WESLEY UNITED METHODIST

Circa. 1866

"The story of Wesley Methodist Church is gratefully dedicated to the members - the busy, but loyal laymen, the devout and faithful  mothers with her children about her, the teacher, doctor, lawyer in his office, young people and children in school or at play.  These all love Christ and His Church and by their prayers, service and gifts, WESLEY is made strong.

The strength of this great Church is not to be found in it's institutional life, not in it's physical structure, not in the wide variety of its programs, but in the hearts of those who bow  at it's Alter, love it's doctrine, delight in it's service and support it's work.   Here we are honored by such loyal members whose names are written in the "Book of Life". 

The beginning of WESLEY was in the  First Methodist Church (White) then located on the corner of Lauren and Fourth Street. When an attempt of segregation was made, a seed was planted in the minds of those who wanted something for themselves and for those  who followed after them.

Among the pioneers of WESLEY were: Ruben Jordan, Mother Sarah Gordon, Martha Morris, Mother Hester Williams, Hannah Dalsamoor, Beverly Sallas, Maria Andrews, Emma Thomas, Margaret Andrews, Fanny Pinkney, Emma Green, Louise Holt, Mary Jennings, Aaron Lee, Louise Houston, and Harrett Heron and many others whose names have grown dim on the scroll of memory.

On May 26, 1866 a site was purchased from William D. Mann and services were held in the open until strong minded laymen went into the woods with their axes, felled trees, floated logs down the mighty Mississippi River to the Harbor Sawmill where they  sawed the trees into planks which were then used to erect the first building. An itinerant Minister served this little congregation.

From this tiny seed, a Sapling had grown -  This building was destroyed by a storm in 1883. Eight ministers have served regular terms. Not to be outdone by adversities, the loyal members again set out to erect another building.

Like the tree whose roots are so deeply embedded,  that even though it's branches and trunk are destroyed, its roots will still be alive, a better and stronger structure was erected.

 This edifice, a two-storied building served as a religious and intellectual light to the community. It was in this basement that the first Public School was held and where some of our most prominent teachers began their three "R"s. The Blundon School and Orphanage also had its beginning here.

Sad to say, on December 29, 1892, this building was destroyed in a fire which swept the entire block between St. Charles and Napoleon Streets. Services were held in the Parish Court House until a brick structure was erected in 1893 under the direction of Reverend W. R. Butler. Again adversity struck and this building was damaged by a storm in 1909. The repairs were performed under the Pastorate of Reverend F. T. Chinn

A lot that had been donated to WESLEY by the late William Garig was donated to St Mark Methodist Church, December 31.1893 under the Pastorate of Rev. W. R. Butler..

SOURCE: Global Ministries, United Methodist Church Website.