Georgia:  Elbert County:   Elberton First United Methodist Church
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This file was contributed by:
Chandler Eavenson
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007294
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Church records

Elberton First United Methodist Church 

The following is taken from an article which appeared in
the Elberton Star newspaper on 1 Feb 1974. 

"Although Elbert County had Methodist and Baptist Churches
before 1800 there was no church in Elberton until the 
organization of the First United Methodist Church in 1815
(formerly known as the Methodist Episcopal Church, South-
until 1939;then The Methodist Church until 1968.) Therefore,
the First church within the city limits of Elberton was the
First Methodist Church. 

"On October the 18th, 1815, Archalus Jarrett, Gabriel 
Christian, Thomas Oliver, Absalom Stinchcomb and James Banks
purchased, as Trustees a parcel of land from Thomas Jones,
for the use of the Broad River Circuit of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church for the consideration of five hundred 
dollars. This parcel contained three fourths of an acre of
land. On the land described (the site of the present Elbert
County High School on College Avenue) was built a small white
frame building with a bell in it's steeple. 

"In 1848 Dr. Henry Bourne, an Elberton physician, gave the
church 2 1/2 acres of land on the corner of Church and Thomas
Streets. Here a larger one room white frame building with a
steeple was erected. Soon a church yard developed behind it. 
This larger building was erected almost on the site of the 
red brick building which up until recently housed the Harris-
Allen Library (shich became the city library now on Heard 
Street) and also the Masonic Lodge which met upstairs. 

"The former building on College Avenue (then Elbert St.) 
became the village school house, taking the place of the 
ancient one-room building housing the local school. 

"The church remained in the Elbert Circuit until 1880 and 
services were held twice a month on Saturdays and Sundays. 
The Elberton Church was made a station in 1880 with J. H. 
Baxter, pastor. In 1881 a bell was purchased and on it are 
molded the names of the Pastor and Board of Stewards. This
bell is being used and housed in the belfry of the present
structure. 

"When the Reverend J. W. Roberts, who later was president
of Wesleyan College at Macon, was pastor, the seed was sown
for a new Sanctuary. This seed sown did not produce fruit
until three years later. When the Rev. J. B. Robins was 
pastor (1888-1889), the present Sanctuary was built, and a
pipe organ was installed, but was not used for some time 
due to the opposition of some of the older members. In 1908
the brick church was covered with stucco."

[Submitted by: Chandler Eavenson]