This Church was organized about the year 1816. Among the first prominent members were Wilson Newman, Phebe Bradley, Volney King, Salina King his wife, Joseph O. Seeley, Roswell Kenyon, Francis Hamilton and Sterling Cole. The first meetings were held in the school house on the "corner."

The church was supplied by itinerant preachers, among whom were Eben L. North (now postmaster at the village,) Father Aylesworth, Elder Puffer, Rev. John P. Newman, (now pastor of the Metropolitan Church at Washington, D.C.) In 1827, a church edifice was built by the united efforts of the Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, and Universalist Societies, and was occupied alternately by them. About the year 1837, the present Methodist Episcopal house of worship was built at a cost of $1,600. Rev. Dr. Bowen preached the dedication sermon. It is a plain brick structure, of the modern style of architecture, and has a seating capacity of about three hundred. The first trustees of the new church were Wilson Newman, Volney King and Leonard Hodgkins.  The pulpit was supplied as before by itinerant clergymen. For the past twelve years the church has had resident pastors. The present pastor is Rev. D. W. Sherman; present membership 80; attendance at Sunday School about 100; Superintendent of the Sunday School Charles Quick. The present Trustees are Leonard Hodgkins, Moses M. Dwelle and Wm. L. Fisk.

Several members of this church have gone forth into the world and occupied prominent and useful positions. Mary Seeley went forth as a missionary to China; Rachel C. Newman is Preceptress of Cazenovia Seminary; Rev. E. Lansing Newman is now pastor of the North Street Church at Rochester, New York.  This is the only church organization at South Onondaga and the only church in which regular divine services have been held for several years past.

SOURCE

History of Onondaga County, New York, by W. W. Clayton, 1878, pp. 280-281.

Return to Onondaga County Church Records page.

Return to Onondaga County NY Gen-Web page.

19 December 1996

20 June 1997