Guide to the Records of the Alleghenytown (later Beaver Street) Methodist Episcopal Church, 1832-1853
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Records of the Alleghenytown (later Beaver Street) Methodist Episcopal Church
- Creator
- Beaver Street Methodist Episcopal Church (Allegheny, Pa.)
- Collection Number
- MSS#324
- Extent
- .50 cubic feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1832-1853
- Abstract
- Prior to the formation of a Methodist Episcopal society in Allegheny City, PA, many of the early Methodists from that community worshipped in the organized church across the Allegheny River in the City of Pittsburgh. In 1829, "Uncle Billy" Adams, Luke Booth and Joseph Slack organized a group of Methodists in Allegheny City into a class. They first met in Mr. McIlhaney's Tannery and then moved to the second floor of Eichbaum's Oil Factory. These records include a register book and a meeting record book.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History of the Alleghenytown Methodist Episcopal Church
Prior to the formation of a Methodist Episcopal society in Allegheny City, PA, many of the early Methodists from that community worshipped in the organized church across the Allegheny River in the City of Pittsburgh. In 1829, "Uncle Billy" Adams, Luke Booth and Joseph Slack organized a group of Methodists in Allegheny City into a class. They first met in Mr. McIlhaney's Tannery and then moved to the second floor of Eichbaum's Oil Factory.
The official date that the class was organized is not known. However, on November 12th, 1831 the Board of Trustees purchased property and later erected a one-story frame building at Beaver and North Diamond Streets. The members of the Board of Trustees were: William Adams, William Collidge, George Adams, John Parker, Henry Ackley, Thomas Cooper and Nathaniel Holmes. After the construction of the building, the Pittsburgh Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church appointed Reverend Alfred Brunson as the first pastor in 1832.
By 1836, the membership of the Allegheny Church had reached 214, making it necessary to build an addition onto the building. These quarters were soon outgrown. In 1838-39, a three-story brick structure was built on the same site as the frame building. Reverend Robert Hopkins, pastor of the church, designed the brick structure.
The Congregation was known as the Alleghenytown Methodist Episcopal Church until 1838, when several members withdrew to organize the South Commons Methodist Episcopal Church in Allegheny. The former congregation was then referred to as the Beaver Street Methodist Episcopal Church. The name was changed again in 1872 when the Borough of Allegheny changed the name of the street to Arch.
Another significant date in the history of this congregation is the year 1866. At that time, with the encouragement of Bishop Matthew Simpson, a number of members of the Beaver Street Church withdrew and formed the North Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church. This new church was located just two blocks north of the Beaver Street Church at North Avenue and Beaver Street.
During the pastorate of W. F. Conners, the congregation again built a new building. The Trustees purchased another lot bordering its existing building, and in September of 1888 the cornerstone of a new stone church was laid. This new Arch Street Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated on June 30, 1889. Arch Street Congregation occupied the stone building until 1958 when the congregation merged with the North Avenue Congregation and the building was demolished in the redevelopment of Allegheny Center.
The combined North Avenue and Arch Street churches later merged with these North Side Methodist congregations: Ohio Street-Simpson Church and Trinity Church. Today, these combined churches exist as the Allegheny United Methodist Church on North Avenue, making the original Alleghenytown Methodist Episcopal Church one of the predecessors of Allegheny United Methodist Church.
Scope and Content Notes
The records of the Alleghenytown Methodist Episcopal Church consist of two bound volumes, which are arranged chronologically. The first record book contains lists of the early Pastors, Trustees, Stewards and Local Preachers; names of Class Members and Probationers; Baptismal Records (1836-34, 1837 & 1843-44), Marriage Registers (1837-38, 1841-42); Register of Trials and Contribution Records. The second record book contains the minutes of the Class Leaders Meetings (1843-53). The chairman of the Leaders Meeting always asked these four questions concerning the class members: 1) Are there any sick? 2) Are there any poor? 3) Are there any delinquent or disorderly? 4) Are there any applications to unite with the church?
Arrangement
The records of the Alleghenytown Methodist Episcopal Church are housed in one archival box.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These records came in two accessions and were combined into a single collection at the time of processing in 2000.
Accession # unknown Gift of Edwin Schell.
Accession # 1999.0150 Gift of David R. Grinnell.
Preferred Citation
Records of the Alleghenytown (later Beaver Street) Methodist Episcopal Church, 1832-1853, MSS# 324, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Processing Information
This collection was processed by David R. Grinnell in November 2000.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Doug MacGregor on September 26, 2001.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- Alleghenytown Methodist Episcopal Church (Allegheny, Pa.)
- Beaver Street Methodist Episcopal Church (Allegheny, Pa.)
- Arch Street Methodist Episcopal Church (Allegheny, Pa.)
- Allegheny United Methodist Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Baptismal records -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny
- Baptism and Church membership -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny
- Marriage records -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny
- Church records and registers -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny
- Genealogy -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny