TII.'3TORY OF FRANKLIN UNITED ~\ffthodist CHURCH ~any records have been burned and destroyed over the years, including conference and local membership records in the Heard County Courthouse fires in 1843 and again in 1894, making it almost impossible to compile a complete histo~ of Franklin Methodist Church. However, according to all available records anc1 reports, and information furnished by some of the older church members, a group of men and women, mindful of our spiritual needs, organized and built The Franklin :-Iethodist Church in the year lb22. Thi s first building was of logs and was erected east of the present church on top of the hill in front of the present home of ~lr. jj[. in. Lipforn. Among tho leaders in the.building of the first church were Lane, Daniel, Hammon~, ~1cCutchen and Lipford families. This first building,served until about 1831 when the present building was erected - that is, the hull of the building, which remained unceiled for many years. The rea~was fitted for slaves and Negro members, and so remained until 1880, when the colored section was removed. It is also reported that In0ians worshipped in this church when the Indian Dopulation was large in this area. In 1933, a major line of repairs and remodeling began on this historic building with its Un X 14 11 hand hewn sills, which were put together with wooden pegs., and had withstood all gales and storms over the years. plans were to convert this building into a modern house of worship. The The building was given a new rock foundation, raised to the street level, and the grounds beautified by planting of shrubbe~ and flowers. Plans called for the building to be brick veneared and the large basement to be converted into a modenl Sunday School Plant.
General repairs and minor improvements were made over the years, but the next major remodeling was in 1959. Improvements included lowering, re-roofing and remodeling the steeple, renovating the downstairs Sunday School rooms and dining area, and adding of an annex which included Sunday School rooms and rest rooms. Since then, improvements have been made by paving the parking lot and driveway. Hembers are justly proud of this historic old church. Its memories, traditions and deeds of service in the community cannot be measured. Much credit for the success of this church is due to the Pastors who have served over the years. We have been fortunate to have men who have served bravely and consecratedly and guided the church through many trying times. It is not possible to find the names of all these Pastors and Presiding Elders or District Superintendents because of destruction of conference records, but beginning with the year 1851 we have found most of the names and they are as follows: P~~SIDIMG ELDER or PASTOR YBAR DIS~RICT STWERINTENDENT 1851 G. J. Pearce 1852 J. C. Simmons 1853 J. c. Sim.mons 1854 J. C. Simmons 1855 J. C. Simmons Jackson Rush 1856 Samuel Anthony VI. P. Clonts 1857 Samuel Anthony ~l. P. Clonts 1858 James E. Evans J. Rentz 1859 I/Jilliam 11. Evans -2
?RFSIDING ELDER or PASTOR YEAR DISTRICT SUPilltINTENDENT 1.11. H. C. Cone 1860 1tJi11iam i'l. Evans :,J. H. C. Cone 1861 J. Blakely Smith Vi. H. C. Cone 1862 J. Blakely Smith vi. H. C. Cone 1863 J. Blakely Smith John H. Reynolc~s 1864 J. Blakely 8mith vj.!'~ D. Bond 1865 J. B.!':cGee T. J. Embry 1866,). B. ~1cGee T. J. Embry 1867 J. B. HcGee (Died Harch, 1867) J. \fj. HcGeehee finished year J. Vl. McGeehee 1868 LeHis.J Davies J. \T" l''1cgcehee 1869 Lewis J. Davies J. M. Bowden 1870 Lewis J. Davies R. Striplin 1871 n. J. Adams J. J. Little 1872 H. J. Adams Thomas Turner 1873 H. J. Adams J. H. Stpie 1874 H. J. Adams ~l. H. Speer 1875 J. vj. Heidt 'vi. H. Speer 1876 J. i/j. Heidt E. K. Aiken 1877 J. VI. Heidt 111. 1/1. Lampkin 1878 J. TiT. Heidt J. H. Daniel 1879 H. H. Potter P. H. Hiller 1880 'vi. H. Potter E. K. Aiken 1881 \(,J. H. Potter E. K. Aiken 1882 H. F. Cook -3
PRESIDING ELDER or pa.ston YEAR DISTRICT SUrT.:RINTENDENT J. R. Smith 1883 \.f,! H. LaPrade, Sr. 2,1. L. Underwood 18Sh H. H. LaPrade, Sr. L. Rush 1885 J. II. l',tixon S. Leake 1886 J. ],,,):. Hixon S. Leake 1887 J. ~~L. Hixon E. H. "Iood 1888 T. F. Pearce E. H. liiood 1889 T. F. Pearce A. Lester 1890 ~J F. Cook J. S. Embry 1891 H. F. Cook vj. T. Hamilton 1892 \:J. F. Cook H. 'T'. Ha"'lilton 1893 H. F. Cook v,t J. vlood 1894 J. F. llixon 1,.1 J. 1:t1ood 1895 J. T. Gibson L. f-] Green 1896 J. T. Gibson L. H. Green 1897 T. R. "::<:endal1 F. R. Smith 1898 vi. n. Foote F. R. Smith 1899 lij. n n. Foote F. R. Smith 1900 J. 1,J. Quillian ~/J O. Butler 1901 ~ :t J. Cofer vj. O. Butler 1902 H. J. Cofer J-I. L. Embry 1903 B. P. Allen H. L. Embry 1904 B. P, Allen G. ~:J Tumlin 1905 B. P. Allen R. F. Hodnett 1906 B. D Allen -4
PR~SIDING EUlER or PASTOR Y"RAR DISTRICT StWERINTENDENT R. F. Hodnett 1907 J. B. Robins R. F. Hodnett 1908 J. ~J Quillian R. F. Hodnett 1909 J. VI. Quillian G. C. Harris 1910 J. :J. Quillian C. F. Hughes 1911 vi. P. Lovejoy C. F. Hughes 1912 1) L. Pierce S. D. Cremean 1913 \I.J. L. Pierce Grover Knowles 1914 1tl L Pierce 111. T. Gantt 1915 \ti. L. Pierce D S. A. Bales 1916 B.,. Allen J. vi. Bailey 1917 B. P. Allen J. vj. Bailey 1918 B. P. Allen J. IIJ. Bailey 1919 R. C. Cleckler B. H. Kilpatrick 1920 R. C. Cleckler B. H. Kilpatrick 1921 R. C. Cleckler B. vj. Kilpatrick 1922 R. C. Cleckler B. ltj. Kilpatrick 1923 I;Jallace Rogers L. 1\'1. Davidson 1924 'I1allace Rogers L..N. Davidson 1925 vi. H, LaPrade, Jr. V. A. Roark 1926 H. H. LaPrade, Jr. V. A. Roark 1927 T.T v". H. LaPrade, Jr. V. A. Roark 1928 \Il. H. LaPrade, Jr. ~,f H. A.?<kNeil 1929 V,. Barnett H. A. HcNeil 1930 l'.j. l',j. Barnett -5
PRESIDING ELDER or Pl\STOR YS\R ~ISTRICT SU~ERINTENDENT J. C. Ad.ams 1931 1:J.?1. Barnett J. C. Adams 1932 1"T. ):1. Barnett J. C. Adams 1933 Irby Henderson J. C. Adams 193h Irby Henderson J. C. Adams 1935 Irby Henderson J. C. Adams 1936 Irby Henderson J. C. Adams 1937 Augustus Ernest J. C. Adams 1938 AUbustus Ernest J. C. Adams 1939 J. 1,T.. Veatch J. C. Adams 1940 George L. King J. C. Adams 1941 George L. King J. C. Adams 1942 George L. King J. C. Adams 19L.3 George L. King J. C. Adams 19hh George L King J. c. Adams 1945 1,.r. H. Twiggs J. C. Adams 1946 1,,[ :.'11' TWiggs J. C. Adams 1947 v,t l,f.. Twiggs J. C. Adams 1948 VI. H. Tr,Tiggs J. C. Adams 1949 1JJ. H. Twiggs J. C. Adams 1950 J. S. Thrailkill J. C. Adams 1951 J. S. Thrailkill J. C. Adams 1952 J. S. Thrailkill Fletcher Andrews 1953 J. S. Thrailkill Fletcher Andrews 1954 J. vi. Segars -6
"., t PRESIDING ELDER. or PASTOR YEAR DIS rl RI CT 1 SUPERINTSNDENT Fletcher Andrews 1955 J.,I! Segars Cecil Page 1956 J. vj. Segars Eugene Dixon 1957 J. "Jl. Veatch Eugene Dixon 1958 J. 1;J. Veatch LeRoy Smith 1959 J. \T. Veatch LeRoy Smith 1960 J. "T. Veatch!VI. >i. Shivers 1961 John R. Tate H. ~JI,Shivers 1962 John B. Tate?'i. ~'!. Shivers 1963 John B. Tate,..."; ~ l.'. Shi.vers 1964 John B. Tate.N. N Shivers 1965 John B. Tate M. '1- Shivers 1966 John B. Tate M. : '1. Shivers 1967 Robert L. Taylor til l\1t. Shivers 1968 Robert L. Taylor " Gary 1\1!. Parrlsh 1969 Robert L. Taylor Gary ~ I. Parrish 1970 ;,dgar A. Padgett Gary d. Parrish 1971 Edgar A. Padgett Gary n. Parrish 1972 Ed/?ar A. Par1gett -7