Starting in 1870 and being housed in the Macedonia School building, the Capleville Church of Christ was first known as the Macedonia Church of Christ. The few families of the congregation during those early days were served by Dro. Nelson Garrett who only preached part-time for them. A short time later. the church was blessed to have the preaching done by two of its elders: Bro. Moses Allen, Sr. and Bro. William Buckhannan.
By 1875, the congregation was able to purchase a piece of land and on it they erected a small frame church building. In this new sanctuary both the late Bro. Jeremiah Keys, Sr. and Bro. Jeremia Keys, Jr. hold gospel meetings during 1908 and won many souls to Christ and to the church. Other gospel meetings in 1909 by Bro. G.P. Bowser and in 1910 – 1915 by Bro. Marshall Keeble helped to increase the church membership even more.
After the church purchased a tent, Bro. Keeble expanded his ministry and conducted many gospel meetings throughout the Memphis area. From those efforts grew the Lauderdale and Ioway Church of Christ (now Vance Avenue Church of Christ).
In the 1920’s and early 1930’s, Bro. D.J. Bynum, Bro. J. Harmon, Bro. Alonzo Jones, Bro. James Hamilton, and Bro. T.J. Busby preached part-time. After the death of Bro. Moses Allen, Sr. in 1938, Bro. Julius Smith was ordained an elder, and later so were Bro. Ralph Thornton and Bro. Will Hunt.
When it became evident that the one-room frame sanctuary had begun to deteriorate, the elders proceeded to replace it with a new structure, which was erected on the corner of Shelby Drive and Malone Road. At that time, the preaching was done by Bro. Lewis Rudledge, Bro. Silas Jones, and Bro. Daniel Smith.
Next, the gospel meetings were sponsored in various locations within the Boxtown community for several years, and from those efforts grew the Boxtown congregation which established what is now the Sewanee Road Church of Christ.
Following the death of Bro. Ralph Thornton in 1955, Bro. Frank McDonald and Bro. Samuel Allen, Sr. were ordained as elders, and the ordination of Bro. Aaron Toler followed in 1956. By 1960, a new wing had been added to the building and plumbing had been installed. At the death of Bro. Julius Smith in 1963, only three elders and the following deacons remained: Bro. Ben Key, Sr., Bro. Daniel Allen, Sr., and Bro. Thurman Myles.
The church had its ups and downs, yet it kept the faith knowing that its mission was to continue to spread the Gospel. During this time, Bro. Earnest Lane, Bro. H.J. DeSarzant, Bro. R.J. Childs, and Bro. James Baskerville, Jr. served as regular ministers. In 1967, Bro. Allan D. Cross came to work with the Capleville Church of Christ.
By this time, the church was enjoying an up-rise: membership was steadily increasing, and so were interest and attendance. Soon the congregation was making plans to build a larger building in the very same location, but had to change those plans when they found out that the city and county officials had decided to widen Shelby Drive to a four-lane thoroughfare. Being obliged to re-locate, the church then purchased property at 4833 Tchulahoma Road in the Easthaven community and erected there the building which is presently known as Easthaven Church of Christ.
In 1972, Bro. Frank McDonald passed on. Then in 1978, Bro. Daniel Allen Sr. and Bro. Thurman Myles were ordained elders while Bro. Arthur Reed was ordained a deacon. In 1980, Bro. Norris Fields, Sr., Bro. Paul E. Holmes and Bro. James Rogers were also ordained as deacons.
