Cherokee Baptist Church
Has Been a welcome beacon on the hill of Mayberry Road for 200 years. The church has been a family oriented sanctuary to those who come and worship here.
There have been many weddings, births and other types of celebrations here at Cherokee Baptist Church. Those gatherings have featured some of the best fellowships and services a person has experienced. For that reason, folks of Cherokee Baptist want to share those same experiences when you visit with us.
Highlights Of Our Heritage…
Cherokee Baptist Church, 143 Mayberry Road, Jonesborough, Tennessee, got its humble start in the late 1700’s. Some of the early settlers began to meet for worship services and formed the Cherokee Creek Meeting House. Although the exact date of organization is not known, some historians believe this Baptist Church was started 1780 or earlier. The first recorded meeting took place April 2, 1783, when the reverend William Murphy was installed as pastor. By September 4, 1783 the members of Cherokee Creek Meeting House had pledged that ” we do not look upon ourselves as infallible but we still look to be taught further by the word and spirit of God” on the fourth Saturday of October 1786, Holston Baptist Association was organized at Cherokee Church, with Tidence Lane, moderator and William Murphy, clerk. Six other churches was also represented at this meeting. This was the first, Baptist association in Tennessee. Cherokee Baptist Church is the oldest continuously operating Baptist church in the Tennessee Baptist convention. The church has its original records for documentation. Cherokee has mothered at least seven churches – Indian Creek ( now First Baptist Church of Erwin), First Baptist of Jonesborough, Asbury Baptist, Union (now Union Church of Christ), New Victory, Mount Zion and Second Baptist of Limestone.
Although the church has had three names – Cherokee Creek meeting House, Baptist Church of Christ at Cherokee & Cherokee Baptist Church, & has been located in three states – North Carolina, the State of Franklin & Tennessee without moving from its place.
The land on which Cherokee Baptist Church stands was owned by Samuel Bayless (1751-1825). In his will, he gave his daughter, Hannah Bayless Hoss (1784-1859) “a certain tract out of which is excepted one & one-fourth acres more or less for the (Cherokee) meeting house and burial ground.” In 1840 Hannah deeded this land to the church.
The original church building was a log structure that was later weather boarded. This building served both as a community school & a church. In 1860, a frame church building was built to replace the log church. The present-day colonial brick church that was built in 1973 later replaced this building & the First Sunday was held on April 7, 1973.
Some of the known 48 pastors of Cherokee from the first recorded meeting to present day are: William Murphy, James Keel, Reece Bayless, William Cate, Elisha Martin, William A Keen, J.H. Hyder, J.B. Stone, R.B. Bayless, N.W.G. Baxter, J.H. Moore, A.J.L. Hyder, S.H. Harrod, T.L. Hale, E.D. Cox, F.W. DeVault, , H.L. Riddle, R.C. Campbell, A.J. Watkins, R.E. Corum, R.N. Rose, James A McCaleb, J.M. Whitaker, J.R. Hodges, James Stout, B.M. Canup, H.G. Brockus, Aden Childress, R.H. Couch, Truman Conly, Frank B. Beck, Willie Crawford, Clarence Carter, Dwight Lyons, James Cambron, James Archer, Charles Hobbs, James Lewis, Bill Duncan, C.W. Hedgecoth, Clay Austin, Ron Anderson, Johnny Widener, Mike McCloud, Phil Gass, Kelver Mullins, Willie Lunsford, Lynn Hartsell, & Dr. E. Dwight Hobbs.
The most important legacy that has been given to us at Cherokee Baptist Church is that of the love of Jesus Christ!!
