PLANTING UNITED METHODIST ROOTS IN MINNESOTA, 1837-2018; summarizing attempts, successes, and outcomes Thelma Ballinger Boeder, compiler The compiler began this research project during the 27 years she served as archivist for the Minnesota Annual Conference, completing it in retirement while serving as conference historian. Introduction I attempt in this compilation to identify the classes, preaching points, and congregations of the United Methodist Church and its antecedents in Minnesota (see second bullet point below). In most instances, there is more to know than what is documented in each entry. The Minnesota Conference Archives, 122 W. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, MN (see www.minnesotaumc.org) holds primary sources such as conference journals (record of each annual conference session), local church files, records of discontinued congregations, and conference histories, all of which were used in my research. Particular titles cited, with page numbers (excepting Wegweiser.., which is not paginated), in the entries include: History of Methodism in Minnesota/Chauncey Hobart/Red Wing, MN: Red Wing Printing, 1887; History of the Minnesota Conference of the Evangelical Association, 1856 to 1922/Albert H. Utzinger/Cleveland: Evangelical Press1923? (summarizes in English journals for those years); A Short History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in Minnesota, 1854-1951/Richard Gist/seminary project at United Theological Seminary, Dayton/1968; Wegweiser der Nördlichen Deutschen Konferenz der Bischöflichen Methodistenkirche/W. H. Miller, compiler/Faribault, MN: Hanson Books/1903; Guds Lilla Skara; the Story of Swedish Methodism in Minnesota/Carl H. Linden/Minneapolis: Commission on Archives and History, Minnesota Annual Conference, United Methodist Church, 1983. Twin City Methodism; a history of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Minneapolis and St. Paul/J. Wesley Hill/Minneapolis: Price Bros./1895 was also useful. In addition, I reviewed Minnesota county histories held by the Minnesota Historical Society (some also online) and online sources as needed, such as city directories, cemetery locations, and more. I accomplished much but do not doubt there is more to be found! Further important points: Double asterisks (**) preceding an entry indicate a discontinued class/preaching point/congregation. In Minnesota, United Methodist antecedent bodies include: Methodist Episcopal Church; Methodist Church; Evangelical Association of North America; United Evangelical Church; Evangelical Church; Church of the United Brethren in Christ; and Evangelical United Brethren Church. The earliest Methodist work in Minnesota began in 1837. The Evangelical Association in the state dates from 1856 and the United Brethren from 1857. Minnesota Territory was organized in 1849 and was admitted to statehood in 1858. All entries include a denominational name to identify background but not all entries evolved into organized congregations. The denomination stated simply clarifies the connection. Most congregations spoke English and that is assumed unless otherwise indicated. When more than one language is used at the same location, all will be named. Congregations might carry the name of a town but may have been or are in the country near that community. This is especially true in the early years. Street locations, when found, are included only for the largest cities, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth, all of which have many entries. Entries for congregations that still exist frequently are quite limited, since further information is readily available from the church or conference sources. Minnesota Place Names/Warren Upham/3rd ed., 2001 was an essential tool in finding obscure locations and early names, supplemented with the Minnesota Atlas and Gazetteer. Locations are identified as cities no matter the size if named as such by the League of Minnesota Cities. Circuits that continued into the 20th century are listed without precise end dates. The large missions and circuits of the 19th century evolved into smaller charges by the mid-20th century, along with evolution in terminology. End dates are not always clear. **Ackerman Church of the United Brethren in Christ, c.1916-191? Ackerman was named on the Parker’s Prairie Mission by the United Brethren Boundaries Committee in 1916, presumably an appointment on the mission that probably met in a home or school, hence the name. We know nothing further of this class/preaching point. We do not know the location of Ackerman. **Acoma Zion Evangelical Church, 1859-1933 The Zion congregation of the Evangelical Association at Acoma began with preaching in a school in 1859. They built their first church in 1870. In 1933, they merged with the Bethlehem Evangelical Church in Hutchinson. [See also Hutchinson Bethlehem United Methodist Church.] Acoma is a township in McLeod County. **Ada Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church, 187?-1924 The Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church began as a German-speaking congregation, the work beginning in the Ada area as early as 1862 according to Hobart’s history, p. 338. The society elected its first trustees in 1880. In 1922, the Ebenezer congregation began worshipping with Ada’s English-speaking Methodists before the two congregations merged in 1924. The German church property was sold. [See also Ada Faith United Church.] Ada is a city in Norman County. Ada Faith United Church, 1881- ongoing The United Methodist branch of this congregation began as an English- speaking Methodist Episcopal society possibly as early as 1878. It appears in the conference appointment list for the first time in 1881. The presiding elder reported in 1882 that Ada’s first building was nearing completion. The congregation celebrated its centennial in 1982, presumably basing the date on the building of their first church. The congregation merged with the Ebenezer German Methodist Episcopal Church in Ada in 1924. As Faith United Methodist Church, the congregation merged with the Congregational Church in Ada in 1970, retaining connections to both denominations, the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ [Congregational]. [See also Ada Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church.] Ada is a city in Norman County. **Ada Norwegian Methodist Episcopal Church, 188?-189? The Norwegian-speaking Methodist congregation in Ada appears for the first time in the appointment list in 1886 and again in 1887, but never in subsequent years. However, the 1918 History of Clay and Norman Counties Minnesota, p. 379, offers another clue noting that the Halstad congregation organized February 7, 1889, as the “Halstad and Ada Methodist Episcopal church of the Norwegian and Danish Conference,” indicating that these two congregations were linked as a charge served by the same pastor for a time. How long the Ada congregation persisted is an unanswered question. Ada is city in Norman County. **Adams Church of the United Brethren in Christ, c.1890-189? This may be one of the many attempts by the United Brethren to develop a congregation from a class meeting in a home or school bearing the name of particular family. The town of Adams in southeast Minnesota is distant from the area related to the only reference found, that in the 1891 conference journal saying that Adams was moved from the Vernon to the Pleasant Prairie circuit in south central Minnesota. We do not know the location of this Adams. **Adams Methodist Episcopal Church, 1857?-1889? The only reference found for English-speaking Methodist work in Adams is from a 1960 history of the Brownsdale United Methodist Church, which says Adams was a part of the charge from early days of 1857 to 1889. Adams is a city in Mower County. **Adams Norwegian Methodist Episcopal Church, 188?-188? The Norwegian-speaking Methodist class/preaching point at Adams is listed in the conference appointments for just one year, 1880-1881. Most likely it did not evolve into an established congregation. Possibly it was a preaching point connected to the more successful church at Grand Meadow. Adams is a city in Mower County. **Adelaide Methodist Episcopal Church, c.1895-c.1903 Adelaide first appears in the Methodist appointments in 1895, on a charge with Clinton and Custer. It is not named in the appointments from 1900 and 1901, but reappears for the last time, with Chokio, in 1902. Adelaide was a village and country post office 1879-1906, Section 12, Otrey Township, Big Stone County. **Adelaide United Evangelical Church, 1906-192? The United Evangelical congregation in Adelaide was never listed in the conference appointments, but its existence is noted in several places in journals beginning in 1906 when the presiding elder says Adelaide was a schoolhouse appointment on a charge with Clinton. In 1907, we learn that Adelaide is seven miles southeast of the Clinton church, which is five miles east of the town of Clinton. In later years, we learn that Adelaide is moved from one charge to another, with the last reference in 1922 when it was placed with Odessa. Adelaide was a village and country post office 1879-1906, Section 12, Otrey Township, Big Stone County. **Adrian Church of the United Brethren in Christ, 1878-188? We have but one reference to United Brethren work at Adrian, placed on the newly formed St. James Mission in 1878 by the Boundaries Committee. Possibly this class/preaching point/congregation lasted a few years, maybe until the mission discontinued in 1883. This Adrian is a township in the northwest corner of Watonwan County. Adrian United Methodist Church, 1877-ongoing Preaching in the Adrian area began in 1876 or 1877, resulting in a class being organized in 1877, meeting in a school. This congregation chose to join the Methodist Episcopal denomination in 1878 and was placed on the Luverne Circuit. They purchased lots for a building in 1884; the presiding elder reported the church was dedicated in 1886. Adrian is a city in Nobles County. **Afton Methodist Church, 1880-1967 This Swedish-speaking Methodist Episcopal Church began when a group of members of the Mound Prairie church left in 1880 to start a congregation in Afton.