Jefferson County Tennessee
Jefferson County, Tennessee is situated between the Holston and French Broad rivers in eastern Tennessee's agricultural Valley. The County's culture included an early and active abolitionist and anti slavery movement. There were some 600 anti slavery society members, in 1841. Despite that, one year before the US Civil War, there were 2103 enslaved individuals held by 347 slaveholders. The enslaved made up about 13.2% of the overall population. That same year, Jefferson County was home to 172 free black individuals.
In 1870, after National Emancipation, there were 2,888 black and mulatto individuals in the County, mostly working in agriculture.
During the US Civil War, large numbers of area African Americans fled chattel enslavement for the Union lines in Knoxville. Many joined up with the 1st Heavy Artillery. Though they many not have originally been from Jefferson County, a significant number of those veterans made the County their home & their final resting place after the end of the War. Through the work of Jefferson County archivist Zach Taylor Jr., he's provided service & burial information for many of those veterans at the link below. Names included are:
Henry Baker, Alfred Brazelton, Andrew Anderson Brazelton, Cyrus Brazelton, John Brazelton, Jesse Carmichael, Plenty Blunt Evans, David Fausett, James Franklin, Jackson Glaze, William Harris, Jordan Hodge, Alfonso Howell, Henry Jones, Anderson Massengale, Alexander McFarland & James Woods.
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US Colored Troops' Service Info & Grave Sites (alphabetical)
In 1870, Historic Black family surnames of Jefferson County include Bradford, Bragg, Branner, Brazleton, Fain, Hodges, Houston, Massengill, McBee, Meek, Mills, Moulden, Nance, Neal, Peck, Pates, Patterson, Smith, Swann, Talbott, Thompson, Wilkerson & Woods, among others.
One of the first orders of business at the close of the War was the establishment of schools. Those early educational facilities were often hosted in homes & churches. By the late 1920's there would be seven Black primary schools & one high school, Nelson Merry in Jefferson City. Elementary Schools included Rolling Hill (Strawberry Plains), Cottage Hill (New Market), Northern (Mill Spring), Riverview (Dandridge), Belmont & Sunny View (White Pine).
Dandridge
Dandridge Colored School established 1927. Rosenwald Fund Card File,
The Julius Rosenwald Fund Archives, 1918-1948, John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library
Educational opportunities for Dandridge's Black children were greatly expanded with the establishment of a two-teacher school in 1927 through the support of the national Rosenwald fund. According to Fisk University, that building was situated on 2 acres of land and was constructed at the cost of $3,950 ($2,850 from public funds, $600 from Black residents & $500 from the Rosenwald Fund.)
The Christ Temple AME church congregation originally gathered and constructed a church building in 1888. The church was rededicated in 1912 by Rev. G.W. Rose as Christ Temple AME Zion. In 1935, it and two other African American congregations were displaced to make room for a New Deal-funded segregated white public school. . . Although relocated to a new part of town, and with an overall decrease in population, Christ Temple AME Zion continued to play an important role for African American religious and social life. It held homecomings, revivals, and quarterly conferences. It was also part of an AME Zion circuit. In the new location, Christ Temple AME Zion expanded its outreach, establishing a Women's Day program, a Missionary program, and hosting a District program. . . The church closed regular operation in 2002 and became an annex of Belmont AME Zion Church.
Christ Temple AME Zion Church
Officially established September 4, 1868, Bethel Presbyterian Church began serving the community immediately after National Emancipation. Known Pastors include:
James C. Davis (1883-1888), D.A. Roberts (1888-1891), J.C. Lawrence (1891-1907), Russell Taylor (1907-1912),
H.W. McNair (1912-1914), G.E. Henderson (1915-1916), A.J. Tate (1916-1917), F.C. Shirley (1917-1918),
W.C. Hargrave (1918-1936), A.A. McKinge (1936-1938), W.V. Joyner (1938-1943), Warren C. Jones (1946-1955),
M.W. Culler (1958-1959), J.A. Nelson (1959-1961), W.T. Byrd, Jr. (1961-1965), James E. Murray (1966-1967),
Frank Gordon (1975 - 1976), Ida Wells (1978-1979), Ralph M. Hutchinson (1986-)
Click image above to read the booklet commemorating the 125th anniversary of Bethel Presbyterian Church (1993).
Rev. Walter Clarence Hargrave, served Bethel Presbyterian from 1918 to 1836, the longest of any pastor. He also served at St. Luke’s in New Market & Rice Presbyterian Church as well as President of the late HBCU, Swift Memorial Institute in Rogersville, Tennessee. One of Rev. Hargrave's largest contributions to African American history was his extensive documentation.
Click on the image to the right to access a collection of his sermons & documentation providing a window into Black life in rural Appalachia at the time.
"Just six years after Emancipation, in 1871, Fairview Church at Flatwoods was formed by Black parishioners withdrawing from the white First Baptist church. After requesting their letters of membership, organized a congregation of their own. Thus, Fairview Baptist Church was formed, becoming one of the first independent Black churches in Jefferson County. Other churches, such as Swansylvania Baptist Church (established in 1942), would follow. Through the years, Fairview became both a sanctuary and a gathering place, closely linked to the adjoining cemetery where generations of families rest. Today, descendants of those first members return each year for Homecoming, honoring their ancestors and raising funds to preserve the church and its sacred grounds for the future."
- Fairview Baptist Church Homecoming Brochure, 2025
Fairview Church & Cemetery. Tennessee Valley Authority.
Jefferson City
Nelson Merry School was rebuilt in 1931 through the assistance of the Julius Rosenwald Foundation. According to Fisk University's archives, the six-teacher facility was constructed at a cost of $14,715. The Black community contributed $1,500 & white residents gave $1,600. $9,615 were provided through public funds and the remainder came from the Rosenwald Fund ($2,000).
On-line Community Collections
New Market
Young's Memorial AME Zion Church
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St. Luke's Presbyterian
New Market (aka Cottage Hill) School was also established through the assistance of the Julius Rosenwald Fund. This two-teacher school house still stands today & originally sat on 2 acres of land. $2,840 were allocated by the County, $500 by the Rosenwald Fund & $400 were given by the local Black community for its construction in 1927.
Rocktown
Founded just after the US Civil War by Union veteran & formerly enslaved, John Carter (highlighted above). Mr. Carter was previously held in bondage in Carter County, Tennessee & left there to join the Union Army. After his service, from oral history, he purchased the land now known as Rocktown where a thriving network of families also settled including the Pates & the Donaldsons.
Strawberry Plains
The community of Strawberry Plains sits along the borders of Knox, Sevier & Jefferson Counties as did the settlements of Black families in that area. Largely agricultural, with some Zinc mining, Black workers, church goers, teachers, courting youth & school children often moved in & between the County borders depending on the need.
Lucian Weaver, 1879
On July 14th, 1879 Lucian (also listed as Lucius) Weaver was the victim of an extrajudicial murder by a group of men in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. Weaver was accused of assaulting Mrs. Sallie Stipes-Howell the wife of John Howell at their home in rural Jefferson County.
"About a mile and a half from Strawberry Plains, on the Old Dandridge Road is a unique settlement of colored folks-some 100 people. There is a school which is kept in good condition. It is painted white, has hot lunches for pupils and prepares students for Nelson Merry High School at Jefferson City. A bus takes the high school students to and from Jefferson City.
The church, A.M.E. Zion Methodist, has recently added and furnished a kitchen and dining room which is most attractive. Included in the furnishings are an electric stove and Frigidaire. Once a year, which is the last Sunday in August, they celebrate a day known as "Homecoming." It started back in 1911. Some firemen and brakemen who lived here were influential in having a special train from Knoxville for this occasion. It was side tracked here for the day. Hundreds came and hired rigs from Arthur Cates' livery stable and made the rest of the way to the church. There a luscious dinner is put on plates and handed out to all who come. They have been known to feed as many as 999. After dinner, a collection is taken and a free will offering is given. It is the one big event of the year. As soon as one is over, they begin preparing for the next bigger and better occasion. The largest collection on record is the one in 1948-$737.00. That day one trailer bus and three regular bus loads of people came along with 69 cars full of people. Since then it has been difficult to keep records.
There is always a big crowd with services all day. There are no ball games that day. It is real worship. Ab Lyons was one of the first ministers and since 1903 Jim Thomas ( son of Aunt Carrie Thomas ) has taught a Sunday School class there. This little band has labored long and hard to make their community one of which they could be proud. They also have some well kept homes. Some new ones of brick veneer are going up now. All have electricity for lighting and cooking."
Rolling Hill School's one-teacher, Rosenwald building was established in 1928 on a 2 acre parcel across the street from the AME Zion Church. It was erected with funds from the public ($1,351), local Black families ($200) & the Rosenwald Fund ($200).
Rolling Hill School. Rosenwald Fund Card File, The Julius Rosenwald Fund Archives, 1918-1948, John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library
Tennessee State Library & Archives
Swannsylvania
Belmont AME Zion church was organized September 1, 1925 with Rev. L.M. Spivey as Pastor. That building also served as a school for local children. The original building burned in 1930 & was rebuilt for the educational & spiritual needs of the community that same year. Religious services alternated between Belmont & nearby Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. Early members of the church were descendants of those formerly enslaved by the Swanns. Other associated families include the Fains, Cubbersons, Evans, Allens & Jones.
- People & Places of Jefferson County by Estle P. Muncy
White Pine
The Black Primary School for White Pine was a two-teacher, Rosenwald building built in 1925 on a 2 acre parcel. It was erected with funds from the public ($2,299), local Black families ($756) & the Rosenwald Fund ($700).
