The Doddridge United Methodist Church, Doddridge, Ark. Hal Lewis, chairman of the worship committee, said, "The church, founded in 1850, is one of the first Methodist churches in this part of the world." In researching the church's history, Lewis discovered that John Wesley and a group of about 60 ministers, organized the Episcopal Methodist Church in Baltimore, Md., in 1784, only eight years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Only 66 years later, the Doddridge Episcopal Methodist Church was organized at Sulphur Fork by Mark Lively. In 1908, the church building was disassembled and moved about two miles to its present location. Colquette Bigby rebuilt the church, "nearly board by board." W.T. Field, a pioneer of Miller County, donated the land for the new church. In 1958, the original church building was salvaged. A lot of the lumber was incorporated into the present church building. In 1974, an extension was added to serve as a fellowship hall and Sunday school. Charter members include the Bigby, Tidwell, Sexton, Templeton, Bryant, Smith, Lively and Taylor families. Walter Burnett, student pastor, serves the Doddridge church and two other churches. © VHR