Beaver Island History - Helen Collar Papers
Religion
The religious background of the population is an important factor in determining the character of a state. Michigan differs from many of the western states, since for the first 60 years its settlers were all Catholics. St. Anne's of Detroit has the 2nd-oldest continuous Catholic parish register in the U.S..
In 1808 Michigan was brought under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Bardstown, KY, and under that of Cincinnati in 1821. In 1833 the Territory had a Catholic population of about 7,000, sufficiently large to warrant the establishment of a separate diocese.
- Quaife & Glazer, Michigan, p. 325-26
(1850 census) 36,221 churches in U.S., one for every 646 people, with congregations averaging 384 people, for a total of 13,849,896 - 43.5% in church.
Roman Catholic - 1,112 churches, congregations averaging 558 people, for a total of 620,950 people. One person in 37 of total population a Catholic; 1 person in 22 among church members.
By far the largest denomination is Methodist, [followed by] Baptist, then Presbyterian.
Michigan -
42 Catholic churches; 15,972 members. Catholics were the 4th largest [denomination],
behind:
Methodists 103 churches 33,610 members
Presbyterians 67 churches 22,530 members
Baptists 58 churches 17,615 members
Country as a whole - 20 denominations listed; 13,849,896 members. In order of size - those having over 200,000 members:
Methodist 4,209,333
Baptist 3,130,878
Presbyterian 2,040,316
Congregational 795,177
Episcopalian 625,213
Catholic 620,950 (6th [largest])
Lutheran 531,100
Christian 296,050
Quaker 282,823
Universalist 205,462