The history of the Statesville Ward was collected from several historical sources as well as input from long-standing members of the area.
The Statesville Branch was formed in 1947 or 1948 with eighteen members. Prior to the formation of the Branch, 10 – 15 members had formed a Sunday School and met in the home of Dewey Marlow. At the inception of the branch, the members met in a small one room concrete building on Fifth Street that was purchased for the sum of $4,200. The Branch Presidency included Harlie Wilson as President, Woodrow McCoy as first counselor, and J.D. Marlow as second counselor. Two of the three were great grandsons of Granny Ball (all but Woodrow) see the post Stake Pioneer Families – “Granny Ball”.
The Branch grew quickly. In 1949, there were seventy-two new converts baptized and the Statesville Branch led the entire mission in baptisms.
In 1964, Branch President David G. McCoy, Jr. completed the purchase of the Country Club property off Club Drive, which consisted of 2.9 acres of land and some buildings which were in need of repair for $25,000. This purchase provided the branch with a chapel, eleven classrooms, and a library. At this time the branch was fully organized and soon began its first Early Morning Seminary class, a Boy Scout Troop, and a Cub Scout Pack.
The branch began sending out its first full-time missionaries, who gave two years of their lives and paid all of their expenses to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. The first missionaries to represent the Statesville Branch were Walter (Butch) Marlow, Keith Wilson, Jerry Hoke, Larry Green, and Ben Fleming.
The Statesville Branch soon outgrew its facilities again and a building site on Jane Sowers’ Road was purchased during the Branch Presidency of Douglas C. Barnett. A two-phase building with a chapel, classrooms, offices, small library, and a kitchen began in 1974 with 7,400 square feet of space. On Sunday, January 5, 1975, the first meetings were held in this new chapel under the direction of Branch President Jerry Hoke and his counselors, Dean Griffin and Keith Wilson. On May 9, 1976, the new building was dedicated by the North Carolina – Greensboro Mission President, Charles M. Alexander. This meeting was conducted by newly called Branch President Phillip Leroy Loyd.
On November 20, 1977, the Statesville, North Carolina Stake of the church was formed, comprising the wards and branches from Winston-Salem, Mount Airy, Hickory, Avery County, Lenoir, Marion, Morganton, North Wilkesboro, and Boone, North Carolina. These wards and branches were formerly part of either the Hickory, NC District or the Greensboro, NC Stake. Michael S. Bullock was called as the first President of the Statesville Stake.
With the formation of the stake, the Statesville Branch became the Statesville Ward and President Phillip Leroy Loyd was called as the first Bishop of the Ward, with counselors Thomas Rash and Johnny Greene.
In December 1978, the Statesville Ward qualified by attendance requirements to begin building a third-phase addition to the present building, which included classrooms, a larger library and kitchen, and a combination auditorium – gym.
On November 25, 1979, the Statesville Stake was divided into two new stakes – Asheville and Winston-Salem. The Statesville Ward was part of the Winston-Salem Stake with President Bullock continuing as Stake President of the new stake. The Winston-Salem Stake was comprised of the Statesville, North Wilkesboro, Winston-Salem 1 and 2, Boone, Avery County, and Sparta Wards and Branches.
In September 1982, the Statesville Ward held an open house to celebrate completion of the third phase of the building program. The third phase added 7,200 square feet to the original two phases, making a total of 14,600 square feet.
In September 1982, the Statesville Ward boundaries included all of Iredell and part of Davie counties, with a membership of 383 persons. The Statesville Ward is now part of the Hickory Stake.
We express our gratitude for those that have offered so much to build up the kingdom in this area.
