Altha in Calhoun County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Altha Methodist Church
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, August 1, 2013
1. Altha Methodist Church Marker
Inscription.
Altha Methodist Church. . The Richards family had a long history of building churches in Northwest Florida. Daniel Thomas Richards (1825-1879), survivor of an Indian attack on Fort Richards/Fort Place, and son of Rev. John G. Richards of Wewahitchka, built Moss Hill Methodist Church in Vernon (1857), Chipola Primitive Baptist (1873), and organized the Chipola Methodist Church (1874) in his log home. In 1876 Daniel and his sons built a log church near this site. In 1899 Daniels son, Martin L. Richards, purchased land and platted the town. Martin Lafayette Richards (1866-1947) and wife Lula Mozelle Cannon Richards (1875-1956), who named Altha and served as its first postmistress, granted this church site on August 23, 1907 to J.F. Richards, B. M. Stanfill and I. H. King as Trustees of the Blountstown Circuit Methodist Episcopal Church South, of the Marianna District Alabama Conference, and their successors in office, in order that the premises be used, kept, maintained as a place of divine worship for the use of the ministry and membership. A white wood frame church was built here in 1908 where the congregation met until a new church was built in 1974. Martin L. Richards served as the first Sunday School Superintendent until 1945.
The Richards family had a long history of building churches in Northwest Florida. Daniel Thomas Richards (1825-1879), survivor of an Indian attack on Fort Richards/Fort Place, and son of Rev. John G. Richards of Wewahitchka, built Moss Hill Methodist Church in Vernon (1857), Chipola Primitive Baptist (1873), and organized the Chipola Methodist Church (1874) in his log home. In 1876 Daniel and his sons built a log church near this site. In 1899 Daniels son, Martin L. Richards, purchased land and platted the town. Martin Lafayette Richards (1866-1947) and wife Lula Mozelle Cannon Richards (1875-1956), who named Altha and served as its first postmistress, granted this church site on August 23, 1907 to J.F. Richards, B. M. Stanfill and I. H. King as Trustees of the Blountstown Circuit Methodist Episcopal Church South, of the Marianna District Alabama Conference, and their successors in office, in order that the premises be used, kept, maintained as a place of divine worship for the use of the ministry and membership. A white wood frame church was built here in 1908 where the congregation met until a new church was built in 1974. Martin L. Richards served as the first Sunday School Superintendent until 1945.
Erected 2003 by The Peacock, Tate, Demaria, and Richards Families with the Altha Methodist
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Church and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-481.)
Location. 30° 34.14′ N, 85° 7.625′ W. Marker is in Altha, Florida, in Calhoun County. Marker is on North Main Street (Florida Route 71) just south of Chipola Street (County Route 274), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 25503 North Main Street, Altha FL 32421, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 22, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 19, 2021, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 298 times since then and 33 times this year. Last updated on July 21, 2021, by Jason R. Surratt of Aurora, Colorado. Photo1. submitted on February 19, 2021, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
