Brandon Chapel Methodist Church History

NOTE: This narrative was originally submitted by Jan Evans. The original site no longer seems to be available except via the wayback machine. I am including the information until I can locate a new link.

The old log church of Brandon's Chapel was established in about 1818. The lot on which the present church now stands was deeded to the trustees in 1885 by Mary Brandon, wife of Lemiel Brandon, deceased, in exchange for the old lot which was donated by her husband and on the Lemiel Brandon old farm about 1/4 of a mile above the old log church. This present lot consists of one acre of land. The trustees at that time were William T. Haslett, John A. Bruce, W.F. Bruce, N.C. Curry, Thomas Spencer, John Chapman, James W. Grammar and L. W. Brandon. The witnesses to this transaction were M.A. Burton and B. F. Downum. The deed was registered 7th day of August 1885 in book 3 on page 242.

The following year our present church was built, a frame structure 50 feet long by 30 feet wide. Rev. Samuel J. Shasteen was the pastor at the time, some of the logs were donated for the sills and old brother Shasteen helped haul them.

There was a beautiful grove of beech trees back of the church where dinner was spread and where people hitched their horses when they came to church.

The first organ we ever had in the church, Mrs. Willie Moorehead went to Nashville and bought it second handed. Mr. Will Grammer brought it back in his truck. Opal Moorehead was the 1st organist, later Eldon Huskey, Mrs. Ruby Waggoner, and our present day pianist, Miss Katherine Preston.

In 1930, Rev. J. T. Majors was o__ the charge and organized the Ladies Aide Society which has continued all these years.

The first Sunday School Superintendant that I can remember was Jimmie Chapman, others were Lawrence Waggoner, J. B. Moorehead, Mrs. O.L. Codie, Dewey Davis, Jess Sisk, Charles Damron then our present Supt. Jess Preston, Jr.

In 1951 while Robert R. Lewis was pastor, Charles Damron, Sunday School Supt., three Sunday School rooms were built across the back of the church. The carpenters were the York brothers. The first Sunday in October of that year after J. C. Sandusky became pastor and Mrs. O. L. Codie Supt, for the 2nd time, we had the dedication of the Sunday school rooms. Gas was installed in the new rooms that fall.

Here is a list of the pastors that have served this church:

Samuel J. Shasteen, Robert M. Haggard, George W. Blanton, H.B. McNeill, J. T. Baxter, B. F. Isom, R.B. Davidson, W.C. Tucker, J. E. Roberts, W.R. Wilson, C.F. Bell, G.W. Taylor, J.R. Reeves, F. L. Hawkins, J.E. Thomas, P.B. Freeman, B.F. Tipps, W.F. Burde---?, B.J. Rochelle, W.B. Cates, Lonnie Freem?, H.W. Ogelvie, J.T. Majors, R.D. Davis, Ivan Dubois, O.W. Jones, T.H. Yeargan, Girery Reed, Robert R. Lewis, and J.C. Sandusky.

Register of Marriages

(written in April 1955)

J.J. Massey to J.L. Grable - 13 Nov 1884 by J.F. Hughes
Ben Allen to M.J. Evans - 20 Nov 1884 by W.P. Haslett
??? Goosby to Molly Burton - 20 Sep 1885 by J.T. Bickley
Henry Weaver to Margret Evans - by W.P. Haslett
J.H. Waggoner to Amanda J. Grammer
Thomas Chapman to Nannie E. Haslett
John Golden to Susan Evans
Brian? Moorhead to Willie? Bruce - 19 Sep 1909 by W.C. Tucker
Will C. Moorhead to Mary E. Allen - 27 Dec 1903 by L.R. Massey
George Damron to Adah Bruce - 24 Sep 1920 by C.F. Bell
Lawrence Waggoner to Sallie Morris - 18 May 1916 by W.E. Couser

Brandon Chapel Methodist Church - Church Records

Note: Any data with a question mark beside it indicates illegibility in the original records and may not be interpreted correctly; spelling was typed as originally written. Data marked with "*" asterisk is typists’ note and was not a part of the original record.

A copy of the original church record book can be found in the Moore County Public Library, Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Member Name		When Received	Date of death	Additional Notes
Mary	Chapman	Sep 25, 1818	Aug, 1888	*death year might be 1885
John	Chapman	Sep 25, 1838	1904
William F.	Bruce	Feb 15, 1856	Apr 11, 1897	*death year might be 1896
Sarah	Bruce	Feb 15, 1856	1892
Mary	Brandon	Mar 15, 1846	Nov 19, 1885
Mary	Brasier		Dec 25, 1890
Elisabeth	Chapman	Aug 28, 1857	1895
Sarah	Currey	Aug 24, 1847	Mar 10, 1887
Margret	Evans	Aug 25, 1853	Oct. 8, 1915
John D.	Massey	Nov 14, 1872
Eliza J.	Massey	Aug 26, 1878
George A.	Jenkins
N.C.	Currey	Aug 28, 1870
Thomas J.	Spencer	Aug 28, 1870
Hannah	Spencer		1898
John A.	Bruce	Aug 27, 1873	1930
Mary P.	Bruce	Sept. 3, 1925
Amanda	Bailey		189?
Thomas J.	Harper
Mary	Huskey			*Oct 1, 1904
Loisa D.	Harper	Aug 20, 1875?
Nancy	Huskey
John	Huskey
J. P.	Branch
Emily	Branch
Mary C.	Welch
John	Welch
W. F.	Sanders
David	Evans		1905
Martha	Evans			joined the Camolites
J. H.	Brandon	Aug 18, 1879
J. E.	Brandon
A.G.H.	Brandon		1883
E. A.	Cobble
Sarah	Cobble		1887
Dock	Chambers
Sarrah	Chambers
Susan	Evans		1884	marr. to John Golden
Sarah	Evans
James	Branch
William	Branch
Viney	Branch	Sep 20, 1881
Sarah	Branch
L. W.	Brandon	Aug 24, 1882
Calley	Brandon	Aug 24, 1882	1894
Robert J.	Burton	Sep 18, 1881	Oct 10, 1889
A.M.J.	Allen	Sep 28, 1881		transfered to Lynchburg
Nannie E.	Haslett	Sep 28, 1881		married Thomas Chapman
William P.	Haslett	Sep 28, 1881		Jul. 13, 1919
B. F.	Downum	Aug 20, 1881
Nancy E.	Downum	Aug 20, 1881		transfered to Pleasant Hill
M. Ella	Evans	Aug 20, 1881		married to Sanders
J. C.	Evans	Aug 20, 1881
Thomas	Evans	Aug 20, 1881		Dec. 11, 1919
James M.	Grammer	Aug 20, 1881		trans. to Lynchburg, 1920
M. J.	Grammer	Aug 20, 1881
George A.	Grammer	Aug 20, 1881
M. J.	Evans	Aug 24, 1882
Margret D.	Evans	Dec 13, 1882
Iseick H.	Evans	Aug 24, 1882
Mollie	Burton	Sep 20, 1881		married to Goosby
M. A.	Burton	Sep 20, 1881
Daniel B.	Baker	Sep 20, 1881
Sarah Ann	Haslett	Aug 20 1875
Z. J.	Massey	Sep 20, 1881	1898
J. C.	Massey	Sep 20, 1881
J. T.	Massey	Sep 20, 1881
Sarah F.	McKinney	Sep 20, 1881
B. F.	Renfro	Sep 20, 1881	1885
Lucy	Swader	Aug 24, 1882
Harvey	Dameron	Aug 24, 1882	Jul. 20, 1885
Mary C.	Damron	Aug 24, 1882
Rutha	Dameron	Aug 24, 1882
M. E.	Damron	Aug 24, 1883
Marcillah	Baker	Sep 28, 1883
Joseph L.	Baker	Sep 28, 1883
Maribela C.	Morris	Sep 28, 1883
John T.	Simpson	Aug 20, 1882
Mary C.	Smith	Sep 28, 1883
Nancy R.	Wodward	Sep 20, 1882
A. J.	Branch	Aug 24, 1883
Joel	Branch	Aug 24, 1883
W. A.	Branch	Aug 24, 1883
J. L.	Burton	Aug 25, 1883
Bell B.	Chapman	Aug 24, 1883
Benjamin F.	Chapman	Aug 24, 1883
M. E.	Cobble	Aug 24, 1883
John	Evans	Aug 24, 1883
James C.	Evans	Aug 24, 1883
Brice R.	Golden	Aug 24, 1883
Mary F.	Grammer	Aug 25, 1883
James M.	Grammer	Aug 25, 1883
William F.	Grammer	Aug 25, 1883
James A.	Haslett	Aug 24, 1883
M. A.	Pierce	Aug 24, 1883
Jorden	Rose	Aug 24, 1883
Daniel R.	Sanders	Aug 24, 1883
Thomas S.	Sanders?	Aug 24, 1883
W. M.	Tipps	Aug 30, 1883
Elisabeth	Branch	Sep 5, 1884
W. or N. J.	Branch	Sep 5, 1884
Mollie J.	Chapman	Sep 5, 1884
Caldonia	Williams	Sep 5, 1884
Catherine J.	Bruce	Sep 5, 1884
Callie	Eliot	Sep 5, 1884
Priscilla Ann	Bruce	Sep 5, 1884
Commadore B.	Gattis	Sep 5, 1884
Eddie R.	Burton	Sep 5, 1884		transferred to Lynchburg
Jenney D.	Daster??	Sep 5, 1884
Sarah F.	Daster??	Sep 5, 1884
John R.	Massey	Sep 5, 1884
Sarah A.	Daster??	Sep 5, 1884		married to Branch
Sarah E.	Damron	Sep 5, 1884
Edna V.	Chapman	Sep 5, 1884	1941
Mary T.	Fox	Sep 14, 1884
Thomas A.	Daniel	Sep 14, 1884
Marilda A.	Daniel	Sep 14, 1884
George A.	Massey	Sep 14, 1884
Alec J.	Downum	Sep 14, 1884
John A.	Call	Sep 14, 1884
William	Goosby	Sep 14, 1884		trans to Pleasant Hill - 1893
Emma	Wadkins	Mar 14, 1885		married to John Evans
Elisabeth	Downum	Mar 14, 1885
J. W.	Downum	Mar 14, 1885
J. W.	Allen	Mar 14, 1885
L. C.	Harper	Apr 5, 1885
Ema	Harper	Apr 5, 1885
G. W.	Allen	Aug 19, 1885
S. H.	Allen	Aug 19, 1885
M. E.	Baker	Aug 19, 1885
M. J.	Ward	Aug 19, 1885	1897 or 1898
W. C.	Tucker	Aug 19, 1885
Fannie?	Tucker	Aug 19, 1885	1887
J. W.	McKinney	Aug 21 1885
S. T.	Damron	Aug 21, 1885
Mary J.	Ward	Aug 21, 1885		removed to Friendship
R. D.	Davis	Aug 21, 1885		trans to Marble Hill 3 Jan 1887
M. J.	Evans
W. T.	Harper	Dec 5
Ben	Allen	Mar 8, 1886	Jul 1887	committed suicide
M. J.	Allen	Mar 8, 1886
F. B.	McGeehee	Aug 18, 1886	Oct 5, 1887
Milley	Huskey	Aug 18, 1886
J. H.	Waggoner	Aug 18, 1886		transferred to Estill Springs
James B.	Allen	Jan 3, 1887
Elisabeth	Jinkins	Jul, 1884	Oct, 1886
Susan E.	Brandon	Feb 5, 1887
Sarah E.	Grammer	Jul 3, 1887		transferred to Pleasant Hill
Mrs. Jimmie	Massey	Oct 10, 1887
Luelleih?	Ward	Aug 8, 1888		(Pierce)
Almeda J.	Bruce	Aug 8, 1888		(Stewart)
SarahC	McGeehee	Aug 8, 1888
Mamie	Brandon	Aug 8, 1888		Sep 1891 married Andrews?
Cora M.	Brandon	Aug 20, 1888
Carl E.	Brandon	Aug 10, 1888
Shaw B	Brandon	Aug 10, 1888
Guy	Brandon	Aug 10, 1888
Lelah M.	Brandon	Aug 10, 1888
Sarah	Sanders	Aug 10, 1888
Mary P.	Tucker	Aug 11, 1888
Jessey J.	Tucker	Aug 11, 1888
Callie E.	Tucker	Aug 11, 1888
William F.	Burton	Aug 11, 1888	Jan 1901
Elisebeth	Winkler	Aug 11, 1888
Joel	Baker	Aug 11, 1888
J. W.	Burton	Aug 11, 1888	1929
Mary C.	Burton
Sarah P. E.	Burton			married John Huskey
Thomas	Allen	Dec 9, 1888
Margret	Tipps	Dec 9, 1888
James	Burton	Dec 9, 1888
Amanda	Burtler?	Dec 9, 1888
Jessie D.	Harper	Aug 8, 1889
Maggie?	McKinney	Aug 8, 1889
Callie	Burton	Aug 8, 1889
Mollie	Allen	Aug 8, 1889
James	Chapman	Aug 9, 1889	1934
Lu A.	Bruce	Aug 9, 1889		marr. Damron? if so, died 4 Feb 1926
Eveline	Haslett	Aug 9, 1889
Nannie	Harper	Aug 9, 1889
Fannie	Cavin	Aug 9, 1889
Willie or Wm.	Chapman	Aug 9, 1889
Jessie	Tucker	Aug 9, 1889
Monroe	Tucker	Aug 9, 1889
Ann	Tucker	Aug 9, 1889
Susan E.	Grammer	Sep 27, 1889	May 02, 1904
Jessie H.	Grammer	Sep 27, 1889
H. C.	Tucker	Sep 27, 1889
Mary C.	Gattis	Sep 27, 1889
Minnie	Brandon	Aug 10, 1890		married Hayes
John	Grammer	Sep 9, 1893
Josie	Grammer	Sep 9, 1893		married O.C. Neal 190_
Hula	Evans	Aug 10, 1892
B.	Grable	Sep 9, 1893
W. L.	Haslett	Sep 9, 1893
Liz	Haslett	Sep 9, 1893
A. or L. D.	Haslett	Sep 9, 1893
Charly	Haslett	Sep 9, 1893
W. H.	Grammer	Sep 9, 1893
James	Sawyers	Sep 9, 1893
Mattie E.	Sawyers	Sep 9, 1893	Oct 1934
Orrie M.	Simpson	Sep 9, 1893
Stanley A.	Evans	Sep 9, 1893
J. W.	??	Sep 9, 1893
J. J.	Ward	Sep 9, 1893
J. J.	Grammer	Sep 9, 1893
Mary A.	Chapman	Sep 9, 1893
W. C.	Sawyers	Sep 9, 1893
M. W.	Sawyers	Sep 9, 1893
M. M.	Williamson	Sep 9, 1893
Nancy B.	Grammer	Sep 9, 1893
Molley C.	Grammer	Sep 9, 1893		married Robert Massey
Lucy A.	Grammer	Sep 9, 1893		married Taylor?
William F.	Sanders	Oct 1, 1893
Benjamin F.	Renfro	Oct 1, 1893
M.C.	Renfro	Oct 1, 1893
William M.	Burton	Oct 1, 1893
Sallie E.	Chapman	Oct 1, 1893