History
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St. James United Methodist Church Westover, Maryland
History
The original deed to this church was written on the sixteenth day of
November in the year 1885 by Mary Maddox of Somerset County and
witnessed that for the sum of $20 in hand did convey, grant and sell in trust
to Fleury Wilson, Noah Collins, William Maddox, Zobable DeShields, John
Bell, William Handy, and Leroy Miles. Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal
Church of Westover Mission in said county to be kept and maintained as a
place of Divine Worship for the use of the ministry and membership of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
Said property was subject to the Discipline, usage and ministerial
appointments of said church as from time to time authorized and declared
by the general conference and the annual conference within who's bounds
the said boundaries are situated.
The property is bounded on the North side of the county road leading from
William Rouark's Flower Mill to Westover Station and is bounded as follows:
Beginning at a post corner of Rouark's Road N22°-30°, East and running to
the East to Dr. Barton's line, thence with said line N12°-30° West 15 1/2 to
a post thence South 81° W 4 3/8 to the Rouark's line. Thence with said line
to the place of the beginning contains 1/2 acres of land. By affirming her
mark Mary Maddox agreed to execute other such deeds to the afore
mentioned Trustees as may be necessary to convey the above premises for
the purpose herein named.
The above mentioned was recorded on the 23 day of January 1886 as a part
of the permanent records of Somerset county and was sealed by then clerk
of court, H. Filmore Landford.
The church records show that in 1905 exhorters were George Williams,
Nelson Dorsey, and Henry Wilson. Class leaders were Noah & George
Collins, Samuel Collins, Ander Nelson Dorsey, William Jones and Clarence
Hitch.
Offerings during the early years were from $2.77 to $28.77 in 1955. Other
documentations show membership to include David Collins, local preacher
and his wife Pearl, Julia Handy and her daughter, Dorothy DeShields, Rosa
Maddox, Effie Marshall, Ella Handy, Frances Howard, and Joseph and Lousie
Collins.
Our past pastors have been Reverends Howard Barkley, Isaac White,
Nathaniel Dennis, Charles Cannon, Clarence Handy, Ernest Johnson, Joseph
Henry, Frederick Wallace, Elaine Ayers and Aaron Neal.
St. James was part of two-point charge and later became a four-point charge
with St. Mark, John Wesley and Flower Hill UMC. As of July 1, 1998, St.
James has become a full time station church with Rev. Carroll Fields, our
present pastor.
The church has gone through some renovations through the years a
fellowship hall was added under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Handy.
Expansion of the sanctuary, classrooms and a new parsonage was built
under Rev. Henry's leadership.
Since September 1999, under the leadership of Pastor Carroll Fields, the
Building Committee has been working diligently to plan, pray and work the
vision for the building of a new church edifice and renovating the present
sanctuary to a proposed child development center/fellowship hall. On
November 2002, groundbreaking began for the new church and with a
proposed date of completion of about a year.
St. James Church family remain in the present sanctuary while construction
is proceeding. God's presence, power and grace continues to dwell with us,
as He has for over 116 years.
With God's help and our forefathers we have come this far by faith. We have
attained more than 100 years of worship, love and fellowship.
And so we look forward to many more years of service to God and to this
community...thanks be to God.
November in the year 1885 by Mary Maddox of Somerset County and
witnessed that for the sum of $20 in hand did convey, grant and sell in trust
to Fleury Wilson, Noah Collins, William Maddox, Zobable DeShields, John
Bell, William Handy, and Leroy Miles. Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal
Church of Westover Mission in said county to be kept and maintained as a
place of Divine Worship for the use of the ministry and membership of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
Said property was subject to the Discipline, usage and ministerial
appointments of said church as from time to time authorized and declared
by the general conference and the annual conference within who's bounds
the said boundaries are situated.
The property is bounded on the North side of the county road leading from
William Rouark's Flower Mill to Westover Station and is bounded as follows:
Beginning at a post corner of Rouark's Road N22°-30°, East and running to
the East to Dr. Barton's line, thence with said line N12°-30° West 15 1/2 to
a post thence South 81° W 4 3/8 to the Rouark's line. Thence with said line
to the place of the beginning contains 1/2 acres of land. By affirming her
mark Mary Maddox agreed to execute other such deeds to the afore
mentioned Trustees as may be necessary to convey the above premises for
the purpose herein named.
The above mentioned was recorded on the 23 day of January 1886 as a part
of the permanent records of Somerset county and was sealed by then clerk
of court, H. Filmore Landford.
The church records show that in 1905 exhorters were George Williams,
Nelson Dorsey, and Henry Wilson. Class leaders were Noah & George
Collins, Samuel Collins, Ander Nelson Dorsey, William Jones and Clarence
Hitch.
Offerings during the early years were from $2.77 to $28.77 in 1955. Other
documentations show membership to include David Collins, local preacher
and his wife Pearl, Julia Handy and her daughter, Dorothy DeShields, Rosa
Maddox, Effie Marshall, Ella Handy, Frances Howard, and Joseph and Lousie
Collins.
Our past pastors have been Reverends Howard Barkley, Isaac White,
Nathaniel Dennis, Charles Cannon, Clarence Handy, Ernest Johnson, Joseph
Henry, Frederick Wallace, Elaine Ayers and Aaron Neal.
St. James was part of two-point charge and later became a four-point charge
with St. Mark, John Wesley and Flower Hill UMC. As of July 1, 1998, St.
James has become a full time station church with Rev. Carroll Fields, our
present pastor.
The church has gone through some renovations through the years a
fellowship hall was added under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Handy.
Expansion of the sanctuary, classrooms and a new parsonage was built
under Rev. Henry's leadership.
Since September 1999, under the leadership of Pastor Carroll Fields, the
Building Committee has been working diligently to plan, pray and work the
vision for the building of a new church edifice and renovating the present
sanctuary to a proposed child development center/fellowship hall. On
November 2002, groundbreaking began for the new church and with a
proposed date of completion of about a year.
St. James Church family remain in the present sanctuary while construction
is proceeding. God's presence, power and grace continues to dwell with us,
as He has for over 116 years.
With God's help and our forefathers we have come this far by faith. We have
attained more than 100 years of worship, love and fellowship.
And so we look forward to many more years of service to God and to this
community...thanks be to God.
