White's Chapel Church of Christ

by Fred McCaleb

This church was established in 1927 with the following charter members: Bob and Cordia Herren, Jerry and Siddy White, Oscar and Dell Dodd, Mr. and Mrs. Boss Tucker, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hollingsworth, Mr. and Mrs. White Howell, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson Howell, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hollingsworth.

Some of the earlier ministers were Charlie A. Wheeler, Gus Nichols, A.D. Dias, Chester Estes, W.A. Black, Edsel Burleson, and V.P. Black.

This church is located about 2 miles south of The Bazemore community in NE Fayette County, Ala.

My grandfather James "Jim" Franklin and Rejina Catherine McCaleb lived about a quarter mile down the road from that church. Their children were H (my dad), Walker married Lula Roby, Mary married Lonnie Box, and Verla Married Louie Roby. In 1925, Frank White and his wife lived in a nice framed house, the first one on right south of the church. He was the son of Jerry and Sid White. I have been told that Jerry White was the principle influence in getting White's Chapel started, and the church was named for him. Frank White had gone off to WW1 and lost one of his lungs. He struggled for breath the rest of his life. Best I recollect he had a mail carrier job, therefore had more income than anyone else in the community. One of his daughters married Marshall Wyers. Marshall was a young man that came to Mt. Olive Church to preach on a Sunday or two when I was attending church there in the 1930s. Marshall's son James Wyers is presently (1995) preaching at the Winfield Church of Christ. He does a good job preaching. Much of the attendees are young people, which is rare in a modern church. I like to think the influence of Jerry White and Marshall Wyers is extending on through the years.

The second house on right of road south of White's Chapel was Walker and Lula Roby McCaleb's. Walker deeded a piece of land across the road from his house and toward the church for a community center and a church social building. Home coming dinners and church social events take place there. Walker had three children. They were Arlin, Ilene, and Clifton McCaleb. Clifton and Arlin were active in the church during its' history.

Down the road on the left past Walker McCaleb lived his parents James "Jim" and Rejina C. Hollingsworth McCaleb, Walker's parents and my grandparents. I never knew exactly how good their church attendance was, but assumed they were members at Berea or White's Chapel and maybe attended some events at both places. I stayed at their house one summer and attended a singing school conducted by Homer Colley. I think my brother Hubert and sister Clancy also attended. Needless to say, I failed to learn how to sing. That represented my total training in the musical world, and still no singing improvement.

Next house down the road on the left was the Bob and Cordia Herren house. They raised fifteen children ranging in age from the older ones that my dad played with to the younger ones that went to school at Clover Hill and were in my age group. They were Susan Emma that married John Russell Roby; Duncan Newbern that married Ada Rosena Sprinkle; Elijah Columbus "E.C." that married Myrtle Lee Erwin (my first school teacher. ) Columbus was ordained to preach when young, but later just gave talks at churches. He was mainly a school teacher. Louis Wiley that married Alma Irene Hiten (dau of Raymond Hiten, a school teacher.)Wiley became a C. of Christ preacher. ; Alma that married Walter A. Dodd; Marion Francis that married Lucille Berry; Sherman Theodore who married Lorene Brazil; Robert Howard that married Maggie Lee Hutchins; Velma Neeland that married John Frederick Wyers; C.S. that married ( 1) Dora Bopeep Hollingsworth, and John Sidney "Jigs" that married Evacille Davis. Four of the children died young. I went to school at Clover Hill one year with the last three, and my dad, H McCaleb went to school at the same place with three or four of the earlier Herrens. Some, or all, of these Herrens and families must have attended White's Chapel part of the time. The names of the ones they married may also have attended.

Down from Bob Herren was the Aute and Emma Hollingsworth Tucker Family. Further on over were Wheeler Tucker and the Robys.

The Oscar Dodd and Idella White Dodd lived across the road from White's Chapel during the 1930s. I recollect their daughter Inez and son Garvin "Dits" Dodd. They may have had more. Seems like one may have died of typhoid fever. Their well got infected with the typhoid germ.

Jerry White seems to have masterminded the founding of White's Chapel. Jerry and Siddie Tucker's family that lived were Frances Jane who married William Henry Clark; Idella who married William Oscar Dodd, and Andrew Franklin who married Emma E. Sparks as a second wife. Frank married Velma Johnson about 1915. Frank had to go off to WW1 and Velma died, I don't know if from childbirth or what. One source said Velma walked off and left Frank and died later. Velma was the daughter of T.S. "Ditch" Johnson and Mary Frances McCaleb, a sister of my grandpa Jim McCaleb. Ditch wasn't much good and was in Texas and my grandfather was taking care of Velma and some of the Johnson family when Velma married Frank White. So the McCalebs didn't lack much being kin to the Frank white Children.

Before White's Chapel the church was at Clover Hill, about a mile east of present location. Clover Hill may have needed repairs and was probably about worn out. Whether there was some sort of split that formed Tidwell's Chapel and White's Chapel I never knew as we were away in Miss. at that time.

Frank and Emma Sparks White's children were Frankie Lee White who married Marshall Wyers. Marshall was beginning to be a Church of Christ preacher when I was in my teens (1930s.) Their son James Wyers is the preacher at Winfield Church of Christ (1995.) Franks daughter Myrl Christine married Boss Beasley; son Thomas Loyd married Edith Sue Sherer,; Jerry Calvin married Jewell Brazil?; Juanita Inez maarried "Bill" Black; and there was a son named Eugene Rudolph White.

At the forks of the old gravel road at White's Chapel was a little store run by a Sprinkle, Moses I think. Some of the Sprinkles went to church there. Going north toward Bazemore and across New River was the Holly and Alma Woodard Tucker family. Then in Bazemore was the Howell families and the Tom and Molly McCaleb Hollingsworth family. Tom ran a store in Bazemore back then, and his son Ecter later operated the same store. Many of the Howells and Hollingsworths up there went to White's Chapel. This is about all I have picked up on this church. The cemetery there is full of graves of people I knew, or knew of, that have been put there during my lifetime. It's enough to make one want to cry.

Some of this info was furnished by James "Jim" Herren, son of C.S.,and some was from Herbert Newell's History of Fayette County. Some came from Fred McCaleb who did this write-up.