Methodism started out as a movement within the Church of England, or Anglican church… here in America called the Episcopal church, or Protestant Episcopal church… “episcopal” referring to church government by bishops.
*When Methodists started separating into their own churches they called themselves Methodist Episcopals. Church leader John Wesley had opposed the American Revolution, and in the early days of the republic American sneered at anything British, so Methodism didn’t really gain traction in America until after 1800 or so, by which time memories had faded.
*The 1836 state gazetteer lists five Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) churches in Steuben County. But church splits arose during the run-up to the Civil War, and in 1844 a pro-slavery Methodist Episcopal Church, South appeared in the southern states.
*A year earlier, Methodists who wanted the church to take a stronger stance against slavery split off to form the Wesleyan Methodists. The 1860 gazetteer mentions 37 Methodist churches (probably all M.E.), and two Wesleyan Methodists. Even once slavery was abolished the “Wesleyan” branch continued, with five congregations in 1879 and three in 1891. It has evolved into what is now the Wesleyan Church. Houghton College is an affiliated institution.
*The year 1860 brought forth the Free Methodist churches, with three noted in 1879 and two in 1891. This church was “free” because it opposed slavery, but back then many churches, including the main Methodist branch, supported themselves in part by “pew rent” – a sort of assessment on the well-to-do, where you essentially supported the church by paying a set fee, in exchange getting dedicated use of a particular pew. Free Methodists considered this to dismissive of those members who were not so well off, so in their churches all seating was free. There’s a Free Methodist church today in Hornell, and there was one for many years in North Cohocton.
*Appearing in the early 1800s was the African Methodist Episcopal Zion church AMEZ, or A.M.E. Zion), which, as the name indicates, was a denomination specifically for African Americans. Bath had a congregation as far back as 1838 or so, and several pastors there rose to become bishops. The congregation petered out in the early 20th century, but the building is now the Grange hall. (It was originally the site of the “colored” school, which was given to the church once schools were integrated in 1867.) There was also a congregation in Corning.
*(There are several other historically black denominations including Methodist in their names, but I’m not aware of any having operated in Steuben.)
*Back in 1828 a group of Methodists who wanted congregational governance, rather than rule by bishops, formed the Methodist Protestant Church. Arkport’s church was once Methodist Protestant, and is the only one I know of in Steuben.
*In 1939 the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and (most of) the Methodist Protestants re-merged with the main line, creating a new denomination named the Methodist Church. In 1968 a merger with the Evangelical United Brethren created the United Methodist Church, which is the main Methodist body (both locally and nationally) today.
*So a church simply described as Methodist is likely to be Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) until 1939; the Methodist Church from 1929 to 1968; and United Methodist (U.M., or U.M.C.) since then.
*From their earliest history Methodists tried to plant churches in even the smallest communities (Wheeler alone had four at one time), often sharing a single “circuit-riding” pastor. Steuben County references show 37 Methodist churches in 1860, plus two Wesleyan Methodist; 42 in 1879, plus five Wesleyan Methodist and three Free Methodist; and 43 in 1891, plus the five Wesleyan and back down to two Free Methodist congregations. In both of the latter years Methodists had as many churches as the next two highest groups (Baptist and Presbyterian) combined.
*In some cases (Harrisburg Hollow) the churches in small communities have disappeared. In some cases they’ve coalesced with other Methodist churches, and in others (Hartsville, Savona, Painted Post) they’ve formed “union churches” with congregations of other denominations.
*Current United Methodist churches in Steuben include: Addison, Arkport, Avoca, Bath (Centenary), Campbell, Canisteo, Caton, Cohocton, Coopers Plains, Corning (First), Corning (Grace), Greenwood, Hammondsport, Hornell, Jasper, Kanona, Mitchellsville, Painted Post, Prattsburgh, Presho, Rathbone, Risingville, South Canisteo, South Corning, South Dansville, Troupsburg, Wheeler, and Woodhull.
*Current Wesleyan churches in Steuben include: Buena Vista, Canisteo, Cohocton, Haskinsville, Hornby (Shady Grove), Hornell (New Hope), Painted Post (Victory Highway), Wallace, Wayland (Lighthouse), and West Jasper.
*We know of one Free Methodist church currently in Steuben, at Hornell.
*There are other Methodist denominations, such as Bible Methodists and Primitive Methodists, but United Methodists (and predecessors), Free Methodists, Methodist Protestant, Wesleyan Methodist, and A.M.E. Zion are the only ones that we know of as having operated in Steuben County.