EAST OHIO COMMISSION ON ARCHIVES AND HISTORY

Archives of Ohio United Methodism

The East and West Ohio Conferences of The United Methodist Church have merged their archival collections at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. The merged Archives of Ohio United Methodism is located at Beeghly Library in the Special Collections Department. Research requests on East Ohio churches and pastors will be handled by Archivist, Carol Holliger. She can be contacted by e-mail or by telephone at 740-368-3285. Click on this link to view the on-line request form. 

East Ohio Conference Historian

Bill Drown is the East Ohio Conference Historian. He is responsible for special projects in conjunction with the East Ohio Commission on Archives and History. He can be reached at 7384 North County Road 29, Bellevue, Ohio 44811-9500, by email, or by telephone at 419-483-8994.

East Ohio Commission on Archives and History

The commission meets twice a year at the East Ohio Conference Center in North Canton. Dr. Allan Hall is the chair of the commission for 2009-2013. He can be reached by phone at 330-334-4396, or by email. A representative from each East Ohio Conference district serves on the commission.

From 641.1  (page 642) The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church

It shall be the duty of the commission to collect, preserve, and make accessible the historically significant records of the annual conference and its agencies, including data relating to the origin and history of the conference and its antecedents; to encourage and assist the local churches in preserving their records, compiling their histories, and celebrating their heritage; to provide for the permanent safekeeping of the historical records of all abandoned or discontinued churches in the bounds of the annual conference and its antecedents; to maintain a fire-safe historical and archival depository and to see that all items that obviously will have value for future history are properly preserved therein; to provide for the ownership of real property and to receive gifts and bequests; to nominate to the General Commission on Archives and History buildings, locations, or structures within the annual conference for designation as historic sites or heritage landmarks; to maintain contact with officially designated historic sites and heritage landmarks in their bounds; to assist the bishop or the appropriate conference committee in planning for the historical hour and other appropriate historical observances at annual conference sessions; to establish retention and disposition schedules for annual conference and local church records under standards or guidelines developed by the General Commission on Archives and History; to cooperate with and report, when requested, to the general and jurisdictional commissions on archives and history; and to engage with other Wesleyan, Methodist, or Evangelical United Brethren-related denominations in lifting up our joint heritage.

United Methodist Historical Society of Ohio

The United Methodist Historical Society of Ohio was founded in 1829 to “collect and preserve…materials for a complete and authentic history of the Methodist Episcopal Church, west of the Allegheny Mountains.” Today, these original materials and many more comprise the collections of the East and West Ohio Conferences, housed at the Archives of Ohio United Methodism at Ohio Wesleyan University. Members of the society include church historians, as well as others who have a common interest in preserving the history of United Methodism in Ohio. Each year, an award is given to the outstanding East and West Ohio Conference Historian. Certificates are also given to honor significant church anniversaries. The Historian’s Newsletter is published by the society twice a year and there is an annual meeting held each April. Please contact the Archives of Ohio United Methodism at 740-368-3285 for membership information.