History of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church
Organized August 1, 1888

The Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Jefferson County, TN, was organized out of the Poplar Springs Baptist Church (now called Pleasant View Baptist Church).

On August 1, 1888, a six-man Organizing Council constituted the Church.  They were:

1. Arch Carmichael
2. R W. Workman
3. Thomas Smith
4. M. R. Kimbrough
5. W. E. Cameron
6. J. N. Phagan

The following 18 persons became Charter Members:

1. R. W. Workman
2. W. E. Cameron
3. Arch Carmichael
4. Davis Campbell
5. William Pollard
6. R. J. Kimbrough
7. Jane Kimbrough
8. J. T. Hopkins
9. Thomas Smith
10. J. N. Phagan
11. Elizabeth Turner
12. William Woods
13. Eliza Woods
14. T. C. Woods
15. Melvina Pollard
16. M. R. Kimbrough
17. Cordie Woods
18. Mary A. Campbell

Within seven years the membership had surpassed the 100 mark.

The church has been faithfully served by 32 pastors. According to our records they are listed as follows:

J. H. Stephens, with 13 years of service as pastor, had the longest tenure of office.  The membership of Pleasant Ridge reached its highest peak in 1973 under the leadership of Rev. Darrell Seal.

Property

To the best of our knowledge and according to our deed, the property on which Pleasant Ridge is now sitting was donated to us by Elizabeth and R.J. Knowling, on July 27, 1892.  There was approximately 3/4 acre of land.  Since that time, our increase in property has grown exceedingly well.

According to our records, on January 16, 1926, Pleasant Ridge paid $50.00 to Harden Pollard for one acre of land.  This was to be used for a Cemetery.  Twenty-two years later, on August 8, 1948, a piece of land was given to us by George Eller, for the purpose of making a parking lot.  The church paid for having a deed made.  The cost of the deed was $2.83.

On December 19, 1948, some of the trees on the property were cut down by the electric company.  The trees cut down, along with those standing were sold to Glenn Rogers for $27.00.On June 21, 1953, a committee was elected to enlarge our parking space.  The chairman of this committee was Pless Collins.  A survey was also done at this time.  On April 10, 1960, the trustees signed the right of way for a road.

Four years later on February 5, 1964, we voted to trade the wooded area of our cemetery to Emory Pollard for a strip of land along the south side of the Cemetery.  It was also at this time that the church voted to have a road built around the back of the church.  On June 2, 1965, Pless Collins was elected to see about getting pavement done around our church building.  On November 6, 1966, it was voted to have a fence put around the Cemetery.

Five years later, on October 2, 1969, a second piece of property was given to the church by George Eller.  At this time the church voted to have the deed changed to Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church.  On March 3, 1971, Pless Collins was elected to check on the property joining our church owned by Paul Brady.  He found it to be mortgaged.  March 5, 1975, four years later, the church voted to buy the property owned by Paul Brady and have a survey and title search done.  The cost of the property was $1500.00.

On September 1, 1976, a map of our church property was made.  This is the map of our property, as it now stands.

To bring us up to date, on July 3, 1985, we purchased a new piece of property, on which our new church building will be erected in the near future.  Our property is located on White Pine Road and Rushy Springs Road.

Pleasant Ridge Cemetery - purchased Jan. 16, 1926.

Construction of Pleasant Ridge

During the past few months, the committee has gone through lots of books and read many records, trying to get the most information that we can on the history of Pleasant Ridge Church.  In doing this, we discovered that there were many steps in the building of our church. Here is what we found:

• From the year 1888 to July 16, 1892, we don't have any records about our church.  Since we don't have all the records, then we'll just start with what we do have.
  
• We know there was a committee elected for the purpose of building our church, but we don't know who they were.
  
• On July 16, 1892, the Building Committee met and a decision was made as to what to pay the workers that would be building Pleasant Ridge Church.  This is how they were paid:
  
  • Foreman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.25 per day
  • Hauling Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.00 per day
  • Common Laborors . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 per day
  • Other Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.00 per day
  
  
• On August 11, 1892, after three meetings and three different decisions, the committee finally came to an agreement as to the dimensions of the church.  It was to be 14 feet high, 48 feet long, and 30 feet wide, with an old fashioned roof and nine windows.
  
• August 25, 1892, the committee met and agreed to hire W. D. Wolfenbeugan to build the church.
  
• By July 15, 1917, the steeple and belfry were completed at the cost of $138.97.  This included material and labor.
  
• On July 25, 1944, a new piano was bought.  It was purchased from Lynn Sheeley for $195.00.
  
• On July 12, 1948, a committee was formed to get the church wired for electricity.  Pless Collins was chairman of this committee.
  
• On September 11, 1948, the committee reported the church was complete with wiring and fixtures for electricity.  Cost was $82.86.  Electricity at this time was not connected.
  
• Seven months later, on April 15, 1949, the church paid $5.03 for a meter and electric current began to flow.  The cost of our first electric bill was 85 cents.
  
• On April 15, 1950, another committee was formed to buy two collection plates and three chairs for the pulpit.  The chairman of this committee was Naomi Rogers.  Cost of the three chairs was $50.91.
  
• November 16, 1952, bricks were bought to build a chimney at a cost of $25.24.
  
• In August 1953, a motion was made to build rooms onto the church, but first we must have a committee.  Here are the members who were on those committees:

• On September 20, 1953, Bill Hopkins and Floyd Kimbrough were hired at $.75 an hour to build the new Sunday School rooms and to plan the heating system.
  
• Two months later, November 15, 1953, a report was given by the Finance Committee on the amount of money collected for the building of the rooms.  The amount collected was $1,022.94.  The committee was then released.
  
• During the same meeting, another Finance Committee was formed.  This was for the purpose of raising money to build a floor and buying new seats.  This committee consisted of the following people:
  
  • Harvey Smith
  • Naomi Rogers
  • Earnest Inman
  • Willia Mae Smith
  • Clarence Lowe
• In December 1953, a motion was made and carried to buy pine seats from Earl Rugel at $26.00 a seat.  Another committee was formed at this time to buy lumber for the fixing of the belfry in the church.  There were as follows: Floyd Kimbrough, Ewell Kimbrough, and Pless Collins.
  
• On February 7, 1954, two new seats were exchanged with Earl Rugel for a pulpit stand and communion table.  All the old seats were sold to Tom Hopkins for $20.00.
  
• April 18, 1954, the church paid to Lewis Hopkins $50.00 for oak flooring and to Pless Collins $20.80 for lumber to build Sunday School rooms.  The total paid out for new Sunday School rooms was $368.98.
  
• On October 17, 1954, a new stove was bought.  On September 3, 1955, W. M. Hopkins was elected to lay block in the basement.
  
• On July 7, 1957, Bill Hopkins was elected to build the steps at the church entrance.
  
• Three and a half years later, on January 11, 1961, a motion was made and carried to build three more rooms onto the back of our church.  Metal chairs were bought for two rooms, and small wooden chairs for the children's room.  All of the rooms were painted blue.  The total cost of lumber, labor, chairs and tables for the new rooms was $1,503.62.
  
• On June 3, 1964, a well was dug and a pump put in.
  
• Eight months later, February 7, 1965, money was borrowed to build the bathrooms onto the front of the church.  Glenn Rogers was appointed to see about getting a water tank installed.
  
• On October 1, 1967, a decision was made to repair the west side of the church with new windows and siding.  Insulation was installed overhead.
  
• On April 28, 1968, a need for more room was discussed and a decision was made to build 4 more rooms onto the west side of the church.  When the rooms were finished, new black board and stands were bought and placed in the new rooms.
  
• December 4, 1968, Norman Akins bought and installed the wiring and fixtures for the lighting of our choir loft.  This was to be used during our Christmas plays.
  
• On March 5, 1969, a new piano was purchased from Lynn Sheeley for the price of $848.00.
  
• Our old piano was then sold to the highest bidder, and Carl Smith bought it for $75.00.
  
• On May 3, 1972, hand rails for the front step were installed.
  
• On September 6, 1972, the need for an air conditioner was discussed and decided upon.  This has been a great comfort to us.
  
• On February 7, 1973, steel support beams were installed overhead and the posts in the middle of our church were removed.
  
• On December 5, 1973, carpet was bought for our nursery.
  
• On January 1, 1975, a decision was made to purchase a film projector, carrying case and screen.
  
• March 5, 1975, we began to build again.  A need was seen for a library and storage room.  The storage room was later converted into a pastor's study.
  
• On May 7, 1975, a bus was purchased from Alpha Church for $1500.00.
  
• During the rest of the year the following was bought:
  
  • October 1, 1975 - a bady bed and mattress for nursery
  • November 5, 1975 - table, heater, filing cabinet for the library
  • December 3, 1975 - new curtains for the stage to be used during Christmas plays
    
• On January 7, 1976, we saw a need to buy new seats.  The old seats were sold at $20.00 each for a total of $560.00.
  
• On April 7, 1976, a new PA system was bought.  Four months later we purchased a new flag for the stage.
  
• On November 3, 1976, a decision was made by the church to put up awnings over the front and back entrances of the church.
  
• On July 6, 1977, a new typewriter was bought.
  
• On January 4, 1978, the needs were discussed and a decision was made to enlarge the size of our stage at the cost of $1600.00.  When this was completed, carpet was layed in the auditorium, along with the indooroutdoor carpet at the entrance of our church.
  
• On November 4, 1981, carpet was layed in some of the classrooms.
  
• December 1, 1982, a decision was made to have our new seats padded.  This was done by Mike Cameron, Avery Akins and Charles Howerton.
  
• On April 6, 1983, the church purchased a VCR for training purposes.
  
• On August 1983, a new gate was put up at the cemetery.
  
• On January 4, 1984, a building committee was selected for the purpose of building our new church.  The chairman of this committee is Norman Akins.
  
• In July 1987, new signs were placed on the property of our future church.
  
• The steeple and belfry were built in 1917 by Tom Knowling, Frank Horner, and Arthur Rickard of Dandridge.
  
• It was a custom for the church to have a committee to write out the obituaries and a copy be kept on the church record when a member died.

Eliza Woods' Obituary

The shadow of the death angel has fallen over our community again and removed from our midst our beloved sister Eliza Woods, wife of Brother William Jr. Woods, daughter of Brother Rodman and Sister June Kimbrough.  She was born June 28, 1861.  Married to William Jr. Woods March 11, 1883.  Professed faith in Christ in the winter of 1882 and joined the Poplar Springs Baptist Church, where she remained up to December 1889; from thence she came to the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, where she remained a consistent member up to the day of her death, which occurred on the eighth day of June 1896.  It seems such a short time since Sister Woods was one among us that can scarcely realize the sad fact that a new made grave marks the spot where we laid her lifeless form.  It requires no obituary to brighten and bring into memory the grace and virtue of the noble Christian Mother.  In the great army of Christians she was a true soldier when her summons came she had her armor on burnished and bright.  She died as a Christian.  She now holds in her hand the crown of an endless life whilst the wealth of God and the grandeur of eternity are hers.  She leaves a sorrowing husband and five children and a host of relatives and friends to mourn her loss.  Mourn not dear friends as those that have no hope but pray for that spirit that guided her over the shores of time and wafted her spirit into the heaven of rest.  May this dispensation of God's Providence be the means of bringing us all nearer to him that doeth all things for our good.  We recommend that these resolutions be spread on the church record and a copy be sent to the bereaved husband.
Committee:  A. Carmichael   Maggie Phagan   G. S. Smith

Memories

It was a custom to toll the church bell when anyone passed away in the community.  They would toll it the number of times a person was old.  Barthena Hazelwood recalls the first time it was tolled.  Hard Pollard died at the age of eighty-some-years-old.  The bell was tolled eighty some times.  Mr. Pollard was laid to rest in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, but they rang the church bell to let the neighbors know there had been a death in the community.  There were no phones, so this was the way of getting the word around.

There are a number of people who remember the time Avery Akins crawled under the seats, slipped and got Rev. Seals' shoes and hid them.  Rev. Seals had to go up front barefooted to dismiss the crowd.

As you already know, there are three roads leading into Pleasant Ridge Church.  A number of the older people can remember when each road was literally filled with people walking to church.  Sometimes one might be playing a guitar and the others singing as they came to and left from church.  People who didn't even attend church received a blessing from the good ole gospel hymns they sang.

They recall having seen Rev. Fielden ride up on his little horse.  He would stop along and visit the sick as he rode to church.

Brother Stevens also rode a horse, and sometimes all the offering he would receive would be 50 cents.  Maybe sometimes a chicken or a bag of fruit.

As one member said, they weren't wealthy but they were blessed with love and other things that are important.  As you can see, God has richly blessed Pleasant Ridge.

There was a flag made by Nell Myers with stars representing the boys from our church neighborhood who were in Military Service for our country in World War II.

The first person buried in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery was a young girl, Mabel Begley.

Emery Anderson recalls a time when he walked and came to Church and he was the only person there due to a heavy snowfall.  He said he wasn't alone, God was with him.  He read the Bible, prayed and returned home saying it was good to be at God's House.

Edith Smith Hopkins recalls a time when there were few song books available at Church and Lon Cox and Matilda Ingram Chambers taught the congregation a new song, Angel Band.

Some of the older people at Pleasant Ridge Church recall Revivals lasting for two and three weeks at a time and also having daytime services.  School would be dismissed, and the teachers and pupils would all walk to church to enjoy the wonderful messages.

Ethel Smith recalls the first wedding she can remember taking place at Pleasant Ridge Church.  It was a double wedding - Swann Lewis and Alma Rines, and Hal Cox and Ida Rickard.

Our records do not show when we first had a singing school at Church, but as far back as anyone can remember Rev. Brisco Hankins held the first Singing School at Pleasant Ridge.

Later, Rev. Hankins became pastor of Pleasant Ridge Church.  His home was in Etowah, TN.  He would ride a bus to Jefferson City and someone from church would meet him and take him to some of the members house to spend the weekend and hold church services.

During the summer months, Rev. Hankins' wife and children came with him.  Brother Hankins and his wife conducted a Bible School at church.  Our records don't show this, but some of our members say it was the first Bible School they could remember attending at Pleasant Ridge.

Millers Pond is very much a part of Pleasant Ridge Church history.  As far as we have records, we read about baptizings taking place at Millers Pond.  In our older records we find lists of names then they would say we "wet" the following in Millers Pond.

Sometimes there would be as many as eighteen or more baptized at one time.

We are very proud of our distinguished signs above our awning on the outside of the church.  This sign was made by Fain Smith who is still attending our church.  From the best he could recall, he made the sign and placed it here in 1963.

Anyone who has attended our Christmas Programs must surely remember our Green Curtains.  These curtains were hand made by Naomi Rogers.  From the story we are told, while they were being made, a hole was burnt in the curtains and was patched with the same material.  The patching was so done neatly, that it is very hard to find even to his day.  These curtains are still being used by Pleasant Ridge Church and are kept up very well.  From the best we can figure the curtains have been with us since the winter of 1957.  Naomi Rogers, better known as Maw Rogers, was a very dedicated Christian and hard worker for the church until her death April 4, 1978.

I think everyone will long remember the Vacation Bible School Parade of 1988 at Pleasant Ridge.  It was the first time to have a fire truck escort the parade with balloons and two clowns, Rev. Ed and Jan Strong.  After the parade, picture taking and all the fun, we were getting ready for the picnic when Rev. Strong discovered he had left his wallet and keys laying on the fire truck, which was on its way to the Tractor Pull in Jefferson City.

Becky Cameron and Sue Smelcer tried to run the truck down but didn't succeed.  They went all the way to the tractor pull and got inside without paying $6.00.  We asked how they got inside the gates without paying. Becky said, "We told them we were looking for five men driving a fire truck which had our pastor's wallet and keys on it.  I reckon they believed us.  We had to go through two gates and a cop and tell our story, but we got in without paying."

In the meantime the fire truck had to answer a call to put out a brush fire, so Becky & Sue missed them.  They returned empty-handed.

Minnie Shepard & Genia went to the Kansas-Talbott fire hall to see if they had taken the truck there, but no luck.

Alvin Sartain knew someone who worked with the fire department, so they radioed the fire truck and they still had the wallet and keys lying on the truck.  Alvin goes to the tractor pull and uses the same excuse and gets in without paying.

In the meantime, James Smelcer and Sean Cameron went to the Tractor Pull to stay, so they had to pay, but James saw the fire truck so they gave him the wallet and keys and he brought them to Rev. Strong.

All is well that ends well.  It just proves that the Good Lord was looking after Rev. Strong.