Coolville United Methodist Charge

Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors
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Coolville United Methodist Church History

The Coolville United Methodist Church was founded in 1830, as the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was originally in Marietta District, now it is in the Foothills District of the West Ohio Annual conference. By 1883, it was one of five churches on the Coolville Circuit with Bethel, Hockingport, Torch, and Little Hocking.

The first building was erected in 1830, the second in 1855, on the site reserved for churches by the Cooleys in their 1818 plat of Coolville. When fire destroyed the second building, another was erected in 1858, at a cost of $2000.00. The History of the Hocking Valley (1883) lists the church enrollment as 50, the Sunday School as 130.  The Pastor was the Rev Joseph H. McCuskey.

In 1906-08, the church was remodeled. The pastor, Rev. J.H. Frank Parkins, who was a carpenter, built the pulpit and altar rail. Henry H. Parrish built the pews. (All are still in use and recently refinished.) Beautiful stained glass windows in the church were bought from the Methodist Church in Athens. The "Epworth League" room, entrance and bell tower were added. A large stained glass window has the names of the donors inscribed as follows: S.M. Cooley, Herman Cooley, Abigail Cooley, Mr. & Mrs. A. C. Wedge, Caroline Shanks, A.S. Tidd, J.L. White, C.G. Dinsmore, Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Aiken, and Eva Davis McBride 1906.

A list of our dedicated ministers include: Cummings (1862), Baker (1863), Stiver, Horlocker, Spahr, Kelly (1864), Gibbons (1880), Joseph H. McCuskey (1883), Patterson, J. H. Frank Parkins, Boso, Humes (1915), Moyer, Powell, Such, Dye (1924), Hoover, Williams, Runnels, Thompson (1830), Derrick (1934), Lockwood (1939), E. B. Deam (1940), Clarke (1941), Dennis (1942), C. E. Radcliff, O. C. Lockwood (1952), Aaron Cunningham (1954), Black, Hugus, Harley Fiddler (1959), Weaver (1962), Eldon Boggs (1964), Earl Russel (1966), Roy Rose, John Hara, Wendell Vermillion (1963), Wesley Thatcher (1976), Tim Snyder (1978), Gary Peck (1980), Eric Starr (1982), Jeff Burdsall (1986), Harold Alloway-Priddy (1990), Helen Kline (1992), Philip Bell (2002), Katherine Riley (2008).

Worship Service is at 9:00 A.M., Sunday School is at 10:15 A.M.
On the Parish today are Coolville and Hockingport.