The first society of this order was formed by Elder Jason McKee, who was then living near Stone Mills, in the town of Orleans. It was in the fall of 1833. Shepherd Warren and wife, Edwin Tuttle and wife, Joel Torrey and wife, Simeon Adams and wife, William Torrey, F. O. Torrey, and Addison Howard constituted the first members. Shepherd Warren and Joel Torrey were the first deacons, and Simeon Adams the first clerk, which position he gave up in 1839, and was succeeded by F. O. Torrey. Up to 1840 the names of its record-book had numbered one hundred and forty-one persons. Its pastors have been as follows, giving the year when they commenced their labors: Elder Jason McKee, 1833; G. S. Warren, 1835; Lyman Smith, 1843, who served two years, and was chosen a second time in 1850; between 1856 and 1860 Joseph Starkey, Jason McKee and Elder Green were employed; Geo. R. Torrey was the last pastor.

In 1850 the church numbered fifty members, but no services have been held for many months, nor is there reason to suppose they will be revived. The society never had a church building, and the places of meeting have been at Warren Settlement, Burnt Rock, French Settlement, Fox Creek, North Shore, St. Lawrence, Livingstone school-house, and Grindstone island, where the present organization exists. This denomination was the pioneer church in all the above-named places, except North shore. Elder G. R. Torrey started the first permanent Sabbath school in Warren Settlement, in the summer of 1850. One was organized in that neighborhood in 1833, but after six or eight weeks it failed. Mr. Torrey's school continued until 1863, and was conducted by himself, each year increasing in interest, with the exceptions of one, and given up in 1864, during the time of the civil war. The school was strictly a union effort, and during the Rebellion scarcely any other religious meeting was held in the Warren Settlement.

Although the Methodist church was organized several years after those already named, yet it was this denomination which maintained the first stated preaching. A class was formed not far from 1820, and the first conference appointment was that of Seth Green, in 1827. From 1827 to the present time preaching has been given directly in accordance with the plans of the conference, or else under the management of the presiding officer. During the early history of the field, which embraced the northern territory of Jefferson County, the quarterly meetings were very largely attended by people who lived many miles away from the place of gathering. The church in the village of Cape Vincent was legally organized on October 14, 1851, under the ministry of Rev. William Jones, and with a membership of fifty-five persons, twelve of whom were probationers. The names of the original trustees were William King, George Akerline, William Esselstyn, Philetus Judd, Asa S. Jones, John Hollenbeck, and John Nims. It is stated that the property of the society, twenty-five years ago, consisted of a good cooking-stove, with it necessary pipe and furniture. Sabbath services were held in the stone school-building on Point street, until the erection of the church in 1855. In 1854 a Methodist Sunday school was organized with thirty scholars, and this was after the school established on the North Shore. The parsonage belonging to this society was completed two years ago, a portion of the present house having been purchased for that purpose previous to 1874. Until 1876, the church received aid from the missionary society, but it is now self-supporting.