MUSCOGEE COUNTY, GA - CHURCHES HANLEITER METHODIST CHURCH Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Gwen Bryan Ggbryan821@aol.com Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm “HISTORY OF HANLEITER METHODIST CHURCH “In the year 1892 Mr. William R. Hanleiter, a consecrated Christian gentleman, donated a lot on North 14th Street for the erection of a church to serve the west side of Griffin. This was done as a memorial to Mr. Hanleiter’s wife, Martha Brewer Hanleiter. The building was erected and ready for use in the year 1892. There were 33 charter members. “Rev. J. S. Bryan was District Superintendent at the time of its beginning and Rev. C. C. Davis was pastor in charge. “It was in July of 1892 that the first Sunday School was started. Mr. J. M. Kimbrough was the first Superintendent. “The first trustees were: R. A. McDonald, W. R. Hanleiter, R. T. Daniel, W. M. Harper, W. J. Standfield and W. C. Hammock. “The first Board of Stewards consisted of W. M. Harper, Henry Kilgore, J. N. Skipper, J. N. Stafford, J. M. Kimbrough, J. M. Stephens and W. J. Standfield. “Since its organization the church has grown and improved in many ways. To better serve the people, a new modern, well equipt (sic) church building was erected this year. It is located at 732 W. Broad Street. “The Church School is growing steadily. “The Woman’s Society of Christian Service is serving an important place in the lives of the women of the Church. Many worth while projects are carried on by this group of consecrated women. “The Wesleyan Service Guild too, plays an important part in the life and work of the church. Mrs. W. B. McCollum is president of this group of working women. “Quite a number of pastors have gone out from this charge. Among them as follows: Rev. G. C. Knowles, W. H. Slappy, J. B. Knowles, J. P. Wilborn, w. T. Anderson and J. D. Gibson. “The following pastors have served Hanleiter Church: Rev. C. C. Davis 1892 Rev. L. P. Winters 1893 Rev. J. V. Morgan 1894 Rev. H. B. Mays 1895-98 Rev. J. T. Richardson 1899 Rev. E. W. Ballenger 1900 Rev. C. M. Verdell 1901 Rev. C. W. Farr 1902-04 Rev. J. T. Watts 1905-07 Rev. C. C. Carey 1908 Rev. E. M. Stanton 1909-10 Rev. B. P. Reid 1911-13 Rev. J. W. Gober 1914 Rev. W. T. Bell 1915 Rev. R. J. McElrath 1916-17 Rev. Arthur Maness 1917 Rev. J. K. Kelley 1918 Rev. Ferlie Baum Rev. W. S. Gaines 1919-20 Rev. Jessie Warwick 1920 Rev. H. T. Smith 1921-23 Rev. A. A. Tilley 1924-25 Rev. J. G. Lupe 1926-29 Rev. A. D. Echols 1930-34 Rev. P. N. Stokes 1934-37 Rev. W. P. Rowe 1937-38 Rev. J. M. Perryman 1939-42 Rev. A. W. Williams 1943-45 Rev. J. C. Phillips, Jr. 1945-47 Rev. W.H. Henderson 1947-48 Rev. V. L. Bray 1949 Rev. T. C. Ford 1950 Rev. W. C. Nolen 1951 “HANLEITER PASTORS This list of pastors was prepared by Rev. J. K. Kelley and given to Mrs. Helen Norton for the church history before his death in 1971. 1891 C. C. Davis 1892 L. P. Winter 1893 T. G. Morgan 1894 H. B. Mays 1895 “ 1896 “ 1897 “ 1898 J. T. Richerson 1899 E. W. Ballenger 1900 “ 1901 C. M. Verdel 1902 G. W. Farr 1903 “ 1904 J. Q. Watts 1905 “ 1906 “ 1907 C. C. Carey 1908 E. M. Stanton 1909 “ 1910 B. P. Reid 1911 “ 1912 “ 1913 G. W. Gober 1914 W. T. Bell 1915 R. G. McElreath 1916 “ 1917 Firley Baum 1918 W. S. Gains 1919 “ 1920 H. T. Smith 1921 “ 1922 “ 1923 A. A. Tilly 1924 “ 1925 J. G. Lupe 1926 “ 1927 “ 1928 “ 1929 A. D. Echols 1930 “ 1931 “ 1932 “ 1933 P. H. Stokes 1934 “ 1935 “ 1936 W. P. Rowe 1937 “ 1938 J. L Perryman 1939 “ 1940 “ 1941 “ 1942 A. W. Williams 1943 “ 1944 “ 1945 J. C. Phillips 1946 Hoyt Henderson 1947 “ 1948 V. L. Braay 1949 T. C. Ford 1950 W. C. Nolen 1951-1953 Neal Windom 1954-55 Hollis D.Brigman 1956-59 Charles Buice 1959-61 Garland Corley 1962-65 Alfred L. Key 1966-69 Newton Scott “HANLEITER CHURCH WAS NAMED FOR MARTHA HANLEITER. The first services were held in the home of Jake N. Skipper in the old mill village. They were led by Rev. William R. Hanleiter. The group that gathered in the Skipper home decided they should build a church for the Methodists in the western section of the city. The Rev. Hanleiter gave a tract of land and contributed a large amount of money. Because of his generosity, the church was named in honor of his wife, Mrs. Martha Brewer Hanleiter. “The Rev. Chris Davis served as pastor of the church. The first services were held in the building before its completion. The building was on North 14th street. The first services were held in 1891 with the Rev. Davis living in Atlanta. “Among the first persons attending the church were the families of Jake Skipper, J. C. Hammond, Green Skipper, George Hearn, Jasper Straford, William Hanger, and Miss Matilda Hearn. These and others made up the official board and served other offices of the church. “The Rev. L. P. Winters was second pastor of the church. He lived at the corner of West Taylor & 13th Streets. Rev. Winters was succeeded by Rev. T. G. Morgan who studied at Oxford University in England. Annie Johnson, daughter of Rev. Morgan, opened a day school nursery in the church building and operated on week days. “The Rev. Henry B. Mays followed Rev. Morgan as pastor. Rev. Mays was followed by Rev. Watts, under whose leadership the church purchased its first parsonage. “In 1950, the Rev. W. C. Nolen, pastor; Rev. Henry H. Jones, district supt.; and the officials of the church proposed that a new church be built on the site occupied by the parsonage at the corner of 14th & Broad streets. Those appointed to the building committee were H. S. Kelley, Sr., H.M. Dukes, G. C. Padgett, Miss Zara Westmoreland, and L. r. Jimerson. The church has since added an educational building with full facilities for teaching at a cost of approximately 480,000. Jack A. Cowan, church member, designed the new building and began supervision of the construction but passed away before work was well underway. Those on this building committee were A. J. Cook, Jack A. Cowan, Mrs. Barbara Crawford, E. C. Cross, Harvey Dukes, Mrs. Rosalie McCollum, J. S. McDonald, Mrs. Francis White, and R. V. Jimerson. This building was erected in 1968 and was named the Jack A. Cowan Memorial Building. “The church has an organized church school with classes for all ages. Mr. R. V. Jimerson serves as church school supt. (1972) “The church has had an active Woman’s Missionary Society, Wesleyan Service Guild, Men’s Club and MYF through the years. The church also sponsors a Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troop which meet weekly at the church. “The present membership (1972) is near 409. “Hanleiter is pleased to have had Rev. Carlisle Phillips, who was called while at Hanleiter to the mission field. He is now serving in Taiwan with Hanleiter sending her mission moneys to him for his work there. “As of date, her present pastor, Rev. Newton Scott, has served her the longest as he is in his sixth year has pastor. (1-28-71 - signed by Brickley W. Smith, Jr. - Lay Leader) [Transcribed by Gwen Grant Bryan November 25, 2002] NOTES:PS Hanleiter Methodist Church in Griffin, Georgia, was started in the home of Jacob Newton Skipper (my Great Grandfather and Mary Catherine's son) after he and his family, including Skip's Grandfather Green Skipper (Mary Catherine's oldest son) and Green's family moved to Griffin. Gwen