A Genealogical Miscellany Henderson County, Tennessee VI
By Jonathan Kennon Thompson Smith
Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 2002

(Page 44)

ROCK SPRINGS METHODIST CHURCH

            The brick building which housed the Rock Springs Methodist Church and the adjoining cemetery are located on and face Mt. Gilead Road .1 mile west from the intersection of Rock Springs-Union Cross and Mt. Gilead-Leo Woods roads and about 3.4 miles west of Parker's Cross Roads in northern Henderson County.

            The date that Rock Springs congregation was organized has long been lost to memory and record, but it likely dates to the mid-1840s. (There is nothing to suggest an earlier date.) The information gathered from older citizens of the locality in 1940 indicated that it was then upwards of a century old. It had first met in "a log building used for both church and school."[1] It was named for the springs that bubbled-up from the earth in the crease of the hills just to the north of the meetinghouse. (The remnant of these springs exist to this day.)

            The oldest extant record of this congregation, a class record book in which the membership were listed begins with February 1850. Among the earliest members were Douglasses, Joplins, Singletons, Peelers, Popes, Pendergrasses and Mealses.[2] For most of the nineteenth century Rock Springs was located in the Lexington District of the Memphis Conference of the Methodist Church. It was on a circuit and remained that way throughout its history, its ministry having served a number of congregations.

            The exact location of the first meetinghouse in old civil district eight is not certainly known. Some people believe it had long been located on the land later acquired by a local farmer named Howell Olive because when he and his wife, Martha Jane Olive, sold 1.6 acre for the nominal sum of $2.50 (chiefly to pay the deed registration fee), October 22, 1874, to the congregation there seems to be implied in the deed that the church was on this small acreage and they were conveying the parcel to the congregation for use also as a subscription school with the stipulation that school activities were "not to conflict with any of the church privileges at any time."[3] In another deed years later, when part of the old Olive farm was being sold, rnention was made, "including one acre deeded by Howell Olive for [a) meeting house."[4]

            The 1.06 acre deeded by the Olives, as drawn by James H. Hanna, civil engineer (retired):

 

            In any event, the Rock Springs church and school occupied this northwest corner of the Olive land for years. Howell Olive (1814-1888), a native of Wake County, North Carolina, lived for many years on a 181.5 acre tract of land on Big Beaver Creek which farm lay to the west and across Tennessee Highway 22 from present-day Beaver School and adjoining the Flake Cemetery Road. Near the end of the Civil War, in January 1865, Olive sold this farm to Dr. Gilford L. Laws for two thousand dollars in gold.[5]

            With this money Olive acquired about 1144 acres, most if not all of it from Henry Kirby, a well-to-do farmer who was selling out and moving to nearby Madison County, Tennessee.[6] Adjoining on the west of this land was the farm of Archey Y. Douglass and other members of this family. This land is directly upon the Tennessee River Valley Divide, at an elevation of at least 610 feet (all streams to its west flow into the Mississippi River, all those to the east flow into the Tennessee River):

 

(Page 45)

(from "Clarksburg Quadrangle," United States Geological Survey and the TVA)

 

            Having learned about Olive's sale of land for gold, local disguised bandits rode up to the Olive log dwelling, broke in, threatened to kill his infant daughter, Mary, and fired some shots into the ceiling of the west room; took Olive to his nearby cotton gin, strung him up, torturing him by pulling on the neck-noose, while he tried to tell them he had spent his money on land. Apparently they realized this was probably the case as they left him tied with noose from which members of his household rescued him.[7]

HOWELL OLIVE

 

            With a view to improving the congregation's place of worship, Archibald (Archey) Young Douglass (May 26, 1820-December 10, 1910) donated a little over an acre to the trustees of the Rock Springs Methodist Episcopal Church, South, out of his farm, adjoining and including the family graveyard, August 11, 1894. To these trustees, William Abel Douglass, James M. Douglass, James L. Douglass, Joseph S. Douglass, William A. Douglass, Jr., Stephen G. Leslie and Robert D. Coffman, he donated this land for the membership "to build a church house" on it.[8]

            The 1.02 acre deeded by A. Y. Douglass, as drawn by James H. Hanna, civil engineer (retired):

 

(Page 46)

 

            The new meetinghouse was erected, a large, plain one-room frame building, with two entrances, one for women, one for men as custom dictated. It faced the south, towards the dirt road that ran along the ridge (now Mt. Gilead-Leo Woods roads). A picture of this church-house, taken about 1940 (courtesy of Martha Douglas Arnold), with Mrs. Floy Pearson standing by the automobile and the little girl, Margaret Douglass (Milam), a daughter of Dennis and Alice Douglass:

 

            In this structure religious services were held for many years. In 1955, the membership had the old frame house demolished and replaced it with a small brick church which occupies the site at the present time.

            As membership had dwindled to a few persons, the congregation voted in January 1994 to discontinue its existence which was accepted by the Memphis Conference of the United Methodist Church:[9]

RESOLUTION NO. 11 Rock Springs United Methodist Church WHEREAS, the active membership of the Rock Springs United Methodist Church of the Lexington\Rock Springs Charge of the Mempbis Annual Conference on January 30, 1994, voted unanimously to cease operation as an active worshiping congregation as of the June, 1994 session of the Memphis Annual Conference, and WHEREAS, a cemetery is located on the joining property, and, WHEREAS, the cemetery association desires to keep the property to be used for funerals and other community gatherings. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Memphis Annual Conference meeting in session June 6-8, 1994 in Jackson, Tennessee, authorize the Conference Trustees to sell the property of the church to the Rock Springs Cemetery Association for $1.00 and all other costs related to said transaction. Memphis Conference Cabinet Conference Action: Adopted

 

ARCHEY YOUNG DOUGLASS

 

(Page 47)

            Descendants of persons buried in the church graveyard organized themselves as a legal entity known as the Rock Springs Cemetery Association on September 10, 1974, establishing thereby a perpetual trust fund with which these grounds could be properly maintained.[10] On July 13, 1994 the Memphis Conference of the United Methodist Church deeded the Rock Springs property to this association’s trustees for the group’s worthwhile purposes.[11]

            The Douglass family, some of whom later spelled their surname as Douglas, was among the earliest of the settlers in this part of Henderson County and it may justly be remarked that over the many years they were foremost among the stalwart members of Rock Springs Church. The matriarch of the family, Nancy Douglass, came with her children to Henderson County some time in the 1830s and settled in the environs of Rock Springs. Her tombstone in the cemetery reads:

Sacred to the memory of NANCY wife of JAMES DOUGLASS, Decd. Born Jan. 16, 1792. Died Nov. 29, 1862. Aged 70 y’s 10 m’s 13 d’s My flesh shall slumber in the ground Till the last trumpets joyful sound; Then break the chains with sweet surprise And in my Savior’s image rise.

 

            Among this lady's children were William Abel Douglass (May 1818-1909) and Archey Young Douglass (1820-1910), both of whom, were lay leaders of the Rock Springs congregation. W. A. Douglass lived just over a mile south of the church, on the west side of present- day Union Cross-Rock Springs Road. He was a long-time class leader of this congregation. His brother, A. Y. Douglass, owned a farm of about 320 acres and he also served as a sometime class leader of the congregation. This position was once described:[12]

Class-Leaders are virtually sub-pastors in the M. E. Church, and as such they are appointed by the preacher in charge, and act chiefly wider his counsel and advice. It is their duty, according to the Discipline of the church, to see every member of their classes once a week, either in the class-meeting or to visit the absentees or the sick at their own residences. The object of this visit is to give such religious counsel, advice, or encouragement as circumstances may require. He is further to meet the preacher and the stewards, to pay over any money which is collected, and to report the case of any member requiring aid or attention from the pastor. Qualifications for a class-leader should be deep personal piety, mature experience, and ability to give religious counsel and advice wisely and affectionately, and to influence the younger members to systematic attention to all their Christian duties. He should be well versed in the Discipline of the church, and should read the lives of persons eminent for piety, and such books as clearly set forth the different shades of experience and the Christian duties devolving upon members of the church.

 

A. Y. Douglass' wife's tombstone in the cemetery is one of the most interestingly inscribed ones:

MARTHA J. wife of A. Y. DOUGLASS & Daughter of W. B. & E. M. MORROW.
Born March 4, 1826. Married April 1, 1845. Died August 5, 1871
Aged 45 yrs. 5 mos. 1 day

            The Douglass descendants assemble in reunion at Rock Springs early each August. Among the foremost members in the preservation of the church and the upkeep of the grounds are descendants, Martha Douglas Arnold and Howard Freeman Douglass, both of whom live in Henderson County.

 

(Page 48)

Property Assessor's Plat of Historic Rock Springs

1. The Church and Cemetery
2. The 6.7 acres owned by Martha D. Arnold and formerly her deceased husband, Joseph D. Arnold.

            On December 6, 1969 the Arnolds purchased 5.1 acres from Susie Pearson, widow of Hal Pearson; this comprised the acreage bordering the east side of the Rock Springs parcel on a part of which the Arnolds built their brick residence soon after their purchase.[13] The Pearsons had bought this acreage as part of a larger tract, from the heirs of Raborn Washington Douglass, June 17, 1949 [14], the latter of whom had purchased it from William H. Douglass, August 10, 1914 [15]; this was once part of Archey Y. Douglass' farm.

            On December 15, 1969 the Arnolds purchased .3 of an acre along Rock Springs Road from Floy Pearson, widow of Luther Pearson, in order to have space for a driveway onto this road.[16] This was the northwest corner of a large tract purchased by Pearson from T. L. Stanford, March 8, 1917 in which deed mention is made, "including one acre deeded by Howell Olive for [a] meeting house."[17] The old schoolhouse of 1874 stood in this vicinity. In 1912 a new frame schoolhouse was erected and stood in what is now the Arnolds' front yard.

          On August 25, 1986 the Arnolds purchased 2.30 acres from Maxine L. Lindsey [18], being part of the old Olive tract; that part of the Arnold property located on the east side of Rock Springs Road. Generations ago the old north-south road through this part of the community ran close to the east side of the Lindsey purchase. Many years ago the road was relocated to its present stretch.

- - - - - - - -

            Now in the woods just north of the Rock Springs Cemetery is that area designated as the black persons' graveyard; numerous graves, only one of which is marked with a tombstone:[19]

HANNAH wife of WILSE WHITE Born 1837. Died August 8, 1902

(1900 U.S. Census: Wilson White, born 1835, N.C.; Hannah White, wife, born 1844; married 27 years; she, mother of 6 children, 1 still living)

 

(Page 49)

            The Rock Springs Church as it stands in the present time:

 

The "Henderson County Schools, 1940-1941", Louise Oakley, supervisor, pages 24-25:

-24- ROCK SPRINGS COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL         The community was given this name because of the springs here. The first family to settle here was that of Mr. Able Douglas. It is thought that they settled here because the land was cheap and it was a more prosperous place than where they had been living.         The oldest house now standing is the one built by Mr. Able Douglas. It is 102 years old. It belongs to Mr. Paul Douglas. Mr. John Bartholomew lives in the. house now. -25-         Rock Springs Church was built about 100 years ago. It was a log building used for both church arid school. The church used now is 48 years old.         The oldest store belonged to Mr. Joe Douglas. The present store is owned by Mr. John Taylor.         Mr. Bedford Todd is the present mail carrier.         The school and church both get their name from the Springs.         The first part of the school building was erected about 1912. In 1936 another room was added Four buildings have been used.         The first teacher was Mr. Billy Butler. The present teacher is Alice Bailey. The average daily attendance is 25.

 

        Ms Oakley and those who assisted her in preparing the community sketches appearing in this manuscript did so, initially, for an exhibition in the Henderson County Free Fair of September 1940 [20]:

One of the most outstanding attractions ever to be seen at a fair here, is the exhibit of the Henderson county Schools. Running the entire length of the fiar-building, the exhibit gives a complete and comprehensive history of Henderson county and all the principal spots and buildings of interest. Representing an inestimable amount of work, the exhibit it well worth any ones time to see it.

 

(Page 50)

References

1. "Henderson County Schools, 1940-1941, "Louise Oakley, supervisor, page 25. Tennessee Room, Henderson County Library.
2. The original class record book, 1850-1898, is presently owned by Martha D. Arnold, Rock Springs Road (Wildersville, post office).
3. Henderson County Deed Book 3, pages 22-23. Registered October 4, 1875. Witnesses: J. T. Daulton and James White. The bounds of the acreage, "Beginning on a black jack on northwest corner of my [Olive's) land, runs south with A. Y. Douglass' line 13 poles to a black & 3 black pointers, thence east 13 poles to a stake & three hickory pointers, thence north 13 poles to Caughman's [Coffman's] south boundary line to a hickory 2 black oak pointers, thence west to the beginning 13 poles.
4. Henderson County Deed Book 33, page 592. T. L. Stanford to Luther C. Pearson, March 8, 1917; mention in a deed for 101 acres. Registered March 10, 1917.
5. Henderson County Deed Book 17, page 225. January 15, 1865. Registered first August 4, 1866 and again August 1, 1898.
6. The value of Olive's 1144 acres was given as $4100 in the 1870 U.S. Census, Agricultural Schedule, Henderson County, Civil District 8.
7. The bullet nicks in the ceiling of this west room were still visible when seen by the present writer about 1971. The Olive dwelling was demolished about twenty years ago. Howell Olive's son-in-law, Samuel H. (Bud) Taylor, among others, related this account of Olive's ordeal to the present writer. Howell Olive gave and sold tracts of land out of his farm to his sons, Thomas, Homer, Miles, James G. and Richard during the 1870s and early 1880s. Richard Olive acquired the largest tract, 500 acres. Deed Book 7, pages 193, 195, 197. He also sold 80 acres to W. H. Douglass in November 1882 (IBID., page 223). In later years, a son, Homer Olive and his family lived in the old Olive dwelling, later still by the latter's son, John W. Olive and his sister, Lillie Pendergrass.
8. Henderson County Deed Book 19, page 51. Registered July 2, 1900. Witnesses: R. D. Coffman and J. M. Douglass. The bounds of this acreage, "Beginning in the middle of the road on a rock with red & post oak pointers, thence north 12. 5 poles to a rock & one hickory pointer, thence west 13 poles to a rock, thence south 12.5 poles to a red oak on the bank of the road with 2 red oak bush pointers, thence east 13 poles to the beginning."
9. "Minutes of the Memphis Conference, 1994," page 270.
10. Henderson County Register of Deeds, Miscellaneous Book 4, page 208. Registered Sept. 10, 1974.
11. Henderson County Deed Book 170, pages 19-20. Filed July 22, 1994. The cemetery trustees at the time were Joseph D. Arnold, Martha Daws and Jim Grant.
12. CYCLOPAEDIA OF METHODISM, edited by Matthew Simpson. Philadelphia, 1880, page 228.
13. Henderson County Deed Book 96, page 306. Recorded December 15, 1969. Also, interview Jonathan Smith with Martha D. Arnold, December 2, 2001.
14. Henderson County Deed Book 72, page 239. Recorded June 17, 1949. It was noted in this deed that the 1.3 acres respecting Rock Springs was part of the tract being sold. This was the parcel, l.3 acres, donated by A. Y. Douglass in 1894.
15. IBID. Deed Book 59, page 298. Recorded November 30, 1938.
16. IBID. Deed Book 96, page 432. Recorded December 15, 1969.
17. IBID. Deed Book 33, page 592. Registered March 10, 1917.

 

(Page 51)

18. IBID. Deed Book 141, pages 139-140. Recorded August 28, 1986.
19. Joy Bartholomew Campbell, Henderson County cemetery researcher, alerted the present writer of the existence of this graveyard.
20. THE LEXINGTON PROGRESS, September 20, 1940, page one.

Note: The picture of Archey Y. Douglass was reproduced from the photograph of him now owned by Martha D. Arnold. The picture of Howell Olive was reproduced from the original by the present writer with permission of its then-owner, Ms Macel Taylor; it is now owned by Dorothy Taylor Porter of Dallas, Texas.

 

---

SOME MEMBERSHIP LISTS OF
ROCK SPRINGS METHODIST CHURCH

From Class Membership Record Book, 1850-1898, owned by Martha D. Arnold; taken therefrom by the present writer:

Members:

WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS, Class Leader NANCY J. DOUGLASS A. Y. DOUGLASS MARTHA DOUGLASS R. POPE JAMES JOPLIN ELIZABETH POPE REBECCA JOPLIN ELIZA A. JOPLIN A. B. W. POLAN NARCISSA POLAN MARGARET SINGLETON [Peggy Ann Singleton] SARAH SINGLETON JANE SINGLETON NATHAN DOUGLASS ABBY DOUGLASS [wife of Bryant Douglass]

DANIEL CLARKE, Removed by Letter NANCY FULLER THOMAS PEELER MARY J. PEELER [joined August 25, 1849] NANCY J. PEELER ELIZA C. PEELER CRAWFORD PENDERGRASS THOMAS WHITE DICEY ROSE WILLIAM MILAM, Removed by Letter JOHN W. H. PEELAR NANCY DOUGLASS MARTHA PEDERGRASS, Letter May 30th 1851 ELIZABETH PENDERGRASS ANN DOLLAR WILLIAM S. DOLLAR June 1851 NANCY LUCUS

 

(Page 52)

Dear Brethren:
Remember the Friday preceding each quarterly meeting is the day set apart for fasting and prayer, praying for the prosperity of Zion and us your servants.

Arthur Davis, P. E. [Presiding Elder] Bryant Medlin, A. P. John H. Garrett, H. P.

Remember Lot’s wife
Members, March 1852:

WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS, Class Leader NANCY DOUGLASS ARCHY Y. DOUGLASS MARTHA DOUGLASS RILEY POPE ELIZABETH POPE JAMES JOPLAN REBECCA JOPLAN ELIZA JOPLAN THOMAS PEOPLES MARY PEELER NANCY PEELER ELIZA PEELER JOHN W. PEELER CRAWFORD PENDERGRASS

NANCY FULLER DICY ROSE ABBY DOUGLASS ANNA DOLLAR MARTHA PENDERGRASS ELIZABETH PENDERGRASS NANCY LUCAS SUSAN MEALS MARGARET MEALS SARAH MEALS JANE SINGLETON WILLIAM DOLLAR KINZY LUCAS JAMES PIGGRIM SOPHIA PIGGRIM

 

Dear Brethren:
Remember the Friday preceeding each quarterly meeting as a day of fasting and prayer. Pray for the prosperity of Zion and us your servants for Christ sake. February 18th 1857

Nathan Sullivan, P. E. R. A. Umsted, A. P.

Members: (notation that all of them were baptized)

WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS (married) NANCY A. DOUGLASS (married) ARCHIE Y. DOUGLASS (married) MARTHA J. DOUGLASS (married) JAMES JOBLIN (married) REBECCA JOBLIN (married) ELIZA A. JOBLIN (single) RILEY POPE (married) REBECCA POPE (married) THOMAS PEELER (married) MARY PEELER (married) NANCY STEWART (married) ELIZA McKEE (married) JOHN W. PEELER (single) CRAWFORD PENDERGRASS (married) ANNA DOLLAR (widow) MARTHA PENDERGRASS (widow)

AMANDA E. GRANT (married) DICEY ROSE (widow; removed by letter) NANCY LUCAS (married; removed by letter; letter returned) MARGAREST MEALES (married) SARAH MEALES (married) JANE MEALES (married) WILLIAM S. DOLLAR (married) KINZY LUCAS (married) JAMES PIGGRIM (married) SOPHIA PIGGRIM (married) FRANCES PEELER (single) CAROLINE COX (single) ABBY DOUGLASS (married) SADY MILAM (new member; a slave)

 

In the October 30, 1859 entry it was remarked that there were twenty members. AMANDA E. GRANT, SUSAN MEALS, NANCY FULLER were deceased and MARGARET MEALS had removed to Sharon. The slave's name was now rendered SARAH MILAM.

 

(Page 53)

September 6, 1860. Quarterly Meeting.
N. SULLIVAN, P. E.

Members:

WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS NANCY DOUGLASS ARCHIE Y. DOUGLASS, S. T. MARTHA J. DOUGLASS REBECCA JEOPLIN JAMES JEOPLIN ELIZA A. MEALS MARTHA PEARCY NANCY A. DOLLAR DICY ROSE NANCY FULLER AMANDA GRANT

ABIA DOUGLASS NANCY LUCAS WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS, Probation, Sept. 1861 LUCIAN BREWER, Dead MILES MEALES, Dead VIRGINIA JEOPLIN, Dead C. L. JEOPLIN, Dead COLUMBUS MEALS FRANCES E. DOUGLASS STARCILLA E. DOUGLASS QUINTINEY A. DOUGLASS LEWIS MEALS, Probation

[Although listed in fall of 1859 as deceased, Amanda E. Grant and. Nancy Fuller appear on the listing for fall of 1860.]

 

Membership list, December 20, 1866:

W. A. DOUGLASS, Class Leader NANCY DOUGLASS ARCHEBEL Y. DOUGLASS MARTHA J. DOUGLASS JAMES JOBLIN REBECA JOBLIN ELIZA J. MEALS MARTHA PERCY CAROLINE SINGLETON ABBA DOUGLASS DICY ROSE

NANCY LEWCOUS [Lucas] W. M. DOUGLASS VIRGIN DOUGLASS GILES WORLER [Waller] SUSAN WORLER [Waller] CORLUMBERS [Columbus] MEALS FRANCES E. DOUGLASS MARCILLER DOUGLASS QUINTINER DOUGLASS FRANCES E. FESMIER [Fesmire] FANNY E. DOUGLASS

 

November 3, 1878
Remember dear brethren the Friday before each quarterly meeting is set apart for fasting and prayer for the prosperity of Zion and us your servants.

John W. Witt, P.E. Jos . Sears, P.C.

Members:

W. A. DOUGLASS NANCY J. DOUGLASS O. A. DOUGLASS A. Y. DOUGLASS JAMES M. DOUGLASS A. L. DOUGLASS MARTHA P. ADAMS VIRGINIA BURTON MARTHA PIERCY REBECCA JOPLIN ABBY DOUGLASS WILLIAM M. PENDERGRASS ELLEN DOUGLASS

MARY W. PENDERGRASS SARAH M. COFFMAN MEDIE WILLIAMS LUCINDY WILSON SARAH WILSON EUDICY J. WILSON JULIA C. WILSON WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS HARRIETT M. DOUGLASS JULIA A. DOUGLASS WILLIAM H. DOUGLASS FRANCES DOUGLASS R. DOUGLASS

 

(Page 54)

March 25, 1883
Dear Brethren and Sisters: Remember the Friday before each quarterly conference as a day of fasting and prayer. Pray for the prosperity of Zion and for us your servants.

Names of Male Members: WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS A. Y. DOUGLASS R. DOUGLASS WILLIAM H. DOUGLASS JAMES M. DOUGLASS WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS, JR. JOSEPH DOUGLASS SAMUEL COFFMAN; dismissed by Letter GRANVILLE M. DOUGLASS JAMES. W. BURTON A. L. DOUGLASS JAMES L. DOUGLASS JOHN W. GUNTER; dismissed by Letter B. A. CANNON C. H. KEE URVIN KEE

Names of Female Members: NANCY DOUGLASS (died June 14, 1884) ELLIM DOUGLASS (died Sept. 16, 1889) ABIGAIL DOUGLASS VIRGINIA BURTON HARRIETT DOUGLASS MARTHY ADAMS SARAH COFFMAN; dismissed by Letter JULIA A. DOUGLASS MARY DOUGLASS MARSILY DOUGLASS TRACEY TUNKE GINNEY KEE EMILY TATE SARAH MILAM EUDICY WILSON JULIA WILSON FRANCES E. DOUGLASS S. R. BOBIT; transfer EVALINE DOUGLASS MARTHA E. GUNTER ANEXAR GUNTER TENNESSEE CANNON; dismissed by Letter, Aug. 1884 MARTHA S. DOUGLASS T. B. OLIVE J. V. BRITT VIRGINIA ROSS

 

The 1885 listing noted that RABORN DOUGLASS died May 12, 1886; MARY PEARSON died in peace, September 16, 1889

 

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