The Junaluska Story

Reverend Ronda Horton

Reverend Ronda Horton was widely known across Watauga County for his ministry and selfless contributions to the Junaluska community. He was the beloved pastor at Boone Mennonite Brethren Church for many years where his dedication to family and commitment to the relationships he built during his time on earth were evident. Horton was known as the “Moses of the Mountains” because he baptized many people in the Junaluska community and in other areas throughout the county.¹ His impact on the community was significant and he has been recognized with many awards for his contributions to the Junaluska community and the town of Boone.

Reverend Ronda Horton was born in Boone, NC in 1895. He was raised in a one room house on North Street in the section of Junaluska known as “the Hill.” During Horton’s childhood, there were 15-18 families living on “the Hill.” Horton grew up in a family with Black, Native American, and White ancestry. He learned from his family the importance of faith, hard work, and kindness.² Reverend Horton’s life was shaped by his steadfast faith and compassionate love for others. These values had a lasting impact on his community.

Horton attended school at both a small Methodist church and the Salem Mennonite Mission Church and Orphanage in Avery County.³ In exchange for his schooling, Horton fed farm animals, worked in the garden, performed other chores, and built a dam for a baptismal pool. As a young person, Horton was baptized and became a member of the Mennonite Brethren church in Boone, North Carolina.⁴

Reverend Ronda Horton was ordained in 1933 and spent many years of his life as the pastor of the Boone Mennonite Brethren Church.⁵ This was the same year that Horton married Ruth Whittington. Though they had no children of their own, the Hortons became beloved mentors and caregivers to many in their community.⁶ In 1955, Rev. Horton was chosen as the moderator of the North Carolina district of the Mennonite Church.⁷ Horton was well known for his reserved preaching style and his emphasis on following the Bible, especially its teachings of kindness and forgiveness.⁸ Horton’s wife Ruth passed away in 1980, and later Horton married Dora Wellington Maxwell, finding companionship and continuing his work and serving his community.⁹

In addition to his ministry, Horton helped build infrastructure and business in Boone. During the 1930s, he helped build the first hard-pack roads in Boone, including King Street. Horton owned a team of horses and a wagon, and he was paid $7.50 a day for his labor.¹⁰ Horton also worked at the Daniel Boone Hotel, and eventually he started his own ice and coal business on North Depot Street at the base of the Junaluska community. He served customers of all races, and this earned him a town-wide reputation as a good businessman. Additionally, Horton served on the school committee for Black schools in Boone during the 1920s and the 1940s.¹¹

During his life, Reverend Ronda Horton greatly impacted the Junaluska neighborhood, Boone, and the High Country through his ministry and businesses. Today, Horton is remembered as someone who was hard-working, honest, and fair. His legacy in Watauga County has been recognized as he was inducted into the Watauga County Historical Society’s Hall of Fame in 2022.¹²

Reverend Ronda Horton

“Our History,” Boone Mennonite Brethren Church. https://boonembchurch.com/our-history/

Bibliography

Brennan, Moss. “Watauga County Historical Society Announces Rev. Ronda Horton as Hall of Fame Inductee.” Watauga Democrat. February 21, 2022. https://www.wataugademocrat.com/news/local/watauga-county-historical-society-announces-rev-ronda-horton-as-hall-of-fame-inductee/article_15183140-7f9c-5e3b-9f02-5dd04e7b137f.html.

“Early Twentieth Century: Rev. Ronda Horton.” Junaluska Heritage Society https://junaluskaheritage.org/exhibits/show/.history-of-junaluska-community/pre--depression

Goertzen, Peggy. “Rondo Horton: ‘Moses on This Mountain’.” Profiles of Mennonite Faith. No.30. 2005, https://mbhistory.org/profiles/horton/.

“Our History.” Boone Mennonite Brethren Church. https://boonembchurch.com/our-history/.

Plaag, Eric. “Watauga County Historical Society Announces Reverend Ronda Horton as Next Inductee to the WCHS Hall of Fame.” Watauga County Historical Society. February 20, 2022. https://www.wataugacountyhistoricalsociety.org/blog-1/2022/2/20/watauga-county-historical-society-announces-reverend-ronda-horton-as-next-inductee-to-the-wchs-hall-of-fame.