First Cumberland Presbyterian Church

The History of First Cumberland Presbyterian
Chattanooga, Tennessee

But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 26:45

History

The Cumberland Presbyterian denomination, which has communicants throughout the United States and the world, was founded in and takes its name from the "Cumberland region country" of Tennessee. On February 4, 1810, the Reverends Samuel King, Finis Ewing and Samuel McAdow organized the new "Cumberland Presbytery" in Dickson, Tennessee.

First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga was organized on May 2,1841. Its first location was on what is now Cypress Street. The organizing Minister was Rev. William B. Dawson. Elders McGill and Kennedy assisted him. Names of other Charter members of the Congregation were lost in 1905.

May 6, 1855

The Church moved from Cypress Street to Chestnut Street, on what is now the site of the Mountain City Club. During the War Between the States, members of the congregation were scattered widely. The Church building was used by both the Confederate and Union Armies during the Battle of Chattanooga. During the Federal occupation, damage was done to the Church structure, causing the Congregation to subsequently file a claim against the United States government, which was not settled until 1944. ...More below

In the course of the Union occupation, the Church Bible was removed from the altar by members of the 31st Indiana Volunteers and entrusted to its Chaplain, the Rev. Hiram Gillmore. In 1944, his son contacted the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce to see if First Cumberland Presbyterian were still alive. Finding that it was, he returned the Bible to the Church. Scribbled on one of the pages of the pulpit Bible was this message: "This Bible was taken from the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga, Tennessee, soon after the Battle of Chickamauga on the 19th and 20th of September, 1863. The owners of the church had abandoned it, and gone south, after which the Federal Army occupied it as a hospital. The Rebels left the Word of God behind in their flight, knowing that its moral concepts condemned them in this treason. The soldiers requested me to take charge of the Book as it was liable to get destroyed. Hiram Gillmore, 31st Indiana Volunteers." The notation is dated March 3, 1864.

On May 1,1887, a new sanctuary with a spire that reached 170 feet toward the heavens was dedicated at the comer of Oak and Lindsay Street. The pastor of the Church at this time was Rev. E.J. McCroskey. Approximately 200 members were involved in the full time work of the Church.

On the first Sunday of April 1933, J. Fred Johnson, Sr., was called to the pastorate of First Cumberland. During his forty-five years of service, the congregation grew from 220 members to over 1,400. Rev. Johnson, who was constantly in the community preaching and conducting revival services, became one of the most widely beloved ministers in the city's history. The Bob Jones University in Cleveland, Tennessee awarded him an Honorary Doctorate degree. Because of the sustained growth under his leadership, the Church was faced with either rebuilding in the downtown area or moving to a suburban location. The latter course of action was undertaken, and the Congregation began purchasing land on North Moore Road in the Brainerd suburb of Chattanooga in 1955. The first (south) phase of a new Church campus was soon under construction, and it was occupied on May 1, 1958. Erection of a gothic sanctuary and other facilities were thereafter commenced, and the new worship facility, named by The New Yorker magazine as one of the five most beautiful Church buildings in the United States was completed in 1963, was host to the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination in June, 1964.

In September. 1978. Dr. J. Craig Martindale joined First Cumberland as its pastor and served for 11 years. During his tenure the magnificent Raffatti pipe organ was installed. He was followed as Senior Minister by Rev. W. Jean Richardson, a former Moderator of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, who served as pastor from January, 1991 until May 1995. A solid growth in membership occurred under Rev. Richardson stewardship, and the Church's organization was enhanced, particularly with respect to the participation of members in the Church's committees. The Cumberland Preservation Fund was established to repair and preserve Church facilities. Both Dr. Martindale and Rev. Richardson had served as Associate-Ministers at First Cumberland earlier in their ministries.

Chattanooga Minister History

William B. Dawson
1841 - 1846

Aaron Grigsby
1846 - 1851

Aaron Templeton
1851 - 1855

Hiram Douglas
1855 - 1862

E. J. Stockard
1867 - 1868

W. N. Motheral
1868 - 1870

John Crisman
1870 - 1871

William D. Chaddick
1871 - 1877

Thomas Toney
1877 - 1879

William H. Darnall
1880 - 1882

Charles Hyde
1884 - 1885

E. J. McCroskey
1885 - 1887

D. E. Bushnell
1890 - 1894

L. C. Kirkes
1894

B. G. Mitchell
1895 - 1898

S. D. Logan
1898 - 1902

Edwards G. McLean
1902 - 1906

R. L. Mason
1909 - 1916

R. A. McCulloh
1917 - 1919

George Burroughs
1920 - 1922

William Y. Durrett
1923 - 1924

James M. McLeskey
1925 - 1932

J. Fred Johnson, Sr.
1933 - 1978

J. Craig Martindale
1978 - 1989

Fred Woodward
(Interum)
1989 - 1991

W. Jean Richardson
1991 - 1997

Steve Byrum (Interum)
1997 - 1999

Dewayne Cole
1999 - 2002

Lawrence L. Schenk
2002 - present

First Cumberland Presbyterian:
Location: 1505 N. Moore Rd. Chattanooga, TN
Phone: 423.698.2556
Directions: Click here.