• General Notes

  Cemetery: Mt. Nebo Baptist Church and Cemetery
  Description: "The year before Missouri became a state, Mt. Nebo Baptist Church was organized in a little log school house near Bunceton, Mo. The date was June 3, 1820. The first church was built near the old Dublin School site. In 1827, the Mt. Nebo membership divided on the question of paying the ministers and sending missionaries among the heathen nations. The anti-mission-ary group retained the house of worship, and the missionary group worshipped in school houses and homes until 1838 when a new church was built on a site one-half mile east of the present church building. To accomodate the large membership, arms or missions were established. Two of these still exist; Providence Baptist Church and Flat Creek Baptist Church, both in Pettis County. The present church was built in 1856; it was intended to be built of bricks. A kiln was built, the bricks burned and the walls started up. They were found to be unsafe, the walls torn down, and the present frame building built. A partition through the center section of the pews separated the "Men's side from the women's side". A gallery was built in the back, so that the Negro slaves could worship with their masters. The gallery remained until 1885, when it was torn away. Between 1946 and 1951, the interior of the church building underwent extensive change. The old wood burning stoves were taken out; and the middle partition removed, along with general modernizing. In 1970, the church marked its sesqui-centennial with an all day celebration. In 1971, an educational building was built and a well drilled. The first services were held in this addition, February 6, 1972. Kenneth Oglesby and Miss Irene Brannum have been called as missionaries to serve in the foreign mission field. Ordained to the gospel ministry were Thomas Riggs, 1835; Jesse G. Birkley, 1841; James A. Brumfield, 1899; Kenneth Oglesby, 1903; Roy Williams, 1936; Ralph Branum, 1946; and the present pastor, Dannie L. Fisher, in 1971" From "Pilot Grove Centennial Book, 1873-1973" Mt. Nebo Cemetery - The graveyard committee was directed in 1871 to lay off lots to be recorded on the church record. The cemetery adjoins the church grounds. The trustees of the church over-see the up-keep of the graveyard and report to the church regularly. 
  Cemetery Records of Cooper County, Missouri Volume III
  
  Name: Martha A. Downing
  Birth Date: 1846
  Death Date: 1921
  nee' Paxton, wife of Robert E. Downing, Jr.; dau. of Thomas and Margaret (Orr) Paxton
  Cemetery: Mt. Nebo Baptist Church and Cemetery
  

Details of Martha's family with James H Orr