Turkey Creek Branch in 1916

Readers of this blog have heard about Turkey Creek before. Back in 2009 I posted a short history of the branch. I won't rewrite it today, but I have revised a few details I got wrong the first time. You can read it here.

In the summer of 1916 there was a branch conference at Turkey Creek. President Henry Child continued his tour of the Middle Tennessee Conference.

"The following Sunday and Monday [July 30 & 31], Elders Dalton, Ward and Child met in branch conference with the saints of Turkey Creek. In all nine meetings were held. On Sunday three open-air meetings were held, at all of which large numbers were in attendance. Between meetings the members and friends served dinner [aka lunch] on the grounds."

The first 3 members were baptized in 1887, by the start of 1916 there were about 24 members. But even with so many members they were still meeting in borrowed buildings. In 1899 and in 1913 they were using a frame school house, and may have been using that building or another similar one in 1916. The 1913 conference was described as having too many attendees to fit into the school house. The following year in 1917 over 500 people attended the conference. By then it was moved to a "beautiful grove of pine trees" instead of the school house, no doubt to accommodate the crowd.

In the report of the branch conference in July 1916 there was no indication of the composition of the local leadership, but there were a couple of families that had been members for almost 20 years by 1916. There was continual growth, but it was never sustained since younger members moved away in search of work. It would not be until the 1920's however, that the size of the congregation would merit a chapel.  In time it became a dependent Sunday School as the congregations in larger nearby cities grew faster. They combined with members from Waverly to form a modern branch and more recently were rolled in with the Dixon Ward.

The Elusive Rachel Smith

Last week, I published the name Rachel Smith in a list of baptisms by John H Gibbs. I wanted to look at  the ages of the converts and see if there was a pattern. There wasn't much to tell, but In the list were a few for whom there was no birthdate. Without a birthdate, I couldn't tell how old they were so I figured "how hard could it be to figure out a birthdate?"

Most of the names without a birthdate were easy. These were members of the LDS Church after all. We keep great records, most of the time. I should say, if there is a record, we will keep it. Sometimes there isn't one. That was the case with Rachel Smith.

I've had some luck with common names. Brown comes to mind. But this one was giving me trouble. First what did I know? Her name: Rachel Smith. Who baptized her: Willis Eugene Robison. Batismal Date: 27 April 1884. She was confirmed by B.H.Roberts on the same day. Parents: Wm Jerramgan and Rachel Davidson.  The spelling for Rachel's father's name perplexes me a little. It is hand written in the baptismal record and some of the letters are non descript wiggles. But at least I know she is, or was married.

But here I am fortunate. The missionary who actually performed the baptism kept a journal. Maybe he wrote down more about her. I checked the entry under Rachel's baptism date and found this...

Sunday April 27th 1884

Weather very Rainy and wet this morning looked like it might continue all day but about ten oclock the Sun came out and we had a beautiful day. we all met in the woods this morning and recieved a great deal of instruction relative to our future labors. Went to our meeting and found about Sixty people there had a good meeting and adjourned until one Oclock when we held another meeting after which a Lady by the name of Rachael Smith applied for baptism which we attended to. I baptised her.
OK, so maybe I won't get any help here. No clue to her age, her birthplace, nothing. It almost sounds like he didn'tknow her. But at least now I know where she lived. Elder Robison and Elder Roberts were attending a conference that day in Blue Creek, Humphreys County, Tennessee. B. H. Roberts diary will be no help. There is a big hole in 1884 where he didn't write at all in his diary. Yeah, I know. Of all the years he decides not to write, it is the one I would love the most to see. Sigh.

So I go back to the census for Humphreys County. I find a couple of Rachel Smiths, but nothing obvious to single one out. One is married to James Smith, the other to Thomas Smith. Could be either one, or niether one. No William Jerramgan. No Rachel Davidson.
Then I have an idea. If Rachel had decided to get baptized, it was likely she had already met the missionaries, perhaps with her husband. So I go back to Elder Robison's journal. About two weeks before the baptism Elder Robison stayed at the home of Thomas Smith where he and his companion were well received.

April 11, 1884
...about the middle of the afternoon we came to the house of W. Thos Smith where we stoped until morning. We found Mr S. and family very friendly toward the L.D.S. and passed a very enjoyable evening talking to them on doctrinal points, also sung quite a number of songs, sat up until a late hour.

Could this be the same Smith family? Using Thomas' name I go back to the census. I recall that there was a Rachel Smith married to a Thomas Smith in Humphreys county. The odds are beginning to stack in favor of this being the right person.

Then I had another idea. Her father's name could be Wm Jernigan. But that was not really much help. There were dozens of Wm Jernigans, including all the varient spellings. A few were widowed, but only one had a wife named Rachel, and none had a daughter named Rachel. I tried Rachel Jernigan and no matchs with the right parent names.

I'm close. But not close enough. I know my evidence is circumstantial. But when is circumstantial evidence close enough.

John H. Gibbs' Tennessee Converts

The following names were recorded by John H. Gibbs as being baptized while on his mission in Tennessee either by himself or by his companions: John Styler or W. E. Robison. They range in dates from September 6, 1883 to May 26, 1884. The locations range from Houston County to Lewis County, Tennessee and match Elder Gibbs proseletizing area.

Gibbs was 31 years old and had been working with the young men prior to his mission. Professionally he was a teacher. Among his missionary finding activities was to issue an open challenge to a game a marbles. All this made me wonder about the age of his converts. Turns out he was older than 68% of his converts and half were more than 10 years younger than him. One was even 7 years old, though only by a few weeks. In each case where a very young person was baptized, I have been able to find at least one parent who was a member as well, with the exception of James Prewett. Still looking.  That is even true of most of the teenagers too, with the exception of Fannie Willis (age 15). She joined with her 18 year old brother. But they had a 39 year old uncle who had joined earlier that year.

In fact the young ages of Gibbs converts had more to do with his focus on part member families. He baptized mostly spouses, and children of existing members,and a mother in one case. Less than 10 of his 44 converts were unrelated to existing converts.

There was nothing significant about the sex of the converts; 21 of 44 were female. I'm no statistician, but that seems pretty close to half. All but five were married or were too young to be married. Of those five at least two never married. If it were a ploy to get women for polygamous marriages, it was pretty much a failure.

Age Name
8     Archie H. Region
53   Zachariah Evans
39   Phebe Jane Evans
13   Rebecca Evans
11   David Roger Evans
8     Zachariah Evans Jr.
31   William S. Wood
30   Sarah V. Wood
20   Julia Ann Lockheart*
27   John Riley Hudson
50   Malinda Conder
17   Rachel Ann Conder
8     Jesse Whitfield Lancaster
53   William Winters
29   James Harrison Wood
28   Francis Josephine Sanders
45   Eliza Ann Talley
16   Jennette Love
7     William Jackson Love
9     James Samuel Prewett
14   Robt. Emmonds Bryant
60   Green Berry Corner
73   Gile Baker
39   William Sealy
24   Mary Ann Sealy
53   Lucretia Winters
13   Lupherty Catherine Winters
18   Josie Turner
46   Rachel Smith*
18   William W. Willis
14   Andrew Jackson Talley
15   Fannie Martha Angeline Willis
15   Lewis Sherman Winters
20   Joel Winters
13   George Thomas Talley
20   William Martin Conder
13   Levisa Jane Rebecca Conder
43   Eliz. Matthews Seals*
48   Feneby Fitzgiles
24   Laura Rebecca Grey
24   John Thomas Carroll
45   Banester Talley
45   Sarah Jane Carroll
26   Juda Clemant Carroll

The three converts with a * after their name were baptized by a companion of Elder Gibbs.

Bigham Family's Missionary Guestbook

Have you ever signed a guestbook? Ever wonder if anyone ever read your name wondering who you were. Well, a while ago I was blessed with a missionary guestbook belonging to E.S. Bigham, a member from the Humphreys County area of Tennessee. He started keeping a guestbook in the blank pages of his "Ready References" book. The book was published by George Q. Cannon in 1891 for the use of LDS missionaries. All I received were photocopies of the pages with missionary signatures. Brother Bigham wrote in the names of missionaries he knew had been to his home until March 1898, which I'm guessing is when he obtained the book. Thereafter his missionary guests signed the book themselves. Not all of them dated their signature, and even fewer indicated where they were from. A few only gave their last name.

Maybe one of you is related to or knows more about these missionaries. A few I have written about. Most I have never heard of before. What can you tell me?

Name	From	Date
George W. Stanger		1887
Don C Markham		1887
Richard Shipp		1887
Bard Shipp		1887
B. H. Roberts		1887
Stephen S.C. Worthington		1887
A. Srouris		1887
Elias S. Wright		1887
James Danghs		1887
Borks		[no date]
Ray McGenty		[no date]
Ernest E. Brown		[no date]
James M. Eardley		[no date]
Henry A. Grove		[no date]
Oley C. Olsen		[no date]
Joseph D. Young		[no date]
Thadeous W. Naylor		[no date]
John Barker		[no date]
Nephi M. Savage		[no date]
Robert G. Archibald		[no date]
Warren C. Christenson		[no date]
C. O. Christenson		[no date]
Shepherd Crowther		[no date]
John L. Bench Jr.	Fairview, San Pete Co., Utah	31 Mar 1898
R. G. Lowe	Franklin, Oneida Co., Idaho	31 Mar 1898
James M. Smith	Logan, Cache Co., Utah	[no date]
Emery F. Barrns	Fairview, Wyoming	[no date]
David C. Shupe	North Ogden, Utah	16 Jun 1899
Reigo S. Hawkins	Salt Lake City	16 Jun 1899
H. L. Petty	Emery, Emery Co., Utah	8 July 1899
R. J. Foulger	Salt Lake City, Utah	8 July 1899
James Larson	Brigham City	4 Dec 1898
Walter J. Randall	Prada, Gila Co., Arizona	29 Jul 1899
William P. Murray	Wellsville, Cache Co., Utah	19 Aug 1899
Edmond S. Parkinson	Franklin, Oneida Co., Idaho	19 Aug 1899
J. Urban Allred	Lehi, Utah Co., Utah	19 Aug 1899
Mora Stewart	Mesa City, Maricopa Co., Ariz
John L. Bergeson	Lewiston, Cache Co., Utah	6 Sep 1899
Alma Olsen	Logan, Cache Co., Utah	4 Dec 1899
Alfred Fuller	Pine, Gila, Arizona	26 Feb 1900
W. L. Mooper	Weston, Oneida Co., Idaho	26 Feb 1900
John R. South	Randolph, Rich Co., Utah	10 May 1901
David Halls	Mancos, Montezuma Co., Colo	10 May 1901
Wilbur Sowards	Manassa, Colorado	4 Nov 1901
Charles E. Kapper	Logan City, Utah	4 Nov 1901
Chas H. Marttery	Kockland, Idaho	1902
A. G. Haskell	Manassa, Colorado	1 Apr 1902
Heber Ogden	Richfield, Utah	15 Apr 1902
Melvin P. Miller	Murray, Utah
Orson W. Raulin	Salt Lake City, Utah	[no date]
L. R. Porter	Porterville, Morgan Co., Utah	[no date]
C. M. Alston	Salt Lake City, Utah	[no date]
Martin A. Clinger	Lakeview, Utah	31 Oct 1902
Jesse F. Cooper	Overton, Nevada	31 Oct 1902
John W. Caspersen	Preston, Oneida Co., Idaho	Jan 1903
George J. Fox	Salt Lake City, Utah	[no date]
Wm Geo Brough Jr.	Porterville, Morgan Co., Utah	[no date]
J. W. Johnson	Salem, Utah Co., Utah	10 Jun 1903
Golden Shields		[no date]
Joseph Ipson	Paguitch, Utah	19 Aug 1904
L. W. Hatch	Woodruff, Navajo Co., Ariz	19 Aug 1904
John Redden	Coleville, Summit Co., Utah	19 Aug 1904
Lorenzo Hansen	Preston, Oneida Co., Idaho	4 Dec 1904
John G. Shields	Lincoln, Tooele Co., Utah	9 Dec 1904
J. F. Brown	Fairview, Wyoming	9 Dec 1904
Qinn C. Whittier	Oakley, Cassia Co., Idaho	9 Dec 1904
Elmer Kimber	Grouse Creek, Utah	9 Apr 1905
C. E. Rowan Jr.	Coyoto, Garfield Co., Utah	9 Apr 1905
Hugh Roberts		21 Aug 1905
Albert W. Bonham	Hooper, Weber, Utah	20 Jan 1906
John H. Bagley	Nibley, Union Co., Oregon	20 Jan 1906
James William Hansen	Payson Utah	9 Mar 1906
Wm D. Bocker	Salt Lake City, Utah	[no date]
Emery E. Huntsman	Enterprise, Washington Co., Utah	12 Jul 1906
Silas W. Bills	Riverton, Salt Lake Co., Utah	15 Jul 1906
Miller		[no date]
Jas T. Moore	Prospect, Idaho	6 Jan 1907
Michaelson		[no date]
David J. Stewart	Grover, Wayne Co., Utah	6 Jan 1907
[illegible]		[no date]
[illegible]		[no date]
Larson		[no date]

Turkey Creek Branch (corrections)

A reader recently corrected me that the Waverly Branch is not yet a Ward. Apparently the writer of the history is not a member and was not aware of this nuanced difference. I am usually better at checking facts. A quick check on the Meeting House Locater confirmed the correction. But by asking for more information, I was also able to collect some additional details in the process.

When the Nashville Stake was formed, December 6, 1970, the Turkey Creek Branch was turned into a "Dependent Sunday School" of the Clarksville Ward. There it remained until it was re-organised into the Turkey Creek Branch in 1976.

On December 2, 1979, when the Nashville, Tennessee Stake was split, the Turkey Creek Branch became part of the new Franklin, Tennessee Stake.

The Turkey Creek Chapel was retired from use in the Fall of 1980, when the meeting house in Waverly was built. At that time the name was changed from the Turkey Creek Branch to the Waverly Branch. Sadly, the Old Chapel burned to the ground in 1985.

Turkey Creek Branch

Missionaries first began preaching in Humphries County in 1834. But the first converts at Turkey Creek were in around 1887. Elbert Sanford Bigham and his wife, Barbara Ann Fizer were baptized on May 8, 1887, along with Arminta Beechum. On April 2nd 1888, Barabara's father, John Fizer, was baptized. For years they were the only ones, but on 9 August 1896 Eliza Beechum was baptized followed by her husband Harrison Beechum 13 October 1896.

In 1899, 19 year old Elder Riego Stay Hawkins served part of his mission at Turkey Creek. He was well liked by the members there. They remembered him even years later.

More baptisms followed in 1907 and later. Family names like Allison, Beechum, Browning, Box, Carter, Durham, Forest, Hornburger, and Peterson, made up a slowly and steadily growing branch. In 1924, the community of saints at Turkey Creek had grown enough to justify building a "small frame chapel" on land belonging to Sam Bigham.

Sunday School enrolment was at 68 in 1935, 71 in 1939, and 74 in 1940. In 1944, the local membership was down to about 45. The war had meant there were factory jobs to be had if you were willing to leave your home. Many chose to do just that.

That spring the "only two missionaries [serving] in Tennessee" made their way to Turkey Creek. They had a list of names; members who had not been visited in a while: Bighams, Beechums, and Brownings. They were names that were oddly familiar to the older of the two Elders.

With such a large area to cover, these missionaries were driving a car. They followed the windy roads until they found the "small frame chapel" these faithful saints had built. It was still being used and the land was still owned by Sam Bigham. Now he was 71 years old, though he was active and still stood tall. He lived there with his younger brother, Joe.

The Elders, one younger and one older, introduced themselves; Elders Lindstrom and Hawkins. It was the latter name that rang a bell for Sam Bigham. He remembered that name from 1899. He asked if he were any relation to the Elder Hawkins that had served in Turkey Creek all those years ago. By now Elder Hawkins realized why this place seemed so familiar to him. It had changed somewhat since he was a young missionary 45 years earlier. The chapel was new, but the friends were the same. Both of the Bigham brothers remembered Elder Hawkins and now Elder Hawkins remembered them. During their three day visit other families in the branch remember Elder Hawkins too.

Without knowing it, President Graham H. Doxy of the East Central States Mission had assigned Elder Riego S. Hawkins to serve in the same area in which he had served in 1899 while in the Southern States Mission. And though Elder Hawkins knew he had served in Tennessee, little did he expect to meet anyone who remembered him so well.

[Addendum: When the Nashville Stake was formed, December 6, 1970, the Turkey Creek Branch was turned into a "Dependent Sunday School" of the Clarksville Ward. There it remained until it was re-organised into the Turkey Creek Branch in 1976. On December 2, 1979, when the Nashville, Tennessee Stake was split, the Turkey Creek Branch became part of the new Franklin, Tennessee Stake. The Turkey Creek Chapel was retired from use in the Fall of 1980, when the meeting house in Waverly was built. At that time the name was changed from the Turkey Creek Branch to the Waverly Ward Branch. The old building was sold as a residence. Sadly, it burned to the ground in 1985.]