Methodist Ministers in Jerome 1886-1953

Jerome Methodist Church Observes 100th Year

by Susie R. Sidles

The Seymour Herald - 22 December 1955

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  After the first years with circuit riders the ministers were assigned very large circuits and preached a few times a year at each church. For many years young men were assigned to Jerome, Plano, Brazil, and several school houses where services were held. The ministers lived among the people or boarded in some home.

  In 1886, Rev. C. W. Powelson was assigned to this territory and lived on a farm east of town. He served five years, then the limit for any minister to stay.

  In 1892, Rev. Elias Handy was sent to Mystic and served Jerome and other churches. One year he had Paul McBeth as his assistant and another William Shearer. They both boarded at Jerome.

  In 1896, Jerome was assigned to the Cincinnati charge with Rev. George Pool as pastor, but in 1897 Jerome was again with Mystic with Rev. Richard Breeden as pastor in 1898, 1899 and 1900.  Rev. R. Collier served Mystic, Jerome and other points.  In 1901 and 1902, Rev. John Carson; 1903, 1904 and 1905 Rev. George Blagg were pastors.

  In 1906 another change was made and M. F. Butterfield boarded in Jerome and served Jerome, Numa and Simpson Chapel. Before the year was over Jerome again was with Cincinnati and a former Jerome pastor, Rev. Richard Collier, was serving there and the next year C. E. Coggshell.

  After so much changing Jerome decided in 1908 to build a parsonage.  A building was rented and Rev. S. F. Bishop moved in it and served Jerome, Plano and Brazil. He made a great effort to build a parsonage.  Mrs. Bishop planned the building. B. A. Morrison, L. J. Norris and Charley Norris were the building committee.  J. P. Wailes of Plano was the carpenter. It was almost completed when Rev. J. H. Krenmyre was assigned the charge in 1909.  He, with the help of the church women, painted and varnished after his arrival. That fall they built the barn and in 1940 it was torn down and the present garage was built.

  The minister in 1909 was J. H. Krenmyre, in 1910 James Prestnal, in 1911 and 1912 J. H. Krenmyre, 1913 Lacey Moore, 1914 and 1915 G. L. Roper, 1916 J. L. Johnson, 1917 C. R. Young, 1918 S. P. Trostle, 1920 Milford Bristol and student pastors F. V. Gitty, Charles Rowe, 1921 J. C. Austin, 1922 C. H. Boos, 1923 J. F. Barnett, 1924, 1925 B. F. Baker.  Most of these were students or supply pastors and stayed a time and moved on.  The parsonage had not been a solution to the problem for the town deteriorated because of the coal industry closing.  In 1926 Jerome was assigned to Mystic again with J. A. Wilson as pastor andhe remained until 1932. He was followed by J. C. Bruvold in 1933 and 1934, and C. H. Chader in 1935.

  In 1936 Jerome was joined to Promise City and F. B. Harris was the minister for two years, followed by J. E. McClellan in 1938 and 1939. In 1940, 1941, and 1942 H. B. Fay was pastor.

  In 1943 Jerome was again connected with the Mystic charge with Rev. Gonzalez, who had been there since 1938, as pastor. He remained until 1953 and Rev. S. H. Cox moved into the parsonage. It had been rented or used as a home for the janitor for many years. A good deal of work was done to it before the minister moved in.

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  The above is an excerpt from the 1955 article on the history of the Jerome Methodist Church written by Susie R. Sidles for The Seymour Herald.