The Methodists

#22 Faith – The Methodists

In our previous posts covering Faith, we’ve seen how the Calvinist George Drum worked with his community to establish a “German Reformed Church”. We saw how members of the Drum family, including me, interacted with that church over the years.

However, not all of “us” remained “German Reformed”.

We may never know why, but some of the Drums of Drums began to follow the Methodist teachings. One can only imagine the reasons why this happened and how it was received by the elder Drums at the time. The record appears to show that the break might not have been harmonious. When the first Methodist instructions were heard in Drums in 1833, the feeling of the Reformed and Lutheran congregations in Hughesville (St. Johns) was “no Methodist need apply”![1] Looked upon with suspicion, to be a Methodist in the 1830’s had its discomforts and drawbacks!

Since no building was in place for Methodist services, followers of this faith held their services in the Drums schoolhouse just south of Drums Corner. Even that was controversial! Some community members suggested, “if the Methodists git in here once, the devil can’t git ‘em out!” In fact, after only a few services held there by the Methodist Missionary, Rev. Joseph Lee, school trustees held a meeting and announced they felt that it was “prejudicial to the cause of the Redeemer’s Kingdom here on Earth, and to the morals of this community, and against the wishes of the people to allow Methodist preaching in the school-house, and more especially so in the evening.” [2]

This is Drums Village as it appears on the 1873 Atlas map.
In the lower right corner appears the Union Church.
By 1874, the church was across the street
about where the “H” is printed on this map.
The home marked “A. Straw” was originally the
Hooven home. Smith’s barn was part of the
property marked “C. Straw” on this map

One of the men attending the meeting, a Presbyterian named James Gilmore, then told the gathering that his house was not controlled by the school trustees and that the Rev. Lee and his followers would be welcome there. So, the Methodists met in Mr. Gilmore’s home. They also met in Henry Hooven’s home and even in William Smith’s barn a few times, until, in union with the Presbyterians, they built a house of worship in 1840.[3]

Apparently, the idea was that the new church would be open to any and all denominations. The deed, dated Dec. 16, 1841, declared it was to be “a church to preach the Gospel (but to be an English Church) and the English appointments to have preference in all cases.”[4] Seems this was the Methodists’ response to “no Methodist need apply”! To their credit, they did not say, “no German speakers need apply”!

The 1840-41 Union Church was wood, 32’ by 41’, built by John Strunk. Money was raised by member contributions and through subscription. James Gilmore’s share, as apportioned and billed by Strunk, was $19.99 which paid for 11 sills and 24 joists of various thicknesses and lengths.[5]

The question that remains, specific to this family, is why did some Drums not only move away from the church of which George was so heavily involved in helping to start, but even the faith system of the German Reformed community? Although the true answer is covered by the dusts of time, it may just have been as simple a matter as proximity. The Drums who switched to the Methodist faith appear to have resided in the vicinity of the new church building located near Drums Corner.

Thus, without further documentation to alter this conclusion, it appears that Abraham’s sons Josiah and Stephan  just started to attend Methodist services instead of going all the way over to Hughesville (St. Johns). Likewise, for Philip II’s sons Nathan S. and Edward. However, Philip II’s son John, who lived further away from the Methodist Church, appears to have continued making the trip north to the German Reformed Church in Hughesville (St. Johns).

Same map as above except I’ve indicated, in red, the
road as it runs today and “moved” the church
across the street to its present location.
The cemetery is now located
where the original church once stood.

As usual, it is harder to track which of the female members of the family remained German Reformed or switched to Methodist. They are lost to us in the timeline as soon as they get married and/or move away. Of course, some switched to the faith system of their new husbands if the husband was not of the Reformed faith.

With use and time, the Union Church building that was new in 1840 had by 1870 grown beyond repair. The committee that made this decision in 1871 consisted of Rev. N.W. Colburn, Cyrus Straw, A. P. Goedecke, Andrew Straw, and Stephen Drum^{(Abraham, George, Jacob, Philip)}. So, a new building was built on what was then known as the “School-House Lot” adjacent to where the old structure had stood.

Abraham Drum had given this land to Butler Township School District in 1856 for a school to be placed there. The School District decided to move this school building in 1870 to a location a bit further south on the Old Turnpike Road. The land given by Abraham was then returned to the Drum family. Since, Abraham died in 1862, the land was deeded to Abraham’s son, George. In 1873, George gave “the school lot”, and an additional lot nearby, to the trustees of the Butler Methodist Episcopal Church for their use in building a church and construction began. The building, itself, was built by Andrew Straw, assisted by Carpenters John Reich and Edward James Drum^{(Philip, George, Jacob, Philip)} [6] for a cost of $7,500[7]. It was dedicated June 12, 1874. The small group of Presbyterians who were still worshiping in the Union Church at that time assisted with the building of the new structure and most transferred their membership to the Methodist congregation.[8]

This building, too, is a wood structure. It measures 34’ by 56’. Immediately upon entering the building it is apparent this is a special structure. One doesn't just enter into the Nave. To get there, one must climb a staircase; your choice of either the left or the right one; up to the second floor. There you will find the main chapel, consisting of a Nave and Sanctuary. A social room and kitchen is located on the first, or ground, floor. According to the booklet, Drums Methodist Church, the original building also had a basement which served as a Sunday school classroom and mechanical area. This basement area was expanded in 1948, according to the booklet, to provide additional space for recreation and worship. At that time, the original furnace was removed and replaced with a newer heating system. In 1952, largely through the efforts of Rev. Charles Pope, the Methodist pastor at that time, a Minshall Esty Electric Organ was installed in the Sanctuary.[9]

As part of the work of the church, a Sunday School was established in 1844 and continued at least through 1953. The first Board President was Isaac Drum^{(Jacob, George, Jacob, Philip)}. In 1880, Nathan S. Drum^{(Philip, George, Jacob, Philip)} served as President and as one of the Superintendents. In the Drums Methodist Church Notes Nora says that also serving as Superintendents at the time were Cyrus Straw and Philip Drum.[10]

Superintendent Philip Drum offers us a bit of a confusion.  I think there are only two candidates eligible to be the Philip that Nora mentions in the Drums Methodist Church booklet as being a Superintendent; John's son, Philip Alonzo, and Nathan S. Drum's son, Philip Leo Drum. Philip Leo would be nine years old in 1880. Alonzo would be 27. It seems unlikely that a nine-year-old would be serving in such a capacity, even if his father was President, so, therefore, I settled on Alonzo as the Philip that Nora suggests was a Methodist Sunday School Superintendent in 1880. However, Alonzo, who died in 1883, is buried in the German Reformed cemetery in St. Johns. I suppose it is possible he served the Methodist Sunday School but worshiped in the German Reformed Church or, perhaps, was Methodist but preferred to be buried in St. Johns. Either answer, to me, seems odd.

Nathan S. Drum’s daughters, Nora and Lottie, were the last Drums, to be members of the Drums Methodist Church. Nora was 78 when she died in 1954 and Lottie died in 1959 at age 80.

The photo to the left is of Memorial Day services held in the Methodist Cemetery, aka Drums Community Cemetery, in 1969. The stone marked "Drum" marks the location in the cemetery of the graves of Nathan, his wife, Elizabeth Hess Drum, and four of their five children: Elmer (died at age 4), Carrie, Nora, and Lottie.

Philip L. Drum
1871-1960

The fifth, and oldest, child was Philip Leo Drum. He was a prominent lawyer and practiced in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Helman[11] tells us he was an alumnus of Lafayette College as well as the University of Pennsylvania. He served in the Pennsylvania legislature 1901-1902. This photo of him was "lifted" from the Pennsylvania Legislature's website so I assume it was taken about 1901. When Helman published her Drum Genealogy in 1927, Philip was residing with his wife, Vida [12] Bowman Drum in Kingston, PA. In 1940 he published a book entitled "Procedure of the Law of Viewers in Pennsylvania".

On February 3, 1959, he wrote a short letter to Ella Drum to offer his condolences concerning her husband's (Elmer), passing. The return address on the letter is 415 Warren Ave., Kingston, PA. In it he wrote,

Mrs. Elmer Drum, Drums, PA

Dear Ella,
Although we never became much acquainted, I am going to address you as if I had known you always as "Ella".

I learned of Elmer's death from my sister, Lottie, and in your bereavement extend my sincere sympathy to you and your family.

Several weeks ago I thought of writing to Elmer to make some inquiry about your family but I have not been well and did not get it done.

Lottie sent me a clipping from the Hazleton paper. Our own paper did not have even the notice.

If my memory serves me right, the last time I saw Elmer was at my sister Nora's funeral.

With all good wishes, I am 
sincerely yours,
Philip L. Drum

Helman tells us that Nora was a graduate of "Bloomsburg Normal" and Elizabeth - Philip and Vida's daughter - was attending classes at Syracuse University when the genealogy was published in 1927.

The back of the marker in the Drums Methodist Cemetery includes the engraving:
Honorable Philip L. Drum
1871 - 1960
Beloved public servant to all
Husband of Vida Bowman  1870 - 1964

I am uncertain if Philip and/or Vida are actually buried in the cemetery or if this is just a notation concerning them and they are buried elsewhere, perhaps in Kingston. The other individuals included on the face of this marker have a stone of their own situated around this central marker, but I was not able to locate one for either Philip or Vida.

Philip was just three years old when the church building that became known as the Drums Methodist Church was dedicated. His sister, Carrie, was born the year the building was dedicated. Nora was born two years after the dedication and Lottie was born five years after the building was dedicated. That building, now 145 years old and counting, is the home of a congregation that is celebrating it's 186th anniversary in 2019.

In our next post scheduled for April 22, 2019, we will go inside this building, climb the stairs, and see the church that helped raise Philip, Carrie, Nora, and Lottie in A Visit to St. Paul's United Methodist Church. Come with us on our visit!

 The Drums Methodist Church as it looked in 1900. The steeple had been struck

by lightning and was being repaired when this photo was taken. The photo appears

in the booklet Nora Drum helped write called Drums Methodist Church and Valley Notes.

Drum, Nora, Miss; Mrs. R. S. Small, and Mrs. Millard Shelhamer, Drums Methodist Church and Valley Notes

(Drums, PA: St. Paul’s Methodist Church, 1953)

St. Paul's United Methodist Church

Drums, PA

July 29, 2018

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[1] Munsell on Butler Township, 1880, History of Freeland, PA, https://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/ct0u/munsell_butler.html accessed 8/11/2016

[2] Munsell

[3] Munsell

[4] Drum, Nora, Miss; Mrs. R. S. Small, and Mrs. Millard Shelhamer, Drums Methodist Church and Valley Notes (Drums, PA: St. Paul’s Methodist Church, 1953)

[5] Munsell

[6] Drum, Nora

[7] Munsell

[8] Drum, Nora

[9] Drum, Nora

[10] Drum, Nora
[11] Helman, Laura M., History and Genealogy of the Drum Family (Allentown, PA: Berkemeyer, Keck & Co., 1927), pp 12 & 13.
[12] Helman uses the spelling "Veda". See page 13 of her book. However, the Drum Marker in the Drums Methodist Cemetery shows her name spelled: Vida".