HAYWOOD COUNTY, TN - CHURCH RECORDS - Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church History ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Lynda Clarke ==================================================================== Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church (also known as Do-Me-Good) is located in the Hillville Community, Haywood County, Tennessee. It is not known the exact date when it was established; however, it is known that the first building, a log structure, was used for school and church as early as 1840. Furniture for this building was made of logs: the writing desk, a split log, was fastened to one wall, and seats were split logs with peg legs. Miss Sarah Sanderland (Mrs. Issac Moody) and Mr. Jim Powell were two of the early teachers. Miss Missouri Miles was teaching school at this log church when it burned in 1868. In 1870 two new buildings, a schoolhouse and a frame church building were erected on this same site on land donated to the church by Thomas Kenney; however, a deed was not drawn up at this time. Some of the early church leaders were: Carey Felts (class leader for many years) and his wife, Amelia Burnett Felts; Thomas and Susan Felts Rice; Rev. Richard Hill (preacher) and his wife Caroline; Tom and Tranquilla McGee Coppedge; Newton and Carolina McGee Harrison; Bill and Betty Jones Kelso; John and Henrietta Etheridge Kelso; William and Martha McGee Ford. Through the years, this church has produced many strong leaders including the following Methodist Ministers: Richard Hill, 1885-1887; Dave Hines (who also served this church) 1888-1889; J. W. E. Peters and son Ernest Peters; Charles Wesley Rice (licensed in 1905); Thomas Watkins Powell, Jr. (licensed in 1934). In 1912 the old frame building was replaced with a new frame structure under the leadership of George Wesley Bruce, Thomas Jefferson Rice and Carl Louis Stuart. This building served the community until March 15, 1944, when it was replaced with a brick structure. This was initiated at the Quarterly Conference in May 1940 by W. H. (Billy) Bruce, a brick mason son of George Wesley and Annie Lay Bruce, who proposed that a brick structure be erected. He volunteered to build it without pay. Other men in the congregation also volunteered to help and work was begun in 1943. As work was begun on the church building, work was also begun to secure a deed to the church site. Mr. A. H. Gray, an Attorney, wrote the document and Sue McGee Moore began working to find heirs of Mr. Thomas Kenney (who had donated the church site) in order to have them sign a quit-claim deed. She learned that there were twenty-two heirs scattered throughout the United States; and was advised not to attempt the impossible task of getting these signatures on the document. The Church did not have the money to file through Chancery Court for the deed and Mrs. Moore attempted the "impossible". It took her three months to find the first Kenney heir and then more months to locate the other twenty-one: One in Brownsville, Tennessee One in Loudon, Tennessee One in Marianna, Arkansas One in Beckley, Kentucky Two in Paducah, Kentucky Five in four different counties of California One in New Orleans, Louisiana Seven in as many counties in Texas Mrs. Moore devised a unique plan of checks and counter checks to follow the progress of the deed from one heir to the next one on the list so that she could know its whereabouts at all times. She mailed the deed to the first heir on March 19, 1943 and received in back signed by all 22 heirs and ready to record on July 2, 1943. Mrs. Moore then took the deed to Mr. Lawrence Morgan who checked its legality then said, "Mrs. Moore, the state of Tennessee should hire you to find missing persons". The deed was recorded without charge by Mr. Boggs, Haywood County Registrar. The total cost of securing this deed was $9.30. The Church, with solid brick walls, no framing, was completed in 1944 at a cost of $3,873.35 (leaving a balance of $218.55 in the bank). It was dedicated on September 3, 1944 by Bishop J. Lloyd Decel. In 1954-55 an Education Building was added at a cost of $7,292.32. These two brick buildings stand as a beautiful monument to Mr. W. H. (Billy) Bruce who built them without pay. Mr. Bruce, a sick man with stomach ulcers, did this work on a diet of toast and sweet milk. When he started the Education Building, one of the Sunday School teachers said to him, "Mr. Bruce, you built the Sanctuary without pay. I don't think you should build this for nothing. You should be paid for this work". His answer to her was, "You hush! This is my project, I started it and I want to finish it. I can't teach Sunday School like you can, I can't pray in public like you, I can't sing like you, but I can lay brick for the glory of God", and he did. In 1956 an electric organ was installed at a cost of $1,315.50, adding much to the worship services. In 1961 a new carpet was put down at a cost of $1,014.09. In 1962 a cooling system was installed adding much to the comfort of the congregation during the services. This cooling system cost $859.00. In 1965 stained glass windows were placed in the Sanctuary at a cost of 41,375.00. Water was needed for the church, so in 1968, a deep well was put down for $729.00. In 1969 a sign, bearing the name of the church and pastor, was placed on the grounds, also in 1969 a kitchen was built and furnished. The two projects cost $2,771.08. In 1975 a new piano was bought for $1,095.00. The white steeple, a memorial to Mr. Billy Bruce, was also added in 1975 for $1,920.50. In 1977 wall-to-wall carpet was laid in the sanctuary costing $2,256.00. Cushions were also purchased for the pews costing $1,329.54. In 1978 steps, iron railings and carpet were added to the porch for $500.00. In 1979 vinyl floor covering was installed in the education building at a cost of $759.84. A brass altar set, a lovely new chancel rail and beautiful new chairs for the choir were given to the church by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cowan. The cost was $1,976.21. In 1980, the choir loft was enlarged at a cost of $2,478.39. In this same year the entire building was insulated for $950.00, bringing the total spent to $33,593.52. Note: Mt. Pleasant has an active congregation to this date.