Shiloh Community Church, the forerunner of Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, was probably the earliest church of any denomination in the old 17th District of Madison County, Tenn. William Latham was from near New Friendship Church, and is an ancestor of the Ace H. Latham family that lived at Big Springs in the 1920's, grandparents of Janice Threadgill Watlington. Pauldin (Paulin) Anderson, who came to West Tennessee after 1838, lived south of Big Springs where a Methodist Church was located in 1877 near Sauls Mound. He was father of America T. Anderson who married Ralph Daniel and Mary Jane Anderson who married Frank W. Watlington. Yet they were among the organizers or early members of Shiloh Community Church about three miles away.
This bit of history of the early church known as the Mt. Pleasant M. E. Church is written in honor of the memory of the pioneers who built the first community church in 1823. It is also to honor the memory of Mr. Malcolm Russell who, the first year after his return from the war in 1865 held a song service at the church, and requested that the last Sunday in June be set aside for an all day of singing of the old gospel songs they loved so dearly. It has been observed up to the present time, with the exception of one or two times, then because of rain.
My grandfather, Edmund Scarborough, came to that part of Tennessee and ``squatted'' on land near the place where the church now stands. He lived there a year before he built a home about three miles away, and it was during that first year that he, with William Latham, William Collier, Keyton Jones, Paulin Anderson, Battle Robertson, George Mack Russell (father of Malcolm Russell), James Bain, Dr. Nathan Haltom, and Thomas Ward built the first church known as Shiloh Community Church.
The church was built of lumber sawed with a whip saw, had a dirt floor and the seats were made of logs split in half, with legs set at ends. These seats did not have seat backs. My first recollection of going to that church was at night with my father. The church was lighted with tallow candles brought by members and placed in wooden holders, which hung on the wall.
My father (the late C. R. Scarborough) was recording secretary
of the church from 1870 to 1896. The first quarterly conference was
held at Pinson, February 12, 1870. The second one was held at Mt.
Pleasant April 30, 1870 with fourteen members present. A yearly
assessment of $25.00 was drawn up. We have the book of minutes in
my possession and at my death, this book is to be given to Mrs.
Florence Harris Scott.
I am the only person now living who attended the
church service the day the Battle of Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862) was fought.
I went with
Lou Wilson, daughter of Mr. Hugh Wilson, who later gave the land where
the church now stands. We could hear the roaring of the cannons
,
but we didn't know where it was at the time and we were frightened.
Early Monday morning my father started on horseback to go as far as he
could to see what had taken place, and heard of the battle being
fought, and some time later, he learned that he had lost a brother in
that battle.
It was my very great pleasure to have known intimately most all of the older members of the families whose bodies are buried in the cemetery. My grandfather, my parents and many members of my family are buried in the cemetery there, but my body will rest by the side of my husband in Hollywood Cemetery, Jackson.
I have looked forward to attending another June singing (as it has always been called). I have gone so many times in the past, and enjoyed it very much, but I may not have that pleasure again, because my health is not very good. I am in my 95th year. I have so much to be thankful for. My mind is still very clear, eyesight good, and I am very heppy when I think of all the dear good people up there that I have known so long, and have loved so dearly. I could call all by name, but there are too many, but to one and all I still think of you , as if I should not see you here, I'm looking forward to the time when I will see you again, and where no good byes are said. Ask Mr. P. Talbott to sing Mr. Malcolm Russell's favorite song, ``In the Morning.''
-- Mrs. Mary Scarborough Wheeler
Read by Mrs. Florence Harris Scott to those
assembled for the ``June Singing,'' 1954