Snapshots of History: Redding Methodist Episcopal Church

By Editor | July 31, 2024 |

Redding Methodist Episcopal Church about 1908.

By Mike Avitt
There is some disagreement about when some of our older churches were built. The disagreement is between the newspapers and the centennial books.
Most people are unfamiliar with the digitized newspapers, so we will look at some early newspapers to see what they say.
The church pictured this week was dedicated December 24, 1905. But, was this the 1884 church mentioned in the Redding Centennial Book?
The Ringgold Record says a Redding church was under construction in 1884. In July 1886 the Methodist Episcopal Church at Redding was dedicated. According to the Twice-A-Week News, the church was struck by lightning June 9, 1905 while “it was being moved.” The damage was significant.
The Ringgold Record of August 10, 1905 says “Work on the new Methodist Episcopal Church has commenced…” Two other articles used the word “remodeled” rather than “new.” But the word “rededicated” was not used. So, if this is the 1884 church, it is the oldest active church building in Ringgold County.
After researching the Kellerton Methodist Church for a few years, I have come to believe their church was built in 1885 but was not furnished until late 1886. At least one service was held there before being furnished.
The Kellerton Centennial book says the church was dedicated in October 1886. The newspaper says dedication took place May 15, 1887. I read the old newspapers often so I know dedications were often delayed because of the absence of a pastor, weather, or incomplete interior furnishings.
Just this week I was researching the establishment of the Methodist Church at Caledonia. A program given out at the final service (1972) in Caledonia says the church was built in 1872.
The May 21, 1874 Ringgold Record says the Caledonia Methodist Episcopal Church was under construction under the supervision of Rev. Charles W. Brewer and Rev. Watson. Caledonia also had a Baptist Church which seems to have been built in 1875-76 as an unidentified church was dedicated on Feb. 20, 1876 in Caledonia.
I have a September 17, 1972 program from a history tour of Middle Fork Township with a history of the Middle Fork Methodist Church. The source of the history is not given and I found very little information in the Ringgold Record newspapers. But, I found an interesting item in an 1886 Ringgold Republican newspaper.
The cemetery on the east side of the present-day Middle Fork United Methodist Church was established in 1858 and was originally called Rose Hill Cemetery. There are cemeteries at Blockton, Mount Ayr, and Lamoni named Rose Hill. I have never found the connection.
The cornerstone for the Middle Fork church was laid in mid-August 1886 and the 1972 program and the 1886 newspaper both list the same items placed in the cornerstone, mostly church papers. Plastering on the church was done by Messers Dickey and Ewan.
The church, 26 by 44 feet in size. was dedicated Thanksgiving Day, 1886. Middle Fork United Methodist Church is the only active church in Ringgold County without an indoor toilet!
Back off on your coffee consumption and you should be fine.
The digitized newspapers from the 1870s to the 1880s are very lacking in details and I’ll tell you why.
The Mount Ayr papers were dependent on correspondents and contributors from small towns and rural areas for news. Those contributors were inconsistent and were sometimes uninformed. There are spelling errors and many omissions in the papers.
By the 1890s, the number of digitized newspapers increased dramatically and I’m able to cross-reference. The quality of the information provided by correspondents and other writers improved greatly in the 1890s, as well.