United Methodist Church of Montague
Montague, Montague County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1872 The Rev. John F. Denton, a Methodist missionary, preached in Montague. The next year four members under the leadership of The Rev. Joseph Clinton Weaver (1846-1924) began this fellowship. W.T. and E.A. Waybourn deeded two acres in 1878 on the Old Nocona-Montague Public Road. A parsonage was built and a meetinghouse erected directly across the road. In 1881 the sanctuary was moved to this site deeded by John Speer and J.D. Hagler. The building was restored after the 1905 tornado caused extensive damage. An annex was added in 1953. (1979)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Methodist circuit-riding missionaries carried the faith into the raw North Texas frontier of the 1870s, and in 1873 a handful of believers in Montague formed a fellowship under the Rev. Joseph Clinton Weaver. Land donations, a parsonage, and a meetinghouse followed as the town grew along the old Nocona-Montague road. The sanctuary weathered a devastating 1905 tornado and was rebuilt, a testament to the congregation's staying power.
Why it matters
The church traces the familiar arc of frontier settlement, where itinerant preachers and small congregations helped knit scattered pioneers into lasting communities.
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Related people
- · Rev. John F. Denton
- · Rev. Joseph Clinton Weaver
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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