Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-02-27

Rev. Avra Melvin left six stalwart
sons, Thomas B., John B., James A.,
VIM. W., s. Douglas and David Mel
vim, all of whom followed his exam
pie. and four of whom became prom
inent officials of the Methodist Prot
estant Church of Newtown. Three of
! his grand sons became members of
the Maryland Annual Conference,
| Revs. Charles O., VIM A., and Samuel
IN. Melvin. Two of his grand daugh-
4 tiers, Mrs. Lillian Townsend, Of Phil
adelphia and Mrs. Loire c. Quinn, Sr.
of Crisfield, Md, and a great-grand-
daughter, Miss Marie c. Jones, of
Los Angeles, Cal, the latter at one
time the Local Editor of the Worces-
ter Democrat, were formerly residents
of this city.
In association with Rev. Alva Mel
vim in the organization of the NJ. P
Church in Newtown were George S.
Blades, Edward S. Young and wife,
Levin Davis, Mrs. Leah Boston Mills
and several members of the Powell
family.
Following the custom and the ne
cessities of the times, before the first
church was built religious services
were held at private houses and one
of the homes used was that of the
Rev. Avra Melvin.
The church l remember, which was
built in 1853 occupied the site of the
first church in the present Bethany
cemetery. 1t was a frame structure
rectangular in shape; a one room
building with a gallery and surmoun-
ted by a steeple in which hung bell.
At that time the cemetery surround
ing the church contained only about
one third of the area Of the present
cemetery.
The 1853-1S82 Church had very
interesting history and was served by
several of the ablest preachers of the
Maryland Annual Conference, three
of whom, Revs. James K. Nichols,
Lawrence w. Bates and Webster M.
Strayer became Presidents of the
Conference. The two last named min
listers, while pastors of the Snow Hill
Circuit, each purchased farm near
NassawangO M. P. Church, called to
the present day by their respective
names, the Bates farm and the Stray
er farm. So beloved and revered was
DR.. L. w. Bates by the Methodist
Protestants Of Snow Hill, that when
they built their new church forty
years ago, they named it the Bates
Memorial M. P. Church. The pastors
of the Newtown Church that | re-
member so we'll were Rev. Jas. K.
Nichols, Daniel Bowers, w. A. Pois-
al, Jesse Shreeves, w. Litsinger, S. T.
Graham, H. E. Miskimmon and R.
Semple. Some of the most active lay
men were Levin Atkinson, Edward S.
James, H. and James T. Young, Thos.
B., VIM. W., James A., and S. Doug
las Melvin, John S., John W., and
Theodore A. Richards, VIM. Ander-
son, Littleton Clayville, Stephen j.
Mills Littleton Davis, John S. Be-
vans, James L. Mock, George S.
Blades, Robert H. Pennewell, George
W. Landing, Harvey J. McCready,
Isaac N, and Thos. J. Veasey, Elijah
G.. Scott, j. Francis Townsend, John
w. and Stephen J. Blades and Jacob
E. and James G. Stevenson. Several
of the descendants of the above NAM
ed are active in the church at the
present time. The leading layman
during the 186O's was the late Levin
Atkinson. His hospitable home on
Second Street (now the home of Miss
Anne Young) was haven of rest and
refreshment for many a young minis
ter, and no effort nor sacrifice ever
seemed too great for Mr. Atkinson
and his good wife, Mrs. Comfort
Quinton Atkinson to make to advance
the prosperity of their church. Mrs.
Atkinson was a niece of VIM. Quin-
/ ton, who was one of the founders of
the NJ. P. Church in this county and