First United Methodist Church |
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Our church was the first Methodist Church to be organized in the Mid-Ohio Valley. In 1796 Reece Wolfe, originally from Delaware settled at Neil's
Station. He was a lay Preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been established in the Baltimore on Christmas Day in 1784.
He organized classes which grew so, that by 1799, he and his fellow Lay Preacher William Beauchamp, could not handle the work. They asked Bishop Francis Asbury to send an ordained minister.
On June 1, 1799, Rev. Robert Manley arrived at the Point and established the Little Kanawha Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The circuit extended up the Ohio River, across to Athens, Ohio, then down to the Great Kanawha and eastward to Elizabeth. In 1815 Methodists in Parkersburg built a Little Brick Church on the west side of Avery Street between 3rd and 4th Streets. This became the home of the congregation which became known as the First Methodist Episcopal Church by 1877. In 1835 a new church was built on 5th Street. The Church on 5th Street became the scene of great unhappiness and eventually it was torn asunder by the issue of slavery. Those sympathizing with the South took control of the church and the Northerners and the Southerners left to build the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church at 7th and Market Streets. In 1862 the Monroe church was built on 5th Street, west if the previous church. It burned in 1873 and the Methodist Episcopal congregation built "Old First Church" at 5th and Juliana Streets. This beautiful brick church was damaged by an explosion on the Little Kanawha River. This led to the construction of a new church at 10th and Juliana Streets. Here the congregation has worshipped since 1911. In 1999 we celebrate the Two Hundreth Year of Methodism in the Ohio valley. Along with all Methodists of the area we are proud of our heritage and we honor all those whose faith, dedication, and labor allowed our church to grow through the trails and tribulations of 200 years. |