Alexandria Bay -- The history of Methodism in Alexandria goes back to the early 1800s when the old-time circuit riders traveled on horseback from town to town carrying their clothes and their Bibles in their saddle bags. The preachers came to this "wilderness country" to hold services in the tiny settlements of Plessis, Theresa, and surrounding areas. As early as 1818 people came with their ox-drawn wagons to hear the preacher and to spend the entire day worshipping God. Records indicate that in 1825 some local residents had become members of the Methodist class meetings.
The first Methodist preacher to appear in the Town of Alexandria was believed to be the Rev. Nathaniel Salisbury, a LeRay circuit rider who served in 1826 and 1827. The Alexandria circuit was formed in 1831 and comprised all the places of worship in the towns of Alexandria and Theresa. During those early years, meetings were held in private homes and schoolhouses. In 1833, the Union Stone Church of Plessis was built by members of the Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, Presbyterian and Baptist denominations.
By 1839, the first official Methodist place of worship was at the Methodist chapel built at Browns Corners between Plessis and Alexandria Bay. This chapel was one of the most prominent places of worship in the area. Later, the building was given to the Barnes Settlement Community as a meeting place and at one time it was used as a schoolhouse. The late Lillie Herrick, in her book "My Yesterdays," drew sketches from memory of this chapel and the Old Red Tavern where services were held in the upper story of the building.
The circuit was divided in 1849 and pastors were assigned charges in the villages of Plessis, Redwood, Barnes Settlement, Bailey's Corners, Alexandria Center and Alexandria Bay. Rev. Brown and Rev. Zimmerman were the first two pastors of the new circuit. In 1860, the Plessis Methodist Church was erected and dedicated during the pastorate of the Rev. Allen Castle. The community held a very successful fundraising campaign and raised $1,922 to construct the church.
The Alexandria Bay United Methodist Church was the outgrowth of an intensive campaign of revival services held in various locations in the Town of Alexandria. Soon the wooden-framed high-steepled Methodist Episcopal Church was erected in 1874-75 on the corner of Church and Rock Streets at a cost of around $4,000. The new church was dedicated on Feb. 3, 1875 by the late Rev. Isaac S. Bingham, D.D., presiding elder of the Watertown district and father of the late Charles D. Bingham, mayor of Watertown. The late Rev. William M. Holbrook of Plessis was the pastor of the church at the time of its dedication.
The Northern New York Conference of 1876 made the Methodist Episcopal Church a separate charge with the late Rev. Samuel M. Warn serving as the first pastor. Besides serving the local church, the pastor preached once every two weeks at the Barnes Settlement and Plessis schoolhouses. Rev. Warn, the first pastor ever to reside in Alexandria Bay, built his own residence on the corner of Holland and Walton streets. The officials of the church at that time were local preachers, Friend S. Freeman, Daniel Springer and James Carter; stewards, trustees and class leader, Henry Hough, Daniel Northup, Samuel N. Miller, Oscar Northup, Francis Cole, Lorenzo Heath, James Wood, William Overacker, Alfred A. Avery, George Haas, Norbert Deans and Jesse Davis.
On Sept. 23 and 24, 2000, the Alexandria Bay United Methodist Church will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. The theme for this special occasion is "Founded on a Rock." Plessis UMC, the "mother" church closed in January of [2000] and has united with the Alexandria Bay UMC.
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