Tallapoosa County AlArchives Church Records.....Pentecost Methodist Church Copyright Date October 24 1985 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sandra S. Wilson earlwilson1@charter.net April 7, 2004, 2:00 pm The following recollections by Mr. W.R. Adcock about the early history of the Pentecost Methodist Church located in Church Hill community, Tallapoosa County, Alabama, was compiled and printed by Sandra S. Wilson, Tohopeka Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, in 1996. On October 24, 1985, Mr. W.R. Adcock wrote ... "This is some of the history of Pentecost Methodist Church as I remember it and to the best of my knowledge." This church was organized sometime before the year of 1850 during the time between 1829 and 1850. [It] was a part of the Alabama Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church which was organized in the year 1829. The church continued as part of this conference until the Unification of the different branches of the Methodist in the year 1939 which became the Methodist Church. According to [records filed in] the F.C. Mosley Depository at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, [Alabama,] Pentecost [Methodist Church] was organized in 1837. Mr. Adcock continues: I [have copied] a part of the deed to the property which is the only record we have of the early years of the church. State of Alabama Tallapoosa County This indenture made and entered into on the thirteenth day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty between Henery [sic] Taunton and John S. Adcock, John Gandy and Thomas Knight = Trustees of the Methodist Protestant Church all of Tallapoosa Co. and State aforesaid. Witnesth [sic] the said Henry Taunton for and in consideration of the sum of thirteen $13.00 Dollars to me in hand paid on and before sealing and signing of this have bargained and sold and by these presents bargain and sell unto said John S. Adcock, John Gandy and Thomas Knight Trustees of the above named church and their successor in office 5 acres of land in Section 10 Township 19 Range 23 where on the meeting house now sets on said land (to wit) the meeting house is in center of said tract. The signing of this deed was witnessed by Wm Johnston and James Gregory. Mr. Adcock continues his recollections of the early history of the church: [As] far back as I can remember, Pentecost [Methodist Church] was a part of Macon Circuit which was made up of Antioch near Notasulga, Pentecost, New Prospect and Union. After the Unification in 1939 Sardis was added to Macon Circuit for several years until Tallapoosa Circuit was formed. For many years before 1939 each church had worship services one weekend each month. Pentecost had the third Sat[urday] and Sun[day] in each month. We had 11 o'clock services on Sat[urday] and 11 o'clock on Sun[day]. [We] did not have [a] night service. The regular time for our revival was the week after the third Sun [day] in July and our [Quarterly] Conference was held on Sat[urday] before the third Sun[day] in Oct[ober] each year. Pentecost[,] as well as the other churches[,] was not to well off in a financial way. We could not pay a set monthly salary so we paid a little each month and had to get up the balance at [the] [Quarterly] Conference in Oct [ober]after the farmers had sold their cotton. I remember one summer about 1930 or 31 when [we] held our revival no one had any money much. We had Bro. Eddin from Birmingham to preach our revival. We raised what little cash we could which was very little and we paid him with produce from the farm such as chickens, eggs, fruits and vegetables and whatever we had. We have no record of how many building[s] there were before 1900, but we know the deed says the meeting house was on the land in 1850. I know that a new church was built in the year 1902 from hearing the older members tell about it and it had a piece of wood in the front gable [with] the date 1902 carved in it. This building stood until 24 April 1945 when it was destroyed by [a] storm and the present building was built that same year (1945). Some years later the Sunday school rooms were added on and later the dining room. [These are] the names of some of [the] pastors who served the church at Pentecost before the year 1900. I do not know in what order they came. The Rev. W.F. Smith, The Rev. A.H. Ledbetter, Buried at Pentecost; The Rev. W.G. Frasier; 1882 The Rev. C.F. McFaden, President of Ala. Conference; 1893 The Rev. J.J. Ledbetter, Buried at New Prospect; 1892 The Rev. J.T. Howell, President of Ala. Conference; The Rev. W.L. Jackson, The Rev. J.E. Sampley, The Rev. B. Stanley, The Rev. J.T. Whitaker, 1893 The Rev. E.R. More, President of Ala. Conference; The Rev. J.P. Morgan, President of [Ala. Conference]. This is part of my grandmother's diary [Mrs. Drucilla J. Adcock 1846-1941]: Members [received] into church at Pentecost 19 July 1920[:] Collen Adcock, Ozella Ledbetter, Lois McGarr, Ocie Ledbetter, Josie Ledbetter, Eunice Baker, Ora Lee Baker, Gracie Hood, Minnie Ledbetter. Members [received] 20 July 1920[:] John Baker, J.D. Baker, Willie R. Adcock, Herbert Ledbetter, Herman Ledbetter, Velmar Baker, Marvin Cantrell, Clanton Baker, Clovis Baker, Odell Baker, Clifton Adock, Oma Cantrell, Nella Ledbetter. The church [received] 22 members at this revival. This must have been one of the highest numbers. I do not remember the name of the visiting preacher. The [regular] pastor was Allen E. Maddox. Pentecost has had some good years and some very hard years, but has always with God's help been able to survive. I do not remember nor have I ever heard the older members say that there was ever a time when we did not have a regular minister to carry on our regular worship service. This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/alfiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb