Reflections

Jumper’s Chapel Named For Early Methodist Minister

By Charles Cooper

Hello everyone, hope you’re having a good week. As you all know I don’t write about politics but I do write about taking the positive approach to situations instead of the negative.  All I hear these days is gloom and doom instead of talking about the greatness of this country that has made it the envy of the world. I get so tired of hearing remarks such as  “if Ford and GM made the kind of cars people wanted, they wouldn’t be in this shape. “I’ve owned many Ford and GM cars and at least two I can think of got over two hundred and seventy-five thousand miles with only routine maintenance.  As far as I can see, that’s a pretty good reason for buying their products.  As Forrest Gump said, “that’s all I have to say about that.”  

I got such positive feedback from the Boyd Street columns that I decided to write about the Jumper’s Chapel community. In May of 1885 two Congregational Methodist ministers, A. B. Fly and W. G. Jumper, my great grand-father, met and organized a church in the Springdale community. The first building was a cotton house and Nannie Badley showed me where it once stood.  

The church was named for Great Grand-Pa as he was the oldest member and became the first pastor.  The Billy Goodwin family, the Hilliard Hunter family, and Nannie and her brother, Elijah Haddox were charter members.  

It outgrew the cotton house and a small church was built and used for several years,  Not long into the twentieth century it was apparent that more members lived away form Springdale and it was moved again to its present location on the Delay road. The land was donated by Jim Lovelady who lived nearby and many years later he donated the adjoining land for the cemetery and he was the first person buried there.  The families that comprised the congregation were: The Calvin McMinn family, Clyde McMinn family, Den-nis McMinn family, Harvest French family, George Bynum family, Frank Upchurch family, Hamp Upchurch family, Garfield Moore family, Felix Bagguley family, Lonnie Pass family,

Charlie Goodwin family, Alma Blaker family, Robert Ward family, Norman Cooper family, Elijah Badley family, and the Jim Lovelady family.  An interesting side note: The Ward family, Norman Cooper, and Garfield Moore were not members.  The Ward family was from Palestine church, Garfield Moore was a Baptist and my dad was a  Presbyterian, yet they attended regularly and supported the church in every way. There were no Sunday School rooms so they divided into groups in different areas of the church.  My first Sunday school teacher was Miss Fern Ward who also taught in the Water Valley schools for many years. As it was with the Boyd Street story, it will take additional columns to cover this historic church.  I already see that I failed to mention several other families so expect them in future columns.  Let me hear from you at my email address chafrlescooper3616@sbcglobal.net or write me at P.O. Box 613189 Memphis, Tn 38101 and have a great week