We've created this area to preserve the history of our church so that you can learn about it and so that you can use it as a reference.


Legend: Pastor (P), Associate Pastor (AP), Minister of Visitation (MV), Minister of Outreach (MO), Diaconal Minister of Music and Education (DM).

1888- S.B. Grimes (P)
1888- M.C. Hickman (P)
1889- S. L. Lugg (P)
1890- W. Clark (P)
1892- C.S. Lane (P)
1893- Walter A. Hall (P)
1895- Thomas Austin (P)
1900- C.W. Turner (P)
1905- H.C. Logan (P)
1907- C.F. Bulley (P)
1912- Webster Millar (P)
1913- J.S. Neff (P)
1916- C.E. O'Dell (P)
1919- J.S. Lean (P)
1921- H.S. Witherbee (P)
1929- Paul Lewis (P)
1933- Granville Calhoun (P)
1936- George Lester (P)
1953- Clifford Fritz (P)
1954- T. Edmond White (AP)
1956- Earl E. Allen (P)
1957- Robert L. Smith (AP)
1959- Charles F. King (AP)
1962- Richard H. Jones (AP)
1967- Roger Becker (AP)
1969- Richard W. Miller (P)
1971- Earl Lindsay (P)
1971- David Rogers (AP)
1975- Earl Reichert (MV)
1975- Melvin Simonsen (MV)
1976- Dennis Bade (AP)
1977- Marvin Rowe (P)
1978- Thomas Brown (DM)
1982- Thomas G. Klasen (MV)
1982- Carmen Thronson (MV)
1983- George Palmer (MO)
1983- Hobart K. Sailor (P)
1988- David S. Hinshaw (MO)
1990- Ned L. Hintzman (P)
2002- Cliff George (P)
2003- Dr. Emery Percell (P)
2004- Barry G. Watson (P)
2006- Susan B. Lockman (P)



“Without a history, there is no future” according to Winston Churchill, one of the great historical leaders of our age.

Early pioneers came into the newly opened Northwest Territory during a period of national migration to be freed from anti-Christian bondage, to keep their language and the name of English.  They walked, traveled on horseback or in a covered wagon.  Many came from New England and New York via the Erie Canal to the Great Lakes and by ship to the Port of Milwaukee.  They then traveled on foot or by wagon west to the oak openings and good farm land.  They came during a period of evangelistic fervor and reform initiatives such as temperance, anti-slavery, women’s rights and education.

They came warmed by the spirit of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and Charles Wesley, the theologian and hymnist.  Methodists belonged to a club founded at Oxford University in the mid 18th century.  Methodism stresses personal and social morality with the doctrine Christ died for all, not just the elite.

The Protestant Reformation began when Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses on the door of the church at Wittenburg on the 13th of October 1517 detailing the abuses and indulgences of the Roman Catholic Church.  This was followed by the Wars of Religion in France, culminating in the Edict of Nantes in 1598.  At that time the Protestants were given the status of a tolerated minority permitting them to hold public worship in cities and towns, but not in Episcopal cities (these people were known as Huguenots).

After 1512, the time of the English Reformation and the Act of Supremacy in 1534 when Henry VIII became head of the English Church, John Knox was active as a Scottish religious reformer.  The Gregorian calendar was established in 1572 and adopted by England and the Colonies in 1752.

The Methodist Episcopal Church in America was founded when Thomas Coke, Francis Asbury and 60 preachers gathered in Lovely Lane Chapel in Baltimore, Maryland on Christmas Eve 1784.  The Methodists believed that understanding God came from experience rather than from learning.

Milwaukee County consisted of 36 townships in 1837 when the first Protestant and Methodist service conducted by Mr. Ash was held in the log cabin home of Dr. Enoch chase on the shore of Lake Michigan, just north of West Lincoln Avenue.

By 1838 residents of Milwaukee met to discuss a subscription library under the patronage of the Methodist Church.  A Mr. Hale opened a book store making evangelical literature available from the American Tract Society and the Massachusetts Sabbath School union.  These resources were used by the early pioneers interested in religion and education.

In 1832 at the Indiana Methodist Conference there was a discussion of establishing church related colleges.  In 1884 Amos Lawrence purchased 4,900 acres of land in Appleton and in 1845 he purchased 6,600 more.  He proposed “to establish a college to improve the moral and religious character of the present and future settlers of the region as well as to afford them an opportunity of a literary education.”  Wisconsin Methodists took up an offer from Lawrence and matched the $10,000 he put up and obtained a charter from the Territorial Legislature in January 1847.  The Methodists insisted that the college be coeducational and provide equal educational advantage to women as well as men.  Lawrence became second to Oberlin to provide co-education in the nation.

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Educational Unit
Dedicated December 2, 1923

Notice of Dedication on
December 2, 1923

West Allis Methodist Church
1923 - 1952
Built as "The Educational Unit"



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Ladies - Loyality Class

First Choir 1888
Nelson Nobles
Fannie Clough
Kitty Vandevere
Nellie Hannon
Marian Whittemore
Effie Tower (Witherbee)
John D. Bowes

Choir First Had Robes - 1923
Katherine Schindler, Director
Paul Lewis, Minister


The Women of West Allis Methodist Church operated a food tent at Wis. State Fair, Pre-1913 - 1950

Methodist Men's Club
of West Allis Methodist Church

Youth of the church in the late
1930s or early 1940s
Rev. George Lester



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September 1950
- Construction of Current Church
1959 - Construction of Education Building for Current Church

Corner Stone is Laid
Rev. Lester - Dick Martin

Church with Education Building

Sanctuary Before Current Remodeling


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Lightening struck the roof of the church on Aug. 19, 1969 at 4:00p.m.

The high ladder was over at the Wisconsin State Fair because the storm blew down several tents.

These pictures were taken by Peg Park about 5:30p.m. while only firemen and Ferd were in the church.

Because the faulted ceiling had no divisions the fire spread rapidly and was almost impossible to stop.



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April 24, 1842
Henry Harrington, class leader of the first Methodist class at the Root River School, W. National where it joins W. Oklahoma.
June 5, 1842
William Wallace Johnson begins 29 years as teacher of the Methodist class.
June 5, 1842
William Wallace Johnson begins 29 years as teacher of the Methodist class.
December 1843
Methodists begin to meet at the newly finished Honey Creek log cabin school house at S. 84th and W. National.
April 23, 1849
Early pioneers of varying Protestant backgrounds joined together to meet the needs of the community.  They formed the Honey Creek Cemetery Association with Reuben Strong as president and W. W. Johnson as secretary.
May 29, 1851
The Sunday School Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Greenfield was formed.  It was an auxiliary of the Sunday School Union.  Forming the first public library in the area, the pioneers purchased library books and tracts to be used by the Sunday School Society.  The officers were W. W. Johnson, president; Bigelow Case, vice president; Edwin Johnson, secretary; Antoine Douville, treasurer and Jessie Morse, librarian.  Both the husbands and wives were teachers in addition to Mrs. Gillis and Jane Strong.
1856
Honey Creek Church was attached to the Wauwatosa circuit.
1862-1863 Civil War
Rev. John E. Grant joined the army, withdrew from the church and joined the Bible Christians.
April 5, 1863
The Sunday School Class was re-activated by Rev. Eldridge with the Johnsons, William, Edwin and Milton as officers.  Mrs. Dr. Smith, Harriet Strong, Alice Gillis and Robert and Mary Marlott were teachers.
July 1869
During Brother Lamb’s last year on circuit a subscription was started for the purpose of building a church in Wauwatosa.  Greenfield members who seconded the motion liberally subscribed.
April 1871
The Wauwatosa Church was completed during Rev. J. P. Roe’s term on the circuit.  He kept his appointments in Greenfield until November 1870 when the class was disbanded and members went to Wauwatosa and New Berlin.
1870 – 1889
Although the church services were held in Wauwatosa, Dr. S. D. Comption Smith held Sunday School in his home at South 80th and West National Avenue located just east of the present Neis Co.  A physician in the Civil War, he was also an author and newspaper correspondent.  He was the census taker for the 1870 census.  His wife was Evalina Wheeler, also known in church records as Madame Smith or Mrs. Dr. Smith.  Their children were Richmond and Oliver Hazzard Perry.  Oliver Hazzard Perry married Martha, the daughter of Edwin Johnson, and became a minister.  They built their home at 2054 South 81st.  Richmond’s home was at 1926 South 81st.
June 7, 1888
At the Quarterly Conference of the Wauwatosa Church a building committee was appointed for Greenfield: Rev. S. B. Grimes, W. W. Johnson, John D. Bowes, Abraham Lefeber and O.W. Paine.  This committee was limited to $1,000 over and above the actual subscription for building purposes.
July 11, 1888
Building committee met at Lull’s warehouse and decided to use Plan #20 of the Church Extension Society.
July 15, 1888
Committee met at the railroad station at which time a contract was given to B.R. Clark to build a church according to the plan and specifics of #19A of the Church Extension Society as amended except for seats and the furnace for $1,910.  Mr. Clark gave a bond of $1,000 to Charles Lull to faithfully perform the work and have the church ready for October 15, 1888.
May 19, 1889
The North Greenfield Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated by Rev. H. P. Haylett of Waukesha, Rev. F. A. Pease, Rev. O.H.P. Smith of Medford, Rev. G. Verity of Simpson Chapel, Milwaukee and the Pastor M. C. Kickman.
September 6, 1891
While lighting the lamps on the chandelier, the hook from which it was suspended gave way and it fell to the floor breaking the lamp and spilling the oil.  Flame and smoke caused great damage to the carpet.
September 19, 1891
Report given of money to purchase a lot and build a parsonage to the south of the church.
1895
Women’s Foreign Missionary Society was organized as a young women’s society.  The first members were Marian Whittemore, Fannie Clough, Nellie Harmon, Ida Mc Kowen, Daisy Dana, Effie and Lizzie Tower.  Honorary members were Mmes. Bowes, L.F. Fish, Annie B. Thoburn, A. M. Johnson and Nettie Leland.
1900 Boxer Rebellion in China
Rowena Bird, missionary and sister of Ossian Bird, was killed in the fighting.  Her possessions were returned to West Allis.
September 11, 1900
Rev. H. S. Witherbee and Lizzie Tower were married.  He became minister of the Church in 1921.
1903
The Home Missionary Society was organized by Mrs. Hilbish and the first meeting was held in the home of Madame Smith.  Mrs. O.H.P. Smith was elected president.  Charter members were Mrs. C.W. Turner, Mrs. Day, Mrs. O.F. Bird, Mrs. Christine Radcliffe, Mary Rasmusen, Mrs. Daisy Dana, Mrs. Abraham Lefeber and Lizzie Witherbee.
1906
Rev. H.C. Logan started a Mission Sunday School at the Reed Drug Store at South 72nd and West Greenfield.  The mission, held on the second floor met at 3:00p.m. on Sunday for classes.  Margaret R. Radcliffe Park also taught at the mission with a foods class.
1914
The Methodist Dining Hall at the State Fair was severly damaged in a windstorm while the Epworth League was holding an Epworth League Convention at the church.
1920
First Formal choir under the direction of Mrs. W.L. Hollingsworth with Mrs. Clarence Hubbard as pianist was formed.
December 2, 1923
Dedication of the Sunday School Unit at South 76th and West Lapham at a cost of $35,000 with the capacity for 3000.  Bishop Mitchell conducted the services.
1925
Loyalty Class was started for the older women who could no longer be as active in the Church.
1926
The Ladies Aid was divided into circles.
May 1927
The Friendship Class was organized when Mrs. Alice Shultis was Sunday School Superindendent.  Bertha Ferguson taught the class for 25 years.
October 1, 1930
The choir wore roves for the first time.
January 26, 1933
The First National Bank closed.  All of the organizations signed a waiver that all their assets could be used to offset the church debt.  Instead of paying a custodian, the Ladies took care of the church and the men took care of the lawn.
1934
The Church voted to sponsor a Girl Scout Troop.
March 4, 1934
Dedication of the Pipe Organ.  R.O. West was Chairman of the Board.
May 4, 1941
Dedication of the Baptismal Fond in memory of Abner Morse Johnson, a gift from the children who had saved pennies.
May 1944
Former members of George Scott Methodist Church secured funds from the sale of their church for the building fund.
September 10, 1950
Ground breaking for the new lannon stone church designed by Edward Erdman to seat 550 at a cost of $180,000.  George Klumb was Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
1952
Methodist Men was organized.
June 15, 1952
First Service held in the new church.
September 7, 1953
Consecration of the Church by Bishop H. Clifford Northcott.
1953
Quarterly conference voted to publish a newspaper known as the Methodist Messenger.
March 1955
Wesley Men’s Bible Class sponsored Church Library.
January 1957
Eugene Ransom elected Director of Methodist Student movement in Michigan.
July 27, 1958
Ground breaking for Educational Unit designed by Schutte Phillips and Machon at a cost of $90,000.
March 3, 1958
Parsonage at South 77th and Orchard purchased at a cost of $25,000.
April 19, 1959
Consecration of Christian Education Unit by Rev. Guy R. Nelson, District Superintendent.
October 13, 1960
Methodist Manor consecrated.  Rev. George Palmer, Executive Director.
May 28, 1961
Church hosted East Wisconsin Conference.
September 19, 1964
Constance and Lillian Case organized a 1500 volume library for the Church.

September 20 to October 14, 1964
Diamond Jubilee.

1964 Annuary Report
1664 Full Members
648 Prepatory Members
$90,000 Budget


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