Robert Strawbridge Cluster

Robert Strawbridge Cluster. . 1. John Evans House , Converted in discussion with Elizabeth Strawbridge, John Evans joined the first class formed by Robert Strawbridge which, in 1768, moved into the Evans House. In 1978 the disused house was moved from the midst of a cornfield to its present location at the Strawbridge Shrine. , 2. Henry Willis House , Henry Willis hosted the Baltimore Annual Conference here on his estate. Wakeneld. in 1801. That year's conference was the first Methodist Conference after the founding of the United brethren Church and Christian Newcomer came as fraternal delegate of the German brethren. bishop Asbury's journal states: "Our own people and our friends in the settlement were equally kind, and we had rich entertainment. This settlement of Pipe Creek is the richest in the state: Here Mr. Strawbridge formed the first society in Maryland - and America" , 3. Meetinghouse Site , The first Methodist Meetinghouse in America was built a mile southwest of the Strawbridge house, near Sam's Creek, in 1764. A stone monument was set on the site to mark its Sesquicentennial in 1914. This was topped off with a tall metal cross in 2004. , 4. Bethel Church , At the turn of the nineteenth century, Dr. and Mrs. Alexander Warfield invited the Sam's Creek Methodists to use their commodious house about a mile beyond the Log Meetinghouse. In 1821, they deeded "a house of public worship for the purpose of preaching God's Holy Word according to the doctrines contained in John Wesley's nine volumes of sermons" , 5.Poulson House , Andrew Poulson's original house on this site was home to the second class formed by Robert Strawbridge. , 6. Stone Chapel , In 1783, Poulson's Chapel was replaced by this stone structure to which a gallery was added in 1800. The century old Stone Chapel was dismantled stone by stone in 1883 and rebuilt on the original foundations without a gallery as it remains to this day.