Church History
In the early 1870’s Lucy Baggs, a Free Methodist, came to Sand Beach (now Harbor Beach) from Randolph, New York to visit relatives who lived here. Two of her brothers, Wright and Seth G. Bartlett, lived near a settlement called Flat Rock. Feeling a deep spiritual need among her own people Lucy decided to stay in the community and hold some meetings. This is how the Free Methodist was started in Huron county. As you read on you will see how it had a part in the organization of the Bad Axe Church. At one time there were six Free Methodist churches in Huron County. As of 2004 there were only 2 – Harbor Beach and Bad Axe.
This is a beautiful city, the county seat of Huron County, and is situated in an elegant agricultural district in the thumb of Michigan. Two railroads enter the town, namely the Port Huron and Pt. Aux Barque division and the S.T. & M. Branch of the Pere Marquette. The town has had a rapid growth since the great fires of 1881, and is assuming considerable dignity. It is principally sustained by the productive farming community which surrounds it in all directions.
Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Schantz came from Canada and settled on land around Wadsworth. A Sunday School was organized in the Schantz home and their daughter, Mary, was the first Superintendent. In 1882 or ’83 Mr. Schantz felt the need of a church, so he walked from Wadsworth to Sand Beach. He persuaded Mr. Edward Matthews to come and hold services for one week. Although unable to stay longer he returned later and organized a class that met regularly in the Ross School House.
In 1882 or ’83 Rev. S.G. Bartlett came, and a church building was erected two miles north and one mile west of Ubly. The people worshiped there for many years. The building was getting old & small. When an Evangelical United Brethren Church was found for sale, it was purchased and remodeled. It was located two miles west of Ubly on the northeast corner of Atwater and Nugent Rd. This church became the Bingham Society.
In 1904 Rev. Alpheus Tice started holding meetings in homes to organize a church. A list of Charter Members of the Bad Axe Free Methodist Church was recorded in a June 6, 1904, Membership Book. The following people’s names and method of transfer were listed as follows:
Mary O’Neil - from Bingham, James O’Neil – from Bingham, S.E. Stephenson – from Meade, Urania Stephenson – from Meade, Amelia McDonald – from Bingham, Gertrude Witts – from Bingham, Fanny Phelps, George H. Herrington and Esther Babcock joined by letter of transfer July 30, 1904, from Harbor beach. This record Book covers from 1904 to 1932. It is the only information found on the early Church. All pastors from 1901 up to 1939 served the Bad Axe and Ubly circuits.
This next information was received from Rev. Dean Parrott about the beginnings of the Bad Axe society. It must have been about 1930 when he was living in Bad Axe that his father, Earl W. Parrott, was operating a dairy store at 216 South Port Crescent, known as The Golden Rule Dairy. It seemed they were not able to find a church that met their spiritual needs. He recalls that a Pastor and his wife, who were long time friends of their family, came to visit us. His parents invited them to have supper with us. Dad also invited his hired man, Lawence Lovelace and his wife Bessie, to join in the fellowship of the evening. It was a fellowship time with no plans for future meetings. After the supper and the dishes were done, we moved to the living room, where the pastor suggested that we read some scripture and join in prayer before we go our several ways.
He recalls the pastor reading some scripture and suggesting we pray. We knelt and each chair became an altar – Prayers of Thanksgiving arose from the lips of several who joined in. there was an unusual sense of the presence of the lord that blessed this little prayer group. There were tears of joy, and tears of commitment. To be faithful to the Lord whatever the cost as they prayed. This was in the fallout of the great depression of 1929. When prayer time passed each went their several ways with no plans to meet on any regular basis. There was a sense that we were open to the Lord for whatever he had in store for us. We would serve Him and follow wherever He should lead.
A few days later, Emma Block, a Christian lady heard of the prayer meeting at the home of Earl Parrott. Emma had fallen downstairs and broken her leg and was bedridden for several weeks. She asked if we could come and have prayer meeting at her home since she couldn’t get out to go anywhere. A prayer meeting was planned at Emma Block’s home, and again the spirit of the Lord was very real as my father led the little group. I think it was just Lovelace’s and our family that met. Emma wanted us to come back so they decided that we would meet each week while Emma was not able to go anywhere.
Other people joined the prayer group. Anson and Tillie Gingrich and family, Dick and Myrtle Edwards and family, John Slack and his wife, were some that joined us in the times of prayer. After Emma was well enough to travel it seemed wise to continue these prayer meetings, so it was decided that we go to different homes for what we called cottage prayer meetings. Soon the attendance became so large that it was difficult to find a place to accommodate the group. Mr. Parrott and others started looking for a larger place to meet. It was discovered that on the corner of Willis and West Hopson St. was a church that was not in use. The Church had been purchased from the episcopal denomination in 1911 according to the record of Rev. M. DeVoist in the History of the East Michigan Conference of the Free Methodist Church printed in 1925. (Date recorded on Deed was February 25, 1913.) There was a parsonage that came with the property from the Episcopal people and was used by the Pastor of the Bingham Free Methodist Church. Rev. Ralph Milks was the pastor of the Bingham Society. Mr. Parrott asked if it might be possible for the prayer group to use the empty church for the prayer meetings. Permission was granted by the Bingham Society, and a Saturday was set to clean the Church for the first prayer meeting.
Mr. dean Parrott was there as the brooms and dust cloths went to work to clean the dusty sanctuary. The pastor’s children had used a room by the platform for a playhouse. Dolls & toys had to be taken home, and the total church cleaned. Mr. Earl Parrott had brought a clock from home that hung on the wall, a coal stove was secured while others brought things to add to the Sanctuary. It was a day of joy as they cleaned the church. There were tears of joy as the group felt now, they had a place large enough to house our prayer meetings.
Soon it seemed that if Pastor Milks could preach to us and also preach in Bingham it would be a blessing and help to us to minister to the needs of the people of the Bad Axe. It appeared too far to expect the Bad Axe people to attend the Bingham Free Methodist Church near Ubly. Soon we had Pastor Milks for morning and Local Preachers was James Davison. He and his wife Heppie were helpful to the young people and the ministry of the Church. A silo accident had crippled James, but with slow movement and a cane he made it into the pulpit. With a twinkle in his eye, he told of his love for the Lord.
The Church was organized in Bad Axe and one Sunday morning he heard the names of several of our prayer group called to come forward to join the church. The pastor called Earl and Laura Parrott, Clayton and Dean. Mr. Dean Parrott remembers feeling his mother’s hand on his coat collar pulling him behind her as she went forward. He thinks they became members on probation. They were part of the charter members of the newly formed Bad Axe Free Methodist Church.
The church has continued to be active to this day. Mr. Parrott is glad he was part of this church planting project. He doesn’t think his family planned it. I think in the providence of God He planned it for His Glory. It was here he had much of his early training in the Lord. Mrs. Anson Gingrich was his Sunday School teacher. June 13, 1941, he was given an Exhorters License by the Bad Axe circuit of the East Michigan Conference. It was signed by Rev. A.E. Potbury, chairman, and Mrs. Anson Gingrich, Secretary. This was the beginning that led to 50 years of active Ministry for Mr. Parrott and continues in these years of retirement. (Notes from Rev. Dean Parrott 1980.)
On March 23, 1938, a society meeting of the Bad Axe Free Methodist Church was held, Rev. A.E. Potbury presiding. Motion was made to appoint a committee of three to meet with the Bingham Society to discuss plans regarding the dividing of the Bad Axe-Bingham Circuit. Anson Gingrich, Earl Parrott and Lawerence Lovelace were elected. The following day the Committee met with the Bingham Society and Agreed to the division.
In 1945 under Rev. E.H. Cummings the church was raised, and a basement was put under the church. Also, the entrance was moved from Hopson St. to around the corner on Willis St. In 1945 or’46 the parsonage suffered a firein the kitchen area and caused quite a bit of damage.
In 1960 Harbor Beach joined the Bad Axe-Ubly Circuit. One Pastor served all three societies.
In 1963 the Ubly Society in Bingham Township joined the Bad Axe Society. When the Bingham Church closed the property was sold. The remaining members were made part of the Bad Axe Society. The Bingham property was sold, and the money was used to build an addition on the south side of the Bad Axe Church.
In 1974-75 Pastor Dan Shinabarger started planning for a new church.
In 1976 Harbor Beach again separated from the Bad Axe circuit.
In 1978 17-1/2 acres were purchased from Raymond L and Elaine Errer.
This land was located on Route 142 (Pigeon Rd.) north and west of Bad Axe. The groundbreaking for the new church was held on June 24, 1984. On March 9, 1986, Pastor Harvey Fry held the Dedication Service for the new church.
On January 13, 2004 Pastor Jerry Sutton held a meeting with the Building Committee and a representative from the F.E.D. Corporation in Gladwin, Michigan and a contract was signed to build an addition to our present church on Pigeon Rd. The groundbreaking was set for March 28, 2004. This new building will contain a gymnasium, day school education, offices, library, Sunday School rooms and a warming kitchen. The dedication of this addition took place September 26th, 2004 during our centennial Anniversary Celebration.
As of today (July 30th, 2025) we are the last remaining Free Methodist Church in Huron County!
