Union Methodist Episcopal Church - Blue Bell, PA
- Yen Ho
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
As you are driving west on Skippack Pike, you would notice the road where you turn left on is named Union Meeting Road. In my personal experience, I always drive on that street to get to Mermaid Lake during my years at Wissahickon. But I didn't notice a church that stood on that street. Now that I know about this, it's my opportunity to dive into any information that talks about the history of the church in some form.
Early Beginnings
It all started with the Zimmerman family of Whitpain who were considered one of the earliest Methodists in the township during the late 18th century. It was unknown if it was really the Zimmerman family who took the credit in establishing a church in Whitpain, but the Zimmerman brothers Isaac and Jacob were the first trustees of the church when it was established in 1814.
Fun Fact # 1: It was said that Jemima Wilkinson sometimes had meetings at the Zimmerman farm during her stay in Worcester Township from 1782 to 1789 to expand her religious movement.
The earliest known origin of the church occurred in the woods where meetings were held, and even had camps in the woods to have the meetings. It was then a church must be built in the township. On September 4, 1813, the deed was given to the church trustees, including Isaac and Jacob Zimmerman, from James and Elizabeth Buck. The deed contained 121 perches.
NOTE: At the time the church was built, it was named as the "Union Meeting-House" where it was intended to "accommodate ministers of all Christian denominations when not in use by the Methodists."
Fun Fact # 2: During the division of the Quakers in the early 19th century, Edward Hicks frequently used the church for his meetings, and it was continuously used by Quakers ever since.
Over the Years...
In 1882, the church was remodeled at a cost of $1,000.
A Sunday school ran during the summer by Charles DePrefontaine as superintendent.
Since 1814, the membership did not exceed over 12 people, which might explain why the church closed during the early 20th century. The church and the Sunday school was transferred to the Bethel Church in Worcester.
In 1934, there were opposition to sell the church from local residents, mostly because their family members were buried at the church's cemetery. The petitioners who opposed the sell had to establish funds in order to preserve the church.
Today, we can still see the church still standing along with the cemetery.
Bibliography
Bean, Theodore Weber. History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Volume 2. (Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1884): 1169.
"Local History Sketch. Interesting Local Matter Collected by 'E.M.' The Zimmerman Farm, Whitpain--Lorenzo Zimmerman--George S. Zimmerman--John Robinson, the Tory--Deborah Zimmerman." Ambler Gazette. April 30, 1914. Page 7. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_7609.
Franklin Survey Co. Atlas: Montgomery County 1934 Vol B, Plate 8, 1935.
McBurney, Christian. "Jemima Wilkinson: the First American-Born Woman to Found a Religious Movement." Small State. Big History. Last modified July 2, 2015. https://smallstatebighistory.com/jemima-wilkinson-the-first-american-born-woman-to-found-a-religious-movement/.
Morris, William E, and Smith & Wistar. Map of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania: from original surveys. [Philadelphia: Smith & Wistar, 1849] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012590207/.
"Sale of Whitpain Church Is Opposed." Ambler Gazette. August 16, 1934. Page 4. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_22198.
Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Whitpain, Rahn Sta., Grater's Ford, 1877.
"Sentiment Does Not Make Repairs." Ambler Gazette. August 23, 1934. Page 4. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_18833.
Wise, Robert. "1215 Union Meeting Road." Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form. Last modified June 16, 2000. https://www.whitpaintownship.org/DocumentCenter/View/364/1215-Union-Meeting-Road-PDF.
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