Excerpts from Halsey, by Carey and Hainline
"Halsey area Methodist Episcopals were organized into a class by Noah A. Starr in 1872 after the town was established. For a time church was held in a warehouse on the corner of First and H streets--at least when the building was not filled with grain.
"Two lots were purchased in 1873 and a 34 x 56 church building was completed around 1876. The noted I. D. Driver was preacher on the circuit when the first Methodist Episcopal quarterly conference was held in Halsey in 1877....
"The church was rebuilt and enlarged in 1914, and contains parts of the original structure....The present United Methodist Church is the oldest continuing congregation in Halsey, and has occupied the same location at Third and F streets for over a century....
"The list of early ministers and local lay preachers is lengthy, but includes such distinguished pioneer surnames as Pearl, Van Winkle and Starr." (2)
"Hiram S. Shangle was appointed to the Harrisburg Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1897. The circuit included Harrisburg, Lake Creek, Peoria, Muddy, and Grimes School House, where he organized classes. Shangle was reappointed to Lake Creek from 1925 to 1929.
"After the congregation disbanded in the 1930s the building was purchased by the Lake Creek Grange and is now part of their meeting place on Peoria Road." (3)
"Isaac D. Driver was a prominent Methodist circuit-rider, preacher and orator, and known far and wide as Dr. Driver--Oregon's Grand Old Man. How he came to be known as "Doctor" was told by his daughter Grace. As a young man Driver had studied to become a doctor; however, after his conversion he felt called to the ministry.
"During his Halsey ministry many babies in the community were dying of cholera. When John W. Miller informed Dr. Driver of the illness of his baby, he was told to go home, dig some wild rose roots and make a tea of them to give to the child. Dr. Driver's prescription saved the life of that child: Ralph B. Miller." (3)
"No visible signs remain in the oak grove on Bond Lane, east of Central Linn High School, to indicate that one of the area's first churches, Wesley Chapel, once stood there....
"Land for the chapel was deeded to the Methodists in 1865 by William Robinett and his wife Hannah from their claim. The congregation met there for several years until Halsey was established.
"The Halsey United Methodist Church has the pulpit Bible from Wesley Chapel, which contains names of church families in 1865: The Hayes, Van Winkles, Pearls, Washburns, Wisemans, Watts, Keeneys, Penlands, Dones, Windhams, Calloways, Yates, Allens or Alens, (spelled Robnett), Finleys and Looneys." (1)