Church History

As quoted from "The History of Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church" written by Mell Simons, October 24, 1983.

"In the research I have done on the history of Mount Pleasant UMC, I find that some of the records do not agree.  I can only give my readers the information that appears in the written records.  One record found states that Mt. Pleasant UMC was founded in 1851, another record place the date at March 13, 1852.  The church was started with eight charter members on roll and the name Mount Pleasant was given to the new church.  One article, found in an older writing states that the name of the Church seems to have been take from the name of the post office in the community.   Mount Pleasant Post Office is described in Sherwood's "Gazetteer of Georgia," dated 1837, as "a post office and cluster of houses in the Graves settlement, seven miles from Covington.

"Reference to the Graves settlement seems to have grown out of the fact that Solomon Graves, who migrated to Georgia from North Carolina in the early years of the nineteenth century, settled in Newton County.  An older record says that Solomon Graves, with his family, moved into this community in about the year 1819, and that he built the original homestead known as "Mount Pleasant."

According to Mr. Simons, there were no definite records to indicate who the donor of the land was for the Church.  Some say that Mr. Graves donated the land, others say that it was Mr. Isaac Parker and other state that a man named Mr. Isaac Stanton donated the land.  This fact is of some interest in that all three of these families were in the position to contribute to the original building of the church.

Mr. Simons continues his history by stating: "There have been two church buildings.  At some data subsequent to March 1851 (1852) the first building was erected in the approximate center of the triangle formed by the public road leading from Social Circle to Madison (Hwy 278), the road from Social Circle and Madison, leading to Monticello, and the road leading from the Alcovy river station, on the Georgia Railroad, to Monticello.  This, the first building, was the residence of Mount Pleasant Church until it was destroyed by an incendiary fire in November, 1861."

The fire that destroyed the building was set by a renegade or outlaw slave who belonged to Mr. John W. Hinton, a member of Mount Pleasant Church.  Left homeless the Church began holding services in the schoolhouse, located in a grove at a point where the road from Starrsville to the Brick Store and the road from Covington to the Brick Store met.

Worship continued to be held in the schoolhouse from the Civil War years until the construction of the present building"   The church was rebuilt according to records, sometime between 1865 and 1878 in its present location.

Many families attending the Church today had family members active in the rebuilding of the church.  The church has grown and had additions and remodeling done as time warranted the need.

The Church stands as it has for over one hundred years as a testament to the loyalty and love of its members.  New members are welcomed warmly into the midst of the congregation.  The building is old and filled with history and the echo of all who have gone before us.  Come and join us.   Feel the history, share the fellowship, and worship God.