Cotton Memorial Presbyterian Church, formerly known as the First United Presbyterian Church of Henderson, was the nucleus of the community which developed a multi-unit enterprise consisting of the church, the Townsville V. P. Church, Henderson Institute and Jubilee Hospital. Records indicate that in 1888, a Presbyterian Church was organized in Henderson by Rev. S. S. Sevier, with only six members. It was not until 1898 that a committee was appointed by the board of the United Presbyterian Church to receive the Henderson congregation formally into the United Presbyterian Church of America.
In July of 1900, Rev. J. L. Cook was transferred from Athens, Tennessee to Henderson, NC to serve as pastor and principal. Upon Rev. Cook’s death on July 6, 1903, Rev. Dr. John Adam Cotton became pastor and principal. Rev. Dr. Cotton accepted a position at Knoxville College, and Rev. John R. Dungee assumed charge of the congregation. In April 1942, Rev. Dungee was commissioned by the U. S. Army as Chaplain, and Rev. Saint Paul Epps became pastor of the Henderson and Townsville Congregations. In August of 1946, Rev. Epps accepted a call in Los Angeles, CA, and Rev. Dungee returned to Henderson as pastor of both the Henderson and Townsville congregations. Rev. Dungee was instrumental in providing devotion and dedicated services to successfully merge the two congregations in 1963.
Cotton Memorial Presbyterian Church USA 