On January 22, 2014, I was blessed to reach The Reverend Shelia E. Crabb, who is a Pastor in the C.M.E. Church. I found her on Facebook. (Praise God) Here is what I wrote her:
Dear Pastor Crabb:
I am praying that I have reached the Shelia Crabb who is affiliated with the 5th Episcopal District of the C.M.E. Church, and who serves as Pastor of the Liberty C.M.E. Church in Oak Bowery, Alabama. I have recently sent you a facebook “friend” request, in hopes that you will accept my request, and that one day, I can meet you. I happened upon your name after looking up the Liberty CME Church. I am interested in attending worship services at Liberty C.M.E. Church one Sunday morning if I can arrange it (depending upon your meeting Sundays).
You would be totally amazed at how I have come to know who you are. I’m a life-long resident of Roanoke, (Randolph County) Alabama, however, not very long ago, I learned that my mother’s family origins are in Oak Bowery, Alabama. I did a lot of researching and found the community, and even learned of the Church they attended there in Oak Bowery, even prior to the end of slavery. I am somewhat of a Genealogical enthusiast, and I’ve been on a quest to learn more about my mother’s family history. After doing quite a bit of research, I come to find out, that my great grandfather AND great grandmother originated from two large families (The Peters) and (The Foremans) there in Oak Bowery. I long to visit that area and attend worship services. My family (The Peters) have done quite a bit of extensive research on their origins, and we have a website, which I set up for them http://www.peters-clements-gazaway.org/ which you are welcome to visit.
You can use the guest log-in which is “pcg” (or it may-be “PCG” in uppercase letters) to access our website, where you’ll see references to Liberty C.M.E. Church. I hope you’ll accept my friend request, and feel free to contact me at caclarkfrieson@msn.com or phone: 334.646.2056. I would love to speak to you.
Anyway, I mentioned to a very very dear friend of my Reverend Jacquelyn Cumberlander that I was looking for you, and she excitedly told me you had taken a pastoral course with her with Reverend Michael Stiggers at Mount Pisgah in LaFayette. at any rate, I do hope we can speak, and you can let me know about your meeting Sundays. I have remained a Methodist (United Methodist) in Roanoke, Alabama, because my mother (who was a Peters) always staunchly insisted that I remain true to my Methodist roots. Look forward to communicating with you further.”
LO AND BEHOLD, she was the right Reverend Shelia Crabb, and to my surprise, she immediately CALLED ME. It was like another family reunion all over again! She told me about Liberty C.M.E. and about them having a new pastor now, Reverend Lorin Manley.
She also shared with me how she had struggled to try to re-construct and re-write the history of Liberty C.M.E. Church and offered to share her history with me. I will post her history on this site as well.
I am now in the process of trying to combine the histories of Liberty C.M.E., and plan on visiting there. I now count her a new friend to the Peters family and will be staying in touch with her.
Praise the Lord, Sis. Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson, I served Liberty CME Church for 4 years, as their Pastor. They are the best blessing that I have received in folks this far. After the church burned in 2009. I was determined to find the history of this bush arbor church before we finished re-building. (We wanted to read it at the dedication service)The Little history that I found came from one of the oldest members of Union Hilll CME Church (I Pastored them both at the same time) I was creating a Directory for both churches and used the information that I received from Union Hills Directory. The history that I found was limited, but it was not insignificant. This small amount of information had the deed and the bill of sale of the property and the sale price of the property dated in the 1800’s. I used it to write who bought the property and it’s first location and first Pastor, and the names of the first families. I remember one of the names on the bill of sale was Forman. When I spoke to you, in our phone conversation I was emotional, because the questions were answered. The missing pieces to the puzzle, they came together.It is good to know that you have a desire to serve the vineyard and benefit from the labor thereof. you and your family are blessed and I am proud to have become apart of your family history. keep up the servant work and sing your song while it is day, because the night comes quicker than we think. Be Blessed!
What a coincidence,
The Reverend Sheila E. Crabb was a student at Opelika High School in Opelika, Alabama during my tenure as counselor. What a small world. If this is the same Sheila Crabb, she was a delight then. She always had a beautiful smile for all of those she met. I am learning so much about my family, the Peters. Thank you for all you are doing. I will begin my quest as soon as I retire from my many projects. Patsy Boyd Parker.
To my sweet Soror Patsy Boyd Parker. You are right it is a SMALL WORLD. I am just today reading your comment to my post regarding Reverend Shelia Crabb. It warms my heart to know that we have been from the same family all these years, and even though time and circumstance brought us together many many years ago, I didn’t have a clue back then, just how closely we were related. I need you to update me with your family tree. How desperately I want to complete the family trees, but I don’t have enough information to complete them. I have been so anxious to talk to you, but I know what a busy person YOU are, and how full your life has been. But, when you have the time, I hope we can sit down together and you can help me pull this information together accurately and correctly.