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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF FLAT RIVER
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During the nine years following the original organization membership declined and the year 1910 saw a complete reorganization of the church. [In] July of that year Rev. S. W. Stophlet arrived and on November 6th the reorganization was completed and S. W. Stophlet was installed. John Hill of Kansas City was assisted by Stanley Jewell and John D. Reeder of Piedmont. Messrs. Arbuthnot and Stewart were elders. T. J. Stewart was elected clerk of the session of January 26, 1911, and has acted in that capacity ever since.
Charter members included the following: T. J. Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Keith, Mr. and Mrs. G. B. Williams, Mrs. Jennie Kingsland, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Arbuthnot, the Misses Merriam, Mildred and Margaret Keith, Mrs. J. B. Waring, F. O. Buxton, Mrs. S. W. Stophlet, Misses Let, Mary and Jean Stophlet, Mrs. Mary Arnoldi, Theo. F. Bunte, F. A. Cozenn, Robt. Kingsland, Miss Grace Kingsland, Mrs. Anne E. Bennett, Mrs. Sallie Rivers and Carr Hartshorn.
Charter members still living include T. J. Stewart, now principal of Flat River High School, Mrs. W. A. Arbuthnot of Flat River, Misses Merriam and Mildred Keith, Mrs. J. B. Waring of Flat River, Miss Leta Stophlett (now Mrs. Oliver) of St. Louis, Miss Mary Stophlet (now Mrs. R. T. Murrill of Fredericktown), Miss Jean Stophlet (now living in Ohio), F. A. Cozean (now principal of a Flat River ward school), and Miss Grace Kingsland (now Mrs. T. A. Mathews, wife of the prosecuting attorney in Farmington).
Early citizens of Flat River will remember the double wedding that took place in 1918 when both Miss Mildred Keith and Miss Mary Stophlet marched to the altar to meet their prospective grooms. The first baptism was performed during the year prior to March, 1911, by Rev. Stophlet.
Present active membership is 100 and a Sunday School is maintained for 115 students, necessitating the use of 10 Sunday School teachers.
The church building was dedicated in the autumn of 1912, just about a year after the first Sunday School Mission was organized in East Flat River (1911). A building was erected through the work of Mr. Stinlon in 1912. Later this building was traded to the Free Will Baptist congregation for their house and lot, two lots west of the present Presbyterian Church.
Ministers who have served the congregation include: Dr. Stophlet, Rev. Mezzei, Rev. Selheim, Rev. E. A. K. Grant, Rev. Hugh J. May, Rev. J. C. Berger, Rev. John Lampe and the present pastor, Rev. A. Ramirez.
Of the original charter members, three in particular will be remembered for prominence in their field. Dr. Keith was known throughout Southeast Missouri as an outstanding physician. Mr. Arbuthnot was outstanding as an engineer. Dr. Williams was prominent in sports in the Lead Belt. It was Dr. Williams who brought the baseball teams of Centralia, Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff to play at Flat River.
In the year 1901, T. E. Bunte, W. A. Arbuthnot, a Mr. Pollock and a Mr. Pittsburg organized a Sunday School which met in the I.O.O.F. Building in Taylortown. Later they secured title to the present church site.
On July 29, 1910, S. W. Stroplet, D.D., arrived in Flat River and with the charter members, T. J. Stewart, Mrs. W. A. Arbuthnot, Mrs. T. A. Mathews and Mrs. R. A. Murril, organized the present church on Nov. 6, 1910.
Soon, by local and national church aid, $6,500 was invested in present buildings, Rev.
S. W. Stoplet acting as architect, promoter and supervisor, the building was ready for
dedication by October, 1914. Worthy leaders were S. W. Stoplett, D. D., Hugh J. May and
Jno. C. Berger. T. J. Stewart has served as Sunday School Treasurer and clerk of sessions
from 1910. R. T. Murrill has served as Sunday School superintendent from 1927.
T. J. Stewart.
[Note: The Presbyterian Church no longer uses the above building. A new church was built at 1000 St. Joe Drive, Flat River, Missouri.]
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