News & announcements
Saving your history
Early accounts
Maps
Nearby towns
People
Churches
Schools
Municipal
Organizations
Businesses
The mines
Transportation
Streets
Buildings
Entertainment
Celebrations
Sports
Ethnic groups
Trinity Methodist Church
What's on this page:
- Formation of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in 1874
- Eventual sale of the church building in 1894
- Building a new church on east Main street in 1895
- Park M. E. Church
- Polish Independent Church
- Jeddo Churches
- Lindsay's Hall - services
held there during construction of new church
The Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church was built in South Heberton in 1874. At present I have no images of the building. According to notes in Charlie Stumpf's files on local history as well as in his Freeland booklet, the South Heberton Trinity Methodist church was built on Birkbeck Street (about halfway down the hill on the left side of the street) on land donated by Joseph Birkbeck and his wife Elizabeth. Later research by Joseph W. Wieczerzak locates the church site this way: “It was sold, re-purchased and renovated as a duplex residence. It stands today as number 1036-1038, among the other neat houses on Birkbeck Street, with only the very slightest hint of its past two lives.” (“On Two Trails: The Polish Independent Parish of Freeland, Pennsylvania: Father Paul Kaminski,” PNCC Studies, 11: 22-60, 1990) Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church was built under the direction of Rev. John T. Brown, pastor of the Conyngham Methodist circuit, at a cost of $3,077.00. The cornerstone was laid Sept. 20, 1874, and the church opened for services that year without any formal dedication and with a membership of 18 individuals. The first sermon was preached by Rev. Hammer, the Presbyterian minister of the Upper Lehigh church. The first presiding elder was Rev. Buckingham. The first members were Mr. and Mrs. John M. Cunius, Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Klinger, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Evans, Mr. and Mrs. John Burton, Mr. and Mrs. William Carter, and Mr. and Mrs. Luther Dodson. The first local preachers were John Evans, George Bird, William Carter and William Moses.
The old record book, quoted in a Standard-Speaker article from October 21, 1974, described how the building project was funded:
South Heberton, Pa.
March 12, 1874
We, the undersigned, do severally promise to give the amount opposite our respective names to the Board of Trustees, to aid in the erection of a Methodist Episcopal Church situated on the public road between the residences of Reuben Klinger and William Johnson. All sums pledged in building materials to be delivered on the ground ten days after notice by the building committee; all sums pledged in money of ten dollars or more to be paid as follows; one-fourth when the building is started, one-fourth when the foundation is finished, one-fourth when the building is enclosed, and the balance when it is completed, exclusive of painting and furnishing.
Pioneer ministers were Revs. Gideon Day, G. V. Savidge, R. H. Colburn, Cuddy, and several others. They preached at Upper Lehigh, Highland and Woodside in school houses. Early services were held in schoolhouses in Upper Lehigh, Highland and Woodside (Freeland). The territory was then under the Conyngham Circuit.
In 1875 the South Heberton circuit was organized, serving South Heberton, Upper Lehigh, Highland, Sandy Run, Eckley, Jeddo, Ebervale, Harleigh, Milnesville, Humboldt. All met in schoolhouses except for South Heberton and Milnesville. Rev. John Horning was in charge, assisted by Rev. C. J. Buck. In 1876 they reported 112 full members and 43 probationers.
In 1890 the Freeland Charge was formed, with J. W. Bedford as pastor. Upper Lehigh withdrew. Charlie Stumpf’s notes say this: “Later the people intended to build the [Park] Methodist church opposite the Reformed Church on Washington and Chestnut Streets. Atty. C. O. Stroh was determined to build the church where it presently stands. This [offended] the Upper Lehigh people and they left the church group. ...” On June 6, 1892 the Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Freeland was organized. In 1895 the Jeddo Circuit was organized, with Rev. Edmund White as pastor, succeeded by Rev. Reuben Wilson. The cornerstone of the new church in Freeland was laid August 18, 1895, and while the new church was being built the congregation met and held services on the third floor of Joseph Lindsay’s building on Front and Washington streets (Mr. Lindsay rented the 3rd floor for $60/month). Once the basement of the new church was finished, services and Sunday School moved to the new location.
Hazleton
Sentinel September 19,
1879: Although this church was founded in 1874, it was reported
in 1879 that the application for a charter was granted.Hazleton Sentinel May 6, 1887: M. E. Quarterly Conference being convened at the church in South Heberton. Rev. L. F. Smith conducting the morning service. “In the evening the Presiding Elder, M. L. Gance, will preach and administer the Lord’s Supper at Jeddo.”
Plain Speaker August 11, 1890: “Rev. Bedford, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, South Heberton, preached a special sermon to Drusilla Lodge, No. 151, Daughters of Rebecca yesterday afternoon. The attendance was very large.”
Freeland
Tribune August 20,
1894: Reported that the congregation is finalizing the sale of
its South Heberton church building to the Polish Independent Catholics
group that broke away from St. Casimir’s. The Methodists will build a
new church on east Main street, “which will make fifteen church
buildings in Freeland.”In September 1894 the Trinity Methodist church building was purchased for a new parish of the Polish Independent Church. It was decided to build a new Methodist church on Main Street in Freeland, which would become the Park United Methodist Church, also known as the Park M. E. Church. While the Freeland church was being built, services were conducted a few blocks from the new site in the Lindsay building on the corner of Washington and Front streets. The cornerstone for the new church on Main Street was laid Aug. 18, 1895.
Freeland Tribune June 13, 1895: Rev. Edmund White
advertised the weekly Sunday services of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, which were at that time being held at Lindsay’s hall.Thank you to Joseph W. Wieczerzak for his research on the Polish Independent Church in Freeland who bought this church building, and to Charlie Stumpf and Ed Merrick for research and for clippings.