Just a few years after the close of the Civil War when the veterans

of that war, both victor and vanquished, returned to their homes and

families, this part of the country was a sparsely settled frontier.

Un-entered government land was plentiful, but few if any, organized

churches existed. As peace had been proclaimed and the Stars and

Stripes waved hope, protection and patriotism to a reunited people,

the desire and need of an organized church became apparent.

 

The Spirit of Wesley, The doctrine of Methodism as preached by John

Wesley having already been firmly planted in the hearts and lives of

our pioneer forefathers, the Methodist church in this vicinity was

organized at Shady Grove. J.J. McKissack, W.H. Martin, and J.C.

Vickery being appointed trustees. This began in the early part of the

1870s.

 

Richard McCain, an early pioneer of this country made application

for 159 acres more or less, to the United States of America through a

land office at Huntsville, Alabama. Homestead Certificate No. 1878;

Application 544, Dated 1882. This land was granted to the said

Richard McCain by the United States, signed by the President, Chester

A. Arthur, and W.H. Crooky, Secretary.

 

On December 28, 1882, Richard McCain and his wife, Jane McCain

deeded seven acres of this newly purchased land to the trustees of the

Methodist Episcopal Church, J.J. McKissack, W.H. Martin and J.C.

Vickery. Deed was signed by Richard McCain and wife, Jane McCain in

the presence of Louis P. Peterson and G.W. Jaggers as witnesses and

notarized by George Lester. No down payment was mentioned in this

Warranty Deed, or how much the property cost. Some seem to think that

it was given to the church by Richard McCain and wife, Jane McCain,

but I have not found anyone who knows this to be a fact.

 

Anyway, after having acquired this land, two acres for the church

and five acres for the cemetery, this little group of pioneers had

very little money and was unable to build a church, they did the next

best thing, a brush arbor served as a meeting place for worship until

they could hew cut enough logs to build a church.

 

Along about the year of 1883 a dream was fast coming true. The

trustees and everyone concerned met and decided to build the church.

Someone asked where shall we build? George W. Kilgo (Uncle Charlie

Kilgo's father) pointed to a location, and said, "This is a nice level

spot." They all agreed on the site, then someone asked, "What shall

we name it?" Uncle George said, "Let's name it Shady Grove," and so

it was called Shady Grove thereafter. He told his son Charles Kilgo

that he hit the first lick toward building the log church. Their

tools being very crude and limited, it took many days with long hours

and lots of muscle to hew out enough logs to build this first little

church, but while it was being built, it was born with a faith in the

future of this newly settled section and with a desire to serve the

people of this potentially rich farming land.

 

This little church served as an educational center, split logs were

used as benches. They had school three months out of the year. The

little church floor was the Mother Earth.

 

Then about the year of 1888, they grew very ambitious and anxious

to build a better and more spacious church. Sometime in the late

1880s, D.C. Beltz, a minister from Cincinnati, Ohio, moved to this

part of the country. He seemed to have many talents, being a

gunsmith, a carpenter, and a great sportsman. He did his work with

precision and the trustees employed him as the architect for the

building of the present church. He drew the blueprints which were the

first to be used in this newly settled area. Some of the younger

members wished to build the church at the bottom of this hill, but

"our Uncle Sammy Leak" had such a desire to build it on top of this

hill that he pledged 100 days of his time free, so on top of the hill

the church was built. Uncle Sammy was born in 1812 and lived to be 84

years of age. He and his wife, Margaret Leak are buried out in this

cemetery. It took many months to complete this church, but it was

everything they had hoped for.

 

During the building of this church, or some time shortly thereafter

the records show that the trustees borrowed money from the Board of

Church Extension of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a Pennsylvania

Corporation.

 

The Encumbrances reads as follows:

 

Methodist Episcopal Church of Shady Grove

By: W.H. Martin, Richard McCain, J.W. Kilgo, T.W. Leak, and J.C.

Vickery, Trustees

 

Kind of Encumbrance - Mortgage Deed

Date of Encumbrance - December 15, 1890

Date of Acknowledgment - December 23, 1890

 

Board of Church Extension of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a

Pennsylvania Corporation

 

Date filed for record - December 23, 1890

Recorded in Mortgage Book 16, page 558-61

Consideration $200.00

 

Property Mortgaged

 

The South half of seven acres of the Southwest quarter of the

Northeast quarter of the Southwest quarter of Section 26, Township 10,

Range 5 West.

 

No Margin Entry . . .

 

When due: No time for payment specified, a condition of the trust

agreement is that party of the first part shall not disassociate with

party of Second part.

 

They only gave a mortgage on the acreage where the church is

located. I judged from the records that they must have borrowed this

money to finish the church and pay the architect. All the other labor

was donated.

 

Among the early pioneers of this little community was Susana

McCain, grandmother of Richard McCain, she was born in 1786, just 10

years after the Declaration of Independence was signed and she died

1876. She lived to be 90 years of age. She is buried out in this

cemetery. The first graves as you enter the cemetery are unknown to

us. My mother and aunt Dolly Ann Kilgo knew all the names, but we

failed to make note of them. There are 231 graves in this cemetery.

Charles Kilgo, Jr. being the last person buried here.

 

These dear forefathers made great progress and gave us a rich

heritage. There were many gala affairs, celebrations, etc. held at

Shady Grove - Fourth of July and other occasions. Our grandfather,

Dr. Henderson Martin's family was a musical family. They had a band

of their own. Grandfather played the violin, Aunt Clem Brock the

guitar, Aunt Ellen McAfee the organ, Aunt Belle Echols the banjo,

Uncle Charlie Martin the drum, Uncle Jim Martin the horn and also

violin. The other children did the singing. Mr. Elbert Kilgo made

the statement to my sister, Etta Kilgo, "the first organ I ever saw

and heard was in this church and Aunt Ellen McAfee was playing it.

 

We must not forget to mention the useful spring of water located

about 250 yards Northwest down the hill. This spring supplied the

church and the school with pure, cold water. During my childhood I

recall my father and Uncle Bud Leak building a casing around the

Spring to protect it and keep it pure. It has disappeared, but it

served it purpose.

 

Services were discontinued here about the year 1920, except for the

Memorial we have on the first Sunday in May each year. As the country

was being settled up at a rather rapid pace the population shift

placed Logan a little nearer the center, but there are many, many

people who will always hold Shady Grove near and dear to their hearts

as I always will. My prayer is, may it always be held in reverence,

by future generations.

 

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