Jamestown United Methodist Church

In 1806, when Ohio was a new state, Rev. Moses Trader decided it was high time people were having religious services. He gathered neighbors and began preaching, the first of many "class meetings" that would form the church. In 1809 Charles Mahan became a leader of another little Methodist band. Gideon Spahr also had a small band. All these classes were founded in homes. The Mahan and Spahr bands came together to form the nucleus of the present Jamestown United Methodist Church.

During the early years, the church consisted of classes, then a circuit, and finally a station with a full-time minister. In 1836 these people, "powerful in prayer, effective in testimony, and saintly in life," built a brick 35x45 foot structure with a 12-foot oval steeple. In 1852, the congregation sold its first location and built a frame church in the current location. In 1874, the congregation raised $10,000 to build the current brick structure. The stucture had to be rebuilt two times: once in 1884 for a tornado and the other in 1886 for a lightning strike. The church recently repaired the exterior and redecorated the interior. The church is a steady stream of faithful, spirit-filled people who have given generously and proclaimed the good news of Christ.