First United Methodist Church

Methodism was first introduced into the Big Sandy Valley by a company of Methodists from Tazewell County, Virginia. Led by Cornelius McGuire, this group organized the first Methodist class in Floyd County in 1796 in the home of Henry Stratton.

The Paintsville Methodist Society was organized in the summer of 1812. It met in the home of John Auxier, located in the east end of Paintsville, which was later bought by Moses (Cobe) Preston. Among the most influential and zealous in organizing and maintaining the early Methodist society were Lewis Mayo and Electious Howes.

Lewis Mayo was perhaps the most influential layman in the valley, conducting prayer meetings, class meetings and being a major contributor to the support of the society.

Electious Howes, a local preacher, was a man of great influence as a preacher and promoter of the church. His son, John Howes, followed in his footsteps and was also a local preacher, as was a grandson, Charles J. Howes.

In addition to the Auxier and Howes families, early Methodist families in Paintsville included those of Samuel Friend, Daniel Hager, D. B. Wells and John Vaughan.

In 1844, Methodists adopted the Plan of Separation which, due to differences caused by the issues of slavery and abolition, divided the church between north and south. The Paintsville Society came within the southern church boundaries. With the approach of the Civil War, societal and political differences brought about two separate Methodist congregations in Paintsville...the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, now known as Mayo Memorial United Methodist Church, and Methodist Episcopal Church, North, now First United Methodist Church, united once again since the Plan of Reconciliation in 1939.

First United Methodist Church of Paintsville was founded in 1865. Charter members included the Borders, Vaughan, Howes, Baldwin, Brown and Walker families.

This congregation built the first church building erected in Paintsville. It was built of wood on the present site of the church at Main and Church Streets with lumber and nails donated by Joseph Borders and the Vaughan family. The property was purchased from Reuben and Amanda Patrick of Magoffin County for $150.00. It was first called Vaughan's Chapel and held that name while it was part of a circuit. The name was changed to Methodist Episcopal Church, North, when it became a "station" in 1904.

This church building served the members admirably until 1914 when ground was broken for the present structure. A new parsonage had been constructed adjacent to the church the previous year. The cost of the new church building was $16,000 while the parsonage cost $1950. In 1956 the church purchased adjoining property from the J. A. Jones family on which an educational building was eventually constructed and opened in 1970 at a service with Bishop Roy H. Short presiding.

(Information was provided by First Methodist Church from material previously compiled by E. J. Rees, W. H. Vaughan, H. B. Rice, H. S. Howes, G. H. Rice and Coke Williams.)

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