The first class was organized as Beech Hill as a Methodist Episcopal Church, South by Rev. Richard Cloughton in 1858. One member of the class was Sarah (Callahan) Crump who is your Webmaster's great-great-grandmother.

On October 1, 1858 the plot of land was transferred from J. H. Miller and his wife where a church building was to be erected.

In 1860 the Beech Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, South was built. In 1939 it was known as the Beech Hill Methodist Church, and then, in 1968 when the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church united is became and is now the Beech Hill United Methodist Church.

In the 1920s Mrs. J. S. Henderson and the Sterrett Ladies organized the women of the church into a group called the Ladies Aid Society. After several name changes this group is now know as the United Methodist Women.

Harriett Miller, granddaughter of Captain William Arbuckle, was the first church organist. Jim Vaught was the first minister of the church to receive a salary. The first presiding elder was Dr. Whiteman.

This is a picture taken at the 50th Anniversary of the Beech Hill Methodist Episcopal Church in 1908. Do you have any relatives in this picture? If you do, we would like to know who they are. I will be glad to send you a copy of the picture. The folks at the church are planning to recreate the picture during the 150th anniversary in 2008. To get a better look at the picture, please click on the picture itself.

Last update: September 2, 2006