The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-07-21
By MISS EULA TODD


There is no. way of knowing the
exact time that Methodisrn began
in this county; but it is recorded in
history that Bishop Asbury held
meetings in the western section of
North Carolina at various times be-
tween 1888 and 1912, and that about
the year 1909 pioneer ministers
came into Ashe county. The rec
ords for the next sixty-five years
are not available; however, in the
year 1877 the pastor of the Jefferson
charge was Rev. j. H. Weaver, an
Ashe county saint, who stood head
and shoulders above the multitude
in stature and in wisdom.
In 1888 while Rev. James Ma
honey was pastor of the Jefferson
circuit and B. w. S. Bishop was the
presiding elder, the minutes of the
Fourth quarterly Conference held at
Riverside Camp ground on August
Is, show the number of members to
be 697; churches on the charge, 6;
local preachers, 5; number of Sun
day Schools, IL; salary of the
preacher in charge, $4,000; salary
of the presiding elder, $1,000. No
members had died during this quart
err.
It must be remembered that JEFF
ferson belonged to the Wytheville
District of the Holston Conference
until 1885 when it was transferred
to the Marion District.
When the Western North Carolina
Conference came into existence in
1890, all this section automatically
became part of it; it's location on
the boundary line giving it the adj
vantage of being visited by some
of the ablest preachers and bishops
Of both conferences, to-wit: Hoss,
McTiere, Sullins, McFerrin, French,
Kilgo and others.
In the 1888 churches belonging
to the Jefferson circuit were Pine
Swamp, Bethany, Osbornes, Helton,
Grassy Greek, Jones' Branch, Cox's
Chapel, Ore Knob, Rich Hill, Big
Laurel, Worth's Chapel, Mill Creek,
Horse Creek, Ashley's Methodist
Chapel. A large flock for one pas
tor!
Creston circuit was formed in Oc-
tober, 1885, and absorbed those
churches adjacent to the Creston
Church.
In all these churches there were
conSecrated men and women who
were leaders, obedient to the rules
of the church, outstanding PERSONAL
ties in carrying on the work of the
Master. Their children and their
children's children rise up and call
them blessed. They were-"that
sturdy yeomanry, country's pride,
Which once destroyed can never be
supplied. Call to mind at Orion
the Burketts, edwards, Dents, Perk-
ms; at Grassy Creek, the Duvalls,
Pierces, Pughs, Greers; at Worth's
Chapel, the Bakers, Worths, Max
"C4AS, vi dy OSdAS, dL MSLIlOu1SL Nldp-
ell, the Wrights and Weavers; at
Ashleys, twenty-five of the forty
five members were Ashleys; the
Graybeals of Big Laurel; the Bout
chells and Osbornes of Pine Swamp;
the Perkins, Youngs, Weavers and
Dicksons of Helton; at Bethany, the
name Houck has always been syn
onymous with Methodism; Mrs.
Mary Jane Cox, of what is now
Nathan's Creek. These are only
few whose names and deeds are
familiar.
The roll of the Jefferson church
has lofty beginning with the name
of the long-ago-sainted DR.. James
Wagg. It contains the names of
most of the citizens of Jefferson,
for in those days there were fewer
than half-dozen members of any
other denomination-Mr. William
Gentry being Baptist who attend
ed the Methodist church and who
always broke the rules of his church