About St James United Methodist Church
- Before emancipation in 1821, four miles south of Fulton, Mo. in what was called Craighead Place, a Methodist Episcopal Church was established for both white and negro people. In 1840, another story was added to this building. Here the Negro Methodist worshipped until 1866 when Reverand N. Schumate of this church organized a new church.
- There were about twenty-five members who joined together to do this thing that couldn't be done. The ground was given by Brother Canna Cole, and the lumber to build the first church was given and hauled to the ground by Brother Richard Harrison. This place of worship was jointly owned by the Methodist and Presbyterian faiths.
- Among the members were Brothers I. Cato, Henry Bragg, Henry Nichols, Charles Wilson, James Henderson, and Sisters Betty Nichols, Hannah Minor, Ellen Cooper, Clarsey Johnson, and Rachel Henderson.
- In 1900, the church was named St. James Episcopal Church and remained that until the merger in May, 1939 in Kansas City, Mo. At that time it became known as St. James Methodist Church.
- The present building was erected under the leadership of Reverand W. H. Smith in 1910. Since 1910 there have been three remodeling programs completed and many improvements made.
- In 1967 the Central West Conference merged with Missouri's East Conference and the name United Methodist was attached to St. James.
- In 1983 Mrs. Viola Paschal willed her home to St. James United Methodist Church. The property was later sold and a parking lot was made adjacent to the church.
