In 1840, William Shivers donated three acres of land to establish a Methodist church. Born in 1783 in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Shivers was among the earliest settlers of the Jewell area before 1810. His plantation included the Rock Mill Plantation House, which still stands today, along with a grist mill, cotton carding mill, and several support buildings.

The first church stood “just off the Jewell-Mayfield Road,” about a mile and a quarter from Jewell, with access to water from a nearby spring. Rock Mill Methodist remained there until 1894, when it was moved into Jewell, directly across from Jewell Baptist Church. The new land was donated by Dr. Rhodes, who now rests in the Baptist cemetery. By 1981, Mrs. Hattie Jewell Cody, the last surviving member of the family for whom the village was named, recalled how Methodists and Baptists often worshiped together in earlier days.

The church’s most celebrated revival came in 1868, when forty new members were added. Both Bishop George F. Pierce and Bishop Lucius Holsey preached at Rock Mill during its early years. By 1877, the congregation had organized a Sunday school, and in 1887, the women of the church formed a Missionary Society. Despite protests from older members, the congregation purchased its first organ in this period, marking a new era for worship.

The fortunes of Rock Mill Methodist were tied to the success of the surrounding community. When Jewell Mill burned in 1927, families moved away and membership dwindled. Programs were scaled back, and ties to the Methodist Conference weakened, but a small, dedicated group of members kept the church alive. In 2002, the current owners of Rock Mill Plantation purchased and restored the church, ensuring its preservation. Across the street, the cemetery holds many of the community’s earliest names, such as Birdsong, Brantley, and Lewis. Today, Rock Mill Methodist remains a beautifully restored reminder of Hancock & Warren County’s religious and cultural history, while the Jewell town green nearby offers a quiet place for reflection and remembrance.