The First United Methodist Church Cemetery located at 211 Porter Street, Center, Texas in Shelby County is one of the oldest cemeteries in Shelby County located in the Nancy Smith survey on land deeded by Judge M.W. Wheeler and Sam Samford "who deeded the land to his beloved church and burying ground for generations to come." The First Methodist Episcopal Church South was organized during the early part of the year 1866 soon after the town of Center was established. The first church and Sam Samford Masonic Lodge #149 building was located on the North side of the cemetery. The top floor was used by the lodge and the ground floor was a meeting place for the church and Sunday School.

There are many historically significant Center and Shelby County citizens buried in the First United Methodist fumc-cemetery-elkanah-samford-wtp-july-2015-issue-002-bw2bChurch Cemetery, including Elkanah Samford, first Worshipful Master of the Sam Samford Masonic Lodge #149 and his wife, Davila Adaline Samford; Rev. James R. Burke, early Methodist minister; Shelby County Civil War veterans and wives; and R. L. Parker, considered the Father of Center, responsible for relocating the county seat from Shelbyville to Center. There are approximately 107 graves dating from 1861 to 1939. The earliest marked burial on this site is an infant in 1861 before the property was designated as a cemetery. The last burial was Pollie Brogden Amason in 1939.

In the late 1980s, the Runnels Chapel Sunday School class received a sizeable donation designated only to be used for cemetery ground improvements. At that time, Nell Polley and her committee diligently worked on the project. At the beginning, cemetery ground improvements included installing a black chain link fence surrounding the cemetery, planting azaleas, crepe myrtles, roses and other shrubs, outlining flower beds with border bricks and flagstone connecting walkways within the interior of the cemetery, installing a sprinkler system and placing several benches and tables. For many years, the cemetery project work was completed under guidance of Nell Polly and currently Suzanne Ihlo continues the care of the cemetery. In the fall of 2015, the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Shelby Beautiful Clean Committee presented a Community Beautification Award to the First United Methodist church for their constant care and efforts for beautification to the community and being mindful to the preservation of the historical value of the cemetery. In July 2015, an application was submitted to the Texas Historical State Cemetery for a historical marker. Presently, the church is currently waiting for a reply.

The cemetery is owned by the First United Methodist Church and church Trustees of maintain the historical site.

~ Suzanne Ihlo, FUMC Historian