A little
Methodist Church history
by Ned Heite, Camden, DE
21 Apr 1999
http://home.dmv.com/~eheite/index.html
The Methodist
Episcopal Church was established in America at Barratt's Chapel
(near Frederica) just after the Revolution. Priests of the old
Church of England were required to take an oath of fealty to
George III, so they were not particularly popular. Methodist
preachers were also suspected of English sympathies.
In America,
the old Church of England split into two groups. The Methodists,
who had been an organization of itinerant lay preachers in the
established church, organized their own episcopal (i.e., with
bishops) organization, the Methodist Episcopal Church. The regular
Anglicans organized the Protestant Episcopal Church, and had
their bishop consecrated by "nonjuror" Scottish Anglican
bishops who were not required to exact an oath to support George
III.
The rector
of Christ Church in Dover, Mr. Megaw, was a supporter during
the Revolution of the Methodists, and he administered the sacraments
(baptism, marriage, communion) for the adherents of lay Methodist
preachers before the division. Francis Asbury, one of the first
bishops of the new Methodist hierarchy, preached in Kent County,
and in fact spent part of the Revolution lying low near Harrington.
St. George's
(Protestant Episcopal) Chapel in Angola Neck, Sussex County,
was the favored site for "mulatto" families before
the Revolution to have their children baptised. I have no idea
if Christ Church served a similar function here.
During
the nineteenth century, the circuit-riding Methodists established
dozens of small churches in Kent County, not the least of which
were Manship and Fork Branch. These establishments were relatively
late in the century, however.
So where
did the people go for the sacraments before the local ME churches
were established? Christ Church in Dover was closed for a very
long time, but the Episcopal church in Smyrna was active. We
have good evidence that some of the colored people of northern
Kent County were schooled in a Quaker school at Cowgill's Corner.
Manship
and Fork Branch churches were attached to the Little Creek and
Smyrna Methodist circuits at different times, so it is entirely
possible that the vital records would have been recorded at
these sites. I don't know if any have been transcribed or published.
Delaware
didn't have central vital statistics during the period in question,
so the data tends to be diffused terribly.
I don't
know if anyone has done a systematic survey to see where these
families worshipped and received the sacraments before the local
Methodist Episcopal churches were established. I'd suggest that
the Episcopal Church may have performed these services long
after the Revolution for people who were not associated with
any other congregations.
Manship
near Cheswold, Kent County, Delaware
(now Immanuel Union United Methodist Church)
Manship's
origin
From Mike Beulah (mbeulah@earthlink.net) 24 Jan 2007
...
Frank R. Zebley is the author of a book called "Churches
of Delaware", published 1947. His book is probably the
best reference on early Delaware Churches. In it, he provides
about a half page discussion on the origin of each church. I
have been doing some personal research of AME churches in the
area, so Manship has caught my attention.
Specifically,
Manship's origin, according to Zebley is 1830, as an AME church.
It goes on to state that the church's site was originally known
as Sutton's Meeting House, which would likely indicate it started
out as a Methodist Chapel or "Meeting House". That
would make it the first AME church in the Dover area. The first
in Delaware is Ezion AME in Wilmington, 1805. But, Dover is
the cradle of Methodism, so it is surprising that it would take
until 1830 for Manship to become AME. Especially since the Rev.
Durham I mentioned is with Richard Allen in 1816. I am very
interested in whether Durham came from the area. It does not
surprise me that Manship would not remain AME, because the AME
churches were chased out of Delaware and Maryland because of
their links to the Underground Railroad.
Asbury
United Methodist Church
20-22
W. Mt. Vernon, Smyrna, DE 19977
Forest
Grove Seventh Day Adventist Church
4950
Pearsons Corner Road (near Dinah's Corner)
Dover, Kent, Delaware 19901
PICTURES
& BRIEF HISTORY
CEMETERY RECORDS
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