What Is The Little White Church On The Hill...

Information On This Page Was Obtained From The Membership Roll Book of Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church (Earliest Recorded Date 1879). The Original Deed From The Frank Logan Estate, Conversation With The Late Mrs. Jane Winkler, Herman Winkler, Lois Allen, Fletcher Allen, An Article Titled, "Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church" Published In The White County News Dated February 27, 1969, And First Hand Information From The Writer Who First Attended The Church In 1949.

It Is Believed That The Cemetery Of Mount Pleasant Church Was Established Before Any Building Was Constructed. A Deed From Frank Logan To William Goodman Dated November 15, 1862, Recorded In Lumpkin County In Book P, Page 542, Pertains To The Sale Of 150 Acres Of Land For Twelve Hundred Dollars, Said Land Adjacent To Property Where Mt. Pleasant Church Currently Exists. Reference Is Made In The Deed To Land Adjacent To "A Marked Line To The Top Of The East Ridge Of The Graveyard." This Deed Was Made Before White County Was Established; Therefore, It Is Recorded In Lumpkin County. The Oldest Marked Grave In The Cemetery Is Dated 1832. Therefore, The Assumption Can Be Made That Sometime Early In The 19th Century A Graveyard Was Established Before Mt. Pleasant Church Was Established.

In 1887, Captain R. Asbury, Former Officer In The Army Of The Confederate States Of America, Who Was Executer Of The Estate Of Frank Logan (Referred To In The 1862 Dead) Deeded To Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church Six Acres Of Land "To Be Used, Kept, Maintained And Disposed Of As A Place Of Divine Worship For Use Of The Ministry And Membership Of The Methodist Episcopal Church." The Land Was Deed To The Trustees And Their Heirs And Successors. The Original Trustees Were; W.A. Allen, A.J. Cantrell, F.L. Densmore, James Jarrard, Thomas McAfee, And George Clark. The Original Church Was Constructed Of Logs And Was Located Across The Road In Front Of The Current Church Building. It Served As A Combination Church And School House. The Late Mrs. Jane Winkler Witnessed The Building Of The Present Structure. It Is Believed That The First Church Building Was Constructed Sometime Between 1860 and 1880. The Present Structure Was Erected In 1889. The Building Had Two Front Doors- One For The Men And One For The Women. Part Of The Original Building Is Held Together With Wooden Pegs And The Floor Sills Are Hand Hewn. There Was A Low Partition Running The Length Of The Church On The Inside Separating The Men From The Women. The Late Mrs. Jane Winkler Stated That Boys And Girls Passed Notes Under The Partition As A Means Of Correspondence. There Was No Electricity In The Building And Oil Lamps, Suspended From The Ceiling, Were Used For Lighting Purposes.

Around 1930, The Front Steps, A Porch, A Foyer, And A Pulpit Area Were Added To The Original Structure Constructed In 1889. In The Early 1960's, Renovation Included A New Ceiling, Paneling, A New Floor, And New Furniture. In 1980, The Two Back Sunday School Rooms Were Constructed And In 1985, A Combination Fellowship Hall - Sunday School Rooms Including Bathrooms Was Constructed. Other Improvements During The Past Few Years Include A Steeple And Vinyl Siding On All The Church Buildings. In 1992, The Church Purchases Approximately Four Acres Of Land Immediately In Front Of The Church Building.

According To The Membership Roll Book, There Have Been 39 Preachers And/Or Visiting Ministers Who Have Received Members Into The Fellowship Of The Church. Mount Pleasant Has Always Had A Circuit Pastor With Services One Time A Month, Two Times A Month And Currently Every Sunday. The Church Has Always Had Sunday School Each Sunday.

The Location Of The Cemetery May Have Influenced The Founders Of The Church In Selecting The Name Of Mt. Pleasant. The Cemetery Sets On A Slope Of A Beautiful Ridge Overlooking A Peaceful Forest Countryside. The View Is Spectacular With The Horses Range, Blood, Tesnatee Gap, Cowrock, & Wildcat Mountains Visible In The Distance. A Cross Has Been Constructed At The Top Of The Cemetery & Sunrise Services Are Held There Each Year.

There Are Approximately 440 People Buried In The Cemetery.  The Oldest Grave Is That Of John Sittons Wife - Dated 1832.  It Is Believed His Wife's Name Was Sarah.  There Are A Number Of War Veterans Buried In The Cemetery Including An American Revolutionary Soldier And A Civil War Soldier.  In Addition, There Are 102 Unmarked Graves, Many Believed To Have Been Slaves Of A Prominent Family Buried In The Cemetery.

Several Years Ago, Members Of The Church Made A Record Of All Information On Identifiable Grave Markers.  There Are Many Interesting Markers As Listed Below:

"God Called Thee Home, He Thought It Best."

"Indian War Bugler "Of The Georgia Volunteers."

"The Lovely Flower Hath Faded."

(Next Update.. Cemetery Graves - Early Years)