"The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Lower
Saginaw"
--- later ---
"Madison Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church of Bay City
By L. R. Russell
1911, Dec 5th
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1832 The first recorded religious work attempted in
this region was when
Bradford Frazee was sent as a Missionary to the Saginaw Valley.
He was a member of the Ohio Conference of which all of the Territory
of Michigan, excepting the S. W. corner constituted the Michigan
District. He gave so much time to courtship and marriage and
objected so strenuously to the prevailing diet of muskrat and salt-
pork that his work was neglected and no results are recorded.
1835 In this year Wm. H. Brockway was appointed. His
charge included
Flint Genesee Co., and as many places as could be reached once
in four weeks.
1836 The Michigan Annual Conference was organized and Oscar F.
North
was appointed to the work.
1837 Michigan became a state. Chas Babcock was minister,
and the first
class of four members - of which Mrs. Belinda Barney was one -
was formed here.
1843 The Saginaw Bay Company platted Lower Saginaw extending from
Woodside Ave to 12th St (Columbus Ave) and from the river to Van
Buren Street. Two squares were reserved for each Washington and
Madison Parks and the two central lots in each alternate block on the
East side of Washington St, were set apart to be deeded to the religious
societies that should build thereupon.
1848 Being five years later with Andrew Bell as pastor our
work was
firmly established.
1852 This church became a distinct station known as "The First
Methodist
Episcopal Church of Lower Saginaw" . George Bradley was the pastor
and the David who secured the material for the Church and Parsonage.
1853 Israel Cogshall was appointed pastor and was the Solomon
who built
the first Methodist temple. It was erected on Block 47 between 4th
1854
and 5th Streets and dedicated in 1854. Protestants of different
names contributed toward this building and from time to time held
services with their own pastors although most of them affiliated with
us for a time. The building was enlarged three times and when the
congregation removed to the Madison Ave church it was sold to our
Jewish friends who removed it to the N. E. corner of Van Buren and
11th Sts, where it since has been used as their Synagogue and where
it remains until this day. The old parsonage remains on the original
site. This was the first church of any kind built North of Flint in
Eastern Michigan. Subsequently the French Catholics built
between 2d and 3d Sts. When they removed it was used as a saloon
and subsequently burned. The Baptists erected their first church -
a branch from Portsmouth, between Centre and 5th Sts and when this
burned the second on the same ground. When they removed to
Centre and Madison Sts, the old building was finally taken to
Madison and 1st St where it is used as a foundry. The
Episcopalians built between Centre and 6th and when the Centre
Ave Church was ready removed thereto. The old building was
removed thereto. The old building was removed to Madison Ave
North of Woodside Ave and is the offices of the Cross Arm Co. The
Lutherans first built between 7th and 8th St, They now worship on the
corner of 8th and Madison. Between 9th and 10th Sts the
Presbyterians twice built, the first church being burned and the
second now standing there opposite the City Hall. The congregation
now worships in the handsome stone building on the corner of
Centre and Jackson Streets.
The original church was legally known as "The First Methodist
Episcopal Church of Lower Saginaw" and the early records are
under this name. Indeed I have here a book inscribed "Directory
of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, Bay City, Michigan, corner
Madison and Ninth, Simpson W. Horner, Pastor, 1897". However,
our people modestly declined to assume the preeminence implied
commonly it was known as The Washington Street Methodist
Church.
1856
The Detroit Annual Conference was organized at Adrian. This
church also is the mother of Methodism in Bay City, as each of
the other five Methodist churches is a direct result of missionary
efforts from this church. Classes were formed in the following
order:
1857 Portsmouth (now Fremont Ave.) resulted from a revival
conducted
by our pastor Benson in the school house.
1859 A Class was organized at Banks. In 1864 pastor Wm
Fox held
revival services in a boarding house conducted by Jno S. Taylor,
who with his wife and 14 (or 40) others were converted. Thoburn
church resulted. In the same year - 1859 - work was begun in
Dolsonville and has culminated in the Woodside Ave Society.
1866 Early in the year pastor Fox organized two Classes on the
West
side. One was conducted by John S. Taylor (now living in Seattle)
who had removed from Banks to Wenona, and the other under
the care of I. S. Huckins who still resides on the West Side
and is a member of our church there. This was known as The
Wenona, Centre Ave and now First Church.
1888
Pastor E. W. Ryan appointed Edward Newkirk as leader of a
Class and the Sunday School 17th St and Bowery (now Garfield
St.). This work had been conducted as a mission by E. J.
Hargreaves from 1875 in a school house on Fraser Street
near 16th. Our Central Church is the outcome.
Services were also held in Salzburg and through the efforts of
J. S. Taylor of the Wenona Church a building was erected and
still remains there but was shortly sold.
Madison Avenue has been a good mother to these children and
since they have set up house-keeping for themselves has given
each material assistance, excepting perhaps Thoburn. None of
them have exceeded her in membership or effectiveness. She
pay $600 more salary than any other and her Benevolences -
including Sunday School, Epworth League and the two Women's
Missionary Societies is 48% greater than any other. If
we omit the auxiliary societies our Benevolences exceed all
the others combined and is six times greater than any one
(very nearly). (Minutes 1910). The assumption of the mothers
maidenly distinction - First Methodist Episcopal Church, Bay City -
by one of the daughters is unwarranted, does violence to the facts
and while today from a historical standpoint is perhaps chiefly
ludicrous, may in the future be misleading and deceptive.
1883 As the church on Washington Street was not located or
arranged so as to best accommodate our grow congregations,
our people began to look for a more convenient location.
1886 In this year our Sunday School was graded into four
Departments.
The name of the church was changed to "The Madison Avenue
Methodist Episcopal Church of Bay City". I record also the death
Mrs. Barney who was the oldest and one of the original members
of the church. The Quarterly Conference this year was composed
as follows:
TRUSTEES: F. E. Bradley, R. W. Erwin, Wm. Foale, D. A. Ross,
Louis Goeschel, Benjamin Boutell, John Mansfield, Harry Holmes
and Chas. Bradley
STEWARDS: H. M. Bradley, C. W. Parish, E. J. Hargrave,
L. R. RUssell, Bertram Moore, A. E. R. Bush, E. C. Hargrave,
A. McMillan, S. D. Hawthorne, E. T. Rowley, J. S. Elliott,
W. P. Heydenburk, and W. T. Ballamy
PRESIDING ELDER: A. J. Bigelow
PASTOR: J. E. Jacklin
CLASS LEADERS: Edward Newkirk and H. M. Bradley
PRESIDENT OF THE LADIES AID SOCIETY: Mrs. F. E. Bradley
SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: L. R. Russell
TREASURER: C. W. Parish
DISTRICT STEWARD: H. M. Bradley
RECORDING STEWARD: A. E. R. Bush
Eight of this number are still affiliated with us.
I here present a
paper
which from internal evidences I find was
prepared by H. M. Bradley, Chairman of the building committee
early in 1888 referring to the building enterprise and the laying
of the Corner Stone.
1887 In this year the Sunday School began the publication of
"Our
Visitor" afterward known as "The Madison Avenue Methodist"
which was continued over three years and netted the treasury
$200 the first year. From the proceeds 300 Bibles still used
in the school were purchased.
1888 The "Young Peoples Society" was organized in our school
and
later became a Chapter of the Epworth League. The Madison
Ave Church was dedicated November the 11th by C. H. Payne
assisted by the reverend gentlemen - Jas. H. Potts, Jacklin,
White, Lyons, Castor, Venning, Richards, and Woodhams.
The cost of the church, lots and furnishings was given at
$47,359.51. The S. S. furnished the Sunday School room at a
cost of 712.00. Later the piano was purchased in addition.
1892 Pews in church which before had been rented were made free.
1909 The Gallery was placed in the S. S. rooms with
furnishings costing
$1000. The Ladies Aid and Others contributed liberally.
Among those who have been with us, -
gone to their reward - of precious memory
are - J. C. Asman, Isaac Brown, Mrs. Barney (our Barbara Heck), F. E. Bradley
Joseph Bastow, Solomon Day, R. W. Erwin, E. J. Hargrave, Wm. Foale, R. A. Hall,
John Mansfield, Mrs. Mansfield, Bertram Moore, Mrs. Moor, Archibald McMillan, D.
H. Robins, and Benson Sterling.
Several precious seasons of revival have visited us, notably those conducted by
Mrs.
Mary Lathrop, Kerr and Johns, and Henry Date. Before the church was a
district charge we had 8 missionaries and preachers. From that time to the
laying
of the corner stone of the Madison Ave church there were 18 ministers and since
the
church was built, 8, making a total of 34. The last nine - since the
church was
begun are: J. E. Jacklin, 1883, E. W. Ryan, 1886, M. C. Hawks, 1891, S. W.
Horner, 1896, Joshua Stansfield, 1899, D. H. Ramsdell, 1901, E. E. Ackerman,
1904, E. A.
Elliott, 1907, and George Elliott, 1910. All these are now living and each
is
addressed as Doctor.
In 1900 E. T. Rowley was Lay Delegate to the General Conference as was L. R.
Russell in 1904. Dr. Hawks our pastor was a Ministerial Delegate and
our present
pastor George Elliott will lead the Delegation next year. This church can
spare him
only if he shall find a deserved place on the Episcopal bench.
Brother Jacklin was the most acrobatic of all our preachers. One day a
saloon-
keeper called and engaged his services for a wedding. At the time
appointed he
arrived with a horse and buggy -- the latter of the pattern commonly used by the
mill men in those days -- without top and with a low box extending behind.
They
started merrily in congenial conversation when the horse not accustomed to such
a combination load ran away. The preacher thinking discretion the better
part
of valor, climbed over the back of the seat and jumped out behind at the
same time dislodging sundry jugs of liquor. Fortunately neither jugs nor
bones
were broken and the host having regained control of his spirited steed gathered
up his apirituous cargo and with all things necessary to consumate the wishes
of two longing hearts in approved form proceeded more cautiously on his way.
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