Methodist preaching in Jackson
dates back to the early 1800's, when it was part of the Natchez and Wilkinson
circuits. It was put on the Feliciana circuit in 1827, and then on
the Jackson circuit in 1851. It was a part of the Mississippi Conference
until 1894.
On January 10, 1854, Centenary
College donated a tract of land, one block from the college, to the church.
A new church was built under the leadership of Rev. A.T.M. Fly. It
was dedicated on March 4, 1855 when the Mississippi Annual Conference was
held at the church. The church, built at a cost of $9000, was pastored
at that time by Rev. Almerin G. Miller. Documentation for an earlier
church is lacking, though there is a document that notes the Baptists bought
a lot from the Methodists. This lot is located at the old post office
site.
The original church bell was
donated to the Confederacy during the Civil War and melted down for bullets.
The present bell comes from plantation owner Stephen E. Beauchamp, who
donated it to the church after the war.
Renovations were done on the
church in 1952-1953. Additional structures were added in 1958-1959.
In the mid 1980's, an education building was constructed. The consecration
service was held March 24, 1985. A new parsonage, on the same block
as the church, was built in 2002.
The church is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and was designated a Historic Site
by the Louisiana Conference.
SOURCE: "History of the Jackson Methodist Church" |
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