==================================================================== BIG PIGEON BAPTIST CHURCH MINUTES 1787 -1874 The Big Pigeon Church was located at Newport,TN, in Cocke County, near the Jefferson County border. The following excerpts are from the minutes of the monthly business meetings of the church. All references to the names Moore, Mulkey and Hestand (Heaston) have been copied. All references to these names occured between 1792 and 1801. The Hestands start appearing in the minutes in January, 1792. Joel Moore joined the church in July, 1792. ==================================================================== Excerpts from the Minutes 7 Jan 1792 Br.o Thomas Mantooth received by letter of recomendation as also sister Ann Heaston the same - and nothing more purtiklar Comeing before us hath adjoarnd till the second Saturday in February. 11 Feb 1792 receivd by letter of recommendation Joseph Hill into Union as also Bettey Haston the same - .... 10 Mar 1792 Sister Magdelean Heaston receivd by letter of recomendation into the Church - .... 15 Jun 1792 .... Br.o Abr.m Heaston sen.r receivd by letter of recomendation into the Church - .... 7 Jul 1792 .. By a motion made by Br.o Phares Joseph[Joel] MOORE is taken under the watch Care of this Church until an opertunity should offer - to see if he should Obtain a letter from the Church he Mov.d from - .... 13 Apr 1793 .... Abram and Ann Heaston.s Applied for letters of Dismistion the same being unto them - .... 12 Jul 1794 Reciv.d by letter Ann Heaston into fellowship of the church .... 13 Dec 1794 The Church Opening a Door for Expearances the persons under Named Came forward and was receiv.d into fellowship - Enoch Job - Samuel Vaughn - Rachel Rice . Daniel Heaston Rachel Huff Sarah Huff Sam.l Huff - .... 5 Sep 1795 .... Received by letter Br.o John Mulkey in fellowship of the church .... 2 Jan 1796 .... Received a letter of petition from the branch of the Church at the Mouth of Chucky for us to innquier into theare ripeness for Constitution and agreed that the breathren Joshua Kelley Sam.l Phares. John Mulkey John Herd W.m Whitson Daniel Rice and Abr.m McKay bee appointed to attend them the third Saturday of this instant the Breathren W.m Whitson and Abr.m McKay appointed to Site Samuel Lusk to attend Next Monthly meeting and to shew cause of his neglecting the same - and make report thereof as also Sam.l Huff and Mathew Maddox to site Joseph Graham Joseph[Joel] MORE and Daniel Haston as also David Job and Joseph Keney to site Thomas Mantooth; .... 5 Feb 1796 .... The Breathren Thomas Swilliven Abram Heaston and Jno Mulkey appointed Labour with Joseph Graham and Joel MOORE and make report next Meeting of the same - .... 5 Mar 1796 the Matter respecting Joel MOORE and Joseph Graham mov.d to the Church the Deligates report that Joel MOORE said that he would not come to Meeting agreable to the request of the Church; Joseph Graham said the sam - The Church agree to wait with them till next Meeting in corse and Appointed the Breathren Joshua Kelley and Jn.o Mulkey to labour with them and to know of them thear reasons for so doing - and make report next Meeting of theare proseadur - .... 2 Apr 1796 the Breathren appointed to site Jo.s[Joel] MOORE and Jo.s Graham made report to the Church that they had not talked with them According to theare intentions thearefore the Church agree to wait with them till Next Meeting and the same Breathren appoinrted to labour with them are Continued so to do and Make report next Meeting .... 30 Apr 1796 The Breathren Made report respecting Jo.s[Joel] MOORE & Jo.s Graham and from some appearance or hope of a reformatation in them the Church agree to wate with them one Monthly Meeting more and Br.o Kelley appointed to acquaint them of the Churches indulgance to them and Make report next Meeting - .... 4 Jun 1796 the Matter respecting Jo.s Graham & Jo.s[Joel] MOORE was red and proseaded to; the Church agree to waite with them till Next Meeting and Abram Haston appointed to Site Jo.s[Joel] MOORE and Wil.m Lillard to site Jo.s Graham to attend next meeting .... .... the Breathren appointed to talk with Graham and MOORE are to inform them of the Churches indulgance to them and invite them to attend next meeting - .... 1 Jul 1796 Abram Haston made a report that he invited Joel MORE to attend this Meeting he has not Complied with s.d request Wm. Lillard made report that invited Joseph graham to attend this Meeting he has not Complied with s.d request - the Church agree to wait with Both Graham and MORE a longer space of time to see the Event thearof .... 6 Aug 1796 .... Joel MORE Came forward and Made Satesfaction for his neglect of Deuty .... 5 Sep 1796 John Mulkey a Deligate to the Association report that he had no Minits to present to the church but will have them ready against next metting .... the Church agree to send the Breathren Wil.m Lillard Peter Pine and Abram McKay to go to Reuben Allen and Joel More and labour with them to git them reconsiled to Each Other and Make report next meeting .... The Church apoint the Breathren Joshua Kelley and Thomas Swilleven to invite Philip Mulkey and wife to come to next meeting .... 1 Oct 1796 .. the Breathren that was appointed to labour with Joseph[Joel] MOORE and Reuben Allen failing to comply with the churches request are reapointed to labour with them for reconsilation and make report next Meeting - Philip Mulkey and his wife Ruth reciev.d by letter. .... 5 Nov 1796 The brethren Joel MOORE and Reuben Allen Came forward and made known to the Church that they ware reconsil.d to Eaach Other ... 3 Feb 1797 .... the Church thinks it proper to send the Breathren Samuel Phares & Joseph Huff to labour with Joel MOORE for being to forward in the law and Site him to Attend next Meeting on the Above accation the Breathren John Mulkey and Abram McKay appointed to invite Br.o John Keeney to attend next Meeting in Corse and Make report theare of .... 4 Mar 1797 .... the Breathren Joshua Kelley and Mathew Maddox is appointed to Cite Joel MORE to attend next Meeting -.... 1 Apr 1797 .... The Matter Respecting Joel MOORE being brought forward and after considering the same the Church agree to wate with him till next Meeting and the Brethren Kelley and Maddox are appointed to Cite him to attend the same - .... Jn.o Mulkey and Edward Osburn appointed to invite Urias Wall and wife to attend next Meeting.... 6 May 1797 the Breathren appointed to site Joel MOORE Made theare report to the Church of theare proseadure and labour with him that Micay Could git no satesfaction with him the Church hath Declard theare nonfellowship with him and hath appointed Abram Heaston and Daniel Heaston to inform him of the Churches Proseadure against him and Make report to the Church next Meeting of thear proseadure - .... 4 Jun 1797 .... the Matter respecting Joel MOORE being brought forward and after talking with him on the nature of his Crime and no satesfaction obtained the church hath Declard thear none fellowship with him and Excluded him from sociaty for wilfully absenting himself from Meetings and being too forward in having the law Executed against a member in sociaty - .... 1 Jul 1797 .... by a motion for Members to attend the Association and Joshua Kelley Jno. Mulkey and Abram McKay were apointed to attend the same .... Oct 1797 .... Dismissed; Jn.o Mcqueary and wife Enoch Job and wife Philip Mulkey and wife Jane Odell Mark Mitchel and wife. Th.o Sylliven and John Mulkey and sd. Mulkey Ordered to write letters of Dismistion for the above named Members .... 31 Mar 1798 .... Bro. Abram Heaston made application for a Letter of Dismistion the same being granted unto him - .... 4 Aug 1798 .... by application for letters of Dismission for Magdelern Haston Ann Haston Thomas Hill and wife - the same being granted unto them - .... .... Daniel Heaston mad application for a letter of recomendation - the same being granted unto him - .. 1 Jun 1799 .... Agread that Br.o Lillard draw a fair statementof the Sircumstance that Ann Heaston left this Church and send it to the Church wheare she lives the first Opertunity .... 31 May 1800 .... Sister Regena MOORE Dismist from the Church by Letter .... 5 Dec 1801 .... Joel MOORE came before the church and made such acknowledgements as gave the Church satisfaction and he was restored into fellowship again .... =================================================================== =================================================================== Summary of Entries Involving Joel Moore 1. On 7 Jul 1792 Joel Moore joined the church. He didn't have with him a letter from his previous church (which was not named) but was accepted anyway. 2. On 2 Jan 1796 several church members are appointed to visit Joseph Graham, Joel Moore and Daniel Hestand concerning an unspecified problem. Throughout 1796 the unspecified problem concerning Joseph Graham and Joel Moore (Daniel Hestand is not cited again in this matter) is repeatedly mentioned in church minutes. Finally on 6 Aug 1796 it is reported that Joel Moore came forward and satisfied the church. 3. In Sep and Oct of 1796 church representatives are sent to try to moderate an argument between Reuben Allen and Joel Moore. In Nov 1796 Joel Moore and Reuben Allen appear and report that the problem has been resolved. 4. In Feb 1797 Joel Moore is again in trouble with the church. He has apparently complained to the law about some behavior of a fellow church member. The church frowns on this, believing that disagreements should be resolved within the church. Joel continually refuses to meet with church leaders to discuss the issue. In May 1797 Abraham and Daniel Hestand are appointed to visit Joel Moore and inform him that he is about to be kicked out of the church. In Jun 1797 it is reported that no satisfaction has been forthcoming from Joel Moore and that he has consequently been excommunicated from the church. 5. In May 1800 Regina Moore leaves the church and is given a letter of dismissal to take to her new church. This is the first record known to exist of any reference to Regina (Hestand) Moore, who was a daughter of Abraham Hestand. 6. On 5 Dec 1801 Joel Moore appeared before church leaders at the monthly meeting and pleaded to be reinstated as a member of the church. He apparently was convincing, since his excommunication was rescinded. Here is what is apparently the story behind item 6. John Mulkey was among the church leaders of the Big Pigeon church and participated in deliberations involving Joel Moore's dismissal from the church. In 1798 John Mulkey left Big Pigeon and with others moved on to Monroe(Barren) Co, KY, and founded the Mill Creek Church. Joel Moore showed up in Monroe Co in the summer of 1800 (Regina Hestand Moore had received her letter of dismissal in May 1800). Regina joined the Mill Creek church in early 1801 along with her father Abraham Hestand. There would have been considerable pressure on Joel Moore to join, but pastor John Mulkey knew of Joel's excommunication and would not take him into Mill Creek Church. There is evidence that Joel returned to Virginia to visit family later in 1801. It is probable that Joel returned to Monroe Co by way of Big Pigeon, where he got himself reinstated in the church. He subsequently was accepted by John Mulkey into the Mill Creek Church in early 1802. Actually John Mulkey kicked Joel Moore out of the Mill Creek Church in 1806, but that is another story. =================================================================== ===================================================================