Pitkin in Vernon Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)
Religion in the Neutral Strip
Myths and Legends
— Vernon Parish —
Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, January 28, 2022
1. Religion in the Neutral Strip Marker
Inscription.
Religion in the Neutral Strip. Myths and Legends.
Center Panel. Carving a home from the rough landscape of No Man's Land was no easy task. The wilderness crawled with dangers, and for most, gathering up enough food to feed the family was an onerous job. Slowly, the hardy residents of the region began to change the area from frontier backcountry to small, prospering farming communities. The establishment of churches was an essential part of the transformation. Churches provided pioneers and their communities with a foundation of faith and an important social organization that prompted fellowship and interdependence. Circuit Riders Preach in No Man's Land Started by Methodists, Baptists, and many other denominations, several churches sprouted throughout the region during the second half of the 19th century, and nearly every early church in the parish tells a story of a hard-working and disciplined preacher traveling by mule, by oxcart, or by foot to reach the faithful. Pragmatic and tough, these traveling preachers, known as "circuit riders," were also scrupulous and righteous, enduring hardships for the sake of their calling. Attached to several churches in an area, a circuit rider would travel from one of his churches to another, eventually making a large circular route, or circuit, before returning home. When the circuit rider arrived, residents gathered for baptisms, weddings, funeral services, and revivals. Molded by frontier democracy, the preacher was well equipped to appeal to the typical member of his congregation. Usually the preacher combined farming with his church work, and early on, before churches were organized, the preacher received no pay for his services. According to a common saying, the preacher worked as hard as any frontiersman: "For five or six days he toiled on the farm, and on the Sabbath he preached. The Holly Grove Methodist Church, established in 1832, is the oldest documented church in Vernon parish. Like many others churches, it was served by a circuit rider. Legend says he arrived for each service with a Bible in his hand and a gun strapped to his saddle. Bandits, bears, and other forms of danger roamed the region. A good preacher was not to be dissuaded from his call. Early Church Services When available, preachers performed several rites. Baptisms were held in nearby creeks or rivers. Before a river baptism could take place, members of the congregation located a suitable site on the river-checking the water depth and clearing the riverbed of any danger. Finally, members constructed sheet tents for the candidates dressing rooms. Marriages, too, were held when they could be had. Many people tell stories of a young couple arriving at a preacher s door on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and asking to be married. In this circumstance, it was customary for the minister to receive a small payment. If an inexperienced groom asked the minister how much the service would cost, the wily preacher might ask in return, “How much is she worth to you?” Church Houses Become Schoolhouses Often made of rough cut lumber, early churches were large, rectangular buildings. A few interior walls might separate the large meeting room from a smaller room, but many lacked all of the modern conveniences of today. Usually the first school in a settlement occupied the same building as the church. The schoolhouse cabin had few supplies and little of the typical schoolroom furniture. All the children were educated in the same room, and they usually sat on wood benches, often made from split logs. Sometimes communities built a school before having a teacher, but once a suitable educator arrived, families often paid a modest tuition to pay the teacher's salary and operate the school. A typical day of school usually lasted around six hours. Schools stayed open for three to six months depending on attendance. Textbooks were expensive and hard to come by, and each child purchased his or her own books. If books couldn't be purchased, the child went to class without the needed book., Right Panel
Joseph Willis, A Preacher With An Iron Will. , Willis Never Feared a Fight Spreading the gospel across the Mississippi, Joseph Willis faced a wild landscape, rugged conditions, racial discrimination, and sometimes even strict laws that limited where he could preach. Never one to back down, he overcame these obstacles to win the hearts and souls of many residents of No Man's Land. A Fight for What was Rightfully His By the time Joseph Willis was born, his father Agerton already owned a large estate in North Carolina. When Agerton died, Willis, as his father's only son, was due to inherit more than 3,000 acres. However, Willis 'status as a slave complicated his right to his inheritance. Born a Slave, Denied a Fortune Born to a slave woman, Joseph was himself a slave under the law, but by all indications his father wished to free Joseph and have him inherit the land. Freeing a slave and having him inherit land, though, required legal skill and was a time-consuming process. While the wheels of justice siowly turned, Agerton died. Under the laws of primogeniture, since Joseph was officially still a slave, Agerton's eldest brother Daniel was the legal heir. Instead of obtaining Joseph's freedom through the courts, Daniel worked to overturn the portion of Agerton's will that freed Joseph. He even wrote to the governor to plead his case. A Cousin Breaks from a Father and Stands for a Slave In 1787, John Willis, who was a member of the General Assembly of North Carolina and Daniel's son, introduced a bill to emancipate Joseph. The bill passed on December 6, 1787, and Joseph was free. His freedom, however, came with a price. The stipulation of his freedom was that Joseph must accept the distribution of his father's property as determined by the will s executors. In the end, Joseph did earn his freedom, but he only inherited a small portion of his father's estate. Another Fight Worth Fighting Even though Joseph Willis was a licensed Baptist minister, he was not ordained, which meant he was not sanctioned to establish churches. In 1810 Willis left Louisiana to be ordained by the Mississippi Baptist Association. On his first trip to Mississippi, the Mississippi Baptist Association refused to ordain him. Dejected, Willis traveled back to Louisiana, but a fellow minister told him that his chances to be ordained would improve if the people he served wrote a letter on his behalf. Willis returned to Mississippi, this time with a letter in hand, and was ordained. In 1812 the ordained Willis established the Calvary Baptist Church in Bayou Chicot. Louisiana had earned its statehood only seven months earlier. A Weary Traveler Earns His Reward Alone and in a dangerous place, Willis faced a perilous road, but he persevered. In 1833 Willis became pastor of Occupy Baptist Church near Pitkin. People say that he preached until his dying breath. A monument in his honor rests in Occupy Number 1 Cemetery, near Louisiana Highway 113., Left Panel,
Joseph Willis, Apostle to the Opelousas. Joseph Willis preached in the Opelousas and Atakapa regions of Louisiana. Many claim that Willis was the first Baptist preacher to preach west of the Mississippi and that he established the first Baptist church west of the Mississippi. Father Willis, as he was affectionately known, spent many years in Louisiana During his long life, he established many Baptist churches. Occupy Baptist Church No.1 and Occupy Baptist Church No. 2, located only a few miles away from this site, are two. Once a Slave, Now a Free Minister Born in 1762 in the Carolinas, Joseph Willis was the son of Agerton Willis, an Englishman, and a woman who was a Native American and a slave. Since under Carolina law all interracial marriages were illegal, Joseph Willis was born a slave, as well. As a slave, Willis was not free to leave his home or to preach. In 1787 Willis appealed his status as a slave in a historically significant court case. The court did rule in Willis favor; however, the court required that Willis sacrifice most of his inheritance for his freedom. Willis left his home with a few meager possessions and set out to minister and preach. He made his way to southwest Mississippi by 1798, and by the early 1800s he had traveled to Louisiana. Willis Braves a Dangerous Place Father Willis left Mississippi with the intention of preaching the gospel to those settlers west of the Mississippi River who lived without the benefit of churches and preachers. He often traveled great distances by foot to reach small groups. He crossed rivers and creeks, sometimes swimming his mules across the dangerous currents. Other times, he rode logs downstream to visit people isolated in the woods. For these reasons, people still tell stories about the dangers Father Willis faced for his faith. Nothing but a Horse, Bridle, and Saddle These are the legendary words Joseph Willis used to describe how he arrived in Louisiana. Still and all, while preaching in the hostile territory of No Man's Land, Father Willis often traveled alone. One night after preaching in a remote location, Willis stopped at a boarding house along the road. As was the custom, Willis took his meal at the large common dining table and shared a room with several other boarders. That evening, Willis met in the company of travelers a man who was terribly sick. Late into the night, Father Willis comforted him by reading from the Bible, praying, and witnessing about Jesus Christ. When Father Willis awoke the next morning, he found all the other travelers gone except the man sick in bed. The sick man explained that when Willis was sleeping, he heard the other travelers planning an ambush for him. The sick man begged the preacher to listen to him and to take another road. Willis heeded the man's advice, and his life was spared the sick man became a believer for life.
Center Panel
Carving a home from the rough landscape of No Man's Land was no easy task. The wilderness crawled with dangers, and for most, gathering
up enough food to feed the family was an onerous job. Slowly, the hardy residents of the region began to change the area from frontier
backcountry to small, prospering farming communities. The establishment of churches was an essential part of the transformation. Churches
provided pioneers and their communities with a foundation of faith and an important social organization that prompted fellowship and
interdependence.
Circuit Riders Preach in No Man's
Land
Started by Methodists, Baptists, and many other denominations, several churches sprouted throughout the region during the second half of
the 19th century, and nearly every early church in the parish tells a story of a hard-working and disciplined preacher traveling by mule, by
oxcart, or by foot to reach the faithful. Pragmatic and tough, these traveling preachers, known as "circuit riders," were also scrupulous and
righteous, enduring hardships for the sake of their calling.
Attached to several churches in an area, a circuit rider would travel from one of his churches to another, eventually making a large circular
route, or circuit, before returning home. When the circuit rider
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arrived, residents gathered for baptisms, weddings, funeral services, and
revivals. Molded by frontier democracy, the preacher was well equipped to appeal to the typical member of his congregation. Usually the
preacher combined farming with his church work, and early on, before churches were organized, the preacher received no pay for his services.
According to a common saying, the preacher worked as hard as any frontiersman: "For five or six days he toiled on the farm, and on the
Sabbath he preached.
The Holly Grove Methodist Church, established in 1832, is the oldest documented church in Vernon parish. Like many others churches, it was
served by a circuit rider. Legend says he arrived for each service with a Bible in his hand and a gun strapped to his saddle. Bandits, bears,
and other forms of danger roamed the region. A good preacher was not to be dissuaded from his call. Early Church Services
When available, preachers performed several rites. Baptisms were held in nearby creeks or rivers. Before a river baptism could
take place, members of the congregation located a suitable site on the river-checking the water depth and clearing the riverbed
of any danger. Finally, members constructed sheet tents for the candidates dressing rooms.
Marriages, too, were held when they could be had. Many people tell stories of a young couple arriving at a preacher
Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, January 28, 2022
2. Religion in the Neutral Strip Marker
Center Panel
s door on
a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and asking to be married. In this circumstance, it was customary for the minister to receive a
small payment. If an inexperienced groom asked the minister how much the service would cost, the wily preacher might ask in
return, “How much is she worth to you?”
Church Houses Become Schoolhouses
Often made of rough cut lumber, early churches were large, rectangular buildings. A few interior walls might separate the
large meeting room from a smaller room, but many lacked all of the modern conveniences of today. Usually the first school in a
settlement occupied the same building as the church. The schoolhouse cabin had few supplies and little of the typical schoolroom
furniture. All the children were educated in the same room, and they usually sat on wood benches, often made from split logs.
Sometimes communities built a school before having a teacher, but once a suitable educator arrived, families often paid a modest
tuition to pay the teacher's salary and operate the school. A typical day of school usually lasted around six hours. Schools stayed
open for three to six months depending on attendance. Textbooks were expensive and hard to come by, and each child purchased
his or her own books. If books couldn't be purchased, the child went to class without the needed book.
Right Panel
Joseph
Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, January 28, 2022
3. Religion in the Neutral Strip Marker
Right Panel
Willis, A Preacher With An Iron Will
Willis Never Feared a Fight
Spreading the gospel across the Mississippi, Joseph Willis faced a wild
landscape, rugged conditions, racial discrimination, and sometimes even
strict laws that limited where he could preach. Never one to back down, he
overcame these obstacles to win the hearts and souls of many residents of No
Man's Land.
A Fight for What was Rightfully His
By the time Joseph Willis was born, his father Agerton already owned a large
estate in North Carolina. When Agerton died, Willis, as his father's only son,
was due to inherit more than 3,000 acres. However, Willis 'status as a slave
complicated his right to his inheritance.
Born a Slave, Denied a Fortune
Born to a slave woman, Joseph was himself a slave under the law, but by all
indications his father wished to free Joseph and have him inherit the land.
Freeing a slave and having him inherit land, though, required legal skill and
was a time-consuming process. While the wheels of justice siowly turned,
Agerton died. Under the laws of primogeniture, since Joseph was officially
still a slave, Agerton's eldest brother Daniel was the legal heir. Instead of
obtaining Joseph's freedom through the courts, Daniel worked to overturn
the portion of Agerton's will that freed Joseph. He even
Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, January 28, 2022
4. Religion in the Neutral Strip Marker
Left Panel
wrote to the governor
to plead his case. A Cousin Breaks from a Father and Stands for a Slave
In 1787, John Willis, who was a member of the General Assembly of North
Carolina and Daniel's son, introduced a bill to emancipate Joseph. The bill
passed on December 6, 1787, and Joseph was free. His freedom, however,
came with a price. The stipulation of his freedom was that Joseph must accept
the distribution of his father's property as determined by the will s executors.
In the end, Joseph did earn his freedom, but he only inherited a small portion
of his father's estate.
Another Fight Worth Fighting
Even though Joseph Willis was a licensed Baptist minister, he was not ordained,
which meant he was not sanctioned to establish churches. In 1810 Willis left
Louisiana to be ordained by the Mississippi Baptist Association.
On his first trip to Mississippi, the Mississippi Baptist Association refused to
ordain him. Dejected, Willis traveled back to Louisiana, but a fellow minister
told him that his chances to be ordained would improve if the people he served
wrote a letter on his behalf. Willis returned to Mississippi, this time with a
letter in hand, and was ordained. In 1812 the ordained Willis established the
Calvary Baptist Church in Bayou Chicot. Louisiana had earned its statehood
only seven months earlier.
A Weary
Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, January 28, 2022
5. Religion in the Neutral Strip Marker
Traveler Earns His Reward
Alone and in a dangerous place, Willis faced a perilous road, but he persevered.
In 1833 Willis became pastor of Occupy Baptist Church near Pitkin. People
say that he preached until his dying breath. A monument in his honor rests in
Occupy Number 1 Cemetery, near Louisiana Highway 113.
Left Panel
Joseph Willis, Apostle to the Opelousas
Joseph Willis preached in the Opelousas and Atakapa regions of Louisiana. Many
claim that Willis was the first Baptist preacher to preach west of the Mississippi
and that he established the first Baptist church west of the Mississippi. Father
Willis, as he was affectionately known, spent many years in Louisiana
During his long life, he established many Baptist churches. Occupy Baptist
Church No.1 and Occupy Baptist Church No. 2, located only a few miles away
from this site, are two.
Once a Slave, Now a Free Minister
Born in 1762 in the Carolinas, Joseph Willis was the son of Agerton Willis,
an Englishman, and a woman who was a Native American and a slave. Since
under Carolina law all interracial marriages were illegal, Joseph Willis was
born a slave, as well. As a slave, Willis was not free to leave his home or to
preach.
In 1787 Willis appealed his status as a slave in a historically significant court
case. The court did rule
Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, January 28, 2022
6. Religion in the Neutral Strip Marker
Rear of Panel
in Willis favor; however, the court required that Willis
sacrifice most of his inheritance for his freedom. Willis left his home with a
few meager possessions and set out to minister and preach. He made his way
to southwest Mississippi by 1798, and by the early 1800s he had traveled to
Louisiana. Willis Braves a Dangerous Place
Father Willis left Mississippi with the intention of preaching the gospel to
those settlers west of the Mississippi River who lived without the benefit of
churches and preachers. He often traveled great distances by foot to reach
small groups. He crossed rivers and creeks, sometimes swimming his mules
across the dangerous currents. Other times, he rode logs downstream to visit
people isolated in the woods. For these reasons, people still tell stories about
the dangers Father Willis faced for his faith.
Nothing but a Horse, Bridle, and Saddle
These are the legendary words Joseph Willis used to describe how he arrived
in Louisiana. Still and all, while preaching in the hostile territory of No Man's
Land, Father Willis often traveled alone. One night after preaching in a remote
location, Willis stopped at a boarding house along the road. As was the custom,
Willis took his meal at the large common dining table and shared a room with
several other boarders. That evening, Willis met in the company of
travelers a
man who was terribly sick. Late into the night, Father Willis comforted him by
reading from the Bible, praying, and witnessing about Jesus Christ.
When Father Willis awoke the next morning, he found all the other travelers
gone except the man sick in bed. The sick man explained that when Willis was
sleeping, he heard the other travelers planning an ambush for him. The sick man
begged the preacher to listen to him and to take another road. Willis heeded the
man's advice, and his life was spared the sick man became a believer for life. (Marker Number 5.)
Location. 30° 56.095′ N, 92° 56.122′ W. Marker is in Pitkin, Louisiana, in Vernon Parish. Marker is on Middle Street north of Pitkin Highway (State Highway 10/113), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pitkin LA 70656, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2022, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 301 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 5, 2022, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana.
