MINISTRY AT SHARON

Conference P. C., and P. E. Circuit District

1885 Mfles Wesley Arnold Norwood AugustaJames E. Evans, 1st and 2nd Quarterly Conference; died. Jesse Boring, 3rd and 4th Quarterly Conference.

We do not know how long the Methodists in Sharon had held services, but the~9n Methodist Church was organized September 24, 1886 with thir ­ty ~members. Representatives of the church at the Fourth QuarterlyConference held at Norwood on October 23rd were:- Dr. Arthur Chase David­son, John Roberson Kendrick, and N. C. Edwards. Greene Marshall Kendrick was recommended to the Annual Conference to be admitted on trial. John R. Kendrick was elected to continue as Recording Steward for the Charge and Dr. M. H. Thomas was elected District Steward. Stewards for the va­rious churches were elected:- Barnett, R. G. Elliott, J. I. Harris, ..ax ~sm.axtxxS~~gga; Ebenezer, P. M. Hill, and H. J. Hill; Macedonia, C. C. Lowe E. F. Holliman, and C. A. Reese Norwood, Dr. Noel M. Dard99 F. H. MoGinty, and James A. Scruggs· Prospect, Dr. W. H. Pilcher, V. V. ill, and J. D. m th; Raytown, Owen D. Moore, John H. Stone, and Samuel J. Flynt; Sharon, John R. Kendrick and N. C. Edwards. Sunday-school Super­intendents elected were:- Barnett, J. R. Harris; Ebenezer, P. M. Hill; Macedonia, W. W. Edwards; Norwood, W. H. Cooper; Prospect, W. H. Pilcher; RaYtown, S. J. Flynt; Sharon, John R. Kendrick. Of interest is the list ­ing of the trustees petitioning the conference for permission to build a church at Mesena:- B. F. Thompson, J. C. Johnson, C. A. Rease, HenryIvey, Ben McCarthy, P. M. Hill, J. A. Scrug@s, Josiah H. Brintl~y, John Jones. Licensed to preach was W. H. Cooper, of Norwood. Mr. Arnold re­ported forty-eight new members, fifteen of whom had joined the Sharon Church" "the moral statp of the church generally in very prosperous con­dition. Sunday-schools)~ll the churches and a most active interest.

1886 Mtles Wesley Arnold Norwood S mon Peter Richardson

The circuit this year consisted of the following churches:- Barnett, Ebenezer, Macedonia, Mecena, Norwood, Raytown, and Sharon. Unfortunatelythe reports made at the Quarterly Conferences, first, second, and third, were not recorded, but they were held in order at Ebenezer, Jan. 31, 1887; Norwood, April l,t; Sharon, June 25th. The o~~ item of business entered on the record was the report of the committee,~M. w. Arnold, P. M. Hill, and Dr. ~. H. Thomas, appointed to solicit funds for liquidation of debt on parsonage:- Balance due on parsonage paid in full. Reports of Fourth Quarterly Conference recorded:- Only routine business attended to on Oct. 1st &Kixm~.~tmgx&~~.~x~~xm~•• at Raytown and conference was adjourned to meet Nov. 23rd at Norwood. In absence of Presiding Elder, Rev. Arnold held the meeting -- "the state of the church not what we desir e~ The Board of Stewards of the Norwood Circuit held the first recorded meeting on Dec. 23rd, 1887, at Norwood, with John R. Kendrick presiding.- Rev. M. • Arnold opened the meeting and the new minister, Rev. Caldwell was welcomed. His salary was set at $700.00 by unanimous vote. Lioenses of G. M. Kendrick, A. C. Davidson, J. T. Combs, C. E. Combs, and W. H. Coope~

as Local Preaohers were renewed.

1887 ~illis T. Caldwell Norwood Athens Simcn Peter Richardson

The circuit remained the same. Quarterly Conferenoes held Jan. 14, 1888 at NorwOOd; April 7th at Macedonia; at Barnett on ~une 30th; at Raytown on Sept. 22nd" adjourned session was held at Sharon in November, Rev. W. T. Caldweli presiding, A. C. Davidson, Sec., and J. R. Kendrick,R.S.

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2 ••• Ministry at Sharon.

1888 Robert A. Seale Norwood Athens Simon Peter Richardson

The circuit remained the same. At the first Quarterly Conference held Jan. 12, 1889 at Ebenezer ~etter from John R. Kendrick, retiring as Recording Steward, was read. He explains that he has not turned over to the new Recording Steward, J. C. EVans, the Quarterly Conference Records ~rior to 1887 because he has never received payment for the $200.00 he borrowed i~ under authority of the conference resolution of Nov. 1880 to defray expenses incurred in the prosecution of the Fountain Camp Ground case and re-affirmed in the Third Quarterly Conference of 1884. A committee was appointed to investigate the claim:- P. M. Hill, W. O. right, A. C. Davidson. At the Second Quarterly Conference at Mesena on

April 13th this committee reported favorably but could not certify the exact amount due J. R. KendrickJ investigation ordered continued. No record of Third Quarterly Conference. Records of Fourth Quarterly Conf­erence incomplete;- Eight Sunday-schools as Dr. W. H. Pilcher had asked that his school be put in the Norwood charge; lithe charge in an improving conditionr 24 new members during the quarter. Building committees con­firmed:- Raytown, W. O. wright, J. H. Stone, W. H. Moore, capt. Sam Flynt, E. T. MooreJ Eha~, Dr. A. C. Davidson, A. B. Jarrell, L. M. Thompson,J. T. Acree, J. A. Kendrick, J. R. Kendrick, G. W. BrownJ Norwood, Dr. W. H. Pilcher, F. A. McGinty, W. H. Cooper, J. A. Scruggs, T. E. Massengale, A. H. S. Anderson, J. C. Evans.A loving tribute by Dr. Pilcher to Rev. S. P. Richardson was written into the record.

1889 Robert A. Seale Norwood Athens Harwell H. Parks .

The circuit for 1890 consisted of Barnett, Ebenezer, Norwood, Raytown, and Sharon. At the First Quarterly Conference, held March 8, 1890 at Ebenezer, Rev. Seale reported "the church at present is at peace after conVUlsions of different sorts that have tended to evil and very trying ordeals through which many of our members have had to passy six Sunday­schoolS; membership reduced from 529 to 415. The Second Quarterly Conf­erence was held at Norwood on May 31ft and "an improving condition" was reported with a greater degree of harmony existing. At the Third Quarter­ly Conference, however, the Reverend Seale was again'deploring the lack of loyalty to the authority of the church as manifested by the failure of the officials to attend the conferences as well as non-interest of the members in attending church and Sunday-school; a tribute to Mrs. Anna Parham. At the Fourth uarterl Conference at a town on Nov.8th, the charge was repor e in a prosperous condi ion and its future br ghter than at any time during the pastor's two years of serVice. At Raytown the new church was dedicated on second Sunday in September; $1,377:00 expend­~d with $125.00 of this amount credited by sale of old building, leaving,1,252.00 raised by the Societ~. At Norwood $1,881.00 expended for new building and furnishings with $550.00- credited by sale qf old building.The church at Sharon has purchased a four-acre lot with a suitable build­ing on it that will ·do temporarily for a place of worship with the prop­erty costing 700.•00 all of which has been raised and paid by the So'Wiety. The church at Barnett reported in good condition, value $1,700.00, seat­ing capacity 250, and deed recorded. Five Sunday-schools; 415 members. Sharon trustees elected:- Dr. A. C. Davidson, John R. Kendrick, GeorgeW. Brown, James A. ~endrick, Charles S. Kendrick, Eulous T. Moore, and Dr. Lawrence R. Brown. Sunday-school Superintendents:- Sharon, John R. Kendrick; Raytown, John H. Stone; Ebenezer, T. M. Brown; Norwood, J. C. Evans; Barnett, R. G. Elliott. Recording Steward, John R. Kendrick. Sharon Stewards elected:- John R. Kendrick, Dr. Arthur C. Davidson. The Sharon Sunday-school met for the first time in the new quarters on Nov. 2, 1890, and for the first time in the history of Sharon in a house

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3 ••• Ministry at Sharon. /

owned by the Methodist Church. On Nov. 10, 1890 Rev. Robert A. Seale preached the first sermon in the new place of worship. This building,the school building purchased from Professor N. E. Ware, continued to serve as both church and school bUilding until the new church building was erected. It, then, was kept as a school building until the brick school was built ,and there are, doubtless, many men and women today of all denominations who, as boys and girls, went to school in that church­owne~bul1d1ng upon the church-owned grounds and never give a thought to the debt of gratitude they owe to the Methodists for providing a school bui14ing for theml Let us here express our gratitude to the Presbyterians of South Liberty Presbyterian Church in-Sharon for permitting the Meth­odist to hold their services there from\he beginning of Methodism in Sha­ron until the purchase of the are property in November, 1890.

1890 Robert A. Seale Norwood Athens Harwell H. Parks

With no more old reoords of the Quarterly Conferences available, we ax. have only a brief entry for the year 1891 found in the minutes of the Local Church Conference:~ Pastor in Charge, Rev. R. A. Seale; Stewards, John R. Kendrick and Dr. Arthur Chase Davidson; Church Secretary, George W. Brown; Sunday-school Superintendent, John R. Kendrick; Class Leaders, Dr. Arthur C. Davidson, John T. Acree, James Austin Mershon, Mrs. Ada Mershon { A-.· C. ):~D_vidson, Mrs. Wilson B. Kendrick. An entry for June re­corda "a very interesting protracted meeting held by our beloved Pastor in Charge, Rev. R. A. Seale, in whivh the church was greatly revived~ As far as we know, the circuit for 1891 remained the same:- Barnett, Eben­ezer, Norwood, Raytown, and Sharon. John T. Acree was recommended,.ax_kmxx m-x_* June 28, 1891, to the next Quarterly Conference of the Norwood Cir­cuit for license to exhort.

1891 J. B. Holland Norwood Athens Harwell H. Parks

From the aame record:- Official members same as preceding year. NO~!lurch_

confere~~e_h~~d_ th~s_year, 189g~

1892 Andrew Jackson Hughes Norwood Athens HaBwe11 H. Parks

At a Local Church Conference held April 23, 1893 at the church with Al­bert A. Davidson serving as Secretary, Rev. Hug_es presided;- The Nor­wood Circuit assessment, $715.00, Sharon to pay 120.00; Cirellit assess­ment for Foreign Missions, ,130.00; $77.00 for Home Missions, $57.00 for Mission Debt, and $36.00 for Church Extension. John R. ~endrick, S. s. Supt., reported seven officers and teachers but number of members not recorded. Four Wesleyan Christian Advocates; Church Conference Record R~.~B4 and a Church Register needed. Fourth Sunday afternoon in June set as date of next conference. No fur~~~r meetings recordedl

Andrew Jackson Hughes Norwood Athens Luke G. Johnson

1893

1894 E. B. Rees Norwood Athens William Pressley Lovejoy

1895 E. B. Rees Norwood Athens William Pressley Lovejoy

1896 James Samuel EmbryWilliam Pressley Lovejoy

Norwood Athens

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1897 James Samuel EmbryFelix Persona Brown, John Bradley Robins

supply Norwood Athens

1898 J. B. Holla.nd Norwood Athens John Bradley Robins

1899 Joseph Ad~ison Timmerman John ~ra.£.d:,le-J Robins

Norwood Athens

1900 Felix Persons Brown Crawfordville Athens William Pressley Lovejoy and Sharon

1901 Felix Persons Brown Crawfordville Athena William Pressley Lovejoy and Sharon

1902 Benjamin Graham Sharon Athens William Pressley Lovejoy

As the ereotion ot "the new ohuroh building" in Sharon has always been as so oiated with the names 0 t "Mr. Graham" and "Dr. Love j oy~' the work must have been proposed and begun in 1903, perhaps earlie~. There s~ill

exists the original petition, untortuila.te~ 'lind..a.:ted, drawn by Dl!. Arthur C. Davidson and oiroulated tor pledges:- We, the undersigned, promise to pay,at our earliest oonvenienoe, the amount opposite our names for the purpose of bUilding a new house of worship for the M. E. Churoh, Sputh, in Sharon, Geo; and should a new ohuroh building be ereoted then the present house of worship will be used for and devoted to sohoo1 pur­poses~ The name of praotioally every man in and around Sharon was listed, with subsoriptions ranging from $300.00-to $1.00 amounting to $1,190. 25. We are told that Mr. Norton, ot CrawfordVille, was the oontraotor. AnOitemoof'interest is the original reoeipt tound among the papers of the ate Dr. Arthur Chase Davidson:- "Sharon, Ga., Nov. 2, !2Q2.. $610.00.

Reoeived of A. C. Davidson, Chairman ot the Board of Trustees ot the Methodist Churoh property of the Methodist Episcopal Church South at Sha­ron, Georgia, Six Hundred and Ten Dollars, in full (payment) ot all de­mands against the said churoh property. The said Six Hundred and Ten dol­lars being amount due me for money advanoed or loaned tor bUilding the said ohuroh~ Signed:- J. A. Kendriok. As we have not been able to tind a written reoord ot the date of dedioa­tion o~.the new ohuroh, we enter this oOPY of the reoeipt for the final paymentlo show that the dedioation took plaoe atter that date because the ohuroh had to be free of debt before it oould be dedioated. The old­er members ot the churoh who were present at the dedioation have said that Dr. Lovejoy preaohed the dedicatory sermon~ dates th~y do not remem­bert

-1903 Benjamin Graham Sharon Athens

William Pressley LovejoyAn item in the Advooate Demoorat of Maroh 4, 1904:- Judge Holden has do­nated a lot on Jennings Street for a parsonage:-Rev. Benjamin Graham has oommenoed the ereotion ot a parsonage and it is expeoted to be ready for Oooupanoy in a few weeks~ And, again;- "Mr. C. H. Goluoke bought the Methodist parsonage lot for $500.00 and will use it for residential lots~ These items refer, of oourse, to Crawfordville.

1904 Benjamin Gra.ham James Sidney Bryan

Sharon Athens

1905 James E. Russell Sharon Athens James Sidney Bryan

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5 ••• Ministry at Sharon

1906 James E. Russell Sharon Athens James Sidney Bryan

Mr. James B. Armstrong wrote me that the Sharon Church entertained the Athens District Conferenoe in 1907 and lithe church nas real new at that time~

1907 James E. Russell Sharon Cir- Athens JameA Sidney Bryan cuit and Mission

1908 w. B. Bessent Sharon Athens Wilds Lovick Pierce

1909 Jacob Glenn Davis Sharon Athens H. M. Harrison, sup; H. C. Ledford Wilds Lovick Pierce

1910 Jacob Glenn Davis Sharon Athens H. C. edford, supplyhi. J-. a"'c..~

1911 Jasper Jefferson Copeland Sharon Athens To be supplied

Beverly P. Allen

1912 L. W. Browder Sharon Athens Beverly P. Allen in 1913

The Athens District Conference was held in Sharon.and Marvin Augustus Franklin was admitted to the Conference on trial. The weather was ex­tremely warm (t) and the small homes filled with delegates and hospitalijy were none too comfortable. The oooasion, however, was a memorable one.

1913 L.W. Browder Sharon Athens Beverly P. Allen

The circuit was again changed and Raytown and Sharon wer e a.gain under the same ministry, Raytown coming from the Norwood Circuit, Augusta District.

1914 Luther Pope Huokaby Sharon Athens Beverly Pope Allen

1915 Luther Pope Huckaby Sharon Athens s. P. Wiggins

1916 Luther Pope Huokaby Sharon Athens S. P. Wiggins

1917 Marvin Bledsoe Whittaker Sharon Athens S. P. Wiggins

1918 Marvin Bledsoe Whittaker Sharon Athens S. P. Wiggins

1919 John Franklin Davis Sharon Athens G. 1". Venable

This Conferenoe placed Crawfordville in the Union Point Circuit and Mr. and:Mrs. Davis a...~ lived in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry D. Moore, until the pa.rsonage purchased by the Circuit was ready for oocupanoy. This property belonged to Mrs. George N. Wright, Raytown, and joined the Methodist Church property on the west.

John Franklin Davis Sharon Athens1920 G. F. Venable

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.1921 John Franklin Davis Sharon Athens G. F. Venable'

1922 John Franklin Davis· Sharon Athens G. F. Venable

1923 Arthur Olin Baggarly Sharon Athens alter S. Robison

1924 Abthur Olin Baggarly Sharon Athens Walter S. Robison

The "experiment II of the Sharon Circuit proved unsuccessful and at Conf­arence ~ Sharon and Raytown were moved back again to the Norwood Circuit --- with hurt feelings all aroundt

1925 Carlton Alton Reese Norwood-Sharon Athens Walter S. Robison

1926 Earlton Alton Reese Norwood-Sharon Athens Walter S. Robison

1927 Hosea G. Garrett Norwood-Sharon Athens J. Lee Allgood

1928 William Jennings Bryson Norwood-Sharon Athens died,and H. S. Chenault, an Emory student supplied.

J. Lee AllgoodThe Circuit for 1929:- Barnett, Ebenezer, Fountain, Norwood, Sharon, and Raytown.

1929 Harold George Zoeller Norwood-Sharon Athens J. Lee Allgood

Fountain did not appear on the list of churches for 1930.

1930 Worthey Forrest Lunsford Norwood-Sharon Athens J J J. Lee Allgood

t ~~ onference the Norwood-Sharon Circuit was returned to the Au­gusta District, with the same churches, ~a.~_, Ebenezer, Norwood, Prospect, Raytown and Sharon.

Worthey Forrest Lunsford Norwood-Sharon Augusta. William H. laPrade, Jr.

1932 Worthey Forrest Lunsford Norwood-Sharon Augusta William H. LaPrade, Jr.

worthey Forrest Lunsford Norwood-Sharon Augusta. William H. LaPrade, Jr.

1933

1934 Verner Bluford Hamric .orwood-Sharon Augusta71.11. ..$., ,L..,

1935 Verner Bluford Hamrick Norwood-Sharon Augusta Henry H. Jones

Verner Bluford Hamrick Norwood-Sharon Augusta Henry H. Jones

1936

1937 Wilson Jefferson Culpepper Norwood-Sharon AugustaHenry H. Jones ;y

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r 7 ••• Ministry ~t ShaFon "

From~the'Sharon Church Register:- Sunday, April 3, 1938. The Sharon Methodist Church Conference was called to order by Rev. Culpepper for -the purpose 9f voting for or against the unification of the three branch­es of the Methodist Churches without discussion. The motion was made and carried. Of the thirteen members voting, eight were for unifica~ion

and five against. Signed: J. Moore Kendrick, Secretary.

1938 Wilson J. CUlpep~r I Lovi ck M. Twiggs I'f

-nifioation voted in 1939. 1939 Alfred TenrtY~9n~~- Norwood-Sharon Augusta

Lov'ck M. Twiggs

1940 Alfred T. Hind Norwood-Sharon AugustaLovick M.Twiggs

1941 Alfred T. Hind and :. '-Norwood.-Sharon g s~a._ . I C. A. Brooks, sup., asst. '/'j-A . 'J. ru~-'?'oo'-" ~

Lovick M. Twiggs

A.P. atkins Norwood Augusta ~ James William Oscar McKibben JQ... ~ ~ 4 ~~ , • ~

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A. P. Watkins Norwood Circuit Augusta J. W. O. McKibben

-1944 A. P. Watkins J. W. O. McKibben

1945 Charles Levin Middlebrooks,Jr. ~rawfOrdvil

J. W. O. McKibben At this Conference the Crawfordville Circuit was formed:­ Crawfordville., Sharon, Raytown, Sandy Cross, and Barnett~ 1l{1(,.

1946 Charles L. Middlebrooks,Jr Crawfordville Augusta George L. King

At this Conference the long-considered change in the time of the Annual Conference was made from Novembe~o July. Parsonage begun in 1947.

19"47 Charles L. Middlebrooks,Jr Grawfordville AugustaJULy George L. King

1948 Charles Beverly Dra.k~ Crawfordville Augusta George L. King

1949 Charles B. Drake Crawfordville Augusta George L. King

1950 Charles B. Drake Crawfordville Augusta George L. King

The first mid-year Annual

1951 George Thomas Shell Crawfordville Augusta Edmund Daniel RUdisill

1952 George Thomas Shell Crawfordville Augustadied in November and Mr. Clarence Booth served the circuit until Conference in June, 1953.

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1953 Lewis Cass Davis Crawfordville Augusta.Edmund Daniel Rudisill

1954 J. Ray Thompson Crawfordville Augusta Edinund Daniel RUdisill p IJ

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