1816-1853

In Rufus P. Wells History of the Joneborough Presbyterian Church, he states: 

"III.     The building now used as a Female Academy. [April 1853]  It was erected in haste for the meeting of the Synod of Tennessee in October 1831.  The town gave a lot, now owned by Dr. Joseph S. Rhea.  This was exchanged with Adam Garnes for the present site. John Dameron did the brick work; Samuel A. Lyle, the plastering; John Patton and Thomas Mercer, the Carpenter’s work; and Jesse Thompson made the pews and built the enclosure, the last of which was completed in 1836."

"In addition to the inconvenient size of the old church, its walls were badly cracked, and it was thought unsafe as a place of worship. Accordingly it was resolved to build a new house.  This was done with the utmost haste that it might be ready for the meeting of the synod of Tenn. The 12th of Oct. 1831. Some of the pews, and the yard fence were not entirely finished till some time in 1836.  A lot of ground had been given by the Town for a building site on the opposite side of the way, but by an exchange with Mr. Adam Garnes the present beautiful location i.e. of the second church, the present female Academy was obtained.  The plan of having few seats, and of families setting promiscuously in the congregation, the gentlemen on one side of the house, and the ladies on the other, was adopted during the sixteen years, which that house was used.  The result was that much disorder was always in the congregation, rude young persons being under less restraint than when occupying the same seat with their parents and older persons."

"On the 2nd of April 1840 at a meeting of Holston Presbytery in this place, the name of Hebron was laid aside, and from that time it has taken the name of Jonesborough Presbyterian Church."

"The history of this house of worship, is briefly this.  There was a bell suspended close to the end of the old second house in a frame, which by its bowing posture, because an eye sore and a source of terror to the passers by.  This suggested the idea of a cupola or steeple for the bell.  On examination it was found that the walls of the house were much cracked, and that a steeple surmounting such a low front would be exceedingly awkward, and out of proportion.  Various plans were then thought of; one was to raise the walls higher, another was to turn the front around and build higher; and another was to build entirely new; At last it was determined to let the old house stand for a Female Academy, and to seek a new location.  To leave a house so well shaded as the old one is, and there being also many pleasant associations connected with it, was thought to be too great a trial.  But the place being not of easy access during the winter, and there being a prospect of having a house more centrally situated , the majority of the congregation were in favor of a change of location, and the present site was fixed upon."  

"History and Cost of the new Church Ediface - The old Church building – now used as a Female Academy – was, in its day, a fine House of Worship compared with other churches in this end of the State.  Some improvements in the style of Church Buildings had taken place at Rogersville and the small, but chaste and tasteful Presbyterian Church recently built at Kingsport, began, in this country, to awaken public attention to the propriety of departing from the old custom, in East Tennessee, of building the Churches out of town to accommodate the country people with a place to hitch their horses, and of making such Houses more near, convenient and attractive."

"Our Church was built at such a respectable distance out of town as to deter wet weather Christians from going out in cloudy weather and, absolutely, to prevent all but the boldest from risking their necks by going to night meetings, except in “dry times,” or on moonlight nights or Sacramental occasions.  It was dimly lighted by misty lamps, made of tin in accordance with an “odd-come-short” Patent, and, at night, was generally filled with smoke, redolent of grease!  The small Church Bell was suspended upon a frame “somewhat resembling a gallows, standing at an angle of about 45°,” and conspicuously fronting the town.  When rung, the bell creaked, or shrieked upon its hinges in such a manner as to shock the nerves of the delicate and, generally to excite the visibility of the “young Republicans” of the Congregation.  Some of the Church members, whose names are not now recollected, became ashamed of the manner in which the bell was suspended and proposed to build a vestibule and spire in front of the Church.  A subscription paper was started, which is now lost or mislaid, and about three hundred dollars subscribed for that purpose.  On the 30th April 1846, John F. Deaderick, Wm K. Blair and Wm R. Sevier, the Commission named in the Subscription paper, made a contract with Wm. M. Fleming, for the erection of the spire.  This led other members of the Church to reflect on the subject and, on the 2 June 1846, a subscription paper was started for the purpose of removing the roof from the old building & of elevating it so as to construct a gallery.  This design to alter the building created some opposition.  The sum of One thousand dollars was subscribed as follows.  Thos. A.R. Nelson, Seth J.W. Lucky & R.L. Blair & Brothers $200 each; C.W. Meek $20; John P. Chester for burial grounds $30, John Yancey $30, and J.F. Deaderick and E. Embree each $100.  On further consultation and reflection, it was believed that the addition of a new brick story to the house would not add much to its appearance, and that the building could be taken down and a new one erected on the same site, for a comparatively small additional expense; and a new subscription paper was started for this purpose, to which most of the person above mentioned subscribed twice as much as their original subscriptions.  This project excited considerable opposition and a vote was finally taken in the Church to obtain the consent of the Church members.  Several persons voted against allowing the alteration and the subscribers were on the point of abandoning the enterprise.  Propositions of compromise were made.  The project of erecting a new building in the center of town was then started: to which great opposition was made at first.  Differences of opinion arose as to the lot upon which it should be built, but it was finally settled, by the vote of a large majority of the Church members, that the subscribers to the new house should be permitted to exchange the old house and lot for more central lot and that they should be permitted to carry out their wishes."

In 1854, Odd Fellows Lodge No. 40 erected an elaborate two-story addition to the 1831 one-story church building.  An early photograph and a sketch show the one-story building that was erected in 1831 behind the two-story additions.  See below.  These currently are the only known depictions of the original 1831 on-story church building.  Later photographs show the school with a two-story hall to the rear