1883-1929 History of Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church of White Co, TN

C.T. Haston became the clerk of the Union Church near the end of its affiliation with the Middle Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Thus, the "Pioneer - Post Civil War Era" (as we have defined and named the earliest years) of the church's history ended with the church in the Sparta Presbytery of the Middle Tennessee Synod. This next era, "The C.T. Haston, Clerk" Era, began with the church in those same denominational governing sub-bodies.

In the Sparta Presbytery of the Middle TN Synod of the CPC

1883-1888

1883

September 1, 1883 - A new session minutes book was opened for the Union Church and a brief history of the church was presented in it. This does not appear to have been a reorganization of the church, since the church was reported to have been healthy at this time. Apparently, the church had been prospering for several years but the church's leaders had not kept good records since the early stages of the Civil War. Source: Church minutes.

**September 20, 1883** -- Charles T. Haston Joined the Union Church
C.T. Haston joined "Old Union" when he moved north of the Caney Fork river to Hickory Valley of White County in 1883. It appears that he immediately became the church clerk and an elder just two years later. For over 40 years he was the pillar of lay leadership in the church. In a 7:00 p.m. service on September 20, 1883, he and his daughter, Annie J. Haston, "having given satisfactory evidence of their conversion to God by his Holy Spirit, were admitted to full membership in this church." In the same service, "Sister E.S. Haston wife of C.T. Haston, formerly a member of the Baptist Church was on recommendation admitted to full membership in this church. All the above except Sister E.S. Haston, at this meeting, received the ordinance of water baptism." Apparently, C.T. Haston had recently been converted, but his wife had become a Christian and a member of a Baptist church at an earlier time. Source: Old Union Church Minutes

1885

August 4, 1885 -- C.T. Haston and Isaac C. Tallent were chosen and ordained to be ruling elders in the Union Church.

Source: Old Union Church Minutes

1887

Prohibition Debate Held at Union Church

In 1887 "Honorable John L. Nolan, a silver tongued orator of Nashville and Judge Fitzzell, leaders in the Good Templar or prohibition movement, came to White County to make three speeches. They came first to Doyle."

"The next day the debate was to be at Union Church in Hickory Valley. Snodgrass [Sparta lawyer, H.C. Snodgrass who represented the anti-prohibitionists] sent enough men from Sparta to fill the house and crowd out most of those who came from the neighborhood. Snodgrass, defeated in argument the day before, now came back will all his resources. He was out for victory at any price. He used forged history at will. His best thrust was this: Nolan had a paper with very black lines of different lengths showing the cost of different commodities, alcohol being in the center of the upright lines, and the longest. Snodgrass had a diminutive one printed in lines, very pale. He flung it up saying 'Here is Caesar's bloody mantle. Look, yesterday, when Nolan displayed it, there was a great commotion, I never saw the like. Tom Mitchell* fainted, Dr. Rascoe had a fit, and Dr. Findley swooned away.' The people outside who could not hear all that was said, thought from the cheers of those who had crowded out the natives that Snodgrass was 'cooking Nolan's goose for him.'"

*T.L. (Tom) Mitchell, Old Union elder, was "the first candidate [for state representative] on a prohibition platform." He was a "leading spirit" in the Independent Order of Good Templars lodge at Doyle, TN.

Snodgrass made unbecoming remarks about Judge Frizzell's personal appearance, the Judge said, 'I have never had such remarks made to me about my personal appearance in my life.' But he didn't know Snodgrass heretofore. The debate ended in Sparta."

"The temperance cause lost, but this debate made a deep impression on many who remembered and thought about the issues and years later the temperance cause won."

Source: Pages 30-31 of the History of White County by Monroe Seals (original copyright, 1935). Reprinted by Higginson Book Company of Salem, MA.

1888-1899

The Union Church of White County and the entire Sparta Presbytery were transferred to the Tennessee Synod in 1888 when the Middle Tennessee Synod was dissolved and the Tennessee Synod was formed.

In the Sparta Presbytery of the TN Synod of the CPC

1888-1899

1888

September 16, 1888 -- J.C. [John Calvin "Callie"] Wallace was "made ruling Elder."

Source: Old Union Church Minutes

Note: Contrary to this Union Church minutes entry, in about 1920 John Calvin Wallace stated in his Civil War Veterans Questionnaire:

"I have been a member of the Church for about forty years, formerly was a Cumberland Presbyterian. When the churches united, I became a U.S.A. Presbyterian. Never held any office in my life."

See the September 16, 1888 entry in the Union Church minutes.

1890

1890 -- Sixtieth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of 46 churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery.

Clerk	Pastor	Additions	Membership	Property Value	Preaching per month	Paid Pastor	Presbytery Dues	Total Contributions
T.L. Mitchell*, Doyle, TN.	W.P. Smith	4	105	$50	1 week	$30	$1.75	$31.75

*Question: Why was T.L. Mitchell's name listed as the Session Clerk? C.T. Haston had occupied that role since 1883, according to the church minutes. Could it be that T.L. Mitchell had been the clerk prior to C.T. Haston's appointment and that the General Assembly still had his name on record as the Session Clerk for Union Church?

Monroe Seals of Doyle, TN was listed as a licentiate (licensed minister).

Source: Minutes of the Sixtieth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1890.

1891

1891 -- Sixty-First General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of 47 churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery.

Clerk	Pastor	Additions	Membership	Property Value	Ministerial Relief	Home Missions	Presbytery Dues	Total Contributions
T.L. Mitchell*, Doyle, TN.			125	$1000	$4.20	$2.00	$1.75	$6.20

Monroe Seals of Doyle, TN was listed as a licentiate (licensed minister).

*See question in 1890 General Assembly section. T.L. Mitchell was also listed as a Sunday School Superintendent.

Source: Minutes of the Sixty-First General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1891.

1892

**1892** -- Sixty-Second General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Union was one of 49 churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery. Union was on the list of churches, but no statistical data was given for it. This was true of many of the churches of the Sparta Presbytery. No names of clerks or pastors or membership numbers were given for any of the Sparta Presbytery churches. Monroe Seals of Doyle, TN was now listed as a (ordained) minister. T.L. Mitchell was listed as a Sunday School Superintendent, but this appears to be information taken from the 1891 records. Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1892.

1893

1893 -- Sixty-Third General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of 46 churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery.

Women's Board of Foreign Missions	Total Contributions
$6.78	$6.78

The only data reported for the Union Church was its contribution to the Women's Board of Foreign Missions.

Source: Minutes of the Sixty-Third General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1893.

1894

**1894** -- Sixty-Fourth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Union was one of 46 churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery. Union was on the list of churches, but no statistical data was given for it. This was true of many of the churches of the Sparta Presbytery. No names of clerks or pastors or membership numbers were given for any of the Sparta Presbytery churches. Monroe Seals and W.P. Smith previously had Doyle, TN post office addresses. Now their addresses were at River Hill, TN (less than one mile from the Union Church). Source: Minutes of the Sixty-Fourth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1894.

1895

1895 -- Sixty-Fifth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of 46 churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery.

Clerk	Pastor	Additions	Membership	Property Value	Ministerial Relief	Foreign Missions	Home Missions	Presbytery Dues	Total Contributions
_ _ Hasten, River Hill, TN.	W.P. Smith		105	$150	$3.00	$2.57	$1.35	$1.00	$7.92

There was now a "Sparta" church in the Sparta Presbytery, which did not show up in previous General Assembly records. This Sparta church had 31 members and six members had been added during the previous year. The property of the Sparta church was valued at $500. Monroe Seales [Seals] was the pastor and T.L. Mitchell of Sparta, TN was the Session Clerk. Both of these men had roots in the Union Church. This is probably the Cumberland Presbyterian Church that was dissolved in 1901.

Source: Minutes of the Sixty-Fifth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1895.

1896

March 8, 1896-- Clint Haston and Steven Wallace were elected Deacons for the Union Church.

Source: Old Union Church Minutes

1896 -- Sixty-Sixth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of the churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery.

Clerk	Pastor	Communicants	Preaching Sabbaths	Property Value
C.T. Hasten, River Hill, TN	W.P. Smith	105	1	$150

Education	Ministerial Relief	Foreign Missions	Home Missions	Church Extension	Women's Board of Missions	Miscellaneous
$1	$2	$1	$1	$1	$3	$3

T.L. Mitchell was still the Session Clerk of the Sparta Church and I.C. Talent was now the pastor. There were 31 communicants in the Sparta Church.

Source: Minutes of the Sixty-Sixth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1896.

1897

May 1897 -- Sixty-Seventh General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of the churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery.

(Only Data Given in this 1897 Report)
Clerk	Ministerial Relief
C.T. Hasten, River Hill, TN	$1

T.L. Mitchell was still the Session Clerk of the Sparta Church. Apparently, there was no pastor now for the Sparta Church and no statistical data was reported for it.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Sixty-Seventh Meeting, May 20-27, 1897.

1898

May 1898 -- Sixty-Eighth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of the churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery.

Clerk	Pastor	Communicants	Preaching Sabbaths	Property Value
C.T. Hasten, Riverhill, TN	I. C. Talent	50	1	$200

A symbol (+) appears by the name of the Union Church in this General Assembly record, which is supposed to indicate that a church does not own a house of worship, singly or jointly. Does this symbol in the 1898 record indicate that the destruction of the original log building occurred sometime during the year prior to this report? The 1901 report to the General Assembly indicates that a large expenditure was made for "Building and Repair" in late 1900 or early 1901 (i.e. between the 1900 and 1901 reports).

This "church does not own a house of worship" symbol did not appear in the previous year's (1897) record, nor does it appear in the records of 1899 or 1900. If the building was destroyed in 1897 or 1898 and wasn't rebuilt until late 1900 or early 1901, why wouldn't this symbol appear in the 1899 and 1900 records?

Some Zion Church of the Sparta Presbytery had been dissolved. This, apparently, was not the "Old" Zion Church of White County, TN because that church was still active according to the statistical records.

Wm. P. Smith (pastor of his home church, the Union Church) of the Sparta Presbytery died on August 18, 1897 at the age of 43. His residence was at River Hill, TN.

T.L. Mitchell was still the Session Clerk of the Sparta Church and F.A. Williams was now the pastor of that church. There were 31 communicants in the Sparta Church.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Sixty-Eight Meeting, May 19-26, 1898.

Tennessee Synod Meeting at McMinnville, TN
October 18-21, 1898 -- Union Church of White County (from the Sparta Presbytery) was not represented at this synod meeting. No ministers from the Sparta Presbytery were present and only one church (Zion) from the Sparta Presbytery was represented. There were 48 churches on the roll of the Sparta Presbytery. Source: October 18-21, 1898 Minutes of the Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Union Church was listed on a report of the Church Extension Committee of the Tennessee Synod, but no statistics were given for this church. Source: October 18-21, Fourth Annual Report of the Church Extension Committee of the Tennessee Synod.

1899

May 1899 -- Sixty-Ninth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of 41 churches associated with the Sparta Presbytery. This was the final year of the Sparta Presbytery's existence.

Clerk	Pastor	Communicants	Preaching Sabbaths	Property Value	Paid to Pastor
C.T. Hasten, Riverhill, TN	I.C. Talent	61	1	$400	$50

T.L. Mitchell was still the Session Clerk of the Sparta Church and F.A. Williams was the pastor. There were now only 22 communicants in the Sparta Church.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Sixty-Ninth Meeting, May 18-25, 1899.

Tennessee Synod Meeting at Dayton, TN

October 17-20. 1899 --

Sparta Presbytery Dissolved into the McMinnville Presbytery
McMinnville Presbytery shall embrace all the congregations formerly in the Sparta Presbytery, together with the congregations located in Smith county, and all the congregations formerly in the McMinnville Presbytery within the counties of Warren and DeKalb, as defined in Report 1. Together with all the ministers, licentiates, and candidates residing within the boundaries of the new McMinnville Presbytery. It shall meet with the Cookeville Congregation on Thursday before the fourth Sunday in March, 1900 at 11 A.M. Rev. W.L. Wheeler is appointed moderator and Rev. W.B. Holmes, stated clerk and treasurer, until their successors are elected. The presbyterial tax in this presbytery shall be the same as assessed by the former McMinnville Presbytery.

Sparta Presbytery

     The records of this presbytery are well and neatly kept, and reveal a most commendable spirit of progress and effort to conform to the law of the church.
     This is especially noticeable in the matter of the education of probationers, and in the work of the Committee on Supplies. The report of this committee is the most complete of any which have come to our attention.
     In the following respects the record or action of presbytery was irregular:
     1. The names of congregations not represented were not given.
     2. A committee is recorded as having made report and granted further time, does not show what the report is.
     3. The minutes show that the name of Rev. J.W. Copeland was dropped from the roll of ministers upon information furnished by a committee, but there is no record of what this information was. This is very irregular.
     4. Presbytery also dropped from the roll certain congregations without dissolving these churches or making any provision for their members. This action was irregular and void, and these churches--Sycamore Shade, Blue Spring, Free Union, New Hope and Oak Grove--still belong to the Sparta Presbytery.
     5. The records are upon sheets of paper. The presbytery should at once secure a book in which to record the minutes.
     6. The names of E.M. Clinton and O.M. Davis were dropped from the roll, but the record does not show whether they were ministers, licentiates or candidates, nor the reason for which they were dropped.
     7. Rev. T.W. Davidson, an ordained minister of McMinnville Presbytery, was received, but there is nothing in the record to show that he presented a letter of dismission and recommendations.

Question: Do these Sparta Presbytery minutes still exist? If so, where are they? Please contact us if you know.

Source: October 17-20, 1899 (Twelfth Annual Meeting) Minutes of the Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Union Church was listed on a report of the Church Extension Committee of the Tennessee Synod, but no statistics were given for this church.

Source: October 17-20, Fifth Annual Report of the Church Extension Committee of the Tennessee Synod.


The Union Church of White County, as well as other White County Cumberland Presbyterian churches, was transferred to the McMinnville Presbytery in 1899 when the Sparta Presbytery was dissolved.

1899-1906

1900

May 1900 -- Seventieth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of the churches now associated with the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

In Tennessee Synod many changes have been made in presbyterial lines, names, and organization, those which it is proper to report to the Assembly being as follows: The Presbyteries of Charlotte, Georgia, Richland, and Sparta lose their identity... (from page 10 of 1900 General Assembly minutes)

Clerk	Pastor	Communicants	Sabbath** School	Preaching Sabbaths	Property Value	Paid to Pastor
C.T. Haston, Perilla, TN	I.C. Talent	214*	40	1	$50	$40

*What was the reason for the huge increase in the reported number of communicants? There is nothing in the church's register or the church's minutes that would indicate such a dramatic growth for this year. This was probably an error, since the number drops down to a level consistent with previous reports in the next (1901) General Assembly report.

**This was the first year that a Sabbath or Sunday School was reported for the Union Church.

A symbol (*) appears in the official records by the name of the Union Church, which indicates that the church either owned a manse (parsonage) or was one of a group of churches that owned one.

T.C. (T.L.?) Mitchell was still the clerk of the Sparta Church and no pastor was mentioned for that congregation.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventieth Meeting, May 17-24, 1900.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Gordonsville Church in Smith County

September 20-22, 1900 -- C.T. Haston represented the Union Church.

At that time, C.T. Haston's mailing address was Perrilla [Perilla], TN (located in northern Hickory Valley of White County). Union was one of 61 churches in this presbytery.

C.T. Haston, a "Ruling Elder," was one three men on the Missions Committee of the McMinnville Presbytery.

**Committee on Missions**
The report of the Committee on Missions was read and adopted and is as follows: First as to Foreign Missions: The interest in and contributions to this phase of Missions is about the same and we fear not materially on the increase. Foreign Missions we regard as the greatest of all Missions, as the General Commission had special references to this work. We are sorry in advance that our calling attention to, and emphasis of, Foreign Missions will meet with so little interest and sympathy on the part of our brethren. So many of us have forgotten our "marching orders." The contributions to this cause for the whole Presbytery during the year was $83.00, which is just a little less than $1.65 for each church in the Presbytery. The figures show a contribution of less than 2 cents per member. Of the 63 churches, only 12 made an offering to Foreign Missions, 51 offered nothing. "Go ye into all the world" and "If ye love me keep my commandments." Second as to Home Missions: We call special attention to the very successful tent campaign just lately closed in this Presbytery. As a result of this campaign there were 214 conversions during 165 services. We trust that this blessed work will be resumed again next summer and that this Presbytery begin now to look forward to this tent work and to plan and arrange therefor [sic]. McMinnville Church has borne the greater part of the expense of this work. We urgently recommend that many more if not all the churches within our bounds share in the burden, or rather the blessing, of all necessary expenses of next summer's campaign. Ministers present will please heed this recommendation and bring the matter before their people. Respectfully submitted, Rev. W.N. Price, Eld. C.T. Haston, Eld. J.C. Richard.

The "Sparta" church was not represented in this meeting. "A communication from Mr. J.D. Goff of Sparta, Tenn., concerning the purchase of our Church property at that place was read and referred to the Committee on Overtures." The Committee on Overtures made the following recommendation later in the meeting:

We recommend that the Church at Sparta be dissolved and the members lettered to the church of their choice. And Rev. I.C. Tallent and Elders Charlie Haston, Franklin Wilhite, and Judge W.F. Story be and they are hereby appointed as commissioners of this Presbytery to letter the members of said Sparta Church. And we further recommend that the church house and lot, seats, bell and fixtures of the Sparta Church be sold--that the church house and lot of land, except the seats, bell, windows and other fixtures thereto attached, be sold at a price not less than $150.00 and that said I.C. Tallent, Charlie T. Haston, Franklin Wilhite, and W.F. Story be and they are hereby appointed a Commission of this Presbytery to sell said church lot and house, (except the reservations above named,) for the largest price they may be able to obtain at private sale but in no case will they accept a price or bid of less than $150.00 and this Presbytery clothes said Commission with full power and authority to execute and acknowledge, and deliver to the purchaser a deed to said house and lot for this Presbytery and in its name. And that said Commission be allowed and are empowered to take not more than $100.00 of the purchase price that they may receive for said Church and lot and pay off the balance due on the purchase price of the parsonage and lot of land in Sparta, Tennessee, and take a deed to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for said parsonage and lot when the same shall have been paid for. And said Commission is empowered to sell the seats, bell, windows and other fixtures of the Church to the highest bidder for cash, and make full report of their action in the premises to the next meeting of this Presbytery, with an exhibit of the money on hand, and of their expenditures as herein indicated and also of said deed to said parsonage.

Union, Zion, Cherry Creek and Robinson's Chapel churches (all White County churches) were placed together into group number eight, for "grouping work."

Union was reported to have paid $2.00 in Presbyterial dues.

Source: September 20-22, 1900 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery, Fall Session.

Tennessee Synod Meeting at Jackson, TN

October 30-November 2, 1900

Rev. Monroe Seals and the Now Dissolved Sparta Presbytery
To the Synod of Tennessee: Your Judiciary Committee would report as follows: 1. We have had referred to us a communication from Rev. Monroe Seals in which he states that on September 22, 1899, he procured a letter of dismissal from Sparta Presbytery, which he presented to the Stated Clerk of Foster Presbytery one year and five days after the letter had been granted, and that he was informed that the letter would have to be "renewed" by Sparta Presbytery. That Sparta Presbytery in the meantime had been dissolved and he therefore applies to your body for another letter of dismissal and recommendation. Note: This report continues over two more pages. Resolved, That the Moderator and Stated Clerk of this Synod issue to him a certificate to the effect that he has continued in good standing as a minister of the Gospel of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church from the time of his dismissal by Sparta Presbytery down to the present time, and that he is hereby recommended to Foster Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, or any other ecclesiastical body to which he sees fit to attach himself.

Source: October 30-November 2, 1900 (Thirteenth Annual Meeting) Minutes of the Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

1901

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Hilham Church of Overton County

April 25-27, 1901 -- H. H. Smith represented the Union Church. At that time, C.T. Haston was listed as the Session Clerk of Union and his mailing address was still Perilla, TN* (located in northern Hickory Valley of White County). Union was one of 61 churches in this presbytery.

*The Perilla, TN post office opened on May 12, 1881 and was in operation until December 31, 1904.

"A.M. Hestand*" was a Ruling Elder (along with two other men) from the Pharris Chapel Church of Jackson County, TN. This church asked "for admittance under the care of the McMinnville Presbytery" and the request was approved. A.M. Hestand "was seated as a representative from Pharris Chapel Church." He appeared earlier in an 1880 Sparta Presbytery session at the Big Spring Church in Jackson County, TN.

"This almost certainly is Alexander Mayfield Hestand. One of Daniel Hestand's sons was Abraham M Hestand (1802-1877). Abraham M Hestand spent his life on a farm just over the KY border into Clay Co, TN just north of Moss. He was a successful farmer and a justice of the peace for many years. Alexander Mayfield Hestand (1837-1918) was one of his sons. It is known that Alexander was a Presbyterian minister and he did live and die in Jackson Co, TN." Source: Doug Moore, Hiestend family researcher

This report was given from the Commission to dissolve the Sparta Church:

     The Commission to dissolve the Sparta Church and letter its members to the church of their choice made its report and is as follows:
     To the Moderator and Brethren of McMinnville Presbytery in session at Hilham, Overton county, Tenn., your Committee appointed last September at Gordonsville, Tenn., to dissolve the church at Sparta and letter its members and to sell the church house and lot with all the fixtures belonging thereto would respectfully report, that your Commission has overlooked the fact that the dissolution of Sparta Church and lettering of its members was made a part of its duty and your Commission regrets to report that that item of business made a part of its duty has been entirely overlooked. Your Commission however found sale for Church house and lot with all the fixtures belonging thereunto. Said house and lot were sold to J.D. Goff for the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Dollars and the doors, seats, windows, and bell were sold to C.T. Haston for the sum of Twenty-five Dollars, as per the authority delegated to your Commission. One Hundred Dollars of said amount obtained for said property was used in paying balance of the purchase price of Parsonage and lot in Sparta, Tenn., to which property your Commission now presents you with a warranty deed. There now remains to the credit of your Commission and at your order in First National Bank of Sparta, Tenn., the sum of Fifty Dollars, also in the hands of C.T. Haston (one of your Commission) the sum of Twenty-five Dollars amount promised by him for said fixtures belonging to said house and lot. All of which is respectfully submitted.
                                                             I.C. Tallent, Chr.
      Presbytery retained the Commission and empowered it to letter the members to the Church of their choice and refund the money into the hands of the Presbytery.

This was probably the Sparta church that appeared in the 1890s, with T.L. Mitchell as the Session Clerk and Monroe Seals (and others) as pastor.

Source: April 25-27, 1901 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery, Spring Session.

May 1901 -- Seventy-First General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union was one of the churches associated with the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Pastor	Additions	Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Sabbath** School	Preaching Sabbaths
C.T. Haston, Riverhill, TN	I.C. Tallent	2	40	0	40	40	1

Church Property Value	Expended for Bldg. & Repair*	Pastor Salary	Ministerial Relief
$475	$400	$40	$1

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-First Meeting, May 16-23, 1901.

*Apparently, there was some very significant building addition or repair that happened during the previous year. The church expended $400 for that purpose and that was over 84% of the value of the church property this year (1901) and 10 times what they paid the pastor for the entire year. Could this have been when the original log building burned and was replaced with the wood frame structure? A symbol by the name of the Union Church three years earlier, in the 1898 General Assembly record, indicated that the church did not own a house of worship, singly or jointly.

Joe Wallace and J.M. Passons, in conversations with Wayne Haston, have stated that they believe the fire occurred in the 1840s or 1850s. The absence of church records prior to 1858 may also suggest that the building was destroyed by fire before that time.

A symbol (*) appears in the official records by the name of the Union Church, which indicates that the church either owned a manse (parsonage) or was one of a group of churches that owned one.

There was a + sign by the Sparta church, which meant that the "church does not have a house of worship, singly or jointly."

**Indications that a New Church Building Was Constructed in this Era**
The 1898 General Assembly record indicates that the church did not own a house of worship, at that time, even though it had owned one in the years prior to that time. The 1901 General Assembly record indicates that a major expenditure of $400 had just been made for building expansion and repair. That was 84% of the total value of the property in that year. An undated bill of sale for lumber in the amount of $475.01 was found among Union Church papers in the C.T. Haston family Bible. The lumber, apparently, was shipped from a company called "Hunt, Washington, & Smith" of Nashville, Tennessee.

Tennessee Synod Meeting at Lebanon, TN

October 29-November 1, 1901 -- Union Church was one of 61 churches listed with the McMinnville Presbytery. According to the records printed in these minutes, only two (Liberty and McMinnville) of those churches had contributed financially to the Tennessee Synod.

Source: October 29-November 1, 1901 (Fourteenth Annual Meeting) Minutes of the Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

1902

May 1902 -- Seventy-Second General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of the 29 churches associated with the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

(Only Data Given on the 1902 Report)
Home Missions	Foreign Missions
$1	$1

The Cookeville Presbytery was formed at, or in the months before, this General Assembly meeting. According to the Cumberland Presbyterian Historical Foundation the Cookeville Presbytery was formed in 1901.

A symbol (double dagger) appeared by the name of the Union Church in this record, indicating that the stated clerk had not received a report from the church's session clerk.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-Second Meeting, May 15-22, 1902.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Monteagle Church in Grundy County
October 16-18, 1902 -- H.Z. [H.D.] Brogden represented the Union Church. C.T. Haston was listed as the Session Clerk of the Union (White County) Church and his address was now River Hill, TN (post office about 1/2 mile from Union Church). Only 29 churches were on the roll of churches at this time. Apparently, some of the former churches from this presbytery had been placed into another presbytery. The Committee on Pastorates and Supplies reported: "That the churches in White County--Zion, Union, Cherry Creek, Blue Springs, and Robinson's Chapel, as per request, be allowed to secure a pastor to divide time among them as they may agree." Source: October 16-18, 1902 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery, Fall Meeting.

Tennessee Synod Meeting at Union City, TN

October 28, 1902 --

Cookeville Presbytery Inherits Debts of Sparta Presbytery
It will be remembered that the greater part of the present territory of this Presbytery was once included in that of old Sparta. By the changes wrought in the boundaries of presbyteries, the Cookeville Presbytery has become the heir of all the old debts of the Sparta Presbytery, and as the latter's arrearages were of long standing and of a great amount, the new Cookeville Presbytery has a veritable millstone about it To remedy this, we suggest that this Synod memorialize the General Assembly to remit the debts of Cookeville Presbytery that have come from the old Sparta and start in with this new vigorous child again. Square the old account and give them a clean page for further business.

Union (White County) was one of nine churches from the McMinnville Presbytery reported to have contributed to the Church Extension Fund or the Atlanta (Mission) Fund. Union's contribution was $2.02 to the Church Extension Fund.

Source: October 28, 1902 Ninth Annual Report of the Church Extension Committee of the Synod of Tennessee, Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

1903

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Zion Church in White County

April 16-19, 1903 -- No one represented the Union Church. C.T. Haston was listed on the roll of Session Clerks and his address was River Hill, TN.

A report on the status of Sunday schools within the presbytery was presented. Union Church was listed as one of the 18 churches (of a total of 29 in the presbytery) to have a Sunday school and it seems to have been using Cumberland Presbyterian Sunday school literature.

The Committee on Pastorates and Supplies made this report on business presented in the previous meeting:

We find that the group consisting of Zion, Cherry Creek, Robinson Chapel, Union and Blue Springs is at present without a pastor, and have failed in their efforts to secure one. They are still trying to secure a pastor and agree to do their best to get one to take the work, but in case they fail to supply the group they ask Presbytery to grant them leave to secure services from whatever sources they may.
We therefore recommend that Presbytery grant their request, with the distinct understanding that in so doing we do not dissolve the connection of these churches as a group.

The Union Church of White County, along with eight other churches, had not made any report to the Stated Clerk and Treasurer of the Presbytery.

Source: April 16-19, 1903 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery, Spring Meeting.

May 1903 -- Seventy-Third General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 29 churches associated with the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Pastor	Resident Members	Total Members	Property Value	Synodical Church Extensions
C.T. Haston, Riverhill, TN		46	46	$500	$2

A symbol (double dagger) appeared by the name of the Union Church in this record, indicating that the stated clerk had not received a report from the church's session clerk.

An asterisk by the name of the Union Church indicated that it owned a manse (parsonage) or belonged to a group of churches that owned one.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-Third Meeting, May 21-28, 1903.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Hillsboro Church in Coffee County

September 17-19, 1903 -- H.D. Brogdon [Brogden] represented the Union Church of White County. C.T. Haston was listed as the Session Clerk of the Union (White County) Church and his address was at River Hill, TN (post office about 1/2 mile from Union Church).

The Stated Clerk and Treasurer of this presbytery reported that about 40 per cent of the church session clerks fail to report information touching their congregational affairs. A recommendation was made to ask such clerks to resign, if they "will not promptly fill out and forward statistical and financial reports of church and Sunday School to the Stated Clerk and Treasurer of Presbytery."

The Union Church of White County was in arrears in the amount of $5.40 for unpaid Presbyterial dues. However, $16.15 had been collected for missions from this church.

The Committee on Pastorates and Supplies these reports:

The pastorate including the White County churches is unfortunately divided at present. Two of these churches, Cherry Creek and Robinson's Chapel, have secured the services of the Rev. Mr. Carr, of the Cookeville Presbytery, one Sabbath each per month for a year, which leaves the other three churches too weak financially to secure a pastor for all his time. We recommend that you instruct these churches, Cherry Creek and Robinson's Chapel, to cancel their engagement with Bro. Carr as early as a pastor can be secured for the entire group.

Your Committee would further report that the services of Rev. L.R. Bond were secured for six weeks during the summer, which time he spent with the White County churches. Your Committee agreed to pay him forty-five dollars and expenses for the six weeks, the total of which amounted to sixty dollars and ten cents. Of this amount the churches he visited paid forty-two dollars and eighty-five cents. Bro. Bond's report to the Committee is of an encouraging nature. The churches were encouraged by his work to undertake greater things both in offerings and christian work. He reports nine conversions and six accessions to the churches. We ask approval of his employment by your Committee, and also approval of his work in the Presbytery.

Source: September 17-19, 1903 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery, Fall Meeting.

1904

May 1904 -- Seventy-Fourth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 29 churches associated with the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

(Only Data Reported for This Year)
Clerk	Resident Members	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Riverhill, TN	46	46

Most of the other churches in this presbytery gave more complete reports than did the Union Church.

A symbol (double dagger) appeared by the name of the Union Church in this record, indicating that the stated clerk had not received a report from the church's session clerk.

An asterisk by the name of the Union Church indicated that it owned a manse (parsonage) or belonged to a group of churches that owned one.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-Fourth Meeting, May 19-26, 1904.

1905

May 1905 -- Seventy-Fifth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of the churches associated with the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Pastor	Preaching Sundays	Additions by Exam.	Total Additions	Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	T.A. Lee	1	4	4	45	100	145

Sunday School	Property Value	Pastor Salary	SS. & Young People Work
40	$400	$100	$2

An asterisk by the name of the Union Church indicated that it owned a manse (parsonage) or belonged to a group of churches that owned one.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-Fifth Meeting, May 18-24, 1905.

1906

May 1906 -- Seventy-Sixth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 26 churches associated with the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Pastor	Preaching Sundays	Total Additions	Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	T.A. Lee	1		40		40

Sunday School	Property Value	Pastor Salary
25	$500	$100

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-Sixth Meeting, May 17-24, 1906.

The Union Church Split

Quote from page 44 of History of White County by Monroe Seals

Source of Cumberland Presbyterian Denomination Historical Information:
A People Called Cumberland Presbyterians by Barrus, Baughn, & Campbell
Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1998 reprint of 1972 Frontier Press original

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized, in Dickson County, TN (west of Nashville) in 1810, as a split off of the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. The split was based upon doctrinal and practical concerns. Those who affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church objected to the very strict predestinarian dogmas of the mother church. They believed that Christ died for all people, not just for those who were predestined to be saved. Also, there were concerns related to the high standards for ordination within the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. Because of the rigid academic requirements for ordination, it was impossible (particularly in the frontier areas of the country) to supply preachers for the many churches that spread across the American frontier. The Cumberland Presbyterians favored less rigid ordination requirements, so as to fill more of these frontier pulpits.

A movement for re-union of these two bodies developed around the turn of the twentieth century, in both the Cumberland Presbyterian and Presbyterian U.S.A. denominations. In 1903, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. revised its Confession of Faith, in an attempt to pave the way for this union.

The idea of union with the "U.S.A." Church, created a great deal of controversy among Cumberland Presbyterians. Many of them, particularly those in the western and northern U.S. states, favored the union. Others, particularly in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi, were strongly opposed to the union. Union opponents viewed the merger, not as a union but simply as an absorption back into the larger mother church. The union plan called for the new merged body to keep the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. name and to recognize its 1903 Confession of Faith as the doctrinal confession for the united church. Anti-union Cumberland Presbyterian leaders were skeptical of the 1903 Confession, seeing no substantive changes in it from the predestinarian doctrines that their denomination's founders had objected to in 1810.

In May of 1906, when the Cumberland Presbyterian votes were cast, 60 presbyteries voted for the union and 51 voted against it. The union of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. was approved by this slim majority of presbyteries, even though more individuals (ministers and local church elders) voted against it (1,477) than voted for it (1,340).

Immediately, many of the anti-union Cumberland Presbyterians assembled, elected new officers, and acted to continue the Cumberland Presbyterian Church as a denomination separate from the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. At that point, Cumberland Presbyterian churches were faced with the decision of honoring the union decision or affiliating with the newly organized Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. When the incomplete merger was over, 90,000 Cumberland Presbyterians ended up in the united body and 50,000 remained Cumberland Presbyterians.

Some of the Cumberland Presbyterian churches in White County, TN chose to associate with the larger Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. Only two churches in White County, "Old" Zion and "Old" Union, opted to continue as Cumberland Presbyterian congregations.

The decision at Old Union, however, was not unanimous. Some of its members favored union with the "U.S.A." Church; others preferred to continue as Cumberland Presbyterians. This intra-congregational division was not uncommon throughout the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. Many presbyteries split over the issue. Local congregations, such as Old Union, were also torn asunder by the issue.

The question of ownership of church property was the most heated point of controversy. Early civil court decisions favored the unionists, so those who chose to remain Cumberland Presbyterians often found themselves locked out of the very church buildings that their own hands had helped to construct. This, apparently, was true of the anti-union members of Old Union.

The Union church register for March 11, 1907 would seem to indicate that the split had not yet occurred at that time. However, a certain handwritten form letter, dated April 5, 1909, found among the Old Union records, indicates that by April 1909 the anti-union Old Union Cumberland Presbyterians had been ousted from their place of worship. It appears that they probably worshipped elsewhere for, perhaps, up to two years.

On April 3, 1909 a Tennessee State Supreme Court decision reversed the sentiments of earlier civil courts. Judge M. M. Neil rendered a decision that effectively annulled the union and returned church property to the anti-unionists. Two days later, the Old Zion church in White County drafted a form letter, to also be used by the Old Union church, that demanded the church keys to be returned to the anti-union Cumberland Presbyterians by Saturday, April 10, just one week following the Tennessee Supreme Court decision.

April 5, 1909 Tennessee State Supreme Court Decision

The Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. group from Old Union, apparently, surrendered possession of the building after the April 3, 1909 Tennessee Supreme Court decision. They then erected their own building approximately a mile north of Old Union, taking the name "Hickory Valley Presbyterian Church." To the local folks of that day, it was sometimes just known as the "New Church."

Read an Account of the White County Presbyterian Churches of this Era
by Rev. Monroe Seals in the History of White County

Note: The original naming of this "Union Meeting House" Church resulted in two subsequent ironic circumstances. During the Civil War, some of Old Union's members defied political union and joined forces with the Confederacy. Then, just a generation later, Old Union defied ecclesiastical union in the 1906 merger of the original Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A.

1907-1910

1907

From 1907 through 1909, "Union" of White County, TN appears simultaneously in the records of both Presbyterian denominations--the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (CPC) and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PC-USA). This would seem to indicate that:

The church, although split in sentiments and denominational loyalties, was still meeting as one congregation but the leadership of each faction was sending reports (possibly for the whole group) to the denominational headquarters of their preference, or...
The church was split into two factions and these were meeting separately, both of whom were claiming the "Union" name for their congregations.

**Cumberland Presbyterian Congregation in Exile?**
There is no entry in the Union Church minutes from April 19, 1907 to July 11, 1909. It is very possible that the Cumberland Presbyterian loyalists of the Union Church were exiled from the church house for a couple of years or so during this time and that the building was controlled by Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. "unionists" until April 1910, 1909. Whether they met for worship in another location (perhaps the River Hill school house, about 1/2 mile from the Union Church) or ceased to assemble during this time...we do not know.

Union Church,
Cumberland Presbyterian

Union Church,
Presbyterian U.S.A.

McMinnville Presbytery CPC Session
at the Hebron/Irving College Church
in Warren County

McMinnville Presbytery U.S.A.
Spring 1907 Session

April 19-21, 1907 -- C.T. Haston represented the Union Church. C.T. Haston was listed as the Session Clerk of Union and his mailing address was Sparta, TN.

Note: In the March 3, 1907 business session of the Union Church, C.T. Haston had been elected to represent the church at this meeting.

At that time, the roll of ministers consisted only of four ministers: C.K. Carlock, A.C. Tatom, W.E. Tillett, and J.L. Thompson. The ministerial pool for this presbytery, apparently, had been decimated by the 1906 denominational split. When the meeting began, eleven churches were represented and ten were listed as "not represented," including these White County churches: Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, and Robinson's Chapel. It may be that some of those "not represented" congregations had actually merged with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A. during the year prior to this meeting...or were still "straddling the fence." The total resident membership (of churches within this presbytery) reported to the clerk of the presbytery was 644. It seems that some of the churches formerly affiliated with this Cumberland Presbyterian presbytery were on the verge of uniting with the "U.S.A." denomination: "From what we have heard from congregations not reported to Stated Clerk, we confidently believe that if we could do a little work with them who know only one side of the question, there would be but few who would go into the union."

Apparently, in the Fall 1906 meeting, a committee was appointed to meet Rev. B.W. Binkley, former Stated Clerk of this presbytery, in order to demand "all records, papers and monies belonging to McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church." The committee reported in this April 1907 meeting that Rev. Binkley "refuses to give up any records, books, monies, or anything that was in his hands at the time he went over to the U.S.A.'s Saying he would not do anything of the kind until after all the law suits were settled."

Union Church of White County had contributed $5.25 to the presbytery. Elder C.T. Haston was one of three men on the Committee on Ministerial Relief and also one of three men on the Committee on Sunday School. C.T. Haston was also elected as a commissioner to the General Assembly meeting that was to be held May 16-24, 1907 at Dickson, Tennessee. He, and three other men, were to represent the Committee on Ministerial Relief for this presbytery at the General Assembly.

Source: April 19-21, 1907 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

We do not have the records for this McMinnville Presbyterian Church U.S.A. session. If you know where a copy of the records for this Spring 1907 presbytery session can be obtained, please contact us.

May 1907 -- Seventy-Seventh
General Assembly of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church

May 1907 -- One Hundred-Nineteenth
General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Union (White Co) was one of 28 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod. Several of these probably had already chosen to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A., but were kept on the Cumberland Presbyterian roll until it was determined whether or not they could be reclaimed as Cumberland Presbyterian churches. (see the column to the right)

**Union Church Statistics**
Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders
C.T. Haston, Sparta, R.R. 3, TN			4

Deacons	Adult Baptisms	Additions by Exam	Total Additions
1	2	2	2

Resident Members	Total Members	Sunday School	Property Value
35	35	45	$600

There were now only six ministers (including one candidate) in this presbytery: C.K. Carlock, F.P. Harmond, A.C. Tatom, I.L. Thompson, W.E. Tillett, & S.T. Byars (candidate).

There were eleven ministers (including one candidate and one licentiate) in this presbytery at the time of the 1906 General Assembly meeting.

In 1905, there were fourteen of them.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-Seventh Meeting, May 16-21, 1907.

A McMinnville Presbytery appeared in the records of this General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. It was within the Synod of Tennessee. This presbytery did not appear in the 1906 General Assembly records.

These White County, TN churches were listed for the McMinnville Presbytery of the PC-USA denomination:

Sparta
Blue Springs
Cherry Creek
Robinsons Chapel
Union (White Co.)
Zion

Ministers associated with the McMinnville Presbytery of the PC-USA were:

W.G. Dillon (honorably retired)
T.A. Lee
R.W. Binkley, D.D. (pastor)
R.H. Brown, (stated supply pastor)
John A. Troxler (stated supply pastor)

**Union (White Co.) [Only Stats Given]**
Elders	Deacons	Whole Membership
4	2	*40

*Indicates no report from the church during this year; information taken from Synod records or from the last Assembly records. Cherry Creek, Sparta, Robinsons Chapel, & Zion seem to have reported their statistics to this PC-USA presbytery. Only Blue Springs and Union did not report their data.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 119th General Assembly (printed records dated August 1907)

1908

McMinnville Presbytery CPC
Spring 1908 Session

McMinnville Presbytery PC-USA
Session at the
Presbyterian Church in Tullahoma, TN

We do not have the records for this McMinnville Cumberland Presbyterian presbytery session. If you know where a copy of the records for this Spring 1908 presbytery session can be obtained, please contact us.

April 14-16, 1908 --"Union" was represented by H.D. Trogden [Brogden]. In addition, five other White County churches were represented: Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, Robinson's Chapel, Sparta, & Zion.

H.D. Brogden was a member of the Systematic Beneficence committee.

Minister R.H. Brown, who served the "Union" PC-USA congregation, preached the opening sermon for the session.

In the year closing on March 31, 1908, the Home Board had appropriated $50.00 to assist the the Home Mission work with "Union" church. Union only contributed $5.05 for the Home Mission fund. Union also had only given $2.50 for foreign missions, which was only .12 per member.

A recommendation was made "That Group 1 be composed of the following churches: Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, Robinson's Chapel, Union and Zion, and after conference together, if they can combine any two of these churches, so as to better facilitate the work, they be authorized to do so."

Source: April 14, 15, and 16, 1908 (Spring Session) Minutes of the Presbytery of McMinnville of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.

May 1908 -- Seventy-Eighth
General Assembly of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church

May 1908 -- One Hundred-Twentieth
General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Union (White Co) was one of 29 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod of the CPC. Several of the other churches probably had already chosen to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A., but were kept on the Cumberland Presbyterian roll until it was determined whether or not they could be reclaimed as Cumberland Presbyterian churches.

**Union Church Statistics**
Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	T.W*. Kittrell	1

Elders	Deacons	Adult Baptisms	Infant Baptisms
3	2	4

Additions by Exam.	Total Additions	Resident Members	Total Members
4	4	14**	14**

The statistics and other information for the Union (White Co) Church was erroneously placed in the table row for the Union (Coffee Co) Church.

*On the roll of ministers for the McMinnville Presbytery, the address of T.W. Kittrell was Sparta, TN.

**If this 1908 membership figure is accurate, it reflects a drastic loss of members by the church split. (35 members in 1907; 40 in 1906; 45 in 1905; to 14 in 1908) According to the Union Church register, on March 11, 1907, it appears that there were 55 "active members." However, it seems that C.T. Haston included, on that March 11, 1907 list, the names of people known to have constituted the Hickory Valley Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), as a result of the split.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-Eighth Meeting, May 21-26, 1908.

Union was one of 24 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod of the PC-USA. There were six White County churches that were a part of this PC-USA presbytery and synod:

Sparta
Union
Zion
Cherry Creek
Blue Springs
Robinsons Chapel

**Union Church Statistics**
Minister	Elders	Deacons
Richard H. Brown* Sparta, TN Stated Supply	3

Whole Membership	Home Missions	Congregat'al
30	5	50

Adult Baptisms	S.S. Members	Church Erection

*Richard H. Brown was the stated supply minister for the Sparta church, the Zion church, and the Union church.

Other McMinnville Presbytery ministers were:

William G. Dillon (honorably retired)
Thaddeus A. Lee (stated supply)
Richard Wilson Binkley (pastor)
J.R. Sharp (stated supply)
James C. Orr (stated supply)
John A. Troxler (stated supply)
- Cherry Creek &
- Blue Springs, et. al.
E.M. Bryant (stated supply)

Robinsons Chapel's pulpit was vacant.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 120th General Assembly (printed records dated August 1908)

McMinnville Presbytery CPC Session
at the Union Church of Coffee County

McMinnville Presbytery PC-USA
1908 Fall Session

August 14-15, 1908 -- Only nine churches were represented and the Union Church of White County was not one of them. Twelve of the churches "not represented" were marked with an asterisk that indicated that they were "In charge of Unionists." All five of the White County churches formerly affiliated with this McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, including Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, Robinson's Chapel, Union, and Zion, were indicated to be controlled by "unionists" (church leaders and members who had chosen to unite with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A.).

Rev. T.W. Kittrell was absent from this meeting. He had been assigned to a "White County Mission." The Committee on Home Missions reported: "That we have a number of churches in our bounds, a part of which is under the care of Bro. T.W. Kittrell, in White County, Tenn., the condition of which we have not learned." The committee recommended that the "Stated Clerk be requested to write Bro. Kittrell and secure the information by which some definite plan may be outlined."

Source: August 14 & 15, 1908 (Fall Session) Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Note: T.W. Kittrell was elected to be moderator in the next (Spring 1909) session of the McMinnville Presbytery. In the April 1909 session, he was charged with heresy and "agreed to stop debate and accept a letter of dismission." According to the 1912 General Assembly minutes for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, T.W. Kittrell had recently died.

We do not have the records for this McMinnville Presbyterian Church U.S.A. session. If you know where a copy of the records for this Fall 1908 presbytery session can be obtained, please contact us.

1909

McMinnville Presbytery CPC
Session at the Blues Hill Church
in Warren County

McMinnville Presbytery PC-USA
Session in Winchester, TN

March 19-20, 1909 -- The Union Church of White County was not represented. Three congregations in White County, Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, & Robinson's Chapel, were indicated to be "In hands of Unionists." "Divided congregation" was the indicated status of Union and Zion churches of White County.

Union (White County) was listed on a "Roll of Churches, amount paid and unpaid dues," as were the four other White County churches. Of the five White County churches on this roll, Zion was the only one of them that had paid any dues ($1.65).

A Statistical and Financial Exhibit (chart) for the period April 1908 through April 1909 was included at the end of the 1908 & 1909 McMinnville Presbytery minutes book. Although the Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, and Robinson's Chapel churches were listed, there was no information given for them. Statistical and financial information was reported for Zion (17 resident members, etc.), as well as the names of the Church and Session Clerk (Mrs. A.C. Hooper) and Superintendent of Sunday School (Charles Roberts). C.T. Haston was stated to be the Church and Session Clerk for Union (White County), but no statistical or financial information was given for the Union Church, nor was a Superintendent of Sunday School named. C.T. Haston, as a representative of the Cumberland Presbyterian segment of this Union Church, was apparently maintaining some connection with the McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church during this time.

Source: March 19 & 20, 1909 (Spring Session) Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

April 13-15, 1909--Apparently, the Union PC-USA congregation was not represented at this meeting.

During the previous fiscal year, the Home Board had appropriated $200.00 to assist in the Home Missions work with Union.

"Rev. R.H. Brown was chosen Moderator of the Sessions of the following churches: Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, Smithville, Sparta, Union, and Zion." (Robinson's Chapel was not mentioned in this group.)

"The Committee of Leave of Absence reported the leave of absence had been granted the following members...H.D. Brogden..."

Source: April 13, 14, 15, 1909 Minutes of the Presbytery of McMinnville of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.

**TN Supreme Court Gave Church Property to Cumberland Presbyterians**
April 10, 1909 was a significant date for the Cumberland Presbyterian faithful of the Union Church congregation. An April 3, 1909 Tennessee State Supreme Court decision reversed the sentiments of earlier civil courts and effectively annulled the union and returned church property to the anti-unionists. Two days later, the Old Zion Church in White County drafted a form letter, to also be used by the Old Union Church, that demanded the church keys to be returned to the anti-union Cumberland Presbyterians by Saturday, April 10, 1909. Presumably, on April 10, 1909 or shortly thereafter, C.T. Haston and the Cumberland Presbyterians of Union Church regained use and control of the church building. The exile was ended...at least for this segment of the old Union Church. The "unionists" (pro-Presbyterian Church U.S.A. adherents) moved a mile north up the road and built their own building and called themselves the "Hickory Valley Presbyterian Church."

May 1909 -- Seventy-Ninth
General Assembly of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church

May 1909 -- One Hundred-Twentieth-First
General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Union (White Co) was one of 26 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Several of the other churches probably had already chosen to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A., but were kept on the Cumberland Presbyterian roll until it was determined whether or not they could be reclaimed as Cumberland Presbyterian churches.

(Only Information Given for this Report)
Clerk	Minister in Charge
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	T.W*. Kittrell

*On the roll of ministers for the McMinnville Presbytery, the address of Rev. T.W. Kittrell was Casville [Cassville], TN. Cassville is in southwest White County, TN, not far from the Zion Church which Rev. Kittrell also pastored.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Seventy-Ninth Meeting, May 20-26, 1909.

Union was one of the 23 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A.

Richard H. Brown (of Sparta, TN) was the stated supply pastor for Union, as well as Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, Sparta, and Zion.

**Union Statistics**
Elders	Deacons	Added by Exam.	Added by Certificate
4	1	8	5

Suspended Roll	Whole Membership	Adult Baptisms	Infant Baptisms
1	42	7

Home Missions	Foreign Missions	Education	General Assembly
7	3	2	2.00

Church Erection		Sunday School

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 121st General Assembly (printed records dated August 1909)

**"Union Church Reorganized"**
June 13, 1909 -- A new Union (CPC) church membership list was created by C.T. Haston in the Union Church register under the heading, "Union Church Reorganized." The roll included 23 members, 10 of which carried the "Haston" family name and were from the C.T. Haston family. Some of the other 13 were from the C.T. Haston family, although they had other surnames. Does this June 13, 1909 church reorganization indicate that the split loyalty (CPC & PC-USA) factions had continued meeting up to this time as one assembly, and that only now did they separate?

August 12, 1909 -- M.D. Haston and S.M. Wallace were elected to be elders and Walter Wallace was elected deacon of the Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church. All of them were installed in these offices.

Source: Old Union Church Minutes

McMinnville Presbytery CPC
Session at the Short Mountain Church
in DeKalb County

McMinnville Presbytery PC-USA
Session in Huntland, TN

August 13-14, 1909 -- C.T. Harton [Haston] represented the Union Church. The "Haston" name was consistently typeset incorrectly throughout these minutes* and the Union Church was said to be located in Warren County, but it seems clear that this was C.T. Haston of the Union Church of White County.

*Fall 1909 through Spring 1911 sessions minutes were printed in one combined booklet, thus the "Harton" spelling continues through the minutes of five subsequent sessions.

C.T. Harton [Haston] was on the Committee on Publication and the Committee to look after Churches that are yet in the hands of the U.S.A. Church. The Committee of Publication reported that "the Cumberland Banner...is as good if not the best church paper in the world" and also recommended that "our people use our Sunday-school literature, and our sessions endeavor to put the Cumberland Banner in every Cumberland Presbyterian home."

According to the Committee on State of Religion, "some of our congregations are not having regular preaching, the elders in some places are trying to supply them as best they can." The report went on to express "the great need of lay preaching., as this is very much in demand." A report by the Committee on Temperance stated that "we find the sentiments of total abstinence from intoxicants is growing among our people." A recommendation was made that "ministers and elders, use their best efforts and influence to stamp out the accursed drinks..."

Source: August 13 (& 14), 1909 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

September 14-16, 1909 -- R.H. Brown was present at this presbytery session. He was the stated supply minister for Sparta, Zion, Cherry Creek, Blue Springs, and Union.

No ruling elder represented Union, Cherry Creek, or Blue Springs.

Communicants	Home Missions	Foreign Missions
42	8	8

Education	S.S. & Y.P. Work	Church Erection
5	1	1

Ministerial Relief	College Board	Church & S.S.
1	2	1

Freedmen	Temperance	Total
1	1	29

Amt. per Member	Presbyterial Dues
.69	10.50

H.D. Brogden was listed as the Clerk of Session for Union. His address was RFD 5, Sparta, Tennessee.

Source: September 14-16, 1909 Minutes of the Presbytery of McMinnville of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.

**PC-USA Congregation Drops the "Union" Name**
The name "Union" was dropped for the PC-USA congregation beginning with the 1910 Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. General Assembly records and the April 12-14, 1910 McMinnville Presbytery of the PC-USA minutes. Instead, the name "Hickory Valley" begins to appear in the PC-USA records, while the name "Union" continues to identify the Cumberland Presbyterian congregation in Cumberland Presbyterian records. Apparently, the PC-USA congregation gave up their claim to the "Union" name when, or shortly after, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that the church property belonged to the Cumberland Presbyterians. Officially, this PC-USA congregation became known as the "Hickory Valley Presbyterian Church." To the local folks of that area, it was commonly known as "The New Church." The McMinnville Presbytery (of PC-USA) met at the Hickory Valley Presbyterian Church in September of 1911. A roll of the Hickory Valley Presbyterian Church members was published in the minutes of that presbytery.

1910-1919

1910

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the White Hall Church in Warren County

March 18-19, 1910 -- M.D. Harton* [Haston] represented the Union Church of White County.

*M.D. Haston, "Dennie," was a son of C.T. Haston. C.T. Haston's family Bible shows his name as Dennie M. Haston. He was born on September 22, 1878. The "M" stood for "Marion."

Dennie Harton [Haston] was on the Committee on Sunday School Work. That committee reported "that all the churches in the bounds of the McMinnville Presbytery which sent in a report have Sunday-schools except five [the names of those were not mentioned], and they show a good attendance. As far as we can ascertain they are using the literature of our church. From the best information we can gather, the Sunday-schools have increased in the past year."

The Committee on Temperance reported a "marked difference in the last year" in "a gradual tendency in the direction of temperance."

Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, and Robinson churches were still listed on the report of the Stated Clerk, but no data was given for them. Union of White County had paid $3.00 to the Presbytery and Zion had paid $2.85.

Source: March 18 & 19, 1910 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

May 1910 -- Eightieth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 28 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod. Some of the other churches probably had already chosen to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A., but were kept on the Cumberland Presbyterian roll until it was determined whether or not they could be reclaimed as Cumberland Presbyterian churches.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Adult Baptisms	Infant Baptisms	Additions by Exam.	Total Additions
C.C. [C.T.] Haston, Sparta, TN	I.C. Odum	1	4	2	8		8	8

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid Pastor	Property Value	Legal Fund	Sunday School
20	26	46	$36	$500	$3	62

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eightieth Meeting, May 19-24, 1910.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Zion Church in White County

August 19-20, 1910 -- Dennie Harton* [Haston] represented the Union Church of White County.

Union of White County pledged $5.00 to the legal fund, probably for the "litigation now pending in the McMinnville Presbytery which is given into the hands of the Legal Committee for prosecution" that was mentioned in the previous presbytery meeting minutes.

C.T. Harton [Haston], along with two other men, was appointed as a Trustee for the Zion church-house in White County, TN...although C.T. Haston was not mentioned in the minutes as having been present for this meeting. Why was he, an elder at the Union Church, appointed to be a Trustee for Zion Church? (He resigned this position in September of 1925.)

Source: August 19 & 20, 1910 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

1911

McMinnville Presbytery Special Called Session
January 5, 1911 -- C.T. Harton (Haston) represented the Union Church of White County. The presbytery met "for the purpose of considering what action should be taken with reference to Cumberland Female College, or any of its funds." A resolution was passed "to investigate the status of the funds and property arising from the sale of the Cumberland Female College at McMinnville, Tenn., and arising from a claim preferred by said college against the United States Government for damages arising from the occupation of said property by the United States Army." Source: January 6, 1911 Minutes of a "Called Session" of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Tullahoma Church in Coffee County

March 17-18, 1911 -- C.T. Harton [Haston] represented the Union Church of White County.

C.T. Harton [Haston] was on the Committee of Church Records. That committee made this report: "We find the books of the various churches in fairly good condition. About the only correction is in regard to the untidiness. Therefore we recommend that the clerks be more particular in that regard."

The Committee of Publication voiced their protest regarding some Cumberland Presbyterian churches use of "union literature" (published by the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A.).

The Committee on Sunday School and Young People's Work reported that "of the twelve congregations reported at this sitting of the Presbytery, eight have Sunday-schools and four have none." No mention was made concerning which churches had Sunday schools.

Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, and Robinson Chapel were still listed on the roll of churches, but no information was given for any of them. Union of White County was listed on the roll, with C.T. Harton [Haston] of Sparta, TN indicated to have been the Session Clerk. Clint Harton* [Haston] was listed as the Superintendent of Sunday School (so they did have a Sunday school). The membership at the Union Church was 41. There had been two additions during 1910. The Sunday school attendance was 60. A preaching service was held once per month. Dues of $4.65 had been paid by that point in 1911 and $1.50 was yet to be paid. The 1910 paid dues amounted to $3.00. The church property was valued at $700.

*Clint Harton [Haston] was the oldest son (born 1-22-1871) of C.T. Haston. His full name was William Clinton Haston.

Source: March 17 & 18, 1911 Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

May 1911 -- Eighty-First General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 29 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod. A few of the other churches probably had already chosen to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A., but were kept on the Cumberland Presbyterian roll until it was determined whether or not they could be reclaimed as Cumberland Presbyterian churches.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Total Additions	Total Members
C.J. [C.T.] Haston, Sparta, TN	J.C. Odum	1	4	2	1	1	2	31

Paid Pastor	Property Value	Legal Fund	S.S. Superintendent	Sunday School
$72	$700	$4	Clint Haston	60

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-First Meeting, May 18-23, 1911.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Bethlehem Church in Warren County
August 17-19, 1911 -- It appears that no one represented the Union Church of White County. However, during that session C.T. Haston was appointed to a Committee on Pastorates and Supplies. Source: August 1911 Session Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

1912

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Smithville Church in DeKalb County

March 15-17, 1912 -- The Union Church of White County was not represented at the opening of this session. However, C.T. Haston appears to have been active in this meeting*. His name appears as one of three men who made a report for the "Committee on Y.P. and S.S." and one of three men who made a report for the "Committee on Education." Also, on the third day of the session (March 17, 1912) "C.T. Haston was appointed to go to Tracy City and cooperate with L.P. Lourie in regard to Tracy City church property. they being Presbyterial Trustees, and the same coming within the angle of their work." (C.T. Haston was a trustee for the McMinnville Presbytery.)

*See page 21 of the original hand written minutes. Source: Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925.

The Committee on Ministerial Relief reported to "have eighteen churches in your bounds supplied with preaching." Union (White County) had contributed $1.81 to something, perhaps a ministerial relief fund.

C.T. Haston of Sparta, Tennessee was listed as the Session Clerk for Union of White County. Again, the Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, and Robinson Chapel churches were listed, but no information was given for either of them.

Source: March 1912 Session Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

May 1912 -- Eighty-Second General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.J. [C.T.] Haston, Sparta, TN	J.C. Odum	1	4	2	1	1		31

Paid Pastor	Property Value	Legal Fund
$72	$700	$4

S.S. Superintendent	S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Presbyterial Tax Assessed	Presbyterial Tax Paid
Clint Haston, Sparta	M.D. Haston, Sparta		$8.00	$6.00

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Second Meeting, May 16-21, 1912.

1913

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Beech Grove Church in Coffee County
March 1913 -- M.D. Haston represented the Union Church of White County. The Presbyterial Trustees made a report "and chm. C.T. Haston was advised to consult with the Legal Committee of the C. P. Church, Judge Joe H. Fussell of Columbia, Tenn." M.D. Haston was one of two men who made a report on home missions. He was also on the Committee on Sunday School, which reported that "too many Sunday schools are inclined to go into winter quarters" (apparently meaning that they don't meet during the winter). M.D. Haston was also on the Committee on Church Records which examined four record books. C.T. Haston of Sparta, Tennessee was listed as the Session Clerk for Union of White County. Source: Pages 23-29 of Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1913 -- Eighty-Third General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 20 churches on the active roll of the McMinnville Presbytery. Eight were listed as "unionized." The churches that had joined the "union" (Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A.) were Alexandra [Alexandria], Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, Dibrell, McMinnville, New Hope, Robinson Chapel, and Thiatira [Thyatira] of Tracy City.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	J.C. Odum	1	4	2	1	2	1	48

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Paid Pastor	Spent on Bldg. or Repair	Church Value	Manse Value	Presbyterial Dues Paid
41	7	$100	$78	$500	$750	$6

S.S. Superintendent	S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Children's Band Collections to All Purposes
Clint Haston, Sparta	M.D. Haston, Sparta	62	$5.00

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Third Meeting, May 15-20, 1913.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the White Hall Church in Warren County
August 14-16, 1913 -- Union Church of White County was not represented. Source: August 1913 Session Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

1914

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Liberty Church in Warren County
March 12-14, 1914 -- Union Church of White County was not represented. C.T. Haston of Sparta, Tennessee was listed as the Session Clerk for Union of White County. Again, the Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, and Robinson Chapel churches were listed, but no information was given for either of them. C.T. Haston of Sparta, Tennessee was a member of the Pastorates and Supplies "standing committee." Source: March 1914 Session Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

May 1914 -- Eighty-Fourth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 22 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	J.C. Odum	1	3	2				50

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Paid Pastor	Spent on Bldg. or Repair	Church Value	Manse Value	Presbyterial Dues Paid
39	11	$96	$78	$500	$150	$6.00

S.S. Superintendent	S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School
Clint Haston, Sparta	M.D. Haston, Sparta	60

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Fourth Meeting, May 21-26, 1914.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Bates Hill Church in Warren County
August 1914 -- Union Church of White County was not represented. An note in the minutes indicated that: "Union, White County, only 39 members reported by church clerk, while pastor says that the number does not embody the full resident membership." Later, "The Stated Clerk was instructed to write, officially, the Union, White County, congregation as to the General Assembly's requirements in regard to their assessments." C.T. Haston of Sparta, Tennessee was listed as the Session Clerk for Union of White County. He was a member of the Pastorates and Supplies "standing committee." Source: August 1914 Session Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

1915

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Tullahoma Church in Coffee County
March 18-20, 1915 -- M.D. Haston represented the Union Church of White County. On March 20, the "Presbytery was called to order, and devotional exercises were conducted by Ruling Elder M.D. Haston." M.D. Haston was one of three men who made a committee report on temperance and one of two men who made a committee report on Sunday school work. Union of White County subscribed to give $6.00 to support the Warren Memorial Congregation of Tracy City, Tennessee as a mission. C. F. [C.T.] Haston of Sparta, Tennessee was listed as the Session Clerk for Union of White County. The Blue Springs, Cherry Creek, and Robinson Chapel churches were not included in this listing of McMinnville Presbytery Cumberland Presbyterian churches. C.T. Haston of Sparta, Tennessee was as a member of the Pastorates and Supplies "standing committee." Source: March 18-20, 1915 Session Minutes of McMinnville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

May 1915 -- Eighty-Fifth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 19 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	S.T. Byars	1	4	2				49

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Paid Pastor	Spent on Bldg. or Repair	Church Value	Manse Value
34	15	$100	$78	$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Classes	Contributions to All Purposes
M.D. Haston, Sparta, TN	40	4	$2.00

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Fifth Meeting, May 20-25, 1915.

1916

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Manchester Church in Coffee County
March 1916 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. The Committee on Pastorate and Supplies submitted a recommendation for grouping the churches of the presbytery into five groups in order to supply preaching for all of the churches. Union (White County, Zion, Caney Fork, Laurel Hill, and Alexandria were recommended to be in group five. C.T. Haston of Sparta, Tennessee was listed as the Session Clerk for Union of White County. He was a member of the Pastorates and Supplies "standing committee." Source: Pages 74 and following of Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1916 -- Eighty-Sixth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 21 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	W.E. Tillett	1	2	2			15	65

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Paid Pastor	Spent on Bldg. or Repair	Church Value	Manse Value
65		$100		$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes
M.D. Haston, Sparta, TN	50	14	4

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Sixth Meeting, May 18-23, 1916.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Monteagle Church in Grundy County

August 1916 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County.

"Verbal report of Committee on Pastorates and Supplies was made and recommended that a new man be elected to take the place of C.T. Haston, which is his request on account of old age and inability to meet with Committee.
Ruling elder, A.B. Moffitt was elected as member of Committee on Pastorate and Supplies to take the place of Bro. Haston and Bro. Haston released from Committee."

Source: Pages 86 and following of Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

Tennessee Synod Meeting at Cookeville, TN
October 10-12, 1916 -- Elders M.D. Haston and C.D. [C.T.] Haston attended this Tennessee Synod meeting in Cookeville. Source: October 10-12, 1916 Minutes of the Regular Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

1917

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Bethlehem Church in Warren County
March 15-17, 1917 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Some charges were presented against Rev. W.E. Tillett. He was accused of interfering with some presbytery matters related to the Tullahoma church and of filing a bill in the Chancery Court of Grundy County, TN against members of the Legal Committee of the McMinnville Presbytery regarding the sale of church property in Tracy City. No report of official action was mentioned. The Pastorate and Supplies Committee reported that most of the churches were being supplied with preaching, but "Some in the White County group are not supplied." The committee recommended that this matter be rectified. Source: Pages 98 and following of Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1917 -- Eighty-Seventh General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 20 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	W.E. Tillett	1	2	2				63

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Paid Pastor	Spent on Bldg. or Repair	Church Value	Manse Value
40	23	$80		$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes

An asterisk by the Union Church record on page 219 indicated that the church had a union Sunday school.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Seventh Meeting, May 17-22, 1917.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Liberty Church in Warren County

August 1917 -- C.T. Hasting (Haston) represented the Union Church of White County.

Rev. Tillett preached a sermon during this session, so it appears that he was still in good standing with the McMinnville Presbytery, in spite of the charges filed against him in the previous meeting.

Source: Pages 116 and following of Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

1918

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Bates Hill Church in Warren County
March 1918 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Source: Pages 128 and following of Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1918 -- Eighty-Eighth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 19 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	W.E. Tillett	1	2	2				58

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Paid Pastor	Spent on Bldg. or Repair	Church Value	Manse Value
40	18	$100		$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes
M.D. Horton [Haston], Sparta, TN	50		4

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Eighth Meeting, May 16-22, 1918.

August 4, 1918 -- George F. McBryde [McBride] "was recommended for Elder Ship and...was ordained and made Elder in due form."

Source: Old Union Church Minutes

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the White Hall Church in Warren County

August 1918 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County.

Source: Pages 136 and following of Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

1919

May 1919 -- Eighty-Ninth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 19 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	W.E. Tillett	1	3	2				60

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Paid Pastor	Spent on Bldg. or Repair	Church Value	Manse Value
40	20	$200		$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes
M.O. Horton [M.D. Haston], Sparta, TN	60		4

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Ninth Meeting, May 15-21, 1919.

There were no entries in the McMinnville Presbytery book of minutes between August 1918 and September 1922, although no pages appear to be missing from the book.

Source: Pages prior to 144 in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

1920-1929

1920

May 1920 -- Ninetieth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 20 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms	Total Members
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	W.E. Tillett	1	3	2				36

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Budget All Other Non Benevolence Purposes	Church Value	Manse Value
36		$200	$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes
M.D. Horton [Haston], Sparta, TN	50		4

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninetieth Meeting, May 20-26, 1920.

1921

May 1921 -- Ninety-First General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White Co) was one of 15 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN			3	2

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Church Value
27		27	$500

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes
G.F. McBride, Sparta, TN	35		4

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-First Meeting, May 19-25, 1921.

1922

May 1922 -- Ninety-Second General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White County) was one of 17 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN			3	2

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid to Pastor or Supply	Church Value
26		26	$75	$500

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-Second Meeting, May 18-24, 1922.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Wilson Chapel Church in Warren County
September 1922 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Union of White County was one of the churches specifically said to be "not represented." Source: Pages 144 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

1923

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Manchester Church in Coffee County
April 1923 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Union of White County was one of the churches specifically said to be "not represented." Source: Pages 151 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1923 -- Ninety-Third General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White County) was one of 18 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Total Additions	Conversions	Adult Baptisms
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN			3	2

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid to Pastor or Supply	Manse Value	Church Value
25	3	28		$300	$50

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes
Rufus White, Sparta, TN	25		2

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-Third Meeting, May 17-23, 1923.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Short Mountain Church in DeKalb County

September 1923 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Union of White County was one of the churches specifically said to be "not represented."

Source: Pages 160 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

1924

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Liberty Church in Warren County
April 1924 -- C.T. Haston represented the Union Church of White County. Source: Pages 168 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1924 -- Ninety-Fourth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White County) was one of 18 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN			3	2

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid to Pastor or Supply	Building or Repair	Church Value	Manse Value
27		27		$300	$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes
Rufus White, Sparta, TN	27

Lula Haston was S.S. Secretary at the White Hall Church. Her address was R. 3, McMinnville, TN. How was she related to the White County and Van Buren County Hastons?

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-Fourth Meeting, May 15-21, 1924.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Hillsboro Church in Coffee County

Fall 1924 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. The date in the minutes reads "Apr 18 1924." However, given the sequence in the minute books it would appear that this would have been a Fall 1924 session. Union of White County was listed on the roll of churches, but no one represented it in this session.

Source: Pages 175 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

1925

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the White Hall Church in Warren County
April 1925 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Union of White County was listed on the roll of churches, but no one represented it in this session. Source: Pages 185 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1925 -- Ninety-Fifth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White County) was one of 19 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	S.O. McAdoo		2

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid to Pastor or Supply	Church Value	Manse Value
31		31	$60	$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes

Miss Lucile Haston was S.S. Secretary at the White Hall Church. Her address was McMinnville, TN. How was she related to the White County and Van Buren County Hastons?

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-Fifth Meeting, May 21-27, 1925.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Zion Church in White County

September 1925 -- C.T. Haston represented the Union Church of White County.

W.M. Haslon [probably Haston?] was mentioned as a representative for the White Hall Church. The White Hall Church was located in Warren County, TN.

"Union (White Co.) was selected for next place of meeting."

C.T. Haston and Dan T. Smartt tendered their resignations as the trustees of the church property of the Zion Church.

Source: Pages 194 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1911 to 1925 (original handwritten minute book).

**Events That Occurred in the Early to Mid 1920s**
Hickory Valley Presbyterian and Union Cumberland Presbyterian churches attempted to reconcile -- J.M. Passons related to Wayne Haston that these two churches (which had split in about 1906) were meeting together at the River Hill School in the early 1920s and were discussing getting back together. J.M. said, "Clint Haston was superintendent of the group and he put a stop to it." J.M. (born in 1914) was about seven or eight years old at the time. He rode his horse to church (at River Hill School) one morning, only to learn that the two congregations had split again. He stated, "When I got there, they told me that Mom and Dad (James Monroe Passons) had gone on over to Old Union. I got on my horse and rode on over there, because I knew that I'd be in trouble if I didn't." Union Church building blew down -- According to J.M. Passons, the present (wood frame) church building blew down sometime about 1924-1925. "Rufus White told Dad Old Union had blowed down. Dad and Grandpa [C.T.] Haston paid to have it rebuilt. It seems like John Guy built it back." The materials from the toppled structure were used in the rebuilding. J.M.'s father (James Monroe Passons) died in 1927, two years before C.T. Haston passed away. Question: Was one of these events the reason that the Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church minutes indicate that a September 11, 1925 business session of that church was held at the Hickory Valley Presbyterian Church? Source: July 22, 2002 conversation between J.M. Passons and Wayne Haston.

1926

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Liberty Church in Warren County
April 1926 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. According to the minutes of the previous meeting, this session was supposed to be held at the Union Church in White County. What could have happened to have changed the venue? Could the problem have been C.T. Haston's failing health? Source: Pages 1 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1926 to 1947 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1926 -- Ninety-Sixth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White County) was one of 19 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	S.O. McAdoo		2

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid to Pastor or Supply	Church Value	Manse Value
28		28		$500	$300

S.S. Secretary	Number in Sunday School	Joined Church from S.S.	Classes

Miss Liceil [sic] Haston was S.S. Secretary at the White Hall Church. Her address was McMinnville, R.3, TN. How was she related to the White County and Van Buren County Hastons?

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-Sixth Meeting, May 20-26, 1926.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Caney Fork Church in DeKalb County

September 1926 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County.

Source: Pages 11 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1926 to 1947 (original handwritten minute book).

1927

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Bates Hill Church in Warren County
April 1927 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. A Miss Lucile Haston read a Scripture passage in a program by the Young People's Society. Who was she and which church was she from? Was she related to the Hastons of White County or Van Buren County? Source: Pages 15 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1926 to 1947 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1927 -- Ninety-Seventh General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White County) was one of 19 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

No Names or Statistics Reported for Union Church of White County
Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid to Pastor or Supply	Church Value	Manse Value

Union (White County) was not listed as a church with a Sunday School in this 1927 report.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-Seventh Meeting, May 19-25, 1927.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Short Mountain Church in DeKalb County

September 1927 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County.

Source: Pages 22 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1926 to 1947 (original handwritten minute book).

1928

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the White Hall Church in Warren County
April 1928 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Miss Lucile Hastings (Haston?) of the White Hall Church in Warren County presented a part in the program, "Benefits of Knowing Your Bible." Was she related to the Hastons of White and Van Buren County? Source: Pages 36 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1926 to 1947 (original handwritten minute book).

June 1928 -- Ninety-Eighth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White County) was one of 19 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

No Statistics Reported for the Union Church of White County
Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms
C.T. Haston, Sparta, TN	J.F. Malone

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid to Pastor or Supply	Church Value	Manse Value

Union (White Co.) was listed in the Sunday School list, but there was no data reported for a Sunday School in this church.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-Eighth Meeting, June 21-27, 1928.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Bethlehem Church in Warren County

September 1928 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County.

Source: Pages 38 (?) and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1926 to 1947 (original handwritten minute book).

1929

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Liberty Church in Warren County
April 1929 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Source: Pages 44 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1926 to 1947 (original handwritten minute book).

May 1929 -- Ninety-Ninth General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Union (White County) was one of 18 churches on the roll of the McMinnville Presbytery of the Tennessee Synod.

No Names or Statistics Were Reported for the Union Church of White County
Clerk	Minister in Charge	Preaching Sundays	Elders	Deacons	Additions by Letter	Additions by Exam.	Adult Baptisms

Resident Members	Non Resident Members	Total Members	Paid to Pastor or Supply	Church Value	Manse Value

The Union Church of White County was not on the list of churches that had Sunday Schools in this 1929 report.

Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Ninety-Ninth Meeting, May 16-21, 1929.

August 8, 1929 -- C.T. (Charles Thomas) Haston died.

McMinnville Presbytery Session at the Hillsboro Church in Coffee County
September 1929 -- No one represented the Union Church of White County. Source: Pages 51 and following in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Presbytery of McMinnville - Minutes - 1926 to 1947 (original handwritten minute book).

Thanks to Marilyn Haston McGee for her assistance in researching the McMinnville Presbytery records, Ron Haston for his assistance in researching the General Assembly records, and Mrs. Boyd (Mary Ruth) Haston for her assistance with miscellaneous research materials (July 24-26, 2002).