WHEN WORD reached Clement Cannon that commissioners sought land along the Duck River to establish the county seat of Shelbyville, it is said that he stuffed $1,000 worth of silver into his pockets, mounted his horse, and rode to North Carolina to purchase a large tract of land “suitable in every way for the purposes of a town.” A local manufacturer, a member of the Whig party, and a future War of 1812 veteran, Cannon returned in May 1810 and donated 100 acres — double the offering of other landowners. His gift later became the city of Shelbyville.
Just three years earlier, on Dec. 3, 1807, residents south of the Stones and Duck rivers had successfully petitioned Gov. John Sevier to divide Rutherford County, resulting in the creation of Bedford County. Over time, portions of Bedford helped create Lincoln, Moore, Coffee, and Marshall counties.
Though Shelbyville wouldn’t be formally chartered until Oct. 7, 1819, its name was chosen in 1810 to honor Col. Isaac Shelby, a notable Revolutionary War hero who led colonial forces to victory at Kings Mountain and served as the first governor of Kentucky.
Near the northeast corner of the Shelbyville square, where the current City Hall — or possibly the First United Methodist Church — stands today, a humble wooden structure served as the Bedford County Courthouse from 1810 until 1821. Tragic circumstances destroyed the next three courthouses. A tornado struck in 1830, and two separate fires occurred. The first blaze ignited in 1863, and another consumed the interior in 1934. Our current three-story courthouse, with its buff-colored bricks and classical revival architecture featuring six columns on both the north and south sides, was rebuilt between 1934 and 1935.
After the courthouse burned in 1863, a nearby church building — which became the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in 1936 — graciously opened its doors. For 10 years, the building was the heart of the civic community. Constructed in 1817 by a Presbyterian congregation, the small brick church in the style of English architecture at 203 E. Lane St. is believed to be Shelbyville’s oldest structure. It passed through Catholic and Methodist ownership before becoming the spiritual home of the Episcopal church.
When Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Stephens married the Honorable Edmund Cooper and moved to Shelbyville, she made it her mission to start an Episcopal church. A small group of like-minded believers formed the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in 1853 and met in various places around town until a permanent building was constructed on land donated by William Gosling on Belmont Avenue. Bishop Charles T. Quintard consecrated the building on Aug. 8, 1868. Sadly, Mrs. Cooper died before the building was consecrated, but her final wish was granted when the church name included “The Redeemer” as she requested.
During the 1920s, members dissolved the church and sold the property. However, the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee made sure that funds from the sale were set aside for future use if the Shelbyville church ever revived. The church was reorganized as a mission in 1935 after a petition containing 23 signatures was submitted to the Right Reverend Thomas F. Gailor, who served as the Bishop of Tennessee. Shortly thereafter, the congregation bought the vacant church building on East Lane.
On May 5, 1936, Bishop James M. Maxon consecrated the building. Bishop Gailor donated a carved wooden altar from his private chapel at the University of the South in Sewanee. The old baptismal font from the original “Redeemer” congregation, with its authentic marble pedestal and attached basin, mirrors the colonial atmosphere of the historic sanctuary. In fact, the chalice (cup) and patten (plate) used by the congregation during their Eucharist services are inscribed 1867. They once belonged to the Rev. J.B. Smith, who served as the first Rector.
On April 23, 1990, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2016, to celebrate its 200th birthday, the church underwent a complete renovation. Members were careful to retain as much of the original character as possible. Cracked plaster walls were repaired, the hardwood floors were refinished, and carpet was added sparingly. The interior and exterior received fresh paint, and rotting woodwork was replaced.
Though the congregation strives to maintain the historical integrity of its building and beloved furnishings, its main focus has always been outside the four walls of its church.
The Rev. Michael Blaess said, “Folks at Redeemer live out their faith through involvement in organizations like the Shelbyville Soup Kitchen and the Shelbyville Community Medical and Dental Clinic. The dedication of the people to live as Christ among our neighbors has been a quiet, yet significant force in the heart of this community. This active presence is a beautiful sign of God’s Kingdom at work among us.”
The roots of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer are deeply embedded in the foundations of Shelbyville.
“Our commitment is to follow Jesus where He is leading us for the sake of our community and the world. We will continue seeking to transform lives and to bring hope in Jesus’ name, knowing that even the smallest acts of faith can have a profound impact,” Blaess said. GN
