Greenwood Methodist Episcopal Church.*—In the summer of 1849 the pastor of Franklin circuit, Rev. Mr. Shafer,
began stated preaching in the Baptist Church of Greenwood, and the year
following, Rev. Elijah D. Long, pastor of the South Port circuit, continued
preaching, and organized a class, among the early members of which were the
following: M. Dashiel and wife, Mrs. Selch, Mrs. Prewett, George Noble, Louisa
Noble, Noah Noble, Rev. Samuel Noble, John Vorhies and wife, and others whose
names are not now remembered. In the fall of 1850, Greenwood was made the head
of a circuit, and Rev. John A. Winchester, at present a superannuated member of
the Southeast Indiana Conference, appointed pastor. During his pastorate, the
erection of a church building was undertaken, and prosecuted to successful
completion in the early part of the conference year following. The building was
substantial frame edifice which stood near the central part of town, and cost
about $2,500. In the fall of 1851, Rev. Jacob Whitman was appointed to the
pastorate. For the conference years of 1852–53–54, Rev. J. W. T. McMullen
served as pastor, with Rev. Strange Sinclair as assistant the second year. Rev.
Sinclair came next. Succeeding him came Rev. H. M. Boyd, in the fall of 1857.
Others were Revs. William K. Ream, W. R. Goodwin, L. Havens, A. Kennedy, J. M.
Crawford, F. S. Turk, T. W. Jones, Samuel Langdon, D. C. Benjamin, A, H. Reat,
Jesse Miller, W. S. Falkenburg. Rev. Samuel Noble was appointed in 1882, Rev.
M. Falkenburg having been transferred to the Texas conference that year. In the
fall of 1882, W.H. Wydman was appointed pastor, serving until the fall of 1885,
and was succeeded by Rev. Alonzo Murphy, who in September 1887, was followed by
the present incumbent, Rev. C. W. Tinsley. In the spring of 1887, the society
began the erection of a new house of worship which was completed and dedicated
December 1887. The building stands in the northeast part of the town, and is
one of the finest specimens of church architecture in Johnson County,
representing a cost of $7,000. It is a beautiful gothic structure, built of
brick and will comfortably accommodate an audience of 700. Class leader,
Vorhies Brand: assistant, William H. Bishop. The Sunday school, under the
auspices of the church was organized in 1851, with M. Deshiel, superintendent.
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*Contributed by Rev. Samuel Noble.