First Methodist Episcopal Church Italy, Texas Recorded by Mrs. W. R. Guyer, Italy, Texas. July, 1966 Contributed by Jean Caddel The first M. E. Church was worshipped by the community churchers which was called the Old Buttermilk Church down on Houston Branch. The first Church was built on what is now the Billie Tom Harris lot and homestead in the year 1888. First pastor to my memory was J. D. Adams 1901-1904. This Church was caught by lightning, burned to the ground. Every window, door, all seats, and pulpit furniture was saved by the man- drawn fire wagon on muddy dirt streets. The next church was built in 1904 on the same lot as now. Pastor was O. P. Kirker. All windows, seats and pulpit furniture were used in this church. Kirker remained until 1905. 1905 - pulpit was filled by Nat B. Reed. 1906 – pulpit filled by R. H. Walker 1908 - Rev. J. H. Benrell 1909-1910 Rev. J. E. Crawford 1911-1913 Rev. Rev. W. T. Gray 1913-1915 H. L. Munger 1915-1916 Rev. S. A. Ashburn 1916-1917 Rev. A. E. Smith 1917-1918 Franklin Moore 1918-1920 J. E. Hightower 1920-1921 J. S. Bowels 1921-1923 M. D. Camecil 1923-1924 E. M. Wisdom. 1924 – M. S. Story 1924-1925 Kenneth Pope 1925 – Mat B. Reed 1925-1926 J. W. Cowan 1927-1928 P. H. Gates 1928-1932 J. F. Adams 1933 – L. R. Vander pall 1935-1938 Oran Stevens 1939 – George W. Davis 1939 – J. O. Whitaker 1942 – W. H. Schultz 1942-1944 Gad J. Bryant 1944-1945 C. M. But rill 1946-1948 J. S. Gardner 1948-1950 Norman Purvis 1950-1952 J. Bond Johnson 1952-1953 Nalon M. Fisher 1953-1959 Chester Wilkerson 1959-1962 Kenneth Bass 1962-1964 Otis Brown 1964=1965 Kester M. Hearns 1965-now Jack Myers The Church now stands the third built in 1940. Same benches and pulpit furniture, has had several additions put on. An organ and piano added for the last three years. Benches and all refinished. Sunday School Superintendents since 1890: Tom Aycock, Joe Gee, R. C. Mitchell, Prof. J. T. Bludworth, Prof. Green, W. R. McCollough, Earl Eagan, Claud Stone, Sam McCord, Ben Ethridge, H. C. Martin (now 90 yrs of age), Elisha Richard, Mrs. Dora Morton Milburn, Mrs. Willene Price, L. R. Campbell, Ferris Watson, Dr. R. L. Hall, Prof. J. G. Willis, Sam Green, Leo Gallman, Aston Herrin, Harold Tekell, Jr. Self, Claud Mitchell.   Copyright © 2005-2016, Ellis County TXGenWeb. All Rights Reserved. This page was last modified: Thursday, 01-Jul-2021 13:16:06 MDT