MT. PISGAH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Cherokee Indians still lived on this land above the Chattahoochee River in 1831 when Mt. Pisgah Church, then called Martin Church or Chapel, first opened the door of its one-room log house of worship. (A theory of the Rev. Harold Lawrence, historian for the North Georgia Conference, is that the church was named for a lady lay-minister named Martin who started a number of churches around this frontier area in the 1830’s. Many Methodist churches at that time were called Chapel, since they were places of worship but not yet established churches.) The hand-hewn pine timbers were joined by mortise and tenon, windows were open to the elements, and the wretchedly uncomfortable benches were roughhewn slabs without backs. But these tribulations failed to dim the fervor of the worshipers or of the intolerant preachers who faced the severest test of nature to bring the word of God to the scattered churches on their circuits.
Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church shared the circuit with Alpharetta, Ocee, Newton, Midway and Warsaw Methodist Church. Mt. Pisgah and Alpharetta had two services a month. The other churches on the circuit had only one service a month.
Originally, all were in the Cherokee District, extending from Blue Ridge in north Georgia south to Monroe County and from the Savannah River west to the Chattachoochee River. In 1866, Mt. Pisgah was placed in the Atlanta District; from 1869 to 1883 and from 1900 to 1914 in the Marietta District, which became a station in 1861; and from 1883 to 1900 in the Gainesville District.
The earliest records of Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church were burned in the fire that destroyed the Alpharetta courthouse in the 1860’s. Most of the present history was gleaned from the memories and attics of later members.
The church originally was in Cherokee county, then in Milton County when that county was created from Cherokee, Cobb and Forsyth counties.
“A group of papers and a book were turned over to a representative of the church by Mr. & Mrs. Bill Scott (same having been left with them by Mr. R. L. Nesbit). The following information was found written on the back of a letter dated August 4, 1948-“’R. C. Nesbit. I have belonged to Mt. Pisgah Church 65 years. The church was moved from Pleasant Hill to Newtown. The old church was named the Martin Church. The one acre tract of land that the church was moved off of belongs to Mt. Pisgah Church. The triangle is being used for a grave yard.
“The Mt. Pisgah Church was built in 1873. The old church was built when the first settlers crossed in the Indian settlement.”
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