From Humble Beginnings

The year is 1847, the fledgling, yet successfully thriving, experiment in democracy called the United States of America is a mere 71 years old. On the world stage, Queen Victoria, granddaughter of King George, III from whom America won its independence, has been on the British throne for a decade at the ripe old age of 28. The territory of Iowa has just become a state adding a 29^th star to the flag of our country.  Its President is James K. Polk, the twenty-ninth Congress is ending and its thirtieth will convene in March of the same year.  The Commonwealth of Virginia, still encompassing the future state of West Virginia, is administrated by Governor William “Extra Billy” Smith. Disputes over slavery placed the American Methodist church in difficulty in the first half of the 19^th century, with the northern church leaders fearful of a split with the South, and reluctant to take a stand.  Finally, in a much larger split, in 1845 at Louisville, the churches of the slaveholding states left the Methodist Episcopal Church and formed The Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

In the town of Hicksford in Greensville County, Virginia in 1847, Alexander T.B. Merrit and his wife Jane S. Merritt, conveyed for the sum of one dollar to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, a piece of property.  The property was conveyed “in trust that they [the trustees] shall build a house of worship thereon for the use of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.”  From this humble beginning, people who lived where we now live, believed in God.  Desiring to grow in their faith and to pass that faith on to their children and others they did what was necessary to make this vision a reality.  Upon doing so, thus has been created the oldest community of faith in present day Emporia.

The Methodists, with Rev. Thomas Jones as their minister, proceeded to build, on their newly acquired lot, a small wooden church building.  The church was known as Hicksford Methodist Church and was part of the Greensville Circuit in the Randolph Macon District.  The total membership of the Greensville Circuit in 1847 was 251 whites, and 38 blacks, a total of 289 souls.  The congregation worshiped in that building until it was destroyed forty-seven years later by a fire in 1894.

In 1887 the communities of Hicksford and Belfield became the town of Emporia.  The church in Hicksford was then renamed, Main Street Methodist Church.  By then it was part of the Petersburg District, along with Round Hill, Forest Chapel, Independence, Corinth, and Saint Andrews Methodist churches.  “AND ARE WE YET Alive?” – Charles Wesley

There is more to come! This is the first installment of several in recognition of the 175^th Anniversary Celebration of Main Street United Methodist Church, 500 South Main Street, Emporia.  The celebration will culminate with an exciting worship service on Sunday, October 9, 2022 with special music and a surprise visitor as well as historic displays and presentations.  A potluck lunch will be served on the lawn.  Please make plans to join in the celebration, catch up with old friends and greet new ones!  If you should have items of history related to Main Street United Methodist Church (wedding pictures, Sunday School or Bible Zone memories, hymnals, Bibles, articles, or other memorabilia and would like to share those please contact the church at 434.634.3724).  Grace and Peace!

Parts of the above history are based on the history compiled by Jane Prince for the Sesquicentennial Celebration. 

Post Card of Bishop Francis Asbury having known to travel the Circuits throughout Southern Virginia and northern North Carolina.