Used by Permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission
Submitted by : Gloria B. Mayfield
Coordinator: Dolores I. Bishop
Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church was organized August 8,1868. The church presented a petitionary letter for membership into the Mount Zion Association on September 18,1868, and at this time there were thirty-seven members. Besides being a consistent member of the Mount Zion Association since 1868, the church is also affiliated with the American Baptist Association.
This church is located about ten miles southeast of Henderson, in the John Ferguson head-right survey. The sixteen acres of land has been donated by Augustus Ferguson, John M. Welch, and later donations by descendents of John M. Welch.
The congregation has worshipped in three different church buildings. The first was a log cabin, possibly the original home of John Ferguson. The second, a large white frame building was built 1880-1881. This house burned on February 7,1943, and the present building was constructed. Additions of Sunday School rooms were made later, and the latest addition of a Fellowship Hall was constructed in 1989-1990.
The cemetery is located across the road southwest from the church. No one knows the exact date that the cemetery was started, but tradition tells us that the first person buried here was a slave belonging to John Ferguson. John Ferguson himself is said to be buried here, but his grave is unmarked and lost. He died December 28,1853, according to Rusk County probate records. Today this well kept cemetery is the resting place of many former church members, community leaders, ministers, physicians, and veterans of the War Between the States, World War I, World War II, and other wars. A Perpetual Care Trust Fund has been formed for the upkeep of this historic cemetery.
Ministers, who have served this church since its organization 122 years ago, are as follows:
1. John Sparkman (1821-1882) Served 1968-1882.
2. William Henry Harrison Hays (1840-1906) Served 1882-1889.
3. John F. McLendon (1839-1918) Served 1889-1905.
4. James A. Long (? -1927) Served 1906-1907.
5. Eugene Edward Jones (1874-1944) Served 1907-1929.
6. H.M. Allen (1857-1936) Served 1930
7. Wyatt Greer Griffith (1891-1974) Served 1930-1940
8.William Audrey Simmons (1901-1972) Served 1940-1958
9. James Wyatt Griffith (1923-living) Son of Wyatt Greer Griffith, seventh pastor. Served 1958-1966.
10.Hugh Eddie Rhodes (1909-1981) Served 1966-1975.
11.Samuel L. Glover (1933-living) Served 1975-1976.
12.James Edward “Harry” Matlock (1934-living) Served 1976-1981.
13.Jack Lewis Simmons – Present pastor and son of eighth pastor William Audrey Simmons, began his pastorate January 1982. By: Mary F. Dunn