"On November 5, 1865, Ephesus Baptist Church was organized by a Presbytery composed of Henry 0. Haggard and Jesse M. Heard, both ordained ministers of the Gospel. The twenty-eight members constituted into a congregation were: David Gentry, William T. Gentry, F. M. Nichols, Joseph Smith, George W. Hughey, W. J. Hughey, Elizabeth Gentry, Louiza Perry, T. E. Nichols, Sarah E. Nichols, Catharene Nichols, Dorothy G. Nichols, Malinda E. Nichols, Malissa J. Nichols, Elizabeth M. Pannels, Marry Henley, Tempa M. Worrells, Manervia A. Nichols, Matilda A. Nichols, Alanrue Nichols, Sarah A. Clark, Margrett E. Harrison, Arminta E. Barnett, Barbra Nichols, Mary Logan, Emily Hughey, H. 0. Haggard, and Jesse M. Heard.
The first building, which burned about 1880, was of hewn logs. A frame building was then built, which is still in use, with many improvements. The Centennial for Ephesus Baptist Church was observed August 1, 1965.
"Although my grandfather's older brother, Thomas Jefferson WORRELL (24 at the time and a Civil War Vet) is not listed as a member of Ephesus Baptist Church, he was the one who kept records of all their meetings. These records are on file in the genealogy department at Samford University, Birmingham, AL (formerly Howard College, Marion Alabama.) I've copied and read some of them but there are a LOT of them.
His sister Tempe WORRELL
(21) and his (future) sister-in-law, Minerva NICHOLS (later WORRELL) age 17 and his cousin Arminta BARNETT also 17, were all listed as original members. I don't know why Tom WORRELL never got himself on the membership list but, nevertheless, he did keep all the records and signed them. Thought you might be interested. Tom later became a Justice of the Peace in Perry County, as was his father Wesley J. WORRELL. "