Goodspeed's History of Stewart County
Published 1896
Part 10: Churches
The Baptists were probably the first organized religious denominations in Stewart County, and the first church in the county was built by them in about 1803. It was a rough unhewn log house, puncheon floor and board roof, and stood about three and one-half miles east of Dover on the Clarksville and Dover road, in what is now the Seventh Civil District. The old church was used until 1816, when it was torn down and a new low building much larger and commodious was erected on Lick Creek, in the same district which was in use up to 1835, when the congregation disbanded. Log churches were built by the Baptists between 1810 and 1820 on
Cub Creek in the second district, on Saline Creek in the Fourth District, on Crockett's Creek and on Hurricane Creek in the eleventh District. The early Baptist ministers were Revs. Travers Moore, James Haynes, Samuel Ross, Frank Moore, William Turner, John Morgan, Samuel French, and Robert George, all of whom were men of more than ordinary ability and eloquence for their day. The Baptist Churches of Stewart County at the present time are as follows: Cross Creek and
Cub Creek Churches in the Second District, Big Rock and
Bumpus Mills Churches in the Third District, Hay's Fork Church in the Sixth District,
Rushing Creek Church in the Eight District, Saline Creek Church in the Fourth District.
The organization of the Methodist Church in Stewart County dates some time in 1809 or 1810, at which time a log church was erected by that denomination on
Cross Creek, in the sixth District, and directly afterward another log church was erected in the Twelfth District. About the same time Methodists had camp-meeting grounds on both Lick and Wells Creeks, and later on churches were built on
Hurricane, Bear, Cross and
Lick Creeks. Among the early ministers of the Methodist Church were
Revs. Nathan Crosswell, James Scarborough Sr., James Ward, Allen Elliott, Peter
Cartright, Baker Mathis, Joseph Folkes, Nace Overall, James Axley, John Craig,
John Smith, Marcus Linsley and George Brown. During 1836 a great revival was held among the Methodist Churches of Stewart County, which was productive of great good, increasing he membership to such and extent that it became necessary to erect many new churches. The Methodist Churches of the present time are as follows: Hopewell Church, on Bullpasture Creek, in the First District;
Indian Mound Church and Stamper's Chapel in the Second District; Duck Springs Church on the head of Saline creek;
Antioch and Tobacco Port Churches in the Fourth District;
Burr's Chapel on Dyer's Creek, and Pleasant Hill Church in the Fifth District;
Cumberland City, Bear Spring and Paul's Chapel in the Sixth District;
Dover, Long Creek and Lick Creek Churches and
Taylor's Chapel in the Seventh District; Poplar Spring Church in the Eight District;
Bethel, Blue Spring and Hopewell
Churches and Tharp's Chapel in the Ninth District;
Standing Rock, Lost Creek and Sycamore Churches in the Tenth District;
Leatherwood and Asbury Churches in the Eleventh District;
Cross Roads Church in the Twelfth District.
The Cumberland Presbyterians effected an organization in Stewart County in about 1812 or 1814 yet churches were not built until a later day. Probably the first meetings of any congregations of this denomination in the county were held at the residence of William Cherry which stood one mile south of Dover, some time during the above years. For several years the meetings of this church were held at camp grounds, of which they had three, they being situated on Wells and Lick Creeks and at Duck Springs. The first Cumberland Presbyterian Church (www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/) was erected about 1816 or 1818, and stood near the Kentucky line. At about the same time a log church was erected on Cane Creek, where also stood a camp ground, and a congregation also met in the Methodist Church on Bear Creek. The early ministers of this denomination were William Barnett, William Hutchinson, and Huston Bone. There are but three Cumberland Presbyterian Churches in the county, they being the Bethel Church, on Elk Creek; Liberty Church, three miles west of Dover, and Mount Zion Church, in the Ninth District.
Note: Here is a link for Hutchinson's Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
The Christian or Campbellite Church is of but recent organization in Stewart County. The first congregation was organized by the Rev. A. L. Johnson, and met at the court house in Dover July 9, 1871. In 1872 The congregation erected a brick church in Dover, and from that time on the church has increased in numbers and strength, there being four churches of that denomination in the county, they being Mount Pleasant and Oak Hill Churches in the Fourth District, and Crockett's Creek Church in the Ninth District.
The colored people of Stewart County have churches as follows: One African Methodist Episcopal Northern Church near Dover, in the Seventh District; Missionary Baptist Church, five miles west of Dover; Baptist Church on Pea Ridge, the Ninth District; African Methodist Episcopal Church at Bear Springs, African Methodist Episcopal Church north of Dover, in the Seventh District; African Methodist Episcopal Church on the north side of the Cumberland River, seven miles from Dover, and an African Methodist Episcopal Church at La Grange Iron Works in the Eleventh District.