Freed-Hardeman Connections
Researching the Restoration Movement in Mississippi and West Tennessee
Poplar Springs Church
30/08/10 21:33 Filed in: Carroll
County, TN
Poplar
Springs Church of Christ, Carroll County, TN
Photo of Poplar Springs School in 1913
On July 4, 1885, the neighbors in the Poplar Springs community met for the purpose of "planning out and getting up money to build a Church and School House." The first committee consisted of Augustus R. Tucker (foreman), Hosea Springer, Thomas Springer, Willie D. Roark, and James A. Brandon.
The steering group organized a soliciting committee which received $80 in donations at the first meeting. Eventually seventy people of the neighborhood contributed $150 in cash. Hosea Springer gave $20, the largest single monetary donation. Four people gave $10 or more while thirty-one people gave $1 or less. In kind donations included six yellow poplar trees and timber for 1,000 boards. Fifty-four neighborhood men contributed days of work ranging from only one half day to a record 23 days by Henry Clay Scott. Some contributors' interest lay in the construction of a school rather than in the building of a church.
William Simpson, James M. Springer, Augustus R. Tucker and Milton H. Crider donated the land. The building plan was for a house 24' wide, 36' long, 12' high with three large glass windows in each side. August R. Tucker served as foreman of construction.
Although the congregation may have been in existence for at least 25 years, the first membership list for the Poplar Springs Church of Christ begins in 1910. The fifty-nine members' surnames included Tosh, Brandon, Joyner, Roark, Simpson, Springer, Laws, York, Hardy, Rigsby, Black, Sellers, Carnal, Scott, Bridges, Tucker, Vinson, Merritt, Pate, Phillips, and Wiles.
In addition to the enclosed building, a flat topped, brush arbor existed a little to the northwest. Each spring the congregation cut new brush for the roof. A child who attended in the early 1900s remembered the sand streaks (stripped lizards) that could be heard among the branches and occasionally fell into the crowd during services. The members moved the benches out of the building into the arbor for warm weather services.
Two annual events highlighted the summer. The "Big Singing Day" held on the third Sunday in June. The "Big Weekly Meeting" began on the first Sunday in August. Baptisms in the early years took place almost exclusively during the big meetings. A nearby spring, from which the neighborhood took its name, served as the baptistery.
Dinner on the Ground September 1956
In the 57 meetings recorded these visiting speakers accepted the invitation to preach the "meeting," some more than once. From the earliest to the latest, the list includes J. W. Dunn of Memphis, TN, J. L. Holland of Greenfield, TN, C. Sanctis of Fulton, KY, D. M. Archer of Bethel Springs, TN, Joe Netherland of Clarksburg, TN, D. Swor of Hazel, KY, W. W. Heflin of Boaz, KY, H. A. Brown, L. E. Jones of Metropolis, IL, Barton Laws, J. A Jenkins, W. T. Beasley, L. G. Curd of Buchanan, TN, Thetus Pritchard of Statesville, NC, Hubert Dice of Huntingdon, TN, Charlie Taylor of Murfreesboro, TN, Charles Stoval, Harold Trimble of San Antonio, TX, R. V. Scott of Tunica, MS, Paul Ayers of MS, John A. Scott from Mendham, NJ, Bill Oakley, Bill Scott of Eaton Town, N. J., Alan Highers of Memphis, TN, Wayne Emmons of Memphis, TN, and Lavern Franks of Yazoo City, MS.
From 1910-1942 the visiting preacher received $25-$40. In 1943 the stipend went up to $50 and rose to $100 by 1945. In 1951 the preacher received $130 and the song leader, paid for the first time, $30. The last "big meeting" in 1966 the preacher received $200 and the song leader $125.
The school in the Poplar Springs building discontinued around 1916. The congregation eventually built a new building across the road from the old building and continued to meet until 1967 when it merged with the Clarksburg Church of Christ. The second building currently serves as a private residence.
--- Photos and history provided by Peggy Scott Holley
Photo of Poplar Springs School in 1913
On July 4, 1885, the neighbors in the Poplar Springs community met for the purpose of "planning out and getting up money to build a Church and School House." The first committee consisted of Augustus R. Tucker (foreman), Hosea Springer, Thomas Springer, Willie D. Roark, and James A. Brandon.
The steering group organized a soliciting committee which received $80 in donations at the first meeting. Eventually seventy people of the neighborhood contributed $150 in cash. Hosea Springer gave $20, the largest single monetary donation. Four people gave $10 or more while thirty-one people gave $1 or less. In kind donations included six yellow poplar trees and timber for 1,000 boards. Fifty-four neighborhood men contributed days of work ranging from only one half day to a record 23 days by Henry Clay Scott. Some contributors' interest lay in the construction of a school rather than in the building of a church.
William Simpson, James M. Springer, Augustus R. Tucker and Milton H. Crider donated the land. The building plan was for a house 24' wide, 36' long, 12' high with three large glass windows in each side. August R. Tucker served as foreman of construction.
Although the congregation may have been in existence for at least 25 years, the first membership list for the Poplar Springs Church of Christ begins in 1910. The fifty-nine members' surnames included Tosh, Brandon, Joyner, Roark, Simpson, Springer, Laws, York, Hardy, Rigsby, Black, Sellers, Carnal, Scott, Bridges, Tucker, Vinson, Merritt, Pate, Phillips, and Wiles.
In addition to the enclosed building, a flat topped, brush arbor existed a little to the northwest. Each spring the congregation cut new brush for the roof. A child who attended in the early 1900s remembered the sand streaks (stripped lizards) that could be heard among the branches and occasionally fell into the crowd during services. The members moved the benches out of the building into the arbor for warm weather services.
Two annual events highlighted the summer. The "Big Singing Day" held on the third Sunday in June. The "Big Weekly Meeting" began on the first Sunday in August. Baptisms in the early years took place almost exclusively during the big meetings. A nearby spring, from which the neighborhood took its name, served as the baptistery.
Dinner on the Ground September 1956
In the 57 meetings recorded these visiting speakers accepted the invitation to preach the "meeting," some more than once. From the earliest to the latest, the list includes J. W. Dunn of Memphis, TN, J. L. Holland of Greenfield, TN, C. Sanctis of Fulton, KY, D. M. Archer of Bethel Springs, TN, Joe Netherland of Clarksburg, TN, D. Swor of Hazel, KY, W. W. Heflin of Boaz, KY, H. A. Brown, L. E. Jones of Metropolis, IL, Barton Laws, J. A Jenkins, W. T. Beasley, L. G. Curd of Buchanan, TN, Thetus Pritchard of Statesville, NC, Hubert Dice of Huntingdon, TN, Charlie Taylor of Murfreesboro, TN, Charles Stoval, Harold Trimble of San Antonio, TX, R. V. Scott of Tunica, MS, Paul Ayers of MS, John A. Scott from Mendham, NJ, Bill Oakley, Bill Scott of Eaton Town, N. J., Alan Highers of Memphis, TN, Wayne Emmons of Memphis, TN, and Lavern Franks of Yazoo City, MS.
From 1910-1942 the visiting preacher received $25-$40. In 1943 the stipend went up to $50 and rose to $100 by 1945. In 1951 the preacher received $130 and the song leader, paid for the first time, $30. The last "big meeting" in 1966 the preacher received $200 and the song leader $125.
The school in the Poplar Springs building discontinued around 1916. The congregation eventually built a new building across the road from the old building and continued to meet until 1967 when it merged with the Clarksburg Church of Christ. The second building currently serves as a private residence.
--- Photos and history provided by Peggy Scott Holley