Mayberry Church

By Jeanette S. Shelor © 1984

Issue: June, 1984

In our March, 1984 issue, we made an announcement for the Mayberry Presbyterian Church. This is one of the rock churches began by Rev. Robert Childress. The steeple of this old church needs repair and they have been told the sad news that it will have to be replaced, not repaired. They had raised $600. for that repair but now face $3,000 to replace it. Jeanette Shelor, who is in charge of collecting the funds asked us to thank the people who have sent in contributions. One of these people was Odell Spangler. He was from this area but moved away. He's also one of Jeanette's cousins, but he had been away for years and didn't recognize her married name. She was delighted to hear from him and wrote back quickly. Mr. Spangler's uncle was Ernest Cochram, the man that made the first pledge for the church to be built. Shortly after that, he was killed in an accident in the coal mines in West Virginia. It was at his funeral that the bell in the church tower tolled for the first time. Because he had been killed so soon after the church was started, his nephew didn't know if his uncle ever got a chance to pay the pledge so, in addition to his own contribution, he included $25.00 in his uncle's name.

If any of you would like to make a contribution to this fund, you may send it to: Jeanette Spangler Shelor, Route 2, Meadows of Dan, Va. 24120.