| Sources |
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 15 Feb 2004.
SEVIERVILLE - Long-time Sevierville resident and County Commissioner, Jimmie Temple, knows a thing or two about getting hitched.
Over the last 25 years, Temple conservatively estimates that he has married about 15,000 happy couples, and the numbers continue to steadily increase each year.
Until 2001, Temple performed his service in the office at his family business, Temple's Feed and Seed Store, with bags of Miracle Gro and dog food stacked nearby. Newly licensed lovebirds would often find their way to Temple's Feed and Seed by wandering across the street from the Sevier County Courthouse in downtown Sevierville.
Now that the Feed and Seed is closed, Jimmie Temple and his wife, Marie, work out of the old family home on Court Avenue, which is now their office. Couples still drop by to be married, and Temple still enjoys every single "I do."
"My favorite part about marrying couples is that I get to meet people from all walks of life," Temple explained. "They're usually nervous, but I try to personalize each and every ceremony by getting to know a little about them."
Once couples have pledged their love, Temple sends them home with a business card-sized reminder of their vows entitled "4 Points for a Successful Marriage," including "Your Love," "Your Trust," "Your Friendship," and "Your Respect." These enduring four points are also a part of each couple's vows to one another, and Temple writes each couple's marriage date on the card.
"I get a lot of touching letters from couples who keep their cards with them to remember what is really important in their marriage," Temple explained. In fact, one couple married in 2000 recently wrote thanking him for their personalized service and the "4 Points" card saying that they had prayed the night before for someone who would treat their wedding ceremony specially.
Temple says that most couples find him through recommendations from couples he has married in the past.
"We've also been on several television programs, and the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce has us on their Web site," Temple said.
Word of mouth and more modern means of advertising have combined to boost the number of couples at Temple's office, especially those from out of state.
"I would say that of the 15,000 couples I've married, 8,000 have been within the last 10 years, and most of the couples I marry are from out of state," he noted.
Although these numbers sound more like those of a booming wedding chapel than a County Commissioner's office, Temple has never considered what he does a business and never charges for his services.
Why, you ask? His reply is simple - "I just really enjoy doing this."
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 17 Jul 2010.
Temple's a Sevier treasure
It was 20 years ago Friday when Jimmie Temple and family and friends gathered for the grand opening of Shoney’s on Forks of the River Parkway on Sevierville. Attracting Shoney’s had been a dream of Temple’s mother Effie, who didn’t want the lot developed unless it would house that restaurant chain.
One day in 1980, unannounced and looking more like IRS agents than developers, some guys walked into Temple’s office downtown, said they were from Shoney’s and that they wanted to build a restaurant on his property. Effie Temple was thrilled. Jimmie Temple was thrilled. In fact Effie Temple received a gold pass from Shoney’s that allowed her to eat free at the restaurant, a privilege she wasn’t shy about taking advantage of until she died.
One more thing to know about that day 20 years ago. It also was Temple’s 62nd birthday. So it was fitting that family and friends came together on July 16 of last week to observe the restaurant anniversary and birthday No. 82 for the longtime Sevier County businessman and public servant.
I felt honored to have been invited.
There are few people as revered and respected in this community as Jimmie Temple. He was born into a prominent and prosperous family, to be sure, but he has made his own way in life.
He was mayor of Sevierville from 1959 to 1963. He was elected to the Sevier County Commission in 1966 and has served ever since. He usually was the highest vote getter on election day. This year, when county elections were changed to specific seat numbers within a district, he ran unopposed.
He and Marie have been married 55 years. Their only child, James Jr., was on hand for the party, as was James’ son Andrew, who’s a student at the University of Tennessee majoring in communications.
John Waters Jr., who married Temple’s sister Patsy, was at his side Friday. Temple and Waters have known each other since they were 5 or 6 years old and the Temples moved into Sevierville and became neighbors of the Waterses. John Waters’ daughter Cindy, her two daughters and her brother John III were also at the party.
There were several senior administrators from First Baptist Church in Sevierville on hand, including Scott Carter, Roland Mattox and Royce Bailey. Temple has supported the church over the years by donating all of the money given him by people he has married. Thousands of couples have sought out Temple and visited his office on Court Avenue — actually the old Temple homestead next to the sheriff’s office — to have him perform the ceremony. He never charges, but any money people give him as donations goes into a fund that, over time, he hands over to the church. No telling how much that has been.
Bill Ball came over for the birthday party. He owns Shoney’s franchises in 10 East Tennessee counties, including the stores in Sevierville and Gatlinburg.
If you know Jimmie Temple you know he can tell a story. Or two. Like this one:
His mother made him promise to attend the University of Tennessee after high school and he struggled as a freshman. His counselor, looking over his freshman grades, suggested Temple go back to Sevierville and enter the family business.
“I can’t,” Temple said. “I promised my mother I’d go at least two years.” He and the counselor then worked up five classes he could take that would help him as a businessman. He completed them, came back to Sevierville and entered the family business, which included a chair factory, farm, feed store and mill.
He knows his Sevier County history. He knows the people. He knows who’s related to whom. He remembers everything, and has as extensive a collection of historic photos as anyone.
He is, in every sense of the word, a community treasure.
Thanks for inviting me. And thanks, Jimmie, for what you do and have done for this community.
— Stan Voit is editor of The Mountain Press. His column appears each Sunday. He can be reached at 428-0748, ext. 217, or e-mail to svoit@themountainpress.com.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 10 Apr 2011.
Sign of progress: Complex gets first new sign
by GAIL CRUTCHFIELD
Jimmie Temple discusses the history of Temple’s Millstone Corner, the business complex he built 30 years ago. He named the complex to honor his family’s long history in the county.
Mildred Thomas of Thomas Bridal Fashions & Photography said she’s been blessed in the 30 years she’s been stationed at Temple’s Millstone Corner. Her business has expanded into an adjoining section of the complex.
The new sign at Temple’s Millstone Corner has been in place for about two weeks. Jimmie Temple said it really looks good at night when it’s illuminated. You can now see the millstones he had placed there 30 years ago. They were moved from one of the family’s mills. The old sign is pictured at top right.
Earlene Harper of Earlene’s Alterations said she’s already received some business from the sign that now includes her business’ name.
Jimmie Temple still remembers when the land on either side of Forks of the River Parkway was family farmland. After the road was built in the late 1970s, businesses slowly started to pop up along the thoroughfare as the Temples began to lease and sell the property for development.
The family kept some of the property and developed it on their own, including the portion that houses Temple’s Millstone Corner complex, which now includes four businesses, one of which is original to the building. During its 30 years there have been only a few changes in tenants. The space built for an insurance agency vacated for a florist’s business, a corner of which is now dedicated to an alterations business.
The formal wear shop that is original to the building has expanded into an area once occupied by a travel agency. The State Farm Insurance agency has been installed in its space since 1987.
There have been a few additions to the sign over the years as tenants moved in and out, but overall, the original sign remained the same. At least until recently, when the tenants asked Temple to work with them on creating a new sign to replace the weathered, wooden one that’s been there for 30 years.
The new sign has been up for two weeks. It has red and white colors similar to the first sign, but now with lights illuminating it from the inside. A fourth name has been added to the three businesses previously advertised on the sign, and in the process of replacing the sign, the millstones placed at the bottom of it were unearthed from beneath grass and bushes.
Temple said Jeff Brown of Sarah Sharp’s State Farm Agency was the leader in getting a new sign for the complex, and he and all of the tenants worked together to design it. Temple said he watched from the grass in front of the old public library building as the sign was erected about two weeks ago.
Thomas Formal Wear & Photography got top billing. That seems only fitting since they’ve been in the building since it opened, moving from Dolly Parton Parkway.
Temple said he approached shop owner Mildred Thomas about renting space in his new building before it was ever completed.
“I asked Mildred if she would like to move downtown,” Temple said. She did, and she’s been there ever since, expanding into an even larger area and folding her daughter Kristi’s photography business in as well.
During this busy prom time, however, Mildred has taken over the area where Kristi usually takes her studio shots, storing rolling racks of tuxedo vests and as well as tuxedos waiting for customers to pick up for their big night.
“I have to move all these out when Kristi has to take pictures,” Thomas told Temple.
While she’s utilizing every inch of space these days, she had plenty of room to move around when she first moved in.
“All of my wedding gowns would fit on this one wall over here,” Thomas said, pointing to the north wall. “Now look at all of them.”
The business is now filled with wedding, bridesmaids and prom gowns, shoes and accessories and now tuxedos.
“I’ve been blessed,” she said of her business.
Next door to Thomas and a spot below her on the sign is Sarah Sharp’s insurance agency. They moved in to the space in 1987.
Terri Christopher has been working there for 14 years, but remembers well before then when the road was built and when the Temple Mill that the complex pays homage to burned down.
Christopher said Temple has been a wonderful landlord over the years, acting quickly when called on to solve any issue. Brown said while the location is great for the business, he feels the relationship Temple has built with Sharp and the other tenants is what has kept them there for so long.
All Occasion Florist, third on the sign, was already in existence when Juanita Shultz bought it more than 12 years ago. She has since sold it to Dustin Manning, but she still works there. She said other florists who come into the store always express their amazement at how roomy it is in back where all of the flower creations take shape.
“The store is bigger than it looks,” Temple said, as he walked around the front counter and into the back room.
Shultz echoed the thoughts of the other tenants about Temple.
“You will not find a better person than that man right there,” she said. “When you ask him to do something, you can bet he’ll take care of you.”
Shultz’ sister, Earlene Harper, is the final tenant and for the first time has the name of her business on the shopping complex’s sign. Earlene’s Alterations has been in a corner of the All Occasions Florist location for four years. She moved there after spending many of her 25 years in the alteration business at the Sew and Vac shop in the shopping center down the street.
Harper said she’s excited to get her name on the sign out by the road. She’s had signs in the windows at the front and side of her portion of the business. The new sign has already paid off.
“One lady said ‘I’m very glad to know you’re here.’” Harper said. “Well, I’m glad for them to know I’m here.”
gcrutchfield@themountainpress.com
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 2 Sep 2013.
Restoring a way of life
Scout Troop 119 refubishes Temples' old corn mill
JEFF FARRELL
Temple watches mill
Jeff Farrell
Jimmie Temple closely inspects the mill, which was restored by Boy Scout Troop 119.
Boy Scouts group
Jeff Farrell
Temple's son looking at mill
Jeff Farrell
SEVIERVILLE —
People who have been going to the fair regularly for years might do a double take as they enter this year.
The old corn mill outside the Exhibition Hall had been sitting idle and rusting away for years, but now it’s working, cleaned up and covered with a new coat of paint courtesy of Boy Scout Troop 119.
The mill was owned by the Temple family, and County Commissioner Jimmie Temple and his son, County Planning Technician James Temple Jr., were there to see a test run Thursday evening along with the scouts.
“I can’t tell you what it means to see it working,” Jimmy Temple said.
The broad smile on his face as he felt the corn meal coming out made that obvious.
The mill was brought to the fair grounds several decades ago from the Oak City Mill, Chair and Store complex the family once owned in Seymour.
It first saw use in 1918, according to the Temples.
That complex is gone now. It was once in the area where Majestic Meadows subdivision now sits, along railroad tracks that ran between Knoxville and Sevierville.
It once served not only as a place where they could make meal to sell in Knoxville, but where local people could get their own corn ground.
As far as the Temples know, the mill is the last piece from the complex still in existence. It was operated at the fair for a few years, but had been sitting idle for many years before.
Thanks to the scouts from Troop 119, it’s getting a new life.
It will be operating at the fair again this year.
Scoutmaster Rick Long said it mostly needed cosmetic work — getting rid of rust and old paint and repainting it. “It really just needed cleaning up,” Long said
They’d talked about doing it before, and considered making it a project for an Eagle Scout before deciding to tackle it this summer as a group.
“It was really rusty so we all picked a day and came down and worked together,” said Olan Loveday, one of the scouts.
“We came down on a couple of Saturdays. We were glad to get it restored for them.”
It’s being powered for now by a tractor owned by Ira Crawford.
The boiler that sits alongside it, which was not part of the original equipment at the mill, isn’t certified for use.
But all the same, fairgoers will have the chance to see a piece of Sevier County’s history in action when the fair opens Monday, thanks to the Temples and Troop 119.
n jfarrell@themountainpress.com
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 7 Apr 2014.
Temple ending 6 decades of public service
Jeff Farrell
SEVIERVILLE —
County Commissioner Jimmie Temple is not running for his seat in the county for the first time since 1966.
The 85-year-old is convalescing after recent surgeries, and decided not to seek re-election. He’s among the longest serving commissioners in the state.
His fellow commissioner, Ben Clabo, actually has a few months longer on commission than Temple because he was appointed to a seat a few months before the pair of them won their first election.
Temple can look back with pride on accomplishments on the commission that span almost 50 years. During that time, he’s helped oversee the county’s growth and its direction, starting with a push to bring the area a full-service hospital.
The county had clinics and good physicians, but it didn’t have a true hospital with specialists and other services.
That was the issue that he ran on for his first election, and getting one here remains one of his proudest accomplishments. “We needed one,” he said.
He’s helped oversee the addition of a minor league baseball stadium in the county and the construction of an airport, but even those huge projects weren’t the toughest thing he faced.
“The landfill was the most difficult,” he said. “I have people who still won’t talk to me over it.”
Clabo is likely one of the few people who can fully understand what Temple has meant to the commission, having served just as long and seen all the same debates.
“There’s been some ups and downs, but we stayed in there and we didn’t give up,” Temple said.
The two of them can look back at accomplishments that include getting accreditation for the schools, paving of the county roads, development of new industrial parks and more than the two can rattle off in one sitting.
“Jimmie’s always been a great commissioner, and he’s always been for improvements for Sevier County,” Clabo said.
County historian Caroll McMahan said Temple has been one of the county’s most visible leaders for more than six decades, starting when he served as mayor of Sevierville before he ran for county commission.
“What impresses me more than anything is his love for Sevierville and Sevier County and its people,” McMahan said. “I think he’s done everything he’s done out of that love for his home and the people that lived there.”
When they first took office, the commission was even larger than its current 25 members, and it met just once every three months.
But they already had one of the powers Temple has enjoyed the most: They were justices of the peace, meaning they could perform weddings.
He and his family estimate he performed upwards of 25,000 ceremonies over the years. Temple has become famous for providing the service for free. At one time, he’d do it in his family’s old feed store. Later, he’d do it in his house just a short walk from the courthouse.
He can still recall when Judge Ray Reagan gave him the copy of the civil ceremony he’s been using for years, shortly before the judge’s death.
“I carried it until it was just threads,” Temple said.
jfarrell@themountainpress.com
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 11 May 2014.
July 16, 1928 - May 11, 2014
Resided in Sevierville, TN
James A. (Jimmie) Temple, Sr., age 85, died at home surrounded by his loving and devoted wife and family on Sunday morning, May 11, 2014. .
A devout Christian man who lived his faith every day, Mr. Temple was a devoted husband, a loving daddy and father-in-law, but most of all he was a proud Papaw who loved his only grandchild and totally supported him in all his activities and endeavors. He loved his sisters, his family, his church, his friends and his community. He never met a stranger and served as a mentor to many. He especially loved telling stories and making people laugh and he loved watching Westerns on television. Our lives will forever be touched by his love.
Born July 16, 1928 in the Oak City community of Sevier County.
Graduated from Sevier County High School in 1946 where he was president of his senior class. He attended the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
Mr. Temple, known by many as Jimmie, was a faithful and devoted member of First Baptist Church Sevierville for 76 years, being baptized at the age of 9. He was a Deacon (lifetime), the church treasurer for 45 years, a Trustee, a Sunday School teacher and he devoted much time to numerous committees.
Mr. Temple began his business career as manager of his family's business, Temple Milling Company, in Sevierville in 1948; a position he held until the business closed in 2001. Being manager of Temple Milling Company, he worked closely with Ralston Purina and Purina Mills for 67 years as a dealer. He also hosted a weekly radio program on WSEV 930AM in the 6:30 a.m. slot. "The Jimmie Temple Show" aired from April 1955 to March 2001. A familiar of Jimmie's was, "Good morning! If you can put your feet on the floor and walk away from the bed, it's going to be a good day."
Mr. Temple began a long and illustrious public service career in 1959, serving as Mayor of Sevierville until 1963. He served as a Sevier County Commissioner for 48 years, from September 1966 through the current term, serving on numerous committees including the Ambulance Authority since its formation. His terms as a County Commissioner gave him the authority to perform civil marriage ceremonies. With his business located opposite the county courthouse, many couples came to him to be married. He performed most of these ceremonies in his office at Temple Milling Company and later, upon retirement, in the office he opened in his parent's home located behind the business on Court Avenue. He married approximately 28, 000 couples during the years; the last on December 31, 2013. His marriage ceremonies were known for the ending prayer, "A Prayer for the Bride and Groom" and for the "4 Points for a Successful Marriage" card which included the date of their marriage and the ceremony number for that year. Mr. Temple enjoyed performing this service, often reminiscing about the people he met and their return visits.
Mr. Temple served on the Board of Trustees for East Tennessee Baptist Hospital in Knoxville for 20 years, 1972 – 1992. He was a member of the Sevierville Lion's Club for 65 years and a member of Mountain Star Masonic Lodge #197. Mr. Temple was a charter member and president of the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, 1970 – 1971. He served on numerous other civic organizations throughout the years and was a loyal UT football fan. He spent countless hours in the rocking chairs on the porch of the Court Avenue home, reacquainting with old friends and making new friends because everyone who knew Jimmie knew he never met a stranger. Mr. Temple enjoyed managing the family farm and family businesses in Sevierville.
Preceded in death by:
Parents – John E. and Effie Benson Temple
Loving daughter – Jane Elizabeth Temple
Sister and brother-in-law – Frankie Temple Cutshaw and H.A. Cutshaw
Sister – Patsy Temple Waters
Brother-in-law – Russell Hughes
Brother-in-law – Charles Johnson
Special niece – Janelle Cutshaw Nevins
Survivors include:
Loving wife of 58 years – Marie Johnson Temple
Son and daughter-in-law – James Temple, Jr. and Marty Lewis Temple
Grandson and fiancé – Andrew Temple and Callie Hill
Sister – Mary Joyce Temple Hughes
Brother-in-law – John Waters, Jr.
Sister-in-law – Barbara Johnson of Florida
Nieces and nephews – Art Nevins of Atlanta and children Preston Nevins and wife, Dallas and children Cole and Sears and Whitney Nevins Justice and husband, Calder of Atlanta.
Kenneth Cutshaw and wife, De and children Drew and Christy of Durham, NC and Susanne Beckett and husband, Chris of Nashville.
John B. Waters, III and wife, Beth and children Alexander Waters of Knoxville and Spencer and wife, Nicole Waters of New Bern, NC. Cyndy Waters and children Muteyi, Judy, and Nangesian of Sevierville. Amy Hughes Huskins and daughter, Emily of Atlanta. Matt Hughes and wife, Dana and children David, of Atlanta and Molly and Connor of Knoxville. Charles, Jr. and wife, Cathy Johnson of Wisconsin. Gary and wife, Lisa Johnson of Florida and children Amanda Law and husband, William and children, William III and Caroline, Kevin Johnson, Jonathan Roman and wife, Amber, Kelly, Samantha and Kristy Johnson.
Temple first cousins – Mary Bob Rowe, Anna Frank Hammer, Eva Sue Crye, Melba Delozier, and Marilyn Dykes.
Mr. Temple is also survived by many extended family members and devoted friends in Sevierville and beyond.
Pallbearers will be his nephews: Art Nevins, Kenneth Cutshaw, John B. Waters, III, Matt Hughes, Charles Johnson, Jr. and Gary Johnson.
Honorary Pallbearers will be:
Deacons of First Baptist Church Sevierville
Members of Joe Woods' Sunday School Class
Members of Marie Temple's Sunday School Class
Lions Club of Sevierville
Sevier County Mayor and Commissioners
Current and former Mayors of the City of Sevierville
A celebration of Mr. Temple's life will be held at First Baptist Church Sevierville on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 7:00 P.M. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 from 2 – 6:30 P.M. at First Baptist Church Sevierville.
Family and friends will meet for burial at Shiloh Cemetery on Thursday, May 15, at 2014 at 10:00 A.M.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to:
The Temple Family Scholarship
C/O SCHS Foundation
P.O. Box 4124
Sevierville, TN 37864
Orbit Village Project
118 Cedar Hills Road
Sevierville, TN 37862
First Baptist Church Sevierville Music or TV Ministry
317 Parkway
Sevierville, TN 37862
The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Curtis Burke, Dr. Paul Hatcher, Staff and Physical Therapy Department of Sevier County Health Care Center, Sevier County Ambulance Authority, Home Instead Care Givers and Martha Hurst, University of Tennessee Hospice and our First Baptist Church Family.
"Join hands and count off"…. Jimmie's home.
Arrangements by Atchley Funeral Home, Sevierville. (www.atchleyfuneralhome.com)
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 12 May 2014.
Jimmie Temple, 85, was longtime public servant
JEFF FARRELL
Jimmie Temple, the longtime Sevier County Commissioner and former mayor of Sevierville who performed thousands of marriages at his family’s mill and store and later at his house, died Sunday. He was 85.
Temple served on county commission for almost a half century, from 1966 until his death. He did not seek reelection this year due to his failing health; Sevierville Police Officer Michael Maddron won the Republican primary for his seat and is unopposed in the general election. He also served as mayor of Sevierville from 1959 until 1963.
He was manager of Temple Milling Company, located across from the courthouse, from 1948 until it closed in 2001, and hosted a weekly radio program on WSEV 930 AM from 1955 until 2001.
Temple started his political career by serving as mayor of his hometown, Sevierville.
“He was a young man when he was elected mayor of Sevierville in 1969, and while serving in that capacity, he led the effort to provide much-needed infrastructure and increase the city limits,” said Carroll McMahan, the county historian.
That growth included the annexation of Love Addition and Runyan Addtion, a key moment for the city.
“You want to talk about annexation – people hadn’t been paying city taxes, but he got them all to agree to be annexed,” Sevierville Mayor Bryan Atchley said. “I know that’s a tough job.”
Temple joined county commission when it was still the Sevier County Court, and met once every three months.
He played a role in key decisions ranging from seeking a hospital to serve the county, to getting an airport, as well as the creation of industrial parks.
In a recent interview, he said the most difficult was the creation of the county landfill. “I have people who still won’t talk to me over it,” he said.
County Mayor Larry Waters said Temple was also a major supporter of the school system.
Commissioners listened to him, Waters said, not only because of his experience and knowledge of how issues had been shaped over the years, but also because of his personality.
“He was sort of the rock of the whole commission,” Waters said. “You could depend on his wisdom, and depend on him to always analyze the situation and come up with a solution on any issue.”
Even when the county commission and municipal governments didn’t see eye to eye, Atchley said, Waters could be counted on to give the city’s proposals a fair hearing.
“I’ll go back to the '80s when I was an alderman," Atchley said. "I can’t recall a time I wasn’t able to work with Jimmie Temple.”
Circuit Court Judge Rex Henry Ogle said Temple was a mentor to him and many others as well.
“Jimmie Temple is one of the greatest human beings that’s ever lived in this county," Ogle said. "He’s given his life not only to public service, but to people, and he will be tremendously missed. He was a great mentor to me and to a lot of other younger people as we grew up.”
One of Temple's favorite aspect of being county commissioner was the authority to perform civil marriage ceremonies.
With his store and mill located across from the courthouse, couples often asked him to marry them as soon as they got their license.
After the store closed — the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office now sits in its place — Temple continued to perform ceremonies in an office at his family’s house on Court Avenue.
While it was a civil ceremony, Temple — a lifetime deacon at Sevierville First Baptist Church — would conclude with a prayer for the couple, and tips for a successful marriage, as well as the date of the ceremony.
Temple never charged for the services, although he did ask the couples to consider making a donation to his church.
His family estimated he performed about 28,000 marriages over the years; the last was on Dec. 31.
Temple’s funeral service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church of Sevierville. The family will receive friends from 2 until 6:30 p.m.
jfarrell@themountainpress.com
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 17 May 2014.
Upland Chronicles: Jimmie Temple loved Sevierville
CARROLL MCMAHAN
Upland Chronicles
Jimmie Temple (holding microphone) presides over the annual Purina “Mike and Ike” drawing, held at Temple Milling Company in December for several decades.
Jimmie Temple (foreground) riding in a parade while serving as mayor of Sevierville.
The morning following the annual Sevierville Chamber of Commerce Banquet in 2008, chamber CEO Brenda McCroskey received a phone call from Jimmie Temple. After telling McCroskey how much he and his wife Marie enjoyed the festivities, Temple suggested a program about the history of Sevierville for the next banquet.
I was assigned the task of collaborating with Temple on ideas for a program related to Sevierville’s history. The result was a film titled “Sevierville, Fifty Years of Progress,” featuring the four living mayors and family members representing the men who had served as mayor over the past half century.
Former mayors Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Gary Wade and Charlie Johnson joined Mayor Bryan Atchley and Temple to graciously share their memories in an interview for the film. Also, Mary Bob Rowe, daughter of Robert Howard, and Fred Lawson, brother of Herbert Lawson, were interviewed.
The purpose of the project was to educate the chamber membership on the tremendous progress made by the city of Sevierville in the 50 years between the time Temple was elected mayor in 1959 and 2009.
“We need to record some of us old heads while we can still remember,” said Temple. “Someday the younger generation will be glad we did.”
When Temple was interviewed, he told some of the highlights of his term as mayor of Sevierville. He began by mentioning that his campaign slogan was “annexation.” In that year, the population of Sevierville was only 2,890, and the corporate limits had not been expanded since the city was incorporated in 1901.
“The plan was to annex McMahan Addition, Love Addition, Runyan Addition, and Marshall Woods,” Temple said. “We wanted to provide basic services such as water, sewer, garbage collection, and street lights. A public hearing was held on courthouse yard because there was not enough room to accommodate the crowd in the court room where we planned to hold the meeting.
“I was just a young man and didn’t know how or what I was going to do or say. The courthouse yard was full of people. When the meeting was called to order, a man holding a yellow notebook pad raised his hand and asked to address the crowd.
“The gentleman was local insurance agent W.W. Burchfield. He proceeded to tell the crowd how they would benefit from annexation. After quoting some figures, he told the gathering that they would save more on their insurance than their city taxes would be. The crowd left without another word being said, and shortly thereafter the city of Sevierville doubled in size.”
Off camera, Temple continued, telling other stories, such as a legendary tale about an early Sunday morning meeting with Lon Burchfield on the Fred C. Atchley Bridge to discuss acquiring property from Burchfield to build a new water plant. Temple also told about the two devastating floods that occurred less than two weeks apart during his term as mayor.
Although Temple chose not to run for re-election in 1963, his devotion to public service continued another 50 years. He was elected county commissioner representing the fifth civil district of Sevier County in 1966. Temple was attending a county commission meeting in the courthouse on Monday, Oct. 20, 1980, when he abruptly ran out of the meeting exclaiming, “The mill is on fire!”
His family business since 1934, Temple Milling Company, located on the south side of the courthouse, burned to the ground that night. The consensus was that an era had come to an end with the loss of Temple Milling Company. However, Jimmie, who had managed the business since 1948, was not ready to throw in the towel. The family built a new building on the site and operated a feed and grain store there for three more decades.
In the meantime he continued hosting a 6:30 a.m. radio program on WSWV 930 AM which aired from 1955 to 2001.
As county commissioner, he had the authority to perform civil wedding ceremonies. Since his business was located opposite the courthouse, couples flocked to him to be married.
Once again, when the business closed, folks agreed that it was an end of an era, but after retirement, he continued performing weddings in his parents’ home on Court Avenue. There he stayed in constant contact with his many friends in his beloved Sevierville.
When I began writing this column in 2010, Jimmie Temple was among the first to say how much he enjoyed the stories of the heritage and culture of Sevier County. “What are you writing about next week?” he asked every time I saw him. He would usually comment on a recent article and often suggest ideas for future stories.
Temple was a virtual storehouse of knowledge about Sevier County and its people. There were very few lifelong residents he did not know. In fact, I called on him with numerous times with questions. Usually he readily answered and included an interesting anecdote about the person in question or a member of the family.
James A. “Jimmie” Temple Sr. died at home surrounded by his devoted wife and family on Sunday morning, May 11. He was 85.
His passing is an end of an era. Few have ever loved or promoted Sevierville and Sevier County more fervently or longer than Jimmie Temple. He truly loved his hometown.
In retrospect, I’m thankful we heeded his suggestion to record some of the history of Sevierville while he was able. Sadly, it was only a tiny sample of the lifetime of knowledge he possessed.
At the 2013 Chamber of Commerce banquet celebrating the golden anniversary of the organization, each of the surviving charter members, which included Temple, was honored with a Sevierville Shining Star Award. Jimmie Temple was truly one of Sevierville’s shining stars.
Carroll McMahan is the Special Projects Facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and serves as Sevier County Historian.
The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments; please contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or cmcmahan@scoc.org.
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1928 - 2014 (85 years)
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