Parley P Pratt Jr. in East Tennessee

[This is a continuation of a series on Parley P. Pratt Jr.]

After 5 weeks of work in Tennessee, the pair took six weeks and traveled to Haywood Valley GA for a mission conference with John Morgan. They also had some trouble with their horses, an event that will be long remembered by the horses owner: Uncle Robbins Church.

On one occasion in North Georgia, our animals were stolen from the stable by wicked and reckless men, who shaved their manes and tales, and otherwise disfigured them, and turned them into the woods. Some few winked at the deed, but the majority of the people looked upon it as an act of persecution.

Immediately afterwards Elder Stevenson was released to go home and Elder Pratt was called as president of the Tennessee Conference.

Leaving middle Tennessee to Elder Argyle and his companions, Elder Pratt went east with Daniel Stuart to open east Tennessee for missionary work. They made it as far as Knoxville. It was probably the first act of missionary work in east Tennessee since the Civil War.

Near the Clinch River, on this side of Knoxville, we found a worthy family of six souls by the name of Harris, who had been prepared by dreams for our coming, who received us kindly and believed our testimonies in regard to the great latter-day work. They have not yet been baptized, but will be, the first favorable opportunity. They are of Welsh descent and a family of standing and character. They have already sold out their farm, and are winding up their business preparatory for emigration. Mr. H. accompanied us three miles on our return, and, when taking leave of us, he was affected to tears.

Continuing their missionary work by mail they sent 15 copies of the Deseret News to people in east Tennessee that had requested them. Pratt didn't make it back to East Tennessee.

[Next Time: Preaching in Columbia]

Clinton Tennessee Gets a Chapel

When the Clinton Branch was formed in 1992, the Church purchase property I-75 and the Anderson High School on which to build a chapel. But for a little while theny met in a storefront on Clinton Highway. Described as a "shoe store" members were determined to make it feel like a chapel. The membership came from two other established wards in Grove Park and Oak Ridge, each with beautiful chapel of their own. There was understandably some trepidation about the temporary home.

So Jeanne Phillips put in many hours, some of her own money and even brought things from her home to make the store front into "a place of beauty."

Only the Branch President's office had walls that went all the way to the ceiling. So room dividers were brought in to create spaces for different meetings. The Relief Society had the space neaerst the front plate glass display window, so one divider prevented pedestrians from staring at the meetings. The window itself was decorated with lace curtains. Even a foyer was created with a old easy chair with placemats to cover the holes in the arms.

The shopping center was open for business on Sundays, making the experience a little sureal for those who were used to a traditional LDS Chapel who attending the first time.

The Branch continued using the storefront until late 1996 when the boundries of the the branch were expanded to include enough members to form a Ward. The new unit was called the Clinch River Ward, and due to the size they moved their meeting into the Grove Park Chapel for about six month. As the finishing touches were placed on the new Chapel, the local saints were excited. Here was the completion of a dream that began years earlier when their own chapel had burned to the ground.

The first meeting in the Clinch River Ward building was on Sunday May 4th, 1997.

Another Church Burned

The following is a continuation of a previous post.

Another Church Burned.
Clinton, Tenn., April 3, 1899.
By Elder W. E. Dawson.

To the Southern Star.
Our dear little church here at Hart's Chapel was burned yesterday (Sunday) morning, and at day-break the Saints assembled to find their hopes of worshiping God in their dearly cherished church blasted. They gathered on the spot at 9:40 a. m. and held mournful services over the ruins of a once beautiful church where they had so often met in Sunday School and meeting, praising God in verse, text and song. The services consisted of songs, prayers and short addresses, thanking God the Father for the knowledge that we are persecuted for righteousness sake, and for the testimony of the Gospel which burns within our breasts. Calling upon our Father, that He may forgive them, for they knew not what they had done; this was the spirit that prevailed. The trustees had just met the week before and nearly completed arrangements for painting the church, and we were looking forward to the time when the little Mormon church would become the Star of the Valley in neatness and beauty. The janitor, though not a member of the church, has taken such pride in keeping it neat and clean inside. His name is Mr. J. F. Brown: be it said to his honor he has given the land on which the house stood and a deed for it is held; this he did when the church was first built; he has always been a faithful friend of the wayfaring Elders since they first came to his door.

Although the Saints are all heartsore at their present loss, they hope it will redound to their infinite gain. They feel to take lessons from the ant and set to work to build them another place of worship. This time they want to build it of brick and feel to put their trust in God, feeling that faith without works is dead; feel to ask the Lord, through the agency of His Saints in all the world (if they wish), to help to rebuild. The hearts of the Saints are sick at the thought of doing without a house of worship, and our only refuge for support is the Saints of God at home and abroad.

I can find no indication that they did rebuild the chapel. For quite some time they met in isolated groups until the formation of the Oakridge Branch in 1944 (which became a Ward in 1972). A branch in Clinton was formed in 1992 and they got a building of their own: an old store from in a busy shopping center. It was described by some as a “shoe store.”

Next time: Making the "shoe store" their own.

A New Conference President

What follows is a letter from Elder Dawson, President of the East Tennessee Conference, to the Latter Day Saint Soutthern Star.

East Tennessee Conference
By Elder W. E. Dawson. To The Star.
Milligan, Tenn., March 2, 1899.

It was with great pleasure we greeted our beloved President, Ben E. Rich, with his ever smiling countenance and words of kindness and fatherly advice.

Our session or conference was held on March 7th, 1809, at Milligan, Tenn., in the Hart's chapel, seventeen miles northwest of Knoxville.

The gist of the instruction given by President Rich was taken down and will be converted into a circular letter and mailed to each pair of Elders for thorough study, in connection with the other inspired instructions contained in the Scriptures.

On the evening of the same day a public meeting was held at which an excellent sermon was delivered.

Wednesday morning the Elders all met again and were assigned to their respective fields, feeling to rejoice in the rich flow of the Spirit that prevailed. The new President, Elder W. E. Dawson, with his two counselors, F. B. Hammond, Jr., and John Peterson, were unanimously sustained, with Elder R. T. Mitchell as Sunday school superintendent.

The Elders greatly enjoyed the cordial hospitality of Saints and friends who will forever be remembered in their petitions to our father in heaven.

We all feel to bear testimony that the visit of our President ,was productive of much good. We return to our labor with humble prayer that we may be able to abide by all the counsel given. We hope that our future conferences will be held in large cities, feeling that many "benefits will be derived thereby.

Elder R. T. Mitchell, the Sunday school superintendent, was detailed to call out the local Elders, thereby increasing outworking force, and also redound to their everlasting benefit, viz., preaching to their fellow men the new light they have received.

Like most conference reports, every thing is wonderful. But it was not to last.

Next time: Another Church Burned

Christmas in Wolf Valley

[The following was printed in the Latter Day Saint Southern Star in January of 1899.Wolf Valley Branch was located about halfway between present day Clinton and Oak Ridge Tennessee and about 25 mile west of Knoxville, Tennessee.]

Among the Elders

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Elder R. T. Mitchell of the East Tennessee conference who is superintendent of the Sunday schools, has written a nice account of his pleasant time at Christmas with the Woolf (sic)Valley branch of the schools, but the communication was lost, and has just been found. He and Elder A. H. Thorn, evidently had a very pleasant time in a “neatly kept church built by the Saints and dedicated just a year ago.” He says a good spirit prevails there, assuring one of the frequent visits of angels. The singing and general procedure is such as to make one feel as if he were home ,were it not for the vast area intervening between Tennessee and Utah. Of the work there he says: The classes having completed their lessons a programme (sic) was rendered by the primary and intermediate departments, the little ones from 4 to 10 years came forward in response to their calls and gladdened our ears by reciting in a manner that would have been a credit to children of twice their age.


After presenting the children with a package of candy, thus throwing a ray of brightness across many a little boy and girl's heart ,he closes by saying:

The Sunday school here is a credit to the Latter Day Saints and is accomplishing, in a great measure, the purpose for which God ordained so needful an organization .Would that every branch had such a one, surely then the rising generation of Israel would be a light to all the world and able to bear on the glorious Latter work.

May heaven's peaceful blessing he with all the sabbath schools of the southern mission in trying to follow the light that shines from Anderson county, Tennessee.

Christmas, 1898

[Today, Wolf Valley is part of the Clinch River Ward of the Knoxville, Tennessee Cumberland Stake.]