Perquimans County NcArchives News.....HERTFORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (BELL 1901) January 25, 2006
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GERALD WIGGINS gwiggins@inteliport.com May 7, 2006, 6:56 pm

THE CHOWAN HERALD January 25, 2006
HISTORY OF THE HERTFORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BELL TOWER: IN PERQUIMANS CO:
WRITTEN BY CHARLES SKINNER: IN THE CHOWAN HERALD ON JANUARY 25, 2006
    
        THE LARGE BRONZE BELL LOCATED IN THE BELL TOWER OF HERTFORD UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH WAS PURCHASED WITH MONEY RAISED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH
ATTENDING SUNDAY SCHOOL IN 1901. GEORGE E. MAJOR WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND
HERBERT NEWBY WAS THE SECRETARY OF THE HERTFORD UNITED METHODIST SUNDAY SCHOOL
IN 1901.
        THE BELL WAS FIRST TOILED ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1901 IN RESPECT FOR PRESIDENT
WILLIAM McKINLEY's DEATH ON THAT DATE. PRESIDENT McKINLEY HAD BEEN SHOT BY
ASSASSIN ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1901.
        THE BELL HAD JUST BEEN INSTALLED. THE PULL ROPE TO RING THE BELL HAD NOT
BEEN INSTALLED AT THAT TIME. HERBERT NEWBY THE SECRETARY OF SUNDAY SCHOOL.
CLIMBED UP IN THE BELFREY AND TOILED THE NEW BELL BY HAND TO NOTIFY THE 
CONGREGATION OF THE PRESIDENT McKINLEY's DEATH.
        THE BELL ALWAYS TOILED PRIOR TO A FUNERAL SERVICE IN THE CHURCH. THE
BELL WAS ALSO RUNG AS FIRE ALARM TO NOTIFY THE VOLUNTEER FIREMAN THAT A FIRE
WAS OCCURRING IN THE VICINITY OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. IT HAS BEEN 
RECORDED THAT WILLIAM D LANDING SR. CUSTODIAN OF THE CHURCH IN THE 1930'S AND
1940'S RANG THE BELL 25 TIMES PRIOR TO THE 11.00 a.m. CHURCH SERVICE.
       HERTFORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IS LOCATED ON COVENT GARDEN AND MARKET
STREET IN HERTFORD CITY LIMITS. RESTORATION PROJECT OF THE BELL TOWER WILL
LIKELY BE COMPLETED IN APRIL. THE BELL'S INSCRIPTION DETAILS IT'S ORGINS AND
BUYERS.

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