History of Union Church
On August 22, 1868, James Green sold to the Methodist Church trustees (A.R. Lyons, S.S. Saint, Thomas Cook, Ira Smith, and J.C. Green) one-half acre in Section 13, Madison township for the sum of $10.00. The same day Jacob and Emaline Grover also sold the Methodist Church trustees one-half acre for the sum of $10.00. These tracts are located at the first corner south of the present Union Cemetery.
On this ground was built the first church in Madison township. It was constructed with lumber sawed from native trees. In 1891 the people decided that they needed a new church building and one-half acre was donated October 24, 1891, by Jacob and Emaline Grover to the trustees (J.E. Richey, Horatio Husted, A. Layton, James Hindes, and John Blaheney) of Union Church. The Conference also named Charles Burgus, F. Larkin, and T.W. Day as trustees. The old church was torn down and the new church was erected on the new site. The main carpenters were Mr. Bromit and Anderson Lyons who were assisted by the men of the community.
On March 29, 1893, Jacob and Emaline Grover sold to church trustee A.J. Ronk another one and one-half acres for $27.50 to enlarge the church yard. In 1900 there were three churches in the circuit: Union, Frame and Fremont. J.H. Jonson was the pastor and his salary for the year was $425.00. Frame paid $140.00, Union $150.00 and Fremont $130.00.
Other pastors who served were: E.R. Awbrey, J.C. Leonard, King, Garrett, Robertson, R.J. Tague, Tillotson, Wallace, Butterfield, Harrisfield, Cannon, Cole, Kious,G.E. Nichols, Robert Cannyn, Hugh E. Williams, E.C. Lepper, Harold Adams, Harten, Hopsin, J.D. Stevens, R. Grays, Ray Harness, John Rectenbaugh, and J.A.E. Cunningham.
A basement was put under the church in 1922, for a cost of $600. The church was active for many years, then like so many country churches the attendance gradually decreased and finally the last services were held in1956.
On December 6, 1966, the church building and its contents were sold at auction. The ground became an addition to the Union Cemetery.
Sources: Murray Centennial
Graphics courtesy of: Christian Media