay mud that is so prevalent in the area. The man got up, wiped his clothes the best as he could, and said, “This sure is a Yellow Town.” The name stuck and although the Post Office’s official name was Thivener, the quiet little village on the confluence of Bullskin and Raccoon creeks will always be known as Yellowtown.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">The Church was organized about 1868 by the Bible Christian denomination and named after the Daughter of Hugh Plymale Sr., Elizabeth Plymale Berridge, wife of Cornelius Berridge (the grandparents of John Berridge, John Bane, and Chester Leaper.) she was a sister to Hugh Plymale Jr. The Charter Members of Elizabeth Chapel were <b>Abram Darts Sr., Nancy Darst, Frances Atkinson, Joseph Atkinson, Elza Brothers, Mary Ghrist, Nathan Earwood, Jacob Halley, Stewart Plymale, Sarah Plymale, </b></span><b> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Rebecca Strait, Joseph Angel, Annie Halley, </span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">and<b> Claurinda Serriere. </b> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> The first sanctuary was built on land given by Hugh Plymale, Sr and dedicated on October 26, 1870. That first church building burned on a Sunday morning in 1900 from a defective flue as the congregation was on its way to worship. There was no insurance on the building and all was lost except the organ, which was saved by Morgan Plymale.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> A committee comprised of Hugh Plymale Jr. (great grandfather of Judy Steger Walters), Frank Leaper (father of Chester Leaper, Police Chief of Gallipolis for many years), Tom Craft (grandfather of Carrol Smith), and Silman Cottrell was appointed to oversee the construction of a new building. During construction services were held in the one-room school building that was in the lot in front of the church (Yellowtown School). After much work and sacrifice the new building was dedicated on July 21, 1904. Bub Gilbert was the carpenter with free labor provided by local people. Mr. Gilbert’s salary of $1.00 per day plus room and board was provided by Mary Gilbert Plymale the wife of Hugh Plymale Jr. Additional land was given in 1956 by Mrs. Myrtie Meal, in 1975 by Mr. and Mrs. Herman Brucker, and in 1999 additional property was given by the family of Myrtie Meal. The first addition was added to the building in 1956 and four have been added since. </p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height:normal"> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt">The first ministers of the new church were Hiram Grover, John Porter, and Samuel Lewis. The first funeral was that of Lena Leaper, sister of Chester Leaper. The first wedding was that of Allen Romaine and Ann Melton. The first homecoming service was held the fourth Sunday of July in 1946. Charles Lusher was the pastor for the first homecoming.</span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height:normal"> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt">The lectern that currently sits in the front of the church was hand made by George Wetherholt, a local funeral director who conducted many funerals at the church.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The largest revival was with Rev. Edgar Ewing which lasted four weeks and at the end of the meetings the “big baptizing” was held in Raccoon Creek just below the old mill dam. Once during a revival, Raccoon Creek flooded, covering all roads leading to the Church. The waters did not dampen the congregation’s spirit. They crossed the creek in boats and continued the meetings.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Randy Carnes</b> was elected as senior pastor in 2007. Three pastors: Randy Carnes, <b>Alfred Holley,</b> who has served the church longer than any other pastor(43 years), along with Associate Pastor<b> Mark Beaver</b> lead Elizabeth Chapel in its quest to serve the spiritual needs of its congregation.</p> <p> </p> <dl> <dt><strong><a href="Family.htm">Family</a></strong></dt> <dd> <p> </p> <p> </p> </dd> <dt><strong><a href="Ministry.htm">Ministry</a></strong></dt> <dd> <p> </p> <p> </p> </dd> <dt><strong><a href="prod03.htm">Missions</a></strong></dt> <dd> <p> </p> <p> </p> </dd> </dl> </body> </html>