union-church
505 N. Jackson Street

On this northeast corner of Block 25 at the corner of Rolla Road (Sixth Street) and Jackson Streets stood the Union Church.  It was built from contributions from several denominations.  The church was 40 foot by 70 foot with a bell tower.  The first preacher who rallied the people together to raise the money for the church to be built left Salem with $1,000 of the building fund.  Franz Adelmann, W.P. Elmer’s father-in-law and a German Catholic had donated $300 worth of lumber for the project.  When Mr. Adelmann found out what the preacher had done he had wagons sent to the building site and had the lumber hauled away.  Eventually he had the lumber returned.  This act by the preacher did not deter the congregation.  Money was soon raised and work began anew. 

The church was completed in 1874.  Total cost was $2,200.  The church was dedicated in 1875 by Reverend T. M. Finney.  Another preacher at this church was Reverend Aspley.  Judge L.B. Woodside was Superintendent of the Sunday School.  The Union Church eventually became the Southern Methodist Chruch.  When the Methodist moved to Fourth and Jackson Streets, Judge Woodside bought the church and used it as an apple barrel factory.  The barrels were made for shipping apples that were grown in Dent County orchards. Later Lola Murray had the building torn down September 9, 1926.  Judge Woodside bought the pews that were in the church and gave them to the Dent County Courthouse to be used in the courtroom and are still being used today. (2010)



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