| FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH |
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In addition to serving as pastor of the church in Commerce Township, Rev. Wire continued his long-standing missionary work by establishing other churches in southeast Michigan, including Highland Township. Durant's History of Oakland County, Michigan (1877), p. 204, describes how the Highland Free Will Baptist Church:
"... was organized July 10, 1855, by Rev. Samuel Wire, a venerable and much-respected minister of that denomination, who has figured quite conspicuously in matters pertaining to the church in Highland and neighboring townships. At the time of the organization the number of members was seven, namely: Mr. and Mrs. A. Lockwood, Mr. and Mrs. E. Lockwood, Mr. and Mrs. William Banker and Lydia Wheeler. A few years subsequent considerable accessions were made, until the membership has increased to fifty-one. There have been ten pastors over the church, as follows: Rev. Samuel Wire, _____ Starr, D.C. Parshall, S. A. Williams, S. A. Currier, B.F. Herrick, J. B. Drew, William Murdin, Lewis Clark, and E.M. Corey, the present incumbent."
In the years immediately following its organization the congregation worshiped in homes, then later at the Hickory Ridge stone school. In 1868-69, however, member Edmond Lockwood donated land on the southwest corner of Hickory Ridge and Clyde Roads, on which a simple wood frame church was constructed at a cost of $2,000.00. Alonzo Lockwood, the brother of Edmond, was a stone mason and reportedly constructed the building's stone foundations.
