From the Church Records We are fortunate that we have in the church’s possession many old record books of the church. The oldest records are dated 1855 and contain the names of the early settlers to this community. Entries can be found that were made by Reverend Schrader and other ministers and class leaders. Going through the old volumes of church and Sunday School records in preparing this Sesquicentennial history has been time consuming but never one of drudgery. The records are priceless and may be studied by you at any time. They have been placed in the Church Study. It is impossible to quote as much as we would like but a sampling of the records will perhaps give the “flavor” of the heritage that they contain. In a Sunday School record book covering the years of 1871-1878 we find these several records. J.M. Copeland, as Secretary, recorded on October 26, 1873 that there were 11 females and 22 males present for a total attendance of 33. He commented on the weather by saying, “All day the low hung clouds have dropt their garnered fullness down.” From March 9, 1873, we again quote J.M. Copeland: “School met and was opened as usual by singing. Prayer by Father Schrader. At roll call the Secretary and the Secretary’s book were found absent. Also, T.M. Weaver, Supt., Matt Snively, Sallie B. Jaquess, James Lockhart and J.A. Leonard, teachers. School catechized by the assistant superintendent (sic).” It should be added the J.M. Copeland was then Secretary Pro Tem. Sunday School was held in the afternoon in these years and often the hour, or hours, had to be shared with other events. This is well indicated by the following inserts made on the pages of the Sunday School record. November 9, 1873 – “Immediately after S.S., Goldsmith B. Walker and Dou. Knowles were united in the bonds of holy matrimony by Rev. Thos. Walker of Owensville.” (attendance that Sunday was 150.) November 16, 1873 – “Mrs. A.W. Spain exhibited to the School a heathen God.” November 23, 1873 – “A very rainy and unpleasant Sunday and no wedding in church, consequently the attendance is small.” December 7, 1873 – “Small attendance owing to the muddy roads. School opened later than usual on account of the burial of Mr. James Drake in the afternoon.” On May 17, 1874 the minutes of Sunday School carry this tone of frustration: “The attendance was very good. The Sup’t failed to appoint a teacher for Mrs. R.J. Weavers class. He also seemed to have forgotten that one tap of the bell calls the school to order and that three taps calls it to arise. With the exception of a little too much laughing in the class nearest the Sect’y good order prevailed.”
St. Paul’s UMC History
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