FIRST METHODIST CHURCH - FOX HILL

1844 -1958

          The First Methodist is the oldest and mother church of the Fox Hill community. It dates back some twenty years before the War Between the States. The land was given by Mr. Henry Guy and his mother, Elizabeth, in the year 1844, and they deeded it to seven trustees whose names are given as: R.A. Armstead, James Phillips, Jacob Ham, Major P. Bloxom, William A.G.W. Topping, John Cooper, and Henry Elliott.

          During the Civil War in 1862, it was burned or torn down. Some of the material was salvaged by loyal members, and at the close of the war in 1866 the church was rebuilt on the present site. The record lists the names of only two members, John dark and William Wallace, who helped rebuild the church after the war. This church served the community until 1878 when it was torn down to make room for a larger building. The lofty steeplewith belfry was added under the leadership of the Rev. V.W. Bargamin during the year 1894. In 1931 at the time that Rev. H.T. Todd served the charge the church was completely reconditioned.

          First Church - Fox Hill was connected with the First Methodist Church of Hampton until 1875. The record of the ministers who served this church is incomplete, but the names of Rev. B.W. Daugherty, Rev. J.B. Lourens, Rev. William McGee, Rev. T. McN. Simon, and Rev.Lumsdon are included during this period.

          At this time the church was made a separate station, or charge, and Rev. Cox, Rev. T.H. White, Rev. W.T. Williams, Rev. J.T. Lennon, Rev. Herbert T. Bacon, Rev. James L. Spencer, Rev. R.O. Payne, Rev. Thomas J. Wray, Rev. J.T. Alien, Rev. W.T. Hayes, Rev. B.W. Bargamin, Rev. McDaniel Rucker, Rev. W.A. Tompkins, Rev. J.T. Green, Rev. James 0. Moss, and Rev. Thomas E. Johnson were pastors under this arrangement.

          This church was connected with the East Hampton Methodist Church from 1905 to October 1953, and they together comprised the Hampton Roads Charge. The ministers to serve those churches were: Rev. W.E. Edwards Jr., Rev. V.R. Turner, Rev. W.F. Davis, Rev. J.H. Amiss, Rev. Charles W. Ray, Rev. W.G. Bates, Jr. and Rev. W.A. Roaton who began his pastorate in 1910 and was the first to serve for four years. He as followed by Rev. L.A. Smith, Rev. W.F. Draper, Rev. E.L. Peerman, Rev. Ainsworth, Rev. Wilson, Rev. R.R. Burnetts, Rev. J.B. Askew, Rev. J.W. Fizer, and Rev. H.E. Todd, 1928 - 1931, Rev. William E. Estes come to the church single, married Hazel Elliott, a local girl, later entered the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. And is now a U.S. A. Colonel retired. The Rev. J. Melvin Trower, was our first and only minister to serve six years, and it was during his fiscal year a parsonage was planned for the charge. The parsonage was completed during the first of two years served by Rev. L.C. Moore, who succeeded Rev. Trower, and in September of 1944 the charge made the final payment on the parsonage on the East Hampton church lot.

          Mr. Willis Wilson, grandfather of W.V. Wilson, was a charter member of this church. He was communion steward from the beginning of the church until his death at the age of 74. At that time Mr. John Bloxom the father of Mrs. Elijah Wallace, was appointed and he served until 1904. Mrs. Elijah Wallace has been a communion steward, and Mrs. Paul Obey is now serving.

          Mr. Tom Benthall was the first church school superintendent, and Mr. Dowell Magor, Mr. Robert Wallace, Mr. Mathew Wallace, Mr. Charles McCann, Charles Rowe also served in the capacity. Willis Wilson has been superintendent for the past fifteen years.

          Records show that Mr. Adolphus Guy served as secretary-treasurer of the church from 1883 to the early 1900's. Mr. Dick Bloxom held this office from about 1904 to 1928, at which time Mr. Elijah Wallace, the present treasurer was elected to serve in this capacity.

          James M. Elliott at the time of his death was the oldest member of the church and was a descendant of William Elliott of the Eastern Shore, who organized the first Sunday school in Virginia. 

          Pastors to serve during the last decade of the old Hampton Charge in Norfolk District were: Rev. Stuart M. Inglehart, 1944-1948, and it was during this last year that the new educational building at First Church was planned, and the drive for funds for that purpose was started. Rev. Inglehart was succeeded by Rev. J. Floyd Carroll 1948-1952 and it was during his pastorate we built and paid for our new educational building, costing some $13,000. The last minister to serve the Hampton Roads Charge was Rev. George W. Ports, Jr. For one year from October 1952 to October 1953, after which church became an independent station.

          It was during Mr. Ports' year that plans were started for the erection of a new parsonage, and at a church conference held on October 4,1953 we agreed to purchase a lot from Mr. Elliott Schaub at 49 Beach Road on which the parsonage now stands. This church received the sum of $6,500 from the East Hampton Methodist Church which was their share of the equity in their parsonage. The construction of the parsonage was started in the spring of 1954 and completed in the same year for approximately $16,000 with the laymen of the church doing much of the work.

          In addition to the sanctuary, the educational building and the parsonage, the church owns approximately two and two tenths acres of land at Bloxom's Corner for a future church site, which as purchased (by unanimous consent of the church in conference held on February 14,1954) from the Kity Copeland estate for $5000.

          The total value of all church properties at the time of this writing is estimated to be approximately $80,000. The entire church building to include all church and parsonage furnishings as well as the future church site are debt free. However, we still owe $6500 with interest at 4 on the parsonage building. This debt is being retired at the rate of $1000 to $1500 each year, and we hope to do even better.

        This Church was under the jurisdiction of the Norfolk District of Virginia Conference until May 31,1954 with Dr. W. Kenneth Haddock as our district superintendent under this arrangement. It was he who took a commanding leadership, with the full support of Bishop Paul N. Garber, in bringing about the establishment of the New Peninsula District of which we are a part with twenty seven other churches, under the most capable leadership of Dr. William P. Watkins, our first Peninsula Superintendent.

        This little church, though serving the community of some one hundred and fourteen years, has made more rapid strides in recent years since becoming a station at the beginning of the short church year from October 1953 to May 31,1954. At the close of this church year Rev. Earle W. Paylor, Jr. will have served this church for four years and eight months, from October 1953 to May 31,1958. During this time, under his able and devoted Christian leadership, the church has enjoyed a steady and healthy growth. We are so thankful for his ministry. We have indeed been blessed with good ministers, but none better.

          Let us also pause to give a word of thanks for our laymen and laywomen of our church and for those saints who have gone before us. Much might be said here concerning them, both past and present, and by name, but for fear some one might be left out, the writer refrains from mentioning any at this time - but to pause to state the church is deeply indebted to them for their many years of devoted Christian service to the church and to the community.

Our Prayer

Oh Thou eternal God our Father:

          Hear or prayer today; we seek they mercy, and forgiveness, for our oft going astray.

          Give us strength for every trail, and courage for our onward march, may thy presence be ever with us, as we humbly take our cross. May we follow in His footsteps, until we hear Thee say well done, then we will say Alleluiah Sunday, March 30,20033/30/2003- By the grace we've won.

          In Jesus name we pray - Amen

Sunday, March 30, 2003

Rewritten by Judy C. Riss

     from the Cook Book of the First Methodist Church, Fox Hill, Virginia

Edith Spencer Circle - 1958