CHURCH RECORDS

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A little Methodist Church history
by Ned Heite, Camden, DE
21 Apr 1999

The Methodist Episcopal Church was established in America at Barratt's Chapel (near Frederica) just after the Revolution. Priests of the old Church of England were required to take an oath of fealty to George III, so they were not particularly popular. Methodist preachers were also suspected of English sympathies.

In America, the old Church of England split into two groups. The Methodists, who had been an organization of itinerant lay preachers in the established church, organized their own episcopal (i.e., with bishops) organization, the Methodist Episcopal Church. The regular Anglicans organized the Protestant Episcopal Church, and had their bishop consecrated by "nonjuror" Scottish Anglican bishops who were not required to exact an oath to support George III.

The rector of Christ Church in Dover, Mr. Megaw, was a supporter during the Revolution of the Methodists, and he administered the sacraments (baptism, marriage, communion) for the adherents of lay Methodist preachers before the division. Francis Asbury, one of the first bishops of the new Methodist hierarchy, preached in Kent County, and in fact spent part of the Revolution lying low near Harrington.

St. George's (Protestant Episcopal) Chapel in Angola Neck, Sussex County, was the favored site for "mulatto" families before the Revolution to have their children baptised. I have no idea if Christ Church served a similar function here.

During the nineteenth century, the circuit-riding Methodists established dozens of small churches in Kent County, not the least of which were Manship and Fork Branch. These establishments were relatively late in the century, however.

So where did the people go for the sacraments before the local ME churches were established? Christ Church in Dover was closed for a very long time, but the Episcopal church in Smyrna was active. We have good evidence that some of the colored people of northern Kent County were schooled in a Quaker school at Cowgill's Corner.

Manship and Fork Branch churches were attached to the Little Creek and Smyrna Methodist circuits at different times, so it is entirely possible that the vital records would have been recorded at these sites. I don't know if any have been transcribed or published.

Delaware didn't have central vital statistics during the period in question, so the data tends to be diffused terribly.

I don't know if anyone has done a systematic survey to see where these families worshipped and received the sacraments before the local Methodist Episcopal churches were established. I'd suggest that the Episcopal Church may have performed these services long after the Revolution for people who were not associated with any other congregations.

 

Manship Church near Cheswold, Kent County, Delaware
(now Immanuel Union United Methodist Church)

Manship's origin
From Mike Beulah
24 Jan 2007

... Frank R. Zebley is the author of a book called "Churches of Delaware", published 1947. His book is probably the best reference on early Delaware Churches. In it, he provides about a half page discussion on the origin of each church. I have been doing some personal research of AME churches in the area, so Manship has caught my attention.

Specifically, Manship's origin, according to Zebley is 1830, as an AME church. It goes on to state that the church's site was originally known as Sutton's Meeting House, which would likely indicate it started out as a Methodist Chapel or "Meeting House". That would make it the first AME church in the Dover area. The first in Delaware is Ezion AME in Wilmington, 1805. But, Dover is the cradle of Methodism, so it is surprising that it would take until 1830 for Manship to become AME. Especially since the Rev. Durham I mentioned is with Richard Allen in 1816. I am very interested in whether Durham came from the area. It does not surprise me that Manship would not remain AME, because the AME churches were chased out of Delaware and Maryland because of their links to the Underground Railroad.

Manship Cemetery

Brief history of Manship & Little Union Churches

Fork Branch Cemetery near Little Union Church

Map showing locations of Manship & Little Union
north of Dover, Kent, Delaware

 

 

 

Asbury United Methodist Church

20-22 W. Mt. Vernon, Smyrna, DE 19977

 

1. BAPTISMAL INDEX                 1897 - 1903

2. BAPTISMAL RECORDS         1897 - 1903

4. MARRIAGE INDEX                   1872 - 1972

3. MARRIAGE RECORDS           1872 - 1972

 

 

 

Forest Grove Seventh Day Adventist Church

4950 Pearsons Corner Road (near Dinah's Corner)
Dover, Kent, Delaware 19901

PICTURES & BRIEF HISTORY

CEMETERY RECORDS

 

 

 

 

 

MITSAWOKETT

"The History and Genealogy of the
Native American Isolate Communities
of Kent County, Delaware, and
Surrounding Areas on the Delmarva Peninsula
and Southern New Jersey"

 

 

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