Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Requests for Info
Received via Website
Received via Website
Received 2014-01-25
Celeste Banda
celestebanda(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Austin, TX
I'm searching for information on the Buckholts Methodist Episcopal Church. I would greatly appreciate
any information available.
*****
2014-01-25
Reply: email sent to MCHC members for replies.
*****
2014-02-01
REPLY from Jack Brooks: I am in the process of researching the below request. Please note the links below. This
first is a church (Friendship United Methodist) that was on an adjoining circuit, but you'll notice numerous
references to the Buckholts Methodist Church.
I might add that the Friendship United Methodist Church also carries a Buckholts mailing address. This article
is interesting, educational and entertaining.
In it, Ms. Prebble Walker McQuary states that the Buckholts Methodist Church disbanded around 1965.
A couple of interesting points are made regarding the second link. In 1844, the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, was organized because of the slavery controversy. In 1939, the Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal
South and Methodist Protestant denominations merged to form the Methodist Church. (Hyde, A.B. op. cit. pp 535-
550).
In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church merged to form the United Methodist
Church.(New York Times, April 24, 1968, p. 26).
Therefore with the above timeline, the Buckholts Methodist Episcopal Church, South was in existence prior to
1939 and disbanded as the Buckholts Methodist Church prior to 1968.
I am in the process of attempting to locate Lynna Kay Shuffield's book, "Milam County Texas, Various Church
History's" to see if the Buckholts M.E. or Buckholts Methodist Church are discussed.
An additional reference would be the Annual Conference reports for that church.
I want to discuss this subject with the Pastor of the 1st United Methodist Church in Cameron.
I'll keep you posted. Respectfully, Jack Brooks
*****
2014-02-02
Ms. Celeste, I failed to mention in my previous post, that my wife and I are members of Friendship UMC and also
attend Pleasant Retreat UMC. This morning while at Church, my plan was to see if any of our mature members(and
most of us are mature) would share any of their memories of the Buckholts Methodist Church.
I hoped that a member would be able to provide a contact number for a mature past member and resident of
Buckholts, who might be able to share firsthand memories, also. I struck "pay dirt" on both counts.
First, please see attachment No. 1. What I learned was that, for a while, Buckholts and Friendship were on the
same circuit and that we shared a Pastor on rotating Sundays. Also, at that time, the Church was known as the
First Methodist Church of Buckholts. I'm making a semi-educated guess here, but that name change may have
occurred in 1939 when the the name was changed from Buckholts Methodist Episcopal Church(see earlier post) as
the churches consolidated to the Methodist Church.
To quote the inscription inside the front cover of Buckholts well worn Church Bible, which I have in hand,
"Given to First Methodist Church of Buckholts, Texas on December 14th, 1947 by Verlon Feller".
This is the beautiful part that I think will be of interest to you, it further states, "Buckholts Methodist
Church, in turn, gives this bible to the Friendship Methodist on the last day to hold services at Buckholts,
Texas. Dr. J. R. Williams was serving both Churches as Pastor". May 27, 1962. "Also given are 17 Cokesbury "
Worship Hymnals"". We now know the exact date of the Buckholts Methodist Church's demise.
One of Friendship UMC's longtime members, Ms. Edith Gray, provided a contact of a Mr. A. Zajicek who lives in
Buckholts and was a member of the Buckholts Methodist Church. I left a voice mail message for him and look
forward to hearing from the same. I'll keep you posted.
Regards, Jack Brooks
*****
2014-02-13
I have found more information regarding the Buckholts ME Church South since my last email.
The librarian at the First United Methodist Church in Cameron, Texas said that they have no records, of any
historical significance, regarding BMECS.
The Cameron Public Library had only one book referencing BMECS. That was "The History of Milam County, Texas"
by Lelia M Batte 1956. In it she states" Services were held in Buckholts by circuit riders, but it was not
until 1902 that the Buckholts Methodist Episcopal Church, South was built and dedicated by Bishop E. R.
Hendrix, in a down pouring rain. Ref 115(Courtesy of Ms. Jean Adams, of Buckholts, and the Reverend S. S.
McKenney).
The Lucy Patterson Library in Rockdale, Texas had a considerable amount of reference material on Milam County
Churches, but none on BMECS.
The only viable contact that I was able to speak with, in Buckholts, was a Mr. Doug Williams. I found him a
very warm, outgoing gentleman who thoroughly enjoyed sharing his memories of Buckholts. He attended BMEC since
he was a young boy in the early 1940's. He shared many memories of Church members and memories over the years.
When it disbanded May 27th, 1962, he then joined another Church in the community. He said that he would be
happy to personally talk with you and I will share his tel. number in a private post.
Mr. Williams said that the BMECS was destroyed many years ago and that it was of an architecture and design
that should have been saved. It was located on the corner of FM 1915(also known as 8th St.) two blocks north
of Hwy 190/36. A newer home sits farther back on the lot so it is still vacant where the Church once stood. The
home is owned by a Mr. Valente Lopez.
This past March, I was doing research on the Lebanon Methodist Episcopal Church South(also in Milam County) and
gained some excellent reference material that will also apply to your Buckholts inquiry.
Attached is a considerable amount of reference source information that Mr. Timothy Brinkley, an Archivist for
the Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, had provided.
Also attached is a lists resources available at Birdwell University. Since each Church has annual Conference
reports, they trace the appointment of Ministers and changes in circuit and district boundaries, etc..
On behalf or the Milam County Historical Commission, I hope that we have provided some of the information that
you were seeking and that, hopefully, the attached references will answer any other remaining question that you
may have regarding the Buckholts Methodist Episcopal Church South. It has been our pleasure assisting you.
Respectfully, Jack Brooks
*****
2014-03-15
I have come across an additional resource and a follow up regarding your above inquiry. A Ms. Zajicek, who is
a resident of Buckholts, informed me of the Buckholts Historical Museum which is located in Buckholts City
Hall. Ms. Melanie Reed, who is the City Secretary there, took a considerable amount of her time assisting me
in searching for additional information for you. I am very appreciative of her kindness. Attachment #1, which
is slightly out of focus, is a photo of the Buckholts First United Methodist Church taken by an unknown
photographer. Attachment # 2, you may find quite entertaining. In one of the historical notebooks written by
local residents I found this; "According to local accounts, James Peeler was to have delivered the first sermon
in Buckholts in a saloon, because that was the only place that he could find a crowd". The Methodist Church,
the first Church to be established in Buckholts, was built in 1898. This large white structure faced the
railroad. Attachment #3 is a brief general history of the Church's of Buckholts. Enjoy, Jack Brooks
.
