Record book
NEW PROVIDENCE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH by Nancy Kennedy A newspaper article that was written about 1932 was found with information concerning this church. The old church minute book was carried to the newspaper by J C Gilchrist. The old house of worship stood near the Charlie Surratt homestead on the old Stage Road form Adamsville to Purdy. Charles C Surratt, age 80, died June 13, 1930. Either church died out or was moved. On Sept 15, 1866, Rev Robert Young and about 70 people met for the purpose of organizing the Mount Sharon Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Membership was mostly from members of New Providence Cumberland Presbyterian Church located just southwest of Snake Creek on the Old Purdy Rd. Brother T F Wilson, Brother Cornelius Gilchrist and Brother John L Groves were chosen as ruling elders. Rev Robert Young was pastor until 1869 and we was pastor of several other Cumberland Presbyterian Churches in McNairy County. About 1906 Mount Sharon united with the Presbyterian denomination. “The old book records the names of many of the people living in the eastern part of McNairy County. The first recorded name is Delpha Stanley, ‘professed religion in McNairy County, Tenn., joined the New Providence C. P. church in 1845. Received the ordinance of Baptism by pouring.’ Sarah Scott professed religion, joining the New Providence C P church in 1845, received the ordinance of Baptism. Then there appears the names of Elizabeth Burden, William Cleary, Casper Combs, John Combs, John G Combs, Savannah Combs, Frances Corbett, Matilda Corbett, Priscilla Corbett, Caroline Gilchrist, Christina Graves, Elizabeth Graves, John Graves, Rebecca Graves, Peter Gullett, Nancy Harper, Yancey Harper, Elizabeth Helbert, Elizabeth Higgins, Mary Higgins, Mary Horn, Alice Kerr, Calvin P Kerr, David G Kerr, Rebecca Lindsey, Agnes McDaniel, Dicey McDaniel, Mary McDaniel, R C McDaniel, Malissa Merrell, Moses Meeks, Rebecca Meeks, Elizabeth Paschal, Minerva Paschal, Gilbert Pearson, Sarah Pullman, Ann Roberson, Arabella Roberson, John Roberson, Lucinda Scott, James Scott, James Scott, Sr, Elizabeth Sewell, Lucinda Surratt, Mac Surratt, Morman Tidwell, Nathan Willett, Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson. The above names were those of the membership in 1845. There are many other interesting items in that old book, which is well preserved. (There were two James Scotts near Adamsville at that time. One they called James Scott North Carolina, because that was where he came from the other was James Scott Maury Jim because he was from Maury County, Tenn.) In that old book appears the names of those whose removal to other places is recorded. We find the list to be: Ginnetta Barnes, Elizabeth Burden, Jayne Baye, George and Mary Chenault, William Cleary, John and Susan Combs and Cassa, Peter Gullett, Elizabeth Gullet, Christina and Elizabeth Graves, Jane Hamilton, Yancey Harper, Mary Higgins , David G and Calvin P Kerr, James and Nancy Kerr, Rebecca Lindsey, R C McDonald and Dicey, Mary and Agnes (entered above as McDaniel), Mellina Merrill (says Melissa above), Elizabeth Pashal, Minda Paschal (name Minerva above??) Sarah Pullman, Ann Roberson, Arabella Roberson, John Roberson, James Scott Jr and Sarah Scott (this would be Maury Jim Scott), James Scott, Sr (James Scott North Carolina), Marmon Tidwell, Thomas and Nancy Williams,
Martha Williams. It has B L often in the names but meaning is undetermined. Then there were the record of deaths: Alex C Hill departed this life (no date); Lucinda Scott departed this life July 2, 1850; Elizabeth Wilson departed this life January 27, 1851; Simon Landreth departed this life May 25, 1852. Then there is a record of marriages: Allen Kerr to Hanna N Hill (?) 1843; Christina Graves to James McGuire 1843; Elizabeth Graves to William Hamilton in 1844; James Hamilton to Thomas Tenneson (?); Mary Higgins to Carroll Pickens in 1844; Priscilla Pearson to Robert Wilson in 1845 (should be 1843, she had a child in April 1844); Delpha Stanley to Milton Wilson in 1845; Elizabeth Higgins to Mack Surratt in 1844; Malissa Merill to Reuben Swain in 1845; John Graves tp Rebecca Bolton in 1845; Elizabeth Ewell to Calvin Wilson in 1846; Rebecca Lindsey to John Surratt in 1851. Elders chosen and ordained: On page 95 of the old book under the above title we find: January 29, 1842; The following brethren were chosen to fill the office of Ruling Elder: Peter Gullett, James Wilson, Thomas Williams, and James Kerr, all of which were set apart by ordination on the 13th day of March 1842. Rev S A Wait, Pastor. Brother Thomas Combs and William Surratt were chosen to fill the office of Ruling Elder and set apart for ordination in 1849. Rev James Richards, Pastor. Brother John L Graves was chosen to fill the office of Ruling Elder and set apart by ordination in 1850.