Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Hills Dale Methodist Church


One of our old churches that has faded into the past, without much history recorded or any known pictures of it for us to see, is New Salem or Hills Chapel Methodist church. 

It was one of the first churches established in the county with it's beginnings starting in the 1830's.

The first structure sat on the little knoll on the left side of Copperas Spring Road (Flynn's Ferry Rd.) a short distance before you reach Piney Fork Cheek, just across the road from the James Conger Rd.

This building burned, as so many of the log structures did in those early days, and then the congregation was moved to a location near Tribune. 

They remained there for several years and then moved to where the Copperas Springs School house used to be, in front of where Paul Edward and Ruby Crowell live today.  (The old school has been torn down)

From this location it was moved back to Tribune in a new wooden frame structure and the named changed to Hill's Chapel, named for the person who donated the land for the new church.

Uncle Billy Joel Hill, as he was known to everyone, donated the ground for the new church house.  It sat on the left side of the road in the corner from Hwy. 120 and Hwy. 654 south.

The building burnt in the 1950's and the congregation formed the Union Grove Church that was located close to the Repton bridge on Hy 60 East.

In 1918 in honor of the Crittenden County boys serving in WW I.  Felta Virginia Hill designed and made the service flag in this picture.  A star for each young man in service.  It was dedicated to the Church.
Left to right:  John Marshall Hill, Ettie Maydew Hill, Felta Virginia Hill, Mary Adelia Hill and Henry Clay Hill.  This was the "Hill Family" of Tribune.

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