Freed-Hardeman Connections
Researching the Restoration Movement in Mississippi and West Tennessee
Essary Springs Church of Christ
Essary Springs, Hardeman County, TN
Below is a photograph of the bell located at the Essary Springs church of Christ. It is a 26 inch bell manufactured by the C. S. Bell Co., Hillsboro, Ohio. On August 3, 2009, Leon Isom, Jr. and Tom Childers measured and photographed the bell. Here are the measurements of the bell at Essary Springs:
The bell measures 26 inches at the bottom of the bell. The bell is marked with a 26 which probably indicates the size of the bell. The bell is 18 inches tall not including the yoke. The yoke holding the bell and wheel is 34 inches wide. From the top of the yoke to the bottom of the bell is 34 inches. The diameter of the wheel is 27 inches. The clapper is four inches across at the bottom and 18 inches in length. The bell appears to be about two inches thick. Also, there appears to be no date on the bell at Essary Springs.
Leon said his father, Leon Isom, Sr., helped remodel the original school building which included reworking the bell tower and placing the bell in its present bell tower. Leon thinks this was in 1933 or 34.
Below is a photograph of the bell located at the Pocahontas church of Christ. It was manufactured by the C. S. Bell Company in Hillsboro, Ohio in 1908. This bell is a thirty-six inch bell, whereas the bell in the Essary Springs church building is a twenty-six bell.
The Pocahontos church of Christ bell has what appears to be a stamp on the inside of the bell. According to the bell company this indicates the date the bell was molded. The numbers 5 2 08 probably refers to May 2, 1908.
On October 6, 1974, Johnny Rainey, a member at the Essary Springs church of Christ rang the bell at the beginning of church services. As he was ringing the bell, he suffered a heart attack and died shortly thereafter. He is buried in the Essary Springs Cemetery just a short distance from the Essary Springs school / church building. (Information provided by Leon Isom, Jr.).
Zora Berryman will be remember by many as the member of the church at Essary Springs who lived almost across the road from the church building and was alway ready to give visitors a guided tour of the church building and its history. She died in January 2009 and is buried in the Essary Springs Cemetery.
