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History of FUMC Taylor

Taylor was first named Taylorsville for an official of the International and Great Northern Railroad, but was later known as Taylor. The first lots were sold by the Texas Land Company with headquarters in Palestine, Texas on June 10th, 1876. The struggling congregation of Methodists acquired its first lot at the corner of South-East Porter and East Sixth Streets. The story goes that someone in this neighborhood didn’t want a church built on that lot and offered another lot in its place, but none ever materialized, and this location was not built on. The congregation met in the homes of its members and other places and later used the old Odd Fellows Hall as a place of worship, which was located on the corner of North Main and East Fifth Streets. During the years from 1876 to 1883 little progress was made in the work and membership, but the location held was sold and the one at the corner of Talbot and West Fifth Street was acquired and plans were made to build a small white frame church building which was completed in 1885. About this time Taylor was made a full time station being served full time by the Pastor and the church then having a membership of about 150 members.

The first parsonage owned by the Church was just south of the church on
West Fifth and Talbot, where the Lone Star Gas Building was located.
In 1897 or 1898 a new parsonage was bought on West Sixth Street.
It was during 1911-13 that the Parsonage was sold and the new property on the corner
of West Fifth and Vance Streets was bought. A new parsonage was built in 1919.
However before the Parsonage was completed several rentals were used.
This property was sold in 1955 and plans to buy a new parsonage,
and then later build one on the lot on Lake Dr.
In the late 1890’s the membership had grown in such numbers that plans were projected
and a brick veneer church was built in 1903.

In 1914-15 the attendance and the growth in the Sunday School demanded an
enlarged building program, and on the lot East of the original Church and
Sunday School Annex three large Sunday School rooms were built.

In 1927 the old Sunday School Annex was torn down, and a new three story
Education Building was built, because the growth in the Sunday School demanded
additional rooms for all ages and classes. After months of working,
the building was completed on January 31, 1931.

In 1934-35 the foundation of the Educational Building had given way
and repairs were necessary, so a loan had to be secured.

In 1937-38 the Building Fund Committee was organized and plans were
made for monthly payments to be made by
the membership on their pledges to the Educational Building fund.

In 1951 plans were discussed regarding a new church, either to sell the present property
or to build on the present location. On December 11, 1952, the decision was made to
sell the church property and as part of the transaction a lot on Lake Drive was given.
Later, the sale of the property was called off, but the lot on Lake Drive was deeded to the
membership of the First Methodist Church. Later an additional lot adjoining the Lake Drive
property was bought on which a Parsonage would be built.

April 18, 1956, plans were completed for the dreams of building the
Educational Building and Church. In 1957, the present church was erected.

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(This article, written by Mary Moody, was taken from a booklet printed as the First Methodist Church was in the process of launching a building campaign for $125,000.00 with which to erect the first unit of the new church building.)