History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

423

est members. Rev. J. F. Davidson gathered some of these accounts
previous to 1877, and these, with later recorded events, have furnished
data for a more complete history of the church.
Early in 1834 Rev. J. E. Davidson and Rev. John Kensar were appointed to the Farmington district, which in those days extended north
beyond the bounds of the county. At Paint creek they held regular
preaching services, and there Rev. Davidson organized a class of seven
Methodists. Three years later Revs. Earl and Britton organized a class
at Oxford, numbering ten in all, the members being William H. Powell,
Peter Makely, Daniel Haines, Rufus Moore and Daniel Ingals, with
their wives. Peter Makely was chosen classleader. From that time on
regular preaching services were maintained in the schoolhouse, until in
1843 the church had expanded so.well that it was decided to build a
place of worship more fitting than they then possessed. A board of
trustees was appointed, including W. H. Powell, Joseph Tindall, Daniel
Ingals, David Applegate, John Clemons, John Stone and Peter Tubbs,
and under their direction, the work was begun.
A frame edifice, thirty-two by forty-two, with twelve foot posts, was
erected in the village, and in this house the society worshipped nearly
thirty years. In 1867 increased numbers again made further building
expedient, and a new board of trustees was elected to inaugurate and
carry out the work. The new board was composed of Joseph C. Powell,
John W. Phillips, Hiram Travis, Alfred Van Wagoner, David Applegate, Thomas W. Powell and E. J. Boice, Rev. William Taylor being
presiding elder of the circuit in which Oxford was controlled. On the
24th of June, I868, the corner-stone of the new edifice was erected, and
the present structure, a frame building, forty feet wide by seventy feet
in length, two stories high, was erected and completed at a cost of $6,500.
It has a seating capacity of five hundred, and is conveniently arranged
for the services of church and Sunday-school.
In March, I869, dedicatory services were held by Dr. George B.
Joslyn, president of Albion College, and the growth of the church has
been continuous since that time. A list of the pastors connected with
the church since its formative period in 1837 is here given: Revs. Earl
and Britton, i837-8; Rev. John Cosart, I838-40; Rev. William Mothersill, I840-41; Rev. Hiram Law, 1841-42; Rev. Thomas Granger, I842 -43; Rev. Salmon Steele, I843-45; Rev. John Gray, 1845-47; Rev. C. C.
Woodward, 1847-49; Rev. F. C. Britton, I849-50; Rev. Andrew Bell,
I850-51; Rev. B. F. Pritchard, I851-53; Rev. L. P. Lee and Rev. Gray,
1853-55; Rev. T. Seeley, I855-56; Rev. Wim. Moon, 1856-57; Rev. Rufus
C. Crane, 1857-59; Rev. Samuel Bessey, I859-6I; Rev. Alfred Allen,
1861-63; Rev. J. R. Noble, 1863-65; Rev. Johna A. Mcllwaine, I865-68;
Rev. J. F. Dory, I868-69; Rev. W. H1. Benton, I869-70; Rev. N. Green,
1870-72; Rev. J. O. Bancroft, I872-74; Rev. J. F. Davidson, 1874-78; Rev.
Orin Whitmore, 1878; Rev. David Casler, 1878-82; Rev. H. O. Parker,
1882-84; Rev. H. W. Hicks, 1884-86; Rev. C. M. Thompson, I886-88;
Rev. W. E. Bigelow, 1888-89; Rev. J. B. Whitford, I889-94; Rev. Norman C. Karr, 1894-97; Rev. C. C. Squires, 1897-98; Rev. James A.
Lowry, I898-900o; Rev. Samuel Jennings, 1900-1903; Rev. S. Morley