Soule Methodist Church
Soule Church, one of the oldest established Methodist congregations in Hyde County, got its name from Bishop Joshua Soule. In the early days Soule Church was the center of worship for a large portion of aristocracy at the time. Soule Church had its beginning on August 11, 1858, when John R. Donnell deeded the church site to Riley Murray, James R. Fisher, Edward Jones, Samuel G. Watson, Sr., James W. Swindell, Milton Sadler, Gideon S. Sermons, James Weston, and Leroy M. Swindell, who served as the first trustees of the church. Immediately after the church site was obtained, work was begun on construction of the building with Tulley Williamson as head carpenter. The church is a white-frame building with stained glass windows. In recent years wings for Sunday School classrooms, bathrooms, and a kitchen have been added.
Nearby is Soule Cemetery, which is the largest burying ground in Hyde County. There lie the remains of people from all sections of the state--the place chosen because it is one of the highest spots in the county.
Milton Sadler, one of the first trustees of Soule Church, is said to have "hoisted" the first tune there. It is interesting to note that Mr. Sadler is the grandfather of Willie Mae Spencer Graham, the great-grandfather of Carolyn Spencer Harris, and the great-great-grandfather of Richard O'Neal, each of whom has taken his/her turn in "hoisting" the tunes in Soule Church since 1921.
Soule Cemetery occupies a portion of land first settled by the Benson family: Alexander Benson settled a 300 acre land grant on the south side of Mattamuskeet Lake and on Heron Bay in the 1700's; Reuben Benson settled 25 acres on the south side of the Lake in 1801; John Benson settled 60 acres of the Lake adjoining the Caleb Swindell line.
| Soule Methodist
Church 1890 Roll of Members |
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| Soule Methodist
Church 1916 Sunday School Records |
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Record For Sunday - July 30, 1916 Religious Services conducted by: J. H. McGowan Opening song: Just When I Need Him Most Officer and Teachers present: 6; absent: 1 Scholars present: 32; absent: 24 Scripture Lesson: I Corinthians 1, 18-31 Subject of Lesson: The Word of the Cross School addressed: Minutes by: Collection: 50 cents; Weather: Fair & Warm School closed by: Song no. 52 Remarks: Baraca Collection - 46 cents |
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Record For Sunday - Aug. 6, 1916 Religious Services conducted by: J. H. McGowan Opening song: Glory to his name Officer and Teachers present: 6; absent 1 Scholars present: 29; absent 27 Scripture Lesson: I Corinthians 13. Subject of Lesson: The greatest thing in the world Temperance Lesson School addressed: 10; Minutes by: Mr. Brothers Collection: 33 cents; Weather: Fair & Warm School closed by: Remarks: |
Sources:
Photos courtesy of Sandra Carawan.
1916 Sunday School Records from Merlin
Berry.
1890 Membership from High
Tides, Volume 3, Number 1; Spring, 1982; pp. 18-19.
Hyde County History
published by the Hyde County Historical Society in 1976.