METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

OF SPENCERTOWN

AUSTERLITZ, COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK

By Capt. Franklin Ellis⁹⁹

1878

     This church is supposed to have been established about the year 1834; the leading male members at that time being Zadock Knapp, William Sawyer, Stephen Willis, William P. Clark, Harvey Niles, and Ebenezer Soule.  The church was built in 1836, and dedicated October 12 of that year.  Its size is about thirty by sixty feet, and its cost probably about $3000.  It was repaired and the basement added in 1860.

    The present membership is about one hundred, and the Sabbath-school has a membership of forty scholars, and a library of one hundred and fifty volumes.

    The present officers of the church (probably trustees) are John M. Niles, J. D. Pratt, Daniel Clark, I. E. Clark, W. B. Wager, and William S. Higgins.

    The pastors in their regular order have been Reverends George Brown, Edward S. Stout, Albert Nash, Thomas Edwards, William McK. Bangs, Joshua Hudson, Phineas Cook, Joseph D. Marshall, Jeremiah Ham, Elijah Crawford, Hiram Lamont, Goodrich Horton, Thomas Bainbridge, Richard Wymond, Jonathan N. Robinson, Alexander H. Ferguson, Josiah L. Dickerson, Pelatich Ward, James N. Shaffer, Isaac H. Lent, Marvin R. Lent, Delos Lull, N. S. Tuthill, John A. Edmonds, H. B. Mead, J. W. Jones, W. S. Stillwell, Alfred Coons, J. W. Smith, J. H. Lane, and E. B. Pierce, the present pastor.  The present valuation of the church property is about $3000.