McCracken Church Page

McCracken Methodist Episcopal Church History
[1887-1937]

The first Methodist service held in McCracken was in the month of April of 1887. Rev. Gramly, pastor of the LaCrosse Circuit, was the first pastor, and organized the class. The first service was held in the J.R. Stock Furniture Store, which stood where the J.C. Little residence now stands just east of the Citizens State Bank. The building was not complete. The front was not in. Neither was there ar floor in the building. The congregation sat on boards that were placed on the floor joice. Mrs. Francis Kline and Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Wilson, all who are members of this church at the present, were present at that first service. There were two services held in that building then the place of meeting was changed to the School House. Mrs. Kline ways that one of the ones whom she remembers very well was Mrs. Marietta Younkin. She says that she can see her yet as she would get up to give her testimony.

In the Spring of 1888 the Rev. William Walker was appointed to the LaCrosse charge and McCracken was still a part of that charge. He served the charge just one year. In 1889 Rev. G.W. Wheat was sent to the charge. Rev. McBride served the charge the next year. In the Spring of 1890 McCracken was made the head of a circuit. The other points on the circuit were Holbrook and Ransom. The congregation felt very much the need of a church building. Dr. M.M. Stoltz was the Presiding Elder and he was very sympathetic to their plan. In the Spring of 1891 Rev. J.M. Bell was appointed to the charge which consisted of McCracken, Hillsdale, Dry Creek and Whitehead School House. The first Board of Trustees were J.D. Younkin, H.L. Brown, S. Keysor, A. Robinson, and S.E. Hall. The charter was filed for recording on April 23, 1892. The following names are on the charter: S.E. Hall, Sarah J. Hall, Samuel Keyser, C.R. Keyser, J.R. Stock, C.P. Stock, J.D. Younkin, M.V. Younkin, W.E. Younkin, Jennis Younkin, A. Robertson, and H.L. Brown. Bro. E.S. Chenoweth was appointed a committee to obtain lots to build upon. J.R. Stock and Amos Jefferies were appointed a special committee to select a site for Church. They reported favorable and the committee was discharged. E.S. Chenoweth was appointed to secure other lots nearer the center of town while the lots that had been secured were kept for a parsonage site. The lots set aside were given by the Town Company. The lots where the church now stands were purchased for #150.00 in 1892. Rev. J.M. Bell was returned [for a] year and a Building Committee was appointed consisting of E.S. Chenoweth, A. Robertson, and F.L. Snodgrass. The church was erected at an approximate cost of $3,500.

In the Spring of 1893, Rev. I.S. Hall was appointed to the work which then consisted of McCracken and Dry Creek. McCracken was to have preaching service every Sunday morning and evening while Dry Creek was to have service every two weeks in the afternoon. The first Sunday after his arrival which was April 8, 1893 the church was dedicated, By REv. Lockwood. Rev. Hall returned to the work in 1894.

For the next few years there is not much record that I have been able to find. Rev. W. H. Sweet has written a history entitled "A History of Methodism in Northwest Kansas." I have found some things in that. Rev. I.S. Hazlet was appointed in the Spring of 1895 and again in 1896 and 97. He evidently left in the middle of the Conference year and the name of T.H. James appears on the record and was pastor for six months. F. Johnson and W.W. Hurlbut each served short pastorates. W.E. Cox came to the field in 1900 [and] was pastor from 1900 to 1903. In 1898 there was a parsonage with a valuation of $300. In 1902 there was some improvements made in the parsonage so that the reported value was then $600. A.J. Morton was the next pastor, then W.H. Holland. Reuben Bisbee was pastor in 1904 and 05. He was followed by Matthew Bunker and W.T. Cummins.

In September of 1908 Rev. Clarke Baker was transferred from St. Louis Conference to Northwest Kansas and to McCracken. He left this statement in the records: "In January we had a good revival with a goodly number of conversions and accessions. Rev. C.O. Jones and wife of Oklahoma City assisted in the revival. During the year the parsonage has been rebuilt at a cost of $370. This has been paid and the Church and Parsonage are free from debt. For this the Ladies Aid deserves much credit." Rev. Baker left in Sept. 1909.

In Sept. 1909 Rev. C.R. Wade came from the No. Conference to McCracken. At the end of the Conference year which was March 1910 the pastoral claims were paid in full and a very large increase in benevolences. There were some improvements in the church property. Rev. Wade was returned for the next year. In the beginning of the year the Ladies Aid put a new carpet in the church, at a cost of $134.00. The church was painted and other improvement made. A back porch was built to the parsonage. The material was paid for by the Epworth League and the work was done by the pastor. Something more than three hundred dollars was spent in improvement of the church property. Twenty members were added to the church in town and eight to the church in the country. The following was written by Brother Wade: "The pastor and family have been treated with great kindness. They have received a number of presents among them a great fur coat which gave the pastor much pleasure because of the gift and much comfort in cold weather. At the closing of the year the finances are in splendid shape."

The Rev. H.D. Harris was transferred from the Central Tennessee Conference in April 1911, and stationed at McCracken and served the charge nine months. He made an exchange with the Rev. L.L. Brannon of the Arkansas Conference. Rev. Brannon served the chrage about eighteen months. During this [time] a gracious revival was held and there were a goodly number of additions to the church. Rev. Brannon was transferred to the Oklahoma Conference in June 1913.

J. Allen Webb was the next pastor. He transferred from the St. Louis Conference in June 1913. A quotation from Bro. Webb sounds as though it might have been written in 1937. The people had had continuous crop failure, the drought was on and the grasshoppers were thick. But in September the rain began and the wheat grew so that through the Fall and Winter (which was mild) there was plenty of feed and pasture for the stock. For which the people seemed profoundly thankful. The winter of 1913 and 14 was exceptional for revival not only in McCracken but in the surrounding community and throughout the country at large." The Conference that year was held in Mankato in the last of March. Bro. Webb was returned for the second year. He left the record in which he said that the burden became so great that he found it necessary to resign in September of that year.

On Nov. 1, 1914 Rev. W.E. Scott was transferred from Oakley, Kansas to McCracken. In the Spring of 1916 Rev. J.P. White was appointed to McCracken. Because of the general increase of the Sunday School the people felt that they should have a larger and better equipped Church. On September 17, 1916, the Third Quarterly Conference appointed a Building Committee consisting of the following members: John R. Lovitt, John Norlin Sr., J.W. Chenoweth, J.W. Wilson, J.M. Shepherd, J.P. Warden, and T.O. Anderson. Sufficient money was raised within a week to start work on the building. The building was dedicated on April 8, 1917 by Dr. John F. Harmon. He raised $5200.00 in fifteen minutes. Because of the illness of his little daughter Rev. White found it necessary to move from McCracken in August 1917.

Rev. M.H. Matthaei served the charge from sept. 1917 to March 1920. W.R. Woodward from April 1920 to April 1923. J.E.M. Chambers from April 1923 to Oct. 1925. D.H. Colvin from Oct. 1925 to Oct. 1930. Charles Carpenter from Oct. 1930 to October 1932. Rev. Claie Van Metre Oct. 1932 to 1933. Rev. H.H. Todd Oct. 1933 to Oct. 1934. Rev. F.N. Stelson Oct. 1934 to Oct. 1936.

Fiftieth Anniversary Service at the Methodist Church

The Methodists celebrated its Fiftieth Anniversary on Sunday, July 18, 1937. The Service began with Sunday School at ten o'clock. For the eleven o'clock service the United Brethren joined with us. Dr. A.N. Smith, District Superintendent of the Salina District, preached a powerful sermon. With the assistance of a choir of the two churches the New Methodist Hymnal was dedicated. The Hymnals were placed in the Church in memory of those who have gone in the world beyond. Some were placed in honor of these who are still with us. In the afternoon a short history of the church was read and greetings from former pastors and former members. The former pastors who sent greetings were Rev. F.N. Stelson of Marquette Kansas, Rev. H.H. Todd of Natoma Kansas, Rev. J.E.M. Chambers of Almena Kansas, and Rev. Chas L. Carpenter of Hershey Nebraska. Mrs. D.H. Colvin, widow of Rev. D.H. Colvin who served the charge for five yeard, brought a few words of greeting, and the Rev. J.P. White who was pastor twenty years ago when the present building was dedicated spoke a few words of greeting. Miss [Violet] Norlin of Lindsborg furnished some special music on the violin. Rev. A.N. Smith with the assistance of Rev. J.P. White, Rev. T.M. Johnson of the United Brethren Church and the Rev. F.S. Smith conducted the communion service.

Union Young Peoples Meeting met at seven o'clock led by Miss Louise Marvin of the U.B. Church and the Evening service at eight o'clock at which service Rev. J.P. White preached the sermon. The service closed with the singing of "Blest be the Tie that Binds." All felt that it was a great day.