In October 1854 (the actual date is not recorded in the original minutes of the Session) Rev. A. J. Haynes, a member of good standing in Bartholomew Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Elders John Bridges and Daniel Williams from the White Spring congregation, met with a group of people, including those from Cane Creek Church who desired to establish a new church near the present city of Hampton. At that meeting Mount Pleasant Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized under the care of Bartholomew Presbytery. The following people were received as charter members of the new church, Nancy Simpson Newton, Jeremiah (first sheriff of Calhoun County) and Sarah “Sallie” Puckett Hollis, Mary Bridges, Harriett Bridges (daughter of Jeremiah Hollis and daughter-in-law of Mary Bridges), Margaret Rowen, Margaret Riggs, James Harvey “JH” and Mary Bradford Means, Cyrus C. Silliman, and John Silliman (son of Cyrus), “by experience”.
Others joining later in the month and received by Rev. Haynes were Edny Riggs, Ira and Martha Simpson Oliver, Isaiah Rowen, James Ricks, and John Cornett. Church records state that The Mount Pleasant Session met, and James H. Means, Cyrus C. Silliman and Jeremiah Hollis were ordained as the first Ruling Elders for the congregation and James H. Means was the first church clerk.
Those members received in November 1854 were Sarah F. Hollis, Mary “Mel” Hollis, Elizabeth “Betty” Hollis, (these three Hollis girls were daughters of Jeremiah and Mel and Betty were twins), Harriett J. Means, Henryetter Means, William J. Buzbee, J. D. Buzbee, Prepare Cornett (wife of John), Jeptha brother of Ira) and Elizabeth Oliver, and Perry (servant of James H Means).
Mount Pleasant was not received into the presbytery until December of 1856 at which time the Cane Creek Church was officially closed. Throughout the years Mount Pleasant was known as “the Camp Ground” and in the fall of 1953 the name was officially changed to Camp Ground Church.
The original church (1854-?) set in the middle of what is now Camp Ground Cemetery. A new wood-framed church was built across the road (circa 1900-actual date not certain). This church was later sold and moved to Locust Bayou in 1951 at the same time the present brick church was built. The church grew and in 1985 it became necessary to build on a new educational wing which included more Sunday School space and a new fellowship center. Pastors over the years have been A. J. Haynes , Absalom Fortenberry, Josiah Willmon, William McBride, E. W. Pharr, E. Waddell, Benjamin A. Ingram, J. J. Wilson, D. L. Walker, T. S. Douglas, H. B. Hollingsworth, Acy Hollingsworth, H. Herrington, J. W. Wilson, F. A. Clampett, T. J. West, Charles H. Jackson, K. I. Ingram, H. W. “Wash” Inzer, Thomas W. “Tom” Newton, Ben Ingram, Dale Gentry, Loyce S. Estes (First full-time Pastor), Earnesy M. Jennings, Joe Matlock, Thomas “Tom” Ballard, Sidney Slaton, Horace Snipes, William H. Jones, Wallace Renner, Oren L. Stover, Virgil Bailey, Tony Janner, Garland Skidmore, Anton Ciomperlik, Charles Pruitt, Keith Marriott, Dwight J. Shanley, and Garland Skidmore.
