Afton, N. Y. 691
CHAPTER XIY
OKEONTA DISTRICT
Afton, N. Y.
Union Valley, North
Afton (Ayreshire), and Afton (South
Bainbridge) formed a
part of the old Bainbridge Circuit until
formed into a charge in 1858 bearing the name of South Bain-
bridge. It took the name of Afton in 1859. Union Valley re-
mained
a part of Afton charge until 1876, when it was put with
Bainbridge.
We are unable to give
the circumstances connected with the
formation of the class at Afton, and any date we might mention
would be conjectural. The society held services in the village
schoolhouse prior to going into the church, and became incor-
porated
at a meeting held in the schoolhouse on November 24,
1851. Jesse C. Flagg and
Dorr Stowell presided, and Dorr Sto-
well, Charles W. Griswold, Samuel C. Bump, Luman
C. Pollard,
and Isaac Furgason were elected trustees of
"The First Metho-
dist Episcopal
Society of South Bainbridge." On April 12, 1852,
Damaris Garrett deeded the society forty-four rods of land, in
consideration of $150. The church was built on this lot, at a
cost of $1,500, and was dedicated in September, 1852, by Rev.
William
Reddy. This church was
thoroughly remodeled in 1880.
One thousand dollars was
spent in building an alcove back of the
pulpit, reseating the auditorium, and changing the entrances to
the building. At this time Mr. George Knight presented the
church with a bell. In 1899 the building was thoroughly rebuilt.
The tower, and an
addition to the left of the building, 15x52 feet,
were built. The addition can be opened so as to add to the seat-
ing capacity
of the auditorium when needed, and also serves for
social purposes. The walls were substantially repaired and an
excavation made to hold a furnace. The pulpit was placed in the
northeast corner of the auditorium, which was seated with cir-
cular
pews, wainscoted, walls papered and decorated. Stained-
glass windows replaced the old ones, the floor was carpeted, and
the room lighted with gas. These, with some minor improve-
ments,
cost $1,906.34. The church was reopened on Thursday,
January 11, 1900. Rev.
M. S. Hard, D.D., conducted a love feast
at 10:30, after which Rev. T. F. Hall preached a sermon on the
692 Wyoming Conference
theme, "A Good
Foundation." In the afternoon Dr. Hard
preached the dedicatory
sermon from Isa. xxxv, 8-10. Following
the sermon, $618.46 was
raised. The service closed with the ded-
icatory service, which
was conducted by Rev. T. F. Hall. In the
evening Rev. A. W.
Hayes, D.D:, preached from "It is finished."
The first parsonage was
purchased of Lyman Lesuer, on March
9, 1865, for $1,450. It
was located on Spring Street, a couple of
blocks above the church,
and was sold to Truman Green in 1893.
On April 28, 1894, the
society secured a property on Pleasant
Street for $2,250, from
Mary E. Barrett. This was used until
going into the present
house, in the fall of 1901. The lot on
which the parsonage now
stands was secured by deed from Lo-
AFTON CHURCH [photo]
villa Stewart, on April
3, 1895, for $500. On this a house and
barn were built in 1901,
costing about $2,200, most of which was
provided for in the sale
of the Pleasant Street property.
North Afton is about
two miles above Afton. That the class
was vigorous at an early
day is evidenced from the fact that the
society was incorporated
on February 17, 1829, at a meeting held
in the storehouse of
Benjamin Jacobs, taking the corporate name
of "The Society of
the Methodist Episcopal Church and Congre-
gation in Newton
Hollow," in the west part of the town of Bain-
bridge. The first
trustees were Cooley Wilkins, Charles Curtis,
Lewis Weeks, Thomas
Newton, Peter Bridgman. By failure to
elect trustees the
charter became invalid. Accordingly, the so-
ciety met at the chapel
on September 10, 1833, and incorporated
North Afton, N. Y. 693
again as "The West
Bainbridge Methodist Episcopal Church."
Edward Z. Hyde and
Reuben Reynolds presided at this meeting,
and Dana Post, Button
Stowell, William Cleveland, Wesley
Cleveland, and Edward Z.
Hyde were elected trustees. The house
of worship was erected
in 1829, at a cost of $1,500. This society
was one of the earliest
formed on the old Bainbridge Circuit. This
house stood just off the
main road, on the road leading from
North Afton to Coventry,
and but a little ways from the corner.
The lot on which the
present church stands was secured by deed
from George F. Hard and
wife Mary, and Daniel S. Hyde and
wife Vitella, on January
29, 1864, for $100. The trustees at this
time were Joseph H. Fletcher,
Abijah Cornell, and William Kel-
ley. The church was
built about this time. The building was
repaired in 1873, at a
cost of $1,200, and in 1897 was completely
renovated, at an expense
of $800.
Russell Hill was
supplied with preaching from Afton for some
years.
The Ladies' Aid Society
at Afton and North Afton have been
important factors in
work at both places.
The charge has
experienced many revival seasons.
Some old-time camp
meetings were held in a grove midway
between Afton and North
Afton, owned by Elija,h and Chauncey
Hyde, later owned by Mr.
Mahew and Mr. Balcolm. Meetings
were held a couple of
years, 1845 and 1846, ortthe west side of
the creek, and
subsequently several years on the east side of the
creek. The meeting of
1850 was one of especial power.
Pastorates
1858-59, J. W. Mitchell;
1860-61, W. G. Queal; 1862-63, L.
Bowdish; 1864-66, B. H.
Brown; 1867-69, W. W. Andrews;
1870-72, B. B. Carruth;
1873-75, T. P. Halstead; 1876-77, H. N.
Van Deusen; 1878-79, N.
j. Hawley; 1880-82, J. F. Williams;
1883-84, A. F. Chaffee;
1885-86, A. J. Cook; 1887-91, N. B. Rip-
ley; 1892, C. D.
Shepard; 1893-95, C. B. Personeus; 1896-98,
J. L. Thomas; 1899-1902,
C. E. Sweet; 1903, E. L. Jeffrey.
Bainbridge, N. Y.
The beginning of
Methodism in the town of Bainbridge was at
Searles Hill, in the
northwest corner of the township, and about
1810. The class was
organized, and preaching services held in
the log house of Abner
Searles. Soon after this a schoolhouse
was built on Searles
Hill, when the society went there with its
services.
694 Wyoming Conference
Methodism was introduced
to Bainbridge village by Charles
Curtis, who began
holding services irregularly in 1816, using any
place he could secure to
hold them in.
"The First
Episcopal Methodist Society of the Town of Bain-
bridge" was
incorporated on March 25, 1816, with Samuel Banks,
Israel Stowell, and
William Banks trustees. The next incor-
poration was on February
11, 1833. Charles Curtis and Reuben
Reynolds presided at the
meeting, and Charles Curtis, William
BAINBRIDGE OLD CHURCH
[photo]
Banks, David Scott, John
Newton, Joseph Badger, and Ambrose
Lyon were elected
trustees of "The North Bainbridge Society of
the Methodist Episcopal
Church." The society was again incor-
porated on June 1, 1853.
Charles Curtis and Levi Scott presided
over the meeting, and
Ansel Phinney, Charles Curtis, and Leroy
Scott were elected
trustees of "The North Bainbridge Village
Society of the Methodist
Episcopal Church."
The society began to
agitate the building of a church in 1825,
but five years passed
before the building began to materialize.
"The first stick of
timber drawn for the church was given by
Samuel Carpenter, who
lived near what is now Afton Lake.
Bainbridge, N. Y. 695
Nearly all of the lumber
entering into the construction was do-
nated, as was also much
of the manual labor — working at odd
times, several one day,
none the next. It was July, 1830, before
the frame was ready to
raise. This was to the people of those
days what the laying of
the corner stone of modern edifices is to
present-day gatherings,
except that it called for more hard work
and danger. The raising
of the main portion of the church was
accomplished without
difficulty, but when the framework for the
steeple was being placed
in position one of the main supports
fell, precipitating a
dozen men into the basement amid the falling
timbers. Four were
seriously hurt, Briggs Lyon, who lived a
mile or two west of the
village, being the most seriously injured.
His fractures and
bruises were so severe that it was necessary
to improvise a litter to
carry him home, there not being the spring-
wagons and good roads of
the present day. On the shoulders of
four men, who were
frequently relieved by their companions, the
wounded man left the
labor of love to return to his home. He
lived for several years,
but never fully recovered his health. The
other three who were
injured were Alson Searles, of Searles
Hill, Rufus Burlingame,
of Afton, and Ephraim Bixby, of
Bainbridge.
"This accident
naturally delayed the work of construction, and
it was not until late in
the fall that the building was ready for
occupancy. Even then it
had no arrangement for heating, and
when services were held
during the ensuing winter small indi-
vidual foot stoves were
used, such as were common in those times,
in which fire was made.
The interior of the church was of the
style of the day, having
a high pulpit and galleries on three sides.
The building was without
paint, either outside or in, and no
changes were made except
by the elements until 1853."
The lot on Evans Street,
upon which the old church stands,
was deeded to the
society on May 4, 1854, by Charles Curtis and
wife Permelia, in
consideration of $400.
In 1865-66 radical and
extensive repairs were made on the
building. The galleries
were torn out, the old pulpit cast aside,
an addition built on the
rear, and the steeple enlarged, making
the building more modern.
Mr. William Cooley, of Yaleville,
had the contract for the
work, which cost $4,000. The church
was reopened on
Thursday, March 1, 1866, Rev. William Searls
preaching in the morning
and Rev. William Bixby in the even-
ing. The sum of $1,500
was raised during the day.
In 1874 some minor
changes were made, chief of which was
the change in location
of the choir. It was removed from near
696 Wyoming Conference
the entrance and placed
on the left side of the pulpit. Gaylord
S. Graves served as choir
leader thirty years.
In 1890 $1,300 was spent
in changing the plan of seating,
making two aisles and
two entrances, papering and painting the
building.
The site for the present
church was deeded to the society on
October 14, 1898, by Mrs.
Dr. Copley, for $1,200. The corner
stone was laid on August
23, 1902, by Rev. T. F. Hall, D.D., and
Rev. J. S. Crompton.
Addresses were made by Revs. T. F. Hall,
C. E. Sweet, A. R.
Burke, C. M. Olmstead, and J. S. Crompton.
The stone contained the
following: Bible, Hymnal, Discipline,
BAINBRIDGE NEW CHURCH [photo]
Conference Minutes,
Epworth League Year Book, New York
Advocate, Northern
Advocate, Epworth Herald, Bainbridge Re-
publican and Express,
Lesson Quarterly, League Topic Card,
lists of officers and
members of the Senior and Junior Leagues
and the Ladies' Aid
Society, and an historical sketch of the
church.
The building, including
organ $1,000, bell $200, seating and
other furnishings, cost
$10,000. The windows are all memorial.
The Epworth League
bought the organ, and the Ladies' Aid
Society raised about as
much money for the project.
The building was
dedicated on Friday, May 8, 1903, Rev.
John Krantz, D.D.,
preaching in the morning from Psa. xxxi, 8,
and managing the finances
of the day. In the afternoon Rev.
Union Valley, N. Y. 697
Edgar Brown, D.D.,
preached from Mark ii, 3. The evening
service was a platform
service addressed by pastors of the local
churches and visiting
clergymen, and closed with the dedicatory
service, conducted by
Rev. T. F. Hall, D.D.
When Bainbridge appeared
among the appointments in 1822
it was a circuit of
considerable dimensions. About 1830 it in-
cluded North Bainbridge
(Bainbridge), East Guilford, Searles
Hill, Turnpike (now West
Bainbridge), Coventry, Coventry-
ville. South Bainbridge
(Afton), Nineveh, Harpursville, Wind-
sor, Vallonia Springs,
Lanesboro, Page Brook, Perch Pond,
Melondy Hill, Sanford, Masonville,
Sidney, and numerous small
schoolhouse
appointments. In 1841-42 the circuit included North
Bainbridge, Ireland's
Schoolhouse, Searles Hill Schoolhouse,
Coventry (church), West
Bainbridge (church). South Bain-
bridge Schoolhouse, East
Masonville Schoolhouse, Masonville
Schoolhouse, Log
Schoolhouse, Tompkins Schoolhouse, Me-
londy Hill Schoolhouse,
Morse Schoolhouse, Plains Schoolhouse,
and North Windsor
Schoolhouse. The parsonage was at Mason-
ville. Bainbridge
subsequently became the home- of the pastor.
In 1833 Rev. Reuben
Reynolds was one of the preachers on
the circuit. He was
hired by the bridge company to keep the
tollhouse, for which he
received one dollar per week. His family
did the work while he
was absent on the circuit.
Searles Hill continued
to be an appointment until its absorp-
tion in Union Valley in
1852.
The parsonage lot was
bought of Nelson Humphrey in 1883
for $900, and the
parsonage erected the same year at a cost
of $1,600.
In 1842 there were two
hundred conversions on the circuit,
and in 1851 there were
three hundred.
In 1892 an $800 debt of
nine years' standing was paid.
Union Valley receives
its name from the fact that the societies
at Searles Hill,
Turnpike, and the Bush Settlement united to
form this church. On
March 9, 1852, the members of the north-
west part of Bainbridge
Circuit met at the house of Peleg Ferris
for the purpose of
incorporation. Lyman J. Bush and John H.
Post presided. Samuel H.
Bush, Nelson Ireland, John H. Post,
Lyman J. Bush, and
George Blanchard were elected trustees of
"The Union Valley
Methodist Episcopal Church of Bainbridge."
On November 11, 1850, in
consideration of $1, Job Ireland and
his wife Ursula deeded
the society one fourth acre of land, upon
which the church was
built in 1852 at a cost of $1,200. It was
698 Wyoming Conference
dedicated by Rev.
William Reddy some time in 1853. On Sep-
tember 26, 1860,
Philander Loomis and wife Phoebe sold the so-
ciety nine and one third
rods of land adjoining the above for
$11.62, and on November
7, 1860. Job Ireland and wife sold the
society twenty-one rods
of land adjoining the first purchase for
$26.25. These last
purchases were for the purpose of building
sheds.
From the time of the
formation of Afton charge until 1876
Union Valley formed a
part of Afton charge.
Pastorates
1822, Joshua Rogers;
1823, John Griffing; 1824, Isaac Grant,
Elijah King; 1825, H. G.
Warner, Herota Barnes; 1826, Mark
Preston, Benjamin
Shipman; 1827, Henry Peck, George Evans;
1828, George Evans, R.
Lumry; 1829, J. M. Brooks, M. Ruger,
1830, J. M. Brooks, E.
Colston; 1831, Morgan Ruger; 1832, E.
L. Wadsworth; 1833, C.
G. Hapgood; 1834, D. Fancher; 1835,
R. Ingalls, D. Fancher;
1836, T. D. Wire, S. B. Yarrington;
1837, T. D. Wire, A. D.
Burlingame; 1838, A. D. Burlingame;
1839, J. D. Warren, A.
Brown; 1840, J. D. Warren, F. P. Cleave-
land; 1841-42, Jacob
Brooker, R. S. Rose; 1843, P- Bartlett,
Benjamin Ferris; 1844,
George Evans, B. Ferris; 1845, G.
Evans, Atchinson Queal;
1846, E. P. Beecher, W. G. Queal;
1847-48, E. W.
Breckinridge, A. R. Wells; 1849, E. P. Beebe,
W. G. Queal; 1850, E. P.
Beebe, L. D, Brigham; 1851, E. D.
Thurston, S. S. Weber;
1852, E. D. Thurston, B. B. Carruth;
1853, R. S. Southworth;
1854, F. P. Cleaveland, R. S. South-
worth; 1855, H.
Halstead, W. Peck; 1856, J. Davis, T. J. Bissell;
1857, J. Davis, R.
Townsend; 1858, T. P. Halstead; 1859-60,
William Southworth;
1861-62, D. L. Pendell; 1863-64, L. Sperry;
1865, A. C. Smith; 1866,
L. Sperry; 1867-68, L. V. Ismond;
1869-71, A. J. Cook;
1872-73, W. B. Thomas; 1874-75, A. B.
Richardson; 1876-77, N.
S. Reynolds; 1878, A. F. Brown;
1879-81, J. Ryder;
1882-83, J. N. Lee; 1884-85, G. A. Place;
1886-8814, H. B. Cook;
1888½-90, W. T. Blair; 1891-94, T.
F. Hall; 1895-96, E.
Kilpatrick; 1897-1900, C. H. Sackett;
1901-03, J. S. Crompton.
COOPERSTOWN, N. Y.
One writer states that
Philip Wager and Jonathan Newman
were the first Methodist
preachers to preach in Cooperstown.
It might be a fair conjecture
that these men who were on Otsego
COOPERSTOWN, N. Y. 699
Circuit in 1791 reached
this place during the year. However,
this is simply
conjecture. We have no evidence that they did.
It is also claimed that
Cooperstown supported a pastor in 1795.
This is highly
improbable, as the class in 1816 had only twenty
members. Further, Rev.
D. W. Bristol, who was pastor here in
1838, claimed that
Methodism was introduced to Cooperstown in
1810 or 1812.
The following were
members in these early days: Amos Berry,
P. Butts, George
Roberts, Daniel McLeland, Joseph Perkins and
COOPERSTOWN OLD CHURCH [photo]
wife, Asher Campbell,
Justus Hinman, B. Eaton, Ezra Crane and
wife, Andrew Petty and
wife, Benjamin Allen and wife, Mr.
Potter and wife, A.
Jarvis, and H. Knowlton.
At a meeting of the
society held in the schoolhouse on October
22, 1816, at which Rev.
Seth Mattison and Daniel McLeland pre-
sided the society became
incorporated as "The First Incorporated
Society of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in Cooperstown,"
George Roberts, Daniel
McLeland, Asher Canfield, Joseph Per-
kins, and Justus Hinman
were elected trustees.
Meetings were held in
the courthouse, schoolhouse, and private
700 Wyoming Conference
dwellings until 1819,
when a church, 35x45, with fifteen-foot posts,
and no tower or steeple,
was erected on a building lot donated by
James Averell and wife Marcy.
This lot contained one rood or
thirty perches and was
situated on the west side of Chestnut Street
about one hundred and
seventy-five feet above the corner of the
present church lot on
the corner of Chestnut Street and Glenn
Avenue. It was ultimately
absorbed in the lot occupied recently
by the Cooper House. The
deed was executed on April 13, 1824,
to David" Marvin,
Asher Canfield, Asa Ransom, Ezra Crane, and
Benjamin Allen as
trustees. The deed contained a clause stipu-
lating that should the
society cease to use the lot for church pur-
poses it should revert
to the Averell estate. Notwithstanding
this fact, after the
church was moved off the lot, the trustees
(Romeo Bowen, Harry
Knowlton, Zadock Fitch, and Alexander
H. Cooper), on December
2, 1839, deeded the lot to William H.
Averell, son of James,
in consideration of $50.
In the Memoir of Rev.
Benjamin G. Paddock we learn that in
1818 he was appointed to
Otsego Circuit, the senior preacher
living at Cooperstown. A
place of worship had already been
commenced. It was
thought best in 1819 to make Cooperstown
a charge, segregating it
from the circuit. P. G. Paddock was
appointed to the place,
though he was supernumerary. Through
his leadership the
chapel was completed. He was the promoter
of a great revival, in
which Rev. John Smith, the Presbyterian
pastor, heartily
cooperated. From June 1, 1819, to March 1,
1820, one hundred and
one members were added to the Presby-
terian church. It is not
known how many united with the Metho-
dist church. At the end
of the year Mr. Paddock reported one
hundred and fifty-five
members. It is presumed that the churches
shared about equally in
results. However, a writer twenty-one
years later claimed that
most of the converts went to the Presby-
terian church, largely
on account of the location of the Methodist
church.
After Mr. Paddock's
pastorate Methodism began to decline
until in 1838 the
society had but fifteen members, "and they were
quite poor." At the
close of Mr. Bristol's pastorate there were
sixty-two members. In
the next year about forty were added
to the number.
The location of this
church was unfortunate, as it was outside
the cluster of
dwellings, on the outskirts of the town. A writer
to the Northern stated
that it was deserted about 1838 for re-
ligious purposes,
meetings being held in private houses or the
schoolhouse. On December
6, 1838, Ellery Cory and wife Phoebe
COOPERSTOWN, N. Y. 701
and Holder Cory deeded
the society a lot on the north side of
Elm Street for $250. This
lot had sixty feet front, and it was
about 216 feet from the
corner of Elm and Pioneer Streets to
the center of the lot.
Buckingham Fitch, Zadock Fitch, Russell
Brownell, Henry Bowen,
and Romeo Bowen were the trustees at
the time. Either in 1838
or 1839 the church was moved from
Chestnut Street to the
lot on Elm Street. Rev. D. W. Bristol
took a position at one
end of a roller, and did vigorous work in
moving the building. The
cost of removal and repairs was about
$850. To raise this
amount Mr. Bristol "was dispatched in
various directions to
raise funds." A subscription book is in ex-
istence showing that his
visits to various charges secured $263.50.
The local society
probably raised about $236.50.
After removal and extensive
repairs the building was dedicated
by the presiding elder,
D. A. Shepard. In this removal a debt of
$350 was incurred, which
was carried until 1847 before being
paid. In 1846-47 the
building was remodeled, a basement being
built and an uninviting
tower constructed, and on March 27,
1848, the society
secured additional land from the Corys, at a
cost of $200. The total
outlay was over $1,000. Of this amount
$559 was raised by the
society, and the balance was secured out-
side the congregation.
On May 1, 1872, Luther
I. Burditt and wife Eliza deeded the
society a lot on Eagle
Street for $500, upon which a house was
built costing about
$1,000.
In 1875 the church
passed through its last transformation. The
basement was eliminated,
the old steeple gave place to a more
inviting one, a lecture
room was built on the rear of the church,
and memorial windows put
in. The large rose window in the
tower was put in by
ministers who had entered the work from
Otsego County. In these
repairs $3,800 was spent. The building
was rededicated on
November 10, 1875. Bishop R. S. Foster
preached in the morning
from Isa. ix, 6, and Rev. Henry
Wheeler in the evening
from Gen. xxviii, 17. Twelve hundred
dollars was asked at the
close of the bishop's sermon, and $1,500
raised. At the close of
the evening sermon a statement was made
to the congregation that
a church in Schenectady would sell its
pipe organ, costing
$2,200, for $800. The congregation at once
raised $500, which, with
the excess of the morning, bought the
organ.
In 1885 a debt of $600,
which had been carried nine years, was
paid, and in the
following year $500 was spent in recarpeting the
church, buying a new
furnace, and decorating the lecture room.
702 Wyoming Conference
In 1897 $600 was
expended in painting, papering, and carpeting
the building.
On March 10, 1902, John Pank
deeded the society the property
on the corner of
Chestnut Street and Glen Avenue for $4,600,
taking as part payment
the Eagle Street parsonage at $2,500. The
house on this
last-purchased lot was moved on to the lower side
of the lot and nicely
fitted for a parsonage. On the corner of the
lot there is being
erected a church which will cost about $13,000.
When finished the
society will have one of the most attractive
properties in the
Conference.
The Oneida Conference
was entertained by this society in
April, 1858.
In the days when the
society was very weak it received $150
per year from the
Missionary Society for several years.
Hyde Park was a
part of this charge from the time of organiza-
tion until it was put
with Hartwick in 1902.
Pastorates
Prior to 1819 part of
Otsego Circuit; 1819, B. G. Paddock;
1820, Elias Bowen; 1821,
Dana Fox; 1822 (Otsego and Coopers-
town), Orin Doolittle,
Eli Allen; 1823-27, probably a part of
Otsego Circuit; 1828
(Otsego and Cooperstown), Isaac Grant;
1829 (Cooperstown alone
again), Henry F. Rowe; 1830-37, part
of Otsego Circuit again;
1838-39 (an appointment again), D. W.
Bristol; 1840, V. M.
Coryell; 1841, William Bixby; 1842, Lyman
A. Eddy; 1843 (Otsego
and Cooperstown), L. A. Eddy, J. Shank;
1844-45, (alone again),
Cassius H. Harvey; 1846-47, B. W. Gor-
ham; 1848-49, D. W.
Bristol; 1850-51, E. G. Andrews; 1852-53,
Charles Blakeslee; 1854,
S. Comfort; 1855-56, M. C. Kern; 1857,
Joseph Shank; 1858, J.
T. Crippen; 1859-60, J. L. Wells; 1861-62,
G. W. Bridge; 1863, R.
Townsend; 1864, J. Pilkington; 1865-67,
I. D. Peaslee; 1868-70,
W. L. Thorpe; 1871-72, H. M. Cryden-
wise; 1873, W. A.
Wadsworth; 1874-76, A. S. Clarke; 1877-79,
W. M. Hiller; 1880-81,
J. C. Leacock; 1882-84, A. J. Cook; 1885-
87, A. F. Chaffee;
1888-90, T. F. Hall; 1891-93; W. T. Blair;
1894-98, B. P. Ripley;
1889-1900, E. Kilpatrick; 1901-03, J. H.
Littell.
Cooperstown Junction
On May 8, 1876, a
meeting of the people of Colliersville and
vicinity was held in the
schoolhouse. Rev. H. B. Cook, who was
pastor of Oneonta Plains
and Colliersville, presided at the meet-
ing, which was largely
attended. Jerome H. Talmadge, Alonzo B.
Cooperstown, N. Y. 703
Every, J. P. Barnes, A.
E. Thurston, George German, G. M.
Pendell, James Badeau,
Abraham Diefendorft, and F. M. Fox
were elected trustees.
R. M. Roundy was elected secretary and
treasurer of the new
society. A building committee was appointed
consisting of Alonzo B.
Every, F. M. Fox, G. M. Pendell, and
Jerome H. Talmadge. On
May 29, 1876, Merritt and David
Multer deeded the Methodist
Episcopal Church of Junction and
Colliersville forty-nine
and a half square rods of land for $180.
The church was built
upon this lot by day labor, J. P. Manning
being the foreman. The
building cost $2,777.50, which was raised
during the summer and on
the day of dedication, which was
November 2, 1876.
There were a number of
Baptists in the community who were
interested in church
work and they were given the use of the
church afternoons a
number of years. A diminution of their num-
bers prompted them to
discontinue their services here.
Through the kindness of
Dr. D. E. Siver, the Cooperstown and
Susquehanna Valley
Railroad Company gave the society a lot
adjoining the church
lot, containing forty-nine rods, the deed for
which was executed on
November 7, 1898. During the summer
and fall of 1898 a house
valued at $1,500 was erected on this lot,
$1,000 in money being
raised for that purpose and $500 in labor
being contributed. The
following year the barn was built.
The society was incorporated
as "The Methodist Episcopal
Society of Junction and
Colliersville" on April 11, 1900, with
Lester Howe, W. J.
Barnes, and A. B. Every trustees.
In 1892 the society was
greatly strengthened by a revival.
From 1876 to 1878 this society
was served by the Oneonta
Plains pastor, and from
1879 it has been with Portlandville, the
charge taking the name
of Cooperstown Junction in 1891.
Portlandville is four
miles north of Cooperstown Junction.
Work was established
here at an early day. The church was
dedicated on January 16,
1849. Rev. Lyman, Sperry, the presid-
ing elder, preached at
11 a. m. and Rev. D. W. Bristol in the
afternoon. In the
evening the Otsego District Ministerial Associa-
tion convened in the
church.
In 1867 $3,000 was spent
in repairs. The building was raised, a
basement constructed, a
bell purchased, and the auditorium refur-
nished. The building was
reopened on Thursday, August 1, 1867,
Rev. William Bixby
preaching in the morning and Rev. C. D.
Mead in the evening.
The society became
incorporated on October 28, 1852, as "The
704 Wyoming Conference
First Methodist
Episcopal Church of Portlandville." Thomas
L. Wakefield and George
Bowers presided at the meeting for
incorporation, and
Thomas L. Wakefield, Erastus Soule, and
Lorenzo Lane were
elected trustees.
The lot upon which the
church was built contained a quarter
of an acre, and was
deeded to the society on August 8, 1855, by
Kachel Lane, Lorenzo
Lane and wife Marcia, William Lane and
wife Harriet, Philander
Lane and wife Evaline, Nelson Lane and
wife Lavantia, Caroline
Cronkite, Caleb J. Paul and wife Emaline.
The purchase price was
$40. By two subsequent purchases, one
in 1868 and one in 1873,
additional land was purchased.
The class was first a
part of Otsego Circuit, and when Milford
became an appointment
formed a part of that charge, where it
remained until it became
an appointment in 1879. Westville
was for a while
connected with Portlandville.
Pastorates
1879 (Portlandville and
Junction), H. B. Cook; 1880, M. D.
Sill; 1881-82, C. W.
Babcock; 1883, W. Burnside; 1884-86, N. B.
Ripley; 1887, B. B. Carruth;
1888-89, W. H. Alger; 1890, R. P.
Green; 1891 (Cooperstown
Junction), A. W. Loomis; 1892-93,
C. E. Sweet; 1894-95, D.
R. Smith; 1896, S. A. Luce; 1897-98,
F. A. Mattison;
1899-1900, B. L. Hess; 1901-02, A. E. Potter;
1903, C. A. Frear.
Davenport, N. Y.
Methodism has been
prominent in this section ever since
its introduction into
the Charlotte Valley. The territory of this
charge, and of Davenport
Center, was first reached by the preach-
ers of Delaware Circuit,
and subsequently formed a part of
Charlotte Circuit, which
was taken from Delaware Circuit in
1834. Charlotte Circuit
included Charlotteville, Russ Hill, Dug-
way, South Worcester,
Fergusonville, East Davenport (now
Davenport), Davenport
Center, Briar Street (now East Mer-
edith), West Davenport,
and the Hemlocks.
When Olaf G. Hedstrom
was appointed to the circuit in 1835
he made his home in a
building which had been used for a wood-
house and wash-shed.
"When he moved into the building it was
without furniture, save
an old cracked stove. The preacher had
no money with which to
buy; he therefore took some rough
boards, and sticks from
the wood pile, and made a table, a bed-
stead, a cupboard, and a
few benches for seats. When the work
Davenport, N. Y. 705
was done he knelt and
thanked God that he was in possession of
so comfortable a
home."
The territory has been visited
with some notable revivals. In
the winter of 1844-45
occurred one of special interest. "A ball
had been announced to be
held at the hotel on the evening of the
Methodist prayer
meeting, which was held in the church, not far
from the hotel. One object
of the ball was to break up the
Methodist services, if
possible. Rev. A. C. Fields, who was then
preacher in charge of
the circuit, suggested that special prayer
should be made for the
rioters and dancers who had already
gathered at the hotel. It
was done. The prayer of faith was
speedily answered. Long
before midnight the ballroom was
vacant, and the persons
who had proposed to break up the prayer-
service were in the
church loudly and earnestly seeking for mercy.
Many who had intended to
spend the night in dancing spent it
in prayer. The meeting
continued with great power all night, and
before dawn many were
saved. An extensive revival followed
which gave much strength
to the church." Memorable revivals
occurred during the pastorates
of Elliott, King, James W. Smith,
Richmond, the Burgars,
Morehouse and others.
In 1853 the Davenport
Circuit was formed, which included
Emmons, West Davenport,
Prosper Hollow, Davenport Center,
Briar Street, East
Davenport, South Hill, Fergusonville, Mary-
land Hill, and South
Worcester, the last two places being in
Otsego County. In 1862
the circuit was divided, the places above
East Davenport
constituting a charge taking the name of Fer-
gusonville; remaining
appointments continuing under the name
of Davenport.
This charge came into
Wyoming Conference from the New
York Conference in 1894.
The name of this charge
was changed from Fergusonville to
Davenport in 1899.
John Bangs, brother to
the gifted Nathan Bangs, was one of
the preachers on
Charlotte Circuit in 1837. He was a strong
preacher and referring
to the contrast between himself and his
brother he said:
"My father had a great memory, and my mother
a poor one. Nathan
inherited my father's, and I my mother's."
The Davenport church was
built in 1883, and was dedicated
on February 1, 1884, by
Chaplain McCabe and Rev. Lucius H.
King. It is Gothic in
style, having a basement under the whole
church well equipped for
social work, and in its tower swings a
bell weighing one
thousand and seventy pounds.
In 1892 the building was
repaired and the interior beautified.
706 Wyoming Conference
The parsonage was
located at Fergusonville many years. In
1895 it was sold and the
present parsonage at Davenport pur-
chased, costing $2,000.
The charge was blessed
by gracious revivals in 1894 and 1895.
Fergusonville is three
miles northwest from Davenport, and
early became an
important point on the Charlotte Circuit. The
church was built in
1835, costing $1,400. It was extensively re-
paired in 1869.
In 1848 Rev. Samuel D.
Ferguson, a distinguished member of
the New York Conference,
founded an academy at Fergusonville
which, because of its
environment, salubrity of the climate, and
Mr. Ferguson's ability,
proved a success. Mr. Ferguson died in
1855, and the school was
transferred to James Oliver. It has
long since ceased to
exist, and part of the buildings have been
destroyed.
In 1851 Davenport and
Fergusonville were swept by revivals.
In the latter place, it
is said, every family was reached except
a Catholic one.
Pastorates
(Delaware Circuit:)
1794, Robert Dillon, David Buck; 1795,
David Bartine, Jeremiah
Ballard; 1796, Zenas Conger, Daniel
Crouch; 1797, Anthony
Turk, John Robinson; 1798, John Robin-
son, William Vredenburgh;
1799, Daniel Higby, Nathan Smith;
1800, Thomas Dodson,
Jonathan Newman; 1801, John Leach,
Benjamin Bidlack,
William Williams; 1802, Matthias Swaim,
Stephen G. Whitehead;
1803, Zenas Covil; 1804, Henry Steele,
Andrew McKean; 1805,
John Crawford, Jesse Davis; 1806,
Alexander Martin,
Nehemiah U. Tompkins; 1807, Joseph WiUis,
William Snow; 1808,
Nathan Bangs, Robert Dillon; 1809, Hugh
Armstrong, Cyprian H.
Gridley; 1810, John Kline, Abner Chase;
1811, Samuel Fowler,
Elijah Hibbard; 1812, Bela Smith,
Alexander Dunbar, Hawley
Sanford; 1813, John Finnegan,
Elisha P. Jacob, Henry
Hobby; 1814, Stephen Jacob, Beardsley
Northrup; 1815, Stephen
Jacob, Heman Bangs; 1816, Bela
Smith, Horace Weston;
1817, W. M. Stilwell, Isaac Lent; 1818,
Arnold Schofield, James
Young; 1819, A. Schofield, Henry Had-
field, Nathan Rice;
1820, John Finnegan, James Quinlan; 1821,
John Finnegan, Roswell
Kelly; 1822, Jesse Pomeroy, Quartus
Stewart; 1823, John
Bangs, Ira Ferris; 1824, John Bangs, Beza-
leel Howe; 1825, Cyrus
Silliman, Bezaleel Howe; 1826, Cyrus
Silliman, Philo Ferris;
1827, Friend W. Smith, Philo Ferris;
1828, Friend W. Smith,
Paul R. Brown; 1829, Alexander Calder,
Davenport Center, N. Y.
707
Paul R. Brown; 1830,
Orin Pier, Harvey Brown; 1831, Harvey
Brown, Rodman Lewis;
1832, Noah Sullivan, John Bangs; 1833,
Elbert Osborn;
(Charlotte Circuit:) 1834, Harvey Brown; 1835-
36, Olaf G. Hedstrom;
1837, Matthew Van Dusen, John Bangs,
sup.; 1838, Daniel
Bullock, George L. Fuller; 1839-40, John
Carver; 1841-42, Eben S.
Hibbard; 1843-44, Andrew C. Fields;
184S, Daniel Bullock,
Abraham Davis; 1846, Addi Lee, John
Bangs, sup.; 1847,
Russell S. Scott, John Bangs, sup.; 1848,
Russell S. Scott, Samuel
D. Ferguson; 1849, Hiram Lamont,
Moses L. Pendell, S. D.
Ferguson, sup.; 1850, Hiram Lamont,
Joseph Elliott, S. D.
Ferguson, sup.; 1851, Lucius H. King,
Noble Lovett, S. D.
Ferguson, sup.; 1852, L. H. King, Robert
Kerr, S. D. Ferguson,
sup.; (Davenport Circuit:) 1853, David
Gibson, Asahel M. Hough;
1854, David Gibson, Royal Court-
right; 1855-56, James W.
Smith, George Hearn; 1857, James M.
Burgar, John F.
Richmond; 1858, James M. Burgar, Orin P.
Dales; 1859, Alonzo C. Morehouse,
J. P. Burgar; 1860, Alonzo C.
Morehouse, Sanford L
Ferguson; 1861, Nehemiah O. Lent, San-
ford L Ferguson;
(Fergusonville:) 1862-63, Robert Kerr; 1864-
65, Robert. H. Kelley;
1866, Charles W. Lyon; 1867, W. W.
Shaw; 1868
(Fergusonville and Charlotte two years, when the
charge is Fergusonville
again), W. W. Shaw, L. S. Brown; 1869,
W. S. Winans, E. F.
Barlow; 1870-71, W. S. Winans; 1872-74,
E. White; 1875-76, J. H.
Wood; 1877, John Keogan; 1878, C. H.
Travis, 1879-80, Thomas
Elliott; 1881-83, C. Palmer; 1884-85,
(Fergusonville and
Charlotteville two years), C. H. Travis, 1886-
87 (Fergusonville and
Davenport to 1897), S. Merchant; 1888-
92, G. W. Martin; 1893,
Samuel Bullen; 1894-98, C. E. Sweet;
1899-1902, Joshua
Brundle; 1903, J. L. Serviss.
Davenport Center, N. Y.
The early history of
this charge is involved with the history of
the Davenport charge.
Its pastors are to be found in Delaware,
Charlotte, and Davenport
Circuits. At the division of Davenport
Circuit in 1862 one part
(see Davenport) continued the name
Davenport, and carried
the name until 1895, when it was changed
to Davenport Center.
This charge came into
Wyoming Conference from the New
York Conference in 1894.
The church at Davenport
Center was built in 1835, at a cost
of $3,000, and was
extensively repaired in 1876.
The parsonage is located
at Davenport Center.
708 Wyoming Conference
West Davenport is two
and a half miles west of Davenport.
The church was built in
1852 at a cost of $1,100, and was
thoroughly repaired in
1874 at a cost of $1,600, at which time
the bell, which cost
$300, was purchased. The building was
again repaired in 1891
at an expense of $600.
A good revival occurred
at this place in 1850-51, and in 1885
there were over one
hundred conversions.
Pastorates
1862, Nehemiah O. Lent;
1863, Edwin B. Pierce; 1864, Amos
N. Mulnix; 1865, Peter
V. Schermerhorn; 1866-67, Wilham D.
Fero; 1868-69 Joseph
Elliott; 1870-71, Lorenzo G. Niles; 1872,
Adelbert Gaylord;
1873-74, William W. Taylor; 1875-76, Milo
Couchman; 1877-78,
Edward P. Crane; 1879-81, Edwin Hunt;
1882-83, T. Carter;
1884-86, A. B. Barker; 1887-88, A. H.
Haynes; 1889, George L.
McLane; 1890-91, L. S. Brown; 1892-
93, M. S. Buckingham;
1894-95, C. H. Reynolds; 1896-98, C. D.
Shepard; 1899-1901, S.
A. Terry; 1902, A. J. Neff; 1903, W. S.
Wilcox.
Decatur, N. Y.
The first society
organized in this town was a union affair with
the following members:
Timothy Parker, Biger Wright, Stiles
Parker, Jesse Davis,
Martha Howe, James Parker, Martha Davis,
Sarah Maple, Parker, J.
Lewis, N. Lewis, Samuel Howe, P.
Parker, and Elijah
Parker.
The first church
building was erected in 1807, at a cost of $500.
On January 17, 1823, a
meeting was held at the house of Justus
Lewis, when "The
Decatur Union Society" became incorporated,
with Jesse Davis,
Chauncey Parker, and Sheubel Bullock trustees.
The Methodists used the
"Society House" until they went into
their own church.
As early as 1836 Decatur
formed a part of Westford Circuit.
About this year, at a
Quarterly Conference held on June 23 and
24, this motion was
passed: "Resolved, That Decatur Hollow be
allowed the privilege of
circulating a subscription paper in order
to ascertain the
practicability of maintaining a station preacher,
and report their success
to the presiding elder." The same record-
ing steward's book
states that a church was dedicated at Decatur
on March 16, 1837, Rev.
D. A. Shepard preaching the sermon
and dedicating the
church.
Biger Wright was the
first class leader.
Decatur, Elliott Hill,
and Red Schoolhouse are not mentioned
Decatur, N. Y. 709
again in the Minutes of
Westford Circuit until February, 1841,
when the preachers of
the circuit were requested to supply those
places. Nor do the Minutes
of Conferences give any hint as to
how the places were
supplied with preaching. The July Quarterly
Conference of 1841
passed the following: "Resolved, That Deca-
tur Hollow, Elliott
Hill, and West Worcester be set off as a
station." From this
time on Decatur appears among the Confer-
ence appointments.
While the preceding is
decidedly fragmentary, it is very sug-
gestive, and by reading
between the lines we may see the growth
of the society.
In 1871 $2,700 was spent
in repairing the building. The gal-
leries were removed, a
tower built, bell purchased, and other im-
provements made. The
church was reopened on Thursday,
November 30, 1871. Rev.
W. N. Cobb preached in the morning
from Psa. cxvi, 12-16,
and after the sermon raised $1,300. Rev.
J. V. Newell preached in
the evening.
In 1890 the building was
papered, ceiled, and carpeted, at a
cost of $500.
The old church was torn
down, and a new one built in 1901
costing $2,000. It is of
modern design and has eleven memorial
windows. It was
dedicated on January 30, 1902, by Rev. T. F.
Hall, D.D., $1,950 being
raised on the day of dedication.
The first parsonage was
bought in. 1840, and sold about 1880,
when the present
parsonage was built on the lot by the church.
Anticipating a new
house, the society bought a half acre of land
of William Cipperly in
April, 1874, for $500. This lot was sold,
and on October 2, 1875,
the lot upon which the parsonage stands
was bought of G. M.
Starkweather for $175.
Between January and April,
1842, there were over two hundred
conversions at Decatur.
A good revival occurred in 1869, and in
February and March,
1886, one hundred and five were converted.
Elliott Hill formed a
part of this charge until about 1887, when
it was placed with East
Worcester.
South Valley is about
four miles northwest of Decatur. For
many years this society
worshiped in a building which was
jointly owned by the
Episcopal and Protestant Methodists. The
society sold its
interest in the church for $300. Delos Easier pre-
sented the society with
a fine lot, upon which a church costing
about $2,000 was built.
It was dedicated on July 25, 1895. Rev.
L. B. Weeks preached in
the morning, Rev. C. H. Sackett in the
afternoon, and Rev. H. B.
Benedict in the evening. The sum of
71O Wyoming Conference
$300 was raised during
the day. The dedicatory service was con-
ducted by Rev. A. J. Van
Cleft.
A bell costing $200 was
purchased in 1902.
Pastorates
1841, A. E. Daniels;
1842-43, C. Starr; 1844, S. C. Phinney;
1845-46, E. Dennison;
1847-48, E. L. North; 1849, George Parsons,
R. O. Beebe; 1850,
George Parsons; 1851-52, D. C. Dutcher;
1853-54, W. Burnside;
1855-56, S. M. Stone; 1857, A. E. Daniels;
1858-59, W. R. Lynch;
1860, P. Hughston; 1861-62, D. Potter;
1863, H. E. Rowe; 1864-65,
J. N. Piatt; 1866-68, C. G. Wood;
1869, A. S. Clark; 1870,
H. A. Blanchard; 1871, S. H. Hill; 1872-
74, W. R. Cochrane;
1875, A. W. Barrows; 1876, A. G. Bar-
tholomew; 1877, S. H.
Wood; 1878, W. Edgar; 1879-80, L. B.
Weeks; 1881-83, R. C. Gill;
1884-86, C. B. Personeus; 1887-88,
A. W. Loomis; 1889-90,
E. H. Truesdell; 1891-92, R. P. Green;
1893, G. N. Underwood;
1894, L. V. Wood; 1895, G. H. Bent;
1896-99, W. S. Adams;
1900, William Mountenay; 1901, W. H.
Horton; 1902, Asa A.
Callendar; 1903, W. S. Adams.
East Worcester, N. Y.
The society was formed
about 1823 or 1824. Mrs. Elizabeth
Champion, wife of John
Champion, called a meeting at the school-
house, situated near the
Comers, on a certain Sunday evening,
and sent for a local preacher
named Depew, living at Elliott Hill
to come and preach for
them. The large audience was disap-
pointed. Mrs. Champion
spoke to the people explaining the teach-
ings of Methodism. After
praying and exhorting she asked those
who were willing to join
her in holding prayer meetings to signify
it. Two responded.
Meetings followed in which Mr. Depew
assisted. Preaching
services were established. Rev. Messrs.
Depew and Jeremiah
Simmons alternating in preaching. Revival
work followed with success.
Next year this class forms a part of
Westford Circuit.
The class met in the
schoolhouse in district No. 1, in the town of
Worcester, on April 10,
1838. Rev. A. E. Daniels was chairman,
Silas Devol secretary,
and Silas Devol and Aaron Champion
acted as judges of
election. At this meeting "The Methodist
Episcopal Church of East
Worcester" was incorporated, and Silas
Devol, Aaron Champion,
Eli P. Bruce, Jonathan Jennings, and
John Rockefeller were
elected trustees.
The society was again
incorporated on August 2, 1886. E. R.
East Worcester, N. Y.
711
Thurber and Elanson Snow
presided, and Giles C. Dana, Aaron
Hollenbeck, and Adam
Eckerson were elected trustees.
On July 24, 1838,
Leonard Caryl and wife Mary deeded the
society a lot, located
on the road to South Hill, for $1. He also
subscribed liberally
toward the building of the church. To this
man and Messrs. Aaron
and James Champion the building of the
church was chiefly due.
It was put up prior to 1839. A writer
says: "It was a
heavy tax on a few persons, and when the com-
mittee were soliciting
contributions they called on John Champion,
the 'hotel preacher,' as
he was extensively known, for aid. He
promised to pay a
certain amount if they would grant him the
privilege of preaching
the first sermon in it after its completion.
This was readily agreed
to. At the dedication, when the prelim-
inaries had taken place,
and all were ready for the sermon by the
presiding elder. Uncle
John left his seat and started for the pulpit.
All eyes were turned on
the old gray-haired veteran, and those
in the pulpit seemed to
hesitate, not knowing what was going to
occur. Many of the
auditors knew what was coming. One of
the sons attempted to
persuade him to relinquish his plan, as it
might disturb the
proceedings. He pushed his son aside, with
the remark that he knew what
he was about to do. On reaching
the altar, he addressed
the ministers, and related, in a clear voice,
the contract made, and
said that he was ready to fulfill the last
of the bargain on his
part. The ministers stood aside, the old
gentleman took his text,
and for twenty or thirty minutes ad-
dressed the crowded
house in a manner never before nor since
known. It almost seemed
as if St. John, the apostle, were speak-
ing in his own flesh and
blood. He concluded by trusting that
those who were to occupy
the sacred desk would preach only
from the Holy Bible
before him, with love to all, laying aside all
bigotry, superstition,
intolerance, or fanaticism, to the end that
all might become better,
and prepared to occupy another temple
not made with hands;
also thanked all concerned, walked back to
his seat, and the
dedicatory exercises proceeded."
The building was
enlarged in 1866 and rededicated on Thurs-
day, February 7, 1867,
Rev. William Bixby preaching both
morning and evening. In
1883 $800 was spent in repairing and
improving the church.
In 1895 a parsonage was
built costing $1,600. It was formally
opened on December 28,
1895, by a reception. The following
Sunday morning Rev. J.
E. Bone preached, and after the ser-
mon raised $500 to finish
paying for the building. On January 10,
1896, in consideration
of $245, Eliza A. Sullivan deeded the
712 Wyoming Conference
society half an acre of
ground — the lot on which the parsonage
was built.
The charge has been
visited by a number of gracious revivals.
The charge was formed in
1853, but from 1855-82 it was with
Worcester, and became a
charge again in 1883.
Elliott Hill was a
part of Westford Circuit as early as 1836,
and became a part of
Decatur charge at its formation. On May
19, 1880, James H.
Skinner and his wife Mary deeded to the
Methodist Episcopal Church
of Elliott Hill, in the town of De-
catur, a quarter of an
acre of ground, receiving $1 therefor. The
church was built in
1880. About 1887 this society became a part
of the East Worcester
charge.
Pastorates
1853, E. Dennison; 1854,
Wayne Carver; 1855-82, with Wor-
cester (which see);
1883, G. H. Prentice; 1884-85, W. R. Turner;
1886, G. H. Prentice;
1887-89, J. W. Mevis; 1890-91, R. C. Gill;
1892-94, E. E. Pearce;
1895-96, L. A. Wild; 1897-1900, W. M.
Shaw; 1901-02, W. S.
Wilcox; 1903, W. S. Adams.
Fly Creek, N. Y.
Prior to the creation of
Fly Creek charge this territory formed
a part of Otsego
Circuit.
Not long after the year
1800 a "meetinghouse" was built upon
the spot now called the
"old chapel burying ground," situated
about one fourth of a
mile north of the village. This was built by
the Episcopalians.
The class was organized
about the year 1810 by the Rev. Seth
Mattison, with the
following among the first members: Benjamin
and Celinda Gallap,
David Marvin, George Roberts, Eleanor
Williams, Sally
Rutember. The society used the chapel, spoken
of above. In time it
came to be called the "old Methodist chapel."
On March 31, 1834, the
society met in this chapel and became
incorporated as
"The First Methodist Episcopal Society in Fly
Creek. David Marvin
presided, and Russell Brownell acted as
clerk. Russell Brownell,
Zadock Fitch, David Marvin, Philip
Moses, and Henry Fish
were elected trustees. For some reason,
not now known, the
society met in the same place on April 23,
1835, and again
incorporated, using the same name as before.
Russell Brownell
presided at this meeting, and Jasper Denslow
acted as secretary.
David Marvin, Bennajah Comstock, Joseph C.
Marvin, Warren Babbitt,
Zadock Fitch, Russell Brownell, and
Fly Creek, N. Y. 713
Philip Moses were
elected trustees. At this meeting the trustees
were authorized to secure
a site and circulate a subscription for
a church. Some funds,
however, had already been raised for
that purpose.
On July 31, 1835, David
Marvin and his wife Eleanor deeded
the society one rood and
fourteen rods of land for $50. The
church, which was 40x60
feet, was built on this lot, and dedicated
in 1839 by Dr. Elias
Bowen.
This building was
remodeled in 1874 at an expense of $2,500.
The galleries and high
pulpit were removed, and other radical
FLY CREEK CHURCH AND PARSONAGE [photo]
changes made. It was
reopened on Thursday, February 25, 1875.
Rev. H. Wheeler preached
in the morning from Gen. xxviii, 17.
After the sermon the
congregation was asked for $600, and $900
was given. Rev. H. V.
Talbott preached in the evening. The
society used the
Universalist church while the repairs were in
progress.
The bell in this church
was purchased as a community affair,
but for years, by virtue
of possession, it has been considered the
property of the church.
For years it rang at exactly noon, the
janitor priding himself
on his accuracy. It was also used to ring
for curfew, which
prevailed many years ago in the village.
The ground upon which
the Old Chapel used to stand was
leased to the society
for nine hundred years, the owner reserving
the right to pasture
sheep between the graves. The lot was
subsequently deeded to
the society.
The first parsonage was
built on half an acre of ground deeded
714 Wyoming Conference
on December 31, 1835, to
the trustees of Otsego Circuit, by-
Buckingham Fitch, for
$5. The parsonage was not paid for until
about 1854. The pastors
resided in this house until the present
property was bought,
when it was sold. On June 17, 1901,
Henry C. Babcock and
wife Mary H. deeded the society the
present property beside
the church, which contains three quarters
of an acre of ground,
for $2,000.
Fitch Hill class was
organized about 1813. Its first members
were Jonah and Esther
Sprague; Reuben and Elsie Whipple, son
and daughter; George and
Alice Roberts and George, Jr.; S. R.,
Sophia, and Sally
Roberts; Joseph and Alice Perkins; William
Holavert; and Amos
Babcock and wife.
On May 9, 1835, the
society met at the house of B. Fletcher, in
the town and county of
Otsego, for incorporation. William T.
Tanner presided and
Eleazer Boiden acted as clerk. Eleazer
Boiden, William T.
Tanner, Zadock Fitch, David Marvin, and
Buckingham Fitch were
elected trustees of "The Third Methodist
Episcopal Society in the
town of Otsego, State of New York."
A church 24x30 feet was
built in 1835, and was extensively
repaired in 1881. It was
dedicated on Thursday, February 2,
1882, Rev. F. L. Hiller
preaching in the morning and Rev. J. C.
Leacock in the evening.
No services are held
here now, having been discontinued in
1902.
Fly Creek Valley
is six miles north of Fly Creek and two miles
from Fitch Hill.
On August 28, 1882,
Leander Weldon and wife Mary, in con-
sideration of $1, deeded
to Alonzo House, Menzo Bourne, Gorton
Shaw, Fayette T. Shant,
and Louis Hinds, trustees of "The Fly
Creek Valley Methodist
Episcopal Church," forty-one rods of
land. The church, which
cost $2,000, was dedicated on Thursday;
January 3, 1884, by Rev.
A. J. Cook.
Toddsville formed a
part of this charge until placed with
Hartwick in 1898.
Pastorates
1853-54, A. R. Wells;
1855-56, George Parsons; 1857-58, D. L.
Pendell; 1859, S.
Comfort; 1860, S. Comfort, H. F. Rowe; 1861-
62, William Watson;
1863-64, William C. McDonald; 1865-67,
J. W. Rawlingson;
1868-69, H. V. Talbott; 1870-72, George
Parsons; 1873-74, H. A.
Blanchard; 1875, A. J. Cook; 1876-78,
J. Ryder; 1879-80, H. G.
Harned; 1881-83, B. P. Ripley; 1884,
Harpursville and
Nineveh, N. Y. 715
P. R. Tower; 1885-87, A.
Wrigley; 1888, H. E. Wheeler; 1889-
90, J. S. Southworth;
1891, H. A. Williams; 1892-93, J. L.
Thomas; 1894-96, A. M.
Colegrove; 1897-1900, E. E. Pearce;
1901-02, E. L. Jeffrey;
1903, R. E. Wilson.
Harpursville and Nineveh, N. Y.
From 1842 to 1857 the territory
in this charge formed a part
of Page Brook Circuit,
which contained the following preaching
places: Page Brook, East
Page Brook, New Ohio, Harpursville,
Wakeman's, and Elliott.
In 1844 three other appointments were
added.
The first Quarterly
Conference held in Harpursville was held
at the schoolhouse on
February 10, 1844. On March 12, 1844,
the society met for
incorporation, when Hartson Humaston,
Darius W. Pearsall, and
Albert Pratt were elected trustees of
"The First Society
of the Methodist Episcopal Church in
Harpursville."
On July 5, 1845, land
was purchased of Robert Harpur, and
the church was built the
same season, being dedicated on October
16. Rev. J. M. Snyder
preached from James i, 17, and after the
sermon raised $50 to liquidate
indebtedness. After an inter-
mission Rev. T. H.
Pearne preached from Gen. xlix, 22-24. The
society at this time had
fourteen members.
The parsonage was built
in 1867.
When Harpursville charge
was formed it contained the fol-
lowing preaching places:
Harpursville, New Ohio, Nineveh,
Coles Hill, Perch Pond,
Schonton, Nurce Hollow, and Welton
Street.
Nineveh class was organized in
1852. On March 21, 1853, the
society met at the
schoolhouse, the usual place of worship, for
incorporation, when R.
S. Run, John Padgett, H. W. Mahew,
Jeremiah Pular, and
Daniel Stone were elected trustees of "The
First Methodist
Episcopal Church of Nineveh."
The church was built in
1855. In 1892 $380 was spent in
improvements, and in
1900 Mr. Reuben Lovejoy presented the
society with a bell
costing $240. In the same season the interior
of the church was
somewhat improved.
Nineveh became an
appointment in 1873, and was served by
the following pastors: 1873,
T. C. Roskelly; 1874-75, A. Brown;
1876-77, S. Wood; 1878,
L. Frutchman; 1879-80, F. L. Ketchum;
1881, E. Andrews;
1882-83, C. H. Marsh. In 1884 Nineveh
returned to its former
relation with Harpursville.
716 Wyoming Conference
During the pastorate of
L. F. Ketchum a contention arose. He
insisted on preaching on
territory belonging to Harpursville
charge. This eventually
caused a rupture and Ketchum left the
Church, taking some
members with him, and organized a Re-
formed Methodist
society, only two miles from Harpursville,
which society still
continues.
Perch Pond is a
schoolhouse appointment about four miles
east of Harpursville.
This has been a thrifty appointment for
years.
Harpursville charge has
been favored with a strong line of
local preachers — Revs.
S. Parsons, father of Rev. F. H. Parsons,
of this Conference, John
Moon, Adam Yeager, Billy Way. Revs.
L. Alexander, E. H.
Truesdell, and John Hurlburt went from
this charge and did
supply work. A. Estes was licensed in 1859
and entered the
pastorate. M. D. Matoon was licensed in 1861
and is now doing supply
work. R. W. Van Schoick was licensed
in 1866 and entered the
Conference.
W. W. Cowdry served as
recording steward from 1842 to
January 10, 1863, being
present seventy-two sessions out of
eighty-four, and during
ten successive years did not miss a session
of the Quarterly
Conference. S. B. Monroe served ten years, and
C. W. Hare has been
recording steward since 1880.
Pastorates
(Page Brook:) 1842-43,
A. G. Burlingame; 1844-45, Philip
Bartlett; 1846-47, Henry
Ercanbrack; 1848-49, Levi Pitts; 1850,
T. D. Wire; 1851, M. Ruger
(Ruger died, E. Puffer filled out the
year); 1852, E. Puffer;
1853, W. Round; 1854, W. Round, E.
Puffer; 1855
(Harpursville alone), W. Roberts; 1856, A. C.
Sperry, W. Roberts;
1857, A. C. Sperry, E. Puffer; (Harpurs-
ville:) 1858, P. G.
Bridgeman; 1859-60, G. A. Severson; 1861-
62, A. W. Loomis; 1863,
P. Holbrook; 1864, L. Pitts; 1865-66,
A. Brigham; 1867-69, S.
Barner; 1870-71, C. D. Shepard, G. E.
Hathaway; 1872, W. H.
Gavitt, G. E. Hathaway; 1873, W. H.
Gavitt; 1874-76, I. P.
Towner; 1877-78, George Pritchett; 1879,
A. F. Harding; 1880-81,
C. H. Jewell; 1882-83, F. P. Doty; 1884-
85, N. J. Hawley; 1886,
J. G. Stephens; 1887, G. H. Prentice;
1888-89, J- H. Taylor;
1890-93, A. M. Colegrove; 1894-95,
Joshua Brundle; 1896,
James Benge, A. W. Phillips (Benge died,
Phillips filled out the
year); 1897-98, A. C. Olver; 1899-1900,
H. E. Wheeler; 1901,
William Mountenay; 1902-03, W. H.
Horton.
Hartwick, N. Y. 717
Hartwick, N. Y.
Very little has been
gleaned concerning Hartwick. Lying, as
it does, but a few miles
up the valley from Mount Vision, it would
be fair to presume that
the itinerants of Otsego Circuit in reach-
ing Mount Vision would
not overlook this place nor pass it by.
It formed a part of
Exeter Circuit in 1843. There is a tradition
that Methodist preachers
held services in an old stone schoolhouse
seventy-five years ago.
It is also claimed that the church was
raised on May 29, 1839.
On June 21, 1842, the
society met for incorporation. E. R.
Van Home and Joshua Duly
presided, and Caleb F. Smith,
Lyman Green, Russell
Benjamin, Frederick H. Bissell, and E. R.
Van Home were elected
trustees. The corporate name of the
society is "The
Trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Church
of Hartwick."
Upon application of Rev.
Nelson Rounds, D.D., the presiding
elder of Chenango
District, to the faculty of Cazenovia Seminary,
E. G. Andrews, now
bishop, went to Hartwick and taught a select
school in the winter of
1843, in the basement of the Methodist
Episcopal church. This
winter he received an exhorter's license
from Rev. Calvin Hawley,
then preacher in charge of Exeter
Circuit, which included
Hartwick, and later a local preacher's
license signed by Dr.
Rounds. His first sermon was preached in
a schoolhouse three or
four miles south of Hartwick.
The building was
repaired in 1866, at a cost of $3,400. It "was
reopened on Wednesday,
February 13, 1867, Rev. William
Bixby preaching morning
and evening. It was again repaired
in 1880, at an expense
of $800, and again in 1902, at a cost
of $500.
Mount Vision and
Hartwick formed a charge many years.
There is a parsonage at
each place. It was customary for years
for the pastors to
alternate in their place of residence. Should one
pastor live at Hartwick,
the next would live at Mount Vision. In
1898 the places were
separated, each becoming an appointment.
Toddsville is five
miles east from Hartwick. The class here
was for many years a
part of the Fly Creek charge, and worshiped
in a union church. This
class became a parrof Hartwick charge
in 1898. On June 20,
1902, in consideration of $1, Leon D. Pope
and wife Bertha, Frank
Peck and wife Kate, and Nathaniel Finch
and wife Adelia deeded a
building lot to the Methodist Episcopal
Church of Toddsville.
The Church Extension Society made pos-
718 Wyoming Conference
sible a church by donating
$250 to the society. The church has a
fine basement, with
furnace room, kitchen, and dining room, and
the auditorium and
League rooms can be thrown together. It
has memorial windows and
is neatly finished throughout. It cost
$2,200, and was dedicated
on September 28, 1902, by Revs. T. F.
Hall, D.D., and M. S.
Hard, D.D.
Hyde Park is three
miles below Cooperstown, and but a short
distance from
Toddsville. Some time before the church was
built meetings were held
in the schoolhouse at Hope Factory, in
the stone schoolhouse
across the river, below Phenix, and in the
house of Cornelius
Teachout (now occupied by his son-in-law,
Henry C. Winsor).
Students from Cooperstown Seminary used
to preach here
frequently. The class formed a part of Coopers-
town charge from its
origin until 1902, when it became a part of
Hartwick charge.
The class was organized
in 1858 by Rev. John T. Crippen. On
February 26, 1859, the
society met at the home of Cornelius
Teachout for the purpose
of incorporation. E. Swartwout and
George Kirby presided,
and Andrew Losee, George Kirby, and
Cornelius Teachout were
elected trustees. The corporate name
of the society is
"The Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church
of Hyde Park." On
October 10, 1859, Cornelius Teachout and
wife Eliza deeded the
society the lot on which the church was
already built for $1.
The church cost about $800. It is claimed
that Mr. Teachout not
only gave the lot, but drew the lumber,
boarded the workmen, and
contributed about $500 toward the
enterprise. The building
was dedicated on October 13, 1859,
Rev. J. Shank preaching
in the morning. Rev. J. T. Crippen in
the afternoon, and Rev.
J. L. Wells in the evening.
Several gracious revivals
have stirred the community and added
strength to the society.
Pastorates
1848-49, William Bixby;
1850-51, J. T. Wright; 1852-53, W.
Southworth; 1854-55, J-
Shank; 1856-57, Lewis Hartsough;
1858, L. C. Queal, P.
Hughston; 1859, L. C. Queal; 1860, W. C.
McDonald; 1861, S.
Comfort; 1862-63, L. H. Stanley; 1864-65,
W. R. Lynch; 1866-68,
Austin Griffin; 1869-70, L. Cole; 1871,
J. L. Wells; 1872-74, J.
V. Newell; 1875, J. C. Shelland; 1876-78,
A. J. Cook; 1879-80, A.
F. Brown; 1881-83, H. G. Harned; 1884-
86, R. C. Gill; 1887, C.
C. Vrooman; 1888-90, E. Kilpatrick;
1891-93, A. Wrigley;
1894-97, H. A. Greene; 1898-1903, A. D.
Finch.
Lanesboro, Pa. 719
Lanesboro, Pa.
Lanesboro Circuit was
detached mainly from the Bainbridge
Circuit in 1833, and held
its last quarterly meeting June 14, 1851,
supplemented by a
meeting of the official board on July 19, 1851.
The circuit included the
eastern part of Broome County, N. Y.,
the northern part of
Wayne County, Pa., and the northeastern
part of Susquehanna
County, Pa., and was about thirty miles in
length, from north to
south, and fifteen miles in width. It had
eleven appointments at
formation, each to be filled once in two
weeks. Schoolhouses and
private houses were used as places of
worship. This necessitated
five week-day appointments which
were usually at 4 p. m.
in summer and at "early candle light" in
winter.
There being no church of
any kind on the circuit, the first
quarterly meeting was
held outside of its limits, in the village of
Windsor, N. Y., as was
the case with the first quarterly meetings
for the years 1834 and
1835.
Palmer Owen was a local
deacon, and one of the stewards of
the circuit for about
ten years. He was a good and useful man.
He, however, became
dissatisfied, and subsequently he and several
other members identified
themselves with the Protestant Meth-
odist Church. On June
17, 1842, he was expelled for disorderly
conduct.
In 1833 Joseph Dow, Jr.,
was advanced from exhorter's to
local preacher's rank.
He was a good speaker and singer and a
useful man, and became a
local deacon. In 1845 he signed the
following statement:
"I, Joseph Dow, do firmly and sincerely
disbelieve in the
doctrine of the endless punishment of the human
family, and also the
existence of an evil and powerful spirit or
personal being called
the devil, as is generally supposed to exist,
and that the above
doctrines are taught in the Bible." Of course
he was tried and
expelled from the Church. He subsequently
became an avowed infidel.
However, in his old age, he returned
to his former faith and
"died in the Lord."
John Dickinson, an
exhorter, became a Protestant Methodist
preacher.
William Wooley was
received from this charge into the Oneida
Conference. He married injudiciously,
and retired, went West,
and labored under the
elder a few years, returned, and sought
admission to the
Conference. Failing to be admitted, he united
with the Presbyterians
and preached for them.
Another official of
these early days was John Comfort, Esq.,
720 Wyoming Conference
of Lanesboro, father of
Dr. Silas Comfort; grandfather of George
Comfort, the educator,
of Rev. George Comfort, for many years
in Montana, and of Rev.
James H. Cargill; father-in-law of Dr.
Nelson Rounds and Dr.
William Reddy; and grandfather of Rev.
G. H. Blakeslee. He was a
wise and incorruptible magistrate, and
given to hospitality. He
was accustomed to say on quarterly
meeting occasions,
"Send as many to my house as I have boards
in my floor." He
was the first recording steward of the circuit.
In 1840 three Sunday schools
existed on the circuit, one of
which was at
Tallmansville (Lake Como), which had been in
existence several
seasons. In this year Nathaniel Lewis's name
appears as a local
preacher. He was an elder, ordained by Bishop
LANESEORO CHURCH AND PARSONAGE [photo]
Asbury, and the society
with which he was connected was this
year taken from the
Brooklyn Circuit and connected with this
circuit. In his younger
days Lewis was known as an industrious
and intelligent young
man. He lived on that side of the Susque-
hanna River now embraced
in Oakland, and near the Great Bend
line. The place where he
lived was called Susquehanna, and was
three miles down the
river from Lanesboro. Lewis was employed
a great deal by John
Holborn, who was led to admire his religious
zeal. He accordingly
advised Lewis to procure a license to
preach in conformity
with the rules of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, Mr. Lewis being
a firm believer in the doctrines of
Methodism and fully
competent to teach. He did so, and became
a power in this
territory. He was talented, laborious, and had
much to do with the
planting of Methodism in these parts.
Lanesboro, Pa. 721
The wealthiest member of
the class to which Lewis belonged
was Isaac Hale, whose
daughter Emma married Joseph Smith,
the founder of
Mormonism.
In 1846 the circuit
comprised "Lanesboro, a small place about
three miles farther up
the river, Starrucca in a ballroom, Thomp-
son in a schoolhouse,
Ararat, Tallmansville, Scott, Hale's Eddy,
Woodmansee, Little York,
etc., twelve places in all." This year
the pastor sold $1,000
worth of Book Concern publications on
the circuit.
A short time before Rev.
C. V. Arnold's death we asked him
to give us the circuit
as he served it. Here it is: Lanesboro
Church, Susquehanna
Schoolhouse, South Harmony Schoolhouse,
Maple Grove Schoolhouse,
South Windsor Schoolhouse, Mc-
Kune Schoolhouse,
Jenkins Schoolhouse, Ararat Schoolhouse,
Hine's Corners
Schoolhouse, Ira Cargill's house, Starrucca
Church, Tallmansville
Schoolhouse, Woodmansee Schoolhouse,
Lake Como at Lakin's
house, McClure Church, Gulf Summit
Schoolhouse, Creek
Settlement Schoolhouse, Bettsburg Springs
Schoolhouse, Hill Lake
Schoolhouse, and Starrucca Stone
Quarry.
In 1851 Lanesboro and
Susquehanna became a separate charge,
and the Lanesboro
Circuit went into history, Sanford Circuit
becoming its successor.
In 1855 the present Lanesboro charge
appears.
The following charges
have been formed from the old Lanes-
boro Circuit:
Susquehanna, Thompson, Ouaquaga, Hale's Eddy,
Lake Como, McClure,
Sanford, and Lanesboro.
At Lanesboro meetings
were held in barns in summer and
private houses in winter
until the log schoolhouse was built, when
it was used for worship
until the church was built.
The names of the
original class, which was formed as early as
1812, cannot be given with
certainty. However, it is known that
John Comfort and wife,
Nathaniel Lewis and wife, Isaac Hale
and wife, Marmaduke
Salisbury and wife, and James Newman
and wife were members of
it.
The church at Lanesboro
was built in 1837, and first used for a
quarterly meeting
service on February 10 and 11, 1838. The
building was erected by
the community in general, but Mr. Lane,
the largest contributor,
advised deeding it to the Methodist
church, because that was
the only church organization in the
vicinity. Until
December, 1847, this was the only church within
the bounds of the
circuit.
In 1872 the building was
repaired at a cost of $700, and was
722 Wyoming Conference
reopened on October l0,
1872, Dr. H. R. Clarke preaching in the
morning and D. D. Lindsley
in the evening. The sum of $300
was raised during the
day. In 1895 it was again repaired, this
time at a cost of
$1,125. It was reopened on Thursday, December
5, 1895, Rev. J. O.
Woodruff preaching in the morning and Rev.
H. H. Wilbur in the evening.
In 1841 a parsonage was
built about a half mile from the
church. This became
dilapidated and was sold about 1877 for
$600, at which time the
present parsonage by the church was built,
costing $1,400.
Bethel Hill is one of
the appointments of this charge and has a
comparatively new
church.
Stevens Point is
another appointment of the charge. A new
church was dedicated
here on November 19, 1896, which cost
$1,900.
Pastorates
1833-34, D. Torry;
1835-36, P. G. White; 1837, King Elwell;
1838, Alanson Benjamin;
1839, A. Benjamin, A. Calder; 1840-41,
Philo Blackman; 1842-43,
P. G. Bridgeman; 1844-45, David
Davis; 1846, P.
Bartlett; 1847, P. Bartlett, G. W. Leach; 1848,
N. S. De Witt, G. W.
Leach; 1849, N. S. De Witt; 1850, C. V.
Arnold; 1851-54, with
Susquehanna; 1855-56, S. G. Stevens;
1857, A. Brigham; 1858,
W. Roberts; 1859, F- L- Hiller; 1860-
61, G. R. Hair; 1862, F.
Spencer; 1863-64, S. Barner; 1865-67,
J. W. Hewitt; 1868-70,
N. S. De Witt; 1871, R. J. Kellogg; 1872-
73, A. F. Harding; 1874,
S. W. Spencer; 1875, S. W. Cole; 1876-
77, C. H. Jewell;
1878-79, J. W. Hewitt; 1880-82, J. R. Wagner;
1883-85, T. C. Roskelly;
1886-87, William Bixby; 1888, P. R.
Tower; 1889-92, C. L.
Rice; 1893-94, H. L. Hubbard; 1895-97,
C. C. Vrooman; 1898-99,
D. C. Barnes; 1900-03, D. L. Meeker.
Laurens, N. Y.
Methodism sprang up here
in the days of the Otsego Circuit,
and when Otego Circuit
was formed became a part of that circuit.
In 1828 the Methodists
and Presbyterians united in building a
church in which the
society worshiped until going into its own
church, when it sold its
interest in the union church to the Pres-
byterians.
On January 22, 1844, the
society met in the schoolhouse for
incorporation. John
Phillips and Elkanah Johnson presided, and
Elkanah Johnson, John
Phillips, William Mosher, Samuel Patten-
Laurens, N. Y. 723
gill, and George W.
Powell were elected trustees of "The Laurens
Methodist Episcopal
Society." On February 23, 1844, Gideon
Cornell deeded the society
thirty-one rods of land, in consider-
ation of $100. The
church was built on this lot the same season,
costing $1,500.
In 1868 the building was
remodeled, galleries removed, and the
pulpit put in the
opposite end of the church, with some minor
improvements. It was
reopened on November 12, 1868, Rev.
William Bixby preaching
in the morning. Rev. J. L. Wells in the
afternoon, and Rev. W.
G. Queal in the evening. In 1884 $1,350
was spent in building an
alcove for the pulpit, reseating, and
other improvements. It
was reopened on December 11, 1884, Rev.
H. M. Crydenwise
preaching in the morning and Rev. J. N. Lee
in the evening and
conducting the dedicatory service. During the
day $300 was raised. In
1899 $300 was spent in recarpeting, etc.
The parsonage is across
the road from the church, and was
built in 1871 on land
purchased of William Strong for $400.
On June 4, 1888, the
society reincorporated. A. Davis and J. F.
Newell presided at the
meeting called for that purpose, and J. N.
Mead, A. S. Allen, A. G.
Davis, J. F. Newell, and L. A. Sergent
were elected trustees of
"The Methodist Episcopal Church of the
Village of
Laurens."
Stephen Strait and J. N.
Mead have been members and officials
here about fifty years.
Glorious revivals were
experienced just after the church was
built, and in 1850,
1882, 1889, and 1896.
John Phillips, Dexter
Johnson, Jacob Richardson, George
Brightman, and Philander
Camp were among the members of the
church when it was
built.
Oneonta Plains is about
seven miles south of Laurens and two
miles west of Oneonta.
We know nothing very definite about
Methodism's early days
here. The society is supposed to have
been formed about 1820.
The church was built in 1843 on a lot
bought of Lyman Toles
for $150, and cost $1,800. Prior to the
erection of the church
the society used barns in the summer and
private houses in the
winter.
In 1878 $1,000 was
expended in removing the galleries and
other improvements. The
reopening occurred on Thursday,
December 12, 1878, Rev.
G. W. Izer, of Cortland, preaching at
10.30 A. M.
The society met for
incorporation on September 18, 1867. San-
ford Shepherd and James
C. Sheldon presided, and John M.
724 Wyoming Conference
Packard, Sanford
Shepherd, and James C. Sheldon were elected
trustees. The corporate
name of the society is "The Trustees of
the Oneonta Plains
Methodist Episcopal Church."
This class probably
formed a part of Otsego Circuit, and sub-
sequently a part of
Otego Circuit.
From 1877 to 1882 it was
a charge and served as follows: 1877-
78, E. W. Lockwood;
1879, M. Dorr Sill; 1880, W. F. Albrecht;
1881, N. P. Ripley;
1882, E. B. Olmstead. In 1883 it was placed
with Laurens.
Henry Shepherd and Aaron
Richard have held official positions
over thirty years.
Extensive revivals were
experienced in 1870 and 1891.
Richardson Hill,
now called Wilbur Lake, is about three miles
from Laurens. The society
is the result of a revival promoted
by John Marble, a local
preacher from Oneonta, assisted by his
brother James, and
Edward Shove, from the same place. The class
was organized on
November 10, 1854. Among the first members
were Justus G. Richardson,
Daniel Richardson, Sally Richardson,
Elizabeth and Benjamin
Richardson, Samuel, Amy A., and Edwin
Peet, Benjamin and Mary
Travis, Charlotte Peet, Charles T. Gif-
ford, Mary Cooley, Henry
R. Gifford, and Andrew Richardson.
On July 7, 1856, in consideration
of $50, William Richardson
and wife Polly deeded to
Simon Green, Justus G. Richardson, and
Edwin Peet, trustees of
"The Methodist Episcopal Society of
Laurens, Oneonta, and
Milford," a site for a church. The building
30x40, was dedicated the
first Tuesday in January, 1857, and was
erected mainly through
the influence of Simon Green and Justus
G. Richardson, and cost
$1,200. Justus G. Richardson was the
first class leader.
In 1900 it was
recarpeted and otherwise improved.
The class formed a part
of the Laurens charge from its founda-
tion until 1859, when it
was placed with Oneonta, where it re-
mained until 1863, and
then returned to Laurens. Since 1883
it has held Quarterly
Conference relations with Laurens, but its
pulpit has been supplied
by Rev. Henry Gifford, a local preacher
who is now living at
Oneonta, and who has been a member of the
society many years.
In 1870 the society was
visited by an extensive revival.
Pastorates
1848, G. C. Elliott;
1849, G. C. Elliott, E. Dennison; 1850-51,
William Southworth;
1852-53, C. G. Robinson; 1854, D. C.
Dutcher; 1855-56, H. S.
Richardson; 1857, Samuel M. Stone;
McClure, N. Y. 725
1858-59, L. Bowdish; 1860-61,
R. Townsend; 1862-63, A. Griffin;
1864, L. E. Marvin;
1865-66, B. B. Carruth; 1867-69, J. W.
Mevis; 1870-72, H. N.
Van Deusen; 1873-75, J- S. Southworth;
1876-77, B. P. Ripley;
1878, A. S. Clark; 1879-81, H. A. Blanch-
ard; 1882, A. F. Chaffee;
1883-84, E. B. Olmstead; 1885-86, H.
B. Benedict; 1887-89, D.
Personeus; 1890, W. M. Shaw; 1891-
93, W. H. Alger; 1894,
M. S. Buckingham; 1895-96, E. E. Pearce;
1897-99, G. G.
McChesney; 1900-02, W. S. Adams; 1903, J. R.
Austin.
McClure, N. Y.
The information secured
concerning this charge is very meager
indeed. It is claimed
that there was an appointment at Alexander
Hill, not far from the
McClure church, as early as 1830, perhaps
earlier, and that the
present society is the outgrowth of the class
formed there. The
territory formed a part of the Lanesboro Cir-
cuit until it became a
charge in 1851, and was known as the San-
ford charge until 1887,
when it took the name of McClure.
A camp meeting was held
at McClure Settlement in 1839 by
Rev. George Peck, at
that time presiding elder on Susquehanna
District.
On September 11, 1843,
at a meeting over which P. G. Bridge-
man and Henry Bunker
presided, the society became incorporated
as "The First
Methodist Episcopal Church in the Town of San-
ford," and elected
Henry Bunker, John W. Sheldon, Calvin Shel-