Lookout Valley
Primitive Baptist Church
1800 - 1975
"The Little White Church
At The Top Of The Hill
Down In The Valley"
1136 Brown's Ferry Road
Route 8
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37409
Written by and used with the permission of
Joyce Nell Beck Truitt
Texas1933@aol.com
Prior to 1800, several citizens of the lower, or north end of Lookout Valley,
Hamilton County, Tenn. attended church at Good Hope Primitive Baptist Church on
Mountain Creek, near the place now the property of the Cement Plant. The land at
that time belonged to the Sivley family.
Good Hope Church was across Tennessee River from the northern end of Lookout
Valley, thus these faithful members had to cross Tennessee River at William's
Island to attend church.
Good Hope Church "extended an arm" to lower Lookout Valley so church
services could be held in that area. These first services were held in an old
"Slave House," the property of one Thomas Boydston. This was a log
house with a "mud and stick" chimney and fireplace. It stood at the
foot of "Simpson Hill" on the little Sanders Creek.
Therefore on April 24, 1800, the members met at the Church and constituted the
Lookout Valley Primitive Baptist Church. Thomas Boydston acted as
"agent" for the Services to be held at this old house.
This Church was duly constituted by Elders and Deacons from Providence Primitive
Baptist Church of Bledsoe County; Good Hope Primitive Baptist Church of Hamilton
County; and Union Primitive Baptist Church of Marion County, Tennessee.
On the low ridges just east of the Church, soldiers dug breast works that are
still there. Thus the little church was also on the Brown's Ferry Road that lead
into North Chattanooga from Wauhatchie and northern Georgia. Soldiers built a
pontoon bridge at Brown's Ferry and also one across the Tennessee River near
Cameron Hill, for the great Moccasin Bend makes its great loop just east of
Lookout Valley Primitive Baptist Church.
War skirmishes were held along the old roadway, as both Federal and Confederate
soldiers tried to by-pass Lookout Mountain in order to get into Chattanooga and
Chickamauga beyond. Therefore several skirmishes were held in and around the
church, and in these skirmishes, the church was burned. Battle of Wauhatchie and
skirmishes were Oct. 28-29, 1863 around the front of the church.
The
only time services were not held at the Church, was at this critical period of
the Civil War.
On April 15, 1871, after church services had been held in the homes of the
members, the membership decided to build another church house. Consequently a
member Cavenaugh Boydston, deeded a tract of land to the Lookout Valley
Primitive Baptist Church. This deed was witnessed by David Tittle and J. M. Cox,
both members of the Church.
The new house was finished in 1877. It was constructed of logs that had been
salvaged from logs of rafts that had been wrecked in the Tennessee River on
William's Island. These logs, having been lashed together by 2-inch wooden pegs
that had been driven through a "strap" to hold them were hewn by hand
with broad axes and adz. The two-inch holes some two feet from each end of the
logs that had held the raft together, were left in the logs. They were
conservative, and dared not lose four feet of each log, so the holes remained.
Some logs were split and hewn and then used to make the floor, and the two-inch
holes remained. Pews were also made of the split logs, and then school was also
held in the same building.
As the holes were so predominate in the new structure, it became known locally
as "The Auger Hole Church" or the "Auger Hole School."
However, this old church erected in 1877 with its quaint fireplace, burned in
1909. The old fireplace had been "logged in" and a large wood heater
installed, with the flue extending up and out of the roof. The fire that
destroyed the building started in this flue while services were being held on
Saturday afternoon. Elder H. L. Gholston was the pastor at that time.
Everything was saved, and church services were held in a tenant house on the R.
J. Massey farm until the new Church could be built.
Clearing
away the rubble, the new house was finished in the fall of 1909. This house
stood until it also was leveled from sparks from a brush fire in 1956.
Services
were moved then to the home of Brother Mack Brown and wife until the new edifice
was completed and dedicated on September 29, 1957.
I
t would be well to mention that most of the descendants of the members of this
little Church have moved to other areas, and that the village of Tiftonia has
grown until now the area in and about the little Church has many fine dwellings,
and has recently been annexed to the city of Chattanooga.
The children and grandchildren and great grandchildren of the former members of
the little Church, under the leadership of the late Elder L. L. Lewis, rebuilt
the Church. They also had the help of many citizens of the community.
Elders
who have served the little Church since its constitution
are:
John
Walker
W.
J. Harwood
O.
C. Lowery
Jack
Willis
Gabriel
Sharp
H.
V. Massey
J.
W. Clemons
J.
E. Douthitt
Reuben
Reed
Gilbert
Birdwell
L.
L. Lewis
M.
A. Hackworth
E.
J. Perkle
H.
L. Gholston
George
Walker
G.
T. Hagwood
Gilbert
Levi
R.
O. Raulston
J.
G. Woodfin
Elders
visiting the little church in the past are:
John
Walker
W.
C. Lomax
John
Trent
Samuel
McBee
John
Thompson
Chas.
Tillman
C.
J. Byrom
J.
J. Akers
E.
Roberts
G.
M. Birdwell
B.
G. Stevens
W.
T. Hartline
Lee
Head
W.
J. Elder
H.
L. Gholston
W.
M. Bullard
T.
I. Pettus
George
Walker
W.
J. McCormack
J.
T. Stewart
B.
M. Jarvis
L.
F. Wallce
G.
Chadwick
J.
K. Phillips
W.
J. Ball
Samuel
Beene
H.
C. Hawkins
S.
F. Bess
W.
E. Brush
W.
L. Murray
H.
C. Hogan
Matt
Hackworth
J.
A. Cargile
W.
J. Berry
In 1869 Lookout Valley Primitive Baptist Church "extended an arm" to
Aetna Mountain, near the village of Whiteside. Another to Bennett's Cove In
Marion County in 1874. Another in 1877 to New Union in Marion County, and
another to Moccasin Bend in 1895, and also an arm was extended to Kelly's Ferry
in 1909.
From these "arms" many new members were added to the Lookout Valley
Primitive Baptist Church.
In later years, the Church became a member of the Sequatchie Valley Association
of Churches until about 1945. Since that time, the Church has not been
affiliated with any association, but has diligently kept herself in fellowship
with the Brethren.
Even
though much of the writing in the oldest Church record is very faded, such names
of the members who constituted the Church are:
Cavanaugh
Boydston, Sarah Boydston, John Boydston, Thomas Boydston, Tavner Martin, Cynthia
Martin, George Harris, J. B. Fox, Wm. Beck, Joseph Hall, James Bower, John
Williams, R. Gilbreath, John Hutcheson, James Cox, J. E. Douthitt, James
Hutcheson, David Tittle, John Bryant,
However, by
using a reading glass, the following were, or in some instances, are presently
members of the little Church:
Jane
Austin, Annie Boydston, Jane Boydston, John Boydston, Cavanaugh Boydston, Sally
Boydston, Mattie Boydston, R. C. Boydston, Sarah Boydston, Elizabeth Boydston,
J. M. Boydston, Edd Boydston, Walter Boydston, John Bryant, Eliza Jane Barnes,
Roney Bivins, J. M. Birdwell, Mary Birdwell, Sarah Butler, Margaret Brown,
Croney Bivins, Sallie Boatright, Myre Brumley, Wm. Beck, M. Y. Banet, Jas.
Bowers, Barsah Beck, John Brown, Nellie Butler.
Elizabeth
Cox, James Cox, Jane T. Carroll, Geo. Cummings, D. Carroll, Florence Carroll,
Sarah Collins, Preston Case, Cansadia Case, Margarett Carroll, Jake Carter, J.
B. Carnes, Sarah Carnes.
Mary
Durham, Sarah Durham, Amanda Durham, Elizabeth Durham, J. E. Douthitt, Sam
Douglass, Eliza Douglass. Elijah Edwards, Luther Edwards.
Sarah
E. Francis, Mary Francis, Martha Francis, G. E. Francis, Rachel Francis, J. B.
Fox, M. J. Fox, Martha Ann Fox, D. W. Foster, C. I. Foster, Dovie Foster, Edd.
Foster, Delilah Foster, Mary Flory, Mary Fuller.
Van
Gilbreath, Sara Gilbreath, Geo. Gaynes.
Eliza
Higgins, Jane Hawkins, Sarah Hood, Catherine Hood, Tennessee Hibbs, Jane Hibbs,
James Hutcheson, Catherine Hutcheson, Katy Hutcheson, Martha Hood, Cora Hood,
Jane Hunnicutt, John Hammick, Sarah Hartman, J. W. Harwood, W. M. Harwood,
Lillie Harwood, Hattie Harwood, Myrtle Harwood, George Harris, Martha Harris,
Joseph Hall, Nancy Ann Hall, Fredrick Harris, Jose Hudson, Jackson Haggard,
Lavina Haggard (may be Haggart).
John
Jackson, Dovie Jackson, Joe Jackson, Lula Jackson, Otelia Kitley.
Smyria
Levi, Gilbert Levi, Etta Levi, Vina Lusk, John Light, Elizabeth Lawson, L. L.
Lewis, Oma Lewis, Martha M. Lewis.
Rufus
J. Massey, Florence Massey, Hobart Massey, Walter Massey, Anna Mae Massey,
Martha Massey, James Massey, Sarah Massey, Lonnie McCallie, Howard Martin,
Harriett Mitchell, James Mitchell, Martha Mitchell, Tabner Martin, Cynthia
Martin, Cynthia McGill, Laura McCallie, Martha Mayhew, R. Martin, Anna Mae
Massey (Coleman).
Cynthia
O'Neal, Sam O'Neal.
Mary
Perry, Margaret Perry, Allen Parker, Elisha Pack, Elisa Patterson, Dora Pickard,
J. H. Pickard, Alice Pettijohn, Sarah Rose, Wm. Pressley.
Margaret
Redmon, Reuben Reed, Louise Reed, Polly Railey, Martha Ritchie.
Nancy
Smith, Gabriel Sharp, Wm. Sharp, Elizabeth Sharp, M. C. Sharp, Sarah Sharp,
Catherine Sharp, Myre Slape, Jane Smalley, Marona Smalley, A. Smalley, Malinda
Smalley, Frona Smalley, Monroe Snyder, Richard Simpson, Nancy Simpson, Emily W.
Schultz, James Snyder, W. M. Sandlin, Will Sexton, Ivan Smalley, Anna Smalley,
Ora
Sharp.
Orabell
Thompson, Susie Thompson, Joseph Thompson, Mary Thompson, Elizabeth Thompson,
Susie Taylor, Joseph Taylor, Elizabeth Thornton, Joseph Thompkins, Annie
Tompkins, Margaret Tittle, William Tittle, Sarah Tittle, David Tittle, Tavner
Tittle, G. Wash. Tittle, James Tittle, Thomas Tittle, Richard Tittle, Sallie
Tittle, Marietta Tittle Phoebie Tittle, Jane Tittle, Nervie Tittle, Ellen Tittle,
Bell Tittle, Mattie Tittle, Jeff Tittle, W. H. Tittle, Shelvie Tittle, Alonzo
Tittle, Dora Tittle, J. Frank Tittle, Leland Thompson.
Ann
White, Samuel Walker, Annie Walker, Sarah Walker, James Walker, Patsy Walker,
James Williford, Myre Williford, R. E. Wycoff, Anna Wycoff, Nancy Wynne.
At present "the little white Church at the top of the hill, down in the
valley" has services each first and third Lord's Day, monthly at 10:30 a.
m. Eastern Daylight Time.
For one hundred seventy five years this little Church has been contending for
the faith once delivered to the saints, as follows:
The
Bible teaches, and all men should believe:
That
a "visible" church is composed of those who have "given"
themselves to the Lord and each other in a covenant of love, thus to
keep a godly discipline.
There
is One Triune God-God, the Father, God, the Son. and God, the Holy Spirit.
Both
the Old and New Testaments are the word of God.
The
Scripture in the New Testament is the only rule of faith and practice for the
true Church of God.
Election
according to God's foreknowledge, and His sole purpose. That purpose being the
sanctification and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ for the elect of God.
That
Adam sinned, and that all of Adam's posterity thereby became sinners in the
sight of God.
That
man is totally and therefore completely unable to recover himself from his
fallen state.
Sinners
are only justified in the sight of God wholly by the imputed Righteousness of
Christ, and that by the Holy Spirit.
All
saints (children of God) shall be comforted, preserved in His grace and shall
reach Heaven.
God
gave only two ordinances to His Church - Baptism by immersion, and the Lord's
Supper.
Christ
gave an example to the disciples in that He so said when He washed their feet.
God
has told His children to whom, by whom, and how the ordinances and the
"example" should be kept.
Believers
of God's truth, and that by faith, are subjects of baptism.
Baptism
should be by Immersion upon the profession of that faith.
Baptism
must be administered by a duly ordained, faithful minister of God's word,
and one of such faith as that professed in the presence of the body . . . the
elect bride of Christ.
The
punishment of the wicked shall be everlasting and the joy and peace and
happiness of the righteous shall also be eternal in Heaven.
God
calls men to preach the Gospel. The bride (Church) recognizes the call, and thus
ordains ministers by a duly appointed presbytery.
The
Church is the Bride of Christ, and therefore she is duly vested with complete
authority in all matters pertaining to the conduct of the members composing the
visible Church in the world.
That
there will be a resurrection of the body of the just and the unjust, and that
there will be a general judgment.
From about 1877 to 1914 some thirty persons were buried in the little cemetery
just behind the church. A diligent search was made to determine their names, as
only crude, un-carved stones had been set up to mark each grave.
Inquiry and the search of records was of no avail, so the Church secured a
suitable marker in 1973 for all who are buried there. It reads as follows:
DEDICATED
TO THE MEMORY OF
THE
UNKNOWN WHO REST HERE
AWAITING
THE SECOND COMING
OF
OUR LORD
Lookout
Valley Primitive Baptist Church
In 1974 a suitable scroll was prepared and placed in the church. This scroll
contains the names of all former and present members; the names of former and
present ministers; and the names of former and present deacons.
The Memorial Marker and the Scroll were unveiled by the great grandsons of two
of the founding members of the little Church.
As one looks back over the long history of this little church, such an one will
find that she has come safely through many wars, lost her place of worship many
times, and yet has come from a "slave house" to a beautiful structure.
The founders used candles and torches, and an open fireplace with a "mud
and stick" chimney, while today there are rest rooms, electric heat, glass
windows, paved roads, and yet the same fellowship that warmed the hearts of
those who constituted the little Church one hundred and seventy- five years ago,
still warms the hearts of each worshipper.
May our Lord bless those who may read these pages, and instill in their hearts a
desire to try to "keep house for the Lord" for another long, long
period, or until our Lord returns.
Joyce Nell Beck Truitt
1996
Some
corrections and additions should be noted about this book.
Through
the descendants we have these comments:
Tabner
Mastin is corrected to Tavner Martin
Scinthy
Mastin is corrected to Cynthia Martin
Jane
T. Carroll is Jane Tittle Carroll, daughter of Peter Adams Tittle & Sarah
(Sally) Martin.
Sarah
(Sally) Martin was the daughter of Tavner & Cynthia Martin
Florence
Carroll is also the same as Willie Florence Tittle daughter of John Tittle and
Mary Ann (Polly) Martin Tittle
D.
Carroll is Davis Carroll, son of Samuel Thomas & Florence Tittle Carroll
Mary
Ann (Polly) Martin is the daughter of Tavner & Cynthia Martin
Peter
Adams Tittle was the son of William Jefferson Tittle, Sr.
William
Jefferson Tittle, Sr. married Mary Ann (Polly) Adams
John
Tittle was the son of William Jefferson Tittle, Sr.
David
F. Tittle was the son of William Jefferson Tittle, Sr.
David
Tittle married Margaret Nabors
Jefferson
'Jeff' Tittle was the son of David Tittle and Margaret Nabors Tittle
Margaret
Nabors was the daughter of Bejamin and Mary Nabors