Arizona republican., 1906-03-16
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL
 CHURCH.

The First Methodist Episcopal Church was organized April 4, 1874, by the Rev. G. A. Reeder. superintendent of Arizona mission. It consisted of three members and one probationer. The church had no regular appointed pastor for several years. Rev. MT. Reeder, c. M. F. Hewitt and others furnished occasional services, which were held in an adobe building on First avenue east of the court house. This historic building was used for church, court house and public meet ings, etc. General O. O. Howard once delivered a temperance address in it. Later by invitation of the M. F. Church South meetings were held in it's church.
 May 20. 1875. Rev. Reeder secured from the city Of Phoenix eight lots in block 65. Five of these lots, on the corner of Second avenue and Jefferson street. were sold in the year 1881 for $40O. Lot No. 15 was sold in 1884 for $10O. On the other two a parsonage was erected.
 Services were held alternately with the M. E. Church South in it's church until January, 1881, when Rev. Cox. having been elected chaplain of the territorial legislature, left to assume the duties of his position.
 Rev. G. F. Bovard. president of the University of Southern California, then a local preacher in the southern California conference, was appointed by Dr. Adams to take charge of the work here. He arrived in Phoenix January II, 1881. On the evening of that day a prayer meeting was held at the residence of Geo. F. Coats. At this meeting it was decided to rent a build ing and hold regular services. An adobe building on the alley between Adams and Monroe streets on Second street was rented. It had q dirt floor and dirt roof. Seats were put in to accommodate about one hundred peo- pie. The first prayer meeting was held in this building January 13. 1881 a whicn time a class was formed consisting of eleven persons. The first preaching service was held Sunday January 16, 1881, at which time a Sun day school was organized with E. w Wiley as superintendent
 Steps were taken about this time tc secure a new church and two lots on the northeast corner of Second avenue and Washington street (where the Ford hotel now stands) were pur- building 3Ox5O feet was erected there on at cost of s4,OOO. which was dedi- Cated May 9. 1881. Rev. Adams preached in the morning of that day and Rev. G. F. Bovard in the evening
 Rev. Bovard left the work to attend school August 20, 1881. Rev. O. s Frambes supplied the work until April 1882. when Rev. B. F. Edwards wa: appointed to the charge, which ht served until January. 1883. Calvin Coats, a local preacher, and Rev. N L. Guthrie supplied the pulpit unti April 26, 1883, when G. L. Pearson O Detroit conference was appointed. H. continued as pastor until october, 1884 Rev D. w. Chalfe served the charg, for two years. He was followed by Rev. Daniel Battin, of Iowa, wh' served one year. N. F. Norton wa! then appointed pastor and served tw. years Rev. D. F. Howe served al pastor for six months. The societ! was then without a pastor until Octo Der, 8. 1890, when Rev. G. L. Pearson was again appointed pastor and served for five years.
 In the fall of 1894 papers of in corpora ton were taken out by Wil liam Christy, George L. Pearson, A. Y Quinn, J. Harbert, A. J. Sampson, W A. Hyde, J. w. Eastwood, O. Il