This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Hill, Stevens/Stephens, McKinney, Whittemore, Britt Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/EeB.2ACE/376.2.1.1 Message Board Post: I am descended from the Hill family as follows: Absolem 1797, Samuel 1840, James 1878, and Ida Florence Hill Whittemore 1922 was my grandmother. I found the following in "Early History of Carter County- 1760-1861" by Frank Merritt p.123 The 1848 survey of Christian churches listed another in Carter County by the name of Mt. Pleasant. This is the old name oif the present Hampton Christian Church and was located several miles farther up the road leading to Tiger Valley. This early report indicates a membership of fifty members with J. Snyder as the leading layman. The early records of this congregation have been destroyed, but one writer interested in the growth of the Christian churches in East Tennessee a few years ago found an old entry in the church record that is no longer available. From this entry, which apparently had been recopied from a still earlier volu\me, it is possible to learn something about the early beginning of this congregation. The entry was as follows: The church was first organized at the home of W.M. Snyder. The first preaching was at the home of John Hill. Bro. D. T. Wright and J.I. Tipton in th4e year of 1842. Second Lord's day in April. When Wm. Snyder, John Hill and his! father confessed Christ followed by others. We then erected a house of worship. Called it Mt. Pleasant it was attended for about seven years by T.J. Wright as pastor. Also with the aid of other ministers as helpers as follows. S.H. Millard, A. Campbell, John Wright, Jas. I. Tipton and R. Ellis. From Mt. Pleasant we moved to Fishers old Field where the church grew rapidlyh for a season. Wagner, op.cit. 79. Oldest residents of the area can remember the old names of Mt. Pleasant and Fishers' old Field as mentioned by residents of fifty years ago. (1975) xxxxxxxxxxxx Please contact me directly at [email protected] and perhaps we can share info. Thanks!