Around 1860 (or perhaps earlier),
the Friendship Brush Arbor was organized. It was located on Hwy 1019.
It is known that Confederate soldiers passing through used to stop at the
church for milk and cornbread. In the mid 1870s, the church was moved
to the John Pascal Covington location. In 1905, the church moved
about a quarter mile away to its present site. Tom Hall, Sr. donated
land to the congregation so that a church would be built by the white oak
tree. That small tree of 1905 has grown into today’s majestic oak.
Logs were cut by men of the
church to frame the church. Volunteers “roved and drawed” the pine
boards to cover the church. Tom Hall, Sr. was hired to oversee the
work for $1 a day. A cemetery was set aside next to the church and
serves as the resting place for many former members. In those early
days, the church was served by circuit riders who often held services on
Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. In 1916, Mangum Chapel was organized
as a branch church because of poor travel conditions.
Under the leadership of Rev.
E. J. Martin, an educational building was constructed in 1964. A
new sanctuary was constructed in 1973-74. Rev. M. L. Davis was pastor
when the first service was held in the new church on the first Sunday of
February 1975. For the 1975-76 year, Rev. P. W. Sibley came out of
retirement to become Friendship’s first full time pastor. The new
parsonage, built on land donated by John Coxe, Sr., was completed under
his leadership. |
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