First United Methodist Church Approaches Nearly Two Centuries of Community Roots
By BRANDON RAUL RAMIREZSUNY Institute for Local NewsONEONTA
The First United Methodist Church on Chestnut Street stands today as one of Oneonta’s longest serving faith communities, tracing its origins to a small Methodist “class meeting” formed in 1830. Reverend George Harman organized that first group of local residents, laying the foundation for what would become a central institution in the city’s religious and civic life.
By the mid-1830s, the town’s population hovered around 1,400 and the growing Methodist society—then known as the Emory Chapel of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Oneonta—expanded its outreach through home visits, school programs, and revival meetings. These early gatherings helped the congregation deepen its presence in the young community and contributed to the wider spread of Methodism in the region.
In 1848, the church’s influence widened further with construction of its first dedicated building, erected by Lucius Holbrook of Maryland. The structure provided a permanent space for worship and community activity, supporting the work of noted church leaders such as William H. Olin, a local attorney who later served 16 years as presiding elder of both the Oneonta and Binghamton districts.
