Amanuensis Monday - History of Church at Mayfield - Part One - Worship in the Community Chapter

Part One, P. 99 - Mayfield: Then & Now, compiled and written by Elaine Clark & Sherry Kline,  Copyright 2003

Chapter: Worship in the Community, Compiled & written by Elaine Clark

The following was compiled from a newspaper article

Methodist ChurchHistory of Church at Mayfield was Read on SundayWellington Daily NewsOctober 11, 1934

The history of the Methodist Church at Mayfield, followed by the history of the Federated Church, which is the one now used, was read at the Homecoming service last Sunday.

The Mayfield Methodist church was organized in 1879 by O. G. Wilbur, a local preacher living in the community, with the following as charter members: Mr. and Mrs. O. G. Wilbur, Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Brass, Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Updegraff, Mr. and Mrs. Amos Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. S V. Walton, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Parker, Mrs. G. L. Hutchinson, Emma Wilbur and Frank Knowles.

The Society met in S. V. Walton’s store, which was located about one mile southeast of the present site of Mayfield.

At that time there was a little town at that place called Belleview, from which the society took its name, and remained so officially until the charter was renewed in 1916, when it was changed to Mayfield.  In the early 1880’s, the town was moved to the present town site, and the name changed to Meringo and later to Mayfield.

The Methodist class then began their worship in the old school house, which is now used for a dwelling. Later they worshiped in the Presbyterian Church, but in a few years they again resumed worship in the school house. On Dec. 29, 1897, the trustees of the Presbyterian Church at Mayfield sold their church building with furniture and fixtures to the Methodists for the sum of $550.  The same building is still being used for the Junior Sunday School.

When the class was first organized it was placed on the Wellington Circuit with Reverend Walker as pastor. A few years later Mayfield was made the head of a charge, but in 1885 it was again paced on the Wellington Circuit and remained so until 1887, when it was placed with Milan.  

This relationship held until 1892, with the exception of 1890, when Mayfield and Silver Creek were placed together to form a charge.  In 1892, Mayfield was made the head of a charge, being served mostly by student pastors from Southwestern College, Winfield, who gave full time service for a while later sharing time with Anson and other points.

In 1908, Mayfield, Milan and Beaver Creek were placed together to form the Milan charge.  This union remained until 1919 when Mayfield was made a resident charge, remaining so until 1922 when it again became a student charge and remained so until the Federation in 1925.  During the years from 1879 until 1925 we were served by 32 different men as pastors many of whom have gone to their reward. 

Amanuensis Monday - Worship in the Community - Mayfield: Then & Now

Mayfield: Then & NowCopyright 2003; Compiled and Written by Elaine Clark and Sherry Kline

Chapter: Worship in the Community, Compiled & written by Elaine Clark, p. 91

In 1879, two years after the formation of Osborn Township, and one year before Mayfield was officially declared a town, two churches were organized. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in the town of Belleview, one mile east of the current site of Mayfield.  On Sept 6 of that same year, folks met in the sod house of Nicholas Burnside for the purpose of taking the beginning steps to organize a United Presbyterian Church southwest of Mayfield.

Because records were either lost or not kept, we only know that A. D. Moore organized The First Presbyterian U. S. A. Church in the town of Mayfield – probably in the early 18880’s, and we know some of the charter members.

In 1882 the Union Christian Church was organized southwest of Mayfield, and in late 1883, a Baptist Church was organized in the town of Mayfield.

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in 1887, and those records are quite complete.  A 1902 church newsletter and a 1934 newspaper article give details about the beginnings of a strong Presbyterian congregation in Mayfield.

At the present time, the only church still active in the community is the Mayfield Federated Church formed by merging the Cumberland Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in 1925.