Bethel United Methodist

In 1858 land was donated by William Henderson French on which to build three churches in Athens and the surrounding area. Bethel United Methodist Church was one of the three. Sarah Holroyd, wife of William Holroyd, the first minister of the Concord Methodist Church, is credited with naming the Bethel United Methodist Church.

Thomas Pritchard, Alonzo Gooch and his oldest son Thomas Churchill Gooch and William Holroyd were founders and builders of Bethel United Methodist Church.

There is some conflict about the land on which the Bethel United Methodist Church is built. Barbara Maxwell wrote in the “1984 Mercer County History, Mercer County Historical Society, Inc.," that the church bought the land from Peter Howard for $100.00, by deed dated April 8, 1858.

The first Bethel Methodist Church was a log building built by Thomas Pritchard, an English immigrant, out of logs obtained locally.  The first pastor on record was D. H. Carr.

The present building was built in 1914. Sunday school rooms and a kitchen were added in 1965-66.

Note: At the time of this posting, Bethel (2141 Eads Mill Road), Spanishburg (US-19 and Beckley Road), and Mt. Horeb (3063 Mt. Horeb Road) United Methodist Churches are served by a pastor who leads Sunday services at each location. To provide more information or contribute historic or recent protographs of these three churches please contact us here.