United Methodist Historical Society of Ohio
Friday, March 29, 2024
Established in 1839

OUR SHARED HISTORY (UMC HISTORY IN OHIO)

 
A collaborative project
between
Ohio Wesleyan University and the Delaware County Historical Society
 
 
In October of 2008, an LSTA Grant (Library Services and Technology Act) was awarded to the Ohio Wesleyan University Libraries to tell the interrelated story of the city of Delaware, the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Ohio Wesleyan University. OWU librarians and volunteers from the Delaware County Historical Society selected, digitized, and described over 3,000 images. Items scanned include manuscripts, photographs, published and unpublished histories, letters, postcards, newspaper and periodical articles, artifacts, and scrapbooks. In January of 2010, the site was named by the State Library of Ohio as one of four LSTA "exemplary projects" for fiscal year 2009.
 
The Methodist Episcopal materials scanned for the project come from the Archives of Ohio United Methodism collection, housed in the Beeghly Library Special Collections Department. The Ohio Wesleyan materials come from the Ohio Wesleyan University Historical Collection, also housed in Special Collections. The Delaware materials come from the Delaware County Historical Society Library.
 
 

Included in that website are the following overview histories of Methodist Episcopal history in Ohio:

 
 

The following Methodist Episcopal materials can be found on the site:

  • Memoirs of more than 50 Methodist Episcopal clergy who served Ohio Wesleyan in some capacity -- professors, presidents, examiners, trustees -- e.g. Rev. Adam Poe, Rev. Charles Elliott, Rev. Edward Thomson, Rev. Frederick Merrick

  •  Hand-written and published minutes of the Ohio and North Ohio Methodist Episcopal conferences -- sections pertaining to the founding and progress of OWU

  • Local church histories for current and historic Methodist churches in the city of Delaware -- William Street UMC, Grace UMC, Asbury UMC, St. Paul's Methodist, Stratford Methodist, Stratford St. Paul's UMC, Faith MEC, German MEC, and Zion A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal

  • Articles from the Western Christian Advocate, Methodist Episcopal newspaper of record for the Ohio geographic area during the 19th century -- Subjects include the Methodist Episcopal educational renaissance, Augusta College, the founding of OWU, faculty and presidents, fund raising for OWU endowments and buildings, commencement reports, etc.

 

Of special interest for UMHSO members: