| Sources |
- [S47] Sevier County, Tennessee and its Heritage, Sevier County Heritage Book Committee, (1994, Don Mills, Inc.), 8, 175.
- [S84] E-Mail, Edna Clack, Woodchippy@aol.com, 17 Jun 1997.
From: Woodchippy@aol.com []
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 1997 7:37 AM
To: pending@smokykin.com
Subject: Smoky Mtn Kin to be added
It's a shame that no one has added anything on Spencer Clack, a prominent early citizen of Sevier County. Here is my contribution. Edna Clack, 302 Antique Lane, Spring City, TN 37381 Woodchippy@aol.com
Clack, Spencer born 03/28/1746 in Loudon Co., VA, died 07/09/1832 in Sevierville, TN Married November 2, 1766, Mary Beavers. Mary was born January 12, 1745, in New Jersey, and died August 14, 1840, in Sevierville.
Issue of this Marriage:
1. Rawleigh b. 1772 in VA. d. 1842 in Rhea Co, TN.
2. Rhoda b. 1776 in VA., m. James Randals
3. Catherine (Aunt Katy) b. 1778 in VA, m. Rev. Elijah Rogers
4. Mary b. 1785, m. William Miller
5. Frances b. 1783
6. Martha
7. Malvina
8. Micajah.
9. Sarah
Spencer was listed on the 1782-87 tax records of Henry Co., VA. His Death notice in 1832 was carried in the National Banner and the Nashville Republican. He was a First Lieutenant in the Henry Co., VA, Militia. As of this date 12/11/1986, his parents are still unknown (at least unproven to me-EC).
Revolutionary War soldier--served on committee to draw up Tennessee's First
Constitution, served in the Legislature several terms. His brothers Thomas and John also served in the State Legislature. Spencer's gr-grandson, William Raleigh Clack (1839-1919), had this to say about him in 1914.............
"Two brothers of English Descent, John and Spencer Clack, settled in upper East Tennessee, among the early pioneers, who in the early history of the state, invaded this region with rifle, axe, and Bible, to hew through the primeval forests a pathway for civilization. They were devoted Christians and held the simple faith of the Baptists and looked on life as a real earnest matter to be met by the best that was in them. They were men of intelligence and culture, wealth and influence; men of intrepid courage and unwavering fidelity to duty." WRC, Clack Genealogy, 1914
(My Ancestor - EC)
The Following was written by Tommie Clack and J.A. Sharp. They had this accepted by the East Tennessee Historical Society and printed in Echoes May, 1958. This copy provided by Tommie Clack:
Spencer Clack, Revolutionary soldier, settled in Sevier County, Tennessee, in 1788 or 1789. Little is known of his military service except that he was lieutenant of a Virginia (Henry County) militia company in 1782/83; Captain Tully Choice was company commander. He was born March 28, 1746. His obituary gave his birthplace as Loudoun County, Virginia, but this could not be accurate for Loudoun County was not partitioned from Fairfax County until 1757 and no Clack records as early as Spencer's birth were found in either of these counties.
Spencer Clack did, however, live in Loudoun County and witness there in 1770 the will of Thomas Beavers; also, Loudoun County was probably where he married Mary Beavers about 1766. He sold his lands in Loudoun County in 1777 and moved southward to Henry County, Virginia about 1778 where he purchased land in the latter county. In 1786 when Franklin County, Virginia, was formed from parts of Henry and Bedford Counties, he became one of the first justices of the new county and in 1787 he sold his Franklin County lands, just before his westward trek to Sevier County, Tennessee.
No conclusive proof of the parentage of Spencer Clack has been offered, although various attempts to do so have been made by descendants and genealogists. It does seem certain, however, that he descended from Rev. James Clack, English-born rector of Ware Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia, from 1679 to 1723.
The Spencer Clack home in Sevier County was located on the right bank of Little Pigeon River, immediately below the junction of the East Fork and West Fork of that river. Here in 1808, Spencer obtained an occupant grant from Tennessee for 442 acres; most of this land was on the north bank of the East Fork directly opposite to the town of Sevierville or the Forks-of-Little-Pigeon, as this frontier settlement was known. The Chandlers and Walkers, Clack descendants, later owned the same place and the old Clack home was located on the same site as the later Chandler-Walker home. Near his home Spencer operated one of Sevierville's first mills, also a cotton gin and woolcarding machine.
Spencer Clack was prominent in the affairs of the Forks-of-Little-Pigeon (Sevierville) Baptist Church from the time of its formation in 1789 until his death. For many years he served as church clerk. In addition to his church activities he was interested in education and politics. He was an early trustee of Nancy Academy, Sevier County's first school and gave money for its support. He was one of the five Sevier County delegates to the Knoxville convention of 1796, which drafted and adopted Tennessee's first constitution and he was a signer of that document. He also represented Sevier County in the lower house of the first three Tennessee legislatures, 1796-1802 and in 1801 he served on the legislative committee "to prepare a device and motto" for the Great Seal of Tennessee.
Neither the Spencer Clack Bible nor the Spencer Clack Will have been found; therefore, the writers will list only those who were unquestionably children of Spencer and Mary Beavers Clack. Perhaps, in this way, the confusion and error of other Clack descendants and genealogists may be avoided. Good proof exists for the following Clack children:
Martha, Rawleigh (Rolly) (b. 1772), Rhoda (b. 1776), Catherine (b. 1778), Frances (b. c1783), Mary (b. 1785) and Malvina.
Martha Clack's marriage to Josiah Rogers occurred in Franklin County, Virginia, in 1786; they apparently came to Sevier County with the Clacks. Rawleigh Clack was married (1) to Mary Randles in 1791 and after her death he was married (2) to Martha Kerr in 1816; this marriage took place in Sevier County. Sixteen children resulted and about 1820 Rawleigh and family moved down the Tennessee River to Rhea County Tennessee, where he died in 1842.
Rhoda Clack married James Randles in 1791; they raised a family of twelve on Boyd's Creek in Sevier County. Randles died in 1816, while on a trip to Virginia for salt and was buried somewhere in Washington County, Virginia.
Catherine Clack was married in 1794 to Rev. Elijah Rogers, early and well known Baptist minister in East Tennessee; they raised five sons and five daughters at their Sevier County home near the mouth of Little Pigeon, on the French Broad River.
Mary Clack married William Miller; they left Sevier County at an early date and settled in Meigs County, Tennessee, where she died in 1860.
Frances Clack was married (1) to Mordecai Gist; after his death she married (2) John Mynatt of Knox County, Tennessee.
Malvina Clack married Major Beavers; they left Sevier County for Talladega County, Alabama, soon after the War of 1812. (Major is a family name, not a title - EC)
There were doubtless other Clack children but the writers do not believe that Spencer Clack, Jr., John Clack and Nancy Clack were children of Spencer and Mary Beavers Clack as some published accounts claim. However, there is a well established tradition that there was a son, Micajah Clack, killed by lightning. There may have been a daughter named Rebecca Clack but again we must rely upon tradition for proof. Also, in 1789, one Sarah Clack (b. c1773) married William Henderson in the "forks of Little Pigeon", as shown by bounty land papers in the National Archives; they migrated to St. Louis County, Missouri, about 1840. We believe that this Sarah Clack, heretofore unknown to present generations of Clack descendants, was another daughter of Spencer and Mary.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 5 May 2013.
Upland Chronicles: First Baptist Church has served Sevierville over 200 years
Upland Chronicles: First Baptist Church has served Sevierville over 200 years
May. 05, 2013 @ 11:46 PM
CARROLL MCMAHAN
First Baptist Church
The third First Baptist Church of Sevierville building was constructed in 1876. When the congregation moved into a new sanctuary in 1926 this church was dismantled and used to build a house.
First Baptist Church
Tennessee statehood was seven years in the future when a small group led by Revolutionary War veteran Spencer Clack and Preacher Richard Wood gathered to form a place to worship in a struggling pioneer community.
Gathering where the east and west forks of the Little Pigeon River flowed together the group established a small Baptist church that they named for its location, Forks of the River. The community would soon be named Sevierville and eventually the church would be known as the Sevierville First Baptist Church.
One of the first acts of the founders was to purchase a minute book and to record the basic beliefs of the congregation. On September 29, 1789 the early church members recorded: “to believe in baptism by immersion, original sin, unconditional election, affectual calling, free justification of the righteousness of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the final judgment by Christ.”
Reverend Richard Wood, a Virginia native who moved to South Carolina where he was ordained as a Baptist minister migrated to Sevier County after the Treaty of Dumplin was signed in 1785. 1789 was a busy year for Rev. Wood when he established two churches in Sevier County, Forks of the River and Providence. He served as pastor of both churches.
The first log church belonging to the congregation was located between the present day junction of East Main Street and Court Avenue and the old forks of the river, which was then located close to the junction of Highway 441 and Highway 66.
With the destruction of that building in a fire that destroyed much of Sevierville, the church moved to a lot given to them by Spencer Clack. The property was located near the mouth of Middle Creek on the east prong of the Little Pigeon River. There the congregation built another log church and established a cemetery.
As evidenced by the minutes of the church during this period, the church’s main concern was to allow members to move to sister churches that sprung up in the county and to maintain social and moral order among the congregation.
The Forks of the River Baptist was responsible for the founding of several early Baptist churches in the county such as White Oak Flats, Bethel and Red Bank. Members were allowed to transfer freely from the first church to these new churches.
At age 15, Elijah Rogers moved with his family from Virginia to Sevier County. When he was 20 Rogers married Katherine Clack, daughter of Spencer Clack. In 1796 Elijah and Katherine united with the Forks of the River Church and were baptized by Rev. Wood. Subsequently the church licensed Rogers to preach, but he was not ordained to full work in ministry until he was 36.
The ordination of Elijah Rogers in 1810 afforded Revered Wood a loyal companion in the ministry. In addition to Sevier County, these men of God held meetings together throughout Jefferson, Blount and Knox Counties.
Together they held big revivals, organized churches and baptized multitudes. The first baptism ever witnessed in the city of Knoxville was that of John Hillisman, a convert of these two preachers. He was baptized by Rev. Rogers in the presence of a crowd estimated at 3,000 in August, 1825.
Rev. Rogers served as pastor at Boyd’s Creek, Alder Branch and Forks of the River. At times he served as pastor of two churches at the same time. Following the Baptist custom of the time, Both Wood and Rogers said nothing about pastoral support and both men farmed for a living.
Maintaining social and moral order was just as significant as founding new churches. A number of monthly business meetings held on the first Saturday of each month were devoted to inquiring into charges of misbehavior by church members.
In 1809 a man and his wife were brought forth on charges of being present at a horse race. The minutes record the result as follows: “Brother Clark and his wife came forward and confessed their wrong in going to the horse race to sell cakes and the church forgave them.”
In another inquiry, the transgressor was not as fortunate. The minutes recorded: “It being proved that Polly Leviston confessed pregnant for which the church turned her out of her fellowship.”
Richard Wood died in 1831 after pasturing the church for 42 years, and he was followed by Elijah Rogers and Eli Roberts. These three pioneer preachers piloted the church into the middle of the nineteenth century.
With the approach of the Civil War the church weakened and in the minutes of Sunday March 4, 1860, the clerk noted that the church had authorized any member in good standing to seek a letter of dismission for moving membership to another church. In 1861 the congregation completely disbanded.
17 Baptists, some former members re-established the church at a meeting held at the Sevier County Courthouse on April 4, 1876. With the old log building entirely demolished and used for firewood by Confederate soldiers, the congregation voted to build a new building on the old site.
Reverend W.M. Burnett was called as first pastor after re-organization. During the construction they met first in the old Nancy Academy building and then in the Southern Methodist Church building. The new white-frame building was finished at the cost of $1, 443.29 and dedicated on August 24, 1878.
In 1886, the growing church was instrumental in the formation of the Sevier County Baptist Association. In early 1900s Training Union and Women’s Missionary Union were initiated. The church’s Sunday school program also started at this time.
Under the guidance of Rev. R.E. Corum, the church voted on August 4, 1921 to move forward with a new building program. Construction of a new sanctuary began March 5, 1924.
The congregation was stunned when Re. Corum died during the construction. Completed in 1926, the new building was dedicated debt free on September 29, 1940.
The growth of the congregation forced the need for more room and in 1955 the church authorized the construction of an educational building. Addition of a pipe organ in 1966 enhanced the sanctuary.
In 1975, the church deeded over Forks of the River Cemetery to the City of Sevierville. The city has preserved the burial grounds, the final resting place of founding fathers Isaac Thomas, Spencer Clack and James McMahan as an historical mini-park.
A major renovation of the sanctuary which began in 1984 was interrupted by a fire that severely damaged the interior of the building. The organ was rebuilt, new carpet was installed, pews rebuilt and TV capabilities were installed.
The church observed its bicentennial in 1989 with a year-long celebration. The climax of the celebration was the dedication of a new Family Life/ Education Building. In 1998, the church moved into a new, ten million dollar sanctuary and educational building.
With Rev. Dan Spencer serving as the 36th pastor and a membership of more than 4,000, the historic First Baptist Church of Sevierville – which has been situated in three different states, North Carolina, Franklin and Tennessee – continues to serve the spiritual needs of the community.
— Carroll McMahan is the Special Projects Facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and Sevier County Historian. The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments; please contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or email to cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or email to ron@ronraderproperties.com.
- [S34] In the Shadow of the Smokies, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, (1993), II, 116.
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