On December 2, 2012, a Texas Historical Marker was unveiled at the church, commemorating its establishment, history, and perseverance through tough times. It says:
In 1858, Dr. George T. Key and his family, originally from Missouri, moved to Denton County and settled near the present town of Aubrey. There they built log cabins, one of which was used for a school and church. The building, known as the Key School House, was the home of one of the first Methodist churches established in Denton County, later renamed Aubrey Methodist Church. For years, the congregation of the Aubrey Methodist Church met at the Key School and in members' homes under the guidance of Reverend F.V. Evans. In 1885, L.N. Edwards made an addition to the original town plat of Aubrey and offered a free lot to each church. The Aubrey Methodist Church accepted the lots on the corner of Plum and Maple streets. Ed F. Bates, a pioneer citizen of the county, donated funds to build a church building as church funds were extremely scarce.
Construction on a wood-frame building was completed in 1886. On April 14, 1918, a devastating tornado swept through Aubrey and destroyed the church. A new, one-story brick veneer building was completed in February 1919. The exquisite pre-Raphael style stained glass windows depict stories of the Christian faith and allow vibrant colors to fill the sanctuary. In 1968, the church was renamed Aubrey First United Methodist Church when the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church combined. The church incorporated and built an adjacent fellowship hall in 1986. From meeting in a log cabin to enduring a cyclone, the Aubrey First United Methodist Church overcame many obstacles and continues to serve the community.
The church has a comprehensive website that adds some details to the text of the historical marker: (
visit link)
The Methodist doctrine and the Aubrey United Methodist Church have a long and colorful history in this area. In 1846, Dr. George T. Key and family came from Missouri to Texas and settled in Collin County near the present town of Weston. In 1858, they and their relatives and friends moved to Denton County and settled about one and one-half miles southwest of the present town of Aubrey. There they built log cabins for themselves and one which was used for a school house and church.
All of the buildings had dirt floors and board roofs. Within the confines of the little settlement, was organized the first Methodist Church ever established in this section of Denton County. It was known as the Key School House and was named after the founder of the settlement, Dr. George T. Key. The first Methodist class and charter members thereof were as follows: Dr. and Mary Key, Henry Key, Joshua Harrison, George Harrison, Ben and Nannie Moss, Jim Wilcox, Joe Wilcox, Mrs. Heart, Squire Heart, Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Godwin, Joe Hunt and a Mr. Woods and family.
About the year 1874, the trans-continental branch of the Missouri Pacific Rail Road was constructed through Denton County and passed between the homes of Mr. Woods, a member of the original Methodist class and L.N. Edwards. Both of these men were farmers and anxious to get a settlement and town established near their farms.
L.N. Edwards plotted a small section of his farm into town lots and established the present town of Aubrey. It was not long before all of the churches seemed to realize that this little town was to become the center of population of this section of Denton County. The members of the various churches residing near the little town were desiring to establish their denominations within its gates.
The little church built at Key School was the first to avail itself of the opportunity. Its members accordingly moved their class during the year 1874 and established the first church and the first Methodist class within the present town of Aubrey. A permanent place for worship was not available at that time. They met in such places as stores and homes.
Their first pastor was Reverend F.V. Evans. He was not in harmony with the membership of the church and recommended that they disband and quit town. However this was not the spirit of the courageous early settlers. They had not come to disband and knew no retreat. They continued to meet, labor and worship together until 1885.
In this year, L.N. Edwards made an addition to the original town plot of Aubrey and offered a lot free to each and every church desiring to establish itself within the town. All such churches accepting his proposition were required to begin construction of a church building within one year from the date of the offer or the land would revert back to Edwards.
At this time, money was extremely scarce and the Methodist membership of the community was poor, having spent practically all of their means in building homes in the wilderness of Denton County. They had no money to purchase the necessary material for the construction of the Methodist Church upon the lot donated. The twelve months allotted for the beginning of the structure had almost passed, no funds raised and nothing done.
Residing at Oak Grove, a community eight miles south of Aubrey, was Ed F. Bates, one of the pioneer citizens in this county. This good man, realizing the necessity of respecting our rights to the lot donated, gave to W.L. Zumwalt, a lumberman in Aubrey, the necessary funds to purchase enough material and place on the lot. Thus began the first Methodist Church building within the present town of Aubrey.
A reasonably commodious building was constructed on the lot. The church continued to grow and prosper in this wooden frame building.
On April 14, 1918, a devastating cyclone swept across Aubrey. Several structures throughout the town were destroyed, one of them being the Methodist Church. The following are excerpts from the Aubrey Argus, the local newspaper at that time.
About nine o'clock Sunday night Aubrey was visited by a severe storm, the worst that has ever been known in the history of the town.
The cloud came from the south-west and covered a narrow strip. It reached over the entire width of Aubrey. Practically every house in town was wrecked to some extent. A number were torn completely down.
One remarkable thing about the storm was that no one was killed. Quite a number of people were in their houses when they were wrecked.
It is not possible to estimate the damage done by the cyclone Sunday night. There is not a house in town that was not damaged as to be fit for kindling.
The small houses are nearly all ruined and for the most part are owned or lived in by people who are least able to bear the loss.
A mass meeting was called at the Baptist Church Wednesday night for the purpose of raising finances for the relief of those who were made homeless by the storm Sunday night.
With a cheerful heart these people turned their head and heart to build up what was lost, and thanked God it was no worse. In May or June of that same year, the cornerstone of the new $15,000 brick building was laid by the Aubrey Masonic Lodge. The building is still in use. The most stunning quality of the building is the exquisite stained glass windows adorning the structure.
A high point in the church history occurred in 1925, when it paid off its indebtedness. The Bishop Boaz of Dallas preached the dedicatory sermon. Membership was also at an all-time high in that year, with 148 persons on the church roll. The Reverend E. A. Drew was pastor.