First Wesleyan Methodist Church of Seneca Falls records, 1843-1911.
Collection Number: 6049
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
First Wesleyan Methodist Church of Seneca Falls records, 1843-1911.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
6049
Abstract:
Seven numbered volumes containing trustee meeting minutes (1843-1871, 1880-1913),
proceedings of the church's monthly business meetings (1858- 1870), clerk's records
(1874-1880) and several miscellaneous papers including receipts, certificates of dismission,
and a subscription list. The records document the church's 1869 split, church discipline,
finances, and reactions to the Women's Temperance Union and freemasonry.
Creator:
First Wesleyan Methodist Church of Seneca Falls (Seneca Falls, N.Y.)
Quanitities:
1 microfilm reels.
Language:
Collection material in English
On March 27, 1843 a portion of the congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church
of Seneca Falls seceeded and organized the First Wesleyan Society of Seneca Falls
at the school house. They built a church costing $1770 on a lot costing $600 at the
corner of Hynderse and Fall Streets. That same year, many congregationalists who had
joined the Presbyterian Church after their church had disbanded, withdrew over the
question of American slavery and joined the Wesleyan church. In 1852 an effort was
made to revive the Congregational church, and Rev. B.F. Bradford, who had served the
Wesleyan church for 3 years was called to the pastorate. For a year and a half the
group worshipped in the concert Hall, but Mr. Bradford's health was impaired, and
the group disbanded. Most of the group returned to the Wesleyan congregation where
they remained until 1869 when Rev. Lyle, the minister, left the Wesleyans after being
foiled in an attempt to transform that church into a Congregational church. Mr. and
Mrs. Jabez Matthews and Abram Failing were prominent members who went back and forth
between the two groups. The Congregational group called themselves the First Congregational
Church of Seneca Falls, and met in the Good Templar's Hall in December 1869 with 63
members.
The split left the Wesleyans with only 60 members down from a high of 200 in 1862,
but by 1875 the church was strong enough to dedicate a new church, valued at $14,500.
The Sunday School was active, and the church possessed a library of 550 volumes.
Records of the Wesleyan Methodist Church consist of 7 numbered volumes containing
trustee meeting minutes (book 1, 1843-71? book 5, 1880-1913); proceedings of the church's
monthly business meetings, (book 2, 1858-1863, book 3, 1863-1870); and "clerk's records,"
1874-1880 which are probably minutes of monthly business meetings (book 73 1874-80);
and several miscellaneous papers including receipts, certificates of dismission and
a subscription list. The records document the 1869 split, church discipline and finances,
and reactions to the Women's Temperance Union and freemasonry. Records of the Congregational
offshoots, though later expurged from the records are legible.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
First Wesleyan Methodist Church of Seneca Falls records, #6049. Division of Rare and
Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
Names:
Women\'s Christian Temperance Union
First Congregational Church of Seneca Falls (Seneca Falls, N.Y.)
First Wesleyan Society of Seneca Falls (Seneca Falls, N.Y.)
Places:
Seneca Falls (N.Y.) -- Religious life and customs.
Seneca County (N.Y.) -- Religious life and customs.
Subjects:
Freemasonry -- Religious aspects -- Methodists.
Methodist Church -- New York (State) -- Seneca Falls.
Methodist church buildings.
Church discipline.
Temperance and religion -- New York (State) -- Seneca Falls.
Church records and registers -- New York (State) -- Seneca Falls.
Form and Genre Terms:
Minutes.
CONTAINER LIST
Container
|
Description
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Date
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Item 1 |
Book no. 1, Trustees Record Book March,
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1843-1871 | |
Page 1
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|||
Scope and Contents
statement on formation, call to build a church, election of trustees
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Page 2
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Scope and Contents
subscription list
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Page 3,
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July 1844 | ||
Scope and Contents
trustee's minutes commence. Resolution that the chapel shall not be opened for speaking
on political parties
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Page 4,
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Feb 1844 | ||
Scope and Contents
resolution that if the chapel is sold those who contributed toward it must be reimbursed
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March 1845 | |||
Scope and Contents
3 recended
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March 1849 | |||
Scope and Contents
resolved to insure the chapel, to build a sidewalk and culvert over ditches at the
front of the lot
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April 1855 | |||
Scope and Contents
voted to charge $5.00 to open the house of worship for mass meetings
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May 1855 | |||
Scope and Contents
illegible
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Apr. 15, 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
The president and secretary are directed to take legal proceedings against all or
some persons who forcibly entered the church.
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June 10, 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
request by Bro. Denning to use the church for a Quarterly meeting of those "claiming
to be of the Wesleyan Church" denied
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Sept. 10, 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
resolved to protect the church property by having the church gate locked except during
services and the classroom locked on Sunday and to buy furniture
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Aug, 10, 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
special election of 5 trustees in place of 5 who resigned
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March 28, 1870 | |||
Scope and Contents
2 trustees elected
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Jan. 9, 1871 | |||
Scope and Contents
begin to plan for a new church list of members of the Wesleyan Church (some marked
with x's and dated, mostly 1869 printed roll of members notes, 2 trustees minutes,
1871
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Item 2 |
Book no.2, Proceedings of Monthly Business Meetings of the Church.
|
May 1858-1863 | |
Page 1,
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May 1858 | ||
Scope and Contents
Proceedings of regular Monthly Meetings commence, resolved to hold only morning and
evening services from now on, and to elect 5 stewards
|
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Page 11,
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Sept. 1858 | ||
Scope and Contents
resolution disapproving of a brother who burned the church's accounts, plans for a
"donation visit" are made
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Page 27,
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Jan. 1859 | ||
Scope and Contents
many new members
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Page 30,
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Feb. 13, 1859 | ||
Scope and Contents
many new members
|
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Page 36,
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March 13, 1859 | ||
Scope and Contents
many new members, some baptised by immersion, some by sprinkling
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Page 38,
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April 3, 1859 | ||
Scope and Contents
many new members, some baptised by immersion, some by sprinkling
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Page 42,
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April 17, 1859 | ||
Scope and Contents
many new members, some baptised by immersion, some by sprinkling
|
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Page 45,
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May 24, 1859 | ||
Scope and Contents
many new members, some baptised by immersion, some by sprinkling
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Page 46,
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June 1859 | ||
Scope and Contents
trial for immoral behavior
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Pages 62-63,
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Jan. 1860 | ||
Scope and Contents
charges of immorality brought
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Page 69
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Scope and Contents
sisters are elected stewards resolution forbidding the use of the church to unorthodox
ministers
|
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Page 73
|
|||
Scope and Contents
requested that Sister Wright take charge of the communion service
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April 1861 | |||
Scope and Contents
bro. feels that the church and the U.S. Constitution are incompatible and withdraws
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Feb. 1862 | |||
Scope and Contents
sister expelled for immorality
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Item 3 |
Book no. 3, Regular Monthly Meeting Book,
|
1863-1870 | |
Sept. 1863 | |||
Scope and Contents
charge against a Member for immorality
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July 1864 | |||
Scope and Contents
a "festival" (ice cream social is planned, (earned $176.27)
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Sept. 1865
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Scope and Contents
resolved to buy an organ to replace the melodian
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Dec. 1865 | |||
Scope and Contents
a parsonage is purchased
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1866 | |||
Scope and Contents
many records illegible
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Oct. 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
resolution to form an executive committee to take over membership duties
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March 1 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
the group begins to call itself a society
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Apr. 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
resolution changing the name to the First Congregational Church
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Dec. 6 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
new trustees elected in place of those who had left the church
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Item 4 |
Book no. 4,
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1869-1874 | |
Apr. 12, 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
resolution calling for the termination of the Pastor's duties to the congregation
|
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Apr. 19, 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
executive committee dissolved, stewards, treasurer and clerk dismissed, members dropped
by the executive committee restored
|
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May 17, 1869 | |||
Scope and Contents
recommended to consult a lawyer regarding the removal of the trustees and obtaining
an injunction forbidding the trustees from paying the minister
|
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Nov. 1, 1869 - Nov.1, 1870 | |||
Scope and Contents
in book 3
|
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April 1869-July | |||
Scope and Contents
in Book 3 expurged
|
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March 21, 1870 | |||
Scope and Contents
minutes continue
|
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Aug. 4, 1872 | |||
Scope and Contents
Bro. involved with the Odd Fellows agrees to leave the organization rather than be
expelled
|
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May 11, 1874 | |||
Scope and Contents
discussion on getting a lecturer on Free Masonry (C.A. Blanchar agreed to allow the
Women's Temperance Movement to hold prayer meetings in the church. Five delegates
appointed to attend the Syracuse meeting of the Christians opposed to Secret Societies
Trustee Records commencing Apr. 5, 1871 discuss construction of the church
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May 4, 1872 | |||
Scope and Contents
a list of probationers and members
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Item 5 |
Book no. 5, Trustees Records,
|
1880-1913 | |
Scope and Contents
"Book for Recording the doings of the Board of Trustees of Wesleyan Methodist Church
Commencing 1880"
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May 3, 1860 | |||
Scope and Contents
Seneca County Christian Association opposed to Secret Societies is granted permission
to use the lecture room
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July 7, 1880 | |||
Scope and Contents
Permission granted for use of the lecture room for a lecture to ladies on health
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Apr. 28, 1912 | |||
Scope and Contents
renters of the parsonage are given notice to leave since they drink beer bills for
hardware dated 1907
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Item 6 |
Book no.6, Church Register
|
||
Jan. 27, 1887 | |||
Scope and Contents
first entry
|
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Jan. 28, 1887 | |||
Scope and Contents
resolution on the membership of Mrs. Susie Palmer membership book purchased because
of a resolution passed July 6, 1874
|
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Pages 2-15
|
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Scope and Contents
lists name, received (when, how), dismissed (when, how)
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Page 16
|
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Scope and Contents
baptisms, none listed
|
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Pages 17-22
|
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Scope and Contents
roll of probationary members
|
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Item 7 |
Book no. 7, "Clerk's Records",
|
May 1874-1880 | |
May 11, 1874 | |||
Scope and Contents
Voted to try to get the Saturday morning class to organize
|
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Page 1,
|
May 4, 1874 | ||
Scope and Contents
list of trustees for 1872-77 and stewards
|
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Page 6,
|
May 11, 1874 | ||
Scope and Contents
church to offer a place for the Women's Temperance movement to hold weekly prayer
meetings appointment of 5 delegates to attend the National Christian Association opposed
to Secret Societies meeting in Syracuse
|
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Page 18,
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Aug. 3, 1874 | ||
Scope and Contents
members arrange to attend the Rochester Conference Camp Meeting
|
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Page 20
|
|||
Scope and Contents
special meeting to devise ways and means of finishing the church
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Page 45,
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Dec. 7, l874 | ||
Scope and Contents
resolved to cease offering space for meetings to the Women's Temperance Movement because
it refuses to identify itself as a Christian organization
|
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Dec. 5, 1875 | |||
Scope and Contents
appointment of delegates to the Anti-Secret Societies convention and to take a collection
for the state agent
|
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Jan. 1, 1876 | |||
Scope and Contents
discussion of the resolution concerning the word "Christian" in the Women's Temperance
Movement
|
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Feb. 7, 1876 | |||
Scope and Contents
2 men are appointed to protect the church from unruly young men and boys
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Apr. 3, 1876 | |||
Scope and Contents
resolution commending the pastor for his services is lost
|
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June 1876 | |||
Scope and Contents
Women's Temperance Union Resolution recended, they can meet in the church
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Sept. 4, 1876 | |||
Scope and Contents
report of the examining committee dealing with the unity of the church and its members
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Oct. 2, 1876 | |||
Scope and Contents
the pastor states his reason for wishing to leave
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Apr. 23, 1988 | |||
Scope and Contents
Annual Report to the Conference. Such reports occur every April from now on
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Nov. 5, 1877 | |||
Scope and Contents
motion on having an anti-tobacco sermon
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Apr. 1, 1878 | |||
Scope and Contents
resolved that the church opposes appropriating money from the Missionary Fund to any
church in Farmington, N.Y.
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July 1, 1878 | |||
Scope and Contents
plans to have a raspberry festival
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March 10, 1870 | |||
Scope and Contents
George P, Seekill wrote to the church about his legal difficulties
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March 10, 1879 | |||
Scope and Contents
member dismissed for Unchristian conduct and breaking Ecclesiastical Law
|
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Item 8 |
Miscellaneous papers tipped in the church record books
|
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Scope and Contents
Contains receipts (1879, 1901), lists of members (1901, 1911), 2 certificates of dismission
from Christ Church in Fayette, and a subscription list (1875) for completing construction
of the church.
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