Harber’s History: Old Jefferson church was heart of community

Susan Harber, Daily News Journal, January 10, 2015

“Shall we gather at the river?” What fateful and prophetic words for a minister to proclaim each Sunday, as the adjoining Stones River would soon infringe the foundation of the church itself. The Old Jefferson Church of Christ was on the cusp of the low banks of two rivers flowing together into one. A bustling congregation on Jefferson Pike was the height of goodwill in the once thriving town of Old Jefferson. This original, one-room, white-shingled church was the center of the community.

Paul Rogers standing beside the original Old Jefferson Church of Christ in 1953.

Paul Rogers standing beside the original Old Jefferson Church of Christ in 1953.

James and Henreta Wade, relatives of church leader Walter Lenoir, deeded the lot to the trustees of the Church of Christ in 1915.  The church building was then erected for $1,000 with boxes used as temporary benches in the assembly room.  In 1949, seating was installed; and three classrooms were added in 1953. A school bus and wagons were two mediums of transportation in the 1920s to and from the building.  In the 1930s, a pot-bellied stove kept the solitary meeting room warm on a cold Sunday morning; and in 1953, gas heating was installed.

The Jefferson Church of Christ related to 314 Old Jefferson Pike on the eastern edge of Smyrna, Tennessee.

The Jefferson Church of Christ related to 314 Old Jefferson Pike on the eastern edge of Smyrna, Tennessee.

This exciting church welcomed every stranger with open arms and was well known as a friendly and inviting assembly.  Long-term attendees included several families with a namesake of Lenoir, Waller, Fergus, Dunn, Lannom, Wilkinson, Francis, Wilkerson and Wilson.

The women wore their best attire on Sunday mornings along with hat and gloves. They were the definitive “movers and shakers” of the church prospering behind the scenes to make this church stand tall.

Ruth Dunn taught a children’s class for years and taught my mom, Judy Johns, in Sunday school.  Wide-eyed boys and girls sat in different corners of the large room awestruck by the stories brought to life by this endearing teacher.

At Christmas, there was a decorated tree in the church building, and every child received a special gift.  Notable historian Martha Wright of Murfreesboro relates that members Walter Lenoir and Lee Victory delivered Christmas presents 61 years ago to the children of the congregation.  Lee Victory dressed as Santa and gave Martha a Bible at 9 years of age that she still has today.

Paul Rogers' first day preaching at Old Jefferson CoC (on the  chalkboard is written 9-28-1952).

Paul Rogers’ first day preaching at Old Jefferson CoC (on the chalkboard is written 9-28-1952).

Before 1958, there were no elders.  The church was united as team players in decision making.  There was no baptistry within the building, and baptisms took place in the nearby Stones River.  These waters could be chilling on a winter day.  My grandmother was baptized in these waters in 1928; and my mother, wearing her best attire, followed her in 1948.

Church dinners were rare in the 1940s and 1950s in a one-room church.  Yet, inviting guests into personal homes was an enduring trend.  My grandmother Emily Johns was a member for 35 years and promoted an open door on Sundays and greeted visitors and traveling preachers to “come home with me and have lunch.”  Emily and Glendon Johns awaited these guests to their home with a delicious meal and welcomed them as part of their family.

The church was moved back from the road in 1953; and Sunday school rooms were added.  There were 60 members attending the church in 1950.  The revivals were highly anticipated and took place once a year.

Robert Sydney Waller was the faithful and committed song leader of many years.  There was no youth group within the congregation. One of the first outings for the teens occurred in 1953 with an exciting trip to Chattanooga with their minister.

Paul Rogers, my dad, was the new preacher in town in 1952 and took his job seriously.  He was only 18 years old and a freshman at David Lipscomb College.  He had no car to transport himself the first year and caught rides with member Walter Lenoir to and from Nashville each weekend.  Paul slept most Saturday nights on a floor mattress in Lee Victory’s home, situated just a couple doors down from the church.  This led to decades of deep friendship with the Victory family.  Walter Fergus, an elder in 1960, was also a lifetime friend to my dad.  Paul made a presence within the community with door knocking, and the membership increased to 120 within four years.  He also expanded the church with an additional wing for Sunday School rooms. He was active with the youth and coached a softball team on Lamar Road.  My personal reward stems from having Paul as a very special father, along with a wonderful mother, Judy Johns.  Judy met Paul at age 16 within the Old Jefferson church, and they were married three years later.

In 1966, the church closed with the influx of the dam, and not one trace remains today.  The building was once utilized as a storage facility.  However, nothing was taken in the memories of a good day.  A new site was developed for Old Jefferson Church of Christ on two acres of land on Old Jefferson Pike in 1966.  The excellent and longstanding minister Ron Caldwell, a close friend of Paul Rogers, has served this current location for over 30 years and is beloved within the community.  The original Old Jefferson Church of Christ is gone but not forgotten.  Memories of a thriving and loving church will always be the herald of a congregation brimming with goodwill and blessings to all.  As the preacher said, “Let us gather by the river.”

Contact Susan Harber at [email protected].

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