Edna Churches

First United Methodist Church
216 West Main, Edna

The Edna First United Methodist Church founders, after meeting temporarily in the Presbyterian church and in several homes, constructed the first Methodist building here in 1885.

It was on property donated by Mrs. Lucy Flournoy and was an outgrowth of the Texana church as Taylor wrote. Then the current church building was constructed on the present site in 1911.

Victoria Advocate, September 27, 1980

Edna Methodist To Dedicate Educational Building Sunday

Program for the Day

Sunday School - 9:45 A. M. - T. Simons, Jr., superintendent.
Morning Worship - 10:50. - J. Fisher Simpson preaching.
Basket Lunch - 12:00. - Everybody eating.
Sing Song - 3:00 P. M. - Directed by Mr. Walter Jenkins.
Evening Worship - 7:30. - Dr. William C. Finch, preaching.

J. Fisher Simpson is the editor of the Texas News in the Christian Advocate. His office is in Dallas. Mr. Walter Jenkins is director of music at First Methodist Church, Houston. Dr. William C. Finch is president of Southwestern University, Georgetown.

Our doors of welcome are wide open. We hope many of our friends will worship with us at one or more of today’s services.

I. E. Walker, Pastor.

Church History

We are indebted to the late Geo. F. Simons, Jr., and Geo. S. Gayle for much of our church history. The Methodist Church and its progress was very dear to the hearts of these good men. They both had a fondness for the keeping of records.

In the winter of 1830 and 1831, a company of Methodist families came from North Alabama and Georgia and settled on the Navidad River in Jackson County. Among these families were the Heards, Menefees, Sutherlands, Rectors and S. C. A. "Uncle Sam" Rogers, a local preacher.

Uncle S. C. A. Rogers organized Methodism in this part of Texas. Methodism preceded the organization of the county by five or six years. Jackson County being organized in 1830.

In 1838, the Houston Circuit was created by the Mississippi Conference. That being the nearest conference at the time.

The following appointments were given: Houston, Velasco, Columbia, Matagorda, Brazoria, Egypt, San Felipe and Texana. We are led to believe that Rev. Robert H. Hill was the first pastor at Texana at that time. The General Conference met in Baltimore in 1840 and created the Texas Conference and Texana was there until the West Texas Conference was created in 1858.

There is no date of the organization of the Edna Methodist church but as Texana moved to Edna the church flourished in Edna and grew weaker in Texana. At one time It was called Texana and Edna appointment. Texana was dropped in 1885.

In 1880 Rev. Black was pastor of the Texana Circuit, with Carancahua, Mustang and Rogers Chapel as regular appointments. Rev. Black’s salary which was $400 was paid in full. Perhaps most of this was contributed by the official board. They were Geo. Menefee, Sr., Geo. F. Simons, William Wood, J. S. Menefee, A. J. "Grandpa" Bolling, C. S. Dutart, E.G.. Branch, and R. K. Traylor stewards and Geo. Menefee Jr., W. H. Coleman, Geo. S. Gayle and M. T. Simons, trustees.

In November, 1894, Annual Conference made Edna station with J. A. Baker as pastor.

In 1885 Rev. W. H. H. Biggs appointed a building committee to work with the pastor to build the first Methodist Church building in Edna. M. T. Simons, Sr., Geo. S. Gayle and Geo. Menefee were appointed. The contract was let to Eugene Davis of Goliad for the sum. of $2,200.70. The building was completed late In Dec. 1885 The first sermon preached January, 1880 by Rev. J. T. Graham, pastor. Jan. 3, 1886, Bro. W. H. H. Biggs preached the dedication sermon, using a text from Gen. 28, 17 verse: “This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate to heaven." Rev. Biggs was pastor of the church during its construction. He was moved to Lockhart in November because he had served the four-year limit, but he was invited back to preach the dedication sermon. Bro. M. A. Black, a former pastor, was also here for the occasion. He was then stationed at Luling.

First quarterly conference was held in the new building January 2, 1886 with J. T. Gillette presiding. The following officers were there: Rev. M. M. Black, worship service; J. T. Graham, pastor, in charge, Geo. Menefee and Geo. F. Simons were stewards from Edna; J. W. Sutherland and Jack Dickie, stewards from Ganado; W. P. Laughter, steward from Morales.

C. E. Branch and R. K. Traylor, stewards from Carancahua. Geo. S. Gayle, M. T. Simons, Geo. Menefee and G. A. Staples, trustees.

On August 20, 1886, our new building that we were so proud of blew down in a tropical storm. A contract was soon let to the same Mr. Eugene Davis for the sum of $975 to rebuild the church.

Early in 1911 the old building was sold to Mr. C. Branch and later became the LaBauve apartment house.

In April, 1911, with Rev. M. K. Fred pastor, and Chairman, Geo. F. Simons, secretary-treasurer; M. K. Simons, J. S. Hawkins, Geo. Buhler, E. P. Simons, A. D. Gayle and W. B. Stallings as building committee with cash on hand $10,997.07. At the time of completion of the building there was an indebtedness of some $8000.00. The building, pews, organ, etc. complete costing $22,313.18.

The first service held in the church was on Dec. 17, 1911, at 7 o’clock p. m. by Rev. M. K. Fred, pastor. All of the other churches worshiped with us. We were happy and proud and had a just right to be.

The next few years were all uphill pull. But our bankers and creditors were good to us. In 1918 with prices advanced on cows and cotton a plea for Liberty Bonds was made and the indebtedness was paid off in Nov. 1918. On Feb. 15 1920 Bishop Ainsworth dedicated the church.

The early church records would not be complete without including the camp meetings. In 1884 the District Conference was held at Bluett Lake, Just east of the Matilda Booster Station. Bishop Barker presided. The conference lasted over Sunday and the camp meeting all the next week.

A brush arbor was constructed with 1x12 inch planks laid on logs for seats. On the ground was about 6 inches of hay serving a dual purpose of cleanliness and a bedding ground for the children.

There were about 6 or 7 campers: Gayle, Menefee, Mrs. Flournoy, Judge F. M. White, Geo. F. and M. T. Simons and W. P. Laughter families. For about ten days their time was given over wholeheartedly to the Word of the Lord. Each family had a table about 40 feet long, and on Sundays there were never less than three tables served. They followed Paul’s injunction: “Be Given to hospitality.”

There were more than 70 members on roll at the beginning of the Edna Church in 1886. Of those there are only three survivors: M. T. Simons, Sr., Mrs. C. S. Simons, Sr., and Mrs. Pearl Crews.

We find that the late Geo. F. Simons served 57 years as an active steward and M. K. Simons next in service with 50 years. The late Geo. S. Gayle served as trustee 8 years and steward 28 years. A. D. Gayle, Sr., is the only member of the stewards who was on the building committee in 1911. He has served longer than any of the present stewards,49 years.

We have had several preachers go out from our church:
Thomas Simons Garrett—Joined the conference in 1874; died in 1860. J. Fisher Simpson—joined the Conference in 1909. G. Traylor Hesterd—joined Conference 1913. Kyle Nagel joined the Conference in 1950.
Pastors who have served this church are:
1874-76—J. C. C. Black 1876-78—J. F. Denton 1878-80—M. A. Black 1880- 81—W. M. Shockley 1881- 85—W. H. H. Biggs 1885-88—J. T. Graham 1888-90—A. C. Biggs 1890-94—Sterling Fisher 1894-96—J. A. Baker 1896-98—J. A. Biggs 1898-1900—Dr. Morris Evans 1900-02—J. W. Long 1902-05—C. F. Annis 1905-05—R. A. Waltrip 1906-07—I. M. Carter	1907-09—A. Y. Old 1909-12—M. K. Fred 1912-16—M. L. Darby 1916-19—-N. G. Ozment 1919-21—F. M. Jackson 1921-24—W. V. Teer 1924-27—Walter Dibrell 1927-28—N. Carter 1928-30—H. H. Dare 1930-34—J. C. Wilson 1934-35—Don E. Dulaney 1935-36—J. H. Estes 1936-45—J. C. Young 1945-48—E. C. Young 1948-50—I. E. Walker

At this writing the Edna Methodist Church has a membership of 414 resident members and 40 non-residents. Under the pastorate of Rev. E. C. Young plans for a modern Educational building were projected but sufficient funds were not available. The project was held in suspense and revived under the stimulating leadership of our present pastor, Rev. I. E. Walker. Sufficient funds were collected and pledged to assure the financing, and contract awarded to the Mercer Construction Company in February of this year. The building is now complete and in use. Total cost of building and furnishings represents an increase in value of the church plant of approximately $40,000.

During the current year, the family of the late Fannie McDowell dedicated a gift to the church to refinish the former children’s quarters in the main building and convert it into a chapel bearing her name as a memorial to her lifetime of consecrated service. The remodeling and refinishing is almost complete, with pulpit and pews installed. This chapel will be of great value to the entire church; it provides the much-needed spiritual setting for our youth meetings, and other worship services for smaller groups. It is a fitting memorial to the life of this good woman und will be an inspiration to all who worship in it.

—Contributed.

Edna Weekly Herald, Thursday, October 5th, 1950

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Lifeway Baptist Church
108 Brazos Street

Copyright 2018- Present by Carol Sue Gibbs All rights reserved
Created Apr 25, 2018	Updated Aug. 24, 2018

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