Middle Run Primitive Baptist Church Preservation Association, Inc., Records (MS-543)

Middle Run Church was organized July 27, 1799, by Elders Daniel Clark and James Lee. The charter members were William Birt, Elizabeth Birt, John Buckles, Mary Buckles, Sarah Buckles and William Buckles.

Surnames of early members include Bergdall, Birt, Buckles, Chenoweth, Collins, Davis, Evans, Fox Hartsock, Hess, Hughes, James, John, McGrew, Oseit, Rye, Scott, Seamon, Shambaugh, Smith, Stiles, Stratton, Thomas, Weaver, Williams and Wilson.

The church was organized by a group of Baptists who came to the area prior to 1799. They chose the site for their church on a high hill, overlooking the Middle Run creek, then used for baptisms. The location is at the junction of Middle Run and Bellbrook Roads, between Bellbrook, and Waynesville, Ohio. The church congregation was meeting prior to the formation of the Ohio counties in 1803. Many early members were from Warren County, Greene County, and some from Montgomery County. Many early members who remained here later had family members move west to Indiana and the western states.

The earliest members had come from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. Some had been members of the Baptist churches earlier. Some families came north from Losantiville (Cincinnati) and had been at the Columbia Baptist Church there. Middle Run had been a member of the Miami Baptist Association, with churches such as Clearcreek in Warren County, Sugarcreek in Centerville, Ohio, and other various churches as far away as Cincinnati.

In those days, church members would travel to other churches, and stay in the homes of those members. They probably had service at Middle Run once or twice a month in the early days. In later years, there were two church groups who used Middle Run. One group met on the first and third Sunday, the other on the second and fourth Sunday of the month.

The designation “Primitive” refers to the “original” version of the King James Bible, which they followed. If it wasn’t mentioned in that version, the Middle Run group did not adhere to those teachings. Singing was preferred but no accompaniment. There was no Sunday School and no decoration inside or outside of the church. Ministers were called to serve but were not paid; they were referred to as Elders.

After the original log building, a small brick church was constructed. The third (and present) church building was constructed in 1856.

The Middle Run Church building today is kept pretty much as it was 150 years ago, but there is no congregation. The last two members surrendered the church about 18 years ago. There was no great effort to revive the congregation, although attempts were made. Some wanted to tear the church down. About the same time, a group from the neighborhood, many of whom had ancestors buried in the adjoining cemetery, formed the Middle Run Primitive Baptist Church Preservation Association. This non-profit group, which meets several times a year, now takes care of the church. A small yearly fee to join the group helps for the upkeep of the church, with the current chairperson being Mr. Tim Lee.

The adjoining cemetery is still active today, but has upon average a few burials a year. An early member of the Congregation, Evan Chenoweth, left in his will a provision for the proceeds of his Warren County farm for the upkeep of the cemetery, but not the church. The cemetery, which also dates to 1799, has many old field stones for markers. The oldest readable gravestone is that of ? Martindale, dated 1805. There are three or four readable with 1806 dates. A lot of the early stones have just initials engraved on them.

In 2018, cleaning of some of the oldest gravestones began to make it easier to read them and perhaps be viewed by descendants. Many of the stones were photographed and can be viewed at the Find A Grave website: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2129591/middle-run-cemetery. Middle Run was listed as # 4316 in “Ohio Cemeteries” 1803-2003, compiled by the Ohio Genealogical Society.

With the exception of some minor edits, the above biographical sketch was graciously written and contributed by Greg Wulker, a member of Middle Run Primitive Baptist Church Preservation Association.

For more information about the current activities of the Middle Run Primitive Baptist Church Preservation Association, visit their web page: https://www.facebook.com/Middle-Run-Primitive-Baptist-Preservation-Association-128470387249752/.