Chapel History

Corinth, Miss—7th March, 1871

 

The session of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church met pursuant to adjournment constituted with prayers.

 

Present:

T.H. Padgett Moderator

C.F. Sawyer Clerk

 

Elders:

Duncan, Elgin, McAmis, McCord, and Small

 

Deacons:

Gillenwaters (E.C) and Allen

 

Minutes read:

 

The Committee appointed to purchase

a suitable lot upon which to erect the

new church house, Reports that they

have purchased the N.E. corner of

block 80, situated on the west side of

Fillmore Street, Corinth, Mississippi

of B.T. Whitmore for the sum of three

hundred dollars — and have caused to

be issued to Rev. R.B. Wear, the note

of the Trustees of the Cumberland

Presbyterian Church at Corinth for

the sum of three hundred dollars,

due…….

 

Thus the genesis of the building known to us as Fillmore Street Presbyterian Church. The church itself, however, had its beginning many years prior. It was in 1857, only two years after the founding of Cross City (later Corinth) that the Reverend E.C. Gillenwaters organized Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The first services were held under brush arbors in the sparsely settled community. By 1860, construction had begun on a church building on property later to become the home of Cruise Street School. When soldiers of the Civil War began gathering here, the structure was unfinished, but was apparently in use. Minutes of a later Session read as follows:

 

...Through the instrumentality of Rev-

erend W.D. Wear (Joint Pastor) the

congregation with the assistance of the

public had commenced erection of a

house of worship and had succeeded

in building a brick wall which was

floored and covered and in that condi-

tion survived the destruction of the late

war which swept away all the other

church Edifices in our lately flourish-

ing city…

 

Compiled by Sandy Williams—1976

 

After the War, the damaged building and property were sold to the City of Corinth for $2,000, for use as a school. So now, in 1871, efforts again turned to a new building.

 

Brothers Small, Sawyer, and Elgin are

appointed to advertise and receive

bids for the new church building. El-

ders McAmis and Sawyer with the as-

sistance of Mr. Siegrist are appointed

to draw up the plans and specifica-

tions for the church building in ac-

cordance with the design accepted.

​

In a short time, bids were received and accepted and work was begun. Separate bids were let for each facet of the project.

 

I.M. Phillips, brick work—1/4 of the

sum agreed upon to be paid when the

brick is made and placed in the kiln;

1/4 of the sum agreed upon when wall

is built to the first floor; 1/4 of the sum

agreed upon when the work is com-

pleted; and 1/4 of the sum agreed up-

on in sixty days after the work is re-

ceived and accepted.

 

Mr. Small and Bros. received the tin work; Messers McAmis and Siegrist received the carpenter work. Martin Siegrist was a master craftsman, originally from Switzerland, who came to Corinth in the 1850’s to build Corona Female College. Mr. James Anthony McAmis was an early settler to the area and a prominent business man of the era.

 

The building originally consisted of only the sanctuary. This can be identified by the gable seen at the front of the present structure. About 1898, the single steeple on the front of the church showed signs of weakness, and it was decided to remove it and to add the present vestibule with two towers. These are topped with high-pitched, gabled dormers and twin steeples. The beautiful stained glass windows were also installed at that time. These changes, along with arches that were added to the interior, made the architecture Gothic Revival.

 

In 1922, the education building was added to the rear of the sanctuary. This structure was planned by Mr. Walter Nelson, a Memphis architect. It was in 1906, that Cumberland Presbyterian Church became Fillmore Street Presbyterian Church and then in 1958, that “United” was added to the name, making it Fillmore Street United Presbyterian Church. Through most of this fine Church’s history, it thrived and was a leader in the ecumenical community. Its membership consisted of many leaders of the area, and its missionary work stretched to other continents.

 

In the fall of 1950, a move was initiated to unite the Fillmore Street Church with the First Presbyterian Church. When the Presbytery failed to approve this, approximately three-fourths of the members joined the First Presbyterian Church. This left only a handful of members to support and maintain the Fillmore Street Church. In spite of the efforts of these dedicated people, they were never able to raise the membership to a level sufficient to sustain the church.

 

In late 1975, it was decided by these members and approved by their Presbytery, to offer the property to their neighbors, First Methodist Church, and to add their memberships to that congregation. The First Methodist Church wholeheartedly welcomed their membership and accepted their offer to sell the property. Title to the Fillmore Street United Presbyterian Church building actually passed to First Methodist Church on April 20th, 1976.