Reflections

Historic Jumper’s Chapel Still Going Strong Today

By Charles Cooper

Hello everyone. I hope you are having a good week.  As you know I’m always asking for your input and this week two people responded.  Jim Allen gave me the story of how Boyd Street got its name.  In 1861 Columbus Cincinnati Boyd enlisted in the Confederate Army in Oxford.  He was in several major battles and was wounded twice, once seriously.  

After he was discharged he settled in Water Valley and married a local young lady.  He became a real estate agent and from all accounts he was well to do. He owned land where Boyd Street is now and when the street was constructed, it was named in his honor. If you have a Yalobusha County History there is a picture of him on the front row.  Several of the old men were unnamed but I was able to pick out my great grandfather Bill Jumper and great grandfather Jim Spears.  Mr. and Mrs. Boyd are buried in Oak Hill.  I also received from Phyllis Goodwin a copy of the Jumper’s Chapel history that was compiled by Nannie Badley and Ova Bagguley.

Please indulge me as I use these records to fill in some of the blanks in previous columns.  Some of the ministers I failed to mention were: J.J. Hunter, A. G. Bell, J. A. Cook, and Stovall.  Some of the families were: the Baldwyns, Winters, and Stewarts.  As some of the early members died or moved away, the congregation got smaller and in 1901 the church was moved to its present location at the junction of the Delay and Water Valley Road.  

They had no musical instrument  and during revivals someone who owned a pump organ would bring it to the church and take it home at the end of the revival.  In 1919 they bought the first organ. They merged the Macedonia church with Jumper’s Chapel and became a much larger congregation and a new building was constructed.

In 1940 the old organ had worn out and a piano was bought. Fred Hoseney built a table from the organ’s oak wood work and it is still in the church.  In 1952 it became apparent that a new building was needed and a fund was started and the work done mostly by members and the present building was dedicated in 1953 and is still used today.  I must admit that it was an emotional experience reading Nannie Badley’s and Ova’s account  of what I consider to be one of the most historic churches in the county still holding services.  Again my thanks to Phyllis and Sam for locating a copy of this account and sending to me.  

I couldn’t help remembering that it has been 25 years since the tornado destroyed so much of the town.  I think that the reason we have such a love for Water Valley is because it has come back from so many disasters in its history and is still going strong.

I am researching some exciting facts about the Valley I hope you will all enjoy. Again I ask any of you that have memories you would share with us to contact me at email address charlescooper3616@sbcglobal.net or write me at P.O. Box 613189, Memphis, Tenn. 38101 and have a great week.