The Methodist Church, Known as the Concord Society
Compiled by Sara Steagall Lowe
The original Methodist Church in the Versailles area was located 1 ½ miles northwest of Versailles, on the now Jackson Ridge Road, on land now owned by the heirs of Will C Smothernan. The home located on the property is now using two of the three hand hewn limestone steps originally used by the church, the only known remains of the original church building. Henceforth, the original building will be referred to as the "Old" Concord Church.
Within a few years the church moved to a location ½ mile closer to Versailles, which is now on Highway 99 and the intersection known as Concord, which was named because of the "Concord Society" Church located there. The land for this second church location on the southeast corner of the intersection and approximately two acres, was given by C B Farris and J O Sharber as recorded in Deed Book 36, Rutherford County Register of Deeds office, dated 14 June 1853, this being the earliest known valid date related to this Methodist Church. This second building was two-story, entirely of cedar, with dimensions approximately forty feet square. The ground floor was a school room and on the south end of the building a broad stairway led up to the church. The church continued to be used for a period of 56 years. The report to the Fourth Quarterly Conference on September 11, 1886, stated that
After occupying this second church building for approximately 34 years, church officials moved to sell house lot known as the "Old" Concord Church, the funds to be used on the building presently occupied by the Concord Society. During the pastorate of J W Collum, the committee consisting of J P Smotherman, F P Love, R W Farris made their report to the Quarterly Conference, August 20, 1887, that they had sold "Old" Concord Church and lot to Eugene Parks in April, 1887 for $50.00. Deed recorded 22 June, 1891, Deed Book 32, Rutherford County Register of Deeds office.
The church Register of Concord Society, Murfreesboro District, Tennessee Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church South, lists the first pastor assignment as Z W Moore, 15 October 1879. The first member whose entry bore a date was in 1878.
Due to growth of the membership, a committee was appointed to make a canvass of the church and community to ascertain as nearly as possible the practicability of building a new church.
It was much later when the First Quarterly Conference, held on 12 December 1908, resolved that the Board of Trustees of the Concord Church be authorized to sell such part of the present church and ground on which it is situated as may seem best and be further authorized to invest the proceeds of said sale in other grounds and in building thereon a new house of worship. Provided, however, that the sale is made the said trustees shall have secured 3/4 of the total amount needed as prescribed in the Discipline. Said estimate to be made by a committee to be appointed by this conference. F P Steagall and W A Brannon were appointed the holding committee referred to in the resolution adopted.
The second church/school and grounds were sold to the Rutherford County Board of Education. Much of the building was used in the first Rockvale School Building, including many of the long church benches and the bell which is still in use in the present school. The land was later bought back by the church.
By 3 March 1909, the new house of worship was being built directly across the road from the second church/school location and was dedicated in late spring of 1909. The Reverend J W Swann was pastor at this time.
The second Church Register of the Concord Church, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was begun 21 June 1909.
The church building erected in 1909 with more recent additions has been used continuously by the Concord United Methodist Church.
Concord Society Quarterly Conference Records
Concord Society Membership Roll Book
Handwritten report by F P Love's daughter, Nannie Mai Love Stegall
Recorded deeds as stated
THE COMPLETE CHURCH REGISTER of Concord Society, Murfreesboro
District, Tennessee Conference,
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Nashville, TN: Southern Methodist Publishing House, 1879
REGISTER OF PASTORS
NAME DATE OF APPOINTMENT TERM OF SERVICE
_________________________________________________________________
Z W Moores Two years Oct 15, 1879
H J Ivie Two years Oct 15, 1881
T B Fisher Two years Oct 15, 1883
J J Pitts One year Oct 15, 1885
J W Collum Three years Oct 15, 1886
F W Johnson Two years Oct 15, 1889
John R Thompson Two years Oct 15, 1891
G W Blanton Two years Oct 15, 1893
J Winford One year Oct 15, 1895
J A Bridges One year Oct 15, 1896
G M Keathley One year Oct 20, 1897
M P Woods One year Oct 20, 1898
J C Keathley Two years Oct 15, 1900
G W Blanton One year Oct 15, 1902
Allen Miller Two years Oct 15, 1903
J W Swann Four years Oct 15, 1905
(As listed from original Membership Roll and Record Book)
................................................................
Committee of Assessment, November 21, 1880
F T Z Jackson, J P Smotherman, F P Love, J O Farris, C B Farris
(As listed inside front cover of Record Book)
REGISTER OF MEMBERS--METHODIST CHURCH--CONCORD--1879
John A Williamson
Fountain P Love
Elias T Gray
John M Brannon
James A Nully
John W Faris
Randolph N Sharber
William A Brannon
Ely A Seay
Samuel M Hopkins
Elijah Wilson
Charles W Hopkins
Richard W Faris
John C Hopkins
Charles A D Faris
Samuel R Hopkins
John W Jackson
S J Hopkins
Joseph Owen
Noah A Brannon
Edward L Jordan
John J Whitehead
James H Castleman
Washington R Jackson
George M Smotherman
Samuel R Ransom
Thomas H Williamson
Richard N Smotherman
Eldridge T Smotherman
M W Lorance
J P T Smotherman
James S Gray
William T Smotherman
James A North. L P
Samuel A Smotherman
John F Holden
Ransom P Harris
J D Wiggins
John N Harris
James E Thomas
James P Harris
Nannie E North
James E Jackson
Mary J Castleman
Helen Sharber
Charlotte Wiggins
Mary Heath
Annie C Jackson
Mary A Webb
Martha E Love
Indiana Jackson
Elizabeth Z Faris
Mary Dunn
Della B Jordan
Lamisa Jackson
Mary A B Jordan
Martha S Jordan
Ada Lou Faris
Mary J Gray
Anna M Faris
Sarah C Bennett
Susan E N Faris
Sarah B Long
Mary J Faris
Mary B Smotherman
Walter Faris
Margaret Rieves
Irene Gray
Sallie Fields
Mary Baugh
Lucretia Jackson
Mattie Shead
Susanna Underwood
Lizzie Puckett
Fannie Holden
Lizzie Holden
Mary A Smith
Charles T Williamson
Elizabeth Neely
Horace S Williamson
Mary Seay
Joseph Ransom
Ann E Wilson
William Neely
Sarah Neell
James D Smith
Nancy V Sharber
John T Puckett
Lula F Smotherman
Lee Brannon
Mary J Hopkins
Mary J Gray Jr
Ellen Ransom
Josie Faris
Nannie Nance
Sallie Jackson
Lavenia Brannon
Thomas C Jackson
Sarah Harris
F T Z Jackson
Tennie Whitehead
Effie Jackson
Bettie Carlton
James K Heath
Elizabeth
Faris
Mary Heath
Elizabeth C Williamson
Lizzie Heath
Janee M Carson
Angie Heath
Sue A Jackson
Lucy Ann Pitts
Mamie L Gray
Dora B Faris
Mattie L Brannon
James S Manning
Bettie Nance
Jim P Manning
Lizzie Nance
Eugenia J Jackson
Sina Sharber
Mrs S J Gray
Araminter Whitehead
Elizabeth Manning
William J Simmons
Ardis Manning
Ann E Simmons
W B Downing
Martha Simmons
W S Ransom
Mary Wiggins
C Rough Faris
Rockisa Ivie
Susie Faris
Lockie Jackson
Martha Chadwell
M W Charles
William C Chadwell
Mattie Neely
Julia Chadwell
E T Smotherman
Kate Chadwell
Sallie Love
Levania Bell Haynes
Effie G Jackson
Ernest B Fleming
Effie L Jackson
Clarence Dunn
F G T Jackson
Mrs Jose Downing
George F Jackson
Tida Rowland
Addie Love
J W Farris
Allen Athelston Love
Elizabeth Farris
Jennie L Love
Sallie Farris
Nannie May Love
Sue Farris
Sallie Sutton
Annie Clark
Thomas Sutton
Minos Brannon
Mary E Sutton
Eddie Manning
Martha T Well
Mary Lou Manning
Cora Sutton
Annie Lou Gray
Berry Rowland
Robert Gray
Sarah Rowland
Mary Faris Rowland
Elias T Smotherman Jr
Mary Dyer
Fred Smotherman
Eula Lamb
John D Smotherman
Lena Faris
Ethel
Smotherman
Kizzie Faris
L D Smotherman
R L Brown
Mrs Laura Blanton
Sallie Bell Manning
Will Ransom Harris
Kate Love
Sue Ella Harris
Lorna Blanton
Mrs Tennie Brannon
Miriam Blanton
Lizzie Manning
John F Webb
Josie G
Smotherman Mrs Sallie Stevens
Mrs W E Beasley
Noah Stevens
Richard A Steagall
Mrs S E Dyer
Mary Callie Steagall
Mrs Lou Miller
Susan E Steagall
Lila Miller
William M Steagall
Birdie Miller
Benjamin D Steagall
Sallie A Harris
W H Haynes
Louisa Haynes
Emma
Windrow Mrs M M Rowland
Lizzie Whitehad
Docia A Keathley
A J Chadwell
Duplication of some names was caused by moving away and returning their membership at a later date. This is a complete listing of the original membership roll. Mr J D Wiggins was listed as a member as of April 1878, by letter. His was the first member listed in the original Jackson Ridge Cumberland Presbyterian Church membership book listed with a date, was listed 7 October 1907.
Compiled by Maude Ghee Reeves
The last Jackson Ridge Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in the 10th District of Rutherford County, TN, stands between Rockvale and Eagleville, 13 miles southwest of Murfreesboro, 1.6 miles northwest of Concord and Highway 99--the Jackson Ridge Road running immediately east of the church. Organized about 1828 or 1829, the church is situated on the old Jackson's Ridge Camp Ground on land sold by Thomas Jackson in 1833. (1)
In 1881, the present structure was built. Construction is of yellow poplar beams, covered with poplar siding. It is filled with seats, using those out of the little log structure. (2) Dedication service has held for this new Cumberland Presbyterian house of worship in October, 1881, and minutes of that service follow:
Last Sunday, the 9th Inst., the new Cumberland Presbyterian Church, situated on the old Jackson's Ridge Camp Ground, was dedicated. By the time the services began, fully five hundred persons were present.
The new church is built about two hundred yards west of the old Camp Ground, and near the graveyard. It is forty feet wide, sixty feet in length, and is capable of seating over two hundred persons. The cost of the church when completed will be near $1,000.00, which has been subscribed. The contractor, Mr Hendrix, has finished it in master workman style, and it will long remain a monument to his skill.
Seated in the pulpit were Revs. T B Ivie, Thomas R Hutchison, G W McMurry, and T F Bates. Rev Bates read the agreement with contractor for the erection of the church, and a statement from the elders that the contract had been faithfully complied with. He also read a list of those who were authorized to receive the unpaid subscriptions. The dedication services commenced by Rev. Ivie reading the 16th chapter of Isaiah. Rev McMurray, the pastor of the church, then read the following statement given a brief history of the church at Jackson's Ridge.
Jackson's Ridge Church was organized about 1828 or 1829, and from the information by Rev John King, the little log house near this was built about 1829, the logs being hauled to the place by Benjamin Taylor, Esq.
Among those who have preached at Jackson's Ridge at the Camp Meeting held here, or served as its pastors, may be mentioned as follows: Revs John King, Willis Burgess, Elisha Hendrix, Joseph Crawford, William B Garratt, Henry B Warren, James B Porter, NP Modrall, Riley Smotherman, L C Ransom, W W Hendrix, Jessie Lamb, T F Bates, W F Sullivan W H White, and G P Hastings. The first man that ever preached on this hill was Porter Rankin. Among those who have professed religion here and gone out to preach the gospel to perishing sinners may be mentioned as follows: W W Hendrix, L S Ransom, and W W Hendrix. Camp meetings were held here from 1831 to 1856, and it is believed that scores and hundreds of souls have gone home to heaven.
The vicissitudes of the war left the church weak and disorganized and about the year 1868, Rev T F Bates came and reorganized the church with eighteen members, had a glorious revival, and many were brought into the fold. Gracious revivals have been enjoyed from time to time and with our house now to be dedicated to God we feel like saying, "The Lord is our helper, and we will take courage and go forward."
The officials of the church at present are T L Hendrix, Joseph F Brooks, T