EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
The Methodist Church of Roberts was organized in 1871. It sprang from what was known as "Pierce's Mission." The first place of worship other than in the homes was the Graham School House which stood on Section 29 just across the road south from the home of A. B. Graham, the present home of Joseph Sans. Before this the meetings had been held in the homes. The first service as nearly as I can find out was held in this school house in 1869. The membership included: Ole Johnson (the father of Mrs. Grace Squires) leader; Anna Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Van Steenberg, J. H. Sedore, Mr. and Mrs. G. P. Lyman, Alfred and Julia Smith, Horace and Hannah Lester, Mr. and Mrs. John Kenward, William Kenward, Julia Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Westerbrook, Horace and Jane Snelling, Robert Hawthorne, Sarah Arnold, Thomas and Hamilton Darg, James English, Charles Koon, John Kenward, Jr., Caroline Guise.
Father Pierce was a scotchman who lived at Oliver's Grove. He was a local preacher who visited the surrounding townships and established missions. Some of these missions became the nuclei of Methodist Churches. The attendance of some of these mission meetings exceeded the church attendance of the present day in numbers as well as in earnest work.
When Roberts was laid out in 1871 the mission at the Graham school house was moved to the Roberts school house and then to the town hall until 1882 when the First Methodist Church at Roberts was built at a cost of $2,800.00. When the mission was moved to Roberts the names was changed to The Methodist Episcopal Church and Rev. T. P. Henry was assigned as the first pastor. This was in a circuit of three appointments, Roberts, Melvin, and the Bell School House. The new church in 1882 was dedicated by Bishop G. W. Gue, presiding Elder, January 22nd, 1882. The first Board of Trustees consisted of Thomas Wakelin, M. H. Rice, G. B. Gordon, G. P. Lyman, and E. Van Steenberg.
On Christmas Eve 1902, after a service of almost twenty-one years this church burned. The thermometer was standing at zero and the wind was blowing from the west which gave the fire much draft so that the building lasted but a short time. A Christmas tree had been placed in the building. The children had been practicing their program. Now all had gone home to supper when at five o'clock the alarm was sounded. In a short time the church was gone.
During the next year a new building was erected. This cost $11,000.00. This was dedicated April 3, 1904 with the entire cost subscribed and a few hundred dollars left in the treasury to pay for forgotten items.
--Roberts Herald. 9 October 1935. Bela Foster.
Father Pierce was a scotchman who lived at Oliver's Grove. He was a local preacher who visited the surrounding townships and established missions. Some of these missions became the nuclei of Methodist Churches. The attendance of some of these mission meetings exceeded the church attendance of the present day in numbers as well as in earnest work.
When Roberts was laid out in 1871 the mission at the Graham school house was moved to the Roberts school house and then to the town hall until 1882 when the First Methodist Church at Roberts was built at a cost of $2,800.00. When the mission was moved to Roberts the names was changed to The Methodist Episcopal Church and Rev. T. P. Henry was assigned as the first pastor. This was in a circuit of three appointments, Roberts, Melvin, and the Bell School House. The new church in 1882 was dedicated by Bishop G. W. Gue, presiding Elder, January 22nd, 1882. The first Board of Trustees consisted of Thomas Wakelin, M. H. Rice, G. B. Gordon, G. P. Lyman, and E. Van Steenberg.
On Christmas Eve 1902, after a service of almost twenty-one years this church burned. The thermometer was standing at zero and the wind was blowing from the west which gave the fire much draft so that the building lasted but a short time. A Christmas tree had been placed in the building. The children had been practicing their program. Now all had gone home to supper when at five o'clock the alarm was sounded. In a short time the church was gone.
During the next year a new building was erected. This cost $11,000.00. This was dedicated April 3, 1904 with the entire cost subscribed and a few hundred dollars left in the treasury to pay for forgotten items.
--Roberts Herald. 9 October 1935. Bela Foster.
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