Grace Methodist Episcopal Church

Grace Methodist Episcopal Church was formed for English speaking Methodists in Newport to worship. It is located at 111 East 6th Street in Newport, Kentucky.

In 1806, a small class of Methodists was formed in Newport at the house of Jonathan Huling, the tavern located at the southeast corner of Fourth and Columbia streets. The members were: Dr. Thomas Hinde, Mary Todd Hinde, Patsey Hinde, Ann Winston Hinde Southgate, Maria Lindsey, Clarissa Hulin, Eliza Butler, Susanna Butler, Rachel Ritterhouse, Margaret Martin, Ann R S Martin and Susanna W Martin. Out of this meeting grew the first Methodist Church in Newport. [http://www.rootsweb.com/~kycampbe/thomashinde.htm]

On May 17, 1827 an agreement with William Bryan, was recorded for the erection of a "Methodist Meeting House 30x40 feet constructed of brick, with side walls 11 feet high". The time given for the completion of the building "on or before August next". This became the first Methodist Episcopal Church in Newport, built on the lot where Saint Paul's Episcopal Church now stands, 7 Court Place, opposite the Campbell County Court House. In 1844, the vestry of Saint Paul's Church bought the small brick church building on Court Place for $500.

The Grace M.E. Church was built in 1866, just after the American Civil War. Reverend W.F.T Spuill was Pastor in 1867-1868. [http://www.rootsweb.com/~kycampbe/newportSdir1867.htm] The Women's Foreign Missionary Society was formed in 1880. [http://www.rootsweb.com/~kycampbe/newportchurches.htm]

The church lost its steeple to a tornado on July 7, 1915. [cite news|url=http://www.kypost.com/opinion/pieces020199.html|title='Tornado - take cover!'|author=Jim Reis|first=Jim|last=Reis|work=The Kentucky Post|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|date=1999-02-01|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070311114143/http://www.kypost.com/opinion/pieces020199.html|archivedate=2007-03-11] After another tornado struck the Salem United Methodist Church in 1986, the two churches merged. The church has been closed for the past several years and is not in use. This is one of the few historic churches in Newport still standing and it is one of Newport's Most Endangered Buildings.

Noted members

* [http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3229305&id=I01651 Oliver Wyatt Root] – there is a large stained glass memorial window for him in the church
* [http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3229305&id=I00962 Ira Root]

References

External links

* [http://www.nkyviews.com/campbell/newport116.htm Grace M.E. Church]
* [http://www.churchangel.com/WEBKY/newport.htm Churches Newport]
* [http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ky/campbell/bios/r3000002.txt Ira Root, founding member]
* [http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ky/campbell/bios/r3000002.txt Memorial Day 1910]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~kycampbe/newportmethodist.htm Methodist in Newport]