13233 Indian Rocks Road
Largo, Florida 33774
The story of Anona United Methodist Church, the oldest church in continuous use in Pinellas County, began with the settling of this area around the time of the Civil War. Capt. John Lowe sailed here from Key West in his schooner Sea Drift in 1859, and settled with his family on 80 acres of homestead land. Also with Capt. Lowe were his wife’s brothers and their families (Meares), and a family friend, Cap. August R. Archer. About twenty years later another pioneer family, the Wilcoxes, came to Anona from. Virginia.
In 1872, Anona Church was organized and the meetings which marked its beginnings were held in the home of Mrs. Woodard. Possibly the founders were Rev. Jimmy Kilgore and Dr. Powledge. The first minister was a circuit rider, Rev. John Wells, but William Lowe also led the meetings at times. Anona Church was originally organized as a community church serving people of all faiths.
The first rough board structure was built two years later (1874). serving as both a church and as a schoolhouse. Land was donated by Capt. Lowe, and he, his sons Jefferson and Wesley, and others, put up the building. Frank Kilgore “rived the shingles” (planed them by hand). Uncle Jimmy Kilgore, Ben and Henry Kilgore, Uncle Willie Meares (William B.), Uncle Dickey Meares (Richard) and George W. Hammock also worked on the building.
This building also served as the Anona School until 1890 when a new school was built on the Richard Meares property. This site is across from the Lutheran Church on Oakhurst Road. On cold days classes were sometimes held outdoors around a large bonfire, as the building was unheated. The building had a front porch which was used for plays and evening entertainment. A curtain streched across the porch provided a makeshift stage while kerosene lamps and torches gave light. At least one school play drew an audience from distant Seminole, Largo, Clearwater and Dunedin. It is difficult to realize that in those days it took an entire day to go from Largo to Dunedin and back.
The church was served by circuit riders with Anona being part of a large circuit including Clearwater, Sylvan Abbey, Indian Pass, Largo and Dunedin. Some of the charter members of our church were Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Rhoda Kilgore and children, Uncle Tommy and Aunt Amelia Hanis (who was known for her spinning and weaving), Aunt Mary Turner, Gil and Mona Powledge, Uncle Billy and Aunt Sara Meares. Uncle Billy organized the first Sunday School around 1880, and was its superintendent for many years, while Aunt Sara taught beginners and served as secretary and treasurer. Other Sunday School Superintendents in the early years after Billy Meares were Mitchell Tumer, Frank Kilgore, Edward Meares and Mrs. W. B. Lowe, but it is not known what dates they served.
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