| Sources |
- [S104] Cocke County, Tennessee, and its People, Cocke County Heritage Book Committee, (Walsworth Publishing, 1992), 136.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 29 Jun 2013.
This photo was taken in late summer of 1955 shortly after the establishment of Centerview Missionary Baptist Church. Liberty Baptist Church appears in the background. Front row, from left, are Jess Holt, Elmer Marshall, Mildred Marshall, Marjorie Johnson Ramsey holding Veronica Marshall, and Gladys Douglas holding Wanda Jo Douglas (Holt). Second row, kneeling, from left are Lennie Holt, Ethel Ellison, and Zella Johnson. Third row, from left, are Joe Ellison, Christine Johnson Holt, Mary Frances Chapman Marshall, Odean Johnson Allison, Mary Nell Ellison Douglas, Lancy Holt, Stuart Carmichael, John Johnson, Roger Johnson, Arnold Johnson, Fred Douglas, Eugene Holt, and Vernal Johnson.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 29 Jun 2013.
Centerview Missionary Baptist closing in on 60 years
‘As It Was Give To Me’
Duay O’Neil
There’s an unusual situation alongside Hwy. 160 as one travels through Bybee. On the left side of the highway stand two active Baptist churches—Liberty Hill and Centerview.
Liberty Hill is the older of the two, dating back well over 100 years. Its accompanying cemetery provides a resting place for hundreds of citizens, many with the surname Holt.
Nearer to the highway is Centerview Missionary Baptist Church, which will turn 60 years old in 2014. It, too, has its own cemetery.
With the help of charter member Mary Nell Ellison Douglas, I’ve put together a short history of Centerview.
Over the years I’ve asked various Bybee citizens the obvious question—why are there two Baptist churches so close together.
It seems that a disagreement over church doctrine led a group of citizens to leave Liberty Hill and purchase the nearby Liberty School as the home of their new congregation.
On May 22, 1954, agreement was reached between the Cocke County Board of Education and Gus Smith, John Johnson, Jess Holt, Joe Ellison, Joe Ellison, Jr., Chester Holt, Elmer Marshall, Charles Stephenson, and Rastus Legg to sell the school building for $2,925.
Those with knowledge of the Bybee community will see that the sale of this school building coincided with the recent opening of the new Centerview Elementary School which welcomed students from several recently consolidated one- and two-room schools in the area. School board members at the time were E. H. Kennedy, Lester Wilds, J. C. Fowler, Nathan Ford, Dewey Webb, Luther Strange, and B. P. Ford. The deed was notarized by Bernice Breeden and recorded January 3, 1955.
Of interest in the deed’s description of the property is the reference to “Slate Creek road…on the Miller line.”
Slate Creek’s own Primitive Baptist Church stood farther down the road, nearer Centerview Elementary School. Its strictness upon its members apparently led to its dissolution shortly after the Civil War after nearly all the members had been “churched” for various infractions.
Mary Nell provided a copy of the church minutes for that organizational Sunday.
3rd Sun. Nov. 21,
1954
Upon motion made and seconded it was unanimously voted that Bro. H. R. Click be our Moderator. Mrs. H. R. Click was elected to serve as Secretary.
Scripture from Luke 1: 15-17; Matt. 16 was read by Bro. Click.
The purpose of the meeting was read by the Moderator and upon motion by Bro. John Johnson, seconded by Bro. Joe Ellison, that a Council be called consisting of Rev. H. R. Click, moderator, Rev. E. J. Burgin, Rev. W. P. Holt, and Bro. Howard Stepp, Deacon, to help in the organization of a Missionary Baptist Church. Motion carried.
Motion made by Rev. E. J. Burgin, seconded by Rev. W. P. Holt, that we recognize a group of twelve (12) Brethren and Sisters: Gus Smith, Deacon; Cordie Smith, Jesse Holt, Linnie Holt, Chester Holt, Okra Holt, Elmer Marshall, Joe Ellison, Matt Stephenson, John Johnson, Arloney Parker, and J. B. Holt.
Motion recognized and sustained by the Council that these twelve (12) be known as Charter Members. These having being given a letter of dismission from the Bear Creek Baptist Church.
Motion was made by Bro. Matt Stephenson and seconded by Bro. Elmer Marshall that we accept the Baptist Church Covenant and Articles of Faith as recognized and believed by Baptists. Motion carried.
Upon motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried, the church was named the Centerview Missionary Baptist Church.
The door of the church was opened for membership.
Motion made by Bro. Joe Ellison, seconded by Bro. John Johnson, and unanimously carried that the following be accepted into free membership into the church.
Odean Johnson, Christine Johnson, Ethel Ellison, Marjorie Johnson, Mary Sue Dawson, Zella Johnson, Anne Dawson, Willa Dene Stephenson, Sena Holt, Exie Mae Holt, Louella Holt, Jean Holt, Mary Nell Douglas, Elvia H. Miller, Charles Stephenson, Fred Douglas, Mildred Marshall, D. S. Stephenson.
Motion by Bro. Gus Smith, seconded by Bro. John Johnson, that Fred Douglas be Clerk or Secretary and Willa Dean Stephenson as Assistant. Motion carried.
Motion made and sustained that Bro. Jesse Holt be our Treasurer. Motion carried.
Motion made by Bro. Gus Smith and sustained that Bro. Joe Ellison be elected to act as Deacon. Motion carried.
Motion made by Bro. Joe Ellison and sustained that Bro. Charles Stephenson be elected to serve as Deacon. Motion carried.
Motion made by Bro. Joe Ellison that Gus Smith, John Johnson, Jesse Holt, Chester Holt, and Elmer Marshall be elected to serve as Trustees of the Church. Motion sustained and carried.
Motion made by Bro. Gus Smith and sustained that Bro. W. P. Holt be elected to serve as our ? rst Pastor until April 1st, 1955. Motion unanimously carried.
Message was brought by Rev. E. J. Burgin.
Motion as made and sustained that we give $18.00 to the support of Associational Missions. Motion carried.
The First Sunday afternoon was set for preaching day.
Dismissed by Bro. Gus
Smith
Offering $12.19
With this meeting, a new church was born, one that continues to serve its members and community nearly 60 years later. Next week we’ll feature several additional photographs of church people and events shared by Mary Nell.
- [S112] Census, 1910.
Name: Elmer Marshall
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1910
Event Place: Civil District 3, Cocke, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 8
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race (Original): White
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Son
Birth Year (Estimated): 1902
Birthplace: Tennessee
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Porter I Marshall Head M 49 Tennessee
Julie Marshall Wife F 41 Tennessee
Venus Marshall Son M 16 Tennessee
Berdis Marshall Son M 12 Tennessee
Irean Marshall Daughter F 10 Tennessee
Elmer Marshall Son M 8 Tennessee
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 31 Jan 2002.
Mildred Marshall obituary
- [S87] Death Certificate.
Name Date of Death / Age County of Death County / State of Residence Marital Status Gender Race File #
MARSHALL ELMER 03-05-1986 / 85 COCKE COCKE / TN MARRIED M WHITE 06186
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name: J P Marshall
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 10 Jun 1886
Event Place: Cocke, Tennessee, United States
Spouse's Name: Julia Driskill
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