This history was submitted to the archived USGenWeb Project by Jane Norton Powell in 2005.  No copyright infringement is intended.  Click here to view the original item.

Note:  The TNGenWeb Project does not condone use of culturally insensitive language.  In the text below, certain antiquated terms remain for context.

The deed to the church is dated April 1, 1835 and was registered on June 8, 1835. The property was sold by Byrd Link to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church and states that the property is

“for the exclusive use of building thereon a House of Worship for the use of Members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and no other denomination whatever.”

The first building was a log structure and built in 1837. In 1850 this was replaced by the one in use today. It is made of hand-hewn and hand-sawed timber cut on the grounds. The weather-boarding was cut with old slash saws in the following manner. A log was placed over a huge pit and one man in the pit worked one end of the saw and the other worked above the put. Up and down they would saw and, in time, off would come another plank.

Dancyville United Methodist Church survives as the oldest United Methodist Church in West Tennessee. The adjoining cemetery dates back to 1830.

The picture [not included] is a scan by Jim Dancy of a small, all occasion card and there is no copyright notice on it. The cards were done as a fund raiser for the church and are available from the church. They were done a number of years ago but I am certain Miss Dorothy Moore has a supply. They come with envelopes.

Dancyville Methodist Cemetery

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