Last update: Monday, August 11, 2003

 

Church History 

 

 

Lesters Chapel 1927

 

Lester's Chapel United Methodist church is a congregation that sprang from a series of camp meetings.
 
The late William Still Lester donated the land on which the church's original 30 by 40 foot edifice.  The deed of William S. Lester, "for and in consideration of the love and affection that I have for the cause of Christ on earth and in my desire to build up and promote it, I do hereby grant and convey unto A. A. Wilbon, Sr., A. A. Wilbon, Jr.,  O. W. Hammond, D. W. Hamlett, and C. A. Henderson, Trustees for Lester's Chapel of the Methodist Episcopal Church South to be erected upon the land herein conveyed". Filed November 3, 1888.  D. W. Hamlett was the grandfather of J. Carl Davis.

Records show on December 10, 1889 the Board of Church Extension giving aid to churches with Lester's Chapel receiving $125 and the value of property assessed $650

During the annual Memphis Conference of the MEC, south on November 17, 1890, A.L. Pritchett was appointed to serve the City  Mission and Lester's Chapel.  Prior to that time it is believed that Sunday School was held in the homes of members. 

Church trustee, O.W. Hammond, was the "finishing carpenter" during the construction of the original building, an approximate 30'X40' structure.
This structure is still in place and sound, the center section of the present sanctuary.  According to Miss Emma Mai Hammond, youngest daughter of O. W. Hammond, he was a master carpenter and cabinet maker and built the original pulpit, alter rail and benches. 

 

 

I remember when we had a wood burning stove in the center of the church for heat.  Mr. Hamlett had to go early to make the fire before we had Sunday School.  Wire was strung across the center of the sanctuary and curtains were put up as dividers for classes.  I remember how the dirt dobbers built their nests in them.  Usually the young classes were in the back and the adults in the front.  Miss Lora Key taught the women and Mr. Billy Hamlett the men.  When it was revival time, Miss Lora and I, along with the Marsh boys, would take a black pot and heat water and scrub the wood floors.

 

Sunday School was usually at 9:30 AM but if it was bad weather we went after dinner.  The preacher came only twice a month as we were on the Circuit with Pinson, Big Springs, Montezuma and Pisgah.  Some of those who came were Carl Davis and his sister Wilma, the John Justiss family, and Miss Lora Key.  Mr. Justiss had a house and buggy and he brought his children with him.  During revival time Hoywood and Junior Justiss would always go the go to the front and sit on each side of “Ma Betty” (Mrs. Betty Justiss Key) “Ma Betty” always wore a white, starched apron and patted her food during the sermon.  Most everyone came by lantern light through the woods from their homes on the Old Pinson and Perry Switch Roads – also up and down the Harts Bridge Road.  Mr. O. W. Hammond and his daughter, Emma Mae, came by buggy from the Watlington Road, along with the Murchison family and I especially remember Lela.  The story goes that a rabbit did not cross the Murchison and Watlington land because he surely ended up on the dinner table of one of the families.  Both had large families.

 

Back to another thing we did at church.  We had communion one Sunday and Miss Martha Hamlett did not have the grape juice so she told me to bring some of the blackberry wine that Papa was making.  It had not quite fermented so I took a quart.  Miss Martha made the unleavened bread and Old Brother Blackard, the Presiding Elder, was serving communion.  Jess Key and I had our heads bowed but were peeping when we saw him drink from the cup twice.  (The cup looked kinda like a peanut butter jar)  He had a long beard and after watching him drink I decided not to take communion.  We used the whole quart of wine that day.

 

We always had funerals at the church during this period of time.  Because the stove was in the center of the building, the casket had to be brought in through the side doors.  Mrs. Marsh played the piano for our church services.

 

Friendships were lasting during the early days and have continued for generations.

 

Wilma Allison Latham

September 1996

 

The Watlington family has put together the genealogy of their family, along with other families related to their family tree.   They have a web page on line, with lots of pictures and stories about their lives, and the area where they grew up.

 

Click on the link below to get to their webpage.  But remember their webpage does not have a link back to this page. 

 

Watlington’s of West Tennessee

1830 - 1997

 

 

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