Methodist Churches pre 1890
Isaac Rollins was probably the first Methodist preacher that the people of
Chester heard, circa 1772. He penetrated the county to its center early in
1773 and established several preaching areas. Poor Rollins was thrown from
a horse, not far from Yellow Springs, and died on the spot....this was in
1783.
Benson's Chapel..built in 1781..no longer standing, but the probable burial
site of Isaac Rollins
Grove (West Whiteland twp) first called the Valley
Meeting...oldest soc in
Chester in continuous use (as of 1890)
Smith-Shop became a preaching place in 1834
West Chester...begun in 1810 and held in the old courthouse..church built in
1816..then, 1840-42.
Phoenixville....introduced into this town by Rev. Samuel levis, in 1826;
larger building built in 1854
Anderson' s, Near Valley Forge society raised in 1780 and met in the home
of Isaac Anderson
Laurel (west Bradford Twp) met in the home of William Bull, ca 1797
building erected in 1811
Romansville (West Bradford twp) ca. 1773 building ca 1811
Springfield first services in 1798 1816 first church,,,then 1868.
Hopewell originally known as Batten's meeting house..society in this
location ca 1805. 2nd building 1823
Coatesville 1817 first preaching by Rev. A Hooke, held in the
schoolhouse..new building ca 1839
Andrews' 1828 held 1st at Henry Andrews' house..1831 meeting house
Elk Ridge (East Nottingham twp) 1825, first meetings held in Abraham
Buckalew's house
Flint Hill (Franklin twp) 1st church built prior,to 1829..early meetings
held at the Daugherty's papermill.
Waynesburg (Honeybrook twp) church build in 1824 2nd in 1843.
Valley Forge 1831 1st appearance of itinerate preachers..church begun in
1833
Good-Will Methodists introduced before 1832 ...church built in1832
remodeled 1877
Salem dates from 1833. Met in John Sloans house...new church built
1874
Dowingtown 1824 preaching at the house of William Wiggins; 1833
church built
Sadsburyville-Village of Sadsbury church built 1833-34
Unionville (East Marlborough twp) met as early as 1774 at Thomas Preston's
house. Church built in 1839
Hibernia church built in 1840-41
Charlestown...Methodists introduced in 1830..church built in 1840.
Temple (North Coventry twp) established in 1849..church built in
1843
Washington 1819 meeting held in schoolchurch built 1841
Bethel (South Coventry twp) church erected 1844...before this the meetings
were held in the schoolhouse.
Spring City (East Vincent twp) 1844-45 under Rev. Peter J. Cox
church
built 1846, and nd in 1872
Glen Moore (Wallace Twp) by 1831 in James Parker's home..church build 1844
Landeburg (New Garden tw) 1st meetings in Peter Hart's home; church built
in 1848
Penningtonville 1845 1st meetings held at the homes of Charles Rees and
Bennet Chalfant..church built in 1854
Oxford introduced in 1828, gathered at the home of William Fitzgerald and
Thomas Gypsum. church built in 1851
Kennet Square...1853
St.James (Cedarville, North Coventry twp)1871 church finished 1878
Parkesburg first met in 1872...1878 bought old Episc. Church
Hamorton 1873 church built
Thorndale 1875-7 occasional services; chapel built 1869
Avondale 1868 meeting in house of J.B. Stewart...later in the RR
station..1870 church built, destroyed by fire in 1880..rebuilt 1881
Union and Octorara (no dates given)
Mt.Rocky
Marshallton United Methodist Church
1812
from a book on CHESTER and VICINITY, etc, written in 1877 by John Martin...,
The following are all the Methodist in Chester, PA,before 1877;
1832 was the year of the first Methodist congregation in Chester ...their
first place of worship was in the old Court House, then they moved to the
east side of Market St.., nearly across from the Friends Meetinghouse. In
1836 or 37 they moved to a stone structure on Filbert (now 2nd) St.. It is
now (1877) the Asbury Chapel, since sold to the African Methodist Episcopal
Church.
The second Methodist church was erected ca 1840, on the north
side of 5th Street. The first minister was the Rev. Newton Heston.The
building is now used as a lodge hall, The Tuscarora Tribe of Red Men,
since 1872..
*I have found a notation elsewhere k that says Free street was
changed to 5th Street.... The 3rd church, just completed (1873) is on the NE
corner of 7th and Madison
Sts.
.
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