Union Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, DC

I have been trying for YEARS to track down information on this church.  My 2 great grandmother (Mary Ann Tinkler) was a member and she married my 2 great grandfather (Thomas Henry Smith) in this church.  Also, their two children (Ida May Smith and Samuel Thomas Smith) were christened in the church.  The only info I had been able to find was the marriage and christening data, and that was spread out over time.  Efforts to locate photos of the church were unfruitful.  Efforts to see if the church still existed were unfruitful.

Today I hit the jackpot, after all these years!  I found 3 photos online!!!  Doing the happy dance!

The plaque in the first photo and the engraving in the third photo confirm this is the building I have been looking for!  The building is now on the George Washington University grounds and is called Building XX.

The first plaque provided information on what happened to the congregation, showing them uniting with the Concordia Church in 1975.  Googling that church took me to the website of the United Church where they state: "The United Church represents a union of three traditions - the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, and German heritage."

The plaque in the first photo also states that the church was used as a hospital in 1862 and then in 1863 was used as a shelter for the Union Army.  Thomas Henry Smith joined the Union Army from New York and was stationed in DC, according to his obituary which I posted two days ago).   Perhaps this is how / where they met?

I am hoping my email to them this evening proves out I have at last tracked them down.  I can only hope they still maintain the records from the old church.

My hope is that I can find out more information on my 2great grandmother Mary Ann Tinkler Smith and hopefully her parents, Samuel and Hannah Ann Riggles Padgett Tinkler.  I do know they are buried in Oak Hill cemetery, their bodies being moved there from an unknown location in 1859.

So, that is my excitement for today!  Woot!!!  Here's hoping more information is forthcoming!