Cumberland Presbyterian Church

In a beautiful grove about ten miles west of McKenzie, Tennessee, on the corner of the W. H. SPARKS farm (now known as the S. R. SHAW farm) in the early 1860ís, a log school-house  was erected, where the young generation were taught on week days and on Sundays.  The people met to worship God in Sunday School.  One boy, being invited to go to Sunday School, said he could not go because his father had not subscribed. 

In this log school-house, in the year 1865, Rev. Felix JOHNSON, D.D.,  organized a Cumberland Presbyterian Church and it was called Pilgrims Rest,  as the Rev. William MOORE, when on his death-bed, requested that a church  be built at the northeast corner of the graveyard and call it Pilgrims Rest. This church was organized in the summer of 1865 by Rev. Felix JOHNSON,  D.D., who preached for the church as he could make it convenient to do so.

Next came Bro. Harmon E. JOHNSON for the year of 1868.  He served as pastor for more than twenty years except six months leave of absence, which was supplied by Rev. D. S. COSBY. 

                                                             Charter Members 
       Mrs. Sarah PATTON, Mrs. Sarah GREGORY, Mrs. Isabella CRABTREE, S. M.  CRABTREE, William CRABTREE, Mrs. M. J. BOBO, Mrs. Lavina PATTERSON, J. H. DUDLEY, Mrs. Rachel DUDLEY, S. R. SHAW, R. S. HART, Mrs. E. M. HART, T. A. PATTERSON, Mrs. Susan PATTERSON, James HOLT, Edward HOLT, Curtis SMITH, W.  S. AKINS, Mrs. Polly AKINS, Mrs. GALLOWAY, Mrs. Mary BLAYLOCK, Miss Mandy  BLAYLOCK, Robert YOUNG, Mrs. Roena YOUNG, James MOORE, James BARKSDALE, Mrs. Lou BARKSDALE, John CARLTON, Miss Emma JOHNSON, Miss Alva CALVERT, W. H. GREGORY, Mrs. Mollie GREGORY, Mrs. KEATON, Hiram KEATON, Miss Ame KEATON. 
 

                                                              Ordained Elders 
T. A. PATTERSON, R. S. HART, J. H. DUDLEY, James MOORE, S. R. SHAW, E. G.  HOLT, Curtis SMITH, W. A. CRABTREE, James E. Crabtree, William PATTERSON,  R. T. HOLT, N. A. MITCHELL, J. C. RODGERS, D. H. PATTERSON, C. H. PERRY, J. Allen, M. G. PERRY. 

                                                                     Deacons 
S. M. CRABTREE, P. S. RODGERS, J. A. CAMPBELL, T. C. SMITH and J. E. PATTERSON. 

       April 20, 1869, a building committee consisting of S. R. SHAW, Chr., R. S. HART, W. H. GREGORY, James HOLT, William E. PATTERSON, David MCDONALD, was appointed to raise funds to build a Cumberland Presbyterian Church at the northeast corner of the grave yard, on a lot donated for this purpose by Robert YOUNG.  On February 8, 1872, the church was completed, all  indebtedness paid, as everyone had contributed liberally of their labor, timber and money. 

                                                             Pastors 
Revs. Felix JOHNSON, D.D., 
Harmon C. JOHNSON,  D. S. 
COSBY, W. A. 
BOONE, Allen 
FOUST, J. A. 
KEATON, W. I. 
TRAYWICK, Henry 
ABNEY, R. H. 
JACKSON, J. A. 
SELF, L. E. 
MCCOY, S. C. 
GARDNER, D. R. 
DUNNAGIN, H. C. COOPER 
Rev. J. M. BRYANT Who has served the church twenty-six years 

This Sunday School has been Evergreen since organization. 

              FIRST RECORD OF MINUTES OF PILGRIM REST SUNDAY SCHOOL 

       April 18, 1869, met at Pilgrims Rest and reorganized Sunday School in due form: R. L. HART, Superintendent,  J. R. MITCHELL, Vice Superintendent; R. T. Holt, LIBRARIAN; S. R. SHAW, Secretary.  There were 54 enrolled, with the following teachers:  T. A. PATTERSON, Mrs. Ella HART, J. R. MITCHELL, Mrs. Sue SMITH, R. L. HART, James HOLT, Mrs. Jane SHAW, Mrs. JOHNSON. S. R. SHAW, Sec. 
 

                        Choristers: 1865-1941 
       E. G. HOLT, R. T. HOLT, J. C. ROGERs, H. J. SCATES, S. M. SPARKES, Edd  MITCHELL. W. M. STOUT, W. W. DUNN, J. L. FUZZELL, Lurton H. SMITH. 

                        1941 Elders 
       A. L. WALKER, W. A. STUBBLEFIELD, W. W. DUNN, H. J. SMITH, W. D. EZELL, H. S. SMITH. W. D. FEATHERSTONE, J. B. SMITH, B. B. FEATHERSTONE, C. A.  ELINOR, F. F. CLAYTOR, W. J. HOLT. 

                        1941 Deacons 
       Miss Josephine SHAW, Mesdames Mary SMITH and Pearl ELINOR. 

       Those acting as organist during all these years are: Mrs. Emma PATTERSON,  Miss Alice SHAW, Miss Sheila ADEN, Mrs. Ovie ELINOR, Mrs. Stella MANN  DREWRY, Mrs. Fay CLAYTOR, Mrs. Vera FEATHERSTONE. 

       Ordained ministers from membership of this church have been Revs. R. T. 
       PATTERSON, R. L. ROGERS, R. M. RUCKER, E. B. RUCKER, and Shaw SCATES. 

       Among the descendants of the founders of this church who still worship here   are, SMITHS, YOUNGS, MITCHELLS, HOLTS, SHAWS. 

       Pilgrims Rest has always been noted for good singing and for years has  boasted it's famous quartet, first composed of Edd MITCHELL, J. L. FUZZELL,  Laten SMITH and Herbert SMITH.