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The Community of Mahathy Hill

Mahathy Hill School, about 1946
This community is located where DeKalb County joins Warren County and Cannon County, and for many years did not have a large population. Near it was an area called "The Big Woods" which had no one living in it. The community never had a post office; before mail carriers, the people got their mail at Mechanicsville in Cannon County.
A church was established around 1840; the Short Mountain Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized and came to be called the Banks Church. It still has an active congregation today. The land for the church and cemetery was given by Enoch C. Jones, a brother-in-law of Joseph Banks who lived near the church. Joseph Banks was a Methodist preacher, and was not even a member of that church, though his wife, Jane, was a Presbyterian, and was a member.
An early preacher of Banks Church was Alexander Miller, who served from 1851 to 1881. His son-in-law, Ezekiel Underhill served as an elder from 1875 to 1934. Oliver Underhill, a son of Ezekiel, represented DeKalb, Cannon and Rutherford counties in the State Senate from 1917 to 1919 and 1925 – 1927. He was elected Justice of the Peace in the DeKalb County Quarterly Court for about 40 consecutive years.
Another relative of Reverend Alexander Miller was Mrs. Barbara Miller, who moved to the community about 1856 with her two grandsons, John Miller and Tom Miller. The Miller boys married sisters, daughters of Isaac Johnson, and have many descendants in the community.
Ernest Underhill, a half brother of Oliver, operated a store for several years before and after World War II. It was located just across the road from Mahathy Hill School. The earlier school in the community was called the Johnson School and was about a mile farther up the road. Around 1890 it had one teacher and about 40 pupils. By 1904 the school was moved and called Mahathy Hill for a family that had lived in the area after the Civil War. In 1934, a new building was constructed with two classrooms, a stage and a kitchen. It is now used as a residence.
Among the early residents of the community were Talitha Scurlock, Elizabeth Bullard and Eliza Hawkins, all of whom were original members of Banks Church. Benjamin Bullard, John Hibdon and John Hildreth lived in the area by 1850, as did Isaac Johnson, Hardy Johnson and Lazarus Johnson. John Martin lived near Banks Church. Born in Maryland in 1764, he was the owner of 25 slaves. He left them to his children in his will, but they had all been freed before he died in 1872 at the age of 108.
The community today has various business enterprises. Nurseries are the primary businesses. However, the South Paw Bed and Bath does pet grooming and boarding, across from Banks Church. Just up the road, a new family has recently moved in. Charles and Carol Wright and their children have been doing a bustling business making stone-ground bread of various kinds, carrot cake, cashew brittle, etc. They sell these items in Smithville at a stand near their home on Banks-Pisgah Road.
A church was established around 1840; the Short Mountain Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized and came to be called the Banks Church. It still has an active congregation today. The land for the church and cemetery was given by Enoch C. Jones, a brother-in-law of Joseph Banks who lived near the church. Joseph Banks was a Methodist preacher, and was not even a member of that church, though his wife, Jane, was a Presbyterian, and was a member.
An early preacher of Banks Church was Alexander Miller, who served from 1851 to 1881. His son-in-law, Ezekiel Underhill served as an elder from 1875 to 1934. Oliver Underhill, a son of Ezekiel, represented DeKalb, Cannon and Rutherford counties in the State Senate from 1917 to 1919 and 1925 – 1927. He was elected Justice of the Peace in the DeKalb County Quarterly Court for about 40 consecutive years.
Another relative of Reverend Alexander Miller was Mrs. Barbara Miller, who moved to the community about 1856 with her two grandsons, John Miller and Tom Miller. The Miller boys married sisters, daughters of Isaac Johnson, and have many descendants in the community.
Ernest Underhill, a half brother of Oliver, operated a store for several years before and after World War II. It was located just across the road from Mahathy Hill School. The earlier school in the community was called the Johnson School and was about a mile farther up the road. Around 1890 it had one teacher and about 40 pupils. By 1904 the school was moved and called Mahathy Hill for a family that had lived in the area after the Civil War. In 1934, a new building was constructed with two classrooms, a stage and a kitchen. It is now used as a residence.
Among the early residents of the community were Talitha Scurlock, Elizabeth Bullard and Eliza Hawkins, all of whom were original members of Banks Church. Benjamin Bullard, John Hibdon and John Hildreth lived in the area by 1850, as did Isaac Johnson, Hardy Johnson and Lazarus Johnson. John Martin lived near Banks Church. Born in Maryland in 1764, he was the owner of 25 slaves. He left them to his children in his will, but they had all been freed before he died in 1872 at the age of 108.
The community today has various business enterprises. Nurseries are the primary businesses. However, the South Paw Bed and Bath does pet grooming and boarding, across from Banks Church. Just up the road, a new family has recently moved in. Charles and Carol Wright and their children have been doing a bustling business making stone-ground bread of various kinds, carrot cake, cashew brittle, etc. They sell these items in Smithville at a stand near their home on Banks-Pisgah Road.