submitted by: Mary Hoit Abbe Sumter County, Alabama Deed Book B, p. 513 Church Articles Rec?d the 10th and Recorded the 11th August 1837 Articles of agreement made and concluded the Second day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty seven between Philip Jones and John W. Adams Master carpenter working and doing business together as partners under the name Style and firm of Jones and Adams of the County of Sumter and State of Alabama of the one part and the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church to wit?Seaborn Mims Peter Doty Samuel B. Boyd and John Jamison (one of the Trustees John C. Cussak being departed this life) of the Same county and State of the other part. The said James and Adams for themselves their Executors and Administrators doth covenant promise and agree to and with the said Trustees that they the said Jones and Adams Shall and will within the space of five months from the date hereof in good and workman like manner and according to the best of their art and skill will and substantially erect build and set up a church at Livingston in the county of Sumter in the state aforesaid of the dimensions following to wit the House to be fifty feet long by thirty five feet wide Eighteen feet from Sill to plate with a proper quantity of large and commodious windows large Panel doors two at each end. the House properly enclosed with weather boarding the roof Shingled?the floor completed?suitable benches for seats. an altar and pulpit. Windows finished off with venetian blinds belfry to be at the end of the Church to be done neat and good. The whole house to be comprised of wood sawed and of good quality and the said work to be done and finished in a workmanlike manner and of good materials?In Consideration of which the Said Trustees doth covenant promise and agree with Said Jones and Adams their executors administrators and assigns well and truly to pay unto the Said Jones and Adams the sum of Twenty five hundred dollars in the manner hereafter mentioned to wit The said Trustees to assign over unto the Said Jones and Adams the Subscription list to be by them the Said Jones and Adams collected and Should there be any lacking after collecting what they could on the Subscription list agreeable to law then in twelve months after the finishing of the building the Trustees to pay the balance of the Twenty five hundred dollars unto the said Jones and Adams their executors or Administrators. It is further agreed and considered that the said James and Adams their executors Administrators assigns shall and will at their own expense find and provide all the Timber Shingles and other materials necessary for making and building Said Church and for the true performance of all and every the covenants and Agreements aforesaid the parties their Executors Administrators and assigns bind themselves to the others their Executors Administrators and assigns. In the penal Sum of five thousand dollars firmly by these presents In Witness whereof the parties to these presents have herewith set their hands and seals this the 10th day of August 1837 Jones & Adams Seaborn Mims Commissioner for Board of Trustees The State of Alabama Personally appeared Philip Jones of the firm of Jones and Adams and Seaborn Sumter County Mims Commissioner for the Board of Trustees before me Price Williams Clerk of the County Court of Said County who acknowledged severally that they Signed Sealed and delivered the foregoing Article of Agreement on the day of the date for the purposes therein entered. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 11th day of August AD 1837 Price William clerk