USA > Tennessee > Davidson County > Nashville > History of Nashville, Tenn. > Part 49
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The first regular preacher stationed at Nashville was Rev. John John- son, who was a remarkable man in many ways. He declined a salary of $1,000 a year and served for one of $600. After him came the follow- ing: Rev. Hartwell H. Brown, 1820; Rev. Thomas Stringfield, 1821; Rev. Benjamin P. Sewell, 1822; Rev. Lewis Garrett, 1823; Rev. Robert Payne, 1824-25; Rev. James W. Allen, 1826; Rev. James Howe, 1827 ; Rev. James Gwin, 1828; Revs. James Gwin and A. L. P. Green, 1829; Revs. J. M. Holland and A. L. P. Green, 1830, with Rev. James Gwin, supernumerary.
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The pastors of McKendree Church since 1830 have been as follows: Lorenzo D. Overall and John B. McFerrin, 1831; A. L. P. Green and Pleasant B. Robinson, 1832; F. E. Pitts, S. S. Moody, and D. F. Alex- der, 1833; F. E. Pitts, 1834; J. B. McFerrin, 1835; Robert L. An- drews, 1836; A. L. P. Green, 1837-38; J. B. McFerrin, 1839; J. W. Hanner, 1840-41; Thomas Randle, 1842; Philip P. Neely, 1843; F. E. Pitts, 1844-45; Edward C. Slater, 1846-47; Adam S. Briggs, 1848; Lewis C. Bryan, 1849; Joseph Cross, 1850-51; Edward Wadsworth, 1852-53; Alexander R. Erwin, 1854-55; Adam S. Riggs, 1856; Will- iam G. Dorris, 1857; William D. F. Sawrie and William R. Warren, 1858; John W. Hanner and William R. Warren, 1859; John W. Han- ner, 1860; S. D. Baldwin, 1861-62; No services, 1863-64; Samuel D. Baldwin, 1865; R. A. Young, 1866-69; D. C. Kelley, 1870-72; R. K. Hargrove, 1873-74; D. C. Kelley, 1875-78; J. B. West, 1879-83; J. D. Barbee, 1884-87; W. A. Candler, June to October, 1887; B. F. Haynes, 1887-89; S. A. Steel, 1889 to the present time.
The new church-building referred to above was dedicated Sunday, May 7, 1882. It is of a modified Norman-Gothic style of architecture, and is eighty-six feet by sixty-two feet, exclusive of an alcove in the rear. The roof is of slate and the front trimmings of stone. There are three towers in front, the two on the sides being each one hundred and forty feet high, and the one in the center two hundred and fifty-two feet. The seat- ing capacity of the audience-room is eight hundred and fifty. The fine, large organ in this church cost $3,000. The entire cost of the church- edifice was $45,000.
The membership of this church has been as follows: 1866, 341; 1867, 470; 1868, 520; 1869, 555; 1870, 573; 1871, 748; 1872, 868; 1873, 917; 1874, 765; 1876, 760; 1877, 786; 1878, 826; 1879, 866; 1880, 856; 1881, 860; 1882, 906; 1883, 890; 1884, 1,OII; 1885, 1,155; 1886, 1,098; 1887, 1,137; 1888, 1,104; 1889, 1,168.
Following are the names of the presiding elders of the Nashville Dis- trict since 1828: L. Garrett, 1830; William McMahon, 1832; T. L. Douglass, 1833-35; F. E. Pitts, 1836-39; A. L. P. Green, 1840-43; John W. Hanner, 1844-47; Samuel S. Moody, 1848; Ambrose F. Dris- kill, 1849-51; A. L. P. Green, 1852-53; W. D. F. Sawrie, 1856; Adam S. Riggs, 1857-60; A. L. P. Green, 1861-62; No sessions 1863-64; A. L. P. Green, 1865-68; J. W. Hanner, 1869-72; D. C. Kelley, 1873-74; R. K. Hargrove, 1875-78; W. D. F. Sawrie, 1879-82; R. K. Brown, 1883-86; R. A. Young, 1887-90.
West End Methodist Episcopal Church, South, really had its origin in 1856, in the work of Mortimer Hamilton. He established a Sunday-
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school on what has since become Laurel Street, near the McNairy home- stead. The war soon afterward interfered with the Sunday-school, and after the war he again opened the school in a little government building on Stonewall Street. This Sunday-school was kept up for several years, and on Sunday, January 23, 1870, Rev. R. A. Young preached to those assembled, and seventeen persons united with the little Church. The congregation continued to worship in the government building until 1874, when a frame church was erected on the corner of Broad and Bel- mont Streets at a cost of $3,000. The ministers of this Church have been: Rev. Fountain E. Pitts and Rev. J. M. Sharp, each about six months; Rev. W. M. Green, four years; Rev. J. W. Hill, three years ; Rev. R. A. Young, six months; Rev. H. H. McKnight, six months; Rev. R. T. Nabors, six months; Rev. J. E. Harrison, six months; Rev. R. R. Jones, one year; Rev. W. M. Leftwich, three years; and Rev. Walker Lewis, the present pastor, has been in charge since 1889. Rev. Mr. Leftwich proposed to replace the frame edifice already mentioned with the present fine brick building which stands at the north-east corner of Broad and Belmont Streets. This structure is a credit to the archi- tects and an ornament to the city of Nashville. It was commenced in 1887, and has cost $55,000. The church is substantially built in modern style, and is handsomely furnished, both in its auditorium and Sunday-school room, the latter of which is in the basement. In the rear of the altar, in the wall, is a white-and-black Parian marble tablet, bearing this inscrip- tion: "Rev. Holland N. McTyeire, D.D., Born July 28, 1824; Died February 15, 1889. Forty Years a Preacher, Twelve Years an Editor, Sixteen Years President of the Board of Trustees of Vanderbilt Uni- versity, Twenty-three Years a Bishop of the M. E. Church, South." There are beside this seven memorial windows. This church was dedi- cated Sunday, January 27, 1890, the sermon of the occasion being de- livered by Rev. R. A. Young. Previous to the dedication, however, the remaining portion of the debt incurred in the erection of the building, $23,081.82, was raised by subscription, and thus the elegant edifice was dedicated free from debt. The membership of this Church is now about seven hundred, five hundred having been added during Rev. Mr. Lew- is's pastorate.
At the outbreak of the war there were, besides the McKendree Church, Andrew and Mulberry Churches, Claiborne Chapel, Spruce Street, Capers Chapel, Andrew Charge, the latter two for colored people, and Tulip Street Church, partly built. Upon the occupation of the city by the Union army, the churches were either destroyed or turned into hos- pitals for the sick and wounded soldiers, or occupied by preachers who
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HISTORY OF NASHVILLE.
accompanied the army. Upon the return of the Confederate soldiers and citizen refugees, the churches were returned to those who had oc- cupied them before the war. Claiborne Church, which stood in the east- ern part of the city, and which was a neat frame building, was destroyed; but it was rebuilt, and in 1872, together with Sawrie Chapel, numbered two hundred and sixty members. The building was erected in 1868, and was a neat brick church. C. C. Mayhew was the pastor in 1868; Rev. W. D. F. Sawrie, from 1869 to 1874; and Rev. Joseph Myers, in 1876. This house of worship was afterward replaced by a new church-building on Carroll Street, near the university. Rev. W. H. Wilkes was the pas- tor in 1877; Rev. T. L. Moody, 1878-79; Rev. Clinton Clenny, 1880- 81; Rev. R. R. Jones, 1882; Rev. J. F. Hughes, 1883; Rev. W. D. F. Sawrie, 1884; Rev. J. B. West, 1885; Rev. R. R. Jones, 1886-89, when he was succeeded by Rev. T. B. Fisher, the present pastor.
Tulip Street Church, mentioned above, was organized shortly before the war, and a church-building erected in 1859-60, on the corner of Russell and Tulip Streets, in Edgefield. Tulip Street is now Fifth Street. To this Church and Hobson Chapel, the latter located near the Gallatin pike two miles from the city, Rev. Robert A. Young was ap- pointed. He was succeeded by Rev. J. D. Barbee in 1866, and he by Rev. John W. Hanner and Rev. D. C. Kelley, each of whom remained one year. Rev. R. K. Brown was pastor the next three years, and then Rev. John W. Hanner, Jr., in 1875. He was succeeded in 1876 by Rev. John P. McFerrin, who remained until 1878, when Rev. J. B. West became pastor and remained during 1879. Rev. J. M. Wright was pas- tor during 1880-81, and was followed in the latter year by Rev. W. M. Leftwich, who remained three years. Rev. J. B. West then became pastor, and remained until 1889, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. T. A. Kerley. This Church is now in a flourishing condi- tion.
A Church was established on College Hill about 1830, and organized in a small log cabin on Front Street. Rev. F. G. Ferguson was the first preacher, in 1834. In 1836 the church-building had become dilapidated and too small, and it was therefore resolved to select a lot and build a church thereon. Accordingly a comfortable house was erected in 1837 on the corner of Market and Franklin Streets, the deed for the lot hav- ing been made by James Gray to Nicholas Gordon and others, trustees. In this building the College Hill congregation worshiped for ten years, when it was resolved to build a larger house. In 1847 Joseph T. Elliston conveyed to Isaac Paul and others a lot fronting seventy-two feet on Franklin Street, upon which was erected Andrew Charge. After some
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years Mulberry Street Church was built and occupied as a second sta- tion on College Hill. About 1870 this place was sold and the congrega- tion was consolidated with the old Andrew Charge, whose property was sold to the M. E. Church, and converted into Clark Chapel, and a new church was erected by the consolidated congregations on the corner of South Summer and Elm Street, which has ever since been known as Elm Street Church. Rev. R. A. Young was pastor of this Church, 1870- 73; Rev. Felix R. Hill, 1873-1876; Rev. R. A. Young, 1876-78; Rev. W. M. Leftwich, 1879; Rev. R. K. Brown, 1879-83; Rev. J. P. Mc- Ferrin, 1883-87; Revs. J. B. Erwin and Jasper Nichols, 1887; Rev. J. B. Erwin, 1889-90.
The membership of this Church has been as follows: 1867, 370; 1868, 225; 1869, 287; 1870, 292; 1871, 430; 1872, 422; 1873, 507; 1874, 603; 1875, 581; 1877, 750; 1878, 732; 1879, 743; 1880, 660; 1881, 702 ; 1882, 673; 1883, 692; 1884, 790; 1885, 1,000; 1886, 1,016; 1887, 921 ; 1888, 963; 1889, 1,030.
North Edgefield Church was established in 1868, and had for its pastor Rev. W. R. Warren. The next pastor was Rev. T. O. Summers, Jr., who remained during 1870, and was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Warren. Rev. P. A. Sowell was pastor during 1872, and was followed by Rev. E. T. Hart, who remained one year. Rev. T. A. Kerley came next, and was pastor during 1874, and was succeeded by Rev. John P. McFerrin, who was pastor in 1876. The next pastor was Rev. W. M. Leftwich, who was followed by Rev. W. H. Doss in 1877, and by Rev. R. E. Travis in 1878 and 1879. About this time the name was changed to Fos- ter Street Church, and the pastors from that time have been: Rev. R. A. Young, in 1880; Rev. J. D. Scott, in 1881; Rev. J. R. Plummer, in 1882; Rev. G. L. Beale, in 1883 and 1884; Rev. J. D. Scott, in 1885 and 1866; Rev. J. T. Curry, in 1887. In 1888 the name of this Church was again changed, this time to McFerrin Memorial Church, Dr. Mc- Ferrin having contributed largely toward the expense of the erection of a new building. Rev. Lewis Powell is the pastor of this Church at the present time. The membership of the Church has been as follows: 1870, 75; 1871, 73; 1872, 101; 1873, 106; 1874, 108; 1875, 105; 1877, 287; 1878, 125; 1879, 152; 1880, 204; 1883, 253; 1884, 214; 1885, 332 ; 1886, 443; 1887, 445; 1889, 518.
Mulberry City Mission-afterward the City Mission-was established in 1866. Rev. C. C. Mayhew was the first pastor in charge, remaining during the first year. Rev. W. D. F. Sawrie remained during the next two years, and Rev. C. C. Mayhew was pastor during 1869. The pas- tors succeeding have been: Rev. H. D. Hogan, 1870; Rev. John Rains,
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1871; Rev. W. W. Brinsfield, 1872 to 1874; Rev. J. Nichols, 1875; Rev. W. W. Brinsfield, 1876 to 1878; Rev. John F. Hughes, 1888-died February 28, 1889; Rev. G. W. Winn, up to the present time. The numbers connected with this mission have been as follows: 1866, 159; 1867, 113; 1868, 400; 1869, 210; 1870, 222; 1871, 260; 1872, 86; 1874, 112; 1877, 120; 1878, 130; 1888, 83; 1889, 148.
Trinity Church was established in 1866 in Edgefield, having in that year 140 members. Rev. Felix K. Hill was pastor. He was fol- lowed in 1867 by Rev. A. W. Smith, who was succeeded in 1868 by Rev. G. P. Jackson. In 1869 Rev. R. L. Fagan was pastor, and was succeeded in 1870 by Rev. T. B. Fisher, who remained three years. Rev. W. M. Doyle was pastor in 1873, and Rev. E. T. Hart during 1874, 1875, and 1876. Rev. W. M. Leftwich then became pastor, and remained two years. Rev. J. G. Bolton was pastor during 1879; Rev. W. G. Hensley, during 1880; Rev. A. P. McFerrin, during 1881; Rev. J. F. Hughes, during 1882; Rev. G. P. Jackson, during 1883 and 1884; Rev. G. W. Burnett, during 1885; Rev. E. K. Denton, during 1886 and 1887. The membership of this and Ewing Church together, up to 1869, was as follows: 1866, 140; 1867, 105; 1868, 67; 1869, 160. Trinity alone since then: 1870, 40; 1871, 56; 1872, 85; 1873, 95; 1874, 110; 1875, 103; since which time statistics are unattainable.
Hobson's Chapel is situated near the Gallatin pike, about two miles from the city. Since 1869 its pastors have been: Rev. Thomas Maddin, 1869; Rev. J. W. Hill, 1870 to 1873; Rev. A. Mizell, 1874; Rev. W. R. Pee- bles, 1875 and 1876; Rev. Clinton Clenny, 1877 and 1878; Rev. T. A. Kerley, 1879 to 1882; Rev. W. Burr, 1883 to 1887; Rev. H. B. Reams, 1889 and 1890. The membership of this Church has been as follows: 1869, 75; 1870, 73; 1871, 100; 1872, 109; 1873, 110; 1874, 101; 1875, 115; 1878, 80; 1879, 83; 1880, 100; 1881, 96; 1882, 93; 1883, 98; 1884, 106; 1886, 143; 1887, 135; 1889, 123.
North High Street Church was established in 1867, in North Nashville, on North Summer, near Jefferson Street. Rev. W. D. F. Sawrie was pastor in 1868, 1869, and 1870; Rev. Henry Hogan, in 1871; Rev. John Rains, in 1872 and 1873; Rev. W. W. Brinsfield, in 1874 and 1875; Rev. J. T. Pittman, in 1876; Rev. W. W. Brinsfield, in 1878; Rev. T. A. Kerley, in 1879; Rev. R. A. Reagan, in 1880, 1881, and 1882; Rev. J. D. Scott, 1883 and 1884; Rev. G. W. Winn, 1885 to 1888: Rev. W. M. Green, 1889-90. The Church was removed to North High Street in 1879, since when its name has been as now. The membership since the change of location has been as follows: 1880, 159; 1881, 176; 1882, 188; 1883, 178; 1884, 154; 1885, 185; 1886, 340; 1887, 397; 1888,
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339; 1889, 368. Since 1886 the numbers include those belonging to the City Mission.
Arlington Street Church is on Arlington Street. It was established in 1874, with Rev. J. W. Hill as pastor, who remained until 1876. He was succeeded by Rev. Lewis C. Bryan, who remained until 1880. Since then the pastors have been: Rev. Lewis Powell, 1881 and 1882; Rev. T. A. Kerley, 1883 and 1884; Rev. Wickliffe Weakley, 1885 and 1886; Revs. W. H. Doss and L. C. Bryan, 1887 and 1888; Revs. W. H. Klyce and L. C. Bryan, 1889 and 1890. In 1885 Arlington Circuit was estab- lished, and since then the pastors have had charge of the circuit. The membership has been as follows: 1875, 40; 1877, 75; 1878, 88; 1879, 88; 1880, 95; 1881, 93; 1882, 102; 1884, 123; 1885, 116; 1886, 149; 1887,107; 1888, 200; 1889,91.
Park Avenue Church is situated on Robertson Street, near Line Street. It was established as a mission in' 1881, with Rev. R. Plummer as pastor. He was succeeded the next year by Rev. J. H. Early, who remained one year, and was followed by Rev. William Doss, who was pastor in 1883. Rev. H. C. Tucker was the pastor two years, and was succeeded in 1866 by the present pastor, Rev. J. R. Stewart. The membership has been as follows: 1882, 30; 1884, 67; 1885, 180; 1886, 233; 1887, 278; 1888, 246; 1889, 256.
Bilbo Avenue Church was established in 1886. In 1887 Rev. E. K. Denton was pastor, and was succeeded in 1888 by the present pastor, Rev. T. W. Noland. The membership has been as follows: 1887, 235; 1888, 139; 1889, 158.
McTyeire Memorial Church is situated in North Nashville, and was dedicated by Rev. Dr. O. P. Fitzgerald November 3, 1889. It is a neat frame building, with a highly attractive interior. At the time of dedica- tion the Society was entirely free from debt, and there was a member- ship of about fifty persons. The pastor of this Church is Rev. R. R. Jones.
Humphreys Street Church is situated at No. 424 Humphreys Street. It was established in 1888, with Rev. Rufus J. Clark as pastor. In 1889 Rev. F. E. Alford became pastor, and still remains. The membership of this Church in 1889 was 75.
West Nashville Mission was started in 1888, with Rev. G. W. Winn in charge. The church-building erected by Rev. Mr. Winn is a neat and tasteful edifice. He was succeeded in 1889 by Rev. J. J. Ransom, the present pastor. The membership is now 120.
Fillmore Street Church was established in 1889, with Rev. G. W. Winn as pastor.
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HISTORY OF NASHVILLE.
Blakemore Chapel was started in 1880, with Rev. Walker Lewis as pastor.
The Tennessee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized at Murfreesboro October 11, 1866, by Bishop D. W. Clark, under authority from the General Conference. At this time it had 40 traveling and 49 local preachers, 3,173 members; 2,548 Sunday-school scholars; and 13 churches, valued at $59,100. In 1868 its boundaries were so determined as to include that portion of Tennessee not in- cluded in the Holston Conference. In 1876 the statistics were: 96 trav- eling, and 206 local preachers; 12,268 members ; 8,359 Sunday-school scholars; 142 churches, valued at $306,940; and 7 parsonages, worth $2,500. Under the authority of the General Conference of 1876, the Tennessee Conference was divided by separating the white and colored work. The reasons for this division were few, but important, inconven- ience in entertainment being the principal one. In addition to this, it was believed that then, since the colored members of the Conference had become somewhat familiar with Conference work, and thus able to take care of themselves, each race would be enabled to do better work and to make more progress separated than if they should endeavor to keep on together. For this reason the following resolutions were intro- duced :
" Whereas a majority of the white brethren, members of the Tennes- see Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, have from time to time expressed themselves as desirous of forming a new Confer- ence, stating among their reasons for such action their belief that the col- ored brethren with them in Annual Conference relation interfered with their success among the whites in the bounds of their work; and whereas the General Conference, at its last session in Baltimore, made provision for the formation of such new Conferences, when a majority of both white and colored members of the Conference agreed thereto; and whereas a majority of the white members of this Conference, present and voting, have asked that such new Conference be formed; therefore,
"I. Resolved, That the Bishop presiding at the present session of this Conference is hereby requested to form the brethren expressing this de- sire (including the McMinnville and Memphis Districts ) into a new Con- ference, to be called the - Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, said organization to take place at the close of the present session of the Tennessee Conference.
" 2. That any member of this Conference shall have the privilege of remaining in the Tennessee Conference, or of joining the new one to be organized according to the above resolution.
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CHURCH HISTORY.
" 3. That nothing in this action shall prevent any charge in the bounds of this Conference, by a vote of its membership and Quarterly Confer- ence, choosing the Annual Conference to which it will belong."
Pending action on this report, a vote was taken on the question of di- vision by the white members of the Conference, resulting in nineteen favoring division, and four opposing it. The blank in the first resolu- tion was then filled with the word "Central," and the report was adopt- ed by an almost unanimous vote, there being but two votes in the nega- tive.
The result of the division has not been disappointing to either race. Race prejudice does not interfere now with the religious work of either whites or blacks. The discipline of Conference work steadily increases the intelligence of the colored Methodists, and it is becoming clearer and more clear that the negro can get to heaven without, as well as with, re- ligious association with the whites in the Church.
Previous to the organization of the Tennessee Conference the work of reorganizing the Methodist Episcopal Church in Nashville was begun. This was in 1864, by Rev. M. J. Cramer. He formed a society, which for a time held services in McKendree Church, and afterward in the Ma- sonic Hall. He was succeeded by Rev. W. H. Norris, Rev. A. A. Gee, and Rev. D. F. Holmes. During the pastorate of the latter a lot was purchased on Park Street, extending back to Summer Street, near Cap- itol Hill. On the Summer Street front of this lot a chapel, thirty by fifty feet in size, was erected and dedicated in October, 1876. The name of this chapel building was "Union Chapel," conferred at the suggestion of Mr. Joseph S. Carels, after Union Chapel in Philadelphia, with which he had been connected. Union Chapel attached itself to the Tennessee Conference, the history of which is briefly referred to above. Rev. D. Rutledge was then appointed pastor, and remained three years. During his pastorate there was a fifteen foot addition, and a class-room nineteen feet square added to the south side. Rev. F. A. Mason was the next pastor, who also remained three years. In 1872 the name of this church was changed to the "First Methodist Episcopal Church of Nashville" by the Annual Conference, and Rev. J. A. Edmondson placed in charge. During the following summer the work of both Church and Sunday-school was to a great extent broken up by the cholera, and Rev. Mr. Edmond- son resigned. In January, 1874, Rev. J. A. Lansing was appointed pas- tor. The location of the church not being satisfactory, and the property being mortgaged, the Society determined to sell; and through the efforts of Rev. Mr. Lansing a lot was purchased on the south-east corner of Spruce and Demonbreun Streets for $8,000. A building committee was
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appointed, consisting of Dr. J. Braden, Rev. J. A. Lansing, W. W. Woodmansee, H. Pierce, J. W. Austin, and J. Lewis. The latter was the architect. The house then standing on the lot was moved to one side and converted into a parsonage. The foundations of the new church- building were completed in May, 1874, and by the last of December the walls were up and the roof on. But little was done on the building dur- ing 1876; but in February, 1877, Union Chapel was sold, the last serv- ice being held therein March 4. Work was then resumed on the new building, and the lecture-room was finished and occupied for the first time May 27, 1877. In the fall of 1875 Rev. L. P. Causey was appoint- ed pastor, and was returned for the second year, holding only morning services during the last year. The Sunday-school was reorganized in July, with but ten members.
The Central Tennessee Conference having been organized, this Church was placed therein, and the name changed to the Spruce Street Method- ist Episcopal Church. Rev. L. A. Rudisill was appointed pastor, and found the congregation with ten members and a Sunday-school with six adult members and one boy. In 1878 a revival was held, resulting in adding fifty members to the Church; and in February, 1879, a second revival added forty more. In October, 1879, the church-building, with a seating capacity of five hundred, was finished, and dedicated December 3 by Bishop Wiley. This year the Annual Conference held its session in this church. The membership at this time was one hundred, and that of the Sunday-school was one hundred and fifty. In February, 1880, the building was damaged to the extent of $1,000 by a tornado, which blew down the steeple and a part of the roof. Rev. Mr. Rudisill was pastor three years. Rev. W. B. Rippetoe was appointed in 1880; Rev. V. C. Randolph, in 1881; Rev. John Shinglar, in 1883; Rev. I. L. Chandler, in 1884; Rev. J. A. Edmondson, in 1885; Rev. T. W. Salt, in 1888. At the Conference held October 17, 1889, the Church was left unsupplied. Some few weeks later Bishop Newman selected Rev. I. Villars for the place, who remained five months, when, at his own request, he was per- mitted by Bishop Newman to resign the pastorate. Rev. J. M. Carter has been supplying the pulpit since Dr. Villars's resignation.
The presiding elders of this district have been as follows: Rev. G. H. Hartupee, 1867-69; Rev. D. Rutledge, D.D., 1870-71 ; Rev. John Bra- den, D.D., 1872-73; Rev. W. B. Rippetoe, 1876-78; Rev. J. W. Reg- ister, 1880-81 ; Rev. O. O. Knight, 1882; Rev. J. W. McNeil, 1883-86; Rev. J. M. Carter, 1887-88.
The German Methodist Church was organized in 1857, and Rev. Phil- ip Barth was the pastor three years. He was succeeded by his brother,
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Rev. Sebastian Barth, who remained until the Church was broken up by the war, in 1862. Up to this time this Church had been connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; but when reorganized in 1865 it became a part of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This reorganiza- tion was effected under Rev. John H. Barth, who remained four years, he being made an exception to the rule that a minister could remain with the same Church but three years, on account of the success that he had in building up the Church itself, and in securing the erection of a new building for its accommodation, located on North Cherry Street, between Jefferson and Madison Streets. This church is about thirty by sixty-five feet in size, and has a seating capacity of three hundred. There is also a parsonage on the lot, which is one hundred by one hundred and eighty feet, and the entire property is worth about $8,000. The pastors since Rev. John H. Barth have been: Rev. John Tanner, 1869-71; Rev. George Guth, 1871-74; Rev. W. E. Wulzen, 1874-77; Rev. J. C. Wur- ster, 1877-80; Rev. W. E. Wulzen, 1880-82; Rev. J. W. Roecker, 1882-84; Rev. Charles Fritche, 1884-87; Rev. A. Graessle, 1887 to the present time. The membership of this Church is about one hundred and twenty.
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