The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1919-02-27
MET HODIST CHURCH
ISSUES DIRECTORY
REV. ROBERT A. CLARK ISSUES
HANDSOME VOLUME
Containing Many Things of Interest
70 Members Of First Methodist
Church and to 0thers-Something
About Olden Times in COvington.

Rev Robert A. Clark, the popular
pastor Of the First Methodist Church,
who is now enjoying a winter sojourn
mt Miami and other Florida east
coast points, has just issued a di-
lectory and brief historical sketch
ii bis church from the Leaders job
printing department.
The book, which is a volume of So
pages, contains among other inter-
esting things, pictures of the pres
ent and former church buildings oc-
cupying the same spot, the hand
some parsonage, the present and sew
.eral former pastors, the church direc-
tory, including the boards Of stew
ards and trustees, Sunday school Of
fieers and teachers, missionary So
cieties and their officers, Epworth
League, members Of the choir, Men,
phis conference directory, and gem
eral directory of the church, list
az the pastors and presiding elders
Of the church since 1855, brief his
tory Of early Methodism in Coving-
ton, pictures Of the two oldest liv-
ing members Of the congregation,
Mrs. Sophia Malone and ESQ, S. r.
Shelton, a group of old buildings of
Covington, some of which were erect
ed over half D century ago, several
of which were burned in the fire of
December 7, 1882, among these be-
ing the old courthouse, the Shelton
Hotel, Upton Female Seminary and
others. The book also contains an
honor roll Of the boys who were
members Of the church when they
enlisted IN the service of their coun-
try. the name and address of every
member of the church, and many adj
vertisements Of our progressive bus
mess men.
From the "Brief History Of Early
Methodism in Coyington" we make
the following extracts:
On the cornerstone of the First
Methodist Church Ia to be found the
following information about the or
nanization and erection of the church:
sOrganized in 1888; Erected in
1910; Rebuilt IN 1860; RemOdeled in
1897"
50 IL viii Be seen from the above
that the organization OF the church
dates back more than three-quarters
uf d century, The first church that
stood on the present site, which was
erected IN 1870, was q small frame
church that had the old-fashioned
tin candle-holders with candles for
lighting, and yellow calico curtains
were used OH the windows.
This church was burned in 1859.
Then the erection of small brick
church was begun in 1860 and was
finished year or two later The deed
% the lot on which the church first
stood and now stands was decided,
rs shown on the records, to Jesse
Havnie. Isaac Clark. Joshua /. Clark,
Isaac R. Bleds0e, Charles H. Hill,
John M. Hudson, William c. Hazen,
Collins Adams and Richard Luttrell,
trustees, in February, 18A6.
Covington was in those days asso- |
ciated with the Wesley circuit, and
the circuit was SO large that two and
three pastors were assigned to the
circuit.
Among some Of the early promi-
nent Methodist families who lived
i'll Coyington prior to the Civil war
and soon after, might be mentioned
Malone, Menefee, Bledsoe, Bernard,
Welugen, Wiseman, Cleaves, Dunn,
E,uttrell Hull, Shelton, John Hudson,
w. Al. Hazen, Collins Adams, Jesse
Haynie, Joseph Townsend, Ander-
son Yarbrough, Charley Hill. r. s.
Barrett, Mrs. Ann Green. DR.. 1. Hill,
tSabe Slaughter and Ike Clark.
Mrs. Sophia Malone is the oldest
living member Of the church. She
IL now nearing her ninety-second
birthday, and came to Covington in
1855.
ESQ. s. II. Shelton, ST., is the next
Oldest living member Of the church. /
Ha. came to Covington in 1868, and i
Ivy, too, is nearing his ninety-second
Birthday.
among the early pastors of the
church were Thomas L. Boswell,
father Of DR.. John w. Boswell, now
associated with the Nashville Chris
tian Advocate; "A. r. Wilson. R. ".
TaVlor, who was pastor in 1859, who
io sd the Memphis conference in
i847. and who Is the oldest living
member Of the conference, and whose
nicture will be found in the group
III pastors; B. T. PEBBLES, who was
nastor ia 1860, and who is the sec
ord oldest living member Of the
Memphis conference. His picture
ia is to be seen ii the group of
nnsfors. and j W. Mathis, who was
lie first station preacher Of Gov
Engton.
AL already stated, Covington was
associated with the Wesley circuit
until 1864 The records were de-
sfrcved during the Civil war and it
= impossible to give any data prior
"a 1855. Covington was first made
\ station III 1864, and Rev. j. W.
Mathis was the pastor. The first !
annrterlv conference was held Feb
Tuarv "a. 1865. The presiding elder, !
II b. Mullins, was absent, and the
conference was presided over by the
rastor. Rev. ]. w. Mathis, with the
followin0 present: John Thompson,
IoeaI preacher: H /. Melugen class
leader. Samuel Hill. John L. Hay
nie. Dr.. L. Hill and Samuel Bernard, |!
rewards The report to this con- 4
ference showed a Sunday school with
10 teachers and so pupils.
s4ss,n- s.aztoY received for his SER b