DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm just the voice along for the ride. Way out in the east Texas piney woods, there's a congregation that's been gathering since before Jacksonville was even a dot on the map. The First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville traces its history all the way back to 1845 — and friend, Jacksonville itself didn't exist yet.
The congregation organized in a small rural settlement called Gum Creek, with folks worshipping in each other's homes before they had so much as a proper building to call their own. The first pastor was the Reverend Henderson D. Palmer, a circuit riding Methodist minister — which means the man wasn't waiting on his flock to come to him.
He was covering ground. Then, in 1847, a fellow named Jackson Smith created the town of Jacksonville. Homes moved.
Businesses moved. Even the post office picked up and relocated. And Gum Creek, well, Gum Creek gradually declined in favor of this new town taking shape.
The Methodist congregation held on a while longer before making their own move in 1853, when they built a structure that pulled double duty — a union church on Sundays, a school during the week. Three years later, in 1856, a two-story structure replaced that first building. They were growing.
Now here's where the story takes one of those only-in-Texas turns. In 1872, present Jacksonville was laid out along a rail line — a whole new town site, organized around the railroad. And the Methodists did what they'd learned to do: they moved again.
In 1874 they built a one-room sanctuary on the new Jacksonville town site. Eight years after that, in 1882, the congregation relocated once more — this time to this very site. And in 1888 the denomination designated the congregation a full charge, which meant it was finally big enough and established enough to warrant its own dedicated pastor.
That man was the Reverend W.W. Hopper, the first full-time pastor in the church's history. From a handful of believers meeting in someone's parlor in a settlement called Gum Creek, through four different buildings, two different Jacksonvilles, and more than four decades of movin' and growin' — the First United Methodist Church has been part of this community every step of the way.
Some roots go deeper than the ground they're planted in.
What the marker says
This congregation traces its history to 1845, when it was organized in the small rural settlement of Gum Creek. The Rev. Henderson D. Palmer, a circuit riding Methodist minister, served as the first pastor of the congregation. Earlier, worship services were held in the homes of various Methodists. In 1847 the town of Jacksonville was created by Jackson Smith. As homes, businesses and the post office were transferred to the new town, Gum Creek gradually declined in favor of Jacksonville. The Methodist congregation moved to the new town in 1853 and built a structure used as a union church on Sundays and for a school during the week. A two-story structure replaced the 1853 building in 1856. In 1872 present Jacksonville was laid out along the rail line. The Methodist Church moved to the new Jacksonville town site in 1874 and built a one-room sanctuary. In 1882 the growing congregation relocated to this site. It was designated a full charge by the denomination in 1888, and the Rev. W.W. Hopper became the first full-time pastor. The First United Methodist Church continues to be an integral part of the Jacksonville community. (1989)