History
of Pondtown United Methodist Church
In the mid 19th
century, few families had settled in what is now known as Pondtown
Community. In 1857, Mr. Eli Hendrix gave two acres of land to build a
Church. The land was then in virgin
timber. The men and boys cleared the
ground, using the logs for a small log church with windows openings that
had wooden shutters. The pews were
made of split logs with two pegs inserted in each end for legs. The men and boys sat on the left side and
the women and girls sat on the right.
There were no musical instruments or songbooks. The church was called Pondtown Methodist
Episcopal Church South. The people
in this area scarcely heard a sermon except when a traveling preacher came
through the community. When he
arrived, the word was spread about the preaching service and no one was
ever too busy to go to church regardless the day of the week. It is believed that the early settlers
of the community were Hendrix, Justice, Burch, Clemmons, Jerkins and Childs
families. In 1870, Mr. & Mrs. W.
F. Clemmons gave four acres as a love gift to the church and
community. This was the
establishment of Pondtown. By 1887,
a bigger church was needed. The
members built a 40 foot by 60 foot building to replace the log cabin and
new pews were constructed of dressed lumber. In 1901 some members who lived
in Hartford withdrew and formed Hartford Methodist Episcopal Church
South. By 1910, a pump type organ
was purchased and singing schools were held. With the attendance growing, five Sunday
school rooms were added, changing the shape of the building to a “T”shape
in 1922. In 1825, a youth group named Epward League was formed, known today
as U. M. Y. F. They raised enough
money to buy a pump and the men in stalled it to supply water for the
church. The organ was replaced in
1826 with a piano, which is still used in the educational building
today. The educational building was
built in 1958 and in 1967 a new sanctuary was attached to the building
completing the building as it is today.
In 1968 the church name was changed to Pondtown United Methodist
Church. Pondtown had been a part of
a four church charge until 1973 when it went to a full time status and
built a parsonage. At one time there
was a Ladies Aid Society, which was lastly named the “United Methodist Women”. A men’s club was organized for a short
time but in 1974, another men’s club was formed as it is today. The cemetery is almost as old as the
church with the oldest marked grave dated 1861.
1856 Methodist
Episcopal Church South
(Pondtown UMC was formed)
1861 Oldest
dated grave
1870 Mr.
and Mrs. Clemmons gave 4 acres
1887 Moved
100 yds south & built rectangular building
1897 Town
of Hartford established
1910 Pump
pedal style organ was bought
(first played by Etta May
Hatcher)
1922 New
roof & Sunday school rooms added
1926 New
piano was purchased to replace pump organ
1958 100th
Anniversary
Fellowship Hall/Dining area
w/4 classrooms built
1960 Men’s
Club was first organized
1967 New
sanctuary completed
1968 Pondtown
became a member of UMC
1973 Pondtown
became a one church charge and
Built Parsonage
2004 New
metal roof added
2006 Lex
Howell estate donated 1 acre of land to cemetery
2007 Parsonage
was remodeled
150th Anniversary Celebration
