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Following the Civil War, many freedmen and their families established communities, including schools, churches and cemeteries. Freedmen settled in this area and established tenant farms, growing cotton. In East Springfield and many freedmen's colonies, the church was a major source of social and cultural development in addition to spiritual needs. Although the congregation formed in the 1800s, the East Springfield Baptist Church was officially formed and received this property in 1923. A church building was soon erected to support the small but growing church. The church was remodeled in the 1980s. Although the membership was small, the devotion to the community and faith equaled those of larger churches, serving the farming community for decades. The church offered Sunday services, Sunday school and church socials, a favorite for many local children and youth. Throughout the 1900s, many of the small churches in the area would gather and worship together, discuss community news and sell food items for charity. These included churches from Snow Hill, Valley View, Shady Grove and more. Located near the church was the East Springfield Colored School. Behind the church is the East Springfield Baptist Church Cemetery, containing the graves of many early settlers and veterans. For over a century, the members of the East Springfield Baptist Church have made a positive impact on the communities of Upshur County with service, faith and love. (2017) |
