Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: April 1962 Volume 12 Number 1, Pages 16–18

St. Matthews Methodist Church, Valley Forge

Joyce Keller

• Bibliography

Page 16

St Matthew Methodist Church, Philadelphia

Page 17

The St. Matthews Methodist Church of Valley Forge is located in northeast Tredyffrin Township on the south side of Walker Road between Thomas and Old Eagle School Roads, and directly across from MacIntosh Drive. The church building stands in a field that was formerly part of the "Rehobeth Springs" Farm. The Colonial-style church was built with the $150,000 realized from the sale of the Philadelphia church building plus a $75,000 loan from the Methodist Board of Missions. The ten-acre plot which the church occupies is a gift from the Philadelphia Conference Board of Missions and Church Extensions. The church has a seating capacity of 300. The Sunday School rooms are located in the basement, along with modern kitchen facilities. Future plans include the construction of a parsonage.

The St. Matthews congregation moved to Valley Forge from Philadelphia in 1958. The original church was founded in Philadelphia at 53rd and Chestnut Streets in June of 1888. Col. Joseph M. Bennett offered the land through the Arch Street Methodist Episcopal Church and later gave very generously of his finances to help the new congregation. In November of 1888 a charter for the church was drawn up by John F. Keaton and seven trustees. The charter was granted by Judge D. Newlin Fell and is recorded in charter book #13, page 583, in the office for recording deeds in and for the city and county of Philadelphia. On October 28, 1888, a Sabbath School was organized in two rooms rented from Mrs. Kilpatrick at 5152 Chestnut Street. Mr. Frederick Saunders Underhill was the first Sabbath School Superintendent and later became the first pastor. Work began on the new church building and on June 24, 1890 the cornerstone was laid. Building continued rapidly and on January 25,1891, the first service was held in the completed church building. The church was at this time referred to as "St. Matthews in the Field", indicating the extent of development in Philadelphia at that time.

The ground was broken for the parsonage on July 2, 1902, leading to the completed building which was occupied on April 1, 1903. The new church started with a membership of twenty-two which increased to a peak of eight hundred in 1940. The membership had declined to two hundred when the church building was sold in May of 1958. The church property in Philadelphia was purchased by the White Rock Baptist Church, a Negro congregation which presently occupies the old building.

Page 18

The last Sunday at the old church was May 25, 1958, after seventy years of worship. The following Sunday the congregation met at the church house on Route 202 with 93 in attendance. On March 22, 1959 (Palm Sunday), the meeting place was moved to the Valley Forge School with 126 in attendance. The congregation continued to meet in the school while construction began on the new church building at the site on Walker Road. The cornerstone was laid June 5, 1960, and the first service in the new church was a candle-light service held on Christmas Eve, 1960. The Consecration service was held January 8, 1961, with Dr. Frederick Brown Harris, Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, officiating.

The following men have served the church as pastors:

Rev. Frederick Saunders Underhill 1888 - 1894
Rev. Albert E. Piper 1894 - 1896
Rev. David S. Sherry 1896 - 1899
Rev. Urban E. Sargent 1899 - 1902
Rev. Amos E. Crowell 1902 - 1905
Rev. William B. Chalfont, D.D. 1905 - 1910
Rev. John W. Sayers, D.D. 1910 - 1913
Rev. Richard Radcliffe 1913 - 1917
Rev. Henry E. Walhey 1917 - 1922
Rev. Charles T. Isenberger 1922 - 1946
Rev. Carl R. Hammerly 1946 - 1950
Rev. Daniel F. Sands 1950 - 1951
Rev. James M. Haney 1951 - 1954
Rev. Fred Ellsworth Henry 1954 - 1956
Rev. Clarence F. Carter 1956 - 1958
Rev. George L. Overly 1958 - 1960
Rev. Burns B. Brodhead 1960 -

Bibliography

The History of St. Matthews Methodist Church, 1888 - 1954, a mimeographed pamphlet, by Helen Grossmann and Lillian Mancill.

Handwritten record books kept by pastors (1838 - 1920}

Persons interviewed:
Rev. Burns Brodhead, - Pastor, St. Matthews, Valley Forge,
Mrs. Robert Grossman, Mrs. Walter Little, Mr. Earl Traster.