{"sEcho":1,"iTotalRecords":100,"iTotalDisplayRecords":100,"aaData":[{"bok_id":1,"bok_title":"Cover","bok_image":"fumc_cover.jpg","bok_text":"\"Methodist\r\n
<\/div>\r\n\r\n

First United Methodist Church
\r\nLexington, Mississippi
\r\n1836 - 1976<\/h3>\r\n
<\/div>"},{"bok_id":2,"bok_title":"History Highlights - Page 1","bok_image":"fumc_pg-1.jpg","bok_text":"

HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS OF
\r\nTHE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
\r\nOF LEXINGTON

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On February 27, 1836, at a Quarterly Conference of the Ebenezer Methodist Church, a building committee, consisting of Burwell Scott, J. A. James, and Robert Walton, was appointed to build a church at Lexington. The Reverend John G. Jones, the presiding elder, recorded this conference in his ledger, or diary; and a photo-static copy of this be\u00aclongs to the church. It was not until 1840, however, that the Methodist Church was built and dedicated. A one-room frame building, facing south, was erected on the southeast corner of the present parsonage lot. The lot on which the first church was situated is a part of Lot 2. This parcel of land has a quite interesting history because of the few transactions recorded. The United States deeded it to Samuel Long, the son-in-law of Greenwood Leflore; Samuel Long deeded it to the Board of Police, since 1870 known as the Board of Supervisors; the Board of Police, through the name of Burwell Scott, deeded it to the Methodist Church. Only a few of the names of the charter members have been recorded. These were Burwell Scott, R. F. Owens, Robert Walton, William F. Stockton, William M. Saunders, Allen Wilkinson, William F. Hines, Henry Buck, and Mrs, John A. Durden; the pastor at the time of the construction and dedication was the Reverend P. B. Bailey. In 1836 the church was called the Methodist Episcopal Church; in 1844 the name was changed to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The construction of the church was to take place eight years before the town of Lexington was incorporated for a second time by an act of the Legislature on January 22, 1848; however, since 1833 there had been a post office in Lexington.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

In 1860, W, L. Keirn, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in Lexington was a commissioner sent to the Secession Convention, which met in Montgomery, Alabama. After the War Between the States, the Mississippi Annual Conference held its Fiftieth Session in Lexington on November 1-7, 1863. Bishop Paine, who was to have presided at the conference, became ill in Canton and was unable to attend. The Reverend Levi Pearce was appointed to preside. The presiding elder of the Yazoo District was the Reverend J. M. Pugh, and the pastor of the church was the Reverend W. P. Barton. At this conference, delegates were elected to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, which was to meet the following year. O. H. Marshall, a former Confederate soldier, was one of the delegates.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The North Mississippi Conference was organized in May, 1870, at Water Valley, Mississippi. Three delegates were sent from the Lexington-Richland Charge, but only the name of General F. A. Howell is known. From nearby Blackhawk, the pastor, the Reverend Charles Betts Galloway…<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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(who was later to become a Bishop) and J. B. Streater went as delegates, Mr. Streater records that because the hotel rooms were taken, he, the Reverend Galloway, and others spent the night sitting up in the lobby.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

In the late nineteenth century pastors were usually assigned to the church for two years. In the years 1877-78 and again in 1886-88 Lexington and Durant shared a minister; in 1892-93 Lexington and Tchula shared a minister. During this time a minister earned $100 a year. If he were married, he received an additional $100 and $16 for each child.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

On August 5, 1891, Captain Sam Gwin deeded a part of Lot 20 to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. These trustees were H. U. Buck, S. D. Gwin, R. A. Lindholm, and R. E. Wilburn. The deed further stipulated that a church building would be erected within ten years. At a Quarterly Conference on June 22, 1897, a building committee was appointed to build a new church. This committee was composed of the following members: the Reverend W. W. Mitchell, pastor, W. L. Young, R. E. Wilburn, W. L. Keirn, P. A. Lindholm, J. W. Jordan, J. E. Page, and S.D. Gwin. The building, the present structure, was finished in 1897 and was officially dedicated free of debt by Bishop Charles Betts Galloway on March 6, 1898. Three years earlier, in 1894, a new courthouse had been built to replace the one destroyed by fire in 1893.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

It was not until 1903 that Lexington became a station church. The pastor appointed to serve at that time was the Reverend R. A. Tucker. Only a few years later, from 1914 to 1916, the Reverend V. C. Curtis (father of Mrs. Annie Mae McGee) served as pastor.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The minutes of the Quarterly Conference from 1926 through 1930 reveal further interesting facts. In 1927 many denominations of the town, including the Methodists, combined to purchase two trucks, which were used for transporting nearly 50 people to church from the Owens Wells and Elliot Hill communities. Also during this time several Sunday school classes met in the courthouse, as an educational building was only in the planning stages. The report of property shows two small outlying churches had been deeded to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. They were the Bethany Church, near the present Oregon Church, deeded by J. W. Morris on December 9, 1887, and Owens Chapel, deeded by A. G. Owens on November 29, 1902. Both of these were subsequently sold to private individuals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

In 1930, during the pastorate of the Reverend J. E. Stephens (father of Mrs. P. M. Barrett, Sr.), the educational annex was erected. The building committee was composed of the following members: R. E. Wilburn, Chairman; L. E. Barr, Secretary; Mrs. J. D. Gwin; W. P. Hammett; Mrs. George Beall, Jr.; and N. P. Drennan. The building was constructed at a cost of $23,000. The land for the educational building had previously been purchased from Mrs. L. E. Brown and others for $3,000 in January, 1928.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The next four years, from 1934-38, were served by the Reverend J. T. McCafferty, during whose pastorate the city of Lexington celebrated its one-hundredth anniversary. For the local paper the Reverend McCafferty wrote a history of the church up to that time. During this time, in 1939, the name of the church was changed to the Methodist Church.

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On January 10, 1940, Mrs. Sam Gwin, who had been a member of the church for nearly eighty years and who was known as the \"Mother of the Church,\" died at the age of ninety-three. Mrs. Gwin\u2019s mother, Mrs. John A. Durden, was a charter member of the church, and their combined membership exceeded one hundred years.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

In late 1941, during the pastorate of the Reverend T. H. Dorsey, the present parsonage was built. It is located on the same lot as was the former parsonage but faces east rather than south, as did the former house. Two members of this building committee were Mr. W. H. Fincher, Sr. and Mrs. B. S. Beall, Jr. Also during this time the indebtedness of the educational building was paid in full.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

During the pastorate of the Reverend Harmon Smith (1951-1955) two outstanding speakers came to Lexington. The first was Dr. Charles Allen, a very prolific author of religious books, including GOD\u2019S PSYCHIATRY. The second was Dr. Roy L. Smith, editor of THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE from 1940 until his retirement. Also, during this time the main auditorium of the church was centrally air conditioned, and in 1955 the District Conference was held in Lexington.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

On November 15, 1956, the Reverend B. F. Lewis completed a second history of the Lexington Methodist Church. He should be credited with recording a complete list of the pastors since the beginning of the church. Four months later, on March 3, 1957, under the leadership of the Reverend Milton Jay Peden, the church celebrated its fifty-ninth year in the sanctuary. At that time twelve members were present who were affiliated with either the church or Sunday school in March, 1896. Of those twelve, only two, Mrs. L. P. Johnson and Mrs. A. B. Taylor, are still members of this church.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

In 1961 the Reverend Crawford Ray condensed the two previous histories of the church, and much of this present history is, in fact, his writing. The Reverend Ray was followed by the Reverend Jimmy B. Buskirk, who resigned to pursue his doctorate at Emory University. At this time, in 1968, the name of the church was changed for the fourth time to the First United Methodist Church. From 1969 until 1973 the Reverend Shelby Hathorne served as pastor.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

During the pastorate of the Reverend E. S. Furr, in June, 1974, the Administrative Board unanimously voted to renovate the sanctuary. At this time the Board of Trustees was composed of the following: E. W. Hooker, Sr., H. P. Hammett, Sr., George Patterson, George Bailey, J. C. Patton, W. R. Johnson, Jr., Malcolm Phillips, J. H. Bowie, J. A. Knight, and V. C. Fite. Two contractors were engaged: Mid-Continental Waterproofing, Inc., of Fort Scott, Kansas, for the exterior and Fancher Paint and Decorating of Greenwood, Mississippi, for the interior. The total cost of the two contracts was approximately $30,000, but additional memorial gifts raised the cost of the entire renovation to approximately $35,000. The Renovation Committee for the project were W. R. Johnson, Jr., Chairman, E. W. Hooker, Sr., J. C. Patton, John R. Ellison, Mrs. Harden Ervin, Mrs. John W. (Don) Barrett, The Reverend Furr was an ex-officio member. Under the leadership of the finance chairman, George Patterson, the total indebtedness…

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was repaid in approximately a year. The first service in the renovated church was held on October 27, 1974.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

So, close the highlights of the first 140 years of the First United Methodist Church in Lexington. This history has been composed mainly of acquisition of property, erection of church and educational building, and renovation. It is, of course, to be remembered that the church has been the source of strength and a place of worship for these many years. There have been many dedicated pastors, as well as dedicated members, whose names might not even be mentioned in this history. Yet these men and women, as well as those specifically named in this history, helped to make the church what it is today.

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Compiled by Jamie Tate Moore
\r\nFebruary 16, 1976, using previous
\r\nhistories by the Reverends J. T.
\r\nMcCafferty, B. F. Lewis, and
\r\nCrawford Ray

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LIST OF PASTORS FROM 1836 UNTIL PRESENT

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\r\n1836\u2014John C. Parker
\r\n1837\u2014J. A. James
\r\n1838\u2014J. I. E. Byrd
\r\n        R. R. Cill, Assistant
\r\n1839\u2014E.W.. McKay
\r\n1840\u2014P. B. Bailey
\r\n1841\u2014Asbury S. Shanks
\r\n1842\u2014H. Leavel
\r\n1843\u2014J. I. E. Byrd
\r\n1844\u2014Green M. Rogers
\r\n        J. K. Titcomb\u2014Assistant
\r\n1845\u2014Green M. Rogers
\r\n        Daniel A. J. Parker\u2014Assistant
\r\n1846\u2014James Walton
\r\n        George Vickers\u2014Assistant
\r\n1847\u2014James Walton
\r\n        A. Castle, Assistant
\r\n1848\u2014Humphrey Williamson
\r\n1849\u2014Humphrey Williamson
\r\n1850\u2014Erastus R. Strickland
\r\n        John B. Bowen, Assistant
\r\n1851\u2014E. R. Strickland
\r\n1852\u2014John T. Kennon
\r\n1853\u2014Preston Cooper
\r\n1854\u2014Preston Cooper
\r\n1855\u2014George Vickers
\r\n1856\u2014Thomas M. Ward
\r\n1857\u2014George H. Clinton
\r\n1858\u2014George C. Light
\r\n1859\u2014Asbury R. Hines
\r\n1860\u2014John D. Richardson
\r\n1861-62\u2014Thomas C. Parrish
\r\n1863-64\u2014Lorenzo Ercanbrack
\r\n1865\u2014W. P. Barton
\r\n1866\u2014Humphrey Williamson
\r\n1867\u2014W. P. Barton
\r\n1868-71\u2014J. D. Newsom
\r\n1872\u2014Ambrose II. Barrington
\r\n1873-75\u2014James Boon<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

\r\n1876\u2014H. D. Howell
\r\n1877-78\u2014J. Sidney Carlton
\r\n1879-80\u2014G. H. Day
\r\n1881\u2014J. W. Anderson
\r\n1882\u2014A. J.Foster
\r\n1883\u201485\u2014T. G. Lewis
\r\n1886-87\u2014D. C. Foust
\r\n1888\u2014T. G. Ramsey
\r\n1889-90\u2014J. C. Lowe
\r\n1891\u2014R. M. Davis
\r\n1892-93\u2014L. D. Worsham
\r\n1894-98\u2014W. W. Mitchell
\r\n1899\u2014R. O. Brown
\r\n1900-02\u2014T. C. Weir
\r\n1903-06\u2014R.A. Tucker
\r\n1907-09\u2014J. W. Dorman
\r\n1910-11\u2014T. H.Lipscomb
\r\n1912-13\u2014H. G. Henderson
\r\n1914-16\u2014V. C. Curtis
\r\n1917\u2014Ben P. Jaco
\r\n1918\u2014W. D. Wendel
\r\n1819-20\u2014W. H. Mounger
\r\n1921-23\u2014J. W. Ward
\r\n1924-25\u2014E. G.Mohler
\r\n1926-27\u2014A. S. Raper
\r\n1928-33\u2014J. E. Stephens
\r\n1934-38\u2014J. T. McCafferty
\r\n1938-41\u2014T. H. Dorsey
\r\n1942-47\u2014A. Y. Brown
\r\n1948-50\u2014G. T. Floyd
\r\n1951-55\u2014Harmon L. Smith
\r\n1955-57\u2014Milton Jay Peden
\r\n1957-59\u2014George Curtis
\r\n1959-61\u2014E. L. Jernigan
\r\n1961-67\u2014C. L. Ray
\r\n1967-69\u2014Jimmy B. Buskirk
\r\n1969-73\u2014Shelby Hathorne
\r\n1973-?\u2014E. S. Furr<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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