Dodge County GaArchives Church Records.....History of Eastman Methodist Church ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 December 28, 2004, 2:25 pm THE EASTMAN METHODIST CHURCH. THE EASTMAN METHODIST CHURCH was organized sometime in 1871 by the Rev. H. C. Fentress, who died in 1916 and is buried at McRae. Mr. Fentress was then pastor of the Cochran Mission, one appointment of which was in Telfair County. On his way between the two towns, Mr. Fentress would stop over at Eastman and hold a preaching service. Thus he gathered a nucleus for a church which during the year he organized. This was done in the "Sugar Creek Meeting House," which belonged to the Baptists and was located near the present negro cemetery, on the Cochran Road, in front of and across the railroad from the cotton mill. By courtesy of the Baptist Church, the Methodists continued to use the log meeting house until the court house was finished and they moved into that temporarily. Afterwards the courtesy was exchanged, for the Baptist congregation used the new Methodist Church in Eastman a few years ago when their old church was torn down and a new one was in process of erection. Rev. E. M. Whiting, in an article in the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, published in 1878, on the Eastman Mission, reported four churches and one hundred and four members connected with the work. He also said, "At Eastman there are forty-four members. The people are liberal and well-disposed towards Methodism. A church house at Eastman will soon be erected." The building was probably erected that year. Mr. Eastman gave the land for the church and the house then erected was used until 1910, when the present magnificent structure was erected and occupied. The following is a list of pastors of the church and of the presiding elders in charge of the District: Year Pastor Presiding Elder 1874 D. G. Pope J. V. M. Morris 1875 W. M. C. Conley J. V. M. Morris 1876 J. E, Rorie J. E. Sentell 1877 J. E. Rorie J. E. Sentell 1878 E. M. Whiting T. B. Lanier 1879 J. R. McClesky J. D. Anthony 1880 R. M. Lockwood J. D. Anthony 1881 E. M. Whiting J. D. Anthony 1882 G. C. Thompson J. D. Anthony 1883 J. R. Crowder R. B. Lester 1884 H. C. Brewton R. B. Lester 1885 H. C. Brewton J. D. Anthony 1886 J. J. Ansley J. D. Anthony 1887 T. M. Christian J. D. Anthony 1888 T. M. Christian J. D. Anthony 1889 E. J. Burch E. H. McGehee 1890 E. J. Burch W. C. Lovett 1891 G. C. Clark J. D. Anthony 1892 B. S. Sentell J. D. Anthony 1893 B. S. Sentell J. D. Anthony 1894 E. A. Sanders J. D. Anthony 1895 R. L. Wiggins E. H. McGehee 1896 R. L. Wiggins E. H. McGehee 1897 W. J. Robertson E. H. McGehee 1898 W. J. Robertson E. H. McGehee Mr. Robertson died during August of this year and was succeeded by Rev. E. E. Clements, who served this charge until the following Conference in December. 1899 James T Ryder H. Stubbs Mr. Stubbs died in August of this year and was succeeded by Rev. M. A. Morgan who served in his place until the following Conference in December. 1900 J. T. Ryder M. A. Morgan 1901 J. T. Ryder M. A. Morgan 1902 J. T. Ryder M. A. Morgan 1903 J. J. Ansley E. H. McGehee 1904 J. J. Ansley E. H. McGehee 1905 J. J. Ansley J. B. McGehee 1906 B. S. Sentell J. B. McGehee 1907 B. S. Sentell E. F. Morgan 1908 Walter Anthony E. F. Morgan 1909 Walter Anthony E. F. Morgan 1910 J. C. Flanders C. R. Jenkins C. R. Jenkins was appointed President of Wesleyan College, and Rev. L. A. Hill served out the balance of the year till Conference in November. 1911 J. C. Flanders L. A. Hill 1912 K. Reid L. A. Hill 1913 W. E. Arnold L. A. Hill 1914 W. E. Towson L. A. Hill 1915 W. E. Towson L. A. Hill 1916 W. E. Towson W. F. Smith 1917 W. E. Towson L. W. Colson 1918 W. M. Blitch L. W. Colson 1919 W. M. Blitch L. W. Colson 1920 W. M. Blitch L. W. Colson 1921 J. H. Mather 1922 _____ Wardlaw 1923 G. H. Acree 1924 G. H. Acree 1925 G. H. Acree 1926 Robert Kerr ____ Wainright 1927 Robert Kerr W. H. Budd 1928 W. H. Wright J. G. C. Brooks 1929 J. Lytle Jones J. G. C. Brooks 1930 J. H. Allen J. G. C. Brooks 1931 J. H. Allen J. G. C. Brooks 1932 C. A. Jackson J. N. Peacock Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY COPYRIGHT 1932 By MRS. WILTON PHILIP COBB Printed by FOOTE & DAVIES CO., ATLANTA. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/dodge/churches/gbb179historyo.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb