Troup County, Georgia History
Troup and Meriwether Counties
Format by C. W. Barnum
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History of the Mountville Methodist Church
HISTORY OF THE MOUNTVILLE METHODIST CHURCH, by Miss Belle Boddie
read at the Centennial Celebration of the Church October 20, 1928. One
hundred years ago there lived along the border line of Troup and Meriwether
counties a few families...who came from...our first settled counties
into these then new counties. There was little land cleared. There was
not a railroad within the commonwealth of Georgia. The old stage line
through here had not long been blazed. The way of getting about was
commonly in gigs, wagons, on horse or by foot.
The goodly neighbors...along the line of Troup and Meriwether were energetic
folks of plain living, but of high thinking and pure and loving spirit
bent on the grand achievement of building and developing character according
to the Divine given pattern. Among them was Thomas Evans, his wife and
family. His cabin home was located northeast of Camp Viola and near
that site. Very homelike seemed this Evans cabin resting pacifically
in a little clearing surrounded by a profusion of trees--the original
giants of the forest.
This man, Thomas Evans, the pioneer, was of close Welch extraction on
both sides of the house. They were of long lines of people noted for
uprightness and goodness. This man seemed to have a very genius for
godliness. The records are evidence that he lived a life of communion
with, and obedience to his God. ...Certain it was that in that cabin
prayer, earnest and continued, led by Thomas Evans, the pioneer, and
joined in by his family and neighbors who met with them, resulted in
the Mount Pleasant Methodist Church being organized. Rev. James Hunter,
a very consecrated and energetic circuit-rider who frequented this neighborhood,
organized this church in 1828, in the cabin of Thomas Evans, the pioneer
and served that year as its pastor. The services
were held the better of that first year in the cabin where it was organized.
The cabin still stands. In the frequent prayers for the planting of
this church that was carried on in the Evans cabin, we know the Master
was there, because He said, "Where two or three are gathered together
in my name, there am I in the midst of them." The charter members were
Thomas, Martha, Elizabeth, Abigail, Nancy and C. W. Evans--also Mrs.
Evans and her sister, David Rorie, and Henry Chappell. The little congregation
grew and soon over-crowded the cabin. So in the autumn of 1828 the neighbors
built a larger house for worship. Twas a log house and was erected near
where old Hebron Church stood. Among the new settlers who moved in and
united with the church were Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Cox, Mr. and Mrs. James
Nance, Mr. and Mrs. William Allen, Mr. Calvin Harman and several of
his sisters.
Shortly after the opening of the new church building, three more children
of Thomas Evans, Aaron, William and J. F. Evans joined. Mr. C. W. Evans,
son of the pioneer, entered the ministry and served this church the
year of 1846, ...two of his brothers taught the first Sunday school
ever held in this church. That was when 'twas held on Meriwether soil.
New settlers continued to move in from time to time, and united with
the church. It was found necessary to have a larger church building.
This second one was erected on land almost in front of Mr. Wilson Partridge's
home. In the year 1851 after a series of prayer meetings a protracted
meeting resulted in thirty additions to the church. The leader who led
the vanguard for strengthening the membership and growth of this church
was Thomas Evans, the saintly, and now sainted pioneer.
Among his lineal descendants were Mrs. John Carleton, Mrs. Joseph Thrash,
Mrs. James Nance, Mr. William Evans, Mrs. Alice Florence, Mrs. Merriman
Harman, Mr. J. W. Stipe, Mr. Cecil Marchman, Miss Anna Davis, Mrs. Lucy
Ann Florence and Mrs. Wilson Partridge.
This Evans, the pioneer, has descendants in the sixth generation now
attending this church, the youngest being little John Thrash, Jr. With
passing of time the membership crowded the little church facing the
Partridge place. The land for the new church was given by the great-hearted
and saintly Dr. Joseph Bradfield. The building was on the hill where
is now the Mountville cemetery. The first Sunday School at this place
was organized by Mr. John Carleton. He, his wife and son, Olin, were
members of the church at this time, the time of its greatest prosperity;
others were Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Bradfield and children, Mr. and Mrs.
Boss Woodward and children, Mr. and Mrs. William Watson and children,
the Harman families, the Thrash families, the Bird family, Mr. and Mrs.
Bob Fincher, Mr. and Mrs. Millard Fincher and family, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel
Owens and family, Mrs. Andy Beasley and family, the Cox family, the
Davis family, Mrs. C.P. and C.P. Marchman, Mr. and Mrs. G. V. Boddie
and sister.
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