Corinth Baptist Church and Cemetery
Sharon, Tennessee
 
 

Click on a small picture below to see bigger picture


   Corinth Church early 1900's       Baptising Day at the River       New Corinth Church


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.

Transcribed By
Judy Johnson

Corinth Baptist Church celebrated it's 130th Anniversary  on their Harvest Day, November 21, 1999.  After church there was a dinner and an old fashion afternoon of singing, a good time was had by all.

The following are preachers that have been at Cornith



 
 
 
 

No Public Record
1869-1890
T.H. Pettit
1891-1892
W.B. Clifton
1892-1898
L.W. Russel
1898-1904
H.E. Walters
1904-1905
W.C. Underwood
1905-1907
L.D. Summers
1907-1908
W.C. Glen
1908-1910
C.H. Felts
1910-1915
H.W. Jackson
1915-1918
W.C. Tharp
1918-1919
W.A. Butler
1919-1921
A.A. Jones
1921-1924
J.O. Yates
1924-1928
C.M. Simmons
1928-1937
T.N. Hale
1937-1940
C.R. Ryan
1940-1941
J.R. Hamlin
1941-1947
K.T. Moore
1947-1950
Harold Grissom
1950-1964
Ben Kimbrough
1965-1967
Glen McDaniel
1967-1970
Donnie Smith
1970-1971
E.F. Caldwell
1971-1977
Billy Hicks
1977-1978
Virgil Blankenship
1978-1980
Phillip Mansfield
1980-1983
Mayo Mansfield
1980-1989
John M. Clark
1989-1995
Gerry Gallimore
1995-Present


 
 

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