History of Methodism in Homer City

In 1825, the same year that the Pittsburg Conference was organized, Rev. Mr. Conley, a local preacher, comonly known as "Father Conley", visited the neighborhood now known as Homer

City and preached in the home of William Bracken, where ultimately he succeeded in organizing a society. William Bracken became the first class leader and continued to hold that office until his death, which occurred some time during the same year. Services were then held in the homes in the neighborhood, but principally in the home of Mrs. Mary Bonner, on the Mechanicsburg road east of Homer City. Later services were held in the school house near by, now known as the Upper Homer school house. Prayer and Class meetings were sometimes held from house to house. The first or original members of the Methodist persuasion in Homer City were as follows: William Bracken and wife, Mrs. Mary Bonar and her daughters, Elizabeth and Jennie; Robert Montgomery and wife; his two sisters, Jane and Margaret; John Mullen and wife and his sister, Jennie; William McKesson and wife; William Dickie and wife; Robert McKesson and his sister, Sarah; Michael Risinger and wife; Benona Williams and wife, and William McKee and wife - twenty-four in all. The "Log meeting house," the congregation's first home, was the first church in Homer City. It was built and dedicated in the year 1840, on what is now Church street. The building stands, but in a very dilapidated condition.

A brick church was commenced in the fall of 1855, on the corner of Church and Main streets, where the fine new church now stands. The Rev. T. J. Higgins was the pastor, the Rev. G. O. Kinnear the presiding elder and William Wilson the contractor. The contract price was $1,000. The church was completed in the next year, 1856, and dedicated in May. The Rev. H. L. Chapman was the pastor and the Rev. D. L. Dempsey the presiding elder.

This church was torn down in the fall of 1907 and a fine new edifice in Romanesque style built, at a cost of $17,500. It contains an audience room with a seating capacity of 350, a Sunday school room seating 250, a social room in the basement, with a well equipped kitchen, two class rooms and a pastor's study. Fine art glass windows were presented by the Ladies Aid society of the church, Class No. 6 of the Sunday school (Mrs. J. B. Groves teacher) and by the daughters of the late John and Mary Risinger. A fine bell weighing 1,400 pounds was presented by Mr. F. C. Betts of Homer City. The church was dedicated August 30, 1908. F. A. Richards was the pastor. Dr. W. F. Conner, the district superintendent, was present and preached the dedicatory sermon. Mr. Powell, of Buffalo, N.Y., a specialist at raising money at church dedication, was present and had charge of the finances. Ten thousand dollars was needed to pay the remaining indebtedness, and during the day the entire amount was subscribed.

In October, 1913, Rev. C. A. Hartung was appointed pastor by Bishop Earl Cranston. Then the church membership numbered 170 and the debt on the church was $6,500. From the very beginning of the year new life seemed to be injected into the work. On Jan. 11 a revival meeting was started that lasted five weeks and resulted in nearly 100 conversions. During the year 123 were added to the rolls of the church. During that same first year an effort was made to cancel the debt. After a week of preliminary services, when former pastors preached each night. May 17 was made a memorable day in the history of the church. Bishop Earl Cranston preached. President B. C. Conner of Dickinson Seminary, managed the finances; District Superintedndent J. J. Hill, Rev. J. C. Burnworth, Rev. H. C. Critchlow, Rev. J. N. Bracken and the pastor all assisted. The congregation, by the most heroic of sacrificing and giving, cancelled the debt by pledging $6,900, to be paid monthly in one year.

May 23, 1914 was another memorable day. It was the expiration of the time set for the paying of the pledges. After a week of Anniversary services on Sunday, May 23, 1914 Rev. N. L. Brown preached in the morning assisted in the service by J. P. Burnworth, J. N. Bracken and the pastor. In the afternoon a platform meeting was held and in the evening Dr. J. W. Cary, the district superintendent preached. The Treasurer B. B. McConnaughey read the report. The entire indebtedness of $6,500, plus the interest had been paid. The great object accomplished, then the Board of Trustees, gathered in a circle inside the alter and the president of the board, J. L. Nix lighted the match and the notes, after a picture of them was taken, went up in flames. On that same day the pastor announced a notable gift, namely, that of $334 made by Mesdames Isabelle and Adeline Shepherds, as a memorial to their father and mother, to be used in the purchase of a new carpet for the church. The gift was accepted among much rejoicing.

During that same year, in August and October, the entire church was renovated, the roof fixed, the walls frescoed, the floors carpeted, the woodwork all varnished and two new heaters installed. The parsonage was also repair, a furnace installed, water piped into the house, woodwork painted, walls papered and other improvements made at a total cost of about $1,600; all of which has been paid excepting about $700 or $800.

On December 9, 1915, in the afternoon during the annual bazaar the church was discovered to be on fire. Owing to the early discovery and the immediate assistance of many fireman, the fire was extinguished without much damage being done.

During the second year of Rev. C. A. Hartung's pastorate a union revival meeting was held in the Methodist church, from January 3, 1915 to January 31, inclusive. All the churches participated. Evangelists H. J. Giles of Pittsburg, and Charles H. English, of Delaware O. with Roy Mohr, of Deleware, O. as singer and with the pastors as assistants conducted the meeting. About 250 public confessions were made. During this second year 120 names were added to the rolls of the church. At present the membership of the church is 380. Six of this number have been added during this year since conference.

From 1825 to 1829 the Homer church was connected with the Somerset charge and the preachers are not known. From 1830 to 1833 it was connected with Blairsville and had the following preachers: 1830 to 1831 C. Thorn; 1832 J. G. Sansom and J. Martin; 1833 N. Callender. From 1834 to 1836 Homer was connected with Indiana, with the following pastors: 1834 T. Thompson; 1835 E. W. Worthington. From 1836 to 1842 connected with Blairsville, Preachers: 1836 G. D. Cinnear and H. Bradshaw; 1837 S. Elliot and J. McCloskey; 1838 J. Coil and D. Gordon; 1839 J. Coil and J. Ray; 1840 J. L. Williams and J. Shaw; 1842 C. Foster and D. S. Willing. From 1843 to 1858 Homer was connected with Indiana and the pastors were as follows: 1843 A. C. Gallahue and R. J. White; 1844 R. J. White and R. W. Barnes; 1846 J. White and G. W. Granage; 1846 J. White and E. B. Griffith; 1847 M. L. Weekly and D. L. Haines; 1848 M. L. Weekly, J. Woodroff and D. B. D. Campbell; 1849-50 Joseph Show; 1851 D. B. D. Campbell; 1853 Joseph Horner; 1854-55 T. J. Higgins; 1856 J. B. Chapman; 1857 Morrow; 1864-65 M. W. Dallas; 1867-68 J. B. Uber. In 1868 Homer was taken from Indiana, and Homer and Blacklick were formed into a charge of which the following have been pastors: 1869-70 J. S. Wakefield; 1871-72; Richard Jordan; 1873-74 T. J. Kurtz; 1875-76 A. C. Johnson; 1877-78 C. W. Miller; 1879-81 Solomon Keebler; 1882-84 W. A. Stuart; 1885 W. Johnson; 1886-87 J. B. Uber; 1888-92 J. N. Pershing; 1893 H. J. Altsman; 1894 A. P. Leonard; 1895 J. E. Kidney; 1896-97 H. J. Hickman; 1899-1900 G. H. Huffman; 1901-03 J. E. Inskeep; 1904-06 S. B. Laverty; 1907 L. W. LePage; 1908-10 F. A. Richards; 1911-13 J. C. Burnworth; 1913 - C. A Hartung.

C. A. Hartung prepared this for Anniversary in December 1915.

Center Township, Indiana County, PA