The DMBC Legacy

From Georgia Roots to Cleveland Legacy: The Founding of Damascus

From these prayer meetings the Damascus Missionary Baptist Church was organized.

Our founding pastor Reverend Rockwell Dumas

Our founding pastor Reverend Rockwell Dumas was ordained in 1918 a Damascus Baptist Church in Georgia. As a farmer whose cotton crop was destroyed by the bow weevil he migrated to Cleveland, Ohio. After joining Zion Hill Baptist Church on 37th and Woodland he encountered so many people from his Georgia home area who had relocated they held a prayer meeting at the home of Watson and Viola Thomas. From these prayer meetings the Damascus Missionary Baptist Church was organized.


Reverend Dumas was the first pastor of Damascus and the second moderator of the Progressive Baptist District. Reverend Dumas trained and encouraged young ministers. He became known as a counselor of pastors and many of the old pastors in Cleveland turned to him for guidance. Reverend Dumas was politically active and in the 1930’s he helped to picket downtown businesses who would not hire blacks or service blacks, these early civil rights demonstrations were organized through the Future Outlook League and were quite successful in providing jobs and allowing blacks to eat in restaurants.

From the Dumas family

From the Dumas family line, a beautiful daughter Nancy married Norman Walton. From that unio came 12 children and Damascus was blessed with many family units which currently consist of the families of Deacon Arthur and JoAnn Walton, Brother Alfred Walton, Brother Arnold and Irene Walton, Sister Emma Byarse, and Sister Patricia Dawson and Husband Godfrey.

The Crosby family link occurred when Ruby Crosby, the oldest grandchild of Reverend Dumas married Jefferson Tufts, Sr. on December 25, 1940. Brother Tufts would often bring his father in-law, Bishop Crosby to church with him and in the late 1940’s, Bishop Crosby and his wife Eleanor joined the Damascus family. During a revival in the late 1940’s Sister Ruby Tufts joined Damascus on a Tuesday. On Wednesday, Eleanor A. Tufts and Sister

Throughout the years the Crosby family link grew, adding to Damascus’ numbers.

Mary Alice (Crosby) Pangburn joined. Then on Thursday, Wilma Sledge joined. They were all baptized on the same day at the old Open Door Baptist Church. Throughout the years the Crosby family link grew, adding to Damascus’ numbers. The families of brother Ted Crosby, Brother Mack and Betty Crosby, Sister Willie Bee Crosby and her children and grandchildren and brother Isaiah Crosby.

By the 1980’s the Crosby link extended to Willie Bee’s niece Jennifer Moore and in the early 1990’s Deacon William Elder and his family joined. By 1995 Brother & Mrrs. William Crosby, Sr. and his 16 great-grandchildren joined followed by his sons, Brother William Crosby and Wayne Crosby.

The Stark family link began with the friendship between Howard Stark and Reverend Dumas at their home church in Georgia. When Howard moved his family to Cleveland his daughter Sister Anna Mae Stark (King), Lillian Stark (Keith), and Ruby Stark (Guerry) decided their church home would be Damascus. In 1947 Sister Keith and Sister King joined and became active, vital members of the congregation.

 

The Stark family link continued

The Stark family link continued with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren becoming members. Currently the families of Ronald (wife Penny) Crenshaw, Joyce (husband Forrest) Reynolds, Geraldine (Husband Furman) Brown and Sister Barbara Willis all descendants of the Stark women are still represented. The Stark link continues with Terrill Clegget, Christine Hill and husband Anthony as well as Francine and Jamal Ansari remain.

Samuel Harrell was ordained as a minister under the pastorate of Pastor Otis Newton. Pastor Harrell has been a member of Damascus since the early 1980’s and remained ar Damascus with his wife Jackie after Reverend Newton moved on in 1987.

The Bacon family link began with Reverend William C. Bacon and Sister Joan Bacon

The Bacon family link began with Reverend William C. Bacon and Sister Joan Bacon coming in 1988 as Pastor and first lady. His family members were eventually represented by daughters Valeria and Husband Le’Arthur Lilly, Joanell and husband Scottie Payne as well as son William Eugene and wife Gloria Bacon their children.
In recent years, the family links continued with Mother Nettie Whitt and her sister Mother Evelyn Williams. Mother Whit’s daughters Evelyne Newsome with husband Richard, Noreen Charles, Freddie Pate and dear friend Mother Vern (Thenolia Olverson). We have welcomes new members from the community and reconnect with past members. Pastor Samuel and Lady Babbette Harrell continue the Damascus history of church family with Damascus as the family of God and Love. That is why we give praise with thanksgiving for 100 years walking with God.