Other Methodist churches established in the eighteenth century in this country were Ebenezer (Maybinton), New Hope, Salem, Stockman's Bethel, Tranquil and Moon's Meetinghouse. The oldest Methodist church now existing in the county is Ebenezer, located in the Maybinton section between the Enoree and Tyger rivers. Organized in the 1780s, it has occupied three different buildings. Little is known of the first edifice, but the second was erected on land reputedly given by Dr. Burwell Chick on Casey's Branch. The third meetinghouse was built in 1848; this building is still in use although renovated some years later. Early families belonging to Ebenezer were Huron, Hardy, Caldwell, Cofield, Brazzelman, Clark, Chandler, Davis, and Harris; later the Moorman, Chick, Maybin, Douglass, Lyles, Oxner, Glenn, Worthy, Bishop, Goudelocke, Murtishaw, Hodges, and Sims families were identified with Ebenezer. The Reverend E. Toland Hodges went out to preach from this church. New Hope was established about 1795. Five years later Salem was organized nearby on Second Creek and merged with New Hope in 1835. Reverend Nathan Boyd was a leading spirit in this church, and among the early families included in the membership were the Tygerts, Lakes, Cromers, Grahams, and Thompsons. Stockman's Bethel was built about 1796 by the Stockmans, Dickerts, and Folks. Later the church was moved to a new site near Pomaria and the name changed to Bethel. Bethel was abandoned after the Civil War. Tranquil was built near Jalapa in 1799 by the Wrights, Shells, Browns, and Seymores. The most prominent leaders of this congregation were Stephen Shell, Zacheus Wright, and Robert G. Gilliam. Here Newberry County's first Sunday school was organized in 1827 by Wright and Absalom Glasgow, who was a Presbyterian. In 1890 the church was moved to Jalapa and there later abandoned. Moon's Meetinghouse was built in the forks of Saluda and Little River in the 1790s. It was named for Dr. W. M. Moon, a local preacher and friendly host of Bishop Asbury. This church was disbanded in 1851. end for Methodists.... ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com