Pleasant Valley Church Built 1870
By:  Mrs. Alice Harris
Sandy Valley Enquirer
Thursday, December 10, 1942


	One of the pioneers in the history of Carter County was Joseph 
Haven Strother, son of Rev. Phillip Strother.  Joseph Haven Strother 
was elected County Judge twice and was urged by his friends to seek 
office for the third time, but due to blindness he did not enter 
politics again.  Rev. Phillip Strother was one of the greatest evangelists 
of his time.  After years of faithful service to the people of Carter 
County, he retired and lived with his son Joseph, on his farm.  Joseph 
Haven Strother lived to be 88 years old.
	In 1870 the Methodist built a hewed-log church at Counts Cross Roads, 
known then as Pleasant Valley.  Later, a frame church was built and all 
Protestant denominations held services in this church.  This was back 
in the horse-and-buggy days and people who lived far from the church had 
to start at daylight, bringing a basket of food for their dinner.  After 
the services they would return home, arriving there about dark and just 
in time to chop the wood, feed the livestock, do the milking and all 
the other chores that were so numerous in those days.  Each settler of 
these pioneer days looked forward to the Quarterly Meetin'  held four 
times a year.  At these quarterly meetings the people for miles and 
miles around would gather for a whole day of worship.  Lunches were 
spread and picnic parties were plentiful.  Prior to the building of 
the church at the Cross Roads the services were held at the home of 
Joseph Haven Strother, services being held once a month.
	

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