S. Amherst Church 150th Anniversary – Sept. 1974

Commuting to Oberlin to get to work means that I take a lot of country roads. Although I don't get to see very much in the morning, I do a little sightseeing on the way home.

Many of these country roads, such as State Route 113, have a lot of very old churches on them, which provides some interest. (That's one thing nice about churches – they don't seem to get torn down too often.)

One of these churches on 113 is the Sandstone Community Church, located a little bit east of Quarry Road. Fifty years ago, the church was the South Amherst First United Methodist Church and was celebrating a major anniversary. The article below, which appeared in the Journal back on September 21, 1974, tells the story.

The article notes, "The first meetings of the South Amherst First United Methodist Church were held in the homes of this town's early settlers, and most often, in the home of Reuben Webb, South Amherst's first settler.

"The year was 1824, a century and a half ago. Next Sunday, members of First United Methodist Church will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the church.

Church cornerstone

"The earliest records of the church show it dates back to 1824, when the first meetings were held. The minister of the congregation was the Rev. Charles Eliot Clerk.

"During the late 1800s and early 1900s, families from England migrated to South Amherst to work in the sandstone quarries. Since many of these people had been "Free Methodists" in their native land, the Methodist Church in South Amherst became their new church home.

"The first church building was erected in 1838. Four years later, another building, on West Main Street, was built. This building was the beginning of the present church site.

"Some of the church's prominent families in the early days were the Durands, the Pettys, the Rices, the Blackmans and the Peabodys, church records show.

"On August 16, 1942, the church held its centennial celebration of the construction of the building. Former ministers reminisced with the congregation throughout the afternoon, the church history reports."

From the August 13, 1942 Lorain Journal