Prairie Springs
Meeting House / Jackson’s Chapel
The earliest Methodist church, first
known as Prairie Springs Meeting House, was a log structure on Prairie Creek
near Dallas.
Asabel and Phoebe Thurman Rawlings moved to this section from Washington about 1820
when he became clerk of the court. Tradition has it that Rawlings was
instrumental in founding this church about this time, although the deed for the
donated property was not recorded until 1832. John Bradfield, easily recognized
by the great shawl he always wore instead of a coat, served as an early
minister; later a nephew of Asabel Rawlings named Asabel Jackson became
minister, and the church’s name was changed to Jackson’s Chapel. The original name now
survives only in the designation of Prairie Peninsula, where the old cemetery is
located across the road from where the old chapel stood. The property of the
church was increased by five acres donated by Elisha Kirklin for a camp meeting
site on North Chickamauga Creek.
(Source: History of Hamilton Co, Tn.
Page 55)
The Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church was
active in the county at an early date. A church was organized at Dallas, then the county
seat, and this church has a continuous record for more than a hundred years.
Service was first held in a small log cabin; this was succeeded by a more
commodious log cabin which was later replaced by the present substantial
structure. The church was called “Jackson’s Chapel” in honor of an early trustee.
When the division of the Methodist denomination into branches, known as the
Northern and Southern churches, occurred, Jackson’s Chapel went with the South and it is now
Jackson’s
Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
George Sawyer gave a half acre to
the organization Oct. 31, 1831, and the present church stand on this half acre.
The trustees were Burwell Smith, Houston Hixon, John Bradfield and George
Sawyer. John Bradfield was pastor.
Asahel Rawlings followed the gift of
church ground by presenting a quarter acre lot for a burying ground, which is
called Jackson’s
Cemetery. The Dallas
Road runs between the church and the cemetery.
Asahel Jackson (a nephew of Asahel Rawlings), George Sawyer and John Bradfield,
were trustees for both properties for many years.
Elisha Kirklin increased the
holdings of the church by giving a five acre tract on North Chickamauga Creek,
for a camp meeting ground in 1848. The trustees for the camp ground were George
Sawyer, John Bradfield, Ephraim Hixon, and Houston
Hixon.
Col. James A
Whitside, who may be called the godfather of church organizations in Chattanooga and Hamilton County, presented a lot in 1848 to the
Methodist Episcopal Church South. The lot included two and a half acres. The
trustees were Henry Rogers, Preston Gann, and Asahel
Jackson.
(Source: History of Hamilton County
Churches, page 239)
The Dallas Road runs
between the Cemetery and Jackson’s Chapel. The oldest grave in the
cemetery is that of Mrs. Asahel Rawlings. The slab is inscribed:
“In Memory of
Phoebe Rawlings, wife of Asahel Rawlings, born June 25, 1786, died August 17,
1810”
Asahel Rawlings’ tomb, which is beside his wife’s, is unmarked, but old
settlers know that it is his grave. He died more than thirty years after Phoebe
Thurman Rawlings. Hundreds of old graves are marked with simple stones without
inscription.
According to old residents the
cemetery contains the graves of many early families, Jacksons, Rawlings, Rogers,
Bradfields and others.
Some inscriptions can be read, among them in addition to
Phoebe Rawlings:
“Rev. John Bradfield of the M.E. Church, born Jan. 12, 1791, died Sept. 27,
1840.”
(Source: History of Hamilton County, page
262)
Hicks
Chapel
A second early Methodist group
organized Hicks Chapel in 1849. The church and its adjoining graveyard were
located on Morrison Springs
Road near present Red Bank. The early log structure,
built by the cooperative efforts of those who worshipped there, stood on land
donated by Alfred Rogers and William Gray, principal real estate owners in that
section. Edward E. Wylie, Thomas and John Hartman, John Walker, James C.
Connor, John Brown, and Monroe Lusk worked faithfully during the early
years.
(Source: History of Hamilton Co, Tn.
Page 55)
A few Baptist churches made early
appearances as did missionaries of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The
Baptists living near Concord organized a church
in 1848, and the Salem Baptist Church near Birchwood
started at an early date.
(Source: History of Hamilton Co, Tn.
Page 55)
Transcribed and Contributed by: Linda Rodriguez
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