THE

CHATHAM VILLAGE

METHODIST EPISCOPAL

CHURCH

 CHATHAM

COLUMBIA COUNTY

NEW YORK

By Capt. Franklin Ellis³²⁵

1878

     The Chatham Village Methodist Episcopal Church was organized as the "White Mills" church, by the Rev. Jesse Carley, June 18, 1835.  The trustees chosen were George Humphrey, Martin Harder, Stephen Shipman, Cornelius Shufelt, Mark K. Crandell, Jehoiakim H. Blass, James Van Valkenburgh, Theodore Pomeroy, and David Crego.  A small frame church was built a short distance west of the "White Mills," which is yet standing, although used only for occasional services.

     About 1850 the interest of the society were transferred to Chatham village, where a frame meeting-house was erected, which was destroyed by fire in the spring of 1853.  The following summer the present edifice was erected in its stead, Benjamin Rogers, Henry Porter, and Peter C. Thompkins serving as a building committee.  It is estimated to be worth $4500, and the parsonage $3500.

     Until 1875 the church was connected with the one at Spencertown as a circuit, but that year it became a station.  There are at present one hundred and forty-four members, who are under the pastoral care of the Rev. S. J. McCutchen.  From 1853 until this period (1878) the clergy were Revs. Peletiah Ward, James N. Shaffer, Isaac H. Lent, Delos Lull, N. S. Tuthill, John A. Edmonds, H. B. Mead, J. W. Jones, W. S. Stillwell, Alfred Coons, J. W. Smith, and W. Stevens.

     A Sunday-school of more than two hundred members is maintained by the church, and is at present superintended by Francis I. Park.  It has a good library of three hundred and fifty volumes.

These Beautiful Graphics Designed by: