1850-1853  

Horatio John was born November 21, 1813, at Old Wiccacon Meetinghouse, Murfreesboro, Hartford County, NC, the son of Araunah Bardwell and Sarah Sally Guion Bardwell. He was educated at Princeton, from which he graduated in 1832 or 1833. He completed his theological studies at Union Seminary in Richmond, VA in the spring of 1838. 

During this time, his father had moved to Starkville, MS. Bardwell followed to Mississippi and was accordingly licensed by the Presbytery of Tombigbee. He supplied the church at Starkville as a probationer for one year, after which, in the autumn of 1839, he was ordained and settled as pastor there. 

Rev. Bardwell was married to Agnes G. Gordon and had 5 children. In 1846 he moved to Choctaw County and became pastor of the Lebanon and Bethsalem Churches. He was editor of the area’s first Presbyterian newspaper, the Mississippi Presbyterian (1852-1853). He was elected stated clerk of Presbytery of Tombigbee in 1842, serving in that office until his death at age 39 on June 20, 1853. 

On August 4, 1849, Presbyterians of south Choctaw County met at a location which was about three miles north of French Camp for the purpose of establishing a church. The Rev. Bardwell was commissioned by the Presbytery of Tombigbee to assume charge and was assisted by Rev. G. W. Boggs. 

We have no record of why “Olney” was chosen to be the name of this newly formed Presbyterian Church. It may have been because one or more families came from the Olney Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, NC. Or it may have been because they used Olney Hymns, a hymnal containing hymns by John Newton and William Cowper (including Amazing Grace and Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken) which was widely used by reformed and other gospel believing churches on the American frontier throughout the 1800’s. 

During the first year or two of its existence the Olney Presbyterian Church occasionally had the services of Rev. Bardwell who preached monthly for several years prior to his death.