1855 To 1957
Location
Between Cherokee Road and Cherokee Creek on the left, just below the point where Buncombe Hill Road enters Cherokee Road, Jonesboro.
History
In 1855 William Walters donated the land to Daniel Huffine, John Walter, Robert O’Donald, George Walter, Jesse Slagle, Jacob May and Joseph Leonard. (Deed Book 35, p. 7-9) for a Methodist Episcopal Church South to be built. Sam Walter laid the foundation. The church was built of logs supplied by the Walter family.
The church was on the Erwin Mission in the Jonesboro District in 1889-1890. In 1891 the church and mission were placed in the Morristown District until 1939.
Sometime during the period of the log church, a black preacher named Barnet Cummins from Jonesboro came to preach. While he was there Maj. J.W. Weeks was converted and became one of the early leaders of the church. Preacher Cummins preached until he was 104 yrs. old.
In 1905 the log church was taken down and Fay Andes sawed logs into boards for the new church. Controversy arose over a Williams pump organ to be used in the church. Will Walter did not think they should have an organ in the church, consequently he never stepped foot into the church again. Samual Walter was the song leader, followed by Oscar Walter. Nola Shell France was the church’s first organist in 1906. The next two organists were Evelyn Weeks Miller and Etta Walter Martin.
The last official worship service was held in July 7, 1957. The following Sunday, the members were in the Cherokee Methodist Worship Service with members from the College Heights Methodist Church. They continued to worship in the Speedwell Church building as the Cherokee Methodist Church until the new building at 1904 Jamestown Road was completed. The old building was sold to Lowell Ellis for $2500 and made into two apartments.
Cemetery
The cemetery is one of the oldest on the eastern side of Washington County.
Members
Families that formed the early membership were the: Andes, Bennett, Huffine, Leach, Shell, Slagle, Stinson, Walter and Weeks families. Some of these people came into the church from the Mount Carmel Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
Pastors
Most pastors served one – two years.
| Walker, Edward W. | 1889, first pastor | Mitchell, J.S. | 1926 |
| Crumley, F.D. | 1890-1891 | Williams, C.W. | 1929 |
| Cross, J.B. | 1892-1897 | Morris, Francis Benthall | 1930 |
| McConless, Samuel A. | 1898 | Tate, W.L. | 1931-1932 |
| Evans, W.P. | 1899-1900 | Yankee, E.H. | 1933 |
| Stewart, R.A. | 1899-1900 | Harris, Ray | 1934-1938 |
| Cross, J.B. | 1903 | Smith, John N. | 1939-1940 |
| Sharp, W.D. | 1904 | Jackson, Frank Y. Jr. | 1941 |
| Hendricks, W.A. | 1905 | Fleener, M. Guy | 1942-1943 |
| McCracken, David | 1906 | Street, Ogleva | 1944-1947 |
| Flogleman, W.I. | 1907 | Turner, Lewis J. | 1948-1949 |
| Sampson, G.W. | 1908 | Humble, Stanley | 1950-1951 |
| Walker, Newman | 1908 -1910 | Bull, William M. Jr. | 1952-1955 |
| Browning, William E. | 1911 | Wampler, George | 1956 |
| Waysor, M.J. | 1912-1913 | Bacon, John Y. | 1957-1958 |
| Stevenson, M.A. | 1914 | Church closed. | 1959 |
| Martin, Paul P. | 1915 | ||
| Lundy, Clyde Enoch | 1916-1917 | Members moved to | |
| Bellamy, T.M. | 1918-1919 | Cherokee Methodist Church. | |
| Cline, C.R. | 1920-23; 1927-28 | ||
| Henly, Josephus | 1924 | ||
| Dailey, Archer N. | 1925 |
Some Church Officers
1945
Oscar Walter, SS superintendent
Ray Scott, secretary
Marjorie Walter, treasurer
Mrs. Robert Ball, pianist
Mrs. Oscar Walter, Ladies teacher
Stanley Shell, Men’s teacher
1947
Randall Walter, superintendent
Doris Treadway, secretary
Preston Scott, treasurer
Source: History of Cherokee United Methodist Church of Johnson City District, Holston Conference, by Dr. Richard A. Humphrey, 1983. Posted 8 Nov 2005