Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Church History | Order of Microfilming

 Introduction

The records of the Centenary United Methodist Church, Granville, Ohio were transferred for microfilming to the Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio with the cooperation of Pastor Steve Cramer and the assistance of Sandra Nihiser and Suzanne Kennedy.

The Center for Archival Collections is the publisher of this microfilm edition. The camera negative is the property of the Center for Archival Collections. For restrictions on the duplication of this collection please see the accompanying Note to Researchers.

This collection consists of seven church record books and a few pages of death records. The collection spans from 1831 - 2001. The record books contain membership records, pastoral records, class records, baptisms, marriages, deaths, and historical records.

This introduction was prepared by Kathy Gardner in November 2007.

 Church History

Early historical accounts found in the early records of the Centenary United Methodist Church indicate that the first sermon preached by a Methodist minister was performed in 1806 under a tree on Broad Street by a Rev. Elisha Buttles. Then in 1810, Rev. J.B Finley of the Knox Circuit established the first class which consisted of three members. This early class met in the home of William Gavit, one of the original members. According to these same accounts, in 1914, services were held in a log cabin belonging to Samuel Chadwick, a local minister. This log cabin was located one mile southwest of Granville. An alternative site in the summer months was a barn north of town owned by Peter Thurston. In 1821 services were held in a school building. Then in 1824 a church was built which served as the home to the congregation for almost 60 years. In 1884 a new church was built on the same site and is still in use today.

The above history was compiled based on information obtained from accounts in the early record books of this collection (Items 2-4). Additional information was provided by Carol Holliger, archivist, Archives of Ohio United Methodism, Beeghley Library, Ohio Wesleyan University.

 Order of Microfilming

Reel 1

1. Church Record, 1831 - 1848
   • Memberships
2. Church Record, 1868 - 1885
   • Baptisms
   • Marriages
   • Memberships
   • Preachers
   • Classes
   • Committees
3. Quarterly Conference Record, 1878 - 1903
   • Minutes
   • Church History
4. Church Record, 1883 - 1890
   • Ministers
   • Historical Record
   • Memberships
   • Classes
   • Marriages
   • Baptisms
5. Church Record, 1895 - 1914
   • Historical Record
   • Pastors
   • Memberships
   • Baptisms
   • Marriages
6. Church Record, 1913 - 1946
   • Pastors
   • Memberships
   • Baptisms
   • Marriages
   • Deaths
7. Membership & Church Record, 1958 - 1972
   • Baptisms
   • Memberships
   • Marriages
   • Deaths
   • Historical Records
8. Church Death Records, 1972 - 2001

Reel 2

1. Quarterly Conference Minutes
   • November 23, 1833 - April 5, 1845
   • October 16, 1847 - December 15, 1884
2. Quarterly Conference Record
   • December 12, 1903 - December 7, 1907
   • December 7 [1907] - September 11, 1911
   • December 18, 1911 - August 16, 1915
   • December 13, 1915 - August 19, 1919
3. Minutes of the First Quarterly Conference, November 20, 1919 - July 18, 1940
4. Treasurer's Book, February 3, 1882 - [1894]

United Methodist Churches | Licking County Churches
Manuscripts by Subject | Churches by Denomination | Churches by Location