page last updated February 7, 2000
Religious meetings were held in the lower part of town shortly after Norfolk was settled in 1816, first in homes and later in a chapel on the third floor of Judge Russell Atwater's grist mill.
The Methodists organized on April 19, 1831. The first church was built on Morris Street in 1840 at a cost of $200 for lot and building. The pastor's annual salary was $500. Membership was 26 probationers and 153 full members. Sabbath school had 32 officers and teachers with 205 students. When this building became too small, it was sold to the newly formed Catholic Society in 1867. The present building was constructed in 1868.
Former Pastors
Rev. Montague
1842
Moses Ordway (1st resident pastor)
G B Rowley 1847
A L Smith 1869
- 1871
William Merrifield
1871 - 1873
E E Briggs 1873
- 1876
R E King 1876
- 1878
H W P Allen 1878
- 1880
W H Kanoff 1880
- 1883
C N Higby
1883 - 1886
N E Bush 1886
- 1887
H C Abbott 1887
- 1889
Samuel Short
1889 - 1894
Alfred E Page
1894 - 1897
D L Phelps 1897
- 1898
John Bragg 1898
- 1901
John C Culligan
1901-1904
Charles E Woodley
1904 - 1912
W A Haven 1912
- 1916
F W Dunning
1916 - 1920
M A Bartlett
1920 - 1923
C V Haven
1923 - 1929
David W McVeigh
1929-1935
Lewis McConnell
1935 - 1941
Frank J Brown
1941 - 1948
Murlin W Day
1948 - 1950
Ernest A Droppa
1950 - 1959
Dean P Shaw 1959
- 1963
Charles A Stewart
1963 - 1972
Martin J Ayer
1972 - 1976
Robert DeWalt
1976 - 1980
William L Curtis
1980 - died
Theresa Paufler
1981 - 1982
James M Brand
1983 - 1986
Gregor A Dike
1987 - 1995
page last updated February 7, 2000