Family History Miscellaneous album, page 32

Jeannie Hicks

daughter of Elvin Hicks

Lorene Lanham, Annie Hicks

(see anecdote below)

Bernice, Vernell, Lowell, Olan Hicks

Vernell Hicks

Irene Hicks

Dewayne Selvidge

nephew of Bill Selvidge, mentioned in the anecdote below

Ulysses Hicks, my great-grandfather

see anecdote below

Bernice Hicks, youngest daughter of Ulysses Hicks

who wrote the anecdote below

*   *   *

A little history of the Benton harbor, Michigan church, as I remember ... 

Written by Bernice Rogers in May 1998 

    In 1942 Ulysses Hicks (called Ulys) and his wife, Annie hicks moved to Bridgman, Michigan from Judsonia, Arkansas. They looked for a Church of Christ and didn’t find one. Then they saw an ad in the paper by Wayne Lanham, saying they wanted to start a Church of Christ, so Ulys and Annie answered it. They got a church started in the YMCA building on Wall street in Benton Harbor, Michigan. 

    Ulys and Annie took their four teenagers, Vernell, Olan, Bernice and Lowell and went. The congregation was very small in number. The other families were: Albert Bradshaw and wife, Millie; Sular Elkins and wife, Lola; Wayne Lanham and wife Lorene; Mr. And Mrs. Selvidge and son, Billie; Harley and Retha story, and I believe Lawrence and Alma Shannon. Harley and Retha Story had two teenage sons, Hillard and Gene. Hillard later became our preacher in St. Joe. 

    We had enough teenagers to have a class. We would go into a small room adjacent to the room the church was in, to have our class. The room was barely big enough for us to get into. 

    Besides Hillard and Gene story, the other teenagers were, Bill Selvidge, and I think the Story’s had two girls, Glenice and Ann. The Hicks kids were Vernell, Olan, Bernice and Lowell. Mrs. Selvidge was our teacher. 

    In Arkansas we had always gone to a church that didn’t have Sunday school, but Ulys Hicks had no objection to it so we kept going, and he helped out wherever he could. He had always preached in Arkansas, so he would preach, wait on the table, lead the singing - whatever was needed, and so the Benton Harbor church was born.

Church of Christ (present day), Benton Harbor, Michigan