Some time during the year 1865 one E. N. Sumner, later familiarly known as “Father Sumner,” living in the southeastern part of the state of Minnesota, not far from Cannon Falls, at a place locally known as Cherry Valley, heard of the Free Methodists in Illinois, corresponded with some of them and decided to cast his lot among them. He in a peculiar sense united with the church “by letter.” It is a matter of record that the questions of the Discipline were sent to him and that he sent his written answers and church letter from the Methodist Episcopal church by mail to one of the pastors and was received into the church. It is said of him that he was a man of settled principles and convictions, naturally possessed of an iron will, commanding his household after him. He was a farmer of some means, a loyal Methodist who enjoyed the experience of holiness, was zealous for the promotion of God’s cause and for this was ready to sacrifice property and home. He gave liberally of his means. Whatever he did he did thoroughly whether it were plowing a field, planing a board, building a house or organizing a Free Methodist society. Through his influence in the winter of 1866-7 George H. Fox of the Illinois conference went to Minnesota, held a revival meeting and, in the home of Father Sumner at Cherry Valley, in Goodhue county, organized the first Free Methodist society in the state consisting of the following persons: E. N. Sumner and wife, Thomas Harrison and wife, Alexander Harrison and wife, __________ Plaistead and wife, Joseph Swartz and wife, George Seamans and wife, and others. In the fall of 1867, T. S. LaDue was appointed to Hudson, Wisconsin, and Cannon Falls, Minnesota, but it appears that the demands of the work in Wisconsin were such that not much was done in Minnesota that year. In the fall of 1868, a new district was formed known as the Minnesota district. T. S. LaDue was made chairman, with Hudson and Cannon Falls as a base to work from. He moved to Hastings, Minnesota, and from this we mark the beginning of that work which spread all over the northwest. During the year Mr. LaDue traveled extensively in Minnesota holding meetings wherever the way opened. Two meetings especially, at Pine Island and at Havana, were characterized by much of the presence of God. Much good was done and the membership was increased threefold during the year notwithstanding bitter opposition from without and a serious division from within. In 1869 there were two circuits in the Minnesota district, T. S. LaDue local chairman, and C. M. Damon constituted the working force. appointed by the conference. By the advice and urging of others Mr. Damon accepted an appointment in the east and Mr. LaDue was left alone. The year was fruitful in results. Societies were organized and the membership increased. Mr. LaDue suffered from severe illness, bitter opposition assailed them from without, and some within, yielding to a heady spirit, brought in division and discord, but the faithful ones held on their way and God gave the victory. On October 11, 1872, at the “Stone school house,” near Plymouth, Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, the Minnesota and Northern Iowa conference was organized. B. T. Roberts presided. The following preachers in full connection were enrolled: T. S. LaDue, C. M. Damon, S. H. Greenup, S. P. LaDue, J. P. Shattuck, T. B. Chase, N. Cook. Nine preachers were admitted on trial. There were two hundred and seven members and probationers reported. The work in the conference has passed through many vicissitudes, but under the leadership of such men as T. S. LaDue, C. M. Damon, G. C. Coffee, W. R. Cusick, George P. Wilson and others it has gone forward and a goodly company of pilgrims still remain while many have gone to join the church triumphant.

In March, 1877, one Norman D. Baldwin, of Olivet, Dakota, while on a visit to Michigan, came in contact with the Free Methodists in a meeting held by J. W. Sharpe near Galion, Michigan. He united with the church and about two weeks later returned to Dakota. In August of the same year J. W. Sharpe, on the advice of a physician that a change of climate was necessary to save his life, resigned his work in Michigan and removed to Olivet, Dakota. He made the journey by team. On the way lie attended the session of the Minnesota and Northern Iowa conference and, uniting with that body, was appointed to Olivet, Dakota. Reaching Olivet, October 11, 1877, on the fifteenth of the same month he preached his first sermon in the school-house from Mark 16: 15. Notwithstanding bitter opposition from some “gospel-in-the-water” preachers -a revival followed and on February 4, 1878, the first society was organized consisting of the following members: Norman J. Baldwin, Mary Baldwin, E. J. Sharpe, Alexander Hainbright, Mary Taylor, Anna S. Smith and Sophia Taylor in full connection and eleven others on probation. A little later another society was organized at Scotland seven miles from Olivet. In June, 1878, the first camp meeting was held on Lone Tree Creek one mile south of Olivet. J. W. Sharpe was the only preacher in Dakota until this meeting was about one-half over when G. C. Coffee, district chairman from Iowa came accompanied by D. W. Cook who had just lately united from the Methodist Episcopal church. There were seven tents on the ground. God was pleased to grant his presence and show his power to save. Soon after this meeting another society was organized at the Michigan settle ment six miles west of Olivet. At the conference of 1878 Mr. Sharpe reported forty-one members and probationers. In December, 1878, the first Free Methodist church in Dakota was built. It was a sod building seventeen by thirty-five feet, and was hurriedly completed in time to hold a watch meeting December 31. A revival followed resulting in many conversions. In the summer of 1879 the district court was held in this church and the pastor was appointed foreman of the grand jury. In the fall of 1879 five preachers were appointed to circuits on the Dakota district. G. C. Coffee, chairman. The country was new, settlements were sparse and accommodations primitive. Roads were only winding trails over the -prairies. In times of flood it was often necessary for preachers and chairman to travel long distances on foot to reach appointments, following railroad tracks and sometimes crossing swollen streams on ties and rails holding together where bridges had been swept away, or paddling across in watering troughs when a row boat could not be had. Travel was largely by ox team, people frequently going one hundred miles thus to a camp meeting. But much of God’s presence and blessing were given and souls were saved.

The Dakota conference was organized at Providence, Dakota, September 19, 1883, B. T. Roberts presiding. The following preachers in full connection were received from the Minnesota and Northern Iowa conference: G. C. Coffee, J. W. Sharpe, D. Fear, D. W. Cook, J. S. Phillips, George Windust, E. N. Sumner. F. W. Moon who had been on trial was received into full connection and elected and ordained to deacon’s orders. One hundred and seven members and probationers were reported.

In the fall of 1878 in answer to repeated calls which had come from some members of our church who had settled in that section, E. L. Smith at that time a local preacher on the Owatonna and Havanna circuit, Minnesota and Northern Iowa conference, was appointed to Frazee City and Sank Centre as supply. Mr. Smith, then a young man, took his family and made the journey of three hundred miles by team to Leaf Valley in Douglas county about midway between the two points named in the minutes as composing his circuit. Here were six pilgrims, David Covel, Elizabeth Covel, Henry Covel, Marcia Covel, George Knapp and Adelia Knapp, who had been organized into a class before moving to this section. Thy became the nucleus of the North Minnesota and North Dakota conferences. From this center Mr. Smith worked outward. In the following April another class was organized at Grove Lake forty-two miles from Leaf Valley. At the next conference he reported seventeen members and was returned to his field and three others, W. P. Cook, S. H. Greenup and A. Walcott were assigned to work in the same section. From this time the work went steadily forward. The North Minnesota conference was organized September 14, 1887. The following who had been in full connection in the Minnesota and Northern Iowa conference enrolled as members of the new conference: S. P. LaDue, J. S. Bradley, A. Tice, A. H. Reed, S. H. Greenup, J. G Norris, E. L. Smith, M. F. Childs, C. E. Reynolds, W. Barham. There were about two hundred and fifty members and probationers reported.

Some time during the year 1881 T. W. Lane and wife and some others moved from Iowa to Larimore in what is now known as North Dakota. W. R. Cusick, at that time chairman of the North Minnesota district of the Minnesota and Northern Iowa conference, visited them and preached for them and probably organized them into a society thus forming the nucleus of what later became the North Dakota conference. In the minutes for 1883 occurs the first appointment of a pastor to this territory, “Larimore and Jerusalem, A. Tice” The next year Devil’s Lake and Tracy is added to the list of appointments in this territory. From this time the work continued to develop in North Dakota until in 1897 it was thought best to organize a new conference to be known as the North Dakota conference. The first session was held at Larimore, North Dakota, September 29 to October 3, 1897. B. R. Jones presided. G. Greenup, Z. Newell, H. A. Spicer, O. E. McCracken, W. A. Greenup and A. G. Parks, formerly of the South Dakota conference, and A. McCracken and W. H. Lawson, formerly of the Central Illinois conference were the preachers enrolled. Two hundred and twenty-five members and probationers were reported.

The first record of Free Methodism in Oregon and Washington is found in the minutes of the New York conference for 1876 to 1879. Among the appointments for these years appears this one, “0. Edwards, missionary to Washington Territory.” In the appointments for 1880 we find “Washington Territory Mission, J. Glen, chairman. Seattle, J. Glen; Walla Walla, G. Edwards.” The same appointments appear for the next year and Seattle reports fifteen members and probationers. The next year Seattle reports thirty members and “Oregon district, T. S. LaDue, chairman,” appears in the appointments. The next year Washington Territory Mission reported thirty-six members and Oregon district fifty—the nucleus of the present Oregon, Washington and Columbia River conferences.

In October, 1874, “Father Sumner,” who has already been referred to as the first Free Methodist in Minnesota, removed from that state to Oregon and located near Clackamas. For some time he had been in correspondence with T. S. LaDue, who was then laboring in the New York conference, urging him to come to Oregon. He finally sent money to pay the expenses of Mr. LaDue and his family to Oregon. In the spring of 1882 he at last saw his way clear to answer to the call and he and his devoted wife with their family took the long journey to the land to which they felt God in his providence was calling them. The first Free Methodist society in Oregon was organized at the Damascus school house, near Clackamas, Oregon, in July of that year. It was composed of eight persons, members of Mr. La Due’s and Father Sumner’s families. When it became known that he had come as a Free Methodist preacher to establish Free Methodism in the northwest, bitter, relentless opposition assailed him, especially from some of the “holiness people.” But God was with him. Others came to his aid and a good work was raised up. The work in Oregon and Washington was organized as the Oregon and Washington Territory conference, at Beaverton, Oregon, about eight miles west of Portland, June 10, 1885. The following preachers in full connection were enrolled as members of the conference at its organization; T. S. LaDue, J. Glen, G. Edwards, G. Windust, A. P. Goode, N. C. Mower. A. Beers, F. Cathey, H. Van der Veen and J. LaDue were received on trial. One hundred and nineteen members and probationers were reported. Father Sumner had passed away the preceding February and Mr. LaDue followed in March, 1888, but each had been faithful and the work had been planted. At the session of 1895, ten years from the time of organization, there were eight hundred and nineteen members and probationers and twenty-seven ministers regularly employed who were members of the conference, and several supplies. One year later the Oregon and Washington Territory conference was divided into three conferences known as the Oregon, the Washington and the Columbia River.

The first society organized in the bounds of what now constitutes the Columbia River conference was organized by N. C. Mower at Bethany, near Colfax, Washington, in September, 1885. The original members were, Nelson B. Gilliam, Nancy Gilliam, E. Baldwin, Anna Baldwin, Delia Arrasmith, P. Taylor, S. A. Taylor, Maggie Taylor, Maggie Finch. Rev. T. S. LaDue was the first chairman. F. H. and H. F. Ashcraft did work in the territory which prepared the way for the organization of Free Methodism. The Columbia River conference was organized at Spokane, Washington, April 2, 1896. Eleven preachers in full connection and seven on trial were enrolled. There were two hundred and sixty members and probationers.

The Washington conference was organized in the chapel of Seattle seminary, Seattle, Washington, April 9, 1896. Nine preachers in full connection and three on trial were enrolled. The number of members and probationers was two hundred and thirty-seven.

The Oregon conference was organized at Gresham, Oregon, April 16, 1896. Eleven ministers in full connection and four on trial are recorded in the minutes of this first session. Three hundred and fifty-one members are reported.

Among the appointments made by the first session of the Western Convention appears this one; “Sugar Creek Circuit, Wisconsin, D. F. Shepardson, C. E. Harroun.” Eighty members are reported in 1864. In 1865 G. H. Fox was appointed to “Winnebago and Wisconsin.” The next fall, 1866, T. S. La Due was appointed to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and B. F. Doughty to Sugar Creek. One hundred and eleven members and probationers were reported at the next session from the two charges. At the session of 1869 a Wisconsin district was organized, M. V. Clute was made chairman, four preachers were appointed to the work. The next year there were reported from this territory two hundred and fifty members and probationers. The Wisconsin conference was organized at Pierceville, Wisconsin, October 7, 1875, with seven preachers in full connection, three on trial and a total membership of two hundred and seventy-five. At present there are thirty-one preachers and eight hundred and seventy-seven members.

The work in the state of Iowa was also an outgrowth of the Illinois conference. At the session held at Elgin, Illinois, September 18-21, 1S67, W. B. Tracy was appointed to “Northern Iowa.” He died early in the year. A footnote to the statistical report of the conference the next year reads: “The figures for the Galva, Winnebago and Free-port circuits, include missionary appointments in Iowa.” Three circuits in Iowa are found in the list of appointments this year and three preachers, W. F. Manley, B. F. Doughty and I. Bliss were appointed. The statistics for the next year show an aggregate membership of two hundred and seventy-four. The Iowa district was organized at the session of 1873. J. Travis was elected traveling chairman. There were nine circuits, two of which were left to be supplied with an aggregate membership of about three hundred and sixty-five. September 23, 1875, at Birmingham, Iowa, the Iowa conference was organized with seven preachers in full connection and five on trial. The total membership was about four hundred and twenty-five.

Just ten years later, October 7, 1885, the West Iowa conference, embracing the western part of the state of Iowa and a portion of the eastern part of Nebraska, was organized at Red Oak, Iowa. Five preachers in full connection and two on trial who had been members of the Iowa conference, one in full connection and one on trial from the Missouri conference and five received on trial composed the ministerial force. The new conference had a total membership of five hundred and thirty leaving the Iowa conference with a membership of about eight hundred and eighty. The aggregate membership of the two conferences now is about two thousand.