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The
Methodist Episcopal Church.—In the year 1796, Mr. R. R. Roberts,
(afterward Bishop Roberts) with his father, removed from Westmoreland
county, and settled in Shenango, Pa. They were soon followed by a
number of their neighbors, who were members of the Methodist Episcopal
church. About the same time, Rev. Jacob Gurwell and Rev. Thomas
McClelland, both Irishmen, and local preachers in the M. E. church,
commenced preaching the gospel in log-cabins or groves, whenever a
little group could be gathered together for the purpose. In the summer
of 1798, they formed the first class within the present bounds of the
Erie Conference. The names of the persons composing this nucleus of
Methodism, near what is now known as Salem church, Mercer county, were
Robert R. Roberts, leader; Rev. Thomas McClelland and wife,
James
Stevenson and wife, William Lindsig and wife, Lewis Roberts and wife,
John Honnell and wife, John McGranahan and wife, William
McGranahan
and wife, John Caughey and wife, John Rogers and wife, William McLean
and wife, William Stevenson, and Nancy Wilson. This society was on the
Shenango Circuit, within the bounds of the Baltimore Conference.
Rev.
P. B. Davis, was appointed to this circuit, in 1800, but it seems
he had so much territory to travel over, that he did not reach this
appointment, and it was, doubtless, supplied by the local preachers
above mentioned. In 1801, the Baltimore Conference appointed
Joseph
Shaw to Shenango circuit, and, he seems to have been returned to that
circuit in 1802, at which time, it numbered sixty members. It might not
be amiss here to state the salaries of the preachers in those days,
viz: from 1800 to 1816, the annual salary was eighty dollars and
traveling expenses, and an allowance of eighty dollars for wife,
sixteen dollars for each child under seven years, and twenty-four
dollars from the age of seven to fourteen years—that is, if they could
get it.
In
1802, Rev. Asa Shinn was appointed to Shenango
Circuit; in 1803, George Askin; in 1804, Joseph Hall; in 1805, R. R.
Roberts. The Baltimore Conference continued to supply Shenango Circuit
with preachers, up to the year 1812, at which time, it numbered 436
members. Then we find the Ohio Conference sending such men to Shenango,
as James Wats, Jacob Garwell, John Elliott, John Summerville and
others, till 1817, when we lose sight of old. Shenango Circuit, and it
was probably absorbed in the Erie circuit. The Ohio Conference supplied
the circuit up to 1820, when we find the Genesee Conference, sent Ira
Eddy and Charles Elliott, to the Erie circuit, and, in 1821, Ezra Booth
and Charles Truscott.
In
1825, the Pittsburgh Conference held its first session, and Mercer
Circuit was served by Revs. A. Bronson and Edward Stevenson; in 1826 by
John Leech and Hiram Kinsley, and in 1827 by J. P. Kent and Samuel
Ayers. In 1828, the Pittsburgh Conference met at Salem, Mercer county,
on the old Shenango Circuit, Bishop R. R. Roberts presiding. There
being no village there—only a house of worship—the people provided
tents to the number of 100 or more, and entertained the Conference
handsomely, and there were at least 100 converts added to the church on
that occasion. We find Thomas Carr and R. Armstrong sent to Mercer
Circuit that year, and, up to 1835, there were sent to Mercer such men
as Winans, Sumner, Prosser, Hitchcock, Butt, Jones, Thompson, Clapp,
Barris; and at Salem, E. B. Hill and R. Peck. During the year 1828, the
first class was formed at Greenville. The preaching was held in a
frame-building, on the west side, where the “Red Front” now stands. The
class was composed of the following members seven in all, viz.: John
Nelson, Lilly Nelson, Jane Nelson, John Keck, Mary Ann Keck, Father
Fisher, and Catharine Nelson, now Catharine McMillan, aged seventy-two
years. She remembers very distinctly many of the stirring events of
those early days, and, so far as is known at this time, Mrs. McMillan
and John Keck and wife, now of Hamilton, Ohio, are the only survivors
of the seven, standing as living links between the past and the present.
At
the first session of the Erie Conference, in 1836, A. Keller and C.
C. Best were appointed to Salem Circuit; and J. R. Locke to Greenville,
in 1837. This is the first time we find Greenville mentioned in the
minutes, and suppose it to have been served by the preacher on Mercer
or Salem circuits. In 1838, J. R. Locke was returned to
Greenville,
and from 1839 to ‘41, Greenville and Clarksville seem to have been
connected and served by the Revs. Keller, Crum, Vanhorn, Basset,
Phimpton, and Sibley; and, in 1842-43, Greenville appears as a station,
with Thomas Stubbs preacher; and, in 1844, Greenville and
Clarksville,
J. R. Locke; in 1845, McLean and Clock; in 1846, J. McLean and H. Luce;
in 1847-48, B. S. Hill and W. M. Bear; in 1849, Greenville again alone,
with G. L. Little as preacher; in 1850, J. R. Locke; in 1851, A. Hall;
and in 1852, E. Jones, J. D. Norton served two years, 1853-54; G. W.
Chesbro, one year, 1855; J. Graham, two years, 1856-57; J. H. Tag, two
years, 1858-59; J. Whitely, one year, 1860; D. M. Rodgers, one year,
1861; A. J. Merchant, three years, 1862-64; W. P. Bignell, three years,
1865-67; J. O. Neal, three years, 1868-70; J. Lytle, one year, 1871; O.
G. McIntire, three years, 1872-74; J. C. Schofield, one year, 1875.
In
the year 1830, the Society of Greenville removed from their
temporary house of worship, on the west side, and built a log church,
35 x 4.5 feet, on the site occupied by the present church edifice, and
which served their purpose, until about 1840, when it was taken down,
and replaced by a neat frame-building, 45 x 60 feet, which was
remodeled, in 1863; painted, frescoed, and ornamented with a tower, in
which was placed, some years afterward, a fine bell, weighing 1,230
pounds.
The
little band of seven members, who meekly bore the
cross, when it cost more to be a Methodist, than now, has increased, in
number, to about 280. The church, in common with her sister churches,
had her tribulations, as well as her victories. She has suffered from
those who turned back, in the day of battle, as well as from removals,
and has also furnished a fair share of those who have gone over the
river.
A
Sabbath-school has been in operation, for many years.
There are twenty-six officers, and teachers and about 250 scholars on
the rolls, with an average attendance of 17.5. The library belonging to
the Sabbath-school, contains about 500 volumes, including old and new.
(Source: History of Mercer
County,
1877, page 99)
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