THE  DANCYVILLE  C.M.E.  CHURCH


cme2.jpg (30851 bytes)
Photo  by  MARY KAY  DANCY  SMITH

HISTORY  OF  THE   DANCYVILLE  C. M. E. CHURCH

It is not known who the first pastor of this church was, but from family records the establishment of the church in Dancyville dates back to the 1800’s, and was located south of  here, about  ½ mile in the field. Our records show that in the year 1905, this land was sold to the Trustees of  Dancyville Colored M. E. Church; Dave Archibald, Green Douglass and John Shaw,  by F. R. Jones and wife A. O. Jones. On March 17, 1925, the present site was purchased from the same Mr. & Mrs. Jones for One Hundred Fifty ($150.00) dollars by Trustees; Jack Ragland, Jesse Hobson, George Douglass, J. W. Thomas, and Cherry Jones. It was a frame building with very few facilities, no electricity, no water, and the pews and other furnishings were made by its members, of rough but freshly cut oak.  One wood heater, heated the building in winter, and card board cut from a box was our air during the summer. For night services, lamps (kerosene) were used to give us light.

With the members' sincerity of purpose, the warmth of their motives, the co-operation and strength of their support and the help of God, the frame structure was changed to a beautiful brick structure in 1957.  Rev. James Boyland was our pastor and Bro. Robert Ballard was chairman of the Steward Board. Many facilities were left off, however, with no running water or other modern facilities, and the same home-made pews.

In 1975, running water and restrooms were added, along with a cold-water fountain. Rev. Dan C. Adams was pastor and Bro. C. D. Archibald was Chairman of the Steward Board. In 1980, Dr. J. Bobby Cole was sent to us as pastor, he saw the need for improvement, and immediately went to work to improve our present building. We purchased new pews, and pulpit furniture, he also saw the need for additional space, and under his leadership a cafeteria and educational building was started which is in our plans to complete. Gravel was spread to improve our parking area.

In 1984, Rev. L. H. Oliver came to us and is still serving as pastor; he is working hard to keep Dancyville on the move. Bro. Hazel Boyd served on an improvement committee as chairman to improve our campus in which a beautiful job was done along with Bro. Jerry Shepard, chairman of Trustee board and other trustees and members to keep our campus looking beautiful. In 1985, central air and heat was installed.


Some of the former pastors who wrought well at Dancyville are:

DATING  BACK  TO  1935

               Page 1
     Rev. W. C. Quarles
     Rev. E. W. Selby
     Rev. R. E. King

 

          Page 2
         Rev. E. E. Dunnigan            Rev. R. P. Hudson
         Rev. F. T. Sanders            Rev. C. A. Trotter
         Rev. D. C. Adams            Rev. J. Boyland
         Rev. O. L. Upshaw            Rev. V. L. Smith
         Dr. J. B. Cole            Rev. H. Newbern
         Rev. L. H. Oliver            Rev. C. A. Lucas
         Rev. A. E. Springfield            Rev. R. W. Flemming

 

         Page  3
        Rev. T. M. Smith            Rev. John Bethel
        Rev. H. C. Walker            Rev. Oscar Bailey
        Rev. O. B. Boothe            Rev. Tyrone Davis
        Rev. W. F. Lowe            Rev. R. T. Fouse
        Rev. Walter Hunt Jr.
                 Present
     Rev. Cleavon Meabon III
               Present   Pastor

 


Former Presiding  Elders who served are:

            Rev. J. B. Boyd             Rev. J. M. Hill
            Rev. W. M. Womack             Rev. B. F. Harris
            Rev. T. M. Davis             Rev. R. W. Spearman
            Rev. O. W. Gibson             Rev. A. L. Alcorn
            Rev. S. W. Broome             Rev. E. W. Crisp
            Rev. C. M. Hawkins             Rev. E. L. Strong
            Rev. J. L. Griffin             Rev. A. L. Rowsey

 

THE  FOLLOWING WAS  TRANSCRIBED   FROM:

"Historical Souvenir Program, Thirty-Second Annual Session ~ Jackson, Memphis Annual Conference,
Colored Methodist Episcopal Church ~ Nov. 27 - Dec. 1, 1946"

Dancyville C.M.E. was founded in 1896 by the Rev. J. B. Collier. It is located near the town of Dancyville, TN. It is a frame church with a seating capacity of 300, has one Study Room. New improvements have been made, new pews added, new furniture and electric lights. The Charter Members of the church are Brother David Archbell Sr., Charlie Hunter, Edmon Mabon, Anderson Shelton, Lizzie Shelton.

Our church has the following organizations: Stewards Boards One and Two, Stewardess Boards One and Two, Senior and Junior Choirs, Usher Boards, Sunday School, Epworth League, Missionary Society. All of the organizations are assigned to the general routine of the program of the church and are doing same.

The present official staff is composed of the following: Brothers Richard Ragland, R. V. Douglass, Robert Ballard, S. Hopson, Alven Jones. Sisters Marie Jones, Irene Jones, Viola Hopson, Emma Bolles, Mattie M. Ragland, Mattie Holmes.

The present membership of the church is 125. The pastor is Rev. E. W. Shelby who is married and has three children. Rev. Shelby has pastured the present congregation for eight years.


WE  TRULY  APPRECIATE  THE   DANCYVILLE  C.M.E.  CHURCH  HISTORY  PROVIDED  By   MRS. ALVIS M. BOND.
Note: Initial  contact  for  securing  this  history   was  with  MRS.  LINDA  BOND

A WORD ABOUT SPELLING:  IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO FIND DIFFERENT SPELLING, FOR GIVEN AND SURNAMES IN DOCUMENTS, ESPECIALLY OLD RECORDS.   RESEARCHERS WILL NEED TO TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT WHEN COMPARING AND ATTEMPTING TO RECONCILE RECORDS.  ed.

THIS DOCUMENT TRANSCRIBED  AND   FORMATTED  by  MARY  KAY  DANCY SMITH.


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  FOR  THE  INDEX,  OF  THE  GRAVES,  IN   THE  DANCYVILLE  C.M.E. CHURCH  CEMETERY 

GO  HERE  FOR  INDEX  TO  MRS. MITTIE;  MR.   FED  AND  ELLA   JONES ~ STONES  PHOTOS

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