Included are the names and any information we have on the clergy who have pastored in Jasper.
1839 – 1840
Daniel Carl
A tutor and native of New York. One of the first licensed to preach in Texas.
1840 – 1841
Henderson D. Palmer
Under Littleton Fowler, was one of the first to preach in Texas. (It has been noted that he, with a wife and four children, received less than $50.00 for his year’s work. His appointments were a hundred miles apart; his only conveyance was horseback; he was away from home a month at a time.)
1841 – 1842
Francis Wilson
Honored as one of “the most remarkable men among the early Methodist preachers in Texas,” his service to Southeast Texas is now commemorated with an official State Historical marker at Belgrade, Newton County, Texas. Native of Virginia; lived in Belgrade, then in Jasper County. Stayed at the home of Gideon J. Goode when in Jasper.
1843
James T. Irvine
Listed as one of the “heroes of San Jacinto.” Born in Tennessee; family came to Texas in 1830.
1844
Jacob Crawford
1845
Enoch P. Chisholm
1846
Harrison Z. Adams
1847
Preston W. Hobbs
1848
Michael J. Cole
1849
James P. Irvine
1850 – 1851
Hugh B. Hamilton (1818-1859)
Native of Tennessee. Engaged in the Indian War in Florida.
1852 – 1853
John C. Woolan (1813-1894)
Licensed to preach under the ministry of Moses Spear while he was serving Montgomery circuit in 1839.
1854
William P. Samson (1812-1858)
Born in Tennessee. Came to Texas in 1837. Licensed to preach in 1842.
1855
L. C. Crouse
1856
James L. Angel
1857
Isaac W. Overall
1858
Solomon Bridges
1859 – 1861
David Stovall
Served in the Civil War, ASC, as captain of Company C, 25th Texas Regiment. Composed primarily of volunteers from Jasper and Tyler Counties, it was known locally as the “Jasper Blues”. Helped build first of the four churches.
1862
J. A. Scruggs
1863
F. C. Dowdy
1864
Thomas B. Norwood
1865
James P. Rogers
1866
Daniel S. Watkins
1867 – 1870
E. L. Armstrong
In 1849 his father purchased half of Sherrod Wright’s league in Magnolia Springs for $1.00 an acre. Early preacher and school teacher in Jasper County. Served as chaplain during Civil War.
1871
A. D. Parks
1872
J. M. Bond
1873 – 1874
James R. Wages
1875
Ramsey C. Armstrong
Brother of E. L. Armstrong. Instrumental in establishment of Peachtree Academy, which flourished in that Jasper County community for a time. Married daughter of George W. Smyth.
1876 – 1878
E. M. Sweet
1879
J. F. Henderson
1880
R. M. Sproule
1881
W. W. Birdwell
1882-1885
W. B. Patterson
1886-1887
J. F. Archer
1888
W. B. Patterson
1889
R. M. Sproule
1890
C. H. Ellis
1891
J. C. H. McKnight
1892
L. C. Ellis
1893
O. C. Fontaine
1894
J. C. Wyche
1895
J. D. Dorcey
1896
J. A. Harvey
1897
J. T. McClure
1898
D. S. Burke
1899
K. P. Barton
Buried in Ryall Cemetery, Jasper, Texas.
1900
J. G. Pollard
1901
Lewis Christian
Born before the Civil War; one of ten children. Ordained in 1880 and served other churches in Jasper County.
1902 – 1903
I. S. Smith
1904 – 1906
M. L. Lindsey
Pastor when “the church the women built” was erected. (Second church)
1907 – 1908
C. W. Hughes
1909
A. G. Scruggs
Died August 3, 1932. Buried Jasper, Texas.
1910
Harold G. Cook
1911
J. A. Moody
1912
W. C. Morris
1913 – 1915
F. D. Dawson
He, son, and grandson, all preachers; all three had same name.
1916
S. A. Weimer, Jr.
1917
R. A. Gates
1918
A. A. Wagnon
1919 – 1920
A. S. Whitehurst
1921 – 1922
John W. Goodwin
1923 – 1925
L. L. Lloyd
Pastor when the third church (the red brick) was built.
1926 – 1928
E. W. Solomon
Son of a Methodist preacher, he was born August 12, 1851, in Georgia. Began teaching school at 16 to put himself through college. Licensed to preach at 19. When he was placed on superannuated list in 1936, after 64 years of continual service, he was the oldest active Methodist minister in Texas. He wrote to a Jasper friend: “…with nothing to do for the first time in my life, it is a trying situation.”
1929 – 1932
A. A. Tharp
1933 – 1937
Jesse Lee
1938 – 1941
Terry Wilson
1941 – 1951
James Thomas Moore
Born 1889 in Trenton, Texas. Retired in 1952 in Jasper where he died.
1952 – 1955
Clyde Woodard
Born July 16, 1896, Tyler, Texas. Deceased.
1956 – 1960
Lamar Clark
Army Chaplain 1940. Born December 19, 1911, Durant, Oklahoma. Married Lenora Fay Newborn, April 26, 1936.
1961 – 1964
Milton S. Jordan
Born November 20, 1897, Rockwell, Texas.
1965 – 1968
Nolan Vance
Born November 1, 1907, Lexington, Texas. Married Gussie Wieting, June 27, 1934.
1969 – 1972
Carl O. Bayer
Born October 20, 1907, Gleason, Wisconsin. First appointment was to Jasper Circuit about 1931.
1973 – 1978
W. E. Dugger, Jr.
Born May 22, 1924, Hillsboro, Texas. Married Dorothy Harriss, June 6, 1948.
1979
James Allen Chapman
Born December 19, 1911, in Malakoff, Texas. Married Marjorie Berry, June 15, 1945.
1980 – 1983
Royce P. Robb
Born September 26, 1933, at Marshall, Texas. Married Betty Lou Hanna, August 2, 1953.
1983 – 1986
R. Eugene Jonte
Retirement date was June 1, 1986 from active ministry. Born and reared in Beaumont, he was educated there; Lon Morris College, Jacksonville; Stephen F. Austin College, Nacogdoches; and Southern Methodist University School of Theology. Married to Juanita Fling, they had four children and three grandsons.
1986 – 1990
John Birkelbach
1990 – 1994
Dr. Clifford Lee
Born in Liberty, Texas, he was the son and grandson of Methodist ministers. Associate of Arts from Lon Morris College; Bachelor of Science from Stephen F. Austin State University; Master of Theology from Perkins School of Theology, SMU ; Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary.
1994 – 2000
Dr. Jerry Neff
Born in Kirbyville, Texas, son of a United Methodist pastor; earned BA in Political Science from University of Texas at Arlington; Masters of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry from Perkins School of Theology, SMU.
2000 – 2004
Robert Webb
2004 – 2010
Dr. Richard P. White
Born in Nacogdoches, Texas, both parents were educators. Undergraduate degree a BA in History and Political Science from Stephen F. Austin State University, Master of Divinity from Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, Doctor of Ministry from Houston Graduate School of Theology.
2010 – 2016
D. Fred Willis
Born in Texas City, Texas to a United Methodist Pastor. Undergraduate from University of Houston, College of Architecture. Masters from Perkins School of Theology, SMU.
2016 – 2020
Drew Weber
Born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio. Undergraduate degree from University of Mount Union (OH), Masters in Divinity from SMU’s Perkins School of Theology.
2020 – 2022
Jacob Smith
Raised in Jacksonville, Texas. Undergraduate degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, Masters of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at SMU. Passions for ministry include preaching, teaching, mission work, and summer camp. Favorite Bible verse is Ecclesiastes 12:13: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep His commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone.”
2023 (January-April)
Dr. Daniel T. Hannon (Interim Pastor)
Dr. Hannon, Pastor Emeritus/Founding Pastor of Christ Church Methodist, The Woodlands, served as interim pastor for the First Methodist Church of Jasper.
2023 – 2024
Derek Joyce
2024 (June-August)
Dr. Kenn Munn (Interim Pastor)
2024
Richard Leggett