RICHARDSVILLE CHARGE, METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Source History of Jefferson County 1888 pages 274-275
Richardsville charge is composed of three societies numbering two hundred members, and contains three church buildings valued at four thousand dollars. This charge was formerly known as the Warsaw charge. It was organized in 1857, when the services were held in private houses. In 1855 the first church was erected at Mayville, in East Warsaw. Rev. Josiah Flowers was then presiding elder; Rev. Thomas Graham preached the dedication sermon. Among the first members of the church at Mayville were Philo Bowdish and wife, G. Frederick and wife, Eli Irwin and wife, P. Crossley and wife, Jacob Raught and wife, and Peter Chamberlain and wife.
The parsonage of the charge is located at Mayvifle, and cost eight hundred dollars. The church was repaired in 1877.
The second church built on this charge is the Zion church, erected at Shoffner's Corners in Polk township, in 1863, and repaired in 1886. When Zion congregation was first organized, in 1848 or 1849, there were only these seven members: Philip Hetrick, Jacob McFadden and John Dixon, with their wives, and Mother Black. The first sermon preached in Polk township was by Rev. Boyle, in what is now the kitchen of Mr. John Dixon's house, May, 1847.
In those days the prayer meetings were held from house to house, until a log school-house was built. After the class was organized the next additions to the membership were Amos T. Reigle and wife, O. Davis and wife, and Fulton and John Schoffner. The first quarterly meeting was held on the 13th of December, '857, by Josiah Flowers, presiding elder, at the house of Philip Hetrick, who was the first class leader. He was succeeded by A. T. Reigle, and then Fulton Schoffner was leader for a number of years, who was followed by John Schoffner, who has held the office for about seventeen years. Rev. I. C. T. McClelland was the first preachen The church, which was built during the trying days of the war, is located on the farm of Shannon McFadden, then the property of his father Jacob McFadden. It was built by Thomas Craven, each member of the congregation paying all that his means would allow toward its erection. The Zion class now numbers fifty members.
The church at Richardsville was built in West Warsaw in 1872, while J.M. Zeile was preacher in charge. Nelson Riggs, A. Bartlett, Isaac Carrier, Lyman J. Boyington with their wives, and Mrs. Corbin, were among the first members at Richardsville.
Among the first preachers who have served this charge were Reverends McClelland, Reeser, Moore, Dunmire, Starrett, McElhatten, Bashline, followed by Clover, Taylor, Groves, Zeile, Peete, Jones, Neff, Barton and Sibley.
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