Plunkett’s Creek Missionary Baptist Church is an off-spring of Hogan’s Creek Church and was organized August 26, 1837 with thirty-three members.

Plunkett’s Creek Missionary Baptist Church Building is located on the south side of the Cumberland River in Smith County, Tennessee.

The building is located six miles west of Carthage just off Highway 70N on an existing stretch of the old Carthage Pike and on the bank of Plunkett’s Creek from which the church takes her name.

Plunkett’s Creek Church is an off-spring of Hogan’s Creek Church and was organized August 26, 1837. Plunkett’s Creek was constituted with thirty-three members. Because the records have been misplaced or lost, there is no list of names. Two of the constituent members were Elder John Harper, Sr. and Elder William Flowers. Elder John Harper, Sr. became the first pastor and pastored from 1837 until 1842.

Elder John Harper, Sr. was of Irish descent. He was born in the state of Virginia in 1788 and came from one of the leading families of the old dominion.

His father, Robert, purchased land from General George Washington that became known as Harper’s Ferry. History says they owned all the land where Charleston now stands.

Harper came to Tennessee as a single man and joined Hogan’s Creek Church in July 1827 and soon entered the ministry. Later he became interested in Plunkett’s Creek, which resulted in the formation of the Church.

He was married to a Miss Hodges, who shortly died, leaving no children. He was again married to Miss Jane Fleming Skelton, who bore him twelve children – seven boys and five girls. There are several members of the church today that are descendants from those twelve children.

When our Lord gives rewards for labor, may Elder John Harper, Sr. receive his rewards for the establishment of Plunkett’s Creek Church.

The history of Plunkett’s Creek Church starts in Wales, according to the origin of the Welsh Baptist in Davis’s History of the Welsh Baptist CHRAA. They date back to the days of the Apostles.

In June 1701 in the counties of Pembroke and Carmarthen, Wales, sixteen Baptist were constituted into a regular Baptist church with Thomas Griffith as pastor. At once, they set sail and landed in Philadelphia the following September.

In 1703, they purchased 30,000 acres from William Penn in New Castle County, Delaware and gave it the name Welsh Tract Church. As early as 1736 this church dismissed forty-eight members to immigrate to South Carolina, where they made a settlement on the Pee Dee River and organized Welsh Neck Church.

The old Welsh Tract Church, which immigrated from Wales, became the nucleus around which were formed a number of churches, which were constituted in the Philadelphia Association as early as 1707. It was missionaries from this association who first planted Baptist standards in North Carolina.

The origins of these churches have been detailed because the Baptist of Tennessee have come from these churches.

About the year 1790, the following ministers began operations in the Middle Tennessee area: Joshua White, Joseph Dorris, Daniel Brown, Nathan Arnett, and Patrick Mooney. Through the labors of these brethren, assisted by occasional visits from ministers of Kentucky in 1796, five churches were organized. Those churches were Mouth Sulfer Fork, Head Sulfer Fork, Middle Fork, West Fork, and Station Camp, located on Station Camp Creek in Sumner County.

Station Camp extended an arm to Dixon Creek and constituted it an independent body on March 8, 1800 with a presbytery of Elder Joshua White, William Phipps and Clifton Allen.

Dixon Creek extended an arm to Hogan’s Creek and constituted it an independent body on June 30, 1810 with a presbytery of elders William Flowers, John Wiseman, John Jones, Daniel Burford, and Joseph Allen.

Hogan’s Creek extended an arm to Plunkett’s Creek and constituted it an independent body on August 26, 1837 with a presbytery of Elders E.W. Haile, William Flowers, William Ferrell and John Harper, Sr.

The five churches previously mentioned as first Middle Tennessee churches were constituted into an association known as the Mero District Association. This union was not destined to a long life.

Internal dissensions brought about dissolution of this association in 1803 and the Cumberland Association was constituted the same year to take its place. This was the mother of all the associations in Middle Tennessee and at one time included all the old Baptist Churches of this entire territory.

From 1800 – 1810, three associations were formed from the Cumberland. They were Elk River, Red River, and Concord. The first two were anti-mission bodies, while Concord was a missionary body and is the oldest association body of Mission or Missionary Baptist in this division of the state.

Cumberland agreed to send forth the new association in 1809, while convened at old Spring Creek Church in Wilson County, but Concord was not constituted until September 25, 1810 at Smith Fork Church in Statesville, Tennessee.

The Articles of Faith of Concord was a strong Calvinistic document (see Bond’s History Concord Association, pp. 13 -14). Among the leading ministers of this body were Elders James Whitsitt, Moore Stevenson, Cantrel Bethel, William Flowers, Thomas Durham, John Wiseman, Joshua Lester, and other ministers too numerous to mention. At the time of the organization of the Concord Association, it extended from Nashville to the Cumberland Mountain range. At this time, the association consists of forty-nine churches, twenty ordained ministers and 3,399 members.

Just when it appeared all was well and the Lord’s cause would now prosper; there had arrived in the state of Virginia a man by the name of Alexander Campbell. According to the History of the Kentucky Baptist CHRAA; vol. 1, p. 583, he continued to preach under his Presbyterian credentials until June 1812, when he was baptized by Mathias Luse in the presence of Elder Henry Spears and became a member of Bush Run Church, which the following year, presented a written creed to the Red Stone Baptist Association and was received into membership in that body.

From that time until 1820, he preached among the Baptist, taught school, married and farmed without making much disturbance until he had a debate with Mr. Walker. This debate gained for Mr. Campbell some reputation as a debator and in 1823 he began publication of a religious monthly under the title “The Christian Baptist.” These publications rapidly exposed him as a heretic and reformer of Baptist standards, raising a great stir in the associations. When the smoke settled, about two-thirds of Concord Association had fallen. There were only eleven churches, five ordained ministers, and 805 members left in the association.

This division occurred in 1827. This small minority took up the old constitution that had been so abused by the Arminian faction and went on with the old organization to do the Master’s business.

Prosperity attended the above minority and in 1834 they had fairly recovered from the shock of 1827, but they did not enjoy the state of peace for long. This time, however, it was not a doctrinal difference which arose. In 1834, R.B.C. Howell came from Virginia to pastor the First Baptist Church at Nashville. Being full of mission spirit, he along with other brethren and apart from any church or association action formed themselves into The Tennessee Baptist Convention. This was a signal for action and ended in a bitter contest of two years. Finally, the majority formed themselves into the Stone’s River Association of Primitive Baptists.

The minority again returned to the old original Concord Association and under the blessings of God started to grow again. One can see that Concord was twice abandoned by the majority and as often preserved by the minority.

In August 1822, Concord, while in session at West Station Camp Church in Sumner County, for the sake of convenience agreed to divide a number of churches on her eastern boundary into a new association. This association was named Salem Association consisting of 27 churches as follows: Smith’s Fork, Hickman’s Creek, Salt Lick, Dixon’s Creek, Spring Creek (or Linwood), Peyton’s Creek, Brush Creek, Cedar Grove, Knob Springs, Second Creed, Union, East Fork, Goose Creek, Philadelphia (or Bradley’s Creek), New Hope Cedar Creek, Lebanon, Goshen, Lancaster, Enon, Saunder’s Fork (or Auburn), Falling Creek, Brawley’s Fork (or Marion) and Testament. These churches, at the time number 900 members.

The ministers present at the formation of Salem Association were Elders Joshua Lester, Miles West, John Wiseman, Elijah Maddox, Thomas Durham, William Flowers, John Jones, Malcom Smith, John Bond, Hiram Casey, John Borum, Josiah Rucks, Presley Lester, John Fite, James Bond and Clark Hubbard.

Salem Association moved smoothly until 1835 when the question of mission methods began to be discussed. It seems the question of missions had very much agitated the church at Salt Lick of which Elder Miles West, Sr. was the pastor.

In 1837, the association met at New Hope Church, two miles east of Alexandria in Smith County (now DeKalb County). At this meeting the majority took a firm stand against the existing mission methods. This seemed to have upset Elder West. After some disturbances, he left the association, taking with him a few of the association’s members. This disturbance took place the same year as the organization of Plunkett’s Creek Church. Plunkett’s Creek joined the Salem Association at that meeting.

These events are detailed for the young “true” Baptist of today. Notice, the word “true” is used. This word usage was started by our older historians to show a difference in the Baptist with a perpetuity from Christ and the apostles to the present day, and those that chose to be identified in the world by the name Baptist, yet they are always eager to modernize or reform their worship service to comply with the ideals of today, much the same as Israel committed whoredoms of worship against God by partaking of every new worship they came in contact with.

After the constitution of Plunkett’s Creek in 1837, it seems the thing that has continued to disturb the unity of Old Missionary Baptist Churches is the word “convention.”

Notice that in the history previously mentioned R.B.C. Howell and others, apart from any church or associational action, formed themselves into the Tennessee Baptist Convention. This meant that since no church or group of churches authorized this action, that our forefathers did not deem it biblical and would not fellowship this action.

The first usage of the word convention in the Baptist ranks was introduced by Adoniram Judson and Luther Rice bearing the title “The General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States of America for Foreign Missions,” but came to be commonly known as the “Triennial Convention” due to the fact it met triennially. The convention was to consist of delegates, not to exceed two in number, from each missionary society of Baptists contributing at least 100 dollars per year to the work of the convention. Thus the nature of America’s first convention is established. It was established for the purpose of raising funds to support foreign missions.

Recall that in 1834 R.B.C. Howell and others established “The Tennessee Baptist Convention” and created the disturbance in the Salem Association. Nevertheless, this same man in December 1845 met in August, Georgia to form another convention. Again this was done apart from a church or association action. The formation of the convention was as follows: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that from and after the passage of this act, that William B. Johnson, Wilson Lumpkin, James B. Taylor, A Docrey, R.B.C. Howell and others, their associations and successors, be and they are hereby incorporated and made a body polity by the name and style of the Southern Baptist Convention. This action has upset the unity of Baptist churches from the year 1845 to the present age.

I have tried to present this history as close as I possibly can and leave my opinion out. I pray that the reading of these historical events will help some young Baptist of tomorrow understand the perpetuity of Plunkett’s Creek Missionary Baptist Church and what is meant by “like faith and order.” I pray also that this history will give them strength to stand strong, depending on the Savior, Jesus Christ, for leadership and guidance to preserve the old paths.

-- Jimmy Watson

According to some of the older members of the church, a flood entered the house of the church clerk and destroyed the early records, leaving very little of the first recorded history. Yet, we find that in her youth Plunkett’s Creek was about the Master’s business. Organized August 26, 1837, the first house of worship was soon erected on land donated by the first pastor and organizer, Elder John Harper, Sr.

The writer of this history was told by Deacon John L. Bass that the material of one early building still exists in a house on Kenny’s Bend Road. At that time, it was the home of Holland Gregory. Today, it is owned by Mike Meadows.

This house was torn down in 1903, when a new building was erected. It is said in the new building that Elder William B. Wooten preached the first sermon, prayed a prayer and lead the signing.

However, the next year on March 26, 2904, a wind storm disarranged the building on its foundation and guy wires had to be installed to hold the building stable, but it served for a soul saving station until January 14, 1934, when fire burned it down.

The present building was soon erected and the first sermon was preached on June 16, 1934. Since then, Sunday school rooms have been added along with restrooms, air conditioning, and other conveniences to give it today’s appearance.

Plunkett’ Creek ordained its first ministers Elder William David Suite: 1850, Elder John Harper, Jr.: April 1867, Elder William B. Wooten: April 23, 1869. There is no record from this date to January 13, 1947, when Elder J. Frank Carr was ordained of whom more will be said later.

Other ministers ordained were: Elder Ray McCall: October 31, 1954, Elder Joe Hershel Wilson: July 16, 1961, Elder Vernice Edward Dickerson, Jr.: October 22, 1978, Elder Jackie Smith Wilburn, I: February 25, 1984, Elder Barney C. Allison: January 18, 1986, the last minister ordained.

Plunkett’s Creek now celebrates 150 years and one of its minister’s worth of recognition is Elder J. Frank Carr, saved July 11, 1942, at Barnetts Camp Ground, baptized into Grant Missionary Baptist Church, July 16, 1942, by Elder Phocian Gibbs. He moved his membership to Plunkett’s Creek August 22, 1942. He owned to the call to preach on August 5, 1946. He was liberated to preach on October 26, 1947 and ordained on January 9, 1948.

A special service was held on the second Sunday of May 1950, setting him apart for missionary work in Japan. March 3, 1951, Bro. Carr was authorized to baptize converts into the fellowship of Plunkett’s Creek Church. He then left for Japan on April 16, 1951. Of the seven persons he baptized into fellowship of the church, one was Koji Tajima on September 2, 1952. The seven were constituted into the Yamaguichi Missionary Baptist Church in Yamaguichi, Japan. Today the church is pastured by Elder Koji Tajima.

Plunkett’s Creek church conference set the date for a 150 year anniversary service on August 2, 1987. By majority vote, the church asked Elder Koji Tajima to preach the 150 year anniversary sermon and that Elder J. Frank Carr be sent a special invitation for the day.