The following is from the book SHENANDOAH A History of Our Town and Its People.
All undertakings, great or small, must have a beginning; but, it seems the Southern Baptists in Shenandoah have had two beginnings, or rather two organizations.
The first organization was attempted on May 10, 1891 when twelve people of Baptist faith met in the Lutheran Church. They were: B.F. Huffman, C.H. Elliott, I. D. Yocum, J. T. Cave, Messrs. H. F. Smith, Georgie Bickers, R.J. Judd, W. P Walker, M.S. Yocum and the Misses May Yocum, Mary Fisher and W. B. White.
Just eleven days later (May 21, 1891) this persevering group met and appointed I. D. yocum church clerk and appointed a committee to build a house of worship. In July they made application for admission into the Shenandoah Baptist Association.
Several pastors served this small congregation. In January 1896, the Rev. J. L. Riley of Bentonvile was called as a regular pastor at a salary or $75 a year which was to be paid quarterly. Services were held morning and night on Second Sundays and at night on fourth Sundays. However, this was short lived because Rev. Riley returned to college that September.
Brothers R. L. Hisey, I. D. Yocum, and J. H. Coleman served as deacons.
The records show this first organization began its life in the Lutheran Church, and later held services in the Disciples of Christ Church, and the Rev. Riley preached his farewell sermon to a large congregation in the United Brethren Church. We acknowledge the generosity of these sister churches.
A field of Kimball, Marksville, and Shenandoah called a pastor, Rev. N. O. Somers, who took charge on September 12, 1897. The Shenandoah services were held in the Y.M.C.A. and the Masonic Hall.
With the migratory population of those days members came and members went and for seven years, 1898 to 1905, there is no record of any Baptist activities in Shenandoah.
To the sisters and brothers of the first organization who labored so faithfully we owe a great debt of gratitude; they kept the little spark of Baptist faith and doctrine alive.
On April 26, 1905 we find a memorable gathering of Baptist folk rekindling the light in the home of Mrs. Mollie (J.H.) Moore. This meeting resulted in a permanent organization of Southern Baptists in Shenandoah. The following made up the organization: R. L. Hisey, J. J. Calloway, S. E. Calloway, Mollie Moore, Lula Green, Bettie Lauck, Annie Reid, and Henrietta Smith. It is interesting to note that the first organization had begun with twelve members and this one with only eight. Brother R. L. Hisey and Sister Mollie Moore were carried over from the first organization with Brother Hisey being the oldest in membership as well as age.
Shenandoah and Stanley constituted a field with the Rev. J. R. Brown as pastor who served from 1905 until 1917. Services were held in the Masonic Hall.
The growing congregation keenly felt the need of an abiding place of worship. In the summer of 1908 the building committee, composed of Brothers J. S. Lauck, R. L. Hisey, and J. K. Roper, let the contract for the church to Mr. D. L. Louderback for $2,200. Donations came in, some as little as 25 cents.
On Sunday, December 13, 1908, the sanctuary was dedicated by Dr. Hatcher of Richmond. The large congregation present on this occasion were seated on boards held up by trestles, as the funds were not available for pews at that time. The membership at that time was about thirty-five.
Rev. James E. Tucker served for seven years, from 1918 to 1925. During this energetic pastorate many improvements were made, among them the purchase of a piano, choir chairs, pulpit furniture and a heating plant. Many members were added, making for a stronger church.
Rev. Melvin W. Bloxom served from 1924 to 1926, during which time the church grew numerically as well as spiritually.
From August 1927 to September 30, 1930, the Rev. Cyrus L. Eubank was pastor. He, along with the congregation, began formulating plans to raise funds to enlarge the church by adding much needed Sunday School rooms.
The churches of Stanley and Shenandoah who had composed a field for twenty-tow or more years separated at this time, Stanley called Rev. J. E. Tucker and Shenandoah attempted a full-time pastor. In December 30, Rev. Julius S. Rushing, who was also a musician, became the pastor. He was able to bring the gospel in both song and sermon. Plans were made and a committee composed of J. B. Reynolds, J. S. Lauck, T. J. Jennings and W. H. Bricker were appointed. They gave the contract to C. E. Louderback for eight Sunday School rooms in the amount of $2,200 which ironically was the same amount as the original church. This was immediately paid for by private subscription.
In September 1934 Rev. Rushing resigned and Stanley and Shenandoah by mutual consent decided to again constitute a field and both churches extended a call to Rev. Edwin M. Vaughn, who entered his pastorate in December 1934. He endeared himself in the hearts of the people. Members were added and improvements were made to the church building. He remained with us until 1938.
During his time, others whom we want to remember are Brothers McCoy, A. R. Christian, S. C. Hutchinson, Dr. S. V. Strickler, J. H. Evans, and S. T. young, all who served as faithful superintendents of our Sunday School.
Based on the history written by the late Alberta (CC.) Bricker- July 4, 1937)
At the resignation of Rev. Vaughan the Stanley-Shenandoah Field called Rev. E.E. Sumpter, who served from 1938 to 1949. At which time our Women€™s Missionary Union became stronger.
Charlie P. Grasskoff served as a supply pastor September 1950 to February 1951, at which time Rev. Lester T. Marsh was called. During this time the parsonage was acquired from Mr. and Mrs. Ray McDaniel, the property adjoined the church on Fourth Street, the Marshes had been the first to live there. Rev. Marsh resigned in 1953, and Rev James H. Fox was called.
Rev Fox served only a year, but he and his family endeared themselves to the congregation. On Sunday, April 25, 1954 he delivered a powerful resignation sermon going Out On a Limb, in which he offered his full-time ministry to the mother church, Stanley, which at this time was the weaker church. He challenged both churches to work for the Kingdom of God. Thus, he, his wife, and two small daughters moved to Stanley.
Another Rev. Fox (Nathan W.) accepted our call and served from 1951 until December 1959. He was our bachelor pastor who found his wife, Mary Alice Starkey, Director of the Baptist Student Union at Madison College. The Sunday School had again outgrown its space, so on May 15, 1955 the congregation bought the double house adjoining the church but facing Pennsylvania Avenue from J.D. and Irene Cash, to be used for additional rooms.
Rev. Clyde Helms served as interim pastor in early 1960 when Rev. Andrew B. Johnson became our pastor from 1960 to 1963.
He was followed by Rev. Robert K. Brubaker, who supplied until December 1963 When Rev. Alvin Y. Allen accepted the call. Rev. Allen remained until 1966.
At that time a call was extended to Rev. P. Hudson Nuckols in 1967, and remains our pastor. He unceasingly ministers to the needy, the sick, and the bereaved. His wife, Peggy, was music major, plays the organ and is our minister of music. They have two children, Christina and Hudson, Jr. During this ministry our second organ has been purchased, an Allen Electronic, the J. D. Cash property was razed in 1972 to make room for an addition to the church. This new wing was dedicated to the glory of God, in the memory of Dr. Alfred Wolfe yocum, by Nathan W. Fox on April 21, 1974. Dr. Yocum, named for the delivering doctor, accepted Christ, was baptized in the Shenandoah River and served as our church clerk when he was only fourteen years old. He later became a Medical Missionary in China and Korea for the last 40 years.
The Lauck family resigned from the communion committee in 1976, which they had prepared for 71 years. On December 1979, Miss Audrey Lauck resigned as Treasurer and Financial Secretary, because of her health, which offices she had held following her father J. S. Lauck, who had geld the office since the beginning of the church.
The above was transcribed from pages 149-150 of the book SHENANDOAH A History of Our Town and Its People. This book was originally printed by the Shenandoah Centennial Association History Committee in 1985. Committee members were: pearl Womack- Chairman, Betty Hockman, Luther Hunt, Eugene Kiblinger, Roy Fischer, Joe Mills and Allen Stanley.
Reverend Nuckols final sermon was July 26, 2015.
From the Town of Shenandoah Council meeting minutes dated August 25, 2015 -Mayor Lucas and Council Members received a thank you letter from Reverend P. Hudson and Peggy Nuckols for the Town recognizing their 48 years of service and recent retirement.
On Sunday May 15, 2016 the Shenandoah Baptist Church will celebrate their 125th anniversary at their Homecoming. Their featured speaker will be their new pastor, David Johnson, ThD.
See article on our website about Reverend Nuckols daughter Christina Nuckols titled
shenandoah-native-christina-nuckols-appointed-by-governor-mcauliffe-as-communications-advisor
Reverend Nuckols daughter Christina Nuckols
