Farmer City M.E. Church


The beginning and growth of Methodism about Hurly's Grove has been related already. The nobel 
men who labored for and fostered an earnest Christianity in Hurly,s Grove settlement in the 
early years of this county, laid the stable foundations that form the underlying granites of 
Farmer City Methodist Christianity now. After belonging to the Marion missino for several years,
Mt. Pleasant circuit was formed in 1839; and the pastors who served on this circuit for many 
years have already been named, and we may only now say, any precious be the memory of Horace 
Maynard, R. Wiuans Clark, Paxton Cummins, Abbott Goddard, John Sinclair, Peter Cartwright, 
Norman Allyn, William Hindall, and John S. barger, who years past "ceased from their labors"; 
their work follows them". their spiritual offspring now compose  as important and influential 
part of the membership of this station. while  these ministerial worthies planted the Gospel in 
Hurly's Grove, thirty, forty, and fifty years ago, the soil in which they planted it was rich 
in unusual fertility. Few communities in any county had for first settlers a better class of 
men than those that settled about Hurly's Grove, Fewer still have had so many men of sterling 
religious worth; and smaller yet are the number of communities who have raised  up so many 
children to follow in the steps of their parents in business enterprise and decided piety than 
the Hurly's Grove people---Richard Kirby, Charles McCord, Dennis Hurly, John Weedman, John 
Darmer, Asa Weedman, Wm. McCord, and others who have ceased to live, belong to this roll of 
honor.   The ministers of Mt. Pleasant circuit, in 1859, C.Y. Heco, 1860-1 W.B. Barston; 1862, 
C. Arnold. during Mr. Arnold's term, the main body of the present church was built; in 1863, 
B. Barthlow; 1864, S. Shinn; 1865-6, G.B. Wolfe; 1867, M.M. Davidson. In 1868, Mt. Pleasant
had it's name changed, and the circuit, so long bearing a worthy record, passed away, and Farmer
City became a station, and Rev. .A.T. Orr, it's first minister in charge.  The church has now 
two wings to the main building, affording  increased capacity for an audience, and with sliding
doors, convenient for class-room.  It is ample in size, avoiding architectural attractiveness, 
but it is a model of chasteness and comfort. Mr. Orr served this station for three years; was 
highly esteemed by his people, and gathered many into the  church; in 1871, M. W. Everhart; in
1872, Ira Emerson; 1873, J.B. Seymore; 1874, -5, J. Shaw; 1876,  D. Gay; 1877, W. F. T. Spruill;
 1878-9 J.T. Orr; 1880-1, M.A. Hewes.  During the pastorates of Mr. A.T. Orr, Mr. Shinn, Mr. 
Davidson, Mr Everhart, Mr. Shaw, and Mr. J.T. Orr, the church was encouraged by special revival 
seasons and additions to their numbers. Farmer City station forms one of the chages of Champaign
District, and the presiding Elders have been A. Semple.  R. Travis, H. Buck, W.N. McElroy, and 
now J.G. Little.  A Society has been recently been formed at weedman, a rail-road town, a few
miles from Farmer City, and by the efforts of John Weedman and others, a handsome church has 
been erected. This Society is supplied with preaching by the pastor at Farmer City.  End
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