First Methodist Episcopal Church of Port Gibson records, 1834-1901.
Collection Number: 6026
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
First Methodist Episcopal Church of Port Gibson records, 1834-1901.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
6026
Abstract:
Records of the Port Gibson Charge (which included East Palmyra until 1853) including:
minutes of stewards and leaders meetings (1841-1853, 1853-1865); trustees' account
books (1834-1901); church register (1844-1868) and misccellaneous sheets. Also include
financial records, membership lists, and meeting minutes.
Creator:
First Methodist Episcopal Church of Port Gibson (Port Gibson, N.Y.)
Quanitities:
1 microfilm reels.
Language:
Collection material in English
Port Bison and East Palmyra were a single charge on the circuit in their area until
1853 when they split up into two charges.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
First Methodist Episcopal Church of Port Gibson records, #6026. Division of Rare and
Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
Records of the Port Gibson Charge (which included East Palmyra until 1853) including:
minutes of stewards and leaders meetings (1841-1853, 1853-1865); trustees' account
books (1834-1901); church register (1844-1868) and misccellaneous sheets. Also include
financial records, membership lists, and meeting minutes.
Places:
Port Gibson (N.Y.) -- Religious life and customs.
Ontario County (N.Y.) -- Religious life and customs.
Subjects:
Methodist Episcopal Church -- New York (State) -- Port Gibson.
Form and Genre Terms:
Minutes.
Account books.
CONTAINER LIST
Container
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Description
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Date
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Item #1 |
"Stewards Book for the Port Gibson Circuit",
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l84l-l853 | |
Scope and Contents
Contents: This volume discusses both financial matters and church government, as well
as disciplinary measures. It includes two types of records, those concerning the Stewards
meetings and the Quarterly meetings, the latter being irregular in the beginning of
the volume. The financial matters discussed at the Stewards' meetings are: the minister's
pay; the costs of keeping up the meeting house, parsonage, and land; pew rents and
subscriptions; and the sale of church property. The matters of church government include
the appointment of committees to deal with church business, the approval of lay preachers
and exhorters, maintaining buildings, missionary activities, and Bible School decisions.
The disciplinary matters are discussed in terms of a committee visiting a member,
the member being called in to discuss his wrongs, or the expulsion of a member.
On October 23, 1843 the meeting decided the rules of order for meetings, e.g. point
#11 - "Every member of this meeting in his debates shall have due regard to the feelings
of his brethren and avoid all personalities."
On that same date (October 23, 1843), the questions asked by the President of the
meeting - asked: 1. "Are there any sick who ought to be visited? 2. "Are there any
who walk disorderly and will not be reproved?" 3. "Are there any who repeatedly, and
wilfully neglect to meet in class?" 4. "Are there any poor who requires relief and
comfort?" etc. On September 1847 - they wrote of "our existing embarasments and difficulties"
and Brother Mandeville's not returned as pastor.
In 1850 - towns mentioned on the circuit included Port Gibson, East Palmyra, Webster,
Walworth, Pultney, Sodus, Pittsford, Fairville, Newark, Canandaigua, Palmyra, Manchester,
Victor, Penfield, Rochester, Nos. 1,2,3.
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Item #2 |
"Stewards Book for the Port Gibson Charge, August 28th, 1853 -Minutes of Stewards
and Leaders Meetings",
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(1853-1865) | |
Scope and Contents
Contents: This volume appears to be a continuation of the first one with Quarterly
meeting minutes as well as Stewards meeting minutes. In 1853 the Port Gibson charge
was separated from East Palmyra. In 1856 there was a long discussion recorded with
resolutions that involved the election of the editor of the NC Advocate (a Methodist
periodical in New York State) over the issue of slavery. The Port Gibson group was
not satisfied with the editor's stand on slavery and wanted to form a publication
of its own which would have a stronger anti-slavery stand.
In 1856 a brother quit the country without telling anyone, leaving his financial
matters "unsettled." He was expelled from the congregation.
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Item #3 |
"Port Gibson Dec 1854 Trustees book of account of Contingent Expenses with the Secretary
and Treasurer C Mead Allterton Dr" (1834-1901)
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Scope and Contents
Contents: This volume is a record of all payments for goods, repairs and work done
on the church property. It also includes the sale of slips and subscriptions. In Dec
1860 the name of the dealer (Dr) is changed to Hiram Schutz.
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Item #4 |
"Trustees Book of Accounts of Contingent Expenses",
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(1854-1884) | |
Scope and Contents
Contents: This volume had miscellaneous papers in it which were filmed before the
volume vas. They include a sheet dated 1834 which stated: "We the subscribers do hereby
certify that on the seventh day of April 1834 in the vicinity of Port Gibson met at
the School House in said Vilage (sic) pursuant to lawful notice for the purpose of
forming a corporate body to take charge of and manage the temporalities of the said
church..." This sheet involved the formation and election of Trustees in 1834, but
does not continue.
The second sheet (1842) is an inventory of notes and pledges for money to build
the parsonage, house and barn, and to buy three lots.
There is another sheet entitled "Schedule of the Property of the ME Church of Port
Gibson Church Meeting House Built and Paid for by Subscription and Leasing Seats in
said Church..." (1845)
The Trustees' minutes begin in a regular manner after 1835 for the Port Gibson and
East Palmyra charge (which before 1853 were one). The minutes have very little detail
and simply record when the meeting occurred and who was elected a trustee.
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Item #5 |
"Church Register for Port Gibson and East Palmyra Commencing Oct 1 1844 " Second title
page: "Church Register for the Port Gibson Station Commencing Sept 1852 "
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Oct 1 1844, Sept 1852 | |
Scope and Contents
The minutes from 1844 to 1852 (when East Palmyra first started petitioning to leave
this charge) are gone. The minutes in 1852 are prefaced by a statement to the effect
that the East Palmyra members are forming a separate unit.
Later in the volume are the following lists: one page begins a list of members under
the following headings: "Rec by trial, in full, by letter, Removed by letter, without
letter, Withdrawn, Died in Peace." The next list is entitled "Official Members for
Port Gibson and East Palmyra from 1844" with a year at the left hand side of the pages
and with subheadings of "Presiding Elder, Pastor, Local Preachers, Exhorters, Stewards,
and Leaders," so that for any given year one may find out who filled these various
offices. The next list is entitled "List of Probationers" and is subheaded "Date of
Reception, Names, When Rec'd in full, When Dropped." There is an almost unreadable
page heading called "Marriages by J.A. Swallow which begins in 1868, listing date,
names, residences, "W ... unreadable," and remarks.
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