Thyatira Presbyterian Church, Cemetery, & Manse

Date: Before 1750
Location: Mill Bridge, Rowan, North Carolina, United States
Surnames/tags: Rowan_County North_Carolina

Contents 1 General Information 2 History 2.1 Building 2.2 Early Ministers 3 Cemetery 4 Notable Monuments 5 Notable Interments 6 More Information

General Information

Cemetery name: Thyatira Presbyterian Church Cemetery

Address: 220 White Rd, Salisbury, NC 28147

GPS Coordinates: 35.65063, -80.63710

Thyatira Presbyterian Church, Cemetery, & Manse is a historic church located in the Mill Bridge community in Western Rowan County, North Carolina. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on 17 February 1984.

History

Thyatira Presbyterian Church was organized before 1750. Land grants were made in the area in 1747 & the meeting house that later became Thyatira was established shortly after. It was first known as Lower Meeting House from its founding until about 1753.

In 1753, twelve acres of land were deeded by John & Naomi Lynn to the congregation of Lower Meeting House on 17 January. Twelve more acres "on James Cathey's north line" were deeded to the same congregation the next day. It was after this time that the church became known as Cathey's Meeting House.

In 1764, two visiting Presbyterian ministers, Elihu Spencer & Alexander, carefully selected the name "Thyatira." To demonstrate their knowledge of the Scriptures & leave a reminder to the congregation.

The name Thyatira is mentioned in the Bible; in Acts 16:14 & Revelation 1:11 & 2:18-29. One of the seven churches of Asia, this early church had a record of faith, love, & endurance. Until Jezebel, an evil temptress, led many of the townspeople into disbelief and immorality, & some of the congregation followed their example.

Thyatira Presbyterian Church was served by itinerant ministers until 2 Aug 1777, when the Rev. Dr. Samuel Eusebius McCorkle became the church's first installed minister.

In 1805, near the end of Rev. McCorkle's pastorate, there was a split in the congregation of Thyatira. Between the revivalists & non-revivalists. A revival was sweeping through the area with people shouting, dancing, barking like dogs, swooning and having the "jerks." Some of the congregation of Thyatira believed it was a true manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Others–including Rev. McCorkle–did not.

The revivalists felt so strongly that 20 to 30 families–including 5 Elders–left Thyatira & formed Back Creek Presbyterian Church on 6 September 1805 just a few miles away. The only Elder still loyal to Thyatira was Capt. Thomas Cowan.

There could have possibly been a post office near Thyatira Presbyterian Church opened on 23 May 1825 with James W. Ramsay first postmaster. According to the Rowan County, NC Post Offices - 1785 to 1971 list on Carolana.com, there was a post office called "Thyatin" somewhere in Rowan County. Journals from the North Carolina Postal History Society show this place spelled "Thyalira." Both have no record of where exactly this post office was in the county. Since the name is so similar to Thyatira, it very possibly could have been somewhere near Thyatira Presbyterian Church & likely named after the church. The "Thyatin/Thyalira" Post Office closed well before 1830; possibly 1828.

Building

There have been 4 houses of worship for the congregation now known as Thyatira. The first was a log structure built when the church was established & located about a 100 yards west of a marker in the cemetery which marks the location of the 3rd building.

The second building–also a log structure–was built at the same site as the first building sometime before Rev. McCorkle was appointed.

The third building, a very large A frame structure, was built during the pastorate of Rev. McCorkle & located in the lower part of the church cemetery. The site of which is marked by a marker which names the ministers who preached at the 3rd building. This building also included galleries on three sides; with one being used for the slaves. It also contained a high pulpit that was reached by a winding staircase & an ornamental sounding board was located behind the minister's head.

The fourth & current sanctuary was built of bricks between 1858 & 1860; being completed in 1860 & renovated in 1864.

Early Ministers

The following is a list of ministers who preached at the 3rd building. The names & dates of their pastorates can be found on a marker located in the lower part of the church cemetery.

• Rev. Dr. Samuel E. McCorkle – 1777-1805
• Rev. John Brown – 1807-1809
• Rev. John Carrigan – 1814-1822
• Rev. James Stafford – 1822-1830
• Rev. Elijah Morrison – 1831-1832
• Rev. Thomas Espy – 1832-1833
• Rev. P. J. Sparrow – 1833-1834
• Rev. James D. Hall – 1835-1846
• Rev. Stephen Frontis – 1846-1851
• Rev. Robert Agnew – 1852-1854
• Rev. S. C. Alexander – 1854-1858

Cemetery

Thyatira Presbyterian Church Cemetery contains over 900 graves. The oldest surviving stone is that of John Nisbet (1705-1755). There are also many notable graves located throughout the cemetery.

Notable Monuments

The most notable monument in Thyatira Prebyterian Church Cemetery is located in the lower (or old) part of the cemetery: the "Four Houses of Worship" marker. On one side, the monument tells some of the history of the buildings of Thyatira & on the opposite side, it lists the 11 ministers that served at the 3rd church building.

Notable Interments

There are many notable interments in Thyatira Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Included in these are early settlers, the ancestors of a president, 2 relatives of a vice president, a Civil war surgeon, a U.S. Congressman, numerous Revolution Patriots & soldiers from all wars from the French & Indian War to the present are interred in the cemetery. Some of the more notable graves include:

• John Nisbet (1705-1755) - oldest surviving gravestone

• Thomas & Naomi Gillespie - first settlers in the area around where Thyatira now stands. Both died on the same day & were buried in the same grave & in the same coffin

• John & Jean Gracy Knox - great grandparents of Pres. James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States

• Capt. Thomas & Mary Barkley Cowan - 2nd great grandaunt & uncle of Vice Pres. Alben W. Barkley. Thomas was a captain in the American Revolution. Their home, Wood Grove, still stands nearby. Treed a bear in about 1775 which inspired the name of the nearby community Bear Poplar

• Elizabeth Maxwell Steele (abt.1733-1790) - owner of Salisbury Tavern & patriot in the American Revolutionary War. Gave 2 bags of gold & silver to Gen. Nathanael Greene for the war effort saying, "Take these General. You need them & I can do without them." Mother of 1st U.S. Treasury comptroller, John Steele, & mother-in-law of Rev. Samuel McCorkle

• Rev. Dr. Samuel E. McCorkle (1746-1811) - Princeton graduate (1772) & first installed minister of Thyatira. Established Zion Parnassus Academy & was a founder of the Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

• Col. Francis Locke (1722-1796) - Revolutionary War hero; Battle of Ramseur's Mill

• Sen. Francis Locke, Jr. (1766-1823) - U.S. Senator from North Carolina (1814-1815) & NC Superior Court Equity Judge (1803-1813)

• Gen. Matthew Locke (1730-1801) - commander of Salisbury District in Revolutionary War & U.S. Congressman. Member of NC Assembly to adopt the Constitution. Elected to two terms in Congress

• John Brandon (1691-1756) - settler; 1st Rep. elected to the Colonial Assembly from Rowan County in 1754

• Dr. F. N. Luckey (1823-1878) - Civil War surgeon, NC Legislator

• "Pirate" graves - four stones marking 4 graves with no names or dates inscribed on them. Three have skulls & crossbones carved in them, the fourth has only crossbones. Tradition says they are the graves of pirates.

More Information

• See the Thyatira Presbyterian Church Cemetery category for those buried there

• Thyatira Presbyterian Church Cemetery on Find a Grave

• Thyatira Presbyterian Church website

• Thyatira Presbyterian Church, Rowan County, North Carolina, 1753-1948 by Walter L. Lingle

• Thyatira Presbyterian Church on Wikipedia