| Until 1980 Cokesbury Memorial and Calvary shared the East Harford Circuit with Smith Chapel. Recordsof East Harford Circuit have been filmed by the Maryland State Archives and as a consequence some records are duplicated here. The earliest records for the circuit are found on microfilm M 1132 and M 1133.
In 1980 the Baltimore Conference established the Abingdon Circuit with Cokesbury and Calvary the constituent parts. Smith's Chapel, near Churchville, became a separate station.
The Reverend R. Denis Schultz has written a history of Cokesbury Memorial Church, the parent congregation of Cokesbury College which stood near it from 1785-1795. On July 3, 1784, John Paca sold the land surrounding the new meeting house to the trustees for the use of the people called Methodists. The Christmas Conference of 1784 voted to build Cokesbury College, next to the Abingdon Church. On June 5, 1785, Bishop Asbury laid the cornerstone for the College building.
In 1841 Abingdon Church obtained the surrounding land for its use. In 1896 a new chapel was built on the foundation of the old chapel. In 1940 the name was changed to Cokesbury Memorial Methodist Church.
Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church was constructed on land given by the Richard Webster in 1821. Webster, Sr. was the first clergyman of Smith Chapel. From time to time Smith Chapel shared East Harford Circuit with Rock Run, Bush, Gunpowder, Abingdon, Garretson, and Calvary. |
