History

The Rossville United Methodist Church had its very first beginnings in 1830, the year Ross Township was organized. William Smith, an early settler who came here from Ohio, dreamed of a church and gathered his family and a few neighbors to his home for services. By 1831, the group solidified and they organized a Methodist Church. Among the earliest members were William and Anna Smith and their children Thomas, Samuel, and Mary, Andrew and Hannah Waymire, William, William, David, Jacob and Amy Saylor, and Mary, Elizabeth and Rebecca Quick.

Back in 1830 a resident of the Ross Township, William Smith, figured that life in the wilderness was good, especially since it was a productive wilderness. But William Smith had three children, and he was a godly man. The community, he decided, needed a church.

The result of his decision was that only two years after the first white settler came to this township, the first religious service was held in the cabin of William Smith, and he was the first preacher. The congregation worshiped in true Methodist fashion.