FIRST

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

236 Mullin St., Watertown, NY 13601                                     (315) 782-3033

"The Church with the Open Door"

A SAFE SANCTUARY CHURCH

Methodism in Jefferson County

Methodism in Watertown dates to the very first settlers. First Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in the early nineteenth century, when Watertown and its vicinity formed a part of the circuit over which Barzilla Willey and John Husselkus traveled and preached to the scattered inhabitants.

Henry Coffeen arrived in this area in March, 1800, having come from Lowville, Lewis County, New York. He erected his homestead where Court Street now enters Public Square. His son, Henry H. Coffeen, was one of the first trustees of the First Church in Watertown.

Thomas Butterfield, who settled in Watertown in about 1800, organized a Methodist class. First Methodist ministers visited Jefferson County in northern New York State as early as 1803. In 1803, all of the New England states and New York State were made part of the Philadelphia Conference of the fledgling American Methodist Church.

The earliest Church organization was effected about 1804 and services were steadily maintained from that time. The first Methodist Class was organized in 1804 as a class of 10 persons.

In 1805, the New York Conference was organized from a part of the Philadelphia Conference and Jefferson County was made part of the Albany District. The circuit extended from the boundaries of the Utica and Rome circuit to the St. Lawrence and had a membership of 476. In 1810, the Genesee Conference was organized and embraced Northern New York.

The district was changed to Cayuga and later to Oneida. In 1818, Watertown became a station and had its own pastor. In 1825, Watertown was made part of a circuit called Leray and Watertown. In 1829, the Oneida Conference was organized and Watertown became a station of that conference. In 1836, the Black River Conference was organized and the conference held its first session in the chirch in this city. In 1873, the Northern New York Conference was organized and has remained until this day.

Methodism in Watertown
First United Methodist Church in Watertown, New York

In 1818, Watertown for the first time became a separate charge, and John Dempster became the first stationed preacher.

Methodism grew rapidly in the Watertown area. The Society of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Watertown was incorporated on November 21, 1821. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized November 27, 1821. At this meeting, it was voted that the said Society be known by the name of the First Methodist Episcopal Society of Watertown. In the same year, the society was incorporated under the laws of the state. The membership at the time was about 391. Soon after the incorporation of the society, a stone church was erected on the corner of Arsenal and Massey streets, the site of the present Arsenal Street school building.

In 1829, the Oneida Conference was formed. Watertown became a station of this conference.

In 1836 came the organization of the Black River Conference, which embraced all of northern New York east of Montgomery County. The Watertown church became the site of the first session of the new conference.

In 1848, as the result of a great revival, church membership had expanded enough to warrant the building of a second church. The Arsenal Street church became the First Methodist Church and the new church, built on State Street, became the State Street Methodist-Episcopal Church. This reduced the membership at First Methodist Church to 186. Asbury Church, formerly called State Street Church, was founded to meet the needs of additional growth. Asbury Church was located on State Street, but later moved to Park and Sterling, where the present church was erected and the present name, Asbury Methodist Church, adopted. On January 29, 1849, a considerable group withdrew from Methodist-Episcopal Church and formed the new organization, with a membership of 138.

In 1851, the First Methodist Church moved to Arsenal Street where the original Woolworth's store was later located. This church burned to the ground with contents on February 22, 1880. A new and bigger church was built on the same site in 1881.

In 1888, Bethany Church was formed to serve Methodists living on the north side of the Black River in Watertown.

On November 2, 1900, the church's board voted to sell the old parsonage, purchase a lot on Massey Avenue, and erect a new parsonage.

In 1942, the building built in 1881 was completely destroyed by fire. The congregation worshipped in other local churches until the carriage house of the Taylor mansion on Mullin Street was purchased and remodeled into a house of worship. The current church building was dedicated in 1943.

In 1958, a new sanctuary cornerstone was laid. The official opening of the current worship center was held in 1959. In 1962, the building debts were completely paid. The dedication of this new center of worship was held in 1963.

List of Pastors Who Have Served Here