Trinity Church had its humble beginnings as a mission in 1859, and weathered several eras of hard times when the congregational membership dropped below the ability to remain self-sustaining within the Diocese of Tennessee. However, the faith of the people who remained was strong and now Trinity parish, at 146+ years of age, has a solid congregation whose hearts and souls support and nurture it. What follows is a brief description of our heritage and history since our early founding.
“I commenced services here in January last and found few acquainted with our Prayer Book or Church." Those were the documented thoughts written by the missionary Rev. Thomas A. Morris after moving from Alabama in 1859 to Winchester, Tennessee, where he held the first Episcopal services in a room at the courthouse. He had only one communicant when he arrived, a Mrs. Julia Hancock. Together they forged the creation of the Trinity Episcopal Church.
The Rev. Morris was determined and patient. By June of the same year, 11 communicants were added, 52 people in Sunday school, and eight teachers. However, since the members were all female, he wrote, “not having male communicants, we have not yet organized a Parish.” By the end of that month, Mr. William H. Tomlinson was confirmed in the room at the courthouse, followed shortly thereafter by four other men, so a Parish was organized and admitted into the Diocese in 1860. By that time there were a total of 26 communicants.
The first permanent home for Trinity came when the congregation purchased the original building of the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which was located on what is now the northwest corner of North Jefferson Street and Third Avenue, NW. That building lasted until the War Between the States. The Northern Federal Army occupied Winchester in 1863 and at that time Trinity’s building was used as a hospital for their injured troops.
The records which remain of the Civil War years are incomplete and vague, although it was reported by Bishop Charles Quintard that the church in Winchester “was destroyed by fire during the War, and once again services must be held in the courthouse.”
On May 4, 1868 the Rev. Franklin L. Knight was placed in charge of Carrick Academy. He also took charge of the Church Services and held them in the Academy since a church building was not available.
The Rev. Henry Harrison Sneed, a theological student from Virginia, wrote, “The Parish is still without a Church [building]…but vigorous efforts are being made to secure the amount necessary to build a neat brick church and high hopes are entertained…” He made a trip North for the purpose of raising funds and was cordially received. Contributions of several hundred dollars were the result. In 1870 he wrote that “one thousand dollars was subscribed last summer at home and three hundred dollars abroad, for the erection of a church building, in addition to which fifty dollars have been received”. By 1871 there were 49 communicants.