A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GILROY CONGREGATION

   
"Gilroy" was a name given to the temporary post office located in the general merchandise store of Charles Boyd Johnson.

    Jesse Vincent Mullins was a zealous Christian of the Church in LaVergne and wanted to see the Church established in any community into which it had not spread.  He met with the Paul family several times in their home, conducting the worship service.

    Mr. Mullins rejoiced when the Davidson County School Board returned to George Johnson the Gilroy School building which he had sold them several years before.  On April 12, 1914, the first worship service was held in the Gilroy School building which was rented for two dollars per month.  The membership consisted of E.A. Johnson, Mattie Paul Hartman, Ben and Bettie Lou Paul and their children.

    The first protracted meeting was held in June 1914.  In the early years the community was very prejudiced and many thing were done to discourage the little band trying to establish a permanent Church of the New Testament.

    July 15, 1915, the Gilroy congregation bought the school building and approximately one acre on which it stood, for $450.  The trustees in this transaction were J.E. Own, William B. Paul, W.W. Goodwin, and Joe Soapes.

    From time to time, additions were made to the front of the old building and to the back, including classrooms, a baptistry, a water system and electric heat.

    With the construction of the Interstate and spreading out of Nashville, new families began to move into the community and Gilroy's attendance began to increase, so a building committee headed by Willie Robertson, Ernest Cunningham and Cordell Smith, spent many hours drawing up plans for a new building.  Bonds were sold to pay for the construction and many hours of hard work were put into the new building by the members.  The old building was torn down.

    A fund was set up in the name of Mrs. Bertie Churchwell, who lost her life as the result of a fall while cleaning up the balcony in preparation for the dedication of the new building.

    On October 22, 1972, the new building was dedicated and for several years "Homecoming" was held in October with dinner on the grounds.  In 1980, the fourth Sunday of September was designated as "Homecoming Day"  because the weather is more favorable than in October.



Much of the preceeding is an adaption from a History of the Gilroy Church of Christ written by Fannie Belle Paul Taylor.  She and her brother, Boyd, attended the first services of Gilroy.