Butler United Methodist Church

Photograph of church by Randy Carpenter

History: In 1840 the Rev. Harris Stearns, the son of Zachariah Stearns and pastor of the Marion Circuit, organized a Methodist Church for the community. The church stood one mile from where the Courthouse now stands and was called the Red Level M.E. Church.

Original members were: Stephen Johnson and wife; Jesse Adams and wife; Daniel Whatley and wife; Jacob Sistruck Sr and wife, Daniel Sistrunk and wife; Benjamin Griffith and wife, Jacob Sistrunk Jr and wife.

After Butler was founded in 1852, the church was moved to town and called the Butler Methodist Church During the pastorate of Rev. George Johnson (1877-1878), a new church was erected. On June 7, 1878, Bishop Haygood dedicated the new church. The membership was listed as 130.

On August 2, 1919, the old building was disposed of and the proceeds applied to the erection of a new building. In 1920 the present church building was erected. In 1952, a Church School Annex as added to the Church. The parsonage was completed in 1964.

Pastors who have served the church

Rev. Harris Stearns, 1840
Rev.  Thomas Coleman, 1841
Rev. Joseph Talley, 1842
Rev. Brith and Rev. Feraby, 1843
Rev. William Bussey and Rev. Richard Mayfield, 1844
Rev. Jacob Danforth, 1845
Rev. L. Steagall, 1846
Rev. Joseph Talley, 1847
Rev. Craven and Rev. Y.F. Tigner, 1848
Rev. Charles L. Hayes, 1849-1850
Rev. Thomas Gideon, 1851
Rev. Joseph Clark, 1852
Rev. J.M. Marshall, 1853
Rev. Chappell Brooks, 1854
Rev. Wyatt Brooks, 1855-1856
Rev. Smith Davenport, 1857
Rev. William Booth, 1858
Rev. Leonard Rush, 1859
Rev. John Robinson and Rev. McLemore, 1860
Rev.. A.J. Dean and Rev. Andrews, 1861
Rev. John Berry and Rev. M.J. Jenkins, 1862
Rev. Wyatt Brooks, 1863-1864
Rev. C.M. Mitchell, 1865
Rev. G.C. Clark, 1866
Rev. G.L.W. Anthony, 1867-1868
Rev. B.F. Willliamson, 1869-1870
Rev. J.R. Littlejohn, 1871-1872
Rev. W.M.D. Bond, 1873
Rev. J.E. Rentz, 1874-1875
Rev. W.J. Robinson, 1876
Rev. George F. Johnson, 1877-1878
Rev. R.L. Wiggins, 1879-1880
Rev. R.T. Evans, 1881
Rev. J.B.K. Smith, 1882
Rev. J.D. Mauldin, 1883
Rev. T.K. Leonard, 1884
Rev. C.D. Adams, 1885-1886
Rev. R.T. Lowe, 1887-1888
Rev. L.V. Crawley, 1889
Rev. J.W. Brewton, 1890
Rev. M.B. Ferrell, 1891
Rev. J.T. Mimbs, 1892-1893
Rev. M.A. Phillips, 1894-1895
Rev. J.S. Funderburk, 1896-1897
Rev. J.T. Ainsworth, 1898-1900
Rev. R.M. Wesley, 1901
Rev. John Seals, 1902
Rev. G.S. Childres, 1903
Rev. J.S. Lewis, 1904-1905
Rev. J. Bazemore, 1906-1907
Rev. Paul Kendall, 1908
Rev. R.M. Booth, 1909
Rev. R.W. Brown, 1910
Rev. Earl Anderson, 1911-1912
Rev. John Stanford, 1913-1916
Rev. A.J. McGill, 1917
Rev. L.A. Harrell, 1918-1921
Rev. B.A. Pafford, 1922-1923
Rev. O.L. Kelley, 1924
Rev. J.W. McCord, 1925
Rev. L.T. Rogers, 1926-1927
Rev. H.E. Hightower, 1928
Rev. H.E. Griffin, 1929-1930
Rev. J.A. Cook, 1931-1932
Rev. W.E. Hightower, 1933-1935
Rev. Edgar Martin, 1936-1938
Rev. F.J. Gilbert, 1939-1942
Rev. Lamar Glenn, 1943--1945
Rev. Warren Stipe, 1946-1949
Rev. C.W. Hancock, 1950-1953
Rev. Hoke Hatcher, 1953-1955
Rev. H.C. Marx, 1955-1957
Rev. C. Ted Griner, 1957-1961
Rev. Walter McCleskey, 1961-1963
Rev. Ted Bass, 1963-1967
Rev. Frank Terry, 1967-1970
Rev. Roy L. Gardner, 1970-1972
Rev. Charles Dennis, 1972-

Deed Bk A - Taylor County
pg 30
Bibb County 21 June 1852
Wm B. Johnston (Bibb) to Stephen Johnson, Jesse
Adams, John Sturdivant, Hardy Williamson, Daniel
Whatley, Trustees of Methodist Episcopal Church
south of Butler
$1 Town of Butler Lot 1 in Square No 15 containing 19,000 sq feet
Signed Wm B. Johnston per E.J. Johnston, atty