The Methodist Daughter Churches

Methodist, Evangelical, and United Brethren congregations of the city beyond the circuit founding (carried in the religion record) · 1840–2004

First Wayne Street (1840, 1849, 1968): The city's Methodist system divided, like St. Paul's Lutheran, along Harrison Street. First Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1840; Wayne Street Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1849, in the library's note, "for Methodists living west of Harrison St." In 1968 the two merged to form First Wayne Street United Methodist Church, at West Wayne and Broadway, which the genealogical society's list carries active.

The Evangelical and United Brethren lines: Faith United Methodist Church descends from Bethel Evangelical Church of 1867, through First Evangelical (1914) to its present name in 1968. Calvary United Methodist Church began as a United Brethren congregation in 1875, became Calvary Evangelical United Brethren in 1946, and took its present name in 1968. Crescent Avenue United Methodist Church began as Crescent Avenue Evangelical in 1909, at 1232 Crescent Avenue, and followed the same road through 1968. South Wayne United Methodist Church, begun as South Wayne Evangelical United Brethren in 1919, closed in 2004, its records deposited at DePauw University.

The ward churches: Simpson United Methodist Church began as Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church in 1866. Trinity United Methodist Church began as the Ninth Ward Methodist Episcopal Church in 1875, became Third Street Methodist Episcopal in 1876, and Trinity Methodist Episcopal in 1884. Waynedale United Methodist Church dates from 1903. And the oldest of the city's Methodist preaching places after the circuit itself, Prairie Grove Chapel, a United Brethren appointment of the 1850s with its own cemetery, lasted past 1913. All but South Wayne are carried active in the genealogical society's list.

Sources:

1. Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana, church list: First Methodist Episcopal (1840–1968); Wayne Street Methodist Episcopal (1849–1968); First Wayne Street UMC (1968, active); Faith UMC (1867 line); Calvary UMC (1875 line); Crescent Avenue UMC (1909 line); South Wayne UMC (1919–2004); Simpson UMC (1866 line); Trinity UMC (1875 line); Waynedale UMC (1903, active); Prairie Grove Chapel (1850s–after 1913).
2. Allen County Public Library, Congregational Records directory (Wayne Street Methodist founded 1849 for Methodists west of Harrison; merged 1968).
3. Fort Wayne Sentinel, 15 October 1904 (Wayne Street M.E., Rev. A. S. Preston; First M.E., Rev. J. K. Walts).