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METHODIST CHURCH 
     About the time that Omro population was increasing in 1855 the 
Methodists organized. Ethel Bishop supplies its history-- 
                      0T0 CTHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 
                            by M'rs. Ethel Bishop 
     Although all that remains of   that white clapboarded M.E. 
church on W. Division Streest across from the new Red Brick School 
are assorted doves that once inrhabited this square shuttered belfry, 
they flew across the street to a new abode in the Middle School 
arched belfry.   It was in 1927 that this church dedicated to God's 
work faced such financial difficulties and decreased membership that 
they reluctantly closed their doors. 
     After Maethodism was formally organized in 1784 in our country, 
more preachers moved into our savage wilderness. Devout Circuit 
Riders, preachers on horseback with saddle bags containing Bible, 
Books, clothing and food kept moving farther west to recruit new 
sawmill towns. 
     One of these, Elder Theodore Pillsbury, in 1846 came to this 
Fox river valley where he decided tfolo-p--d-own roots in this section 
of Butte des Morts. As soon as he had built a log house in a north 
corner of the large tract of land which he purchased, he held wor- 
ship services and evening prayer meetings in his cabin (His name 
is the second name on my property abstract dated 1847). The follow- 
ing year after Mil    . us~3.1 had   built his large frame farm 
house south of our Cemetery, he asked Elder Pillsbury to conduct 
Methodist services in his home for his neighbor farm families which 
included the Gilman Lowds. Also met in an old building on or near th6 site
of Ben Barnard house. 
     With increased interest the Elder organized a Miethodist Society! 
and sought subscriptions to build a small church on land which he       
 a /   
gave on the south corner of Pearl and Lincoln (now E. Huron and         
  ( 
Jackson) one block from the park. An early map of Omro shows this 
small church.   Later in 1855 this Society voted to erect a larger 
church to accomodate their growing membership. The site they chose 
was the location of a Christian Church according to this early 
Omro map.   (As we found no information regarding this early church 
we concluded that it burned down.) The members started to build 
in 1855,   stoned up a basement wall foundation and covered this 
with rough flooring. But with growing civil unrest over slavery, 
the declaration of war between our states all further construction 
was delayed. Members held services across the street in the Red 
Brick School until after the war. The church sanctuary with its 
stained glass memorial windows and shuttered square belfry was 
eventually completed, perhaps a cornerstone laid. F~rom an old 
Omro Herald dated 1897 we learn that the Rev. Mr._FrankSherwin 
was then pastor who held worship services and Sabbath School on 
Sunday mornings, Junior League at 3:F.hi., Epsworth League at 6:30 
P.M. and Evening Services at 7:30 P.11i. 
     Hlow different were those Sundays when most parents heeded 
biblical admonitions to keep the Sabbath day holy; when weekly 
prayer meetings were attended by the families; when children were 
willing to walk several miles to attend Sabbath school class; when 
daily devotions and grace before meals became a part of family 
worship; and families drove their team of horses with bobsleigh