Founded in 1815 with roots that go back to 1799 and the early Methodist circuits, First United Methodist Church is one of the oldest congregations in Indiana. First UMC has been located at the northwest corner of Sixth and Main Streets since 1904.
In 1933, the German-speaking St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, located at the southeast corner of Fourth and Locust Streets, merged with the English-speaking First Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1957, the original building at Sixth and Main was replaced with our current facility.
Pastors who have served our congregation:
1799: Nathan Robertson
1804: Peter Cartwright
1805: Moses Ashworth
1810: Wheeler and Garrett
1815: John Schrader, Thomas Templeton, Thomas David, Thomas King, Elias Stone
1817: John Schrader
1821: Samuel Hamilton, James Thompson
1823: William Beauchamp, William Medfered
1824: James Armstrong, W.H. Smith, George Randle
1825: Charles Holliday, James Garner, Joseph Tarkington
1826: Asa West
1827: Charles Slocum, Asa L. Riley
1828: George Locke, Samuel C. Cooper, John Richey
1829: George West
1830: George West, James Haley
1831: John Richey
1832: J.L. Thompson, E.G. Wood
1833: J.L. Thompson, E.G. Wood, Cornelius Shank
1834: Aaron Wood, John A. Brouse, Micajale Reeder, W.W. Hibben
1835: Isaac Owen
1836: John Miller, Isaac McElroy
1837: Henry Beharwell, Jacob Miller
1838: Henry Beharwell, S.W. Rogers
1843: John Kearns, William H. Teraley
1844: A.B. Nisbett, F.A. Hester
1845: Asbury Wilkinson
1846: John Kiger, T.J. Ryan
1847: C.C. Holliday
1848: William Daniels
1849: Elijah Witten, Daniel McIntire, David Cloud
1850: J.J. Stellard, James Preston, W. McHester, L.S. Clifford
1851: Nathan Shumate
1857-1858: George W. Walker
1858-1859: Safety Layton
1859-1860: W.H. Cornelius
1860-1862: Rev. Albion Fellows
1870-1872: Rev. Joseph S. Woods
1872-1873: Rev. Frances Walker
1873-1875: Rev. W.P. Armstrong
1875-1876: Rev. Aaron Turner
1876-1877: Rev. Hayden Hayes
1877-1880: Rev. M. McHobbs
1880-1882: Rev. John A. Scammahorn
1882-1883: Rev. John Walls
1883-1886: Rev. Joseph W. Asbury
1886-1889: Rev. Daniel F. Davis
1889-1890: Rev. Benjamin F. Rawlins
1890-1891: Rev. R.R. Baldwin
1891-1894: Rev. Robert A. Kemp
1894-1896: Rev. John H. Ketcham
1896-1897: Rev. W.R. Lathrap
1897-1899: Rev. John H. Ketcham
1899-1901: Rev. W.S. Rader
1901-1902: Rev. J.B. Smith
1902-1908: Rev. S.S. Penrod
1908-1909: Rev. W.R. Ashby
1909-1911: Rev. J.K. Ake
1911-1916: Rev. J.A. Breeden
1916-1917: Rev. R.R. Bryan
1917-1919: Rev. William B. Collins
1919-1923: Rev. Edward F. Schneider
1923-1924: Rev. W.T. Jones
1924-1926: Rev. C.T. Alexander
1926-1929: Rev. R.E. Badger
1929-1935: Rev. Edwin F. Shake
1935-1938: Rev. E.B. Boldrey
1938-1945: Rev. S.J. Cross
1945-1946: Rev. E.A. Boston
1946-1950: Rev. Francis T. Johnson
1950-1953: Rev. Frank R. Greer
1953-1959: Rev. J. Kenneth Forbes
1959-1966: Rev. Edward "David" Frazier
1966-1968: Rev. Robert E. Green
1968-1973: Rev. James L. Ray
1973-1982: Rev. Robert W. Koenig
1978-1981: Rev. Norman "Jack" Wolf (Associate)
1981-1984: Rev. Garry M. Schaar (Associate)
1982-1985: Rev. Walter Judson Smith
1985-1986: Rev. Ellis Perry Hukill, Jr.
1986-1991: Rev. Harold R. Walker
1991-2003: Rev. Mitchell "Mitch" C. Gieselman
1991-2006: Rev. Edward E. Miller (Associate)
2003-2007: Rev. Russel "Russ" Abel
2006-2007: Rev. Cory Herrin (Associate)
2007: Rev. Jarmon Perkins (Interim for March & April)
2007-2008: Rev. Tom Heaton
2009-2013: Rev. Tim Ahlemeyer
2013-2015: Rev. Fred Haywood
2015-Present: Rev. Christopher Millay
