Regional History Center Regional Collections United Methodist Church of ... Finding AidTitle: United Methodist Church of Batavia Records, 1844-2011
ID: RHC/RC/160
Extent: 3.5 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 03/29/1983
Subjects: Batavia (Ill.), First Methodist Episcopal Church (Batavia, Ill.), Methodists, Rock River Conference, Swedish Americans, Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church, Batavia, United Methodist Church, Batavia
Languages: English
The records for the United Methodist Church of Batavia concern the operation of the church in Batavia. Most of the documents in this collection date before 1950. Coverage, in most series, is incomplete. No other historical records are believed to exist. The first two folders of the collection contain written histories of the church and researcher’s notes.
The Quarterly Conference and Minutes series is the largest and most complete series in the collection. Quarterly Conference Reports span the years 1844-1972, with few or no reports for the 1870’s, 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940's. The reports from before 1920 include minutes of the proceedings of the Rock River Conference. Reports dated after 1949 consist of annual reviews of activities for committees and social groups in the Batavia congregation. These annual reviews were presented in a report given at the conference.
The following materials from series I and all material from series II are on permanent loan to the United Methodist Church of Batavia. Minutes of the Official Board of Trustees include correspondence about business handled by the trustees. The minutes span the years 1857-1976, with incomplete coverage for the 1970’s. Minutes for the Official Board of Trustees from 1972 until the present remain with church officials. Series II contains the Real Estate and Furnishings series the building fund information contains deeds, as well as money-raising information. The bills and receipts found in this part of the collection are for upkeep and furnishing of the church and parsonage. Note that the real estate taxes are arranged according to lot description and purpose of tax.
Series III contains Membership Records are all contained in bound volumes. The volumes overlap in the years covered. They contain records of baptisms, marriages and deaths among members of the congregation.
Series IV contains most of the Financial Records pre-date 1950. Payments made by individuals to the church are recorded in the first three volumes of this series. Pew rentals can be found in the Slip Book. Wills of deceased members who left money to the church are included in this series.
Series V consists of the Sunday School Board minutes are included in the Secretary’s Record. The Church Library Lending Book is included in this series because the books were lent to Sunday School teachers and students. In 1940, the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society merged with the Ladies’ Aid Society to form the Women’s Society for Christian Endeavor. This series contains records of all three organizations.
Series VI is the Printed Material, Clippings and Photos, while Series VII contains the Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church records. The Weekly Bulletins span the years 1938-1972 but do not include bulletins for the 1960’s. Special Interest Bulletins cover such subjects as Mother’s Day and church history. Other sources of church news are The Batavian Methodist and From the Tower publications. Among the photos are pictures of the church and a photo of the French church the Batavian structure was modeled after.
The first regular services of the church were held in 1835 at the home of Mr. William Van Nortwick. It was known, then, as the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Batavia. A limestone church building was constructed on the corner of First and Lincoln Streets in 1852. This building housed the congregation until 1887 when the present church was built. The current building was given to the church by Mr. E.H. Gammon and Mr. D.C. Newton. They had the $25,000 French Romanesque structure built upon the design of a church they had seen while visiting France.
A building fund for the parsonage was begun in 1903, and a lot and building were purchased in 1905. The parsonage was damaged by fire in 1925 but another building fund soon raised the money necessary to complete repairs.
The Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church began regular services in 1871. In 1875, Mr. Joel McKee donated to the church a lot on McKee Street in Batavia. After constructing a building on this site, the church became alternatively known as the McKee Street Church.
In 1971, upon the 100th anniversary of the Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church and the 135th anniversary of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, the two churches merged to become the present United Methodist Church of Batavia.
Batavia (Ill.)
First Methodist Episcopal Church (Batavia, Ill.)
Methodists
Rock River Conference
Swedish Americans
Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church, Batavia
United Methodist Church, Batavia
Repository: Northern Illinois University
Access Restrictions: There are no restrictions on access to the collection.
Use Restrictions: Property rights in the collection are held by the United Methodist Church of Batavia; literary rights are dedicated to the public.
Acquisition Source: Mr. Don Freyer for the Board of Trustees
Acquisition Method: Mr. Don Freyer for the Board of Trustees deposited the United Methodist Church of Batavia records in the Northern Illinois Regional History Center on March 29, 1983. Additional materials were added at a later date.
