History of North Canton Community UMC

The first information we have relating to the building of the church in North Canton comes from the Lorin Case diaries. Lorin Case was the builder of the church. Each day's entry opens with "This day….", and ends with a brief notation of the weather. The first date found is January 14, 1870. Meeting held to see about building a meeting house. Milo Lee will sell us a piece of land. January 29, 1870: Went around to raise money for the meeting house.

From a letter at the 50th Anniversary of the dedication of the church in 1922 from Henry Case, one of the Building Committee members, we learn that our ancestors also had some pretty strong differences of opinion on how things should be done. He wrote, "I know something of the struggle that put it there where it is. Even after the wherewith was in sight, there came a serious set back on its location. Many wanted it down on the green at the "Corner" (today at the corner of the road to West Simsbury) or by the old red school house, and others wanted it north of the bridge. One who had subscribed $100.00 declared vehemently that he would not pay a cent of what he had subscribed if it went south of the bridge. We had a preaching service in the Old Red School House once in two weeks then, if the weather was favorable, by the Rev. Mr. Craft (father of Wilbur F. Crafts noted for his Sunday School Lessons and other Philosophy). Mr. Craft was stationed at the Collinsville Methodist Church.

Henry Case's letter continues, "One has often to wait to see the Hand that rules—let things boil and clarify though all seems hopeless. Finally the officials had another meeting and Mr. Loyal Wilcox (who had subscribed $1000.00 and afterwards gave $1000.00 for the Church Fund) came out from Hartford and attended and tried for a compromise. That meeting led to its being fixed on the Site of Mr. Lee's Old Wagon Shop. I know something of its trials, bickerings and jealousies for I was one of the Building Committee, also of the School House Committee, which was built the following year. There was nothing out of the ordinary that occurred with either one of them to hinder progress to the finish. It all improved and benefited North Canton, gave it new Life." Signed by Henry Case, 83 years old or young.

Acquiring the Property - First Part: Property purchased from Milo and Ursula Lee for $200.00, February 27, 1871. Second Part: Purchased from Ruggles Case for $5.00, February 27, 1871. "The conditions of this deed are such that if the above described property is not kept, used and occupied for church purposes by the Methodist Episcopal Church, then said conveyance is null and void and of no effect. The Society are to make a good and substantial fence, and keep the same in good repair."

Milo Lee owned several establishments which were located where the North Canton Methodist Church now stands. The most important of these was the carriage shop. There were three buildings in all. One was for manufacturing the carriages, one for painting them and one for storing them. In addition to carriages he also made sleighs, bedsteads, wooden plows and caskets. He owned the sawmill just south of the bridge below the church. (This sawmill was later owned by Lorin Case.) Here, Milo Lee cut the boards used in his manufacturing establishments and where he sawed great quantities of shingles. The mill had an "up and down" saw that was run by water power. The pond and dam were just east of the mill.

The names on the General Building Committee of the North Canton Methodist Church were: Emerson Alford, Jay Case, Bethuel Case, Everett Case, Abijah Blise, Merton Goddard, Orin Case, Lewis Lee, Watson Case, Marshall Case, Henry Case, Anson Case, James Wood, Giles Sisson, Samuel Messenger and Alonzo Latimer.

The first service held in the new building was April 2, 1872. The church was dedicated May 29, 1872, with Elder Pillsbury preaching at this service. His text was from John 15:7: "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

North Canton has had 53 pastors since 1870, including Rev. William Barnes who was here twice. Rev. Joseph Newell served from 1919-1920 and had a World War I Victory Pig named "Vicky". He raised her from a baby and she followed him everywhere he went. As more than one minister will recall, Miss Alice and Miss Jennie Case were excellent cooks and enjoyed feeding the pastors. Mr. Newell was a bachelor and loved to eat, so he was a frequent visitor. "Vicky" always tagged along behind. One day, some of the young women who boarded at the Case's found Vicky taking it easy under a nice, shady tree, so they tied a big ribbon around her neck, which she proudly wore back to the parsonage. Joe Newell was about fifty years ahead of his time. He was well liked, but did sort of shake up the old timers when he referred to the women associated with Jesus as "a sort of hen party". During the time that Mr. Newell was living in the parsonage in 1919, the parsonage was ignited from a trash fire burning nearby and was completely destroyed. The current parsonage to the north of the church was built in 1922. This was a Sears Redi-Built house and was put together by the men of the church. The cost was $2,300.

The above is taken from A Scrapbook History of the North Canton Methodist Church compiled, published and copyrighted 1972 by Nettie Wright Adams, Editor, Lure of the Litchfield Hills, Collinsville, Connecticut 06022