CHEROKEE BAPTIST CHURCH
c. 1780 to Present
Location
Cherokee Baptist Church, 1999
143 Mayberry Road, Jonesborough, TN
History
Some of the early settlers began to meet for worship services and formed the Cherokee Creek Meeting House. Although the exact date of organization is not known, some historians believe this Baptist church was started circa 1780 or earlier. The first recorded meeting took place April 2, 1783, when the Reverend William Murphy was installed as pastor. By September 4, 1783, the members of Cherokee Creek Meeting House had pledged that “we do not look upon ourselves (as) infallible (but) we still look to be further taught by the word and spirit of God. . .”
On the fourth Sunday in October 1786, Holston Baptist Association was organized at Cherokee Church, with Tidence Lane, moderator and William Murphy, clerk. Six other churches were also represented at this meeting. This was the first Baptist Association in Tennessee.
Cherokee Baptist Church is the oldest continuously operating Baptist church in the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The church has its original records for documentation. Cherokee has mothered at least seven churches -Indian Creek (now First Baptist Church of Erwin), First Baptist of Jonesborough, Asbury Baptist, Union (now Union Church of Christ), New Victory, Mount Zion, and Second Baptist of Limestone.
Although the church has had three names – Cherokee Creek Meeting House, Baptist Church of Christ at Cherokee, and Cherokee Baptist Church and has been located in three states – North Carolina, the State of Franklin and Tennessee, it has been located on the same site since being organized.
Samuel Bayless (1751-1825) owned the land on which Cherokee Baptist Church stands. In his will, he gave his daughter, Hannah Bayless Hoss (1784-1859) “a certain tract of land out of which is excepted one and one-fourth acres more or less for the (Cherokee) meeting house and burial ground.” In 1840, Hannah deeded this land to the church.
The original church building was a log structure that was later weatherboarded. This building served both as a community school and a church. In 1890, a frame church building was constructed to replace the log church. The present-day, colonial brick church that was built in 1973 replaced the frame church.
Ministers
Some of the known pastors of Cherokee from the first recorded meeting to the present are: William Murphy, James Keel, Reese Bayless, William Cate, Elisha Martin, William A. Keen, J.H. Hyder, J.B. Stone, R.B. Bayless, N.W.G. Baxter, J.H. Moore, A.J.L. Hyder, S.H. Harrod, T.L. Hale, E.D. Cox, F.W. DeVault, H.L. Riddle, R.C. Campbell, A.J. Watkins, R.E. Corum, R.N. Rose, James A. McCaleb, J.M. Whitaker, J.R. Hodges, James Stout, B.M. Canup, H.G. Brockus, Aden Childress, Dwight Lyons, James Cambron, James Archer, Charles Hobbs, James Lewis, Bill Duncan, C.W. Hedgecoth, Clay Austin, Ron Anderson, Johnnie Widnr, Mike McCloud, Phil Gass, and the current pastor, Kelvin Mullins.
Courtesy of Geraldine Greenwell.
From the 1999 Cherokee Baptist Church Directory. Posted 29 May 2005