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History of Grassland United
Methodist Church Ashland District, Kentucky
Conference Boyd County This
is written and dedicated to the memory of my mother, Mrs. Sophia
Hazlett Fannin and Mrs. Goldie Davis Craig. Without the records
gathered and written for the ninety year celebration, this would
have been impossible. May their love, dedication and devotion
live on through us. HISTORY OF GRASSLAND
AND UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, LOCATED ON ELLINGTON BEAR CREEK,
BOYD COUNTY, KENTUCKY. The first church was
built May, 1872, on land given by William and Martha Bowling to
the Methodist Episcopal church, South. The trustees being David
Davis, George Fuller, Soloman Kirk, Henry White and Joseph
Campbell. This was a log
building located at the Mouth of Happy Hollow, and was called
Farmers Chapel. This building was also used for a school with
William White, Henry White and Soloman Kirk as school trustees.
There were no windows. A portion of a log was cut out to let in
light and air. The seats were made of a log split into two pieces
with legs added. They had no backs. These were called
"Puncheon Seats". There was no floor, only the ground. This community being
a wilderness at the time, had no roads except for paths, horse
and wagon trails. As time went on more people began to settle
here. The church and school being one building soon became too
small. In April 1879, the
people gathered together and decided to build a larger church and
a separate building for a school. The land was given by Samuel
and Elizabeth White to the Grassland Methodist Church, south of
the Big Sandy Circuit. The trustees were J.L. Fannin, P.s.
Fannin, Soloman Kirk, William Fisher and Harve White. The Grassland School
was built about the same time approximately one mile down stream
from the Church. The land for the school was given by Benjamin
and Elizabeth Davis to School District No. 18, Boyd County,
Kentucky. The material for the
church were trees given by John Powers; hauled to the saw mill by
Feliz and Milton Campbell; and sawed by Alfred White. The nails
(square ones) and windows were bought from donations given by Joe
Fannin, Phil Fannin, Tobe Hazlett, Harve White, George Fuller and
Scott Davis. The church was built by the men in the community
with Oss Guess and J.L Kirk as bosses. The building was
built out of yellow poplar. Weather boarding put on the outside.
Lumber was planed by hand. Roof was board shingles. The inside
was sealed with boards with length of boards going around the
walls. The ceiling was the same. The boards were about six or
eight inches wide. The windows had small pane glass. The seats in
our choir are some of the original ones put in the building when
it was built. The heat was produced by two "pot belly
stoves". The light was a coal oil lamp, hung on a bracket.
The pulpit was a square stand table given by L.C.
"Tobe" Hazlett. The table was his mother’s and is
still being used as a communion table. The present pulpit was
built by Charles Davis. Now, ninety years
later the inside of our church has been completely remodeled from
ceiling to floor. We now have electric lights, gas furnace,
carpet on the floor and new seats. A choir room has been added
onto the back of the church. Part of the walls are paneled and a
beautiful picture of the River of Jordan painted on the back of
the choir room. Larger amer glass has replaced the small panes in
the windows. Roof and doors have been replaced years ago. About the time the
Grassland Church was built, there was a church located on
Friendship Creek called "Friendship Missionary Baptist
Church". In 1900-1903 a Sunday School record book stated it
had 68 members enrolled in Sunday School. This church has been
destroyed many years ago. The Grassland
Methodist Church is the only church on Bear Creek. At one time we
had a large attendance which was as follows: 1918-1920
199 members 1938
88 members 1969
43 members The name was changed
from Grassland and Methodist South to the Grassland Methodist in
1939, at the same time it was changed from the Virginia
Conference to the Kentucky Conference. In 1967 the name was
changed to Grassland United Methodist Church. At the same time,
Grassland Circuit was changed to East Fork Parrish. From 1885 to
1969 we have had 45 ministers. Twelve are still living. At one
time there were seven churches on the Circuit; Grassland, East
Fork, Garrett Chapel, Ross Chapel, Trinity, (Lawrence County)
Cannonsburg, and Mary Moore Chapel. Since the change, there are
only three on the East Fork Parrish; Grassland, East Fork and
Garrett Chapel. Each having a different minister. We have had tow
ministers whose sons have become Methodist Ministers. James Clair
Jarvis, son of Curt Jarvis, now living in Barboursville, West
Virginia and A.J. Peters, son of C. H. Peters, of Atlanta,
Georgia. We also have a boy from our own Grassland Church to
become a minister, George Thomas Daniels. George received his
license before his eighteenth birthday and is the only one from
our church to become a minister as of 1969. George is the son of
Havyln and Bertha Craig Daniels and the grandson of our very own,
Clyde and Goldie Davis Craig. Three of our oldest
living members in 1969 were: Imogene White West
California Lilliam White
Caldwell Catlettsburg Kathern Fannin Davis
Ashland This early
history of our church was gathered and provided for the Ninety
Year Celebration of our church by the efforts of Mrs. Goldie
Davis Craig, Mrs. Sophia Fannin and Gladys White. No written
record of our church existed. These three women spent many hours
providing this information, especially Goldie Davis Craig. THE NINETY YEAR
CELEBRATION PROGRAMS WAS AS FOLLOWS: PROGRAM SEPTEMBER
21, 1969 Sunday School opened
with Earren Vanover presiding. One song for every ten years: 1869 Praise Him
Praise Him 1885 Standing On The
Promises 1890 Where He Leads
Me 1900 Deeper Deeper 1910 He Keeps Me
Singing 1921 When The Roll
Is Called Up Yonder 1931 I love To Walk
With Jesus 1942 I Will Meet You
By The River 1951 I Can’t
Feel At Home In This World Sunday School Lesson
Scripture read by Reverend Frank Jones Prayer by Sister
Daisy Jones lesson taught to
entire group by Pauline Eastham Reverend Jones
brought morning message. His subject "Rejoice Because Your
Name Is Written In Heaven". Scripture Reading:
Revelation 21:21, Revelations 25:1 and Luke 20:1 Dismissed for lunch Called for order
after lunch by Reverend Talmade Debord Group singing - That
Glad Reunion Day Piano Solo - When
They Ring Those Golden Bells by Judge Imes History of Grassland
Church by Mrs. Goldie Craig Special singing
provided by the Hester Family, The Young Family, The Happy
Travelers, Straight Creek Church of the Nazarene and Garrett
Chapel Trio. Dr. Steadman Bagby,
District Superintendent, called each church represented to stand
some testifying. All group singers
and congregation sang: Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Us, Heavens
Jubilee and Amazing Grace. There was not a dry eye in the church.
All rejoiced and praised God. Church dismissed. A group picture was
made at the noon hour. NAMES OF SOME
EARLY FAMILY MEMBERS 1885-1886 Scott Davis Eva Davis William Fields Martha Fields Joseph Kirk Thornsberry
Kirk Henry White Arletta White Virginia
Smallridge William Fryman Christia
Campbell Felix Campbell America Kirk Milton
Campbell George Fields Isaac Fannin Leander
"Tobe" Hazlett John McWhorter Alonzo White Elizabeth
Hazlett Note: The Grassland
Methodist Church has since relocated their building. Submitted by:
Theresa Daniels Cox, granddaughter of Mrs. Goldie Davis Craig The picture above
was the one taken at the 90 year reunion. As you can see, some of
the ladies made and wore dresses that would have been worn
in1879. Mrs. Goldie Craig
passed away in December, 1969, not long after the reunion, Mrs.
Sophia Fannin passed away in October, 1974Compiled and written by ---------
Pauline Cue Fannie Eastham
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