Some Historical References:

The Wells Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church is located about one and one-half miles southeast of Erin, Tennessee, on Wells Creek, of Houston County.

The first session book of the church as been destroyed. The oldest available minutes of the session were dated May 16, 1871. Therefore, this history has been written from a limited number of sources.

The Wells Creek Church maintains a half-time program.

"Before the erection of churches and schoolhouses meetings were held regularly each Sabbath day at one of the houses of the different settlers, one of whom would conduct the services. The leading denominations then, as now, were the Methodist, Episcopalians, Cumberland Presbyterians and Baptist, each ranking in age in the order given, and while having neither church building nor ministers, those denominations held their meetings as above mentioned as early as 1798, 1799, and 1800. Probably the first regular sermon preached in the county by a regularly ordained minister, at which a collection was taken up, was in the year 1812. The services on that occasion were held in a log house, which stood on what is now the Brigham farm, near Erin, and were conducted by the Robert McGill, a circuit rider."[source: History of Tennessee. Nashville: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1886, p. 996]

It has been impossible to find any information on the organization of the Wells Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church. However, the church joined Cumberland Presbytery on the first Tuesday in April, 1812. [source: Minutes of Cumberland Presbytery, April 1812]

First building. In 1830, a log building was built by the Wells Creek church and the Masonic Lodge (No. 300). This was a two story building. The church used the main floor of the building, and the masons met in the upper story. This building was erected on the old Dover and Charlotte Road on Wells Creek, about one and one-half miles southeast of Erin, Tennessee. It has not been determined how long this building stood. [source: Personal interview with Walter Sugg on July 9, 1955]

Second building. On December 27, 1884, the session voted to build a new church on the same site of the first building. A building committee was appointed consisting of R. C. Rushing, O. S. Uffelman, W. H. Griffin, R. A. McAnlay, Sallie Pollard, Rutha McAnlay, and J. A. Allison. R. C. Rushing laid the foundation for the church. The lumber was purchased from C. E. McAnlay, an elder of the Erin church. On September 25, 1886, the session appointed C. E. McAnlay, D. N. McAnlay and O. S. Uffelman as a committee to superintend the building of the new church. [source: Minutes of the Session of the Wells Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Book I]

A thirty by forty-five foot, one room framed building was completed in 1887. Many improvements have been made on the building since it was built. It was remodeled in 1952, and in 1953 as gas heating system was installed. [source: Personal interview with Walter Sugg on July 9, 1955]

"Along until the twenties the schoolhouses were used, as a rule, as a place for holding religious services, but in 1830 a church was erected at the Cumberland Presbyterian camp-ground. This camp-ground was located on Wells Creek, about one and one-half miles southeast of the town of Erin, and was known for years as the Wells Creek Camp-ground. This was a great place during the thirties, forties, and fifties for holding protracted meetings, and during these meetings people would flock thither for miles and miles. In fact the camp-ground became, and is at the present time, noted as a place of worship throughout the entire State of Tennessee and portions of Kentucky. Meetings are held there regularly during the month of September each year. [source: History of Tennessee. Nashville: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1886, pages 996-997.]

The following ministers have served the Wells Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church: A. J. Parish, May, 1871-March, 1877; Albert M. Taylor, March, 1877-March 1883; J. A. Allison, April 1883-April 1893; J. L. Stockard, October, 1893-October, 1894; J. D. Pierce, October, 1894-October, 1896; W. C. Carter, February, 1897-1900; R. H. Craig, 1901-1903; R. P. Smith, 1905; S. A. Sadler, 1907; H. H. Binkley, 1908; W. A. Blades, 1909; A. H. Sykes, 1910; W. N. Woodson, 1911; A. W. Clinard, 1912; M. C. Powers, October, 1913-March, 1915; G. E. Danley, March, 1916-March 1919; A. L. Thomas, March, 1919-January 1924; E. M. Neighbors, April, 1924-January, 1928; G. E. Danley, October, 1929-September, 1930; A. L. Thomas, December, 1930-April, 1940; Carl F. Davis, April, 1940-July, 1950; L. N. Garner, October, 1950-September, 1951; Bob Ezell, October, 1952-September, 1954; and J. J. Douglas since January, 1955. [source: Minutes of the Session of the Wells Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Books II-IV.]

It has not been determined when Wells Creek left Cumberland Presbytery and joined Charlotte Presbytery. However, it was a member of Charlotte Presbytery as early as 1879. [source: Minutes of the Session of the Wells Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church Book II.] Charlotte Presbytery met with the Wells Creek congregation on the following dates: March 7, 1879; September 1883; May, 1890, and April, 1894.

In 1899, the Wells Creek church became a part of Clarksville Presbytery. [source: Minutes of the Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, October 17-20, 1899, pages 47-48]. Since that time, Clarksville Presbytery has met with the Wells Creek congregation on the following dates: September 20, 1904; September 28-29, 1926; September 25-26, 1934; and September 30, 1947.
[Source: Ollie Newsome Harvey. "A History of the Existing Churches of Clarksville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church." B.D. Thesis. Cumberland Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1956, pages 153-157]

1812
April 9, 1812
New organized societies now added under the care of Presbytery: New Hope, in Christian county; Liberty, Spring Creek, Well's Creek, White Oak, Red River, and Fountain Head.
[Source: Minutes of Cumberland Presbytery, April 7-9, 1812]

1813
August 31, 1813
Redriver meeting house in Logan County, Kentucky - Logan Presbytery
Representative - Daniel Buchannon - from Wells Creek and White Oak
[Source: Minutes of Logan Presbytery]

1814
March 8, 1814
Lebanon, Christian County, Kentucky - Logan Presbytery
Representative - John McCloud - from Well's Creek, Whiteoak and Yellow Creek
[Source: Minutes of Logan Presbytery]

1814
October 4, 1814
Mount Pleasant in Montgomery County, Tennessee - Logan Presbytery
Representative - James Neel - from Whiteoak and Wells's Creek
[Source: Minutes of Logan Presbytery]

1818
April 7, 1818
Lebanon Academy in Christian County, Kentucky - Logan Presbytery
Representative - Anderson Dunlap - from White Oak, Richland and Well's Creek
[Source: Minutes of Logan Presbytery]

1850
October 26-27, 1850
Charlotte, Dickson County, Tennessee - Charlotte Presbytery
Representative - George Slaughter - from Wells' Creek
[Source: "Extracts of the Minutes of the Charlotte Presbytery," The Banner of Peace and Cumberland Presbyterian
Advocate, December 27, 1850, page 1]