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Archiver > BRETHREN > 2002-03 > 1016569222


From: "Jane Davis" <>
Subject: [BRE] Holmesville, Gage County, Nebraska
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 13:59:22 -0700


The Holmesville, Gage County, NEBRASKA cemeteries are online at http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/county/gage/cemeteries/

There were several Churches of the Brethren organized in Gage County Nebraska. If you do not find your Thompson ancestors in the Holmesville Brethren cemetery there are several others which might contain your family members such as Filley Public (Mud Creek), Pleasant View (Brethren), Virginia Public, and Wymore.

If you have access to the Brethren Encyclopedia, there are several articles on these churches and their ministers in it. The Holmesville Church of the Brethren was organized in 1875 with 15 members and is located 9 miles south of Beatrice, NE. By 1881 there were 175 members as groups of Brethren arrived from Iowa, Indiana, and Tennessee. It was originally known as the South Beatrice Church of the Brethren to distinguish it from the other brethren churches organized nearby, but after 1966 its name was changed to the Holmesville COB.

The congregation would still hold records for this church since it is still an active church. However, the records would be of the Council Meetings (business meetings). A separate list of members is sometimes kept with their dates of membership and sometimes the death dates. Some churches have kept the "church letter" which a member of the COB brought with them when transferring from one brethren church to another, other churches have lost these over the years. This congregation may also have records of men's work meetings, elders' meetings, women's and youth work activites, as well as financial and Sunday School members. Records of births were not kept as adult baptism was practiced, only records would be available of those who were baptized as adults.
The most recent address I have for this church is: Holmesville Church of the Brethren, RR 1 Box 16, Holmesville, NE 68374-9710. Mail can be addressed to the pastor c/o the church. It is located 1 1/4 mi east and 1 mi north of the community of Holmesville or 6 mi east and 3 mi south of Beatrice. The Holmesville Brethren cemetery listed in Rockford Township, section 21, is the cemetery connected to this church. I hope this will help you with your search. Jane Davis.

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