Milford chronicle., 1930-10-24


her mother, Mrs. w. L. Kenerly.
Mr.. and Mrs. A. j. Ramsdell enter
tanned friends from Maryland las
Sunday.
Belmont Simpson, of Wilmington
spent the weekend with his parents
/ Mr. and Mrs. William Simpson.
! Methodist Episcopal Church
J Is Sixty Years Ola
/ One of the outstanding events OF
this community will be the 60tl
birthday anniversary of the Method
ist Episcopal church. The celebra-
ton will be extended over a period
of two weeks and is more than just
an anniversary, because during these
60 years many of the former men,
bers have passed to their reward
and many others have settled in diff
ferent parts of the State and Ma
ton. Many of its former pastors,
should they be alive. would rejoice
in the great strides made by this
church in 60 years. There is no
doubt that the most interesting part
of the celebration is the history of
the church from its first beginning
To gather these facts together was
no little job, SO Mr.. Collins, the local
pastor, selected for his historian
Mrs. w. w. Sharp and with the aid
of several other members of the
church who aided with bits of his
tory the following has been COM
piled: Harrington, then known as
Clark's Corner, was very similar to
many other cross road villages, with
just few houses and much of the
present town covered by FORESTS. 1t
is not definitely known just when re-
ligiOus services under the auspices
of the Methodist church were first
held, but some movement was start
ed previous to 1858. Albert Butler,
Winthrop e. Faulkner and Francis
Tuttle. Jr., lumberman from Massa-
migrated to Clark's Corner
and purchased from Nimrod and Ann
Elizabeth Harrington a large tract
of timber land. Mrs. Harrington
first refused to sign the deed, but
did so after the purchasers agreed
to give a portion of the land after
the timber had been removed for the
use of the Methodist Episcopal
church. The first deed on record is
dated March 80, 1858, and was given
to William H. Powell, Jas. J. Wood,
William A. Willis, Thomas B. COur-
sey, Samuel Minner, John Satter-
field, Isaac Belts, Peter Galloway and
p Needles, as trustees, for
a tract of land containing 2S,S00
square feet for the use of the Meth
cdist Episcopal church forever. AT
ter the timber had been removed the
entire tract was sold to Jehu f.
Tharp on December 2S, 1865. III or
der to clear up the title a second
deed was given on May 28, 1869, by
Iehu +. Tharp, for the consideration
)f one dollar to the following board
lf trustees: James Galloway, c. G.
Powell, Thomas Brown, George w,
Collins, Thomas B. Coursey, Samuel
Minner, William II. Powell, James J. |
Wood and Benz. p. Needles. OF
,oursc at that time there was no !
,hurch and the Pennsylvania r. r.
company allowed the church people |
he use of an engine house which |
tood across the tracks opposite of |
he present church site. The build |
ng was large enough to accommO-
late several engines of much small
II type then are used at the present |
ime. The money raised at that pc
iod came very slowly and various
means were employed to add to the
fund. A festival was held
II the engine house in 1869 and la
er a play, Rip Van Wrinkle, was held
or the purpose Of adding funds to
he building project. Clark's Cor
CT was then a part of circuit with
inc appointments: Salem, (nOw
'aTmington), Whites, Todd's, Pros
ect, Manship, Masten's Laws and
Iilford Neck. Churches are still i'll
peration in many of these places,
he most Of which are in rural terri
)ry. Two preachers were assigned
} a circuit. The senior preacher
nd family usually occupied the par
Dnagc, while the junior preacher
lOst always was an unmarried man,
ho rode horseback from church to
lurch, depending on the hospital
Y of the members of each charge :
II his entertainment. Services were
Inducted in each of the churches I
4 the circuit every two weeks by
le or the other of the two pastors.
ne pastor, Rev. Mr.. Houston, was
70 poor to keep horse and had to
spend upon friends for a loan of a /
)rse to go to his appointments. He
Is been known to walk at times to
odds church, which lies west of
and about twelve miles
ON Harrington.
Mrs. Jonathan Willis owned the
st piano in this community and
lowed it to be used at the services 4
the engine house. The first church
as built in 1870 and was dedicated
the worship of Almighty God.
me of the worshipers at that time
iected to the use of the piano, be- (
wing that the devil was in the in
Later a building known as
he old Schoolhouse" was used as Z
place of worship. This building
9chanic and DOrman streets, on
e site of the present home of A. :
Spurry. 1t was later purchased Z
William A. Smith and sob and !
Jved to the business section and 3
inverted into a store now occupied z
w. o. Finch.
There is some doubt about the or :
of the first Sunday school z
t it is thought to have been or 3
nized in 1860 by DR.. i. J. Owens z
tn 20 scholars. Others, however, \
lin that it was organized by John ;
dgewick and James Walker. 9
sses Anna and Priscilla VanGesel x