by AUDREY RANKIN

The Union Hill Baptist Church and cemetery are located approximately 8 1/2 or 9 miles northwest of Linden, a part of the Luana Ward Survey. Until 1946, a school stood nearby. The first school at this location was a small one-room school. This later burned and was replaced by a two-room school. The primary teacher taught Primer through third grade. The principle taught fourth through seventh grades. The school continued until 1946 when it consolidated with Laney and Mill Creek and moved to Carterville.

When the church and school were first established at Union Hill, they were approximately two miles southeast of the present church. They started out with a Woodmen Hall, which was also used as a church and school. Then a later building was used for both church and school. Sometime during this period the Woodmen Hall burned, and still later they moved to the present location. Henry Houston Mitchell, his wife and heirs gave the land for the school, church and cemetery at this later location. The only thing that remains at the old location is the Old Union Hill Cemetery. Many of the pioneer settlers of Cass County were buried there, and many of the grave sites are lost because they did not have tombstones. Until around 1985 this cemetery was not fenced or cared for. It is now fenced, thanks to the efforts of some of the younger generation of the Stories, Bernice Moulton and others, plus contributions of money and labor from many others.

The first church at Union Hill was organized in 1871 with eleven charter members. Jesse Burks, Eliza J. Booker, Duck Burks, W. R. Duck, Anna Glaze, Mary Ann Glaze, W. J. Perser and John and Sallie Wilson.
Cass County Connections 19 March 1997

I haven't found records of when the first church was built on the present site, but it had been there long enough to require a new roof in 1906. It was probably built around 1888, the date of the first burial in the new cemetery. In the mid-twenties, that building was in need of extensive repairs, so the members decided to rebuild, On April 15, 1928, with the building finished and all the indebtedness paid, the present church was dedicated. This church was active until 1989 when it closed its doors except for funerals and the annual homecoming held each year on the third Sunday in May.

Back before the turn of the century, there was a little town or village by the name of Jaybart between where the church is now and where it had been moved from. A stagecoach Iine traveled through the community and stopped at Jaybart. Later on there was a railroad from Jefferson through Linden, across Union Hill Community, and onto Naples. It had one passenger car and would stop at any road crossing to pick up passengers. There was a general store and post office a Jaybart as late as 1907. There was also a drug store with a doctor's office. Dr. Clark Cates was one of the pioneer doctors of Union Hill. There were also a lumber mill, a shingle mill, and a chair factory. This was rich farming country and cotton was the main cash crop so, of course, a cotton gin and seed mill were located there. The cotton bales were hauled to Jefferson by wagon.

Summer revivals, called protracted meeting, were times to remember! These meetings went on for a week, sometimes two, and people came from far and near. The church would be filled to overflowing and the aisles were filled with pallets for sleeping children. It was an exciting time of coming together in Christian love and fellowship.

I was born in the Union Hill Community and lived there until I was twelve. I still have many wonderful memories of these years.
Cass County Connections 20 March 1997