First Baptist Manlius

There is information available concerning the size of the congregation during most of the years of its existence in the reports of the Church to the Madison Baptist Association and later to the Onondaga Baptist Association.

Because of Elder Smitzer's other area pastorates, there is more biographical information for him than for other pastors of his era. According to the Centennial History of the Elbridge Baptist Church, Elder John Smitzer was born in New York City in 1799. He was baptized in the old Bethel Church in 1813, graduated from the Baptist Theological Seminary (New York City), held several important pastorates during his lifetime and baptized from 800-1000 people. Local Churches served were Pompey Center (1826-1833), Fayetteville (1839-1845), Chittenango-Sullivan (1845-1847), Manlius (1849-1852), and Pompey Center (1853-1855). His first pastorate in Pompey Center was during a remarkable time of growth for the Church. They reported a 600 member congregation with 160 scholars in the Sunday School and a 150 member Temperance Society. His otherwise successful stay in Fayetteville was marred by a split in the Church as abolitionists desired from the Church a more militant stance towards the abolition of slavery.

Elder John Smitzer was cited in the Centennial History of the Onondaga Baptist Association as being noted for effective preaching and Christian Consecration.