The Rise and Spread of Primitive Baptist Churches and Associations in the State of Tennessee

Most, if not all, of the Baptist Churches organized in Tennessee prior to 1815, were, in faith and practice, Primitive Baptist Churches, based on their confessions of faith, and their roots, and based upon the fact that no missionary societies or organizations had been introduced among them. The Convention which eventually divided the churches in Tennessee was not started until 1833. A missionary Baptist author, Albert Wardin, gives their comparative strength, after the division, but not at the very time of the introduction of these new measures. Wardin documented well over 10,000 Primitive Baptists in Tennessee fifteen years after the division, in the 1850's, and 15,000 in 1890, but did not give the comparative numbers at the time of the actual division, which took place in 1837-1838 all across the State of Tennessee.

HOLSTON ASSOCIATION (TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA, & NORTH CAROLINA) (1786)

On the fourth Saturday in October, 1786, fifteen delegates from seven churches, to-wit : Beaver Creek, Bent Creek, Cherokee Creek, Greasy Cove, Kendrick Creek, Lower French Broad River, and North Fork of Holston, met at Cherokee Meeting House, and with authority from the Sandy Creek Association, they organized a new Baptist Association, which was named the Holston Baptist Association. Elder Tidence Lane was chosen moderator and William Murphy clerk. By 1811 the number of churches in this body had increased from seven to twenty-one. The Holston Association covered a large mountainous territory devoid of good roads and other means of easy communication. For the further growth and development of associations in this area, see our page on early history of churches in Virginia.

MERO DISTRICT (1796)

The Mero District Association was organized in 1796 with five churches, viz., Mouth of Sulphur Fork, Head of Sulphur Fork, Middle Fork, West Fork and Station Camp. It was dissolved in 1803, and the Cumberland Association was organized the same year to take its place, with fifteen churches.

TENNESSEE (1801)

The Tennessee Association was organized in Blount County, Tennessee, in 1801, with eight churches, five ministers, and 240 members. The second session met at Beaver Creek Meeting House, by nineteen churches, on December 25, 1802. The nineteen churches were as follows, viz., Richland Creek, Beaver Ridge, Davis's Creek, Powell's Valley, East Fork of Poplar Creek, Cole Creek, French Broad, Hickory Creek, Buckhorn Valley, Fork of Holston & French Broad, Little Flat Creek, Fork of Little Pigeon, Big Spring, Dumpling Creek, Buffalo Creek, Boyd's Creek, Beaver Creek, War Creek, and Glade Spring. Elder William Johnson was chosen moderator, and Francis Hamilton, clerk. The original churches were lettered out from the Holston Associations.

CUMBERLAND (1803)

The Cumberland Association met in May 1803 at White's Creek Church, with seven churches. They were: White's Creek, Big Harpeth, Red River, Richland Creek, Drakes Creek, Buffalo Creek, and Big Eddy, the last of which was not represented. Elder Joshua White was chosen moderator, and Sugg Fort, clerk. By 1806, it had grown so much that churches were dismissed to organize the Red River Association, while 13 churches with 447 members remained in the Cumberland Association. By 1816, the Cumberland Association had 32 churches with a total of 2,008 members.

STOCKTON'S VALLEY (TENNESSEE & KENTUCKY)(1805)

The Green River Association, organized in 1799, had grown to 38 churches by 1804, and it was deemed advisable to divide into three parts: Green River, Russell's Creek (the same fall), and Stockton's Valley (in 1805). The Stockton's Valley Association was formed with 14 churches, six of which were in Tennessee, the rest in Kentucky.

RED RIVER (TENNESSEE & KENTUCKY)(1806)

The Red River Association was organized at Fort's meeting house (aka Red River Church), in Montgomery County, Tennessee, on Saturday before the second Sunday in August, 1806 (according to a circular letter by Elder John H. Gammon. Ref., Elder Achilles Coffey's History of the Regular Baptists of Southern Illinois, 1877, pp. 37-55). The churches of which it was originally composed are unknown, but some of the very earliest churches within the next two or three years, were Dry Creek, Muddy Fork, Mt. Pleasant, Muddy River, McFarlands Fork, West Fork, Grave Creek, and Dry Fork (in Kentucky); Red River, Half-Pone, and Cubb Creek (in Tennessee). Big Creek (in Illinois) joined by 1812 (probably by 1808). Bethel (in Missouri) joined in 1809.

ELK RIVER (1808)

The Elk River Association was organized from the Cumberland Association in August 1808. The original churches were Elk River, Hopewell, Bethel, Bethlehem, and Boiling Fork. They met at Hopewell meeting house, and elected Elder David Adams moderator, and Bro. George Foster clerk. In 1908, there were fifteen churches, viz., Elk River, Wagner's Creek, Beans Creek, Shilo, Flat Creek, Arber, New Hope, Bethlehem, Mt. Pisgah, Union, Buckeye, Concord, Mt. Moriah, Corders Crossroads, and Mt. Olivet. Elder J. G. Woodfin was moderator, and Elder W. A. Cashion was clerk.

CONCORD (1810)

The Concord Association was constituted September 25, 1810, in Smith's Fork Church, Statesville, Tennessee, then known as Hodges' Meeting House, by twenty-one churches representing a membership of 893. The original churches, or many of them, were dismissed for that purpose from the Cumberland Association.

WASHINGTON (VIRGINIA & TENNESSEE)(1811)

The Washington Association was organized in 1811 by churches dismissed for that purpose from the Holston Association, viz., Glade Hollow, Meadows, Mill Creek, North Fork, and St. Clair's Bottom. Three other churches were dismissed to join in the next two or three years: Hendrix Creek (1812), RIch Valley (1813), and Moccasin (1814). The first session of the Washington Association met at North Fork Church in Washington County, on the third Saturday in October, 1811. Other churches which joined with those dismissed from Holston Association were Abraham's Creek, Castlewood, Deep Spring, and Indian Bottom churches. Elder George Brown was the first moderator, and John Moffett was chosen the first clerk. Over time, this came to be primarily a Virginia association, its churches in Tennessee being dismissed to join other associations in Tennessee.

LITTLE RIVER (KENTUCKY & TENNESSEE)(1813)

The churches which organized the Little River Association in November 1813, were dismissed from Red River Association for that purpose, viz., Blooming Grove, Big Creek (Ill.), Cub Creek, Cypress, Dry Creek, Dry Fork, Eddy Grove, Flat Creek, Muddy Fork, New Hope, New Bethel, Providence, Salem, Sinking Fork of Little River, Saline Creek, Tirzah, Unity, and Mt. Pleasant.

CANEY FORK (1813)

BARTON'S CREEK

WEST TENNESSEE (1817)

POWELL'S VALLEY (1817)

Powell's Valley Association was organized in 1817, with twelve churches, viz., Gap Creek, Cedar Fork, Glade Spring, Big Spring, Cool Creek, War Creek, Powell's River, Thompson's Settlement, Davis Creek, Hinds Creek, Buffalo Creek, and Big Barren.

DRAKE'S CREEK (KENTUCKY & TENNESSEE)(1820)

SEQUATCHIE VALLEY (1821)

SALEM (1822)

Salem Association was organized at Cedar Creek Church, by 27 churches dismissed from the Concord Association, in October 1822. They were: Smith's Fork, Hickman's Creek, Salt Lick, Dixon's Creek, Salem, Round Lick, Bledsoe's Creek, Hogan's Creek, Spring Creek, Peyton's Creek, Brush Creek, Cedar Grove, Knob Spring, Second Creek, Union, East Fork, Goose Creek, Philadelphia, New Hope, Cedar Creek, Lebanon, Goshen, Lancaster, Enon, Saunder's Fork, Falling Creek, Brawley's Fork, and Testament.

HIWASSEE (1823)

The Hiwassee Baptist Association was organized in May 1823, at Pisgah Baptist Church in Monroe County, Tennessee. There were twelve charter members: Pisgah, Little Emory, Big Spring, Sweet Water, Hopewell, Luminary, Beach Fork of Emery, Bullock Penn., Shiloh, Eastern Alabama, Zion Hill, and Tennessee. In about 1836 it divided, and the missionary party, being in the minority, left the old mother body.

WESTERN DISTRICT (1823)

There was a meeting of nine churches at Spring Creek of West Sandy meeting house, on Friday before the third Lord's Day in July 1823, for the purpose of considering forming themselves into an association in the Western District. After consultation, agreed to meet at Bird's Creek meeting house, Henry County, Tennessee, on Friday before the 4th Sunday in September, for the purpose of organizing into an association. The churches were Bird's Creek, Middle Fork of Obion, Beaver Dam of Holly Fork of Sandy, Hollow Rock, Ramble Creek, Walnut Fork of Obion, Spring Creek of West Sandy, Cypress Creek, and Morgan Creek. Elder Samuel McGowen was chosen moderator, and Elder Jacob Browning, clerk.

RICHLAND CREEK (1823)

BETHEL (TENNESSEE & KENTUCKY)(1824)

Bethel Association was organized in 1824 by churches dismissed from the Red River Association.

FORKED DEER (1825)

The Forked Deer Association was formed on October 1, 1825, while in convention at Liberty Meeting House, Madison County, Tennessee, pursuant to a resolution of the churches which had previous met on the 4th Lord's Day in July, 1825. The original churches were Head of Big Black Creek, Hopewell, Liberty, Middle Fork, Gibson, Prospect, Spring Creek, Mount Moriah, Flat Creek, Providence, Wolf River, Spring Creek of North Fork, Union, Mill Creek, and Cub Creek. Elder Starke Dupuy was elected moderator, and Brother J. W. Fort was chosen clerk.

OBION (1828)

The Obion Association was constituted on Saturday before the second Lord's Day in November, 1828, at Walnut Fork Meeting House, Henry County, Tennessee. The original churches were dismissed for that purposes from the Western District Association. The fourteen churches were: Providence, Middle Fork of Obion, Beaver Dam, Walnut Fork, New Salem, Clark's River, Union, East Fork of Clark's River, Blood River, Bailey's Fork, Dresden, Hepzibah, Bethlehem, and Bethel. Elder James Conyers was chosen moderator, and Bro. W. D. Whitsett, clerk.

NOLACHUCKY (1828)

The Nolachucky Association was formed in November 1828, at Bent Creek Church, in Hamblen County. There were fourteen churches, all but two of which were dismissed from the Holston Association for that purpose. A division occurred in 1839, which purged the churches which had been drawn into the modern mission system.

BUFFALO RIVER (1828)

SWEETWATER (1830)

The Sweetwater Association was organized by churches dismissed for that purpose from the Hiwassee Association. They held a convention on the fourth Saturday of November 1830, at Sweetwater meeting house.

CLARK'S RIVER (KENTUCKY & TENNESSEE)(1830)

MISSISSIPPI RIVER (1832)

The Mississippi River Association was organized in 1832 with 16 churches and 550 members, they being a majority of the Big Hatchie Association, which had an element that favored the modern mission system. After the churches withdrew, which formed the Regular Baptist Association and the Mississippi River Association (which together were much in the majority), those who remained in the Big Hatchie Association went fully into the modern mission system.

PREDESTINARIAN (1835)

The Predestinarian Association was organized by five churches, formerly of the Forked Deer Association, who met at Flat Creek Church in 1835. They agreed to meet at Clark's Creek Church in August 1835, at which time five other churches met with them and formed themselves into an association. The ten churches were Clark's Creek, Turman's Creek, Flat Creek, Cedar Creek, Rushing Creek, Friendship, Bethpier, Middle Fork, Rocky Springs, and Mud Creek. The first moderator was Elder C. Riddle, and the first clerk was Elder E. Deaton.

REGULAR BAPTIST (TENNESSEE & MISSISSIPPI)(1835)

The Regular Baptist Association was organized on October 5, 1835, with the following churches: Macedonia, Mill Creek, Mt. Zion, Spring Creek, Concord, Enon, Moss Creek, Brown's Creek, Laurel Hill, and Little Hatchie. The ten churches had a total of 287 members. These churches withdrew from the Big Hatchie Association over the mission controversy.

ROUND LICK (1837)

The Round Lick Association was organized at Cedar Creek Church, on Friday before the third Sunday in November 1837. by five churches (having a total of 366 members) which left the Salem Association over the mission controversy. Elder Miles West was chosen moderator, and Elder Sion Bass, clerk. .The five churches were:Salt Lick, Round Lick, Spring Creek, Mount Pleasant, and Testament,

STONE'S RIVER (1837)

The Stone's River Association was organized in 1837, at Ridge Meeting House, by eleven churches, with a total of 714 members. These churches had voted to dissolve the Concord Association over the mission controversy. Elder Joseph Pitt was chosen moderator, and Elder John M. Watson, clerk.

BIG SANDY (1837)

The Big Sandy Association was organized at Hollow Rock Church, Carroll County, Tennessee, on Saturday before the 4th Sunday in August 1837, after a preliminary meeting had been held at Cypress meeting house, Benton County, in May 1837. Elder John Horn was elected the first moderator, and Brother Thomas Banks, clerk. The following churches went into the constitution: Cypress, Hollow Rock, New Hope, Birdsong, Martin's Creek, and Shady Grove. Most of these churches had been in the Forked Deer and Obion Associations.

TALLAHATCHIE (TENNESSEE & MISSISSIPPI)(1837)

The Tallahatchie Association was organized in northwest Mississippi, October, 1837, with the following churches: Sardis, Antioch, Providence, and Pleasant Grove. Elder E. A. Meaders was chosen moderator, and John Milam, clerk.

FOUNTAIN CREEK (ALABAMA & TENNESSEE)(1849)

COLLINS RIVER (1871)

TENNESSEE RIVER BEND (1879)

SECOND CREEK (TENNESSEE & ALABAMA)(1885)

The Second Creek Association was organized at Blue Water Church, Lauderdaile County, Alabama, on Saturday before the 3rd Sunday in September, 1885. Pleasant Grove, Blue Water, and Second Creek churches wee dismissed for that purpose from the Fountain Creek Association, and Holbert Springs, Hurricane Springs, and Sweetgum Flat churches were dismissed for that purpose from the Flint River Association. Elder L. Jinkens was chosen moderator, and R. R. Newton, clerk.

PHILESIC (KENTUCKY & TENNESSEE)(1893)

The Philesic Association was organized by six churches which were dismissed or withdrew from the Bethel Association of Tennessee and Kentucky in 1890. Five of these churches, Sandy Branch, Blooming Grove, Antioch, Little Zion, and Pleasant Grove (all in Weakley County, Tennessee) met at Little Zion Church, on Friday, October 13th, 1893, and constituted the Philesic Association. Elder J. V. Kirkland was chosen moderator, and G. T. Mayo, clerk.

GREENFIELD (KENTUCKY & TENNESSEE)(1899)

The Greenfield Association was formed in 1899, at Greenfield Church, Greenfield, Tennessee, with six churches located in Tennessee and Kentucky. These churches had withdrawn from Bethel and Obion Associations. Elder K. M. Myatt.was chosen moderator, and F. M. Campbell, clerk.

GREENFIELD-PHILESIC (CONSOLIDATED 1904)

Churches composing the Philesic and Greenfield Associations consolidated at the 1904 session held at Blooming Grove Church. At the session of 1908, held at Old Bethel Church, with twelve churches represented, they agreed to drop the word Philesic, and go simply by the name of Greenfield Association.

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