Our trip to the Newman United Methodist Church
We were met by Darrell and Margaret Stafford, aka "Thomas and Hannah Croxton." These folks were so thoughtful, that to make our visit memorable, they dressed in period clothing. It was like we were actually meeting the Croxtons.
The Croxtons emigrated to St. Louis, Missouri from Staffordshire, England with their two children in 1842. Before arriving in Josephine County, the Croxton's had five more children.
Thomas Croxton became a "49er" when he arrived in El Dorado, California to seek his fortune, and after returning home he was anxious to relocate his family to the West.
Thomas and Hannah arrived in Josephine County in 1857, two years before Oregon became a state. Thomas' sister Margaret had already settled here with her husband James Vannoy (also of important historic interest to the county).
After arriving, Thomas Croxton started the congregation, which would become the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church was erected in 1887 on land donated by the Croxtons. They had also donated land for a school and a cemetery.
This is a photo of the Reverend Thomas Croxton taken by Peter Britt, a Jacksonville pioneer, and namesake of the "Britt Festival."
Hannah Croxton died in 1867, and Thomas passed in 1868. They were first interred at Croxton Pioneer Cemetery, but were exhumed and moved to Grants Pass Masonic Cemetery in the early 1900's. Reverend Croxton was a Mason.
Thomas Lewis (better known as TL) Jones, a previous minister was brought back to Grants Pass in 1888 to organize the building of a new church.
The old church was relocated, and given to another local congregation. The new Methodist Church was built and paid for within two years.
TL Jones was originally a gold miner, and was converted to Christianity in Grants Pass in 1865.
Shortly after his conversion, he married Mary Evelyn Baird,
a young woman whose father had been killed by a grizzly bear only 15 months earlier.
Before returning to Grants Pass, Reverend Jones had been a circuit-rider preacher for many years.
To show you the dedication of these early Methodist circuit-riders; at one point, Reverend Jones did not have enough money to continue his travels to carry God's word to the outlying reaches, so he sold his gun to get enough money to continue. In those days, a gun was necessary for survival, to put food on the table, and realizing what a hardship this would be for them, Mrs Jones asked God for help.
Her prayers were answered when someone gave Mrs. Jones two dead sheep, which she proceeded to sheer, spun the wool, which she then knitted into socks. She then repurchased the rifle her husband had sold by selling the socks.
You have to admire the sacrifices our pioneer ministers made to bring the word of God to the settlements. This magnificent church is a fitting tribute to such brave people.
In a short two years, after Reverend Jones returned to Grants Pass, the new church went from "plan to realization," and was dedicated in 1890 by
Bishop John Phillip Newman, therefore it was named the Newman Methodist Episcopal Church.
Bishop Newman was well known for his eloquent and striking preaching style. He served three terms as Chaplain of the United States Senate, and was a good friend of President and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant.
The Newman United Methodist Church, as it is known today, is the only example of "high Victorian Gothic" wood construction in all of Josephine County, and is one of the few remaining examples in Oregon.
The architectural plans for the church were provided by the Methodist Church, but there were no plans for finishing the interior.
It was up to Hammond Kinney, a church member and architect at the Sugar Pine Door and Lumber Company to design the interior.
This lovely church still has the original, huge, curved ceiling beams and wainscoting made from sugar pine. The moldings, rosettes, and railing posts are manzanita and laurel wood.
Local historian Percy T. Booth once wrote, "Many faithful Methodists worked in the Sugar Pine Sash and Door Factory. It was no mere incident that the beautiful, lofty and exposed beams, the sweeping arches, the cleaving wainscot and royal dress foils that dignified the belfry, along with the charm of Lancet windows, were fashioned by loving hands with pride and honor."
Oliver Templeton Beals, a carpenter for the Sugar Pine Door Company, erected the elegant bell tower and 125 foot steeple, constructed from 4' X 5's that are each 48 feet long.
The bell from the original church building was retained, and placed in the new church's bell tower. (If you heard bells ringing at around 2:30pm last Tuesday in Grants Pass, it was us -- Darrell Stafford was so kind to let us give it a try.)
This lovely piece of stained glass was given to the church by Oliver Beals' family.
What a magnificent steeple! Can you imagine being the steeple climber that has to check this one out?
Looking South from the bell tower.
Looking West, across Sixth Street.
This view is looking North.
And at last, looking to the East.
Shirley Holzinger is the organist for the Newman United Methodist Church, and has been for over 45 years. This photo shows Shirley at the Reuter Pipe Organ, which she graciously played for us. As the uplifting music flowed throughout the church, we realized how very lucky the congregation is to have such a talented organist, who devotes so much of her time for the love of her faith.
The organ was donated to the church in 1939. It has been expanded twice, once in 1981 and again in 2000. It is the largest pipe organ in Grants Pass.
These pipes are contained in a room behind the sanctuary.
There are more pipes behind the pulpit, and the vertical partitions will open when needed to bring forth more of the sound from the pipes behind.
The Hinners Tracker Pipe Organ is the second largest pipe organ in Grants Pass, and it was built in 1912. It is considered a "Victorian Pipe Organ," and only the blower is electric, eliminating the need for small boys to "pump the bellows," which in emergency power outages can still be manually pumped. This organ sits in the parlor, which can be closed off entirely from the sanctuary.
This is an Epworth Pump Organ, built sometime around 1890. All three of these organs were donated to the Newman United Methodist Church.
In 1977, the Newman United Methodist Church was added to the National Registry of Historic Places, the third building in Josephine County to receive this recognition.
The Newman United Methodist Church building is now 120 years old, and in my humble opinion, is the loveliest church I have seen.
Many thanks to Shirley Holzinger for spending the time with us, and sharing her wonderful music ability.
Darrell and Margaret Stafford, thank you so much for bringing Grants Pass and Josephine County history alive for us. We appreciate the time you were able to spend with us, and the stories you shared.
