Lynches Chapel United Methodist Church and Cemetery
Alto, Cherokee County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Although Methodist worship services may have been held in this area before 1860, the first written records of this congregation date from that year, with the Rev. J. A. Srugs as the earliest known pastor. The church has been informally called "Blackjack" throughout its history, probably for the grove of blackjack trees that once stood on this property. The name Lynch's (later Lynches) Chapel was adopted in honor of the Rev. Samuel Lynch, who was serving as pastor at the time of his death. Early leaders in the church were Alexander Black and his son, John, who also served as the first teacher for Hendrick School. School classes for many years were held in the Lynches Chapel sanctuary, built near this site in the 1870s. Preaching services were held once a month, with annual summer revival meetings. The cemetery associated with Lynches Chapel Methodist Church began in 1885. Pioneer family names reflected on the tombstones include Landrum, Wallace, Schochler and Moffett. One unusual grave is that of an Indian girl, who died while her family was in the area. Over the years, Lynches Chapel United Methodist Church and cemetery have been important elements in this rural farming community.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Methodists gathered in this corner of Cherokee County by 1860, when the first records name the Rev. J. A. Srugs as pastor of a congregation long nicknamed "Blackjack" for the grove of blackjack oaks nearby. It later took the name Lynches Chapel to honor the Rev. Samuel Lynch, who died while serving there. The sanctuary doubled as a schoolhouse for years, taught by pioneer families like the Blacks, and the adjoining cemetery, begun in 1885, holds settlers named Landrum, Wallace, and Moffett.
Why it matters
Rural churches like Lynches Chapel were the schoolhouse, meeting hall, and burial ground all at once, the founding institution of frontier farming communities across the South.
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Related people
- · Rev. Samuel Lynch
- · Rev. J. A. Srugs
Themes & tags
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