History

The Evangelical Church in Carey, Ohio owes its beginning to the loyal efforts of Evangelical families who settled here and in the surrounding areas. The Evangelical Church was founded by Jacob Albright who was born on May 1, 1759. His background was German Lutheran. About 1796, he began preaching and made many converts and soon the Evangelical Church was born in eastern Pennsylvania. Albright died on May 18, 1808, but two of his converts, Rev. John Walter and George Miller, carried on his work.

As settlers moved west into Ohio, the Evangelical Church came to the Wyandot County area by the 1830's. In 1833 Conrad Hare, a local minister, and his wife, Anna Spangler Hare, settled two miles northeast of present-day Carey. They were the first members of the church in this area. However, the family that made the largest contribution to the work in Carey was that of Rev. Daniel Wonder, who moved to Carey in 1855. He and his wife, Catharine Harpster, and seven sons and two daughters were among the charter members, as well as some of the Hare family. A brick structure was built and dedicated on May 3, 1857 as the Tabor Evangelical Church. This class later disbanded and the church was sold.

In 1891-92, classes were meeting in a frame building across the street from the present church. The same Evangelicals of the Tabor Church became the original members of this new class. Andrew Swartz was appointed the first pastor in 1893.

On October 4, 1895, members met at the parsonage to discuss their future. Leading charter members were J.W. Powell, A.J. Wonder, D.H. Wonder and John Black. On this date, the congregation voted to build a new church. On January 29, 1896, the men of the congregation went to the Wm. Stahl woods and cut timber for the new church. The cornerstone was laid on May 31, 1896 during the pastorate of Rev. W. Elmer Bailey. The church was dedicated on September 6, 1896. Total cost was $5,396.79.

In 1951, the Evangelical and United Brethren denominations merged and the name was changed to Memorial Evangelical United Brethren Church. Another merger of denominations occurred in 1968 when the E.U.B. and Methodist churches consolidated, thus the change of name to the present Memorial United Methodist Church. The building of the Memorial United Methodist Church is the oldest church structure that is still in regular use in Carey, Ohio today.