How it all started... The History of HBC
Hornsby Baptist Church was organized in October 1880. The church was situated in the Crainville community, which was located at the beginning of Powell Chapel Road. The original building burned in 1916. A cemetery was located across the road from the church.
n 1921, the church moved the building and congregation to the new town that come into existence on the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad called Hornsby. The membership that year was 137 and met on a “half time” basis which was two Sundays per month.
The church was built on land deeded to the congregation by Kimbrough Hornsby, Sr. that was located on Fulghum Street. It was constructed in the traditional architecture of the time; a white frame building with a bell tower. It was at this time that the church was named Hornsby Baptist Church. Sometime before 1907, it was affiliated with other Baptist churches in the area through the Unity Association until 1923. This association included churches from Chester, Madison, McNairy and Hardeman Counties. At that time, the Hardeman County Association was organized, and HBC was a charter member.
The town of Hornsby, a one line of business buildings running with the railroad, burned May 29, 1925. With it were the records for the church. A new roll of membership was constructed. The church properly at this time included a parsonage which was built from lumber rescued from the old Crainville site.
In 1929, a piano was purchased. The membership was now 185. The building was refurbished with paint and repairs. The budget expense for the church in 1931 was $2,500.00. This amount included a salary received per preaching Sunday for the minister that was $27.50. HBC continued to grow and by 1933, membership was at 210. New renovations came again in 1936 which included new hymn books and a new stove for the sanctuary.
Up until 1947, the church had three quarter time services cooperating with Hatchie Baptist Church for one quarter time. On September 12, 1948, the church began to meet ‘full time’ and the minister's salary was set at $100.00 per month.
Between 1954 and 1956, HBC went through more additions and renovations. Five educational rooms were added to the building with nursery facilities. Hardwood floors were installed, and the interior of the church was redecorated. Two rooms were added to the parsonage as well. Beginning in 1964, the frame building was torn away, and a new sanctuary was constructed and completed in1965. There were eight Sunday School rooms, a pastor’s study, kitchen and baptistery. The exterior was brick. A final renovation occurred in 1996 to enlarge the worship center and renovate offices and nursery. This is our present building in which we worship.
HBC has continued to prosper and increase in its service for Christ. It has grown into the new millennium with 365 total members. But this is just our beginning. We seek to follow Christ and do great things for God’s Kingdom.
Pastors (1907 to Present)
S. V. Gulett John T. Brown Lamar Booth
L. B. Golden Bill Whitlow Danny Bullock
U. A. West Ronnie Wiley Dale Prince
E. M. Skinner John Wilkes Jack Price
T. R. Hammons DeWayne Whitman Joe Thomason
A. L. Mays Henry Inman Barry Littlefield
C. A. Barrett Bob Emerson Bill Whitlow
C. H. Frye Allen Grant Tim West
W. B. Cox Matt Emerson
The men of HBC ordained to the ministry and licensed to preach:
Marshall Brumelow (licensed to preach, 1940)
Ray Jernigan (licensed to preach. 1953)
Billy Joe Sanders (ordained, 1956)
Hiram Franklin Tennyson Jr. (ordained, 1960)
Matthew Moore (licensed to preach, ordained, 2018)
n 1921, the church moved the building and congregation to the new town that come into existence on the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad called Hornsby. The membership that year was 137 and met on a “half time” basis which was two Sundays per month.
The church was built on land deeded to the congregation by Kimbrough Hornsby, Sr. that was located on Fulghum Street. It was constructed in the traditional architecture of the time; a white frame building with a bell tower. It was at this time that the church was named Hornsby Baptist Church. Sometime before 1907, it was affiliated with other Baptist churches in the area through the Unity Association until 1923. This association included churches from Chester, Madison, McNairy and Hardeman Counties. At that time, the Hardeman County Association was organized, and HBC was a charter member.
The town of Hornsby, a one line of business buildings running with the railroad, burned May 29, 1925. With it were the records for the church. A new roll of membership was constructed. The church properly at this time included a parsonage which was built from lumber rescued from the old Crainville site.
In 1929, a piano was purchased. The membership was now 185. The building was refurbished with paint and repairs. The budget expense for the church in 1931 was $2,500.00. This amount included a salary received per preaching Sunday for the minister that was $27.50. HBC continued to grow and by 1933, membership was at 210. New renovations came again in 1936 which included new hymn books and a new stove for the sanctuary.
Up until 1947, the church had three quarter time services cooperating with Hatchie Baptist Church for one quarter time. On September 12, 1948, the church began to meet ‘full time’ and the minister's salary was set at $100.00 per month.
Between 1954 and 1956, HBC went through more additions and renovations. Five educational rooms were added to the building with nursery facilities. Hardwood floors were installed, and the interior of the church was redecorated. Two rooms were added to the parsonage as well. Beginning in 1964, the frame building was torn away, and a new sanctuary was constructed and completed in1965. There were eight Sunday School rooms, a pastor’s study, kitchen and baptistery. The exterior was brick. A final renovation occurred in 1996 to enlarge the worship center and renovate offices and nursery. This is our present building in which we worship.
HBC has continued to prosper and increase in its service for Christ. It has grown into the new millennium with 365 total members. But this is just our beginning. We seek to follow Christ and do great things for God’s Kingdom.
Pastors (1907 to Present)
S. V. Gulett John T. Brown Lamar Booth
L. B. Golden Bill Whitlow Danny Bullock
U. A. West Ronnie Wiley Dale Prince
E. M. Skinner John Wilkes Jack Price
T. R. Hammons DeWayne Whitman Joe Thomason
A. L. Mays Henry Inman Barry Littlefield
C. A. Barrett Bob Emerson Bill Whitlow
C. H. Frye Allen Grant Tim West
W. B. Cox Matt Emerson
The men of HBC ordained to the ministry and licensed to preach:
Marshall Brumelow (licensed to preach, 1940)
Ray Jernigan (licensed to preach. 1953)
Billy Joe Sanders (ordained, 1956)
Hiram Franklin Tennyson Jr. (ordained, 1960)
Matthew Moore (licensed to preach, ordained, 2018)