Methodist Church - Rochester

Methodist Church.— The first sermon preached by a Methodist minister in Rochester, was by the Rev. Nelson Moon, in the winter of 1855-6. The meeting was held at the house of a Mr. Crabb, in the southern part of what is now Rochester.

Early in the spring of 1856, a log schoolhouse was built in East Rochester, and a Sunday-school was organized. Meetings were held in the building during the summer and until July, 1858, when the old court-house was engaged for the purpose.

The Minnesota conference was organized at Red Wing in July 1856, and Rev. Joshua M. Rodgers, of Indiana conference, was sent to "Oronoco Mission" which embraced Oronoco, Pine Island, Greenwood Prairie, Mantorville and Rochester. This was the first church organized in Rochester. Mr. Emerick was the first trustee and among the first stewards. The first quarterly meeting was held February 14 and 15, 1857. Mr. Rodgers continued his labors here until the session ot conference at Winona in July, 1857, when Rev. S. N. Forest was appointed to take charge of Rochester circuit.

In 1858 the lots were purchased and partly given by Mr. Dorr, a building was erected and inclosed for a chapel, but it was soon found too small and Morton Hall was engaged. After the death of Mr. Forest, which occurred in the spring of 1859, Mr. Phoebus, George Stocking and others supplied the pulpit until conference, when Rev. Ezra Tucker was appointed to this charge. He remained two years and was then succeeded by Rev. G. W. F. Wright. Rev. Chambers succeeded Mr. Wright. In the fall of 1864 the foundation of the present building was laid, and in 1865 the building was erected and inclosed so that the basement was occupied as a place of worship November 12, 1865. At the time of its construction it was one of the largest and best.Methodist church buildings in the state. The total cost being $19,300.

At the conference of 1865, Rev. Norris Hobart was assigned to this charge, and remained two years; he was succeeded by Rev. A. J. Nelson. During 1867 the audience-room was finished and dedicated by Rev. E. R. Lathrop, and the annual conference was held here. At the conference of 1868, held in St. Anthony, Rev. D. Cobb was appointed to Rochester. He was succeeded by Rev. W. C. Rice, who remained two years, and the succeeding three years traveled this district as presiding elder. In the fall of 1872, at the close of Mr. Rice's first term, Rev. E. R. Lathrop was appointed pastor of the church. He remained but a short time when conference met and he was sent as presiding elder of the St. Cloud district, and Rev. H. P. Satchwell was sent to this charge. In 1875 Rev. W. C. Rice was appointed pastor, and remained three years, the full conference limit.

In 1878 the building so long used, first as a chapel in 1858, and since then as a parsonage, was moved away and the present building erected at a cost of $3,500.

In the fall ot 1878 Rev. J. Whisler was transferred from the Ohio conference and stationed at Rochester. At the session of conference in 1880, Rev. C. E. Cline, of Southern Illinois conference, was transferred and appointed pastor at Rochester. He was succeeded by Rev. Stafford, who is the present pastor. Early in the year 1856 the Sunday school was organized, with J. P. Emerick as superintendent, and twenty scholars; it has now an average attendance of about two hundred pupils.

Source:

The History of Winona and Olmsted Counties, 1883

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