North River Baptist Church Parsonage House
Parsonage House
The first record of a Parsonage House appears in 1871. It was during that year that land was purchased from William Howard and a house was erected for the ministers of the area. The house cost $885.19 According to an 1876 map of Lot 32 William Howard owned two large lots approximately half way down the York Point Road, where the road meets the first creek.20 Only a few years later, the 1880 Meacham Atlas indicates that the same property belonged to John Howard, with two dwellings on the property, but neither indicated use as a parsonage.21
According to records Rev. W.B. Bradshaw took up residence at the parsonage in the fall of 1873. The following year a barn was built on the parsonage grounds. Shortly after, during the ministry of A.H. Lavers (1882-1887), a second parsonage was purchased.22 The next mention of a parsonage house in the records does not appear again until the late 1950’s. One source indicates that a new parsonage house was erected in 1958, which was ‘modern in every respect, and has a large room in the basement for prayer service or Young People’s Groups to meet in. There is also a garage attached.”23 Another source indicates that the people of the church had submitted a proposal for a new parsonage. The sale was completed after the departure of Rev. Cochrane (who departed in 1958) and a new parsonage was erected in 1959 when Rev. R.S. Foster became the new minister.24 It was only a few years later in 1973 that the North River Baptist closed its doors.
