
Taken from "A Church History: Hanover 1871 Horton 1906 Hillside 1967
The church was started in 1871. Between this year and 1873, when it was completed, it was damaged by wind and had to be reinforced with extra timber. The entire cost was $8,000.
James Bibbins settled in Hanover in a log cabin on the bank of what is now Bibbins Lake. The Dew family came about the same time, and helped in the building of the church, town, and the railroad in back of the lake.
The first minister preached at the home of Abriah Tripp, where Vinnie Greiner Reed now live. The Ladies Aid was formed soon after the church was finished. The organization has worked faithfully on the upkeep of the church, and also the parsonage until it was sold.
The Hanover school burned down July 7, 1910 and the church was used as a school until a new school was constructed. The church was wired for electricity in 1922 from a power plant at Frank Kennedy's Garage which was the only place in town with electricity. The original windows were replaced by memorial windows, given by prominent members of the church and societies: The Young Ladies S.S. Class, W.F.M.S., W.C.T.U., Eliza Cook, H. M. Rowley, Rev. Tuthill, Henry and Mary Hudnutt. (Mr. Hudnutt was the superintendent of the Sunday School for many years.)
The walls were painted, as were the paintings on the front Nave wall, by J. J. Howe for $300. A cement floor has been put in the basement and the side walls reinforced. In 1956, the front entrance had to be changed and new doors installed to keep the weather out. The project was under the direction of Wendell Greiner. Some of the other projects are as follows:
1954 Toilets added to the southwest corner of the basement
1958 The church was rewired
1959 New sidewalks
1960 Carpet and tile installed in church nave
1963 Church painted outside and a nursery room was added at the rear of the nave
1964 P.A. System
1965 Seat cushions for the pews
During the history of the church many memorials have been given. The children and grandchildren of James Bibbins who settled in Hanover in 1837, presented a plaque in his honor. The pulpit, communion table, and the seat in back of the present nursery room, were given by Ugena Peabody Thompson in memory of Elder Fayette Thompson, who was the minister in Hanover before being appointed to the First Methodist Church in Jackson. The organ fund gifts are in memory of Mrs. Fred Russ, Henry and Mary Hudnutt, Walter J. Dean, Claudia Folks, Anna M. Bissell, Betty Jane Rountree, and Gertrude Folks. The Reverend Arthur Williams left his memorial in the gift of the beautiful maple trees in the church yard, and along the sidewalk from the church to the former parsonage. Mr. Weston Hutchins and Mr. Wells Dew assisted in this project.
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The Hanover Methodist Church is a beautiful stately edifice and several generations have worshipped in it. It is with regret that we leave it.
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-- This history was compiled and written by Daisy Keeney Sanderson