Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-09-12
WASHINGTON COLLEGE.
New Church Building for the PreSby.
terlan Church Organized by
Snmnnl nnnk.

the laying of the corner stone of the
new Presbyterian Church at that place
by the Masonic brethren. John NJ.
Mckee, OF Greeneville, assisted by the
members of Limestone and other lodges.
Rev. b. B. Bigler, Of Jonesbro delivered
the address, the ceremonies were beau
tiful and impressive, and everyone
seemed pleased with the exercises
throughout.
The history of Salem Church and
Washington College, although often
written, is one that the people of this
upper East Tennessee country seem to
never tire of reading. Away back in
1850, before the battle of King S Noun
tain was fought, when this section was
little more than wilderness Rev. Sam
uel Doak, q young Presbyterian preach
er from Virginia, came out here and
organized Salem Church and soon
after founded Washington College.
He was Of that Scotch-Irish stock that
we all love to talk 80 much about now
adays, and was graduate of Prince.
ton, N. j. College, under the tuition of
that other grand old Scotch Presbyte-
rian divine, DR.. John Witherspoon,
known in history as one of the mem.
bers of the Continental Congress and
one OF the signers of the Declaration Of
Independence.
Fresh from such patriotic influences
as these it was but natural that Mr..
Doak himself should be an ardent pa
triot and identified with every move
ment looking TO the advancement of
religion and education in the then
embryo State. And when John Sewer
gathered his little army at Sycamore
Shoals 10 march into North Carolina
and fight the battle of Kings Noun
tain, Mr.. Doak went that far with the
little band, and gave them his parting
benediction and dismissed them with
the battle cry of Gideon and his three
hundred men when they went out to
overcome the Midianites, "The sword
of the Lord and of Gideon
He was also here with Sewer at the
convention in August, 1884, which
organized the little State of Franklin.
He also married Sewer to his second
wife, Katie Sheriff., who had leaped
over the palisades at Fort Lee, when
pursued by the Misunderstanding in
Sewers arms. Mr.. Doak brought the
first Latin and Greek books used in his
school all the way from Virginia in a
sack thrown across his horse. The
church and the school thus organized
have lived to do good for ia years.
On the corner stone laid yesterday is
the following inscription: Salem
Church, organized in 1880 by Samuel
Doak. Second building 1926, present
building 1894. The school there during
all these years has sent out many emil
nent men who have occupied honor.
able places both in the State and ma
ton.
Along about 1874, Zeb Vance, then q
boy in his teens, attended school there
and his first efforts as public speaker
were made in behalf of Henry Clay,
under some of those grand oak trees
still standing there around the old
building; Hon. o. P. Temple, of your
city, graduated there in 1874; Hon. N.
G. Taylor, father of Alf and Bob, was
student here for time, also Hon. L.
G. Haynes. And what is remarkable
these three were defeated by Andrew
johnson for Congress; Temple in 1S47,
Taylor in IS49 and Haynes in 1851
Johnson's last race for Congress.
Going back to Samuel Doak we find
that he was pastor of Salem Church
from 1880 to 1918, period of 3S years.
Many of his descendants have also
been distinguished as ministers, teach
ers, etc. His son, DR.. John w. Doak,
who graduated at this College in 1906,
was noted as one of the most gifted and
eloquent preachers of his day; Rev. A.
A. Doak, a son OF DR.. John w. Doak,
was also one of the most gifted and
eloquent preachers of his time, in 1S45
to 1867. Another grandson was the
Rev. VIM. S. Doak, State Superintend
ent of Public Instruction under Gov.
Hawkinsin 1SS1-S2. A great grandson,
Hon. III. M. Doak, of Nashville, is
known as one among the most gifted
and brilliant newspaper men in the
State and still another great grandson
of this grand old man is the Hon. VIM.
G. Anderson, Republican candidate for
Congress from this District.
And how emlnently fitting it would
seem that great grandson of Samuel
Doak should go as the Representative
to Congress of the United States from
this District-a District in which his
great grandfather lived and labored,
planting schools and churches and de-
voting his life to the good of mankind
A roll containing list of the names
of the pastors of the Salem Church
from 1889 to 1894 was deposited in the
corner stone also roll of the elders of
the church from 1880 to 1894. One of
these, Alexander Mathes, gave fifty
acres of valuable land to the college in
1895 and he was also trustee of the
college and elder in Salem Church up
to the time of his death in 1906. Four
Of his sons also became elders in that
church and trustees of the college. One
of them was an elder for more than
fifty years and was secretary of the
board of trustees of the college for
forty five years; then as time rolled on
four of his grandsons became elders
in the Salem Church and one of them
Col. George w. Telford, served as
clerk of the session for fifty five years.
The new church building will be
large and roomy and we'll adapted to
the wants of the large congregation
that assembled there from Sabbath to
Sabbath to hear the pastor, REV. J.
w. G. Willoughby) and will cost some
$4,000 perhaps. The old college build
ing has been completely changed and
enlarged for girls dormitory; the
foundation for boy s dormitory is also
being laid and will be completed this
fall or winter, SO that there will be
something like $4,000 expended there
for repairs, new buildings, etc., this
fall and winter.
With such a glorious record behind
them, such favorable circumstances
surrounding them at present and with
such bright outlook for the future it
is but natural that the good people of
that vicinity should feel pardonable
pride in their history and their achieve
ments.-J. s. NJ, in Knoxville Journal.