Churches of Madison County TN
Photo by Nancy Plummer Hoffer (Find-A-Grave) |
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Churches of Madison County TN
Photo by Nancy Plummer Hoffer (Find-A-Grave) |
 
Article by Tracie Simer from the Jackson Sun 8 January 2011 Photo done by Aaron Hardin of the Jackson Sun The Denmark Presbyterian Church has survived earthquakes, tornadoes and even the Civil War. But the building has deteriorated with time, and that is the main concern of Billy King and the Big Black Creek Historical Association. In 2008 the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and the association received a $161,000 Grant to restore the building. The chruch was built in the mid-1800's and played a role in the Battle of Britton Lane in the Civil War. This year is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, and Denmark Presbyterian Church, on Denmark - Jackson Road, is a location on the Tennessee Civil War Trails, an effort developed by the state tourism board. The grant money has been released and we had to take bids on the work." The only bidder asked more than we had grant money for, so we're going over the work, again for another bid." So far, he back wall of the church has been stabilized. The wall had separated and was standing at an angle, threatening the integrity of the building. It was a major problem in the beginning to get that done. The building is stable now; now our problem is vandalism. King said he has learned more about Denmark's and the church's history as the 150th anniversary of the Civil War approaches. On Sep. 1, 1862, cannons and gunfire cracked in the distance in the Battle of Britton Lane which church members attended Sunday morning services. Because of this, many people from this church saw and heard the battle. According to a timeline compiled by the Big Black Creek Historical Association, Britton Lane is four miles from Denmark and residents witnessed many aspects of the war. The one West Tennessee building with documentation concerning its use as a temporary prison is the Denmark Presbyterian Church in Madison County," according to the timeline. "The grounds of this building were used as a Confederate encampment area, and the upper portion of the building, one large room that served as a meeting place for the local Masonic lodge, was used to incarcerate a group of 87 Federal soldiers" after the battle. News of the town of Denmark's involvement in Confederate and Union military operations came to light just as the landmark anniversary of the Civil War approached.
King said two more phases of renovation are planned at the church. Next on the list is to replace the crumbling clapboard that lines the outer walls of the building. Once the walls and windows are completed, the interior can be redone and the original pews can be cleaned up. For now the Big Black Creek Historical Association is preparing for the Tennessee Civil War Trails and for a Smisonian exhibit hosted in Mercer.
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The bell in the churchyard and beside the Denmark Bresbyterian Church was erected shortly after the church was built in 1854. It was cast in North Carolina and is said to contain silver donated by the ladies of the church. In 1861 Rev. J.W. Gillespie preached to a group of young Confederate soldiers before they marched away to war. These young men were known as the "Denmark Danes." The bell tolled when the "Danes" marched away, and tolled when they came home. A story is told of a young Confederate soldier being chased by a group of Federals, who hid under the floor of the church. When darkness came he became thirsty and wanted to go to the tavern in town. Quietly the soldier sneaked out from under the church and hid in a thicket under the church bell. He had an idea to scare the Union soldier who were camped a few hundred yards away. Whe he thought everyone was asleep, he rang the bell, scared the horses into a stampeded, and then went to the tavern. The bell called the people of Denmark to worship for over a century. It also served as a fire alarm. On October 14, 1979, Denmark celebrated its sesquicentenial anniversary, and the bell tolled 150 times. Madison Newspaper clipping - no date |
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The Rev. J.W. Gillespie was its first minister. He served for 27 years. His salary was twelve hundred dollars a year. In 1861, he preached the "Going Away" sermon for the "Denmark Danes". After service, they were presented a flag made by the ladies of Denmark. With their captain, John Ingram, they marched to Jackson to become part of the Sixth Tennessee Regiment. A large Masonic Lodge was located in the upper story of the church. The Woodmen of the World Camp No. 193 also met here. The Civil War was very real to the citizens of Denmark. In the course of the war, both Union and Confederate forces occupied the town. The Masonic Hall served as a one night prison for 87 Federals who surrendered after the Battle of Britton Lane. One Sunday morning two young soldier occupied a pew with their sweethearts. When the Federal soldiers surrounded the church and searched the building the two soldiers escaped capture by hiding under the hoop skirts of the young ladies. There is a plaque on the end ofone of the church pews commemorating this event. The original pews are still in place, though the gates to each pew are gone. In 1983 the church was placed on the National Register. It is the first religious structure in Madison County to be approved for the register. Its architecture is unique and it is the oldest church in the Memphis Presbytery. The Denmark Presbyterian Church has many friends who want to preserve its heritage and to see it remains the landmark that it is. The Denmark Historical Society has the restoration of the church as one of its main objectives. Madison Newspaper clipping - no date |
