Over the years Pleasant Grove has been served by many Pastors. What follows is as complete a listing as we have. As you can see, there are gaps in what we have recorded.
According to Minnie Brank Roberts in her narrative about the history of Pleasant Grove Union Church,
“It was pastored for many years, once a month by a Methodist Circuit Rider who lived in Weaverville, and once a month by the Reems Creek Presbyterian Church minister. On the other Sunday’s guest ministers or men of the community would conduct the service. The money collected each Sunday by the Passing-of-the-Hat was given to the minister who conducted the service that day.”
The complete listing (to the best of our knowledge) of Methodist ministers is as follows.
J.W. Vandiver (According to Minnie Brank Roberts Daniel T. Atkins c.1880-1891)
Montraville Weaver (Also, according to her summary, he was followed by TC Wagg)
J.A. Reagan (see below. The Archives of the Western District UMC may help.)
J.F. Austin 1887-1889
W.B. Lyda 1889-1890
J.A. Clark 1890-1891
J.H. Gray 1891
J.T. Stover 1891-1892
T.E. Wagg 1892-1894 (According to Minnie Brank Roberts, T.C. Wagg 1887-1891)
L.E. Stacey 1894-1898
P.W. Taylor 1898-1901 (Can’t seem to find him in 1900 Buncombe, NC census (spelling?))
A.W. Plyler 1901-1905
G.W. Crutchfield 1905-1908
T.E. Smiley 1908-1910
W.E. Poovey 1910-1912 (Found Edgar Poovey, Minister 1910 Buncombe, NC census p. 198a)
J. H. West 1912-1914
E.W. Fox 1914-1917
O.J. Jones 1917-1919
O.P. Ader 1919-1921
A.J. Burress 1921-1924
?? 1924-1927
1924/1927 may be the beginning of a five church charge with Pleasant Grove, Clarks Chapel, Alexander Chapel, South Fork, Salem (Salem left (the charge), and then there was a 4 point charge (?40s?), South Fork went independent 1950s or 60’s and left it as a 3 church charge.)
J.W. Groce 1927-1932
O.B. Mitchell 1932-1934
J.H. Green 1933-1934
Rush Duncan 1934-1937
Arthur Kale
? Varner 1939-1940
J.M. Brandon 1940-1941
Vernon Hall 1941-1943
J.D. Pyatt 1943-1947
Durwood Knight 1947-1952
E.C. and Mrs. Gover 1952-1956 (She filled in for him from time to time)
J.E.B. Houser 1956-1959
William Richardson 1959-1960
J. Holt Madison 1960-1964
Sid Barnes 1964-1965
Henry King 1965-1969
At this time Pleasant Grove went on the charge with Elkwood.
John Nelson 1969-1971
At this time Pleasant Grove went on the charge with Weaverville.
D. Bryce Parker 1971-1973
Don Payne 1973-1975 (deceased 11/1975 Tom Swafford (retired) served 1/1976 until 6/76 conference)
Tom H. Swafford 1976-1976
Dayle Groh 1976-1980
Milton Widenhouse 1980-1983
Charles M. Turner 1983-1986
Joe M. Warner 1986-1988
Frank “Duke” Ison 1988-1992
At this time Pleasant Grove went on the charge with Alexander Chapel (Weaverville had their own minister from this point.)
Warner B. Milner 6/1992-9/3/1992
Jesse Tart 9/1992-8/1993
Donald C. Bremer 8/1993-1996
Cecil Donahue 1996-1998
George King 1998-1999
Anthony “Tony” Reggi 1999- 6/2002
After Tony Reggi, the church was assigned to Cecil Hayes as a “local church”, essentially a part-time charge by itself.
Cecil Hayes 7/2002- 2004
Amy Rio-Anderson 2004- 2005
Deborah “Deb” Patterson 2005-2010
Dianne Johnston 2010 – Present
Baptist ministers who have served Pleasant Grove on the 4th Sunday (This is very likely an incomplete listing.) (Any other names?? approximate Dates?? This section has the least detail currently.)
Alfred Bradley
Joe Hemphill
J.H. Kaiser
Kuykendal ??late 30s/early 40s?? (May have served at Weaverville Baptist church simultaneously.)
Leon N. Lutz 1950-1952 (was said to be first full time Baptist Minister (4th Sunday of each month.))
Paul Chandler 1952-1953
Robert E. “Bobby” Harris 1954-2007
(According to my Dad (James F. Parker) Rev. Harris was the first to have service at 10AM, the other ministers were having 11AM service, as you can imagine this became confusing and so 10AM was standardized for all the ministers.)
After the sudden passing of Rev. Harris, it was suggested that Rev. Ray Bailey (who had assumed the 2nd Sunday service responsibilities) might be asked to add the 4th Sunday as well, which he accepted.
The complete listing of Presbyterian ministers as best as we can tell is as follows.
Alfred Marion Penland 1880-1887 (Served simultaneously at Beech Presbyterian)
H.A. Graff 1887-1890 (doublecheck name – Blanche Robertson had Goff?)
F.M. Fox 1890-1893
H.M. Boyd 1893-1902 ( Found Harvey M. Boyd 1900 Buncombe, NC census, p. 65a)
W.E. Hutchinson 1902-1907
H.P. Sanders 1907-1912 (Found Henry P. Sanders in 1910 Buncombe, NC census p. 183a)
J.F. Smith 1912-1912
J.H. Gruver 1912-1921 (Found Jacob H. Gruver in 1920 Buncombe NC, census p. 124a)
W.M. Hyde Jr. 1921-1952
Cullen J. C. Story 1952-1954
Phillip Young 1955-1961 (Minnie Brank Roberts lists a Rev. Hurd after Phillip Young)
In this period – 2nd Sunday Lay Speakers supplied from Methodist Conference 1961-1970
Wayne Davis 1970-1975
William T. Wing 1975-1980
John Kelly 1980-1984
Ray Bailey (Bapt.) on Presbyterian Sunday Oct. 1984- Aug. 1994
Dan Bowers (Congregational) Sept. 1994 – Dec 2005
Ray Bailey (Bapt.) on Presbyterian Sunday Jan. 2006 –
Also from the notes of Minnie Brank Roberts,
Not all the good preachers had attended a theological school. No trained minister could preach a better sermon than Rev. Burnett Roberts, (11/28/1854 – 2/14/1928) who had married Bessie Eller. He could capture his congregation, bring tears to many an eye, and bring many to Christ. Both he and his wife had beautiful singing voices. Bessie Eller Roberts was also an aunt of June Eller Parker and a great aunt of James F. Parker.
During the building of the church, Rev. Vernon Hall donated portions of his income into the building of the church.
I understand that the Gover’s (Methodist)were here during the building of the parsonage (currently owned by Pleasant Grove, Alexander Chapel, and Clark’s Chapel. (2003)) (He (Rev. Gover) did a lot of the work on the parsonage.)
Another note – Rev. John Alfred Bradley lived 1849-1937