Bertie County NC Church - Lewiston Methodist Church File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Molly Urquhart From a pamphlet entitled, "The Aulander Circuit: A Directory of The Aulander, Lewiston, and Ebenezer Methodist Churches. Printed, circa 1925. The Aulander, Lewiston(St. Frances Methodist Church) and Ebenezer Methodist Churches made up the Aulander Circuit, and Lemuel Clegg was the pastor. Private donations and legislative funds have made it possible for Historic Woodville to renovate and move this abandoned (since1990) church back to its original cemetery site, part of the Woodville Historic District, in November of this year. Roll of Members: Mrs. Beula Bazemore T.S. Bazemore C.S. Bazemore Wiley Brown Craig Brown Mrs. Fannie Cherry Robert Lee Cherry Mrs. Elizabeth Clark Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Clark William Carr Clark Amellia Clark Helen Clark Earl Clark Frances Clark Mrs. E.L. Edwards Lawrence Edwards Mrs. Minnie M. Eason Luther Edwards Mrs. Annie Edwards Mrs. Florence Spivey Garriss Mrs. Lillie Harrington Mrs. Marianna Hoggard Richard Norfleet Hoggard Mrs. Lizzie Joyner Maitland Joyner Thelma Lawrence Joyner Robert Glen Joyner Ada King Frank V. Mitchell Mrs. Susan Mitchell Mr. and Mrs. W. Frank Mitchell Mrs. W.F. Mitchell Elmore Mitchell John Mitchell Sallie R. Mitchell Edna Rawls Parker Robert W. Rawls Mrs. W.T. Reece Mrs. W.B. Reece Edgar R. Reece Mrs. Emma Simmonds Starkie Simmonds W.A. Saunders J.B. Saunders Mrs. Maggie Saunders Henry C. Saunders Lizzie Lee Saunders Nellie Saunders Ethel Ernestine Saunders W. Grady Saunders James Saunders Mrs. Lucy J. Spivey Mary Grant Spivey Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Welton Trustees: J.B. Saunders W.T. Reece (steward) W.W. Clark W. Frank Mitchell (steward) "The history of St. Frances dates from the year 1845. On the 23rd day of September 1845 Humphrey Hardy, a benevolent christian gentleman and one of the most loyal Methodist of that day, desirous of promoting the cause of religion among the citizens of Bertie county and particularly of those residing near him, gave a tract of land lying in the town of Woodville (where the old cemetery is now) for a church building. Charles W. Jacobs, Humphrey Hardy, Zebulon Simmons, Thomas B. Webb, John Webb, Jonathan B. Capehart, Joseph Seary, Jonathan J. Rhodes, and Samuel Spruill were the first trustees. Mrs. Frances Pugh, who lived in Woodville and who was a member of Robbins Chapel at that time, gave the sum of one thousand dollars for the erection of a house of worship. The name St. Frances was bestowed upon the church in honor of that saintly woman. Some of the noblest characters of Bertie County were members of this church; among them were Dr. Charles Smallwood, Mrs. Simmia Garrett, Mr. Humphry Hardy, Mrs. Helen Thompson, and others. As a result of the Civil War, in 1871, the church was very weak and but for the work of Mrs. Helen Clark Thompson would likely have been discontinued as a church or merged with another congregation. She came into the church in that year and proved to be an inspiration. The spirit of the church was revived and it once more became a power. As far as can be learned, the first pastor of the church was Rev. Joseph Sear. At that time the church was on a charge that was in the Virginia Conference. It was not until 1890 that the Lewiston church, with others north of the Roanoke river, was placed in the North Carolina Conference. At that time the district in which the church belonged was the Murfreesboro District. For a great number of years St. Frances was on the Harrellsville Circuit, for a few years on what was then known as the Bertie Circuit, for one year on the Hobgood Circuit, for several years on the Ahoskie Circuit, and in 1922 the conference voted to "Make a new charge to be named Aulander Circuit, to be formed by taking Aulander and Lewiston from the Ahoskie Circuit and Ebenezer from Bertie Circuit/" The year 1896 was the date that the church was moved from the old site at Woodville to its present location in Lewiston. There was considerable opposition to the move. However, the move was voted and ordered. Rev. Dr. Black was presiding elder at that time and Rev. Rufus Bradly, the pastor. Rev. M.F. Hodges was the first pastor after the formation of the present charge. Rev. W.L. Clegg, the present pastor, succeeded Mr. Hodges." ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.