The first Methodist sermon at Shamokin was preached in 1837 by Rev. Charles E. Brown, junior preacher on the Sunbury circuit. He was led through the woods from Oak Grove, then known as Dark Corner, by Benjamin McClow, and on his arrival was entertained by Ziba Bird. The first service was held in a school house on Dewart street, and the audience was composed of nearly all the inhabitants of the place, about twenty in number. Mr. Brown favored his hearers with a discourse lasting over an hour.
The organization of a class was effected in June, 1838, by Rev. Henry Dill, minister on the Sunbury circuit; the members were Sylvanus S. Bird, leader, his wife Sarah Bird, Benjamin McClow and wife Rebecca, Jehu John and wife Patience, Joseph Bird, and Pemberton Bird. Regular services were conducted on alternate Sundays in the old school house and the prayer meetings were held at the house of Benjamin McClow. The First Methodist revival was held in the new school house on Sunbury street soon after its completion. In the fall of 1841 a camp meeting, conducted by Reverends John Ball and Gideon H. Day, was held in a grove near the intersection of Commerce and Mt. Carmel streets, at which many members were added to the church.
On the 21st of August, 1856, a meeting of the male members was called in the school building to consider the advisability of erecting a church edifice. Pemberton Bird presided and acted as secretary; it was decided to erect a church building sixty by forty-five feet, the height of the basement to be twelve feet and that of the audience room seventeen feet, and to accept Judge William L. Helfeustein’s offer of building lots. On the 27th of the same month a special meeting was called by Rev. John Taneyhill to make further arrangements; on that date the first board of trustees was appointed, consisting of Pemberton Bird, George Weaver, John Shipp, F. A. Clark, Benjamin McClow, George H. Coder, David Chidister, Joseph Reader, and D. S. Miller, of whom the last named still retains that office and is now president of the board.
September 18, 1850, a meeting was held in the school house. Rev. N. W. Colburn presiding, when a draft for the new building was presented by Benjamin McClow, and approved by all present. The first subscription books were circulated by Pemberton Bird and John Shipp; July 6, 1857. a church seal was adopted bearing the inscription “The M. E. Church at Shamokin,” with the device of an open Bible in the center. In 1857 Rev. M. L. Drum with his own hands broke ground for the new church building. The enterprise was postponed, however, from time to time, on account of disputes as to location among the members. At a meeting on the 20th of April, 1859, the pastor, H. Van Gasken, F. A. Clark, John Shipp, G. H. Coder, and D. S. Miller were added to the committee to secure subscriptions, and J. L. Gilger was awarded the contract for two thousand three hundred dollars. In 1866 a parsonage was built at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars, and the church was remodeled at a cost of about two thousand dollars.
Measures were first taken for the erection of the present church edifice, April 2, 1882, when A. M. Osmun, Charles Latham, Oscar Strombach, John B. Dottty, William Umpleby, James Smith, Mrs. D. S. Miller, Mrs. J. P. Miller, and Miss Emma Bird were appointed to assist the trustees — D. S. Miller, W. L. Gilger, A. A. Heim, M. Emes, Robert Goodwill, Isaac May, Sr., J. F. Eisenhart, Wilham K. Snyder, and William H. Moore — in securing subscriptions. At a meeting on April 30th, the following building committee was appointed: Withington Lake, Philip Thomas, Anthony Smith, A. M. Osmun, and T. H. Lippiatt. The contract was awarded to Jacob Mutchler and John P. Miller, who commenced work, June 4, 1883, under the direct supervision of A. A. Heim.
The cornerstone was laid, August 2, 1883, by Presiding Elder M. L. Smyser, assisted by Rev. John Donahue, who delivered the address. During the progress of the work the congregation worshiped in the Evangelical church on Sunbury street, and the class meetings were held in a small building erected from timbers of the old church.
The lecture room or basement was dedicated and occupied as a place of worship, December 23, 1883, Rev. M. L. Smyser preaching both morning and evening. The finances were in charge of Rev. S. C. Swallow, and over five thousand dollars were collected. After the dedication of the basement, work on the building ceased until the winter of 1885-86, when, upon the strong solicitation of the Ladies’ Aid Society, and their offer to assist in raising money to complete the edifice, the trustees were induced to resume work, and a new committee, composed of D. S. Miller, A. A. Heim, and William K. Snyder, was appointed to carry out the project. The main audience room was finished and at length dedicated, February 6, 1887, Rev. George W. Miller presiding, when the amount realized was somewhat in excess of the remaining debt — six thousand five hundred dollars. The total cost of the whole structure was about twenty-five thousand dollars.
The following is a list of pastors since the first class was organized:
- 1838 – H. G. Dill, John Hall
- 1839 – John Rhodes, William Hirst
- 1840 – John Rhodes, John Ball
- 1841 – John Ball, G. H. Day
- 1842 – George Bergstresser, William Baird
- 1843 – Alem Brittain, Jacob Montgomery
- 1844 – Alem Brittain, John W. Tongue
- 1845 – J. W. Haughawaut, J. McMurray
- 1846 – J. W. Haughawaut, Thomas Barnhart
- 1847 – Peter McEnally, H. Huffman
- 1848 – James Ewing, J. P. Simpson
- 1849 – James Ewing, William Gwiun
- 1850 – John Stine, William Gwinn
- 1851 – John Stine, Albert Hartman
- 1852 – Joseph Ross, T. M. Goodfellow
- 1853 – Joseph Ross, Asbury Guyer
- 1854 – J. G. McKeehan, James Gums
- 1855 – J. G. McKeehan, B. P. King
- 1856 – Thomas Taneyhill, N. W. Colburn
- 1857 – Thomas Taneyhill, M. L. Drum
- 1858 – George Warren, F. B. Riddle
- 1859 – George Warren, F. B. Riddle
- 1860 – Elisha Butler, J. P. Swanger
- 1861 – Elisha Butler, J. A. Dixon
- 1862 – A. M. Creighton, B. F. Stevens, S. C. Swallow
- 1863-66 – J. F. Porte
- 1866-69 – F. B. Riddle
- 1869-72 – N. S. Buckingham
- 1872-75 – J. C. Clark
- 1875-77 – W. Lee Spottswood, D. D.
- 1877-80 – Thomas M. Reese
- 1880-82 – J. S. McMurray, D. D.
- 1882-85 – F. B. Riddle
- 1885-88 – S. M. Frost, D. D.
- 1888-90 – John B. Polsgrove
The semi-centennial of this church was celebrated, June 23-25, 1888. At this service quite a number of the former pastors were present, and, after a very interesting program of three days’ duration, the meeting closed by a cancellation of the church debt and the burning of the bonds.
The Sunday school was first organized by Rev. James Gurus, junior preacher on the circuit, with twenty-five scholars and Pemberton Bird as superintendent. It now numbers nearly twelve hundred scholars, has a fine library, and is in a very flourishing condition.
