In the year 1780 Rev. Samuel Doak having recently come into the area now called East Tennessee and settled on the Little Limestone Creek, gathered the settlers on the Big Limestone Creek and the headwaters of what is now called Carson Creek into a congregation who chose the name Providence in honor of the Providence Church in Virginia from which many had come. That same year he “Set in church order” a congregation near his home called Salem and opened a school named Martin’s Academy which became Washington College Academy.
Thus was established a church which may be older than others in the area who claim the title of “First” as there is a mention of Providence Meeting Ground in some earlier documents. The congregation had some 100 members, some of whom lived at the Big Spring, now called Greeneville.
The first building was of log with a firepit in the center with an opening in the roof to let smoke exit. It is not known what happened to this building but some former elderly members recalled having heard that it burned. It was replaced by a log structure with glass windows about 24’ x 36’ which remained in use until 1888 when it collapsed in the blizzard which dumped about 5 feet of snow on the area. The building which replaced it is the present sanctuary and it is said that one poplar tree supplied all the exterior siding for the structure. To this was added a belfry and bell in 1921 and a new front, belfry and classrooms in 1950. A fellowship hall, kitchen, and restrooms were added in 1972.
Ministers known to have preached here are Rev. Samuel Doak 1780 – 1783, Rev. Samuel Houston, 1783 – 1789 who on August 12, 1783 was ordained and installed as the first seated pastor, he was the first Presbyterian minister to be ordained in the Tennessee Territory and the meeting of Hanover Presbytery August 20, 1783 was the first meeting of a church court in the territory. Those recorded present were Rev. Charles Cummings, Rev. Hezikiah Balch, and Rev. Samuel Doak who comprised the commission to install Mr. Houston.
Pastors who followed were, John Cosson, J.D. Tadlock, Rev. Wiley, Alfred Mathes, Rev. McCorkle and his son Samuel McCorkle, S. Campbell, John R. King, J.A. Wallace, D.O. Byers, J.A. Caldwell, J.P. Doggett, W.A. Roan, John Martin, C.M. Brown, W.C. Young, J. Leo Hall, John S. Yelton, Wiley Hogue, Charles Moffett, Kyle Barr, Edsel Farthing, Dan Graham, Charles Allen, Lee K. Carrico and the present pastor Ralph E. Boy Jr.
Established as a Presbyterian Church in 1780 the congregation became a Southern Presbyterian Church in 1861 and 1975 became a Presbyterian Church in America congregation. The church has had its ebbs and flows during the 200 years plus of its existence but continues to function as a viable member of the Christian faith today.
The cemeteries situated on either side of the building date from 1790 and 1850 and contain graves of soldiers of all the conflicts our country has engaged in. Some died in battle and others as veterans of the armed forces, joined by those who stayed at home as their earthly life ended, today totaling several hundred graves.
The Rev. Samuel Houston while the first pastor was also prominent in the State of Franklin movement and was chairman of the committee to draft a constitution which was not adopted and contributed to the decline and fall of the state.