Sion Blythe

Who was Sion Blythe?

Sion Blythe was a Baptist pastor who assisted in creation of several churches in North Carolina and Alabama, USA in the early days of the Baptist movement.

Blythe was born in western North Carolina in January 1781. He was baptized when aged 21 and ordained as a pastor when aged 23, preaching in Buncombe County, North Carolina and elsewhere. He was among the founders of Locust Old Field Church in western North Carolina. He married Sarah T. McMinn in 1803. In 1807 he was one of the founders of the French Broad Association of six churches in or near the county of Buncombe.

Blythe moved to Alabama in 1816 and settled on Canoe Creek in St. Clair County. He was called the "reluctant preacher" because when he first arrived as a farmer settler in Alabama he tried to hide the fact that he was a minister, since he had some doubts about his ability. The secret could not be kept. He helped organize Mount Zion Church and several other churches in today's St. Clair, Blount, Shelby, and Jefferson Counties, including the Mount Moriah Church. First Baptist Church Trussville was founded on 14 July 1821 by nine men with Blythe as pastor.