History of Brown's Chapel UMC Pittsboro NC
(Excerpts from history August 2011)
Gaston Egbert Brown was an outstanding preacher, founder of Methodist churches, practicing physician, and surgeon in North Carolina. According to his gravestone inscription at our sister church, Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, he entered the Methodist Conference in 1838.
In 1846, he was given a more flexible status within the Methodist Church, so that he could attend the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. In July of 1848, he returned to Chatham County, living on a rented farm in the vicinity of Silk Hope until purchasing a farm near Hickory Mountain.
While in Chatham County, Dr. Brown practiced medicine, performed surgery, and organized three or more Methodist Churches. As he traveled home to home throughout the county, he won the confidence and respect of the inhabitants while attending to the sick and sharing his religious faith. Among the churches he helped found are Brown’s Chapel, Hickory Mountain, and Pleasant Hill United Methodist Churches.
He died at the young age of 45 from either diphtheria or quinsy, (severe tonsillitis). He and his wife are buried at our sister church, Pleasant Hill UMC. At his death, he was survived by his wife, Louisa; one son, Charlie; and four daughters: Martha, Annie, Elizabeth, and Adah. Among those children’s families, two of Dr. Brown’s grandchildren became ministers — Rev. Edward J. Holden and Rev. Walter Holden.
Brown’s Chapel began as an expansion and relocation of a log church named Lebanon, which had been built on the farm of Mr. Isaac West, three miles east of our present church.
The members provided labor to build a small wooden church during 1846 to 1858, and gave it the new name of Brown’s Chapel after Dr. Gaston Egbert Brown.
In 1883, the Rev. R. A. Willis encouraged his congregation to enlarge and improve the church building. This was done by their own labor and financial support, under church leadership that included J. B. West, Willis Dark, Jesse Richardson, Hezekiah Henderson, Isaac Durham, and many others.
Decades later, in 1945, another renovation was suggested by Rev. W.G. Farrar. Then, Rev. W.T. Phipps designed and supervised the construction financed by contributions and fundraising projects. The building was dedicated on October 17, 1948. Church leaders included Avon Perry, Gower Perry, C.W. Lutterloh, Henry Durham, W.K. Mann, Edwin Perry, and others.
As the congregation grew, the church decided in the late 1970s to add the fellowship hall, kitchen and additional classrooms. Fundraising projects began in 1978, and the renovated church was dedicated in 1980. Building Committee Chair Lee Norris Mann led the construction completed by Vann Thomas.
During 2017-2019, Nicole King Brown directed the most recent church renovations. These included the elevator installation in 2017, new children’s playground, parking lot expansion, and covered portico completed in Fall 2019. We continue to offer weekly worship, Sunday School, Bible study, prayer services, adult choir, UMM and UWIF, and UMWF.
September 1, 2024, we welcomed the arrival of Pastor William Negron and his wife, Jennifer Creighton Negron. They came to us from Concord UMC in Supply, NC. We appreciate his leadership as we strengthen the spiritual life of our church, our community and beyond. Brown’s Chapel UMC is part of the NC Conference of the United Methodist Church, Fairway District, and Pittsboro Circuit (Pleasant Hill UMC and Brown’s Chapel UMC).
Our current Fairway District Superintendent is Rev. Sunny Baek Limm, and our Bishop is Rev. Connie Mitchell Shelton.
August 3, 2025, Janice Britson
Brown’s Chapel and Pleasant Hill Ministers
Dr. Gaston Egbert Brown founded Brown’s Chapel Methodist 1846
Rufus T. Heflin, R. R. Dunkley 1847 Halifax
W.H. Barnes, W.O. Reid 1847 Pittsboro Circuit
Philmer W. Archer, Henry Gray 1848 Pittsboro and Haw River
W.W. Nesbitt 1849 Pittsboro
John W. Tinnin 1850 Pittsboro
W.W. Albea 1851 Pittsboro Station
Rufus T. Heflin 1852 Haw River
Rufus T. Heflin, Washington B. Richardson 1853 Haw River
Philmer W. Archer, Benjamin F. Long 1854 Haw River
Philmer W. Archer, Joseph Wheeler 1855 Haw River
Robert P. Bibb, Samuel Robertson 1856-57 Haw River
James W. Wheeler 1858-1859 Pittsboro
Perley H. Scovell 1860 Pittsboro
Shockley D. Adams 1860-1861 Haw River
Joseph B. Martin 1861 Pittsboro
R.S. Webb 1862 Pittsboro
Oscar J. Brent 1863-1864 Pittsboro
H.H. Gibbons 1865-1866 Haw River
Joseph B. Martin 1867-1869
W.H. Moore 1870-1873 Pittsboro
C.C. Dodson 1874 Pittsboro
T.J. Gattis 1877-1880 Pittsboro
R.A. Willis 1881-1884 Pittsboro
R.T.N. Stephenson 1885-1887
N.E. Coltraine 1888-1891
Rev. C.W. Robinson 1892-1893 Pittsboro
W.W. Rose 1894 -1896 Pittsboro
L.E. Thompson 1897 Pittsboro
Frank Sanford, DD 1898-1899 Pittsboro
James Frizzelle 1900-1904
C.P. Jerome 1904-1908
V.A. Royal 1908-1912
W.T. Craven 1912-1916
P.D. Woodall 1916-1920
J.J. Boone 1920-1924
C.M. Lance 1924-1928
J.A. Daily 1928-1932
M.C. Ellerbee, M. Williams 1932-1934
H.L. Davis 1934-1935
J.H. Young 1935-1939
R.Z. Newton 1939-1943
W.G. Farrar 1943-1945
W.T. Phipps 1945-1950
W.A. Seawell 1950-1951
J.C. Loy 1951-1955
J.W. Pfister 1955-1956
E.W. Cowen 1956-1957
C.C. Capps 1957-1961
E.R. Clegg Jan. 1961-July 1961
Roland Mullinex July 1961-June 1964
Assts. Norman Bouffard, Lindon Damschroder
William Osborne 1964-1967
J.A. Booth 1967-1968
John Rutland, Jr. 1968-1969
B.H. Lamb 1969-1973
Arthur Wesley 1973-1977
Johnnie Joyce 1978 (six months)
Russell Knowles 1978-1982
Ray T. Gooch 1982-2022
Mamie R. Alley 2022-2024
William Negron Sept. 2024-present