Union City Methodist Church
In the beginning were Union City Methodists...
The Methodist Church in Union City began about 1801. Reverend James Quinn is listed as having been the first Methodist minister appointed in the community. On June 26, 1801, Reverend Quinn wrote to Daniel Hitt, his presiding elder, "I have been round my circuit and halfway round again. The prospect is gloomy, for the country is so infested with Deists and Calvinists that it is almost impossible to get in. However, I think I shall get preaching places enough to make a three week circuit."
Reverend Andrew Hemphill was appointed to the Erie Circuit by the Baltimore Conference which met on April 23, 1904 in Alexandria, Virginia. On April 1, 1805, at the Baltimore Conference, David Best and Robert R. Roberts changed places and Reverend Roberts rode the 100 mile circuit.
In 1806, Reverend James Watts wrote about the Erie Circuit and revealed what it was like to ride circuit as a Methodist minister. He said, "In the Year of our Lord 1806, I was appointed to travel on Erie Circuit with Reverend Robert R. Roberts. Our circuit was very extensive, taking in parts of Mercer, Crawford, Venango and Erie Counties in Pennsylvania and embracing some parts of the state of Ohio, also."
The Conference decided to unite the two circuits in one and make it a six weeks circuit. The ministers endured much labor, many appointments, long rides, and bad weather. They faced bad roads and physical discomfort. The people treated the circuit riding preachers according to the best of their abilities and means. There were few books and little time to read. There was usually little furniture in their room. Sometimes a stool and a candle stick were all the minister had to work with.
Reverend Watts said, "But we fared as well as we could, and felt grateful to God and his people while we had food and raiment and the unspeakable pleasure of preaching salvation to our dying fellow men in the mighty name of Jesus."
In 1807 the Erie Circuit had three preachers: Caleb Reynolds, Abraham Daniels, and Timothy Divers. According to the General Minutes of the Conference, Caleb Reynolds was born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, in 1785. In 1805, he entered the traveling ministry in the Baltimore Conference in which he continued until he died on October 7, 1827, at the parsonage house in Montgomery Circuit, Maryland. He was diligent and successful as a minister.
Abraham Daniels was the second man sent out into Erie County as an itinerant minister and in 1807, the second preacher on the Erie Circuit. "Mr. Daniels is large in structure, robust in health, possesses a clear, strong mind, and was a stern defender of Methodist doctrines and discipline, and might have become one of our first and best men. But becoming discouraged with the hardships and sacrifices of the itinerant work, he relocated in 1813, and returned to his former home in Randolph, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, where he finally died, we trust, in the Lord," said a Methodist history of the time.
In 1810, Joshua Monroe served the Erie Circuit and he recalled that it was then a four weeks circuit of about two hundred miles, with twenty three appointments. The most prominent of the appointments was Brush's meeting house in West Springfield, Erie County; Leech's on Little Shenango Creek; Munford's near Meadville' Pithole; Mrs. Mitchell's in Venango; an Ford's on French Creek Flats in Erie County. According to Reverend Monroe, the appointments were all in private houses, except Mercer, where they used an old school house, and Brush's meeting house, which was built of round logs and covered with clapboards.
The Methodist Episcopal congregation in Union City was organized by Reverend ira Eddy in 1817, with Reverend John P. Brent as its first pastor. Before the first church was built in 1847, the Methodists worshipped in schoolhouses and barns. In 1862, the second Methodist church was built at a cost of $10,000 and an addition made to that building in 1871.
The Union Mills Bulletin of Saturday, November 25, 1865, lists the Methodist-Episcopal Church in its church directory. It was located on High Street and Reverend O.L. Mead was pastor. There were services every Sabbath at 11:00 o'clock a.m. and 7 o'clock p.m.
Methodist Memories
December 26, 1878
Christmas last night was celebrated at the M.E. Church by an entertaining supper and general social gathering. The church was well filled, and the exercises were opened by essays, declamations, singing, etc. All of these were well received and well adapted to the occasion.
Reverend J.C. Schofield followed with a few appropriate remarks and he said that it was now time for supper. Santa Claus was then heard on the roof and he descended to the floor below with a large basket of provisions. The children went to the chapel where they enjoyed a Christmas tree.
Thursday, February 13, 1879
There was a meeting in the parlors at the M.E. Church on Tuesday evening at which time a young people's prayer meeting was organized. There was a good attendance and much interest was shown. The meeting will be kept up every Tuesday evening.
Thursday, January 8, 1880
The concert given by the Methodist Episcopal Sunday School under the direction of Professor Henry Goss on Christmas evening, was a grand success. It was so well managed and the Sunday School was drilled so well that during the whole entertainment there was but one mistake, and that of so small importance that it was hardly noticed. The reading was faultless, especially that part which was ready by the whole school in concert. The singing was fine, and all who had the pleasure of being present were highly entertained.
Thursday, March 11, 1880
The regular quarterly meeting of the M.E. Church was held in the Union City Church last Saturday and Sunday. Sunday morning and evening, Dr. Bugbee, president of Allegheny College, delivered two able discourses which were listened to with intense interest.
Thursday, May 19, 1880
The Methodist Conference at Cincinnati, Monday, unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing Mrs. Hayes' course in relation to the use of spiritous liquors at the White House.
Thursday, May 19, 1880
M.E. Church. Reverend S.J. Scofield Pastor. Services every Sunday at 11 o'clock a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sabbath School at 12:00 o'clock a.m. Prayer meeting every Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. Young folks prayer meeting on Monday evening.
The Methodist Church in Union City began about 1801. Reverend James Quinn is listed as having been the first Methodist minister appointed in the community. On June 26, 1801, Reverend Quinn wrote to Daniel Hitt, his presiding elder, "I have been round my circuit and halfway round again. The prospect is gloomy, for the country is so infested with Deists and Calvinists that it is almost impossible to get in. However, I think I shall get preaching places enough to make a three week circuit."
Reverend Andrew Hemphill was appointed to the Erie Circuit by the Baltimore Conference which met on April 23, 1904 in Alexandria, Virginia. On April 1, 1805, at the Baltimore Conference, David Best and Robert R. Roberts changed places and Reverend Roberts rode the 100 mile circuit.
In 1806, Reverend James Watts wrote about the Erie Circuit and revealed what it was like to ride circuit as a Methodist minister. He said, "In the Year of our Lord 1806, I was appointed to travel on Erie Circuit with Reverend Robert R. Roberts. Our circuit was very extensive, taking in parts of Mercer, Crawford, Venango and Erie Counties in Pennsylvania and embracing some parts of the state of Ohio, also."
The Conference decided to unite the two circuits in one and make it a six weeks circuit. The ministers endured much labor, many appointments, long rides, and bad weather. They faced bad roads and physical discomfort. The people treated the circuit riding preachers according to the best of their abilities and means. There were few books and little time to read. There was usually little furniture in their room. Sometimes a stool and a candle stick were all the minister had to work with.
Reverend Watts said, "But we fared as well as we could, and felt grateful to God and his people while we had food and raiment and the unspeakable pleasure of preaching salvation to our dying fellow men in the mighty name of Jesus."
In 1807 the Erie Circuit had three preachers: Caleb Reynolds, Abraham Daniels, and Timothy Divers. According to the General Minutes of the Conference, Caleb Reynolds was born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, in 1785. In 1805, he entered the traveling ministry in the Baltimore Conference in which he continued until he died on October 7, 1827, at the parsonage house in Montgomery Circuit, Maryland. He was diligent and successful as a minister.
Abraham Daniels was the second man sent out into Erie County as an itinerant minister and in 1807, the second preacher on the Erie Circuit. "Mr. Daniels is large in structure, robust in health, possesses a clear, strong mind, and was a stern defender of Methodist doctrines and discipline, and might have become one of our first and best men. But becoming discouraged with the hardships and sacrifices of the itinerant work, he relocated in 1813, and returned to his former home in Randolph, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, where he finally died, we trust, in the Lord," said a Methodist history of the time.
In 1810, Joshua Monroe served the Erie Circuit and he recalled that it was then a four weeks circuit of about two hundred miles, with twenty three appointments. The most prominent of the appointments was Brush's meeting house in West Springfield, Erie County; Leech's on Little Shenango Creek; Munford's near Meadville' Pithole; Mrs. Mitchell's in Venango; an Ford's on French Creek Flats in Erie County. According to Reverend Monroe, the appointments were all in private houses, except Mercer, where they used an old school house, and Brush's meeting house, which was built of round logs and covered with clapboards.
The Methodist Episcopal congregation in Union City was organized by Reverend ira Eddy in 1817, with Reverend John P. Brent as its first pastor. Before the first church was built in 1847, the Methodists worshipped in schoolhouses and barns. In 1862, the second Methodist church was built at a cost of $10,000 and an addition made to that building in 1871.
The Union Mills Bulletin of Saturday, November 25, 1865, lists the Methodist-Episcopal Church in its church directory. It was located on High Street and Reverend O.L. Mead was pastor. There were services every Sabbath at 11:00 o'clock a.m. and 7 o'clock p.m.
Methodist Memories
December 26, 1878
Christmas last night was celebrated at the M.E. Church by an entertaining supper and general social gathering. The church was well filled, and the exercises were opened by essays, declamations, singing, etc. All of these were well received and well adapted to the occasion.
Reverend J.C. Schofield followed with a few appropriate remarks and he said that it was now time for supper. Santa Claus was then heard on the roof and he descended to the floor below with a large basket of provisions. The children went to the chapel where they enjoyed a Christmas tree.
Thursday, February 13, 1879
There was a meeting in the parlors at the M.E. Church on Tuesday evening at which time a young people's prayer meeting was organized. There was a good attendance and much interest was shown. The meeting will be kept up every Tuesday evening.
Thursday, January 8, 1880
The concert given by the Methodist Episcopal Sunday School under the direction of Professor Henry Goss on Christmas evening, was a grand success. It was so well managed and the Sunday School was drilled so well that during the whole entertainment there was but one mistake, and that of so small importance that it was hardly noticed. The reading was faultless, especially that part which was ready by the whole school in concert. The singing was fine, and all who had the pleasure of being present were highly entertained.
Thursday, March 11, 1880
The regular quarterly meeting of the M.E. Church was held in the Union City Church last Saturday and Sunday. Sunday morning and evening, Dr. Bugbee, president of Allegheny College, delivered two able discourses which were listened to with intense interest.
Thursday, May 19, 1880
The Methodist Conference at Cincinnati, Monday, unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing Mrs. Hayes' course in relation to the use of spiritous liquors at the White House.
Thursday, May 19, 1880
M.E. Church. Reverend S.J. Scofield Pastor. Services every Sunday at 11 o'clock a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sabbath School at 12:00 o'clock a.m. Prayer meeting every Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. Young folks prayer meeting on Monday evening.