The History
of Slippery Rock United Methodist Church

Compiled and Edited by Rev. Norman Carlysle Young, M.Div.; M.Ed.

The first sermon was preached in a bar room by the Reverend John Chandler of the Pittsburgh Conference.

Reverend John Somerville started the first Class Meetings in 1831 in the home of John Stevenson. Later meetings were held in a school house that stood at the 130 Franklin Street church location.

In 1837 a small meeting house was erected and was on the Harrisville Circuit.

In 1860 the old church was torn down and a brick Church was built at a cost of $3,000. Reverend Calvin R. Pattee was the pastor at that time. The brick for the Church was made locally by John Cross.

In 1897 an educational wing was added to the Church through the efforts of Reverend John A. McCamey.

In 1960 a new sanctuary and fellowship hall were constructed under the leadership of Reverend Hugh Dewey Crocker. The old building was converted into an educational building.

From 1896-1933 it was a Station appointment; and from 1933 to 1964 it was a two-point circuit with West Liberty.

In 1964 because of its increased ministry to the Slippery Rock State College it became a one-point charge.

The Church was incorporated in 1931 as the Slippery Rock Methodist Church.

Pastors:

• 1831 to 1832 - John Somerville
• 1834 to 1836 - William Carroll
• 1836 to 1845 - Unknown
• 1845 to 1846 - George F. Reeser and John Wrigglesworth
• 1846 to 1847 - William M. Bear and Isaiah Hildebrand
• 1847 to 1849 - Thomas Benn
• 1849 to 1850 - George Stocking
• 1850 to 1851 - Norton Roderick
• 1851 to 1852 - John W. Wilson
• 1852 to 1854 - John S. Lytle
• 1854 to 1855 - Isaac Scofield
• 1855 to 1856 - Frederick Vernon
• 1856 to 1858 - Thomas G. McCreary
• 1858 to 1859 - John M. Greene
• 1859 to 1861 - Calvin R. Pattee
• 1861 to 1863 - John G. Thompson
• 1863 to 1865 - Robert B. Boyd
• 1865 to 1867 - Thomas Graham
• 1867 to 1869 - Abram H. Domer
• 1869 to 1871 - John Crum
• 1871 to 1872 - Lewis Wick
• 1872 to 1875 - James M. Foster
• 1875 to 1878 - John A. Ward
• 1878 to 1880 - Nathaniel Morris
• 1880 to 1883 - C. A. Knesal
• 1883 to 1885 - Daniel W. Wampler
• 1885 to 1886 - William P. Arbuckle
• 1886 to 1887 - Joseph L. Mechlin
• 1887 to 1890 - Samuel K. Paden
• 1890 to 1893 - Samuel M. Gordon
• 1893 to 1895 - Perry A. Reno
• 1895 to 1897 - William A. Baker
• 1897 to 1899 - John Albert McCamey
• 1899 to 1901 - John Anthony Lavely
• 1901 to 1905 - Hardman F. Miller
• 1905 to 1907 - James Eugene Hillard
• 1907 to 1910 - L. H. Eddleblute
• 1910 to 1914 - Corydon J. Warner
• 1914 to 1915 - Ernest Minor Fradenburg, Sr.
• 1915 to 1920 - Robert C. McMinn
• 1922 to 1925 - Jabez Noah Croxall
• 1925 to 1931 - Frank Hurlburt Frampton
• 1931 to 1934 - Robert A. Thompson
• 1934 to 1936 - Louis Edward Elbel
• 1936 to 1940 - Clarence Wilbur Baldwin
• 1940 to Summer 1943 - Charles S. Aldrich
• Summer 1943 to 1943 - Thomas Edwin Spofford
• 1943 to 1946 - Leigh Mudge
• 1946 to 1951 - Walter Woodrow Gilliland, Sr.
• 1951 to 1955 - R. Blaine Detrick
• 1955 to 1955 - Victor Patterson
• 1955 to 1958 - George H. McGhee
• 1958 to March 1964 - Hugh Dewey Crocker
• April 1964 to October 1969 - Richard Edwin Hawke
• October 1969 to 1978 - Richard Merle Henderson
• 1978 to 1982 - Evan Eugene Ankeny
• 1982 to 1989 - Russell Leroy Babcock
• 1989 to 2005 - Harper Randolph Edward
• 2005 to present - Pamela Sue Gardner