The Church in the Wildwood by Herk McGraw

THE CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD

OLD CHURCH

POST OFFICE, TIPPLE

There is a church in the valley by the wildwood

No lovelier spot in the dale

No place so dear to my childhood

As the little brown church in the vale

Oh, come, come, come, come

John McGraw (Beige) had two sons Harrison (Pole) and Horace Greeley (Uncle Dad) who still lived in the McGraw hollow. HG married Pearl McGinnis and Harrison married her sister Pauline (Pliney) McGinnis. A third son, Okey (Oak), lived on the hill overlooking the school and the Post Office. We lived three tenths of a mile down the road from the school.

In the late 19th Century Pearl and Pauline decided there should be a church in the community. At their insistence Uncle Dad built a small building for it about half way between his house and Milam High School– now John McGraw School. The small congregation called it a Non-Conformist Chapel. Pauline and Pearl being, sugar sweet and fiery Scot-Irish lasses, “suggested” the congregation become a Methodist Denomination. It did! (1)

I remember the membership being thirty-two to thirty-six with an average attendance of fifteen to twenty. It had three windows on each side with a small platform over each for oil lamps for night meetings. A large oil lantern with a big globe on it was used near the pulpit. Grandpa Fud and Grandma Mary kept all of them. The little church was the center of our worship community.

Sunday Services usually consisted of a short program with some singing before Sunday School classes. Singing was always a great time for me. Janet Meredith, or Mom (Nora) would hum a note and start the song. We would sing the first stanza only. “Church in the Wildwood” was my favorite.

One Sunday Uncle Leon and I were standing beside each other. I was singing away with gusto when Uncle Leon looked down and said, “Herford your book is up side down.” Made no difference to me I kept right on singing. All of the congregation singing sounded so beautiful and perfect. (I would like to have a recording of that little congregation singing now. I bet present day choir directors would cover their ears.)

Every so often we had a visiting Preacher deliver a Sermon following Sunday School. He (no women preachers then) would always have an altar call. It seemed longer than the sermon. (I went to the altar more times than a dog has fleas).

After the service the Preacher was invited to have dinner with Fud and Mary's family. That was a fun time because all us grandchildren would be there with our parents.

The playing was a highlight but the dinner was special and interesting. The women served the men and boys over twelve at the first table, us children at the second, (left-overs from the first table), and the women last (all the left-overs). Well, that didn't last long with eight screaming cranky bellies. The women decided to give us a plate, send us to the front porch, and call the men in. It satisfied mine and those other seven bellies. When the meal was over it was back to the front porch for the Preacher, Grandpa and the dads, and playing for us.

Once a year or when the older folks felt it was necessary, a revival would be held and there would be standing room only. The service was not over until Grandma (Sister Mary) had prayed.

There would always be a group of young “men” standing around outside waiting to walk the girls home. They would be talking and smoking and what ever else they did. One night I was standing at a back window with Uncle Leon and one of the “good ole boys” blew smoke in the window.

Across the road from the little church was an open field with sloped sides that was used for outdoor activities in warm weather. I remember one particular Easter while us young ones were in Sunday School the old folks hid Easter eggs in that field and when our classes were over we were turned loose to find them. When all were found Grandpa Fud would divide the eggs evenly among us younger ones. It was a hoot.

THE NEW CHURCH

POST OFFICE, MCGRAWS

Come to the church in the wildwood

Oh, come to the church in the dale

No place is so dear to my childhood

As the little WHITE church in the vale

Many years later I came to visit my grandparents and while I was there Uncle Darrell came by with a special cinder block for Grandpa to look at. They discussed its use for a new church building. I was disappointed of course. I liked the little church building and could not vision a new one.

The plans and building of the new church was hatched by Uncle Dad and Grandpa Fud. They got a group from the church community and raised the money for the building to be built. Many of the church community and the community at large jumped in and built the building and the congregation built the Church. It is a neat building with indoor plumbing, a kitchen, Sunday School rooms, a beautiful sanctuary and a bell tower but no steeple.

Daniel “Mack” McGraw oversaw the block work. (1)

Wm. Harrison “Harry” McGraw oversaw the wood work and finished out the pulpit area.

Several years later my little family, Dot and Cathi, came to visit Grandma Mary and Grandpa Fud, and we attended Sunday School in the new Church. There was a discussion regarding the strength of prayer and God's response. Grandpa Fud got up and began to witness how the congregation had prayed for a new location and how God had come through and they were able to buy the lot behind John McGraw School.

Time for contention to arise! As usual, in most any conversation objection to any statement is called for. Wilda McGraw said, “Fud, you know I told you that y'all could have the lot beside Ed Kerns' Store but you wouldn't have it. Grandpa said, “Judge not or ye shall be judged,” and sat down.

Many, many years later at a family gathering it was decided that Fud and Gertie's families would buy and install a steeple on the bell tower. I believe Shelburn “Doc” Brooks oversaw the purchase and installment of the steeple.

In 1992 Harry McGraw's wife Verna McGraw and daughter Jennifer McGraw-Beckette made the pulpit paraments in Harry's honor. They were consecrated by Pastor Bill Brooks on July 19, 1992. (4)

A couple years ago KennyMcGraw and Adam Hicks painted the steeple for the first time. (3)

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Herk McGraw

Want to hear The Carter Family sing The Church in the Wildwood? CLICK HERE

Acknowledgments

(1) I wish to think Darrell V. McGraw, Jr. for his assistance and contribution.
(2) Darrell V. and Julia Z. McGraw, The John McGraw Family, 1975
(3) Kenny McGraw

(4) Patty McGraw

(Admin-Photographs courtesy of Patty McGraw and Brian McGraw