History Knox
Mark Sebastian Jordan authors a column each Saturday reflecting on the history of the community.
BATEMANTOWN — I’ve written here previously about the old church in Batemantown that, according to folklore, didn’t want to leave town.
In 1910, it was put up for sale, and was purchased by a man in Waterford, who paid to have it moved there, a few miles to the west. The firm he hired was plagued by bad luck while relocating the church, but eventually had success moving it.
This is the church in question. It was later torn down in Waterford, so pictures are the only surviving relics.
Since we know that the relocation happened in 1910, that means this postcard is from that date or earlier. Why exactly the church was sold isn’t clear, because the residents of Batemantown still had an interest in having a church, for they built a new one — the lovely building still standing there today — on the same site in 1911.
The two houses on the left are still standing, largely unchanged. The first one has round porch pillars with square bottoms, which can still be seen on the house today, although decorative pieces have been added at the top.
Two of the three trees in front of the porch are still standing today, thick with age. Though there is a newer sidewalk leading from the porch to the road, it is in the same position as the original sidewalk (pre-1910), which ran between the first two trees.
Indeed, the second tree may have failed because it was too close to the sidewalk, stunting its growth.
The third and fourth houses on the left are now gone. The first remains an empty lot, while a more recent house, further back from the road replaced the fourth one. Further down the road on the left, just before Yankee Street turns northward, there is a small building which looks old.
Either its view was blocked by the fourth house, or it was moved there later. The single house on the right is no longer there.
Who knows, if we keep going at this rate, I might yet become well versed in the old churches of Knox County!