FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Mesquite, Texas History
Compiled By Virginia Chase
The congregation of the First United Methodist Church is older than the City of Mesquite. It began meeting as far back as 1857 for occasional preaching services at the old Frost or Bennett School House (sometimes called Frost and sometimes called Bennett). By 1863 a church had been organized at Bennett Schoolhouse. W.K Masten, a circuit rider who had been admitted to the East Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1850, was the first preacher. Some of the first members were the Futrells, Uncle John and Aunt Abbie Frost, M.A.E. Grace and daughter, L.C. Ebrite, J.E. Russell and family, J.T. Vanston and family, A.C. New and family, and W.H. Cullum. A.C. New was Sunday School Superintendent for a number of years, and W.H. Cullum followed him in that position.
At a Mesquite Methodist Pioneer Day Service held July 5, 1929, Miss Missouri Futrell reported that she had joined this Church in 1863 when it was meeting at the Bennett School House. The only other member still living July 5, 1929, who had joined at the School House, was Mr. Lemuel Futrell. This church was a part of the Scyene Circuit, which covered a large segment of Dallas County. James P. Rogers followed as the second pastor, staying till 1866. In 1866-67, W.C. Young, Preacher-in-Charge of Dallas Circuit, reorganized the church with 33 members. There were 36 members in 1869.
In 1870 the church moved its domicile to a new building known as Bennett's School House from the name of David Bennett who had been a long time member of the society. During the pastorate of George S. Gatewood in 1874 the membership increased to 46, and in 1876 Rev. G.H. White reported 54 members. But in 1878 the membership dropped back to 33.
By 1880 the Church had moved to Mesquite to the present location. John L. and Lucy Futrell deeded the land for the buildings on March 6, 1880, "in consideration of the love we have for the cause of Christ". This was described as "situated in Dallas County near Mesquite depot and out of the John McDaniel survey of 160 acres. The deed wasn't recorded until Sept. 12, 1884. The Texas and Pacific Railroad crossed near the Futrell homestead in 1874. Rev. J.W. Lively was pastor at the time, and a small white frame church building with a steeple was erected.
The parsonage, valued at $300.00, was a small two-room frame house with a lean-to shed.
The General Conference of 1878 provided for a woman's auxiliary to the church. In 1882 "The Women's Foreign Missionary Society" was organized. Among the leaders were Mrs. Abbie Frost, Mrs. Mattie Grace, Mrs. Anna (Roarke) Vanston, Mrs. Timmons, and Mrs. H. Markrum. Mrs. Ed F. (Jessie Paschall) Vanston, as a little 11 year old girl, became a member in those early days (1884). Her dues the first year were paid by Mrs. Abbie Frost. After that Mrs. Vanston paid her own dues, and in July, 1929 held the longest continuous membership in the Mesquite Woman's Missionary Society.
In 1886 Sunday School classes were formed. Prior to that a Union School was in existence at the Baptist Church. D.A. Davis was the first Superintendent of the Methodist Sunday School.
The name was changed to First Methodist Church in 1939 when The Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Episcopal Church South and The Methodist Protestant Church united to become The Methodist Church. In 1968 The Methodist Church united with The Evangelical United Brethren Church and became The United Methodist Church.
A small building was erected for worship services in 1880, and was destroyed and rebuilt in 1890. In 1916, the old wooden building was torn down and replaced with a white wooden frame building with a shingle roof. It was composed of a main auditorium about 40x40 feet, eight small rooms for classes and the Pastor's study. A balcony, housing three classrooms was immediately to the left upon entering. The Mayberry brothers did the work of demolishing the old structure and erecting the new church. Miss Opal Lawrence recalls, as a member of the Pollyanna Class, hauling and selling old wooden shingles for 10 cents a wheelbarrow full. With the earnings the class bought a stained glass window for the new sanctuary. The building committee included H.D. Humphreys, W.S. Jobson, L.C. Ebrite, B.E. Hudgins, E. F. Vanston, Mrs. L.C. Ebrite, and Mrs. B.E. Hudgins. Rev. Tracy Huffstutler lead the congregation in this building project but was transferred before it was completed. He returned from Burkburnett, Texas to preach the first sermon in the new building.
In 1936 an addition was built on the back of the church, under the direction of Rev. Fred Brucks, to house children's classrooms. On January 6, 1957, a new modern brick Sanctuary was consecrated with Bishop William C. Martin presiding. Rev. Earl Kifer, Resident Minister, and Rev. Wesley Hite, District Superintendent of Southwest Dallas District, were also present for the services.
In 1963 the old sanctuary that had been constructed in 1916 was torn down and an Educational Wing was added to the present church plant under the direction of Rev. Kifer. Windows made of leaded stained glass were taken from the old building and encased in a memorial setting. They were placed in the Educational Wing, and in 1987 moved to the back of the Sanctuary. Miss Opal Lawrence and Mrs. Onyx Summers wrote the history of each of these windows.
The Futrell family members have worshipped continuously in First Methodist Church. Today, five generations later, a Futrell descendant, Mrs. Ila DeAlva Futrell Grady, takes her place in the Susanna Wesley Sunday School Class and in the Chancel Choir for worship services.
From the humble beginnings of a few dedicated Christians who met to form a Methodist Church until the present date, this Mesquite First Methodist Church has stood near downtown in "old Mesquite" to bring the Good News of Christ to the community. Property adjoining the church property on the the north was purchased in 1985 from the Galloway family. The 125th Anniversary of the congregation was 1988, and the celebration lasted for 12 months. Some of the events were: The Wesley Covenant Service at both the beginning and the end of the year, a Proclamation by Mayor George Venner, Bishop John Russell as Keynote Speaker on January 10th, a visit by "John Wesley" (Bill Vance), the beginning of our 2nd morning worship service at 8:30 AM, Homecoming on April 17th with former pastors reminiscing each evening of that week, a Roll Call of all members in chronological order during October, a Revival in September with Hal Brady, Barry Bailey and Zan Holmes preaching, purchase of 350 new hymnals, and the filling of a Time Capsule to be opened on the 200th Anniversary of the church. (Note: The above history is taken from information submitted for the historical marker that was placed in the front of the Sanctuary April 26, 1992.)
PASTORS WHO HAVE SERVED MESQUITE FIRST METHODIST:
W.K. Masten, 1863-1864; James P. Rogers, 1865-1866, 1872; Thomas E. Sherwood, 1867-1868; Alexander C. Mayer, 1869; William R. Smith, 1870; R.N. Brown, 1871; G.S. Gatewood, 1873-1874; J.H. White, 1875; W.R. Manning, 1876-1877; W.C. Young, 1878; J.W. Lively, 1879-1880; James McDugal, 1881; W.H. Stephenson, 1882-1883; J.F. Alderson, 1884; Z. Parker, 1885; George T Nichols, 1886-1887; F.C. Nabery, 1888-1889; J.8. Adair, 1890-1891; D.T. Brown, 1892-1895; J.M. Nichols, 1896; J.B. Minnis, 1897; L.L. Naugle, 1898; C.C. Williams, 1899; H.H. Vaughan, 1900-1901; T.N. Weeks, 1902-1903; W.B. Douglas, 1904-1907; 1911-1912; W.R. McCarter, 1908-1909; T.M. Kirk 1910; T.L. Huffstutler, 1913-1915; R.L. Ely, 1916; C.D. Montgomery, 1917-1919; C.C. Childress, 1920; O.W. Moerner, 1921; E.H. Mayes, 1922-1923; R.E. Porter, 1924-1925; George M. Gibson, Jr., 1926; Z.R. Fee, 1927; R.L. Curl, 1928-1931; Fred J. Brucks, 1932-1936; A. Foy Thomas, 1937; Sam Farler, 1938; Herschel S. Burgin, 1939; Bill Morgan Smith, 1940-1942; G.C. Randolph, 1943-1944; C.D. King, Jr., 1945-1946; Fred Broyles, 1947-1951; C.S. Wilhite, 1952-1954; Earl Kifer, 1955-1962; Earl Harvey, 1963-1966; Clayton Lewis, 1966-1968; Buist B. Wilson, 1969-1981; John E. Taylor, 1981-1985; Walter Lynn Zimmerman, 1985-1992. Earnest E. Walt, 1992-2001. Sammy Hargrove, 2001-2005, Marsha E. Middleton, 2005 - present
ASSOCIATE PASTORS WHO HAVE SERVED MESQUITE FIRST METHODIST:
Boyd Sawyer, Dan Klempel, Mike Nichols, Roy Spore, Keith Dayne Boone, Steve Warren, James Walker, Craig Heenan, Beth Rakestraw, Ann Johnson, Susanne Orman, Richard Flach, Patricia L. Grable