| Text from the Church Bell Plaque “The first Methodist church in the Kentucky area of the Jackson Purchase, Mt. Vernon, was located 2 1/2 miles east near the intersection of Highways 68 and 58 by Circuit Rider Parson Ogden. Closed in 1852, members established Briensburg and Arkadelphia. Arkadelphia was located one mile northeast of Mt. Vernon. Its building and land were sold in 1884.” |
| Briensburg, once incorporated, was laid out in 17 city blocks. James Boyd Brien, a blacksmith by trade, settled in the area later to be named for him around 1819. James Brien served in the state legislature and was instrumental in the founding of Marshall County. Briensburg incorporated in 1861. By 1894, Briensburg claimed three general stores, one millinery shop, two blacksmiths, two churches (Christian and Methodist), one large school, a Masonic Lodge, a hotel, a tobacco warehouse, and three doctors. (Courtesy of James Boyd “Buck” Brien). From Marshall County by Connie Huddleston, Carol Aldridge, Virginia Smith, page 80 |
| Historical Highlights Timeline 1823 — Dunn Methodist Episcopal Church, the first in the Kentucky area of Jackson Purchase, organized by Parson Ogden at the homes of Farrar Dunn and McGilberry Wyatt. 1826 — First building erected and name changed to Mt. Vernon 1854 — Briensburg Methodist Episcopal Church, South organized by members of the former Mt. Vernon church 1948 — Brick structure erected to replace the original wooden facility From The History of Marshall County by Leon Leis Freeman and Edward C. Olds |
Historical Record of Pastors
Clergy appointed to Briensburg UMC
from Memphis Conference Archives
2004 William H. Lawson, Jr.
2003 Frank W. Bratt
1997 Stephen Mark Earheart
1993 Lynn H. Humston
1990 Larry N. Woodruff
1989 Robert E. Farless
1984 Gregory H. Waldrop
1983 Paul Joseph Harting
1980 Jerry E. Bell
1975 James E. Stubbs
1971 T. Wright Pillow
1969 Orville Easley
1967 George A. Carter
1965 Wm. T. Lucas
1962 A. Glenn Kesterson
1961 J.N. Forbes
1955 Orville Easley
1953 F.B. Alexander
1952 J.A. Collier
1950 B.A Walker
1947 A.G. Childers
1944 John E. Weir, Sr.
1943 W.M. Jones
1939 E.A. Phillips
1938 Steadman T. Bagby,
A.N. Walker , O.H. Boatwright
1937 G. S. Smith
1936 J. D. Wilford
1933 Voris H. Burnett, E.L. Morgan
1932 W.D. Dunn
1931 E. B. Rains, S.F. Sands
1930 Voris Burnett
1928 J. E. James, L.A. Crew
1927 H. A. Goforth
1926 H. T. Sanson
1925 L. A. Crews
1924 E. M. Buck
1923 C. C. Cason
1921 A. L. Dickerson
1920 F. R. Harper
1919 E. M. Buck
1918 R. A. McNutt
1917 T. K. Harper
1914 S. C. Evans
1910 W. A. Baker
1909 H. J. Johnson
1907 J. G. Jones
1906 J. T. Ricketts
1904 J. R. Womble
1903 N. W. Lee
1901 W. T. Elmore
1900 W. D. Dunn
1899 A. H. Bezzo
1898 H. B. Terry
1895 R. S. Harrison
1893 Rufus E. Humphrey
1892 A. L. Dallas
1890 T.N. Wilkes
1888 William Murray
1887 Peter Hunt Fields
1885 A. F. Sears
1884 Henry C. Gramble
1883 W. J. Naylor
1882 Charles Dudley Hilliard
1880 G. W. Evans
1878 J. R. Hardin
1876 W. G. Heffley
1875 Henry C. Gamble
1874 Walter R. Burke
1873 J. G. Glasgow
1872 James R. Dycus
1871 S. A. Mason
1870 James R. Dycus
1868 R.R. Nelson
1867 James R. Dycus
1864 W.W. Fawcett
1861 James R. Dycus
1860 Thomas C. Ellis
1859 D. C. Johnson, M.D. Robinson
1858 R.A. Neblett, M.D. Robinson
1857 Hillen A. Bourland, E.B. Plummer
1856 Emsley B. Plummer, Willam F. Melugin
1855 F.M. Morris, A.L. Hunsaker
1854 Jasper A. Mason, James N. Hawkins