Earle's Chapel Methodist Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Earle's Chapel Methodist Church, out in Cherokee County. Now, before Cherokee County even had a name on a map, people were already putting down roots in this corner of East Texas. W.

J. Ragsdale — born 1811, a veteran of the Texas War for Independence, no small distinction — and his wife Patsy McAdams had settled on Prairie Branch, also known as Mill Creek, all the way back in 1838. That is early.

That is boots-on-the-ground, clearing-the-land early. Then came the Earles. Elijah Earle, born 1804, his wife Nancy Blanchett, and their children made the long migration from Alabama, arriving here in early 1846.

They cleared a farm, and Elijah built a mill on Prairie Branch. The community kept growin', the way communities do when the land is good and the people are determined. And as it grew, Elijah and his second wife, Mary Elizabeth Jarratt Tatum — born 1824 — looked around and saw what was still missing.

A school. A church. So they did what the best kind of people do: they donated four acres of land, and in 1859, a log building was erected right here on this site.

Now, that building burned in 1875. And here is the part that tells you everything you need to know about this community — it was immediately rebuilt. Same year.

They didn't wait, didn't waver. And that same year, 1875, the Earle's Chapel Society was officially organized by the Reverend E. P.

Rogers of the East Texas Conference of the Methodist Church, with twenty-five charter members standing ready. The congregation kept building, too — literally. In 1889, church members T.

J. Skeleton and Robert Tatum constructed a new church building on the site. Then, more than a hundred years after that 1875 rebuilding, a tornado came through in 1987 and damaged the structure.

You might think that would be the end of the story. It was not. The building was restored.

Fire in 1875 — rebuilt. Tornado in 1987 — restored. After more than a century of service, Earle's Chapel still stands, still serving this community, still welcoming descendants of those very pioneer families who cleared the land and built the mill and gave the four acres in the first place.

Some places just refuse to quit.

What the marker says

Settlement of the Earle's Chapel community began several years before the organization of Cherokee County. W. J. Ragsdale (1811-1884), a veteran of the Texas War for Independence, and his wife Patsy McAdams (1816-1898) had settled on Prairie Branch (Mill Creek) in 1838. Elijah Earle (1804-1880), his wife Nancy Blanchett (1811-1852) and their children migrated here from Alabama in early 1846. They cleared a farm and Elijah built a mill on Prairie Branch. As the community grew, Elijah Earle and his second wife, Mary Elizabeth Jarratt Tatum (1824-1904), saw the need for a school and church. They donated four acres of land, and in 1859 a log building was erected at this site. It burned in 1875 and was immediately rebuilt. That same year, the Earle's Chapel Society, with twenty-five charter members, was officially organized by the Rev. E. P. Rogers of the East Texas Conference of the Methodist Church. A new church building was constructed in 1889 by church members T. J. Skeleton and Robert Tatum. Although damaged in a 1987 tornado, the building was restored, and after more than a century of service continues to serve the community, including descendants of pioneer families.