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Methodist
Episcopal Church —This congregation dates its organization
from the
year 1820, when, according to Greggs’ History of “Methodism within the
Bounds of the Erie Conference,” “Rev. Alfred Brunson, ordained a deacon
in Cincinnati, Ohio, July, 1819, was employed part of the following
year by Elder Swayze on the Erie Circuit, when he succeeded in forming
a class in Mercer, consisting of William Stephenson and wife, Joseph
McDowell and wife, Robert Boyd and wife, Sarah
Stokely, Elizabeth
Stokely, Polly Stokely and Esther Stokely. Benjamin Hartley, Mrs. John
Banks and John Keck were likewise among the early members. Persecution
ran high in Mercer at that time, and it was with much difficulty that a
place was obtained in which to hold meetings. Churches, courthouse and
school houses were all refused. The society was organized in a small
log house a fewrods from the place where the church now stands.” The
first house of worship was a frame structure - originally about thirty
feet square. To it additions were made until its length reached some
sixty
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Mercer
United Methodist Church
photographed in May 2000
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feet. It
was only one story in height, and had a gallery which
was used for a class room. It
stood on the site of the present parsonage, and cost in the
neighborhood of $500. The seats were plain wooden affairs, and were
never contaminated with any such substance as paint. Rustic as they
were, and a sample is yet to be seen in the present [1888]
house,
they served the purpose of those early days when Methodism boasted of
its simplicity. The illumination was secured by means of six lard
lamps. This house, erected about 1830, was sold by piecemeal to various
persons, by whom it was removed from its sacred place. It had been
struck by lightning once and the pulpit end of the structure badly
shattered. The lot on which it stood was donated by Mrs. Judge John
Banks, now of Reading, Penn. The second edifice, a two-story brick
structure, 45x75, the lower story containing four class rooms and a
lecture room, the upper being a main audience room, was erected in 1858
at a cost of $7,000, and dedicated in September, 1855, by Rev. Alfred
Cookman, of Pittsburgh, assisted by Rev. F.S. DeHass, D. D., who
delivered the historical discourse. The erection occurred during the
pastorates of the Reverends James B. Lock, Dillon Prosser, D. Smith and
Thomas Guy, the first commencing and the last three completing the
work. The contractor was John Boyd, of Mercer, the brick work being
done by John McKean, Esq., John Henderson and James B. White,
the
last subsequently, becoming an attorney at the bar. The bell was
donated by Hon. S. Griffith and wife. The first intention was to repair
the old house. This was then modified to erect a frame structure, but
wiser counsels prevailed, resulting in the construction of a
substantial brick chapel. Three additional lots were bought of Mrs.
Banks, giving the church an entire block of land.
The first
parsonage was a frame structure, and is still standing [1888]
as a dwelling on East Market street, the property of Mrs. John
McKinney. It was sold, and the funds were used in the erection of the
brick church. The second parsonage was built during the war by William
Maskrey at a cost of about $4,500, and is a very commodious and
comfortable home. In 1871 the church edifice was refitted by the
removal of the gallery to give room for the pipe organ now in use. The
instrument was bought of Hook & Hastings, of Boston, at a cost
of
$2,000, and is said to have been the first pipe organ introduced into
Mercer County. At the same time the old style windows gave place to the
present stained glass ones.
The
following is a list of the pastors from its origin until the
present time: Samuel Adams, 1822; H. Knapp, 1823; C. Thorne and Job
Wilson,1824; A. Brunson and E. Stevenson, 1825; H.
Kinsley
and J. Leech, 1826; J. P. Kent and S. Ayers, 1827; T. Carr and R.
Armstrong, 1828; T. Carr and I. Winans, 1829; J. Summerville
and
L. D. Prosser, 1830; J. Hitchcock and W. Butt, 1831; C. Jones and T.
Thompson, 1832; R. Clapp, 1833-34; J. S. Barris, 1835; G. W.
Clarke, 1836; J. Robinson, 1837; J. E. Chapin, 1838; H. N.
Sterns, 1839; R. Parker, 1840; M. H. Bettes and J. P. Benn,
1841;
J. Leslie and E. B. Lane, 1842; I. Merson and J. Marvin, 1843; I.
Merson and J. L. Holmes, 1844; W. F. Wilson, 1845-46; E. Jones,
1847-48; W. F. Day, 1849; G. B. Hawkins, 1850; J. R. Locke, 1851-52;
Dillon Prosser, 1853; D. Smith, 1854; T. Guy, 1855; R. A. Caruthers,
1856; A. D. Morton, 1857-58; E. S. Gilette, 1859-60; J. Green, 1861-62;
G. W. Chesbro, 1863-64; O. G. Mclntire, 1865-66; W. F. Wilson,
1867-68; L. W. Day, 1869-71; E. J. L. Baker, 1872; F. H.
Beck,
1873-75; N. H. Holmes, 1876-78; W. P. Bignell, 1879-80; C. M. Morse,
1881-83; O. L. Mend, 1884-86; E. K. Creed, 1887, present incumbent. The
congregation has a membership of 318, and a Sunday-school of 175. Both
are in a flourishing condition.
History
of Mercer County, 1888, pages 359-360
The
Methodist Episcopal Church - According to the History of Mercer County,
1877
In
the history of “Methodism within the bounds of the Erie Conference,” is
given the following account of the organization of this church:
“The
Rev. Alfred Brunson, ordained a deacon in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 1819,
was employed part of the following year by Elder Swayze, on the Erie
Circuit, where he succeeded in forming a class in Mercer, Pa.,
consisting of William Stephenson, and wife; Joseph McDowell, and wife;
Robert Boice, and wife; Sarah Stokely, Elizabeth Stokely, and Esther
Stokely. Persecution ran high in Mercer at that time, and it was with
much difficulty that a place was obtained in which to hold meetings.
Churches, court house, and school-houses were all refused, and the
society was organized in a small log-house, a few rods from the place
where the church now stands.”
Ministers,
comprising a long list, have regularly supplied this church, each
remaining from one to three years. There has been a steady growth in
both numbers and influence. The present place of worship is a fine
brick edifice, well finished, and contains an elegant pipe-organ of
superior tone. Adjacent to the church is the parsonage—a two-story
brick building—the only manse in town. The present [1877] pastor is
Rev. F. H. Beck, and the number of members is some 240, with a
flourishing Sabbath school of about 200 members. The church is located
on the slope of the hill, in the south-east part of town.
(Source:
History
of Mercer
County,
1877, page 107-108)
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