A number of Methodist churches have been active in Calhoun County over the years. The early churches in the county were Methodist Episcopal, South churches. In 1939, the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Methodist Protestant Church united to form the Methodist Church. In 1968, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church combined to form the United Methodist Church. the following are some of the early Methodist Churches in the County. If anyone has information on the history of these or other churches, the Calhoun County Museum would like to have copies or originals of any documents or pictures.
W. C. Lewis, pastor of Hampton Methodist from 1927-1929 wrote the following article for the county paper saying, “I hope this record will be of interest of all who read it.” Mr. Lewis wrote: 'We are indebted to Mr. Milton Porter for a bit of interesting Methodist History. The appointments in the charge of 1899 were New Hope, Stony Point, Hampton, Blanntown, Chambersville, Thornton, Shiloh and Mt. Pleasant. The yearly salary assessed for the pastor was $425; the Presiding Elder $50; and the conference claims assessment was $140. There was paid on pastor’s salary that year $433; presiding elder $51 and claims $210. Rev. C. L. Adams was pastor, and he was succeeded that fall by W. W. Mills. Rev. H. H. Watson was presiding elder. The official board in 1889 consisted of D. N. Rogers, W. J. Pennington, D. H. Tobin, H. A. Pickett, C. A. Bennett, W. H. Marks, A. H. Cone, Bennett Harrell, Ed Duncan, and J. W. Tomlinson. Sunday School Superintendents were Wm. Nutt, J. B. Wood, W. McKinnie, B. F. Strickland, L. J. Johnston and B. H. Tomlinson. At the fourth annual quarterly conference, held Oct. 19, 1889, the character of a local elder, Rev. T. A. Grubbs, was passed and his license renewed.”
In Chambersville, as in most frontier settlements, churches quickly appeared. They became not only the centers of worship, but also the focal points of social life in the community. One of these early churches was the Chambersville Methodist Episcopal, South. Some local residents say it was created in 1851 and was originally Oak Grove.
Moore’s Chapel Methodist Episcopal, South was located on Little Bay and Hampton Road in Champagnolle Township. It was organized in 1857, some of the first members were Mrs. Harriet Dunn, Mrs. M. E. Dunn, Mrs. Charlotte McDonald, Mrs. Little, and Mrs. N. C. Nettles. Rev. L. C. Adams was the pastor in 1890 and the membership that year was about 35.
The Mount Pleasant Episcopal Church, South was located in Dallas Township. It was organized in 1853, and the first services were held in the house of E. Stover. Over the years they had three different church buildings. In 1890 the membership was about 40. Some of the earliest members of this church were Jesse Newton, Jeptha Turner, Wiley Brown, Jesse Edwards and E. A. Hanna and his family.
The Pleasant Grove Methodist Church was located in Polk Township, four miles west of Hampton, and was organized about 1860. Some of the first members were David Dougherty and wife, Wiley Brown and wife, and Eliza Morrison. In 1890 they had a membership of 33.
Sources: History of the First United Methodist Church for Homecoming; Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1890; “I Remember Chambersville,” compiled by Linda Pennington
