Church of Christ797 South Rowe Terrace

Near Intersection – Hwys. 44 & 491Lecanto, Florida 34460

(352) 746-4919

Lecanto's first church house was a little old log house. It was built in 1869 and served for school and meetinghouse until the first Union church was built in 1883. (Similar to state capital of 1884)

All denominations held meetings there and everyone went to church. In 1895 the Baptist decided to buildon their present location and afterwards the church of Christ and the Methodists built church houses on their own.

The little Old Union church house eventually disappeared. It was located on the vacant lot just westof the cemetery. That lot is the property of the community now. It is to be fenced and made into a cemetery park. It is under the supervision of three trustees appointed by the county commissioners.

We hope to keep it as a memorial of good old days of our forefathers, when having a neighborand being a neighbor meant more that is does now.

Preachers who have served Lecanto

SCOTT R. BARNUM: Scott R. Barnum began preaching about 1873. He was a reformed lawyer and preachedoccasionally for about 4 years. He married Miss Lou Hampton. Later went to Tampa and again practiced law.

S. C. MOSER: Brother Moser came to us from Missouri. His initials are thought to be S. C. He beganpreaching here in 1877 and continued to come now and then until 1915. He was the brother-in-law ofBilly and Henry Edwards of Red Level.

DOW GEIGER: Dow Geiger was a native of Florida. He first name at this time is unknown to us.We do know that he was the brother-in-law of Scott R. Barnum. He began his preaching here in 1879-1880. He was a former Baptist minister. Unfortunately he went back to the Baptist Church in 1900. He was a very convincing speaker.

BROTHER YOUNG: Brother young came to us from Lake Butler, Florida. His first name is unknown to us. He came by and preached one sermon in 1879. He was married to Ruth Gibbons a friend of Uncle John Morrison.

Preachers who have served Lecanto

BROTHER MASON: He was called the father of Lecanto Church of Christ. He came in 1880 and foundthe members in discord. He succeeded in uniting the brotherhood here as no one else had previously done. He continued preaching during the early1880's.

J. R. Biggs: J. R. Biggs came from Kentucky and began preaching here a sort time after Brother Mason. These two differed greatly in the matter concerning Instrumental Music in worship services. J. R. Biggs heldthere could be such. Biggs was a very eloquent speaker and also taught school. He preached until the early 1890's.

BROTHER METCALF: Brother Metcalf came from Kentucky but was a traveling preacher and stoppedby for only a sermon of two in 1882. He preached in the log school house where Mr. Harrison as a teacher. It was in the next year that the Union church house was built and named.

Preachers who have served Lecanto

WARREN COLSON: Warren Colson came sometime around 1905 from Trenton, Fl. He found thecongregation had no lights in the building and succeeded in getting the neighbors to quickly supply some.

J. F TOMSON: James Franklin Tomson came sometime around 1924 – 1931. His granddaughter , Mrs. Louise Shores Haine, visited Lecanto, February, 2017 giving us some background information.

Preachers who have served Lecanto

The first congregation consisted of two women and three men. Their names are Aunt Lou Marrison,Miss Jessie Carter, a teacher, John W. Davis, Uncle John Allen and C. P. Dickenson, a school principal. Brother Warren Colson was a real Christian and continued to come back to preach in theLecanto Church for many years.

Brother Holbrook, Trenton, Fl and Brother Duboise, Timmonsville, S.C. were two visiting preachers

Brother Colson, nephew of Warren Colson, came to preach and to help in singing schools.

OTHER PREACHERSBrother T. B. Larimore of Tennessee, Brother Cameron of Kentucky, Charlie Price, Pennell, Bushong,Taylor, Hamiter and Peyden

LATER PREACHERS: Frank Johnson, Indiana; Benny Hunton, Leesburg, Fl; Richard Buntin;Horace Taylor, Missouri; Lewis Mikell, Ohio; Herschel Bass; Don Miller, Ocala, Fl; Stanely Crews;David Coy, New York; Richard Gooch, Mississippi

Maggie and Lee Allen

Pinkney Lee Allen, Daniel Devaney Allen, Thelma Elizabeth Allen, Tamsy Minerva, Elsie Lois Allen, Maggie and Lee Allen

History of the Preacher's HouseThe house was built in the late 1940's or early 1950's for Sister Dacie Turner using a lot of the material

from her house North West of downtown Lecanto. Herbert D. Williams was the builder. In about 1961 Allenand Beryl Maynard bought it from Herman Turner, as Sister Turner had passed away in 1959. They built upthe front porch with a concrete floor leaving the roof intact.

They sold it to Brother and Sister Ted Matlock prior to 1973 who lived there a few years before movingto Tennessee.

The Barnetts from Tampa or Lutz bought it and lived there for a short timebefore selling it to the Faeths. The Faeths did some interior remodeling, asHe was a handy man and she was a seamstress.

The Church purchased it and the 2 lots in about 1984. David Pateadded new rooms on the east end in June and July of 1987. In August of 1987Stanley and Pauline Crews moved in. Foy and Ann Cherry and many of thecongregation repaired and remodeled much of the inside, painting andreplacing carpet.

The outside was also repairedand painted in September1999-January 2000. It hasbeen the home of the Cherry’spart time and full time for aboutsixteen years.

By Frank Allen

EldersWho Have Served the Lecanto Church of Christ

Gus Waters - 2/14/1954 Gene Maynard - 2/14/1954

Gene Maynard - 2/4/1962 Fred Marlow - 2/4/1952

Gene Maynard - 9/17/1967 Lawrence Miller - 9/17/1967

Fred Bishop - 10/27/1985 - 5/7/1986 Vernon James 10/27/1985 - 10/1986Jack Zoveny 10/27/1985 - 12/24/1989

Frank Allen- 6/8/1986 - 9/7/1993 Jimmy Bowman - 6/11/1989 - 7/9/1993

Preachers Who Have Served Lecanto

Betty & Elmer Bowman1984

Byron Chastain, Mikel Lewis, Foy Cherry

Byron Chastain

Foy CherryMinister

June, 1992 - December 31, 2010

John D. ArnoldMinister

January 1, 2011 -December 30, 2019

Arlen ChapmanMinister

January 1, 2020 - March, 2021

Reed Henson, Minister April, 2021-

Participants in aPersonal Evangelism Class

Ladies Bible Class

(B) Adam Maynard, Stephen McKinsey, Jessica Bunting, Josh Marsac, (F) Megan Busbee,Kelley Busbee, Valerie Marsac, Amber Maynard, Courtney Maynard, Annalice Bunting