History

Cedar Mountain Church

In April, 1818, the Presiding Elder of the Nashville District of the Tennessee Conference sent Rev. Ebenezer Hearn to preach and organize societies in that part of Alabama so recently taken from the Creek Indians. Rev. Heam found on Cedar Mountain several families who had recently settled in that part of the country.

The Society at Cedar Mountain was, in all likelihood, organized before Alabama was admitted to the Union (Alabama was admitted December 14, 1819). Church services were probably being held before the Society was officially organized, the reason being the Charter Members settled here two years earlier and two of them were preachers and others lifelong Methodists.

The church called Cedar Mountain was organized in 1819, when the Rev. John Kesterson was in charge of the Tuscaloosa Circuit (spelled at that time Tuscaloosa) and before the Jones Valley Circuit was formed. Charter members at Cedar Mountain were Rev. Perry Tunnel and wife, Rev. James Johnson and wife, Francis Self and wife, George Taylor and wife. (History of Methodism in Alabama by Dr Anson West).

Like most people who wrote in the 19thcentury about a man and his wife, Dr. West failed to mention the wife's name. In researching family records, it was found that Francis (Frank) Self's wife was named Lidy (maiden name not found) and George Taylor's wife was Nancy Cooper. It is not known if the society at Cedar Mountain built a church or
Met in a home.

Shiloh Church

They continued worshiping at Cedar Mountain Church until 1826 When that church was superseded by a new church some three miles Away called Shiloh. This church was a small log building that was also used as a school. It was built on what was later known as the Nelson Ware property. But at the time it was built, Nelson was only a boy, so it probable was owned either by his father, Jacob, or his grandfather, Samuel. At the organization of Shiloh in 1826, George Taylor and wife, the
Rev. William Taylor and wife, Isaac Taylor, Jonathan Moreland and wife, and Jacob Ware-and wife were transferred from Cedar Mountain to Shiloh. (William Taylor's wife was Martha, Jonathan Moreland married Celia Self and Jacob Ware married Elizabeth Self. These two Self girls were sisters and were the daughters of Isaac and Nancy. At the opening of the church at Shiloh, Mary Taylor Catherine Taylor and Harris Taylor joined as members. Harris Taylor was the first Class
Leader at Shiloh. Three years later, in 1829, upon recommendation from the Society at Shiloh, Harris was licensed to preach. Harris married Nancy Self in 1826. She was the daughter of Francis and Lidy Self. In Dr. West’s book, History of Methodism in Alabama, Francis was the first person Ebenezer Hewn contacted at Cedar Mountain Francis is
believed to be a brother to Isaac.

Elijah Self joined the church at Shiloh the year it was organized and Had his membership there 64 years. During that time he was Class Leader and local preacher. Elijah married Catherine Taylor in 1827. (The Taylor family was distinguished in the County and among Methodists.)

William Taylor was licensed to preach on recommendation by the Quarterly Conference from the Society at Cedar Mountain, Tuscaloosa Circuit. He later served as pastor at what is now Taylor's Memorial, named such in his memory. He is buried in the cemetery next to Taylor's Church.

Isaac Taylor, another brother, was also licensed to preach by the Society at Cedar Mountain and was a faithful and able preacher even in the face of great difficulty. He too is buried in Taylor's cemetery. Isaac was marred to Hannah Hopper in 1821.

Harris Taylor, another brother who was mentioned earlier, was also a faithful minister even though he only lived to be 47 years old. He is buried in the Methodist Church Cemetery at Alexandria, Alabama, Calhoun County.

These are the sons of George and Nancy Cooper Taylor who also had another son named Casper. Even though Casper never became a preacher, he was a faithful and active layman in the Methodist Church. The George Taylors had three or four daughters. Catherine, also known as Caty, married Rev. Elijah Self, and one of their sons, Nathaniel, was a Methodist preacher for many years in Alabama.

Mary was another daughter. (It is believed that Mary was also called by a second name of Polly. It is possible that Polly could have been another daughter.) Rebecca, probably the youngest daughter, was married to Pleasant Wear in 1832. Rebecca and Pleasant had a large family who were most all Methodists. Quite a few of their descendants are members of Clay Church at the present time. Pleasant was one of the Trustees of Shiloh recorded in the Land Deed Book Volume 13,
page 410.

Jacob Ware, who was a member at Cedar Mountain, was a brother to Pleasant even though they spelled their last names differently. Many of Jacob's descendants also are members of Clay Church. The Wears -Wares understand they are from the same family, just as the Self’s how there are not two sets of Selfs.

Francis Self, also known as Frank, had moved away from the area by the year 1834 as records show he purchased land in Benton County (now Calhoun County) and was tasked there in 1844 for 300 acres of land and four slaves.

On March 3, 1856, Elijah Self and wife, Catherine, deeded to the trustees of Shiloh one acre of land. This land was located where Trussville Road intersects Old Springville Road (then called Elyton Road). A one room log building was erected with a wide fireplace for heat, two small windows for lighting, and long crude benches for seating. This building was also used for a school. The first Shiloh was abandoned and the members started attending this new church which
later became Clay.

In 1878, when the first post office was established, a name for the community was being considered. The book, Place Names in Alabama by Virginia 0.Foscue, says a local resident, Bill McCoy, suggested the environmental name descriptive of the clay hills in the area. Uncle Tom Self has told the story on many occasions about how Clay got its name.
He had never seen this book due to the book not having been published during his lifetime. However, he gave the same story with the exception that it was some fellow just passing through that suggested naming the community for all the clay soil around. Prior to being named Clay, the community was known as Self's Beat. Shiloh church and school now
was used for something else--Clay's first post office. Until it was tom down in the 1960ts, a slot in the door was still present.

The land that was given by Elijah and Caty Self was part of forty acres of land granted to Elijah in 1849 when Zachary Taylor was President of the United States. Elijah later sold part of this land to one of his sons, James H. Self.

In 1881, James Self traded two acres of land for the old Shiloh building on one acre of land to the Trustees of the Methodist Church of the Birmingham Circuit. At this time a new frame building was erected on this property, which is the same property this church is on now. The first grave was opened that same year in the cemetery which is on that two acre tract.