May United Methodist Church
May, Brown County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Methodists in this area were initially served by circuit-riding preachers. First to come to the region in the 1860s was the Rev. Hugh M. Childress, and worship services were held in private homes. In 1882, the Rev. Peter Gravis organized Mt. Zion Methodist Church, which later merged with the congregation at Byrds. Both of these communities, along with Bethel, Brooks, Clio, Gap Creek, Green's Chapel, Holder, Pleasant Valley, Rocky, Shrum, Verbena, Williams, Windham and Wolf Valley became part of the May charge. Brush arbor revivals were held each summer. The May Methodist Church was formally organized in 1886. Members gathered for services in nearby Verbena until 1890, when they began meeting in the newly constructed May schoolhouse. Four years later, members built their own one-room church, which served until they constructed a new brick building with memorial stained glass windows in 1929-30. After 70 years of service, the church building was destroyed by fire in January 2000. Throughout its history, the May United Methodist Church has upheld the ideals and traditions of its pioneer founders. Despite the Depression, droughts, floods, wars and fire, the church has served its members and the May community for more than 100 years. (2001)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Methodism reached this corner of Brown County with circuit-riding preachers in the 1860s, holding services in private homes before Mt. Zion Methodist Church was organized in 1882. The May Methodist Church formally took shape in 1886, gathering in a schoolhouse until members built their own one-room church in 1894 and later a brick sanctuary with stained glass. Fire destroyed that building in 2000, but the congregation's century-plus of service through depression, drought, and war endured.
Why it matters
The story of circuit riders and brush-arbor revivals binding scattered settlements into a congregation reflects how frontier Texas communities were knit together by faith.
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Related people
- · Hugh M. Childress
- · Peter Gravis
Themes & tags
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