Location of the first Methodist Chruch in
Claiborne County
I have been interested in the locations of the first Methodist Church
in Claiborne County. After discovering both a picture and a book given my
Aunt Ruth Phillips, I gathered that the congregation lasted at least until
about 1930. The documents below were given me by the Methodist District
Office in Oak Ridge and are copies of two deeds dated 1825 and 1846 and are
for land for the Methodist Episcopal Church South. One was located on Sycamore
Creek and the other within the limits of the town of Tazewell. One talks
of an Old Town Tazewell and one a new boundary survey of Tazewell. I am
in the process of trying to transcribe. If anyone has more info please let
me know. I also have discovered what might have been one of
the first Methodist ministers that traveled to this area to preach, having
been sent by Bishop Francis Asbury.
Ezekiel BURDINE (Nathaniel, Richard) was born
1775 in Culpeper Co., VA and married Martha "Patsey" DICKENSON, daughter
of Henry DICKENSON Jr. and Mary POWELL. His family moved to WILKES
Co., NC then to Pendelton Dist., SC where he became a Methodist Minister.
The key to this is that Benjamin SEWELL who deeded land for the very first
Methodist Church in Claiborne County, had a daughter that married a granddaughter
of Ezekiel BURDINE, Betsey Dickenson SEWELL in 1846.
Journal and Letters of Bishop Francis Asbury :
"Friday,
September 26, 1800. (In a letter from Van Pelt's in Tennessee to John Page, Pastor
on the Cumberland Circuit, with regard to needs in Green County, Tennessee)-
If I can send help from South Carolina, I will. (The Rev. Ezekiel Burdine
was transferred from the Little Pee Dee and Auson Circuit in South Carolina
to the Green Circuit in Tennessee.)
"Tuesday,
November 25, 1800. We rode to Nathaniel Burdine's-ancient Methodists, who have
a son in the ministry. (Ezekiel)"
"From the
Journal and Letters of Francis Asbury, edition of 1958, Vol.III, Page 192 and
Vol. II page 266. (Published by the Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tennessee.)
A footnote says Nathaniel Burdine lived near Ninety Six, South
Carolina.
Other records show he was the son of Richard Burdine and was born in 1746 in
Orange County, Virginia; apparently the part of the county which be came Culpeper
County in 1749, and Madison County in 1793. Ezekiel Burdine was born in Culpeper
County, Virginia, and grew up in South Carolina, returned to Virginia as a
young Methodist minister, and settled in Russell County where he lived a long and
active life." More Burdine info
Joe Payne
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The following from Mary Hansards "Old Time Tazewell" may be a key to the location of the first Methodist Church in Old Town. It is found from deeds dated 1825 and 1846 that the first Methodist Church was on Sycamore Creek near an Inn that crossed the creek. It was then moved to Old Town. It was located on Church Street. From the book regarding "History of Robert Hansard. "Robert came to Tazewell on a pleasure trip, accompanied by a young Methodist in the year 1831, and became acquainted with Louisa Hodge, a daughter of John Hodge, who owned and lived about 1 mile south of town, adjoining the lands of Reuben Rose, owned at present by Dr. J.W. Devine. He purchased a lot from Elijah Evans and built the first house that was erected on the upper side of Church Street. The house is still standing, together with the brick chimney that was built 63 years ago. It is the lot above Widow Stone's (widow of William Stone), owned at present by Attorney Owens. His wife died of pulmonary consumption in 1837 in the bloom of life and left three small children in his care.
She was a consistent member of the M.E. church, her remains are lying in the Methodist cemetery.
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