Washington County

The Baptist Churches in Washington County belonged to Bentonville Association until 1871, when the Fayetteville Baptist Association was organized. The Bentonville Association is now in its forty-eighth year. The Missionary Baptists did not begin the organizing of churches so early as some of the other denominations by several years. The oldest congregation of which any record could be found is styled Friendship Baptist Church. It was organized about three miles southeast of Springdale, in May, 1847, by R. C. Hill and J. F. Mitchell. Among the first members were Joseph Baker, James Meek, James White, Isaac Horton, Rhoda Baker, Elizabeth

This institution was chartered in 1852, and went into operation in a brick building erected for the purpose at Boonsboro‘. Rev. Robert M. King, of Missouri, was president, and Prof. S. Doak Lowry, assistant. After laboring for about six years Mr. King resigned, and his place was filled by the promotion of Prof. Lowry. James H. Crawford and P. W. Buchanan were at the same time made assistants. An effort was made to raise an endowment by scholarships, and Rev. W. G. L. Quaite was appointed endowing agent. He received in donations and scholarships about $1,000, but owing to the