| All Saints' Episcopal Community 84 Church Street Franklin, NC 28734 (828) 524-4910 (office) (828) 421-4884 (cell) revdorothypratt@gmail.com |
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St. Agnes
A Brief History of St. Agnes
In 1877 two families, the Albert Silers of Macon County and
the William Bells of Cherokee County, were largely
responsible for persuading Bishop Lyman of the diocese of
North Carolina to establish the Episcopal church in the
southwestern area of the state. Few Episcopalians lived in these
mountains at that time and they were only occasionally visited
by missionaries sent by the diocese, though the Episcopal
church itself was flourishing in the costal regions and as far
west as Asheville.
The first priest-in-charge was the Reverend John Archibald
Deal, who agreed to live in the Franklin area and teach the Siler’
s nine children as well as others, for the princely salary of $l50
a year. The first regular services were held in a log cabin at
Nonah, but plans were being made to build a permanent
church. This church came into being in 1881 and was
dedicated by Bishop Lyman as St. John’s Nonah, the first
Episcopal Church in Macon County. All Episcopalians in the
area attended St. John’s until St. Agnes was built in 1888.
But the early history of St. Cyprian’s Church too was
important to the development of St. Agnes because of the
symbiotic relationship of the two parishes. Rev. Deal,
distressed at the plight of blacks in Franklin who had limited
educational and job training opportunities, hired James
Kennedy from South Carolina to begin teaching them in a
mission school. This was begun as a day school but resulted in
the construction of St. Cyprian’s Chapel in 1887. Mr. Kennedy
continued his work under Rev. Deal until 1910.
St. Agnes’ beautiful Gothic Revival style building came into
being in the spring of 1888. The site on Church Street was
chosen, money was raised and an architect-builder from
England was selected. Rev. Deal was able to secure the
remainder of the necessary funding from Mr. and Mrs. E. H.
Bell who wished the church to be a memorial to their
daughter, Agnes. While the church had already been named in
honor of the early child martyr, St. Agnes, it was appropriately
dedicated by Bishop Lyman: To the Glory of God and in
Loving Memory of Agnes Souter Bell - died December 27,
1878.
The church is constructed of handmade bricks formed by clay
from the nearby Little Tennessee River. The pews were made
in the St. Cyprian’s workshop by the students of James
Kennedy. Our small mountain church, which from its
beginning in 1888, could boast only three families comprising
twelve whole souls has grown today to a congregation of
nearly one hundred, but that growth has been sporadic with
periods of both decline as well as increase in membership
numbers and services.
From its inception in 1888, St. Agnes was served by thirteen
different priests-in-charge; at times, however, there was no
full-time priest. Then, in 2005 we joined together with St.
Cyprian’s, to become the All Saints Episcopal Community, an
alliance which joined hands, hearts, resources and talents to
support both churches and to provide us with the leadership
and spiritual inspiration of our new priest, The Rev. Dorrie
Pratt.
Dorrie with her husband, John Miller, was called by the two
churches in July 2005 to become the rector-to-be for both
parishes. The few months before her arrival were filled with
shared excitement and frenzied activity as both parishes worked
together in preparation for this bold new step in our
Episcopalian adventure. After a glorious Ordination
ceremony on December 10, 2005 celebrated by our Bishop,
Porter Taylor, Dorrie became the first full-time rector of All
Saints Episcopal Community; and our journey together, led by
her gentle love, continues with renewed hope and faith and
sure knowledge of God’s blessing for us.
This historical summary was prepared by Laurie Wright
A Brief History of St. Agnes
In 1877 two families, the Albert Silers of Macon County and
the William Bells of Cherokee County, were largely
responsible for persuading Bishop Lyman of the diocese of
North Carolina to establish the Episcopal church in the
southwestern area of the state. Few Episcopalians lived in these
mountains at that time and they were only occasionally visited
by missionaries sent by the diocese, though the Episcopal
church itself was flourishing in the costal regions and as far
west as Asheville.
The first priest-in-charge was the Reverend John Archibald
Deal, who agreed to live in the Franklin area and teach the Siler’
s nine children as well as others, for the princely salary of $l50
a year. The first regular services were held in a log cabin at
Nonah, but plans were being made to build a permanent
church. This church came into being in 1881 and was
dedicated by Bishop Lyman as St. John’s Nonah, the first
Episcopal Church in Macon County. All Episcopalians in the
area attended St. John’s until St. Agnes was built in 1888.
But the early history of St. Cyprian’s Church too was
important to the development of St. Agnes because of the
symbiotic relationship of the two parishes. Rev. Deal,
distressed at the plight of blacks in Franklin who had limited
educational and job training opportunities, hired James
Kennedy from South Carolina to begin teaching them in a
mission school. This was begun as a day school but resulted in
the construction of St. Cyprian’s Chapel in 1887. Mr. Kennedy
continued his work under Rev. Deal until 1910.
St. Agnes’ beautiful Gothic Revival style building came into
being in the spring of 1888. The site on Church Street was
chosen, money was raised and an architect-builder from
England was selected. Rev. Deal was able to secure the
remainder of the necessary funding from Mr. and Mrs. E. H.
Bell who wished the church to be a memorial to their
daughter, Agnes. While the church had already been named in
honor of the early child martyr, St. Agnes, it was appropriately
dedicated by Bishop Lyman: To the Glory of God and in
Loving Memory of Agnes Souter Bell - died December 27,
1878.
The church is constructed of handmade bricks formed by clay
from the nearby Little Tennessee River. The pews were made
in the St. Cyprian’s workshop by the students of James
Kennedy. Our small mountain church, which from its
beginning in 1888, could boast only three families comprising
twelve whole souls has grown today to a congregation of
nearly one hundred, but that growth has been sporadic with
periods of both decline as well as increase in membership
numbers and services.
From its inception in 1888, St. Agnes was served by thirteen
different priests-in-charge; at times, however, there was no
full-time priest. Then, in 2005 we joined together with St.
Cyprian’s, to become the All Saints Episcopal Community, an
alliance which joined hands, hearts, resources and talents to
support both churches and to provide us with the leadership
and spiritual inspiration of our new priest, The Rev. Dorrie
Pratt.
Dorrie with her husband, John Miller, was called by the two
churches in July 2005 to become the rector-to-be for both
parishes. The few months before her arrival were filled with
shared excitement and frenzied activity as both parishes worked
together in preparation for this bold new step in our
Episcopalian adventure. After a glorious Ordination
ceremony on December 10, 2005 celebrated by our Bishop,
Porter Taylor, Dorrie became the first full-time rector of All
Saints Episcopal Community; and our journey together, led by
her gentle love, continues with renewed hope and faith and
sure knowledge of God’s blessing for us.
This historical summary was prepared by Laurie Wright