So Many of you asked me to do a look up on the Oak Grove Church I decided to send it all out to the list. It will be in 4 different parts because it is 3 pages typed. This church is in Dardanelle, Yell County AR. Good luck! OAK GROVE CHURCH Joseph B. Annis held the office of Deacon in the Methodist Church of Johnson and Yell Counties by appointment of the Little Rock Conference 5 November 1837. He is the first of the Methodist Denomination to record marriages in the county. Annis while serving as a Circuit Rider ministered to a congregation in Brearly Cemetery. It appears that the building place was used as a school house and referred to as the Apple Tree. Samuel H. Balch, the Presbyterian minister, also used the place to conduct services in 1841. John Cowles conducted a rivival on the Riley Creek in 1830 and Baptised several Rileys. This is the first reference I found of the Methodist being organized in this county. Cowles married people from all sections of the county and may have preached over a large circuit. In 1831 John Wirsfield an Englishman taught school and preached for Logan and Riley families. Up to this time marriages were performed nad not fully recognized or questioned whether the preacher was a member of a recognized church. Prior to 3 September 1841 religion had no formal recognition in Yell County. On this first known marriage performed and recorded by a minister of God was 3 June 1841, when Robert Muney and Clarisa Travis were united in marriage by John Crutchfield, with authority to perform marriages granted by James Osgood Andrews. Another Methodist Minister was Jackson Graham, who signed as minister of God 24 August 1841, with authority to perform marriages by Biship Andrews. Little is known of Malachai Skaggs, but he performed services 19 July 1841 at the Methodist Church, Magazine Township. I have no record of but two churches being in Magazine Township, Oak Grove and Chickalah. Joseph B. Annis appeared on the field at Dardanelle, 1 January 1842. Rev. Annis had been here for some time for we find that he married T. N. Floyd and Sabina Connaly 1 December 1841. It can only be assumed that the church at Dardanelle, was organized on that date. He served as Senior Deacon in the first Masonic Lodge to be organized in Dardanelle in 1846. >From letters once the property of Mrs. Pearl Hayden, the following was found. "James Dunn Adney, ordained as Minister, Oak Grove Methodist Church, 1 January 1844". Mr. Adney stated his decision for the ministry was because of the influence on his life of his Christian mother. No statement was made concerning who gave the charge or the examination. <continued>