Our History

OUR HISTORY

Our beginning is a part of the history of Bolton.

In 1868, Joel Reynolds, William McNeil, Dr. Robert Dameron, Joe Peebles and William Kelly pioneered the movement to establish a Methodist church in the village of Bolton. Four years later, in February of 1872, the Dameron family donated a parcel of land for this purpose. The existing church, apparently located on the deeded property, had been a union church and was jointly owned by the Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian denominations. After the Methodist received the deed to the land, they purchased the old church structure but continued to let it serve as a union church. In 1876, members of the Episcopal church moved to their beautiful new facility, St. Mary’s. The Baptists and Presbyterians, however, shared the Methodist facilities well into the twentieth century.

In 1903, thirty-one years after the land was given, the old church structure was remodeled. Records of the Methodist church show that Rev. M.M. Black was the minister during this period of growth. Elizabeth Weissinger and Sara Newman have fond memories of the original church, since they both joined the same day. “It was in March of 1918- on a beautiful Sunday afternoon- when we joined. The church was having a protracted meeting and Rev. Dan Kelly was the visiting minister who performed the service.” Mrs. Weissinger remembers most regarding the old church…”There was a potbellied stove that sat to the back of the sanctuary and Uncle Simon Sharkey, a black man, always sat beside the stove. Uncle Simon attended church faithfully. As far as I can remember, he was there every Sunday. “

“Of course, we’ve been in the new church since 1922, but we will always remember the old church as the church of our youth,” commented Mrs. Weissinger and Mrs. Newman, “Back in the early days, community life resolved around the church and its activities. Protracted meetings, the equivalent to modern day revivals, highlighted the church year. The meetings, which usually lasted a week, always called for lots of preaching and singing. The church had a pump organ and we can still remember the unique sound of the instrument as the congregation lifted their voices in song.”

In 1922, following the aftermath of World War 1, the church purchased additional land and made the decision to rebuild. Those elected to the building committee were: Rev. H.M. Johnson; Jesse Birdsong; G.C. McLaurin; J.L. Gaddis Jr.; and Mrs. C.E. Heitman. As the story goes, the pastor, Rev. Johnson, was asked to research the approximate cost of a new building and report back to the congregation. However, Rev. Johnson never had a chance to make his report because Mr. John Lloyd Gaddis, a leading businessman in town, made a surprise proposal to the congregation…”If the congregation will allow somewhere in the building, a tablet in memory of my boy who has gone before, you may erect the building and I will pay for it so that it may stand as a memorial to his name and to show to others than one passed this way who loved his fellowmen.” The boy that J.L. Gaddis was referring to was his nineteen-year-old son, Jack T. Gaddis. Jack, an Ole Miss student, was returning home from college when he was accidentally killed in a train accident.

The congregation accepted the loving and generous offer made by Mr. and Mrs. Gaddis, and in 1922, an impressive church, featuring stained glass windows, was built. The architect remains unknown, but the contractor was Mr. C.G. McIntosh from Hattiesburg. A tablet in the narthex reads: “IN LOVING MEMORY OF JACK T. GADDIS, 1895-1914. THIS BUILDING IS ERECTED BY LOVING PARENTS-1922-AND DEDICATED TO THE WORSHIP OF ALMIGHTY GOD AND PRESENTED TO THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.”

The sanctuary, neo-classical in style, is highlighted by seven exquisite stained glass windows. Each window is dedicated to a church member who was prominent in the community during Bolton’s formative years. The windows bear the following names: Dr. John Gaddis and Laura Marion Gaddis (window depicts the episode found in Luke where Christ said, “Let the little children comes unto me”); Mary Dudley McLaurin (window depicts Christ as the Good Shepherd); Margaret Morrison Gillespie (window depicts a verse in the Psalms where two children are about to fall off a cliff but are protected by their guardian angel); William and Mary Klingman (window depicts Easter lilies, a symbol of the Resurrection); Dr. George Hunter (window depicts the accounts of the Good Samaritan as found in the gospel of Luke); James M. Black (window depicts the rose as the symbol of eternal life); and Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Greaves (a decorative round window behind the choir loft).

The Methodist Church has always been a moving force in the town of Bolton. Through the years, its members have focused their attentions, not only on their own spiritual needs, but the needs of the entire community. “For by our love of God, your love to your neighbor is acquired; and by your love to your neighbor, your love of God is nourished.”

“For by our love of God, your love to your neighbor is acquired; and by your love to your neighbor, your love of God is nourished.”

Join us every Sunday morning at 11am for worship.  Sunday School for all ages starts at 10am.  Nursery is provided. 

View our full weekly schedule.

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We hope to see you also at some of our special worship servies held throughout the year.