Church Index

				Vernon Brethren Church Picture courtesy of Mary Edith Broyles
Grace	Knob Creek	Limestone
New Hope	Pleasant Valley	Pleasant View
Progressive		Vernon

Alexander Mack founded the group, in August 1708, Schwarzenau, Wittgenstein province, Germany. Mack and a small group of followers gathered on the banks of the River Eder and cast lots to select one of their members who would baaptize Mack. After that ceremony, Mack baptized the others by trine immersion which involved total immersion three times face forward in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. All baptized members of the Church of the Brethren have been baptized this way. Because the form of baptism was distinctive, they were often called the Tunkers in Germany. In America the German letter T was understood to be a D and these individuals became Dunkers or Dunkards.

The Brethern decided to emigrate to America in 1719, arriving in Philadelphia and settling in Germantown, a few miles outside Philadelphia. Gradually the Brethren migrated westward and southward to Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas in the pre-Revolutionary days. They journied through the Shenandoah and Roanoke valleys to Tennessee and Alabama.

Evidence indicates that Brethren were in the State of Franklin as early as May 1780 and where Indian attacks were common. Some of the men killed by Indians were confirmed to be Brethren in a note in the Knoxville Gazette, April 10, 1794.

One of the earliest Brethren preachers in Tennessee was Isaac Hammer. He built a two story log house on Old Stage Road between Jonesboro and Blountville, TN, now located 3 mi. west of Johnson City, less than 1 mi. off the Johnson City-Kingsport highway. His initials and date, I.H. 1793, are chiseled in one of the foundation stones of the house.

In addition to Isaac Hammer, other early Brethren preachers included: Daniel Bowman, Michael Krause, Peter Miller Sr., and Christian Simmons. The first deacons of the Tennessee Church were Joseph Bowman, Sr. of Knob Creek and Samuel Bowman of Boones Creek.

Source: The Brethren in Tennessee and Alabama by Roger E. Sappington, 1988.

GRACE BRETHREN CHURCH

Location

3337 US Highway 11E, Telford, TN

History

Progressive Brethren Church

The Progressive Brethren Church of Limestone, Tennessee, was organized on December 14, 1910. The person responsible for the organization of the church was Mr. S. D. Arnold; and the headquarters of the Progressive Brethren Church was in Ashland, Ohio.

Vernon Brethren Church The first church was built and dedicated in the summer of 1913 and was given the name Vernon, meaning "evergreen, ever living." In 1938-1939 the National Fellowship of Brethren Churches, with headquarters in Winona Lake, Indiana, developed from struggles within the Progressive Brethren Churches during the 1920's and 1930's. By the mid 1950's, the Limestone church building had become inadequate, and a building program was launched. Four acres of land on Highway 11 -E were purchased, and there was a groundbreaking for the new church on April 4, 1960. The church was completed, and dedication services were held April 30, 1961. Data from the cemetery may be found in the cemeteries section.

Vernon Brethren Church in early 1940s Limestone, Tennessee Picture courtesy of Mary Edith Broyles

Grace Brethren Church

On October 18, 1978, the Limestone church voted to change the name from Vernon Brethren to Grace Brethren. The address of the new location was Telford rather than Limestone. Thus, the Vernon Brethren Church of Limestone, Tennessee, became the Grace Brethren Church of Telford, Tennessee.

In 1992, due to doctrinal disagreements among the Grace Brethren Churches, a new fellowship was formed. The Telford church is a charter member of this fellowship which is known as Conservative Grace Brethren Churches International with headquarters in Mansfield, Ohio.

At the present time the Telford church has some 100 active members. In addition to the church building, there is an annex containing offices, library, and Sunday school rooms; and an education and recreation building is in the final stages of completion.

Members

The seventeen charter members were the Rev. Elkanah Gray, Mr. and Mrs. T. M. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. S. D. Arnold, Mr. Dobson Arnold, Miss Lelia Arnold, Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Cartwright, Mr. Buford Smith, Miss Ellen Skinnell, Mrs. Julia Mongold, Mrs. Ellen Yeager, Miss Edith Cartwright, Miss Mary Pence, Miss Molly Farris, and Miss Lula Mongold.

Pastors

Pastors of the church include:

Submitted by Mary M. Kyker, 579 McInturff Rd., Telford, TN 37690-2446. Posted 29 May 2005

Location

Intersection McIntruff Rd. and Oakland Rd., Telford, TN

History

Limestone Church of the Brethren was organized about 1846 by members from the Knob Creek Church: Solomon Garber, John Nead and Benjamin Byerly. These men lived nearer Limestone and had been ordained at Knob Creek. The first meetings were held in an abandoned school building. This property was purchased in 1851 and a small brick church built. The present church building was erected in 1884 and still serves the congregation. J.B. Pence was elected the first minister, having paid $500.00 to avoid military service. Mathias Nead was ordained August 25, 1900 with C.H. Diehl and J.B. Bowman officiating. P.D. Reed, Abe Nead, Daniel Brubecker, D.B. Klepper and Jacob Nead were other who served the Limestone Church.

Cemetery

Information about the church cemetery is in the Cemetery Section

Reference: History of Washington County, Tennessee, 1988, Watauga Association of Genealogists, 1988, p.73. Posted 6 Mar 2005

Location

Corner of Knob Creek Rd. and Fair Ridge Rd., Johnson City, TN

History

Knob Creek, established in 1799, was the first Brethren church organized in Washington County. Samuel Garber preached in English and Michael Krouse preached in German.

Joseph Bowman had a large house, two rooms of which were used as a meeting place. The first log church was built in 1834 and the present frane church was built in 1905.

The Annual Conference was held at Knob Creek in 1846; slavery was the main topic. The first Love Feast (communion) was held in Michael Krouse's home in 1799. It was conducted by Elder Burkett of North Carolina and Isaac Hammer.

Members

The first members were Samuel Garber, Michael Krouse, Isaac Hammer and Deacon Joseph Bowman.

Pastors

Isaac Hammer was the first pastor.

The Tennessee Historical Commission placed a marker giving the history of the church on the church property in late spring 2000. "Organized circa 1799 by Elder Samuel Garber of Virginia, the Knob Creek Church of the Brethren was the first Brethren congegation in Tennessee. Isaac Hammer was the first miniser. Daniel Bowman preached in English and Michael Krouse preached in German. First communion was held at the Krouse home. Worship was in homes until 1834 when a log church was built. The present church was built in 1905."       Cemetery For information about the Knob Creek Church of the Brethren Cemetery in the Cemetery Section of the web site

Posted 24 Nov 2004; updated 24 Sep 2005.

Location

One mile off 11-E Hwy at 351 New Hope Rd., Jonesborough, TN

History

New Hope Church of the Brethren was organized in 1890 after William A. Sherfey, C.H. Diehl and John C. Bashor held a series of services in the "Little Brick," a seceder branch of the Leesburg Presbyterian Church. It was a mission point of the Pleasant Valley Church. About fifty people accepted the Brethren faith and formed the new church. Samuel C. Morrell donated land, and by donated labor a church was built. Logs from John B. Hilbert's farm were donated; they were hauled and sawed by J. F. Lovegrove. Early ministers were: John B. Hilbert, C.H. Hiehl, and Samuel H. Garber.

Cemetery

Information about the church cemetery is in the Cemetery Section.

Reference: History of Washington County, Tennessee, 1988, Watauga Association of Genealogists, 1988, p.73. Posted 6 Mar 2005

Location

773 Brethren Church Rd., Jonesborough, TN

History

Pleasant Valley was organized in 1849. The first meetings were held in homes and in Samuel Garst's log barn. The first church was a log building erected in 1850 on land donated by Michael Bashor.

The present frame church was built in 1898.

Members

The organizers were: Mchael Bashor, Samuel Garst, Joseph Bowman, Samuel Miller and the Brubeckers

Pastors

C. H. Diehl, early pastor

William A Sherfey, elder

 

Cemetery

Near the church, across the road from 735 Brethren Church Road. See the Cemetery Section of this web site.

Posted 29 May 2005

Location

245 Brethren Church Drive, at the intersection of Brethren Dr. and Bennett Rd., Jonesborough, TN

History

Pleasant View church was organized in 1858 by ten Brethren who met in Isaac Bashor's home. It was first called Bashor's Meeting House, using two downstairs rooms for services. In 1878 F.W. Dove donated 1 1/4 acres of land for a church and cemetery. The name was changed to Pleasant View. Membership grew from 60 to 154, one of the largest in Tennessee.

The church building burned December 16, 1923 and was rebuilt January 12, 1924. About half of the members moved to the Jonesborough church which was built in 1924.

Pastor

Robert G. Edwards was the first pastor.

Cemetery

For cemetery data, see the Pleasant View Cemetery in the Cemetery Section of this web site.

Source: With permission, from the History of Washington County Tennessee, 1988 by the Watauga Association of Genealogists. Posted 29 May 2005.

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