Highland Township Churches and Religous Societies

Highland Township Churches

Bethel United Methodist Church

Bethel United Methodist Church


Circa 1900	2003 after new roof and repairs
Contributed by Nettie Watson.

In 1816, Rev. William Knox formed the first Methodist Class and which was the first religous organization of any faith in Highland township. a Hewed-log structure was first constructed for the meeting of this class in 1828 on land donated by Mr. Lot Wortman (Workman). Before the raising of the structure, classes were held in the homes of it's members.

As time went on and the township grew, the original structure was seen as antiquated and inadequate and was replaced by a brick structure in 1830 that measured 35x45. In January of 1854, this structure was destroyed by fire. A immediate need was realized for a new structure and the present building measuring 40x50 was built at the cost of $1,251 by Jacob Y. Honnold. The church trustees at this time who negotiated with Mr. Honnold were Thomas Roberts, Jacob Shively, William Armstrong, Daniel Geyer, Jacob Honnold, James Honnold and Hamiliton Honnold, the latter three being related to the builder.

The Bethel United Methodist church still stands today and although the structure has not been modernized in some time, meaning there is not indoor plumbing, it is in very good condition and serves it's dwindling congregation well.

The first to be buried in the cemetery there was Samuel Honnold, one year old son of Jacob and Abigail Honnold. His gravestone carried the following inscription:

Buried in the lonesome woods
The first grave that was here.
But now look round and see the graves,
To meet your God, prepare.

Some of the early members included:
John and Hannah Bradford John and Sarah Bradford George W. and Rachel Bradford Joseph and Margaret Brading John and Nancy Branford Moses and Mary Decker Samuel and Elizabeth Fell Andrew and Elizabeth Geyer Daniel and Charity Geyer John and Graceille Geyer Joseph and Elizabeth Geyer	J. T. and H. F. Green Frank and Ellen Hagar Peter and Christena Hammond Nimrod and Mary Holland Jacob And Abigail Honnold James and Elizabeth Honnold Samuel and Mary Honnold Jacob and Abigail Houser Isaac and Sarah Lambert William and Margaret Mape Thomas and Alice Roberts	John W. and Nancy B. Sarbaugh John and David Shipman Jacob Shively William and Martha Shively Samuel and Mary Shrigley Issac and Mary Simmons Washington and Sarah Spicer John and Susan Taylor James and Mary Trimble William B. and Lucy Williams Alfred and Harriet Wortman

The Bethel Cemetery is one of two cemeteries in the township and is the older of the two. It was updated some years ago and stones were reset and straightened. During that renovation some of the footstones were lost and some reset but many were not correlated with the original headstones.