Uncle Sam's Early Days At Morris Fork

By Margaret R. Bishop - 1937

The Rev. Samuel VanderMeer came from New York City, where he had worked in the slums. Mrs. Elizabeth Blackman, who was located in Leslie County and with whom he had previously worked with in the slum district of New York City, invited him to spend his vacation with her during the summer of 1923. Here he met Dr. Harvey S. Murdock, head of the Buckhorn College, Perry County. During the following winter, 1923-24, Rev. Van de Meer taught school at Freeman's Fork of Long's Creek, Breathitt County, and boarded about with the pupils in their homes. This was a voluntary school.

"I conducted Sunday School and preaching services. We had no church, but twenty-one people confessed Christ. We had some trouble, but the people became attached to me, and I prayed about a great deal about my work, for I wanted to go to South American in the Mission field.

"Among those, who confessed Christ, was the worst man in the community, most lawless man, Lewis Strong-no he'll not object to giving his name, but there is one man whom I cannot give the name of.

In February when I returned to New York City, Buck Fox, age 50, went to Buckhorn, and then rode three miles to Chavies to the train to see me. He said, "We're not saying goodbye, and Lewis Strong rode three miles, horseback, to Chavies, and as I was about to board the train, Lewis handed me his watch and chain asking me to take it, to look at it and every time I looked at it to remember him in prayer.

After reaching New York City I took first aid work at some of the medical clinics in Brooklyn, for three months. During this time I received several letters from Lewis, and from the children to return to come back and continue work. I had a letter from Dr. Harvey S. Murdock to come back and continue the work. He had the Morris Fork field in view although I did not know about it.

In the late Summer of 1921 returned to Sandlin, on Freeman Fork, Breathitt County, and was greeted enthusiastically by the people. I taught school at Sandlin three days a week, and on four nights a week I had the adults at school. An average of twenty pupils attended all that Winter. We used the county school house at Sandlin at nights, and for lights we used pine knotts, and wicks in bottles filled with kerosene oil, for we had only one table lamp. These other lights were used on the desks. During this time I taught school three days a week at Morris Fork. We also had Sunday School and preaching services. At the schools all of the adults entered into the spirit of the work, none laughed at the other, some made awfully progress way southwest. After driving seven miles you reach Old Buck (a stream), turn south, and drive up about five miles to Canoe, up the Middle Fork River of Kentucky, seven miles to the mouth of Leng's Creek where Crockettsville is located, then drive up Long's Creek three miles. Morris Fork is situated about one mile or one-half mile from the confluence of Morris Fork with the Left Fork of Leng's Creek, as there are two forks of long's Creek, one is called the Right Fork and the other is known as the Lefe Fork). Sandlin is three miles beyond Morris Fork, on the long's Creek.

"The people came in 1926 from Morris Fork to me and wanted to build a dwelling for me, they offered building material, lumber, and labor. However I had been warned that Morris Fork was a wild community and I was told that it would be a waste of time to go there. I had been holding Sunday School there on Sundays. I was conducting three Sunday Schools at that time. Mrs. Blackman and I had lived in the little house which we had been able to get, but at this time it was sold, therefore the necessity of building.

I was getting $50 a month during 1925-26. We built a community house first, six rooms to begin with. In June, 1927,1 was married and in the Fall the forest Hill Presbyterian Church of Newark, New Jersey, became interested and asked me to be their missionary. The people of Morris Fork and Breathitt County resent the world missionary as missionaries go out to the heathen, so we call this a Community House, Community Church and school. The children call me 'Uncle Sam'. Yes, we had trouble there when I first went there. Soon after I went there, officers came and broke up 13 stills. However, some lawyer told me not long ago that for the past five years no major crime had been committed at Morris Fork."

"I have shrouds on the choir. Yes, they call them shrouds. Yes, I mean a vest choir, they wear white robes, but the people call them shrouds.

For instance some of the choir members come in overalls, and one may wear a pink dress and another may wear a red dress. Yes, it is distracting. I wish to have a quiet place of worship where we can consecrate on worship of God. We have just as quiet place to worship in now as in any city church."

The Rev. Mr. J.M. Bemis of Jackson Presbyterian church told me about his Rev. Van de Meer wishing all of the members to take some part in building the Morris Fork Church. Each one did something; even a little child of about two years of age held a hammer in her hand, with the hand of an adult grasping the child's hand and a small nail was driven.