Corinth Baptist Church, Sharon, Tennessee
Corinth Baptist Church was organized just after the civil War in the late 1860’s. It is one of the oldest churches in the area. Graves Fonville and H. C. Roberts donated approximately two acres of land for the building of the church in March, 1869.
During the summers from 1880 to 1900, members built brush arbors and placed straw on the ground for revival meetings. They would hold Sunday School from spring to late fall and close out for the winter. One of the first preachers to serve the church was Rev. Holliburton.
The first Corinth Church building stood on the same spot from 1869 to 1905. The second church building was hit by a tornado two different times. The second time around, in 1944, the tornado completely destroyed the church. The present building was built at that time.
On August 1, 1884, land for the Corinth Cemetery was purchased from S. T. Witherington and his wife for $25.00. It is said the first person buried in the cemetery was the child of Mr. Monroe, a workman helping to build the Illinois Central Railroad through Sharon. While preaching in a revival meeting in the early 1930’s Rev. Oscar Phillips collapsed in the pulpit and was DOA at the hospital.
The baptising picture of Corinth Baptist Church is at the Middle Fork of the Obion River at the Illinois Central Railroad trestle. The date is about 1908. Almost all the congregation appears to have been there, so there must have been a wagon road that was passable, for surely those dressed up ladies and gentlemen couldn’t have walked down the tracks from Sharon!
As a child I attended Corinth Church with my family. When I was in the 5th grade I persusaded Mother to let me attend First Baptist Church in Sharon where my friends attended. Then my brother wanted to go to First Baptist in Sharon. Eventually we all ended up attending Sharon First Baptist Church.
I can remember Corinth having their Homecomings. We would have lunch at the church and afterwards, there would be an afternoon congregational singing. This is something my Mother really enjoyed.
Also I remember after church on Easter Sunday, there would be a big Easter Egg Hunt. It was always great fun with all of us kids running around like crazy and with our new Easter outfits on.
As a child I can remember my grandmother telling me about attending Corinth Baptist Church. She said in her day they would have dances, roll up the carpet and “swing Josie.” Well, that didn’t suit so well with the church, as Baptist don’t believe in dancing. (At least they didn’t at that time) Well, my grandmother and her brother had to go before the church, repent and promise not to dance again. My grandmother said her brother Valva Adams danced all the way to the hen house and back every day. But there were no more “swing Josie ” parties.
Many of my relatives are buried at Corinth Cemetery. Some are George Adams, my great grandfather, Buford Adams, My grandmother’s brother, James Alexander ( Jim ) Hunt, my great grandfather, Paul and Evie Lener Hunt, my grandparents, their two babies, Nola Hunt Hardman, Will Hardman, Billy Hardman, Dan Jackson,my GG grandfather; Tony Jackson,my GG grandfather’s brother. Cora Parham, her father was brother to George Adams, J.N. (Slim) Parham, John Parham and my parents, Eather and Audrey M. Hunt. Some day my husband and I will be buried there.
Submitted by Judy Johnson.
