Early Beginnings

Hillsboro First United Methodist Church

Early beginnings

Shortly after the Civil War, a small group of citizens in the Hillsboro community felt the need for a Methodist Church; although the exact date of the church cannot be established. An old log house was used for church and school purposes for many years and was in use when early ministers Rev. W. H. Gilbert and E.G. Robertson preached the Hillsboro Circuit. During the pastorate of Rev. S. J. Shasteen, the Methodists in Hillsboro erected their first building. This was in 1888.

This first building was a 48’ by 28’ wooden structure with only one room, valued at $950.according to then Trustees R.C. Phillips, W. Phillips and E. G. Robertson. This first building, with repairs and remodeling, remained in use until a brick building took its place in 1949.

The first church was known as the Methodist Church, South, and later became the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the name it retained until 1939. Before the building of the brick structure, members buried their dead around the church until the wooden building first erected became the center of a cemetery. So it happened that as plans were made for the grand brick "meeting house", the building battle cry became "Let's move the church out of the cemetery."Some of the first members of the early church, according to available records, were P.W. Raft, J.E. Mead, Mary Mead, Rutha Phillips, Malina Yates, Elizabeth Wilson, Abner Bryan, and Damarius Bryan. The first child to be baptized into the church is recorded as Addie Gentry in 1890. She in later years became Mrs. Marlin Jernigan The first marriage ceremony thought to be held in the very early church was that of George Brown and Lydia Mead in 1892. The last wedding held in the old church was that of Martha Brothers and Kenneth Duncan, May 1, 1948 The first marriage ceremony held in the new brick building erected in 1948 was that of Mary Elizabeth White and John Hannah

The 1949 building was renovated in 1997 which included addition of a new sanctuary. This facility serves as today’s church building.