History of Second
American Revolution: Forefather of Second Presbyterian Church, Dr. Samuel Hopkins. Congregational minister in Rhode Island, anti-slavery theory known as Hopkinsianism
1818: Organized as Second Presbyterian Church by anti-slavery sympathizers. Presbytery of Union and Synod of Tennessee, General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the USA.
1819-1829: Dr. Isaac Anderson, founder of Maryville College, called as first part-time pastor.
later: The Reverend Jefferson Montgomery
later: The Reverend Joseph Martin
1858: Approval was given for building a new church edifice.
1860: New church dedicated, five days after Lincoln elected President: November 11. Old building razed, salvaged materials used for chapel.
1865: Congregants differed about whether to support Union or Confederacy. The church building was not in good shape at end of war.
post-1865: The Reverend Rufus Wells called as interim to lead church restoration. African-American members, under Wells’ leadership, founded the Shiloh Prebyterian Church.
1866-1876: The Reverend Nathan Bachman. Restored building, increased membership, instituted programs and benevolences.
continuing: Established churches and missions and supported Knoxville missions and benevolences. Contributed strongly to Cocke & Sevier Counties mountain schools and a hospital in China.
1905: Sold church site to commerical interests and constructed new building on site of present Knox County Library.
1907: New church dedicated
15-year period: Dr. Robert Bachman, pastor
1912-1921: Dr. Herbert Smith and Dr. Roy Vale, both of whom were later Moderators of the General Assembly
1928-1951: Dr. Clifford Barbour, longest-tenured pastor, and Moderator of the General Assembly in 1949. Membership doubled and church was bursting at the seams.
1952: Dr. Joe Copeland called as pastor.
1954: Congregational vote to build new church on (current) Kingston Pike site was 306-292
1957: Church moved to it current site
1960’s: Dr. John Page, pastor. Church declared itself an open membership church and supported open admission policy for local hospitals.
1976-1996: Dr. W. Edmund Carver, pastor. During early nineties, church added Hudson Hall, new atrium entrance, offices, kitchen, classrooms and other cosmetic updates.
1997-2007: Dr. Arnold Lovell, pastor. During his tenure: day-care facility was open to the public, youth work trips offered both locally and internationally, a tour of the Holy Land was led, and close relationships were maintained with UT campus and Shannondale Retirement Center.
2007-2009: Dr. Bill Waterstradt, interim
2009: The Reverend Bryan Wilson was called from Grace Presbyterian in Houston, Texas. The church adopted the focus “Off the Hill and Into the City”, virtually re-launching the church’s ministries in September as the New 2. Children and missions are our focus, aimed locally at Westview Elementary, the UT campus, and our own church’s youth programs.