The year 1869 was a joyous year for many in the farming community of Hendersonville . The Civil War was over and in the not-to-distant future; life would be, hopefully, back to normal. However, it was a special year for 17 people who professed to be Presbyterians - 12 of whom were members of the Gallatin Presbyterian Church.





October of that year saw the completion of a brick structure that was a church home. With a church in the community, it would not be necessary to take a day's buggy or horseback ride.The life of a church begins with a dream to which faith and commitment are added. The dream of a Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville goes back to 1847 and a congregation that was pastored by Thomas H. Parish. While the records from this period are sketchy at best, he seems to have also served the church in Gallatin . It seems that this dream faded but did not die.





The dream was rekindled, when 17 people gathered in 1869 and petitioned the Nashville Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. to establish a church. This petition was granted and twelve members of the Gallatin Presbyterian Church became the first members of the Hendersonville Presbyterian Church. Five other residents, who were not attending any church were quickly added to the roles.





In October of 1869, the brick church was completed and the adjacent cemetery was quickly added. The Cemetery contains the remains of many of the founders and the historical marker on the street mentions 14 Confederate veterans. One of these is Major General Daniel Smith Donnelson, Commander of the Department of East Tennessee, who died in Knoxville in 1863. General Donnelson was the original owner of the property which was purchased by the new congregation from his widow Margaret Branch Donnelson.