Our Ministers:

1852 Robert W. Drake
1853 John W. Allen
1854 Coleman A. Harwell
1855 William P. Hickman
1856 George W. Brown
1858 Abraham F. Lawrence
1860 Simon P. Whitten
1865 Fielding Fagan
1866 John W.Bolton
1869 William A. Turner
1871 William D. Cherry
1872 William W. Graves
1873 Rufus W.Bellany
1874 Pinkney F. Martin
1875 W. D. Cherry
1877 E. W. White
1880 William Dye
1883 Edward K. Denton
1884 Charles F. Gabord
1885 W. A. Lusby
1887 John W. Register
1888 Edward C. Marks
1889 James G. Hinson
1890 Thomas W. Noland
1892 E. L. Gregory
1893 William L. Jackson
1895 Thomas W. Woodward
1897 George M. Sanders
1899 Isaac W. Hickam

1901 R. J. Craig
1905 Lemuel R. Long
1906 Moses J. Mabry
1910 A. C. Couey
1912 John F. Beasley
1914 George L.Beale
1916 John S. Rice
1919 Charles R. Wade
1921 J. E. Wodard
1924 A. P. Walker
1927 S. R. Bratcher
1929 C. C. Hinkle
1932 H. E. Baker
1934 W. V. Jarratt
1936 F. M. Steele
1939 W. L. Ensor
1942 C. Blaine Duncan
1943 J. Fort Fowler
1947 J. N. Wilson
1950 E. B. Willis
1955 Don Chandler
1956 James L. Beaty, Sr.
1961 James Sweeney
1964 John C. Meadors
1968 James Kannon
1974 Thomas H. Smith
1983 John Potts
1986 James R. Beaty
1991 David Hawkins
1996 David Spencer

2003 John W. Vaughan
2005 John Pennington

The Methodist Society of Centerville was organized soon after the settlement of Hickman County in 1807. Before a church building was secured, the Society met in private homes until a log building was erected in 1828 on a site located on what is now known as Church Street. It should be noted that the land on which Centerville was built was deeded to the town for its Construction in 1823.

The first membership roll of the Centerville Methodist Society in existence is dated 1830 and it includes: Rev. James Erwin, Rev. Samuel Whitson, Rev. Robert Johnson, Thomas Webb, John White, Nancy White, Eli White, Sallie White, Sallie Hornbeak, William Bird, Elizabeth Whitson, Margaret Phillips, W. C. Strayhorn, William Craig, Ann Craig, Francis McClanahan, Thomas Wright and Elva Strayhorn.

The lot for the first church was purchased on October 19, 1851, and the two-story building (one of the first brick buildings in Centerville) was completed in 1852 at a cost of $5000. The first floor of the building was used by the Centerville Church, and the second floor was used as a lodge hall. The century-old building is now owned solely by the local Masonic Lodge and is still in good condition.

"Actual work of construction was done by Anthony Gholson. A primitive process of manufacturing brick was employed and the building was considered a marvel of construction. The walls of the church are 18 inches through and have withstood all assaults of time and elements. A marble tablet is placed high in the face of the church building: Erected A.D. June, 1851, A. L. 5851. The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all." -Hickman News Herald, 14 June 1923

When the church became a station of the Tennessee Conference in 1883, there were forty-five names on the mebership roll. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the membership had jumped to approximately 200.

The need for Sunday school rooms and a larger chapel brought about the construction of the present church building. The deed for that land is dated March 22, 1921, and the building was completed in 1923. The cost of the project was $40,000.

CHURCH GROUNDBREAKING IN 1922:
(Click on a picture below to view a larger version)

A crowd which packed the auditorium of Centerville's historic church building, that of the Methodist Church, South, joined in a service of solemnity Sunday, conducted by Reverend James E. Woodward as the final service in the home which has served the congregation continuously since 1851. An order of service which harked back to that far distant day was begun by congregational singing of Amazing Grace without organ accompaniment, and led by the pastor. Other hymns of the period were "lined" by the pastor who directed all hymns and sang a half-forgotten number as a solo." -Hickman News Herald, 14 June 1923

On April 8, 1923, the Missionary Baptist and Church of Christ congregations dispensed with their regular morning preaching services and the three congregations united for the dedication service. The sermon was preached by Bishop H. M. DuBose of Nashville. Many out-of-town methodists were on hand to attend the service, and so great was the crowd that a large number of people were unable to hear Bishop BuBose preach.

According to a newspaper article from that day, "The new church building provides for all departments of modern Sunday school work, with the pastor's study-ladies' parlor, club rooms, social room and kitchenette. The material used is pressed brick, laid cement, with elaborate trimmings of bedford stone. The auditorium is of chesnut with English walnut finish. The seating capacity is 350 for the auditorium, 150 for the gallery, with a Sunday school capacity of 500 to 600."

THE NEW BUILDING,
SHORTLY AFTER COMPLETION IN 1923:
(Click on a picture below to view a larger version)

Also included in the deed was a residence on the lot which was used as a parsonage until the new parsonage was constructed on the same site in 1950 and in 1960 a two-story educational unit was added to the church.

"Shortly after our new church was finished and we had moved in, it caught fire one Sunday. The furnace overheated and set fire to the building. A bucket brigade miraculously put out the fire. A scar is still left on the right door of the pulput leading from the sanctuary after someone took an ax to it. It remains as a testimony to the fire." - an account by Mrs. Mary Bogle and Miss Lilly Bogle

Mrs. Tom Colley (Mother of Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon- Minnie Pearl) played the piano for many years, and in 1946 an electric organ was given to the church by Miss Mattie Lou Walker, Lilly Thompson and Mrs. Sam Carothers. Mrs. Grady Carothers played the organ for all services as long as she was able.

This history is offered in loving memory of Mr. Emmett Thompson,
long-time church historian.

Special thanks to Mrs. Marion Fussell for collecting
and sharing much of this information.