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Source: Fall 1978 Volume 16 Number 3, Pages 53–56


The Methodist Church in Chester County

Elinor Janney Detterline

Page 53

Probably the first Methodist preacher heard by Chester Countians was Isaac Rollins. The first mention of him is in the Journal of Reverend Francis Asbury, who had been appointed as assistant to Mr. Wesley.

The first quarterly meeting was held at Joseph Presbury's, in Harford County, Maryland, on Wednesday, December 24, 1772. Rollins worked for a while on Maryland's Eastern Shore, coming into Chester County from that area. Methodism came into Marlborough Township and up through the central part of the county from the south, radiating east and west.

In 1773 Isaac Rollins established several preaching places in the central part of the county. In March of that year Reverend Asbury paid his first visit to see how Rollins was progressing, and found "a large congregation waiting", as he wrote in his Journal under the date of Monday, March 21, 1773. This was in Marlborough.

On the next day, Reverend Asbury preached "to a large company" at Thomas Ellis'; on Wednesday, the 23d, "many great people attended the preaching" at Woodward's on the Brandywine. From here, the same day, he rode on to Samuel Hooper's, where "many Quakers were present".

Rollins was thrown from a horse, not far from Yellow Springs, in 1783. He "died on the spot", tradition says in a fenceless lot near Little Eagle in Uwchlan Township, in which are buried some early Methodists. It is here, most likely, that Rollins was also buried. Benson's Chapel once stood on this site.

Page 54

In 1774 the circuit was known as the Chester circuit. Appointments were made to preach at Thomas Ellis', at Woodward's in Marl borough on the Brandywine west of West Chester, at Samuel Hooper's, and at Goshen, and later that year in Uwchlan and at Coventry.

Following in the footsteps of Asbury and Rollins in 1774 were Daniel Ruff and William Watters. Watters was successful in healing a division that had developed in the society at Goshen. It seems that an Abraham Rollin of Maryland, considered by some to be "rough and ranting", had also managed to establish himself in the Chester circuit, influencing many of the wealthy and particularly a George Smith. One night, however, Mrs. Smith had a dream in which she saw a gentleman sent to deliver them. When she met Watters, she immediately recognized him from the dream. The Smiths then dismissed Rollin and the group returned to the main society at Valley (or Grove).

A Reverend Matthew Magee was sent to the Chester circuit in 1794, but he shortly afterward died, apparently of "malignant fever", as yellow fever was called at that time. His remains are interred in the burial ground of the Grove Methodist Episcopal Church. Although only in his thirty-third year,

"Long did he walk in wisdom's shining ways
A pattern of sweet innocence and grace
A faithful preacher of the holy word
A humble follower of his gracious Lord."

In 1795 the Chester and Lancaster circuits were united; six years later they were named the Chester and Strasburg circuit, in the Philadelphia District. In 1834 a new circuit was formed, the Radnor circuit embracing, as part of it, Grove, Downingtown, Salem and Charlestown. In 1843 a Grove circuit was established, to include Grove, St. John's, Salem and Charlestown. In 1853 the Grove circuit was reduced to include only Grove, Downingtown and St. John's, while in 1867 Grove was separated from Downingtown.

Records indicate that the first ground owned by Methodists in Chester County for religious use was in or near Romansville in West Bradford Township, west of Marshallton on the Strasburg road. In 1811 the grave­yard at Romansville was conveyed to the Methodist Episcopal Church "for the especial use thereof". In the Deed, dated March 9, 1811, between "Richard Webster, minister of the Gospel, of Harford County, Maryland" of the first part and Isaac James st al of Pennsylvania and Samuel Wood of Delaware of the other part, reference is made to the fact that a "Robert Thornton, Dec'd., in his lifetime conveyed a piece of ground situated in West Bradford Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania unto Richard Webster, Isaac Rowling (Rollin) and John King, ministers of the Gospel, all of the State of Maryland in behalf of the people called Methodists, said Indenture bearing date March 12, 1773".

Page 55

One provision of this Deed was not carried out, however: the erection of a suitable place for the worship of Almighty God.

The oldest Methodist Society in Chester County is Grove, having continued since its first formation. The Society was formed in 1774. For a while it was called Valley, but later took the name Grove. Among its membership at the time of its formation were several landowners. This gave it permanency.

Among the members was George Hoffman, who is said to be the first Methodist in Chester County. He joined under Richard Webster (mentioned above) and was a member for fifty years, until his death on December 30, 1829, at the age of 96 years. He was also a founder of the first meeting house. On September 11, 1784, he and his wife Eve executed a Deed transferring one acre of ground to the Methodist Society for "five shillings, lawful money".

The first meeting house was a building 30 feet by 40 feet, with doors on the north and south and the front door to the west. There was an end gallery on the west, a tub pulpit on the east. Before this church was built, for a few years the group had met in a school house a little west of the present church. In 1780 Reverend Benjamin Abbot preached in this school house, known as the "old stone chapel".

In February 1813, a Deed conveyed from John Beyer and his wife Elizabeth 70 square perches to provide a more convenient access to the meeting house.

Under the charge of Reverend Thomas Sumpton and James R. Anderson, in 1844 a new church was built, it being reported in the newspapers on January 7, 1845, that the "new meeting house recently erected .. will be dedicated". In 1851 a half acre of ground was purchased and added to the graveyard and in 1866 two more acres were acquired from Eli Pyle.

The church was incorporated on April 27, 1868. In this same year the cemetery was also laid out into lots. Five years later, on September 23, 1873, it was noted in the newspapers that the sheds had been enlarged and the grounds greatly improved. A new roof was put on the church in the fall of 1879.

On November 19, 1885, it was announced that the congregation was "proud of being out of debt", but hardly had it reached this state of solvency when it decided, as reported on September 8, 1887, by vote to demolish the old church and erect a new one. Stone for the new church was hauled from the Birmingham serpentine quarry under contract with

H. M. Ruth, and by June 5, 1888, it was reported that the walls of the old church had been razed and the foundations of the new building put into place. The building was completed in 1888 and dedication services were held in January 1889.

Page 56

Less than a month later, the church caught fire from a falling chandelier that had been lit for the Sunday service, but fortunately only the carpet and several seats were burned.

Sixty years later, in 1948, a new Mittshall-Estey electric organ was installed and played for the first time at the February 8th service. The organ was the gift of Mr. and Mrs. William Simon, and was dedicated at the service on April 26 of that year. This organ, in turn, was replaced by another organ dedicated at services in October 1966.

In 1959 a new educational facility was added and dedicated in November of that year.

The 101st anniversary of the church was commemorated beginning October 13, 1874, at "10 1/2 a.m.", and the following year the church adopted the practice of holding an annual anniversary meeting of two to four days each year. By 1963 this had grown to the point that an historical drama was presented for the 190th anniversary.

Various items in the newspapers also reported on the church's activities, including its minstrel shows, which attracted over a thousand people for their performances, strawberry festivals, and pancake suppers. The church was also used for other functions, it being reported on March 22, 1844, that a temperance meeting was held at the church.

Another item, on January 7, 1874, noted that the pastor was kept more than somewhat busy. "A good beginning on New Year's Day," it was reported, "three weddings, which kept (the pastor) moving around very smart to tie all the knots."

But perhaps the most interesting item is one dated about seventy years ago. On March 27, 1908, it was noted, "If you see on your travels a man wearing a black suit with pantaloons a trifle short, it may lead to detection of a thief... The parsonage was robbed on Wednesday night," it was explained, and among the items taken was "the pastor's second best suit". Fortunately, it was his second best suit, and so presumably services were held the following Sunday notwithstanding the mishap.

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Sources:

Futhey & Cope: History of Chester County, Pennsylvania

Chester County Historical Society newspaper clipping files

 
 

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