Lebanon United Methodist Church
Aquilla, Hill County, Texas
Marker Inscription
On Oct. 19, 1872, C.A. Spivey and W.E. Anderson deeded four acres of land to James W. Scott, M.J. Britton, J.B.C. Scott, J.P. Grace, H.B. Smith, George Williams, E.R. Williams, J.H. Gamblin and J.F. Anderson, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The Rev. Floyd T. Wiginton was the first pastor. Tradition holds the Rev. Isaac Pierce Lowery, the pastor in 1873, suggested the congregational name of Lebanon. The first church building burned in the early 1880s, and members moved to this site. An early school on church property served the area until the mid-20th century. Today, Lebanon United Methodist Church provides an important link to the community's pioneer heritage. (2006)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In October 1872, landowners deeded four acres in Hill County to a group of Methodist trustees, and tradition holds that pastor Isaac Pierce Lowery proposed the congregation's biblical name of Lebanon the following year. The first church building burned in the early 1880s, prompting members to move to the present site. An early school on the church grounds served the surrounding community well into the twentieth century.
Why it matters
The church reflects how frontier Methodist congregations doubled as schools and social centers, knitting together the pioneer settlements of central Texas.
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Related people
- · Isaac Pierce Lowery
- · Floyd T. Wiginton
Themes & tags
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