United Methodist Church

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

Mercer United Methodist Church photographed in May 2000

 
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.