German Colony Lutheran –Wilhite Church Cemetery
Wilhite Church was originally organized as Lutheran Church about 1780-82 at the the German Colony which was locate near Bird's Crossroad , in what is now Sevier County, Tennessee. A Historical Marker is now located near the site where the Colony, the early Lutheran Church and original Cemetery was located.
The Settlement and the location are mentioned in "First Families of THE LOST STATE OF FRANKLIN by John C Rigdon. On page 42, in listing early settlers of what is now Sevier County in The Lost State of Franklin, he writes: "The Upper end of the County in the vicinity of Birds Cross Roads, a Colony of Germans from Virginia was located" There is presently a Historical Marker close by marking the area where the Colony was located..
Apparently, the Congregation of this early Lutheran Church was unable to find a Lutheran Minister in the area, so they asked a Methodius Episcopal Minister to conduct their services. Whether he conducted the services in the Lutheran manner or not is known. However, it seems to have sufficed as they continued to worship as Methodist. One result is that several Wilhite descendents born in the area became Methodist Ministers.
Frederick Lowlon Mucke, author of the book Lutherans in East Tennessee, stated, "The tenets of the Methodist church were so similar to those of the Lutherans, the Germans easily accepted Methodism. The Lutherans always had a problem obtaining ordained pastors, while Methodists had no lack of ministers and their circuit riders were always popular. It also helped that English was spoken by law in all the schools."
Now named Wilhite Church, it has probably moved more than once before ending up in the present location on Alpine Road which is North of Wilhite Creek and West of Wilhite Creek Road. Now abandoned, it was noted to have a Cemetery but the exact location has been lost. It may have been near where the original Lutheran Church was located. The present location of the Wilhite Church is a few miles South of the original location.

Even though it is likely Wilhite Church and the early Luthean Chuch in the German Coloney are historically connected no record has been found to confirm this.(Early records were lost in the Sevierville fire of 1856, See below).
The Church has been located, without moving very far, in the following Jurisdictions: North Carolina Western Territories, Southwest Territories, Territories South of the Ohio, Franklin Free State, Greene County, Jefferson County and finally in September 1794 Sevier County, Tennessee where it is today.