RSS FEED / SITE SYNDICATION

This site uses SharedRSS

To keep informed of new content as it is added, just right-click on the XML icon below and select 'copy link' -- then insert that link into your favorite RSS Aggregator.

The Methodist Episcopal Church

There had been a few irregular services held by Methodist worshipers in Farmington prior to 1827; but it was not until the summer of that year that the first stated meetings were commenced by Rev. John A. Baughman, who preached once in every six weeks at the house of Samuel Mansfield, just east of where Farmington Centre now is. Regular meetings were also held by Rev. William T. Snow at the log house of Warren Lee, and a few months later at the residence of Amos Mead. The first class was organized in 1829 with about twenty members. John Gould (class-leader), Mrs. John Gould, Mrs. Samuel Mansfield, Mrs. Hiles, John Thayer, Leander Walker, Lucetta Walker, Samuel B. Mead, William W. Mead, Fanny A. Mead, Caroline M. Mead, Seymour Newton and his wife, Matthew Van Amburgh, James Vanduyne, Calvin Ray, and four or five others, whose names are not recalled. Their meetings were then held at the log school- house on Solomon Walker's land, near where now stands the toll- gate, just east of the Wixom tavern. Afterwards they worshiped in some of the other school-houses, particularly that at Quakertown, now Farmington Centre, which, as the village grew to comparative importance, became their regular meeting-place.

After more than ten years of irregular gathering in school- houses and in the hall at Farmington, it was resolved that a larger and more apporpriate house of worship was indispensable, and that such a one should be built. For that purpose a lot containing about three-quarters of an acre, upon the north side of the (then) main street of the village, was donated by Ebenezer Stewart; timber was procured, and, on the 3d and 4th days of July, 1840, the frame was "raised." The work of building, however, seems to have been attended with some difficulties and delay, probably from the usual cause, - lack of funds, - so that four years had elapsed before the building - their present church - was completed; its size being forty-six by fifty six feet, and the total cost over three thousand dollars. It was dedicated in August, 1844, the services and ceremony on that occasion being conducted by the pastor, Rev. Oscar F. North, and Rev. James V. Watson, who died in Chicago, as editor of the Northwestern Christian.

Among the predecessors of Mr. North were Rev. James Shaw and William H. Ransom, and his immediate successor to the pastorate was Rev. David Thomas, who labored one yars, and after him the following ministers filled the sacred office at different times, and nearly, though perhaps not exactly, in the order in which they are named: Revs. Ebenezer Steele, Isaac F. Collin, Thomas Wakelin, Frederick Warren, Flavel Britton, William Stambaugh, D. C. Jacokes, O. M. Goodell, Curtis Mosher, John Gridley, Richard McConnell, Rufus Crane, Barton S. Taylor, Erastus Hascall, William Donnelly, S. E. Warren (again), the present pastor.

The membership is now (1877) about one hundred. A Sabbath-school connected with the church was commenced in the year 1834, in the log school-house at Solomon Walker's, and has been continued to the present time. It now has an average attendance of about eighty.