The Tradition Began...

from the 1/23/2004 issue of Good Tidings

In June of 1886, a young minister named Thomas Jefferson Milam moved his family from Holly Springs, Texas to the area called Richardson. He along with 15 other persons joined together to form The First Methodist Episcopal Church, South. They had no building of their own, so they used the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Texas and Tyler streets for one Sunday each month.

Charter Members of First Methodist Episcopal Church; South, were: Sarah Wise Greer, Mary L. Furbee, Robert Fuqua, Cora Furbee, L. Fuqua. Rosa Furbee, W.F. Fuqua, John D. Jackson, M.E. Fuqua, Laura F. Jackson, E.I. Fuqua, H.B. Furbee, James R. Nevil, Cordelia Furbee, Martha Jane Nevil.

The Methodists’ hopes, prayers and dreams of having their own church came true in 1898. The women of the church were determined to wait no longer and got busy. Quilting beautiful bed quilts was quite popular in those days. The women decided to make an autograph quilt, consisting of many squares to be sold at 10 cents each. After quite an extensive selling campaign they had $50. The money was used to purchase approximately one acre of land from the railroad. The lot was located on the east side of Greenville Avenue, between Main and Polk Streets.

It was decided that the church would be white frame, with windows of colored glass. In the front corner was an entrance, with a steeple overhead.

The total cost of the building was $1200. It was considered the nicest church in town! Church membership in 1898 had increased by 16 members.

. . .and the tradition of mission and bringing people to be disciples of Jesus Christ had begun for First United Methodist Church Richardson!