Olena Methodist Episcopal Church

Brief History of Olena Methodist Episcopal Church

History of the Charge

In the Journal of the General Conference Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Ohio is first mentioned (in Connection with Conference boundaries), in 1804, as constituting part of the Western Conference.

In 1812 the Ohio Conference was formed, including the Ohio, Muskingum, Miami, Kentucky, and Salt River districts.

In 1824 the Pittsburgh Conference was formed, including the eastern part of the State of Ohio, from a Point near the mouth of the Kuyahauga, southerly to the Ohio River. The Ohio Conference now included the remaining part of the State, the territory of Michigan and the Kanawha District.

In 1836, or twelve years later, the Pittsburgh Conference was divided, the northern part forming the Erie Conference, whose western boundary, from the southern line of the Western Reserve, was the Ohio Canal to Lake Erie, and including Ohio City.

During, the same year the Michigan Conference was also formed, including the Territory of Michigan, except La Porte District, and so much of the State of Ohio as lies north of. a line running easterly from the north line of Darke County.

In 1840 the North Ohio Conference was formed, embracing that part of the Michigan conference lying in Ohio, together with some additions on the south from the Ohio Conference, and including Ohio City.

The first Circuit was formed of all that territory lying in the north central part of the State. It was called the Huron Circuit.

In 1798 the territory in which we live was included in the Ohio Circuit, with John Kobler Preacher in charge and Presiding Elder. In 1818 the Huron Circuit was formed, which included nearly one-fourth of the Territory of Ohio, and presided over by Charles Waddel, James Finley, William Burke, and John Sale.

The Preachers on Huron Circuit were such men as Wm. Westlake, A. Bronson, D. Goddard, True Pattee and James McIntire.

In 1830 Black River Circuit was formed out of this territory. In 1842 Fitchville became the head of a circuit with two preachers and two-week appointments. It belonged to the Mansfield District, with L.B. Gurley, Presiding Elder, and later Adam Poe, and followed by T. Thompson. . The Pastors were J. Jones, Z. Norton, D. Dodge, J. L. Johnson, and J. L. Ferris.

In 1847 Fairfield became the head of the circuit In Mansfield District, and with Thomas Barkdell, J. H. Power, H. Humphrey, and Dr. W. C. Pierce, Presiding Elders.

The Pastors were Ralph Wilcox, William Boggs, H. G. Dubois, O. Mitchell, S. D. Seymour, N. B. Wilson, and H. Kenyon.

In 1856 this territory became the Sandusky District. Fairfield remained the head of the Circuit until 1880, when Olena was made the head or the present charge, and now contains Fitchville and Hartland Center.

The Present Administration

The present administration of the Olena Charge was begun in the autumn of 1911. The pastor, Rev. Dale A. Critz, was appointed to the work by Bishop Frank M. Bristol at Mansfield, Ohio. Dr. H. S. Powell was Superintendent of the District. The charge consisted of three appointments: Olena, Fitchvllle and Harrtland Center.

There were about one hundred members on the charge, with three Church buildings and one Parsonage. During the Revivalistic Campaign of 1911-12; a great awakening was brought about at Fitchv1le. A splendid revival was also held at O1ena, in union with the Rev. L. E. Carr of the Presbyterian Church.

Ninety-nine new members were received into the membership of the M. E. Church during the year. Ten have been received thus far in the second year, with thirty-two on probation. All debts are paid. Buildings in good repair and insured.

The salary for Pastor has been increased to $1000 dollars. The congregations are growing. The Pastors address 18 76 S. Linwood Ave., Norwalk, 0.

NORTH-EAST OHIO CONFERENCE

Year	Charge	Pawtor	Asst. Pastor	Pre. Elder	Bishop
1840	Clarksfield	Brewster, J.		Gurley, L.B.	Hedding
1841	Clarksfield	Sawyer, Chas.		Gurley, L.B	Roberts
1842	Fitchville	Jones, Jos.		Poe, Adam	Morris
1843	Fitchville	Norton, Z		Thompson, T	Sould
1844	Fitchville	Dodge, D.	Ferris, J. L.	Thompson, T	Waugh
1845	Fitchville	Johnson, J.L.	Bush, Erostus H.	Thompson, T.	Hamline
1846	Fitchville	Ferris, J.L.		Thompson, T.	Morris
1847	Fairfield	Wilcox, R.	Boggs, W.	Poe, Adam	Janes
1848	Fairfield	Wilcox, R.	Boggs, W.	Burkdull, T.	Hamline
1849	Fairfield	Ward, M.T.	Wareham, P.	Burkdull, T.	Morris

MANSFIELD DISTRICT

1850	Fairfield	Prentice, L. H.	Bush, E. H.	Poe, Adam	Janes
1851	Fairfield	Prentice, L. H.	Bush, E. H.	Poe, Adam	Morris
1852	Fairfield	Dubois, H.G.	Mitchell, Orrin	Power, J. H.	Simpson
1853	Fairfield	Dubois, H.G.	Mitchell, O.	Power, J. H.	Ames
1854	Fairfield	Seymour, S. D.	Wilson, N. B. Wilson, T. P.	Humphrey, H.	Simpson
1855	Fairfield	Seymour, S. D.	Kenyon, H.	Humphrey, H.	Ames

SANDUSKY DISTRICT

1856	Fairfield	Huestiss, W. C.	Spafford, W. M.	Pierce, W. C.	Ames
1857	Fairfield	Wilcox, Ralph	Wison, N.B. Warner, E. Y.	Pierce, W. C.	Baker
1858	Fairfield	Wilcox, Ralph	Warner, E. Y.	Pierce, W. C.	Ames
1859	Fairfield	Richards, U.	Warner, E. Y.	Pierce, W. C.	Simpson
1860	Fairfield	Richards, U.	Buxton, J. W.	Jewett, E .R.	Morris
1861	Fairfield	Williams, J.	Jones, A. P.	Jewett, E .R.	Janes
1862	Fairfield	Williams, J.	Jones, A.P.	Jewett, E .R.	Scott
1863	Fairfield	Kellam, J. T.		Owen, A. K.	Morris
1864	Fairfield	Kellam, J. T.		Owen, A. K.	Ames
1865	Fairfield	Johnson, L. S.		Breckenridge, G.	Baker
1866	Fairfield	Johnson, L. S.		Breckenridge, G.	Simpson
1867	Fairfield	Conant, W.M.		Breckenridge, G.	Clark
1868	Fairfield	Conant, W.M.		Breckenridge, G.	Thompson
1869	Fairfield	Conant, W.M.		Lyon, A. J.	Janes
1870	Fairfield	Stroup, P.B.		Lyon, A. J.	Scott
1871	Fairfield	Jones, A. P.		Lyon, A. J.	Ames
1872	Fairfield	Dubois, H. G.		Lyon, A. J.	Simpson
1873	Fairfield	Dubois, H. G.		Lyon, A. J.	Merrill
1874	Fairfield	Dubois, H. G.		Lyon, A. J.	Foster
1875	Fairfield	Moore, D. R.		Warner E. Y.	Harris
1876	Fairfield	Booth, E.J.V.		Warner E. Y.	Ames
1877	Fairfield	Booth, E.J.V.		Hastaupee, G. H	Simpson
1878	Fairfield	Booth, E.J.V.		Hastaupee, G. H.	Merrill
1879	Fairfield	Reeder, G. A.	Johnson, L. S.	Hastaupee, G. H.	Foster
1880	Olena	Johnson, L. S.		McConnell, I. H.	Peck
1881	Olena	Keyes, M. J.		McConnell, I. H.	Andrews
1882	Olena	Keyes, M. J.		McConnell, I. H.	Warren
1883	Olena	Owen, F. A.		McConnell, I. H.	Foster
1884	Olena	Stocking, G. S.		Mitchell, J.	Bowman
1885	Olena	Stocking, G. S.		Mitchell, J.	Merrell
1886	Olena	McClay, John		Mitchell, J.	Mallalieu
1887	Olena	McClay, John		Mitchell, J.	Mallalieu
1888	Olena	McClay, John		Mitchell, J.	Warren
1889	Olena	Ball, A. A.		Mitchell, J.	Foss
1890	Olena	Ball, A. A.		Hoyt, F. S.	Foster
1891	Olena	Ball, A. A.		Hoyt, F. S.	Joyce
1892	Olena	Barnes, J. M. K.		Hoyt, F. S.	Newman
1893	Olena	Collister, Joseph		Hoyt, F. S.	Bowman
1894	Olena	Collister, Joseph		Hoyt, F. S.	Walden
1895	Olena	Rhoads, B. F.		Hoyt, F. S.	Hurst
1896	Olena	Rhoads, B. F.		Hagerman, E. T.	Fowler
1897	Olena	Rhoads, B. F.		Stroup, P.B.	Vincent
1898	Olena	Dennis, G. W.		Stroup, P.B.	Goodsell
1899	Olena	Dennis, G. W.		Stroup, P.B.	Mallalieu
1900	Olena	Shook, H. A.		Stroup, P.B.	Fitzgerald
1901	Olena	Stamm, J. F.		Stroup, P.B.	Anderws
1902	Olena	Fancher, F. S.		Stroup, P.B.	Warren
1903	Olena	Fancher, F. S.		Endly, W. C.	McCabe
1904	Olena	Wachs, V. H.		Endly, W. C.	Cranston
1905	Olena	Wache, V. H.		Endly, W. C.	Goodsell
1906	Olena	McLaughlin, O. B.		Endly, W. C.	McDowell
1907	Olena	Huntley, R. E.		Endly, W. C.	Spellmyer
1908	Olena	Huntley, R. E.		Endly, W. C.	Moore
1909	Olena	Huntley, R. E.		Powell, H. S.	Anderson
1910	Olena	Willis, H. M.		Powell, H. S.	Neeley
1911	Olena	Critz, D. A.		Powell, H. S.	Bristol
1912	Olena	Critz, D. A.		Gallimore, C.	Anderson

Transcribed by Rebecca Williams

Back to Churches Index