Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1879-11-26
For the Smyrna Times
Methodist History on the Peninsula.

ain 1776 Mr.. Garrettson introducad
Methodism into Tuckeyhoe Neck, Caroline
county, Md. He preached at the house ri
the stepfather of the late Rev. Ezekiel
Cooper, who was an officer in the Colonial
Army; and as it was a day of general
mastering, Mr.. Garrettson sat on his horse
and preached to the soldiers and MANY
Others Some, that received conviction on
that day, became Methodists and Drelchers
OF the gospel. Mr.. Ezekiel Cooper, and
Mr.. John Cooper were of that number.
Mr.. John Cooper and the lady he married
met with much opposition from their re.
spectlve families when they became Meth
odlsts. Mr.. John Cooper was a local
preacher, and assisted in spreading Metho.
dlsm through Caroline county," His son
william Cooper learned his trade with
henson ~ Cats in this town, and was con.
verified at one Of our grand revivas.
lie joined the Philadelphia Conference
ana becaple one of its popular preachers.
" II was in Caroline county that the Rev.
Thomas 5. Chew became a prisoner of Mr..
Henry Downs, the sheriff. Under the
prayers and eXhortatiOns of his prisoner
ne and his wife were truly converted
They became Methodists, and assisted bv
others built the first Methodist Chapel in
the county, called "Tuckeyhoe Chapel"
Tins house was erected between 1880 and
l8f. Tuckeyhoe Neck furnished its Quota
OF preachers for the itinerancy in the Reys.
Ezekiel Cooper, Solomon Sharp, Stephen
Martlndale, and Thomas Neal" All the
above preachers were we'll known in this
vicinity IN the early part of the present
century. 1T seems to me that the Rev.
James Nichols should be added to the
number, as he was not only a preacher.
but one OF the most taLentcd men this Pen.
insula ever produced, but alas he was sub
Jectsd to fits of insanity. He travelled
smyrna Circuit in 1882. "Mr. John Cooper.
who was one of the leading Methodists in
Iuckeyhoe Neck, used to relate with
others, strange phenomenon, which was
often seen in the evening meetings, during |
4 great revival, which was going on in |
ucHoyhoe Neck, when Methodism was in |
It's infancy in that neghborhood. An I'm.
accountable light, resembling flame, was |
often seen lowering over the heads of the |
Methodlsts, when engaged in prayer and |
CLASS meetings. 1t was seen several times |
ny many people brooding over different |
persons. The Rev. William Cooper, son of |
Inc above named John Cooper, says he |
often sat and troubled when his father |
., i0i anu otHeTs were cOnVerslng about |
ms with other strange appearances Of
those times"
" Methodism was established in the
Of Forest Chapel about l775
Or l17G. Rev. John Cooper formed a
society at Friend Reynear Williams, east Of
The present town Of Milford in I777. Mil.
ford was not yet built"
SAT Richard Shaw's society was
formed in III or IT'S. From this an.
Dolntment, Methodsm was introduced into
Dover. Mr.. Smithers of Dover came to
Mr. Shaw's in l778 and heard Mr.. Garrett.
son preach, his heart was touched, and
le invited him to preach in the Academy
1t Dover, and on the 10Th Of September
he same year in the afternoon he made
us appearance S. P. NJ.
SMYRNA, Nov. ODD. 1879.