FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

Page 1 of 9

Memories of the Corinth Baptist Church By Josetta Griffith, editor From interview of Walter Owens

The Corinth United Baptist Church at Smoky Junction was the cornerstone of the lives of Walter

Owens and Pearl Cross. They both were born in 1921 and grew up in the church that their

parents also grew up in and had given of time and property to see it prosper in service to the

Lord.

The first church in 1887 was located in a small building on a hill above what was then the county

road on Shoal Creek.

Between 1908 and 1910, a new Corinth United Baptist Church was built on property owned by

John Thomas Anderson near Hembree’s Store. When this building became old and dangerous the

members searched for a place to build a new church building.

Figure 1: Enmon & Kizzie Owens donated the property and two-story building to the Corinth United Baptist Church at Smoky Junction.

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

Page 2 of 9

Walter Owen’s parents, Enmon and Kizzie Owens, donated a lot

with a two-story building for the new church. This is located on

the left prong of the Y where Hembree’s Store is at Smokey

Junction. This road leads to Beech Fork in Campbell County.

The structure was unusual for a church in that it was two stories.

The first floor was the church sanctuary. The second floor was

used by the Junior Order of the United American Mechanics, an

organization with similar values and principles as Masons, VFW,

and Moose Clubs. Also, the ladies of the church used a section of

the second floor as a work room for such projects as would help

the American Red Cross in war time and community assistance

projects.

The Riverview Cemetery is located between the church and New

River.

The kids who went to school together also attended church

together. As they married and had children, the church member-

ship flourished.

In 1937, the year that Pearl and Walter Owens turned 16, they

were married. That same year, Walter was baptized and became

a member of the Corinth United Baptist Church. Pearl became a member the year before. This

proved to be the cornerstone of their 70-year (and counting) marriage.

For the next few years the church continued to prosper, but when

members began to leave Smokey Junction in search of jobs in

Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, the membership began to dwindle.

It could have been that some of the remaining members left

Corinth Church to join churches that were organized under a

Covenant different from Corinth. For whatever reason, the

Corinth Church struggled to regain the prosperous times it has

previously enjoyed.

In 1987 services discontinued at Corinth Church. For the

following eleven years, Walter paid the electric bill and

continued to mow the grass around the church building.

Vandalism was taking a toll on the building. Stones were thrown

through windows and the building was deteriorating.

Members of the Owens and Cross families began dismantling the

building and salvaging the church furniture, record books, church

bell, wall hangings, fixtures, Eucharist service items and foot

washing sacrament bowls.

Figure 3: Enmon, Kizzie, Walter and Marie Owens. Enmon and Kizzie donated the church building and property for the last site of the Corinth United Baptist Church.

Figure 2: Walter & Pearl Owens (1937)

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

Page 3 of 9

The land on which the church stood reverted to Walter Owens who had in time passed purchased

it from his father Enmon Owens.

The church memorabilia are safely housed in a special “museum” on the property of Joyce and

Larry Owens (Walter and Pearl’s son). Each year during the Labor Day Weekend Owens/Cross

Homecoming at Larry Owens farm, the museum displays are open for viewing.

Remembering the good old days of fellowship and worship at the Corinth United Baptist Church

brings joy to the heart and sometimes a tear to the eye for Walter and Pearl Owens.

Walter and Pearl moved south of Oneida to High

Point in 1960 and after attending several churches

in search of the right one for them, they joined the

High Point United Baptist Church and have been

members ever since.

This year (2007) marks the 70th wedding

anniversary for Walter and Pearl and tribute was

paid to them by a large gathering of friends and

family during festivities at the Labor Day

homecoming at the Larry Owens farm.

The union of Pearl and Walter produced five

children- Jimmy, Marilyn, Bobby, Larry and

Harry. Jimmy and Marva Owens have three

children: Carla, Charlotte and Jimmy, Jr. Marilyn

Owens Chadwick (deceased) had two children:

Christina and Tim. Bobby and Charlene Owens

have a son Tony. Larry and Joyce Owens have

two sons: Vince and Mat. Harry Owens has three

children, Jeff, Scotty and Stephanie.

Figure 4: MARTHA ADKINS, one of the charter members of the Corinth United Baptist Church in Smoky Junction, Tennessee, holds her Bible, while a man believed to be her husband displays a snake.

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

Page 4 of 9

Figure 5: Delmon and Talitha Owens at the pew inside Corinth United Baptish Chruch in Smoky Junction where Talitha sat for every service.

Figure 6: A church fan from the days before Cornith United Baptist Church installed electric ceiling fans.

Figure 7: Dilmon Owens, father of Odis Owens, at the pulpit with Bible in hand at the Cornith United Baptist Church.

Figure 8: Among the relics saved when the Corinth Church closed were two of the “foot washing” basins. Also pictured is the silver communion tray used for the Lord’s Supper at the church.

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

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Figure 9: Benny, Florence and Denny Owens on church steps of Corinth Church after the funeral of husband and father Clifton Jay Owens. This is believed to be the last funeral held at the church.

Figure 10: A Corinth Church Baptism Service. Pictured are Ike Phillips, Georgia Lowe, Gussie Lowe, Alfred Burress and Walter Owens.

Figure 11: Kizzie and Enmon Owens.

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

Page 6 of 9

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

Page 7 of 9

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

Page 8 of 9

Figure 12: Front and back views of one of the few surviving “Card Class” cards used in Sunday School at Corinth United Baptist Church.

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 19, No. 2 Winter 2008

First National Bank (pages 1, 3)

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

Page 9 of 9

Figure 13: A Sunday School “Card Class” keepsake belonging to Odis Owens.