Oil was discovered in the Titusville area in the summer of 1859.  The Episcopal Church congregation in Warren is incorporated under the title “Trinity Memorial Church.”  These two facts are related.

    Samuel Bowman was 24 when he was ordained priest in Philadelphia by the venerable Bishop William White.  Six years later Bowman became the rector of St. James, Lancaster, Pa. where he remained the rector until his untimely death at the age of 61.  In concert with his parochial responsibilities he had also been consecrated as Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania at Christ Church, Philadelphia on August 25, 1858.

    The following year “black gold” was discovered in Titusville.  Bishop Bowman went to the “oil regions” in the summer of 1861 with the vision to establish the work of the Episcopal Church there.  A landslide forced the passengers traveling in the area by rail to abandon the train and continue on by foot.  Wearied, Bishop Bowman lingered behind and later he was found by the roadside dead.  Samuel Bowman’s episcopate was brief but fruitful.  He was laid to rest in the courtyard of St. James, Lancaster.

    In his memory substantial funds were given for the work of the parish in Titusville now know as St. James Memorial.  The residue benefited the Warren parish, hence Trinity Memorial.

    This building was affectionately known as “The little red church on the corner.”  The wooden gothic structure was located at the present site of the stone edifice and became the first “home” of Warren’s small congregation of Episcopalians.  The building was completed (aided by the Bowman Fund at a cost of $11,375) and having been “suitably furnished” the first service was held at 5:00 p.m. on July 16, 1867.  The following day (Wednesday) the building was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. William Bacon Stevens, Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania.  The priest-in-charge and first rector at the time was the Rev. Calvin C. Parker.

    This building served the congregation for almost three decades.  It was replaced by the present edifice completed in 1897.  “The Little Red Church on the Corner” was moved to the northwest corner of Poplar and Third where services were held during the construction of the stone building.  Subsequently, it was sold to a Baptist congregation and relocated on Warren’s east site.  The building, tragically, was destroyed by fire several years later.