Personal testimonials about Hopewell.

Homecomings at Hopewell

It was in 1944 that the Rev. J.W. Smith, who dearly loved Hopewell, suggested that the Sons and Daughters of the church become an organization to help sustain Hopewell. The second Sunday in August was set aside for the Sons and Daughters, many of whom had left and headed north, to come back to do a program, and open up their purses for Hopewell. Homecoming was changed to the third Sunday in August when it was realized that the second Sunday interfered with the minister's sermon.

Moving on up

The Sons and Daughters of Hopewell were members of the church who migrated to such places as Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA,  New Jersey, and New York. They would come back to visit Hopewell in August for Homecoming.

They were portrayed as a people who had prospered--with their fancy clothes and shiny black cars that become dust laden as Hwy. 5 was a dirt road until 1931.

Those of us left behind had but one dream: to catch train #40 and go up the road where the streets were paved with gold.

Nevertheless, the returnees were particularly appreciative of food baskets that were prepared by the women of the church, and carefully spread on make shift tables under the shade trees. They came back to once again to taste that country ham, served on homemade biscuits; fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, fresh country vegetables, home made pies and cakes. 

Chineta-Smith Gamble

The first sign of freedom

One special story grandma--Mary Diana Charlotte Cardelia Whisonant--told had to do with her having been born free. 

She and her white friend, Alice, were playing outside one day in 1875, when Alice said, 'Dinah, if Lincoln hadn't come along and freed ya'll, Pa said you was gonna be mine.'

Grandma would giggle with great glee as she related the incident. She was so glad that she had miss being her friend's slave.

The 40-mile walk for a pastor

Grandma Whisonant had other stories she told us about post Civil War years. She liked to talk about her papa, who was responsible for Hopewell getting its first full-time pastor.

Wylie Whisonant, grandma's father, was very glad that some of the elders had seen fit to purchase Hopewell from the Independent Presbyterian Church.

But having a "supply pastor" was not quite to Wylie's liking. So one day he oiled his feet, put on his boots and headed out at 4 a.m. He walked to Biddle College--a 40-mile trip-- in Charlotte (now Johnson C. Smith University) in search of a pastor at the school's Presbyterian Seminary.

He walked there and back in one day. Grandma marveled about how blistered his feet were and how 'Ma had a time trying to make them well again.'

Grandma said the seminary was so impressed by Wiley Whisonant's earnest appeal that the church got its first full-time pastor a short time later.

LaVella Meacham Hardin