Early Isham 1866-1915

The First United Methodist Church of Hurst evolved from the Isham Chapel Methodist Church, which was originally Isham Chapel Methodist Protestant Church.  It was located about two miles south of the present site in a large grove of oak trees at the corner of what is now Precinct Line Road and 9200 Trammel Davis Road.  The church's early records are non-existent, but a strong church tradition holds that the church was established in 1866 by new arrivals to Tarrant County.  The eleven charter members were Frank and Caroline Reeves, W.D. and Elizabeth Clark, Andrew M. and Sarah Clark, J.W. and Roze Randolph, Jacob Hibbs, Katherine (Mrs. Henry) Calvin and her son, William G. Calvin. 
The church was named for its organizing pastor, Reverend Marion Isham (September 4, 1831 — January 23, 1904).  He and his wife, Rosa, are buried in the Isham Chapel Cemetery, located in east Fort Worth.

The earliest verifiable information indicates that in 1876, after local Methodists had been meeting in a small log building or arbor on the Isham Chapel site, B.H. Ross and wife Victoria "granted, bargained, sold, and released" one acre of land to be used as a school and church.  This deed, dated September 18, 1876 is the earliest known primary document relating to the history of Isham Chapel.

In 1876, lumber was hauled by wagon from the nearest railroad point at Eagle Ford, near Dallas, to build a small frame structure.  J.W. Morrow, Andy Clark, and Frank Reeves hauled the lumber, and others in the community joined them to construct the building.  Pews were made of split logs; and it was the custom for many year for the women to sit on one side of the building, and the men 
on the other side.