Seven Springs Provided Name for Community

(Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Sept. 25, 1931 issue of The Crittenden Press. It is used here with permission).

Row of Springs, A Few Feet Apart, Have Since Disappeared

ON AXLEY CREEK

The Seven Springs Church, according to J.A. Guess, clerk of that church, was so named because when it was first built it stood close to seven large springs, which with the exception of one have since disappeared.

The first Seven Springs Church was on Axley Creek about two and a half miles from the church in use by that congregation today. The new building is only a few yards away from the Boax school house near the junction of the Dycusburg-Salem road, the Dycusburg-Marion road and the Dycusburg-Emmaus road.

On a high bank near Axley Creek were seven springs in a row some few feet apart. This was once a popular picnic spot. High water from the Cumberland River deposited enough sediment to entirely cover these springs which later again came to the surface as one large spring about 100 yards down the creek

Thick Woodland
In the early days the seven springs were surrounded on all sides by a thick woodland and cane breaks, the natural habitat of wild turkeys, squirrels and wildcats. In 1886, Rev. Jim Benton, a Methodist minister, held a revival in a brush arbor at Seven Springs. In 1894 Thuse Jeffords built another brush arbor where Rev. Job Hollaway, of Lyon County, preached regularly until cold weather. That winter a little log church was built and Rev. Hollaway was holding a meeting there when the Ohio River Association sent Rev. J. A. Lockhart, in August, 1895, to organize a Baptist Church in the community.

The charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Greenlee, Plenic Reynolds, Mrs. and Mrs. J. L. Jeffords, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sparkman, Willie Hill, Lee Travis, Mr. and Mrs. J.G. Jeffords.

Two Other Churches
Since that time two other churches have been built at that place. At the present the church is located over two miles away from the old location of the seven springs the church still goes by that name. It now has 180 members. Rev. J.T. Cunningham has been pastor for the past fourteen years. Former pastors were, in order: Rev. John Lockhart, Rev. G.F. Waters, Rev. J.C. Kinsolving, Rev. G.S. Summers, Rev. E. M. Eaton, Rev. U.G. Hughes and Rev. W. W. Crouch.

The surrounding country is now known as the Seven Springs Community.

Boaz school house nearby was named for George L. Boaz, a prominent citizen of the community.