Chapter Thirty-One

Marion County Churches

by Mrs. Bernice Johnson

Methodist Churches

Yellville Methodist Church

Page 511-512

By: Mae Patterson and Mrs. Sam Duren

In 1852 a frame building was erected as a place of worship for the people called Methodists, according to minutes of the Arkansas Conference of November 10, 1852, and had 228 members. Hugh A. Barnett was the pastor from the Fayetteville District.

Marion County was on the border between the North and the South during the Civil War and Yellville was over-run by both armies. The original church building was destroyed by fire. (This is from Anderson's History, page 358.)

In 1866 Rev. John Henry Wade, of the St. Louis Conference, came to Yellville to re-organize the Methodist Churches in Marion, Baxter, Boone and Searcy Counties, which had been destroyed during the Civil War. He remained on the Yellville Circuit during the remainder of his ministry. He was a great exhortor and organizer. Four of his children grew to maturity: John, George, Jonas and Mary. Rev. Wade died December 7, 1895 and is buried at Valley Springs, Arkansas. (Copied from Centennial History page 147.)

In 1888 the second building built at Yellville was destroyed by fire along with a school owned by the church. In 1889 the third building was built and still stands. This building is constructed of hand-made brick. The school building was not rebuilt at the same location as a much larger school was built and was known as the Academy or the Yellville Collegiate Institute. This building, in later years, was known as the Yellville School

In 1876 Bishop John C. Keener held the Arkansas Methodist Conference at Yellville. In 1888 the Fourth Quarterly Conference was held at Yellville Circuit Camp Ground by P. B. Summers, Presiding Elder. W. R. Brookshire was elected secretary. Ten churches reported their support for the ministry, and they are as follows: Yellville, Pleasant Ridge, Shiloah (Cedar Grove), Liberty Friendship, Siloam, Camp Ground, DeSoto Springs, Dry Hill and Rea Valley.

Signed: J. H. Bradford, Preacher.

The Methodist Church in Yellville has used the same sanctuary since the church was built. The building has been remodeled several times and is now being re-decorated with some changes being made. An Educational building has been built, connected to the sanctuary by a covered walk.

From Anderson's Centennial History of Arkansas Methodism:

"Such names as the following have come down with reverence from the first: Isaac Wilson, William Sewall, Henderson Fee, Martha Tatum, Grandma Pugh (sister of preacher Ben Hall), Missouri Layton, Agens Hurst, Willis and Matilda Williams, John Cowdrey, Gus Layton, Mrs. Sue Layton, James Berry and wife, J. W Black, J. C. McDowell, Henry Young, Bob and Alex Hurst. (Material furnished by Mae Patterson and Mrs. Sam Duren.)

 The following is written by H. Lynn Wade from Anderson's Centennial History about the Liberty Church, 1850, of the Yellville Circuit: "There are four families who stand out among those who made Methodism possible here The Adams family, Keeters, Pattersons, and Cantrells. Adams was, for years, a steward and a class leader. His name stood for all that was highest and best in the county. Perhaps, the most potent religious and spiritual personality in this whole section was Elizabeth (Grandma) Cantrell, wife of William Cantrell, a Baptist preacher. Both remained true to their respective churches. They reared a large family, about equally divided between the two churches. Grandma, mother of Rev. John M. Cantrell, a Methodist minister, was a real leader-going from church to church on the circuit during revivals praying, exhorting and shouting until victory would result. She was known and loved by all."

The Adams referred to above was Lynn Adams, grandfather of H. Lynn Wade and father of John Q Adams, Sr.