Our FIrst Fifty Years
Knoxville Monthly Meeting of Friends was organized second fourth day of eleventh month, 1908 (November 11, 1908. The Bible School had been started October 4, 1908.
The following is taken from the minutes of the unofficial meetings held in an effort to organize a Monthly Meeting in Knoxville:
"For many years interested Friends have been praying, working and hopding to see a Friends Meeting established in Knoxville, Tennessee.
"At one time Calvin Jones and his wife, Rachel Jones, had a regular appointment here, where they preached to a company of Friends who were also conducting a Bible School here.
"At another time a minister by the name of Bateman made an unsuccessful effort to organize a Friends Meeting in Knoxville.
"On the 25th of 6th month in nineteen hundred and eight (1908) J. Waldo Woody arrived in Knoxville with credentials from and with the backing of the Evangelistic and Church Extension Board of Friends Five Years Meeting of America (this being the first work undertaken by said Board) and the similar Board of Wilmington Yearly Meeting, to make a month's investigation of the propriety of establishing a Friends Meeting in this city and an effort for the same. The Luttrell Street Methodist Episcopal Church was rented for a month, and at the end of that time the outlook was favorable for continuing the effort in Knoxville."
The Charter Members consisted of thirty-six Friends who came from the other Meetings within the Quarter and five who transferred from other denominations and were accepted into membership at the first Monthly Meeting and considered charter members. They were as follows: John L. Jones, who continues to hold his membership in this Meeting; Ada Brown Adams, Bonnie Mae Williams Daniel, Flora E. Mills Dinwiddie,
Margaret Brown French, Ruby E. Ratliff Jones, W. Oliver Kirkman, Lillie P. Pierce, James Dayton Williams, Lula G. Williams, who belong to churches of other denominations, and J. Waldo Woody, who is now working with Friends in North Carolina Yearly Meeting.
Those deceased: S. Huston Griffin, Richard L. Mills, Nathan Mills, Rachel J. Mills, Martha E. Mills, Phebe A. Mills, Jeanette Mills West, William N. Mills, Robert W. Pierce, Martha A. Mount, Mary E. Maupin, Marcus Ratliff, Hannah Adelaide Ratliff, Carl N. Ratliff, Jesse C. Ratliff, Francis J. Hackney, A. Thomas Hackney, Daniel M. Dyre, Isaac Brown, Eliza Brown, Ambrose Brown, Isaac B. Hammer, Isaac M. Jones, Anna Jones, Julia Kirkman, Israel Baker, Laura E. Baker, Elbert K. Cog-gins, Roberta Lee Mills, Annie Bassett.
One of the first actions after becoming a Monthly Meeting, and the appointment of Standing Committees, was the holding of a revival meeting in January, 1909, and conducted by Richard Newby and Eli Reece (N. C. Yearly Meeting). Another "first" in January, 1909, was the appointment of a committee to write Tennessee Legislature respectfully urging the Legislature to secure the passage of Statewide prohibitory laws at the session. of Legislature which was convening at the time of the January Monthly Meeting.
The old Luttrell Street M. E. Church property, where meetings had been held since. June, 1908, was purchased May, 1909. A part of the minute made at the time of the purchase of the property is: "The deed for our Church having just been spread upon our minutes, be it resolved by the members of Knoxville Friends Church in Monthly Meeting assembled that we hereby express our gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessing upon the planting and organizing of this church which has brought her thus far, and which we trust is an earnestness of His still greater blessing on this planting of His in the future."
A report of Sunday School Second Quarter, 1909: Officers
Classes 6
Total attendance 607
Average attendance 46 7/10
Total enrollment 70
Collection $17.52
"Our school is growing in spiritual interest as well as membership."
A Womans Missionary Society was organized in December, 1908, with a program each
month from the Lesson Study of the Advocate. Household goods were provided for a Girls Home the first Christmas by the Aid Society. From this beginning the ladies have accomplished very much through the years like doing all of their requirements in the way of the Four Funds, helping the mission fields by sending new and used clothing, making afghans, sending packages overseas through CARE, also helping at home and making it possible for some children to have the opportunity to attend the Quarterly Meeting Camp. They continue to meet regularly taking their programs from the Blueprints and Advocate, as well as participating in the yearly reading course.
The first annual report on State of Society showed much Spiritual life among the members, but felt all members had room for growth in Spiritual things, and for greater zeal in the cause of Christ.
Between the years 1915 and 1919 Minutes show meetings held for discussion of moving the church to another location. Once a committee was appointed to canvass the Park City neighborhood and report to the Meeting, with recommendations regarding the matter. Because of additional indebtedness a new location would incur, it seems, the church remained on Luttrell Street. Thus, on February 29, 1920, a special meeting was held with I". Lindley Jones, a former pastor, present to commemorate the freeing of the church indebtedness.
In October, 1,27, the Meeting moved to the present location. The property on Luttrell Street had been sold to Seventh Day Adventists, the building wrecked and rebuilt on the Washington Avenue property. It was here under the leadership of Nathan Pickett in 1929 and 1930 that the Meeting seemed to take on new life and show a new growth in membership. In 1931 the membership had grown to 121.
In September, 1935, a special meeting was held by H. L. Leasure and wife of Sabina, Ohio, which proved very helpful.
After a period of not having a pastor, Arthur Santmier was called to the Meeting, and the Meeting again took on new life. Some improvements were made to the Meetinghouse and after a long struggling period, the Meeting was freed from it indebtedness.
Through the years the young people and children had an evening meeting called Young Friends and Christian Endeavor. After a few years of not having a meeting, in November, 1953, the Friends Youth Fellowship was organized and to the present has been helping the youth of the Meeting to realize their responsibility of Service.
To begin the year of 1957 in a happy but sincere note a wedding took place according to the custom of Friends. "The Witnesses made comments that they felt the wedding met the approval according to the manner of Friends." The first wedding under the direction of the Monthly Meeting was a home wedding in 1938.
In the Meeting of fifth month, eighth, 1957, the Nominating Committee presented a different report, for the Standing Committees had been made into five Boards. This was accomplished successfully under the direction of the pastor, John A. Fletcher.
The following Ministers served Knoxville Monthly Meeting two years or more: J. Waldo Woody, I. Lindley Jones, Arthur J. Haldy, Lydia M. Hoath, John E. Snavely, Nathan Pickett, Arthur E. Santmier, John C. Trivette and John A. Fletcher.
Others who served shorter periods were: I. N. Stanley, I. Mack Jones, Erna Nixon, Philip Mayer, Phil Griffin, Jack Kelly, Ruth Stowe, Bimmie Dunsmore, C. Wayne Carter, C. L. Dodson, Jr. and Harvey Sproul.
H. Millard Jones, Robert M. Jones and I. Mack Jones have been recorded Ministers in Knoxville Meeting showing that although the Meeting has always been small and struggling, seed of His Kingdom were sown and grew in fertile soil.