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The
Clarksville Methodist Church had its beginning in 1819-1820
when James McMahon and Henry Knapp were traveling
the Mahoning Circuit in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
The first
class organized by James McMahon comprised Samuel Clark - the leader -
his wife, Mary, and son, Abraham; Samuel Clark, Jr., and wife; William
McKnight and wife and Widow McKnight; Benjamin Canfield and Rebecca
Canfield; Thomas Tomlinson and wife; Charlotte Hayes; William Koon and
Thomas Morford.
The first preaching was done in the house of Samuel Clark, chairs and
boards being used for seats. Other persons who later became
members of this first class were:
David Hayes, Charlotte Hayes, Mary Hayes, Sarah Clark, James Pettit,
Mary Dumars, Mary Siddon, Nancy Haun, Richard Mattock, John Woods, Mary
Fell, Mary Mattlock, Catherine Haun, Benjamin Fell, Catherine Fell,
George Lucas, James Montgomery, Benjamin Culver, John Waters, John
Siddon, and Catherine Simonton.
At first the meetings were held in private houses then the little band
of Methodists worshiped for some time in a school house. On the 2nd of
February,1826, a subscription was circulated to raise funds for the
erection of a meeting house. Later in the same year, a rude plank
building was put up on land deeded by Samuel Clark, Sr., for
religious purposes. A lot was also deeded at the same time for a grave
yard. Mr. Clark’s remains were subsequently buried there. About three
years later, around 1830, the plank building was torn down and a more
commodious house was erected. |
Clarksville
Methodist Church
Photograghed
during the 1950's (click on image to
enlarge)
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Ministers of the
Clarksville Methodist Church
1819 - 1957
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Clark Trinity
United Methodist Church
96 Charles
Ave., Clark, PA
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The
structure
built in 1830 was finally sold for a machine shop, and a frame
structure costing $2,000 was erected in 1858 on the church's present
(1959) site. William Budd and John Patterson of
Sharon were the
contractors.
Abraham Clark was the last
survivor of the original members of the first class, having reached the
age of eighty-eight years on the 21st May, 1888. In his possession was
the class book of 1821, which contained some very interesting
information. At that time William Swayze was the
presiding elder, and Charles Elliott, Dennis
Gladden and John Crawford were preachers in
charge.
Dr. J. N. Fradenburgh, in his “History of Erie Conference” writes about
the early Clarksville record book as follows:
“I have before me the ‘class
papers’ of Clarksville appointment from 1821 to 1836. From 1833 the
title ‘class book’ came into use. These ‘class papers’ were made up by
the preacher, by folding one or two large sheets of paper, forming
sixteen or thirty-two pages of the size of those of our Discipline. The
pages are ruled for names and dates, and squares for marking
attendance. Sometimes the sheets are not folded in book form.
Attendance is carefully marked, and the average is perhaps a little
above one-half the membership. Cases of expulsion are not infrequent.
On the first page are the names of the presiding elder, circuit
preacher, class-leader—and sometimes ‘assistant’—and some words of
exhortation; as, for instance, on the first ‘class paper’ is written
‘Watch and pray. Remember the quarterly fast’; on the second page,
‘Every Friday preceding each quarterly meeting is to be kept as a day
of fasting and prayer for the prosperity of Zion. Watch much, pray
much, mark your paper, and keep it clean.’
“Samuel Clark was
the class-leader until 1833, when we find also the name of
Samuel ‘Campfield’—the class having been divided; and in 1835 that
of William G. McKnight. On the last page of the first ‘class
paper,’ 1821, we read: Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from
henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their
labors; and their works do follow them.’ Sometimes the usual first page
writing is transferred to the last page—on this page of the ‘class
paper’ for 1827-8 we read: ‘Watch and pray. Pray for us brethren. Love
one another.’
“In 1833
Clarksville appointment belonged to Salem Circuit, of which
Cornelius Jones and G. D. Kinnear were preachers in charge.
“The
class-book for 1835-6 gives the name of Caleb Foster as one the
circuit preachers on Salem Circuit, with Ensign B. Hill and Reuben
Peck.”
The society continued to
prosper and in 1899 the church building was altered to meet the growing
needs of both Sunday School and Church.
New pews were installed during the pastorate of Rev. A. G. Neal
1944.
Under the leadership of Rev. E. L. Porterfield in 1948-50, a major
program for extensive repairs and improvements was planned and put into
execution. The basement was excavated to provide rest rooms, a large
room for social activities and additional space for Sunday School
rooms, and a modern gas burning heating system. When the finishing work
was being done on the ceiling the heavy hand-hewn oak beams were left
uncovered thus lending their rustic beauty to the general appearance of
the rooms. Most of the labor of this project was donated by men and
women of the congregation.
During the pastorate
of Rev. John Snyder in 1953 the congregation purchased and
installed an electric organ. Later the interior of the church was
renovated and the Sanctuary redecorated. The parsonage was not
overlooked or forgotten and at this writing (1959) the church and
parsonage are in excellent condition and the congregation free of
debt.
The church enrollment is 290. The Sunday School enrollment is 200. Mr.
Richard Fleet is the Sunday School superintendent.
(Source: 150 Years of Methodism, The
Story of the First Methodist Church, Sharon, PA, compiled by Roscoe C.
Wilson, 1959)
In 1960, the
Clarksville Methodist Church moved from Clarksville south to the new
town of Clark, to make way for a new dam across the Shenango River.
A new church building and parsonage were built.
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