Online Databases
SUMMARY
1. Pastors
2. Churches
3. Memoirs
4. Conference Historical Society Publications
5. Archival Shelf Holdings List and Finding Aids
6. Vertical Files and Item Collections
7. Archival Boxed Collections
8. Other Items
9. Digital Version of Relevant Histories
1. Pastors
These files give basic information (birth,
death, spouse, appointments, obituary reference, notes and other relevant
references) as described below.
a. Central
Pennsylvania Evangelical Pastors includes every person known to have
(1) been licensed or ordained by the Central Pennsylvania Conference of
the Evangelical [and Evangelical Association and United Evangelical]
Church or (2) served an appointment in that Conference 1839-1964.
b. Central Pennsylvania
Methodist Pastors includes every person known to have (1) been
licensed or ordained in the East Baltimore (1856-1868) or Central
Pennsylvania (1868-1970) Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal [and
Methodist] Church or (2) served an appointment in those conferences
1856-1970.
c. Methodist Protestant Pastors includes every
person known to have served a Methodist Protestant [and 1878-1883
Methodist] appointment that once existed within the boundaries of the
Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church when it was so
named in 2010. These
pastors/appointments are gleaned from the Pittsburgh, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, New York and Eastern conferences of the Methodist Protestant
church.
(1) Maryland
Conference Pastor List gives the name of every person known to have
been admitted to the Maryland Conference of the Methodist Protestant
Church or to have served under appointment as a supply pastor in that
conference. The list includes date
and circumstance for entering the conference, date and circumstance for
leaving the conference, location of conference obituary, general comments
(including death year and burial location for those not having a
conference ontiuary).
d. Pennsylvania UB
Pastors includes every person known to have (1) been licensed or
ordained in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania, East Pennsylvania or
Allegheny Conferences of the United Brethren [and EUB] Church or (2)
served an appointment in one of those Conferences.
e. Wyoming Conference Pastors includes
every person known to have served a church or in or been
given ministerial credentials by the Wyoming Conference (north-east
Pennsylvania and south-central New York) from its creation in 1852 until
its dissolution in 2010.
f. Northern
Tier Pastors [in progress] includes every person known to have served
a “northern tier” appointment that once existed within the boundaries of
Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church when it was so
named in 2010. The “northern tier”
is defined to be that area of Pennsylvania served from New York (Genesee
Conference, East Genesee Conference, Central New York Conference, Oneida
Conference) prior to the conference boundaries being adjusted to match
the state lines in 1962. Pastors
once in those conferences who became part of the Central Pennsylvania
Conference in 1962 are listed with the Central Pennsylvania Methodist
pastors.
g. Susquehanna Conference Pastors [in
progress] includes every person known to have been licensed or ordained
in the Susquehanna (1964-70), Central Pennsylvania (1970-2010), or Susquehanna
(2010 onward) Conferences within United Methodism. Persons who
served an appointment in one of those Conferences but who were originally
licensed or ordained in Conferences included in sections a-e above
are listed with those Conferences in sections a-e and are
not duplicated in the Susquehanna Conference list.
h. Western Pennsylvania Pastors [in
progress] includes pastors not already in the Pennsylvania UB Pastors
list who served former Allegheny Conference churches that are now within
the Susquehanna Conference but which were in the Western Pennsylvania
Conference EUB from 1951 when the Allegheny Conference UB was disbanded
until 1970 when they were placed in the Central Pennsylvania Conference
UM.
2. Churches
The following are works in progress. The
goal is to have two links, one to closed churches and one to present
churches, that will give information arranged by county about every
United Methodist (and predecessor denomination) church building known to
have existed within the boundaries of the present Susquehanna Conference.
a. Closed Churches. For every church listed there is a
vertical file in the conference archives that contains more detailed
information.
b. Open Churches. For every church listed there is a
vertical file in the conference archives that contains more detailed
information.
3. Memoirs
a. Allegheny Conference Memoirs gives an
alphabetic list of all obituaries appearing in the journals of the
Allegheny Conference of the United Brethren and Evangelical United
Brethren denominations from its creation in 1839 until its dissolution in
1951.
b. Central
Pennsylvania Conference United Methodist Memoirs gives an
alphabetic list of all obituaries appearing in the journals of the
Central Pennsylvania Conference (1970-2010) for pastors, spouses of
pastors, and missionaries.
c. Maryland Conference MP Memoirs
gives an alphabetic list of all obituaries published by the Maryland
Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church during its 1828-1939
existence, including those from the necrology section of the 1882
conference history. Journals prior
to 1882 are relatively scarce and incomplete in their obituary
coverage. Persons with an obituary
in both a pre-1882 journal and the 1882 conference history have two
entries in the list.
d. Wyoming Conference Memoirs gives a
complete alphabetic list of all formal obituaries appearing in the
Wyoming Conference of the Methodist Episcopal and Methodist and United
Methodist denominations from its creation in 1852 until its dissolution
in 2010.
e. Susquehanna Conference United Methodist
Memoirs gives an alphabetic list of all obituaries appearing
in the journals of the new Susquehanna Conference (2011 onward) for
pastors, spouses of pastors, and missionaries.
f. Evangelical
Messenger Obituary Index. This link takes you to another site
that gives information (subject, dates, other persons mentioned in the
obituary, etc.) for every obituary appearing in the Evangelical Messenger
1848-1935 of the Evangelical Association (1838-1922) and the Evangelical
Church (1922-1935). Information is given on purchasing copies
of the obituaries.
g GCAH
Obituary index. This link takes you to another site that gives
information (subject, dates, etc.) for every obituary appearing in the
journals in collection of the General Commission on Archives and History
for the various conferences of the United Methodist Church and its
predecessor denominations. Information is given on purchasing
copies of the obituaries. Be patient. This link is sometimes
slow to respond.
h. Obituary and Marriage index for The Evangelical (1887-1922) of the United
Evangelical Church. A complete index and complete microfilm
collection of The Evangelical is available at the conference archives.
Copyright arrangements prevent placing the index on line, but
information may be obtained by contacting the archives.
4. Conference
Historical Society Publications and related items:
a. The
Chronicle: The Historical Society has produced a quality
scholarly yet readable journal every year beginning in 1990. Some
back issues are available, and several libraries and other facilities
have complete sets, but the volumes and the information they contain are
becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. All the back issues (some with
minor corrections to the original printed versions) are now on line.
b. James M. Black and Friends, Contributions of
Williamsport PA to American Gospel Music.
c. Autobiography
of John Fohl
d. Early Evangelical
Association Hymn Writers Associated with New Berlin PA
e. Hymn-Writers of
Central Pennsylvania: A 50-minute TV program in the “Our Christian
Heritage” series, featuring Dr. Milton Loyer and the holdings of the
Susquehanna Conference archives.
5. Archival Shelf
Holdings List and Finding Aids: [in progress]
The shelved material in the main archives
is arranged in three collections. Major sections within each
collection are identified with a 3-letter code. Following are the
explanations for each collection/section and a link to a complete listing
for each. The spine label for each item contains 2 or 3 lines: the
first line gives the 3-letter identifying code for the particular section,
with the remaining line(s) as explained within each collection.
5.1. General
Collection
ACP
- Central Pennsylvania authors, in alphabetical order by author. The
second line of the spine label gives the first three letters of the
author's surname. This collection includes published general theological
or historical material, by authors with a direct connection to Central
Pennsylvania United Methodism.
ANM
- non-Methodist authors, in alphabetical order by author. The second
line of the spine label gives the first three letters of the author's
surname. This collection includes published general theological
material by prominent persons not in the United Methodist Church or its
predecessor denominations.
AUM
- United Methodist authors, in alphabetical order by author. The
second line of the spine label gives the first three letters of the
author's surname. This collection includes published general theological
material by persons in the United Methodist Church or its predecessor
denomination.
BIO
- biographies, in alphabetical order by subject of the
biography. The second line of the spine label gives the first three
letters of the subject's surname. Group biographies are filed at the end,
the second line of the spine label being ZZ followed by the first letter
of the compiler. This link
is an indexed list of the persons in the group biographies.
COL
- Educational institutions with ties to United Methodism and/or the
Susquehanna Conference area. The second line of the spine label gives
a 3-letter institutional code, and the third line specifies the type and
date of the material.
DEN
– materials related to denominations not included in the United Methodist
Church. The second line of the spine label is a three-letter code for the
particular denomination. The materials is filed alphabetically by
denomination, and organized appropriately within each denomination.
M – manuscript collection. The second line of the spine
label gives the county of origin, and the third line gives the first
letter of the city/church/circuit of origin. A comment line in the list
tells the nature of the material and the years it covers.
MET
- materials relating to the nature and organization of Methodism, in
alphabetical order by author. The second line of the spine label
gives the first three letters of the author's surname.
MUS
- hymnals and gospel songs and related material, in alphabetical order by
title. The second line of the spine label gives the first three letters
of the title. This collection includes several hundred gospel
songbooks from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Books
about hymns and hymn-writers are filed at the end, the second line of the
spine label being ZZ followed by the first letter of the title.
MIN
– General Minutes of the Methodist Episcopal/Methodist/United Methodist
Church, giving the yearly appointments for every conference in the
denomination.
PAC
- Pennsylvania counties, in alphabetical order by county. The second
line of the spine label gives the first three letters of the Central
Pennsylvania County. The collection includes secular
county/community histories and published books on local churches.
Pennsylvania material for counties outside Central Pennsylvania and/or for
the entire state are filed at the end, the second line of the spine label
being ZZ followed by E (for Eastern PA), P (for Pennsylvania in general)
or W (for Western Pennsylvania).
SPE
- special collection of rare and/or fragile early publications, arranged
in alphabetical order by author. The second line of the spine label gives
the first three letters of the author's surname.
SSL
– Sunday School library books of the 1800’s, arranged by source. The
third letter on the first line of the spine label identifies the source,
as explained in the list. The second line of the spine label gives
the first three letters (or the number, in the case of a numbered series)
of the title. SSM is the first line for all books printed from 200
Mulberry Street in NYC and attributed to the ME Sunday School Union. SSV
is the first for all the various miscellaneous sources. SSX is the
first line for adult reference books. SSY is the first line for lesson
materials. SSZ is the first line for later materials, not in the
style and format of the mid-1800’s.
TOP – Materials
organized alphabetically by topic (e.g., Alcohol, Baptism). The
second line of the spine label is a three-letter code for the particular
topic. Material within each topic is arranged alphabetically by
author. This section is intended to preserve historical
perspectives, especially perspectives within United Methodism, on the
various topics.
USS
- United States state material, in alphabetical order by state. The
second line of the spine label gives the two-letter state postal
abbreviation. This collection includes published United Methodist
materials (mostly conference histories) from sates other than
Pennsylvania. Such materials from outside the United States are
filed at the end, the second line of the spine label being ZZ followed by
C (for Canada), E (for Europe).
WES - Wesleyana,
arranged in three separate sub-sections. The spine labels in this section
have three lines, the second line identifying the sub-collection. BRI - materials about
British Methodism. JOH -
materials about John Wesley, in alphabetical order by author, with the
third line of the spine label giving the first three letters of the
author's surname. CHA -
materials about Charles Wesley, in alphabetical order by author, with the
third line of the spine label giving the first three letters of the
author's surname. WOR -
works of John Wesley, in alphabetical order by title, with the third line
of the spine label giving the first three letters of the title.
5.2.
Susquehanna Collection
Each denominational section listed below
includes the following items: journals and other materials from the major
local conference of that denomination, disciplines, histories, hymnals,
general conference, materials, annual almanacs and handbooks, special
collections.
EUB
– the Evangelical United Brethren Church (1946-1968) and the Susquehanna
Conference (1964-1969)
EVC
– the Evangelical Church (1800-1946: including the Evangelical
Association and the United Evangelical Church) and the Central
Pennsylvania Conference (1800-1964)
MEC
– the Methodist Episcopal Church (1784-1968: including the Methodist
Church) and the Central Pennsylvania Conference (1958-1969: including the
East Baltimore Conference).
MES
– the Methodist Episcopal Church South (1844-1939) and the Baltimore
Conference (1844-1939)
MPC
– the Methodist Protestant Church (1830-1939) and the Pennsylvania
Conference (1830-1939: including the Eastern Conference)
UBC
– the United Brethren Church (1800-1968) and the Pennsylvania Conference
(1800-1964)
UMC
– the United Methodist Church (1968 – present) and the Central Pennsylvania
(1970-2010) and Susquehanna (2010 – present) Conferences.
UMX
– journals from the adjacent conferences within United Methodism to which
the Susquehanna Conference has contributed congregations and pastors:
Baltimore-Washington (1970-), Eastern Pennsylvania (1970-), Upstate New
York (2011-), Western Pennsylvania (1970-).
UMY
– journals from the adjacent conferences within United Methodism that
have contributed congregations and pastors to the Susquehanna Conference:
24 “feeder” conferences as listed in the link.
5.3. Periodical
Collection (in progress)
6. Vertical Files
and Item Collections
a. Biographical File - a list of surnames
for which there is a biographical file.
b. Postcard
Collection – a list (with image) by county of the items in the United
Methodist postcard collection.
c. Plate Collection
- a list by county of the items in the United Methodist plate
collection.
d. Videotape
Collection - a list by topic of videotapes in the audio-video
collection
e. Methodist
Publications (in progress)
f. Microfilm
Collection – a list of church records (membership, baptism, marriage,
etc.) microfilmed about 1970 as a project involving cooperating
congregations.
7. Archival Boxed
Collections. This
includes materials from closed churches and from Conference boards and
agencies. [In progress]
7.1 Church
records. The archives does not
hold records for continuing United Methodist congregations. For records of a continuing
congregation, or a congregation that has merged into a continuing
congregation, contact that continuing United Methodist congregation.
7.1a. Disaffiliated
Churches. In general, these
boxes include membership records (including baptisms, weddings, etc.) up
to the time of disaffiliation and the district superintendent’s file of
matters relating to the administration of the congregation prior to its
disaffiliation.
7.1b. Closed Churches. In general, these boxes include all
available membership records (including baptisms, weddings, etc.). They may also include minutes of
congregational groups (trustees, ad council, etc.), deeds and legal
documents, bulletins and newsletters, miscellaneous artifacts and
memorabilia. The contents of each
box are described at the box level.
8. Other Items
a. Susquehanna
Facts gives in Word format a brief article on some matter of current
interest related to the history of the Susquehanna Conference of the
United Methodist Church and its predecessors.
b. World’s Funniest
Photograph is an amazing, unedited picture that appeared in the
Harrisburg Patriot News. It shows the reactions of children sitting
through adult presentations on watershed awareness. I wonder if it might
as well be titled: “Listening to a Talk on Church History and
Genealogy.”
c. Heritage
Sunday gives information about this year's theme and resources for
use in the local church.
d. Administrative
Resources is a collection of forms.
The link gives certificates for baptisms, memberships, etc. that
may be printed as is (i.e., blank) or filled in and then printed. In addition unused certificates
(baptism, membership, transfer, etc.), record books and other items
retrieved from closed churches are available at the archives annex to
continuing congregations on a first-come, first-served basis.
e. The Good Shepherd is an original hymn,
words and music by Milton W. Loyer.
9. Digital Versions
of Relevant Histories
EVANGELICAL
a. Annals of the
Evangelical Association of North America, 1900, by Ammon
Stapleton.
b. History of the Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Church, 1939, by J.D. Shortess.
METHODIST
a. History of the Wyoming
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1904, by Amasa Franklin Chaffee.
b. Minutes of the
Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church
1860-1879. These are scans of the
original handwritten minutes. They
were never printed and only recently “discovered” in the UMC
denominational archives of the General Commission on Archives and History
at Drew University. These are
scans of the originals. Some years are available upon request as exact
transcriptions and/or as “clarified/organized” transcriptions. See the 2022 issue of The Chronicle, pages 56-73, for
more information.
UNITED BRETHREN
a. History of the Allegheny Conference of the
United Brethren in Christ Church, 1931, by J.S. Fulton.
b. History of the East Pennsylvania
Conference of the United Brethren in Christ Church, 1951, by Phares Gibble.
c. History of the Pennsylvania
Conference of the United Brethren in Christ Church,
1939, by Paul E. Holdcraft.
d. History of the Virginia Conference of the United Brethren in Christ
Church, 1921, by A.P. Funkhouser.
Note: This book repeats the names as
they were spelled in the written minutes each year, and so the same
person appears with different names in different years.
There are also spelling errors and format inconsistencies in the
original text. Hence, this website has two versions of the text:
History of the Virginia
Conference PDF adapted from the Huntingdon UBOC archives, following
the original text.
History of the Virginia
Conference WORD prepared by correcting errors in the original text,
adding a limited number of notes, and using the single best form
(for people, usually the one appearing in the obituary) for each name.
e. Minutes of the United
Brethren in Christ 1800-1846 (after 1830, "Harrisburg"
conference only), translated and transcribed in 1901, by I.H. Albright.
Note: Beginning in 1830 there were
two conferences - Harrisburg (later, Pennsylvania) and Hagerstown
(later, Virginia).
f. Minutes of the United Brethren in Christ
(Pennsylvania Conference) 1847-1868,
transcribed and condensed in 1958, by Charles R. Miller.
Note: Beginning in 1847 the former Harrisburg Conference split into
two conferences – Pennsylvania and East Pennsylvania.
Beginning in 1869 the minutes were published annually.
g. Pastors
of Weller’s Church 1830-2021, by Rev. Robert E. Kells Jr. The Weller united Methodist Church in
Thurmont [originally named Mechanicstown] MD
was founded as a United Brethren congregation and variously served by
that denomination’s Hagerstown, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania
conferences. This book gives
excellent accounts of each pastor who served there, including many of the
denomination’s early United Brethren pioneers, and provides information
not readily available from other sources.
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