USA > Ohio > Richland County > Mansfield > A history of the Wittenberg Synod of the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1847-1916 > Part 11
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In 1892 the congregation erected a House of Worship at a cost of $1,500.00,-a substantial struc- ture of frame, with excellent equipment.
In 1904 a joint Missionary and Aid Society was organized, doing good service together until in 1910 when the Aid Society organized separately under the name of "Busy Bee Workers."
In 1913 a Mission Band was organized, co-operat- ing successfully with the Women's Missionary Society in educational work.
The organization of a Luther League was ef- fected. also, in 1909.
Pastors served this church as follows :
Rev. U. D. Bair 1891-1893
Rev. Elias Minter 1893-1896
Rev. A. C. Martin 1896-1901
Rev. Ira J. Briner
1901-1902
Rev. W. P. Rilling. 1903-1906
Merlin I. Powell, (student supply) 1 year
Rev. E. Ray Richard 1907-1909
Rev. P. B. Fasold. 1909-1911
Dwight P. Blair, (student supply) 1 year
D. L. McConnell, (student supply ) 2 years
In December, 1913, the Rev. Charles A. Kuenzli, then a student at Hamma Divinity School, Springfield, Ohio, just after his Licensure by Wittenberg Synod, received and accepted a call to the pastorate, supply-
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ing it regularly until he finished his work at the Sem- inary the following May, when he expected to take regular charge of the work.
On the first Sunday in May, when the Seminary Commencement took place, he was unable to attend, having taken sick at Arlington, where he had gone
REV. C. A. KUENZLI.
on the previous Sunday to conduct services. From that time until his departure he was utterly disabled. "Thus he was suddenly denied the blessed privilege of entering fully upon the duties of the Ministry for which he had so long yearned. The gates of oppor- tunity which he saw opening before him suddenly
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changed to the gates of Eternity." During the several months of vacancy following, services were conducted by Rev. I. J. Miller, of Lima, Ohio.
Rev. N. S. Luz received and accepted a call to the pastorate in May, 1915. The Arlington congre- gation was connected with the Bluffton pastorate from its organization until 1911, when Bluffton congrega- tion withdrew, uniting with the North Findlay pas- torate.
Arlington and Zion congregations then asked to be constituted a separate pastorate.
NORTH ROBINSON PASTORATE
Sulphur Springs, Crawford County, English Lutheran Church
During the years of 1832-1834 a pioneer mis- sionary in the person of Rev. F. J. Ruth, whose field of operations lay in five or six counties of north- central Ohio, visited this section, and wherever he could gather the settlers together, preached to them the Word of Life.
It so happened that the little community, then called Slifertown, - a few log cabins, - later called Annapolis, -and still later, Sulphur Springs, fell under his notice. He called the people together and preached to them in private cabins,-out of doors,- in barns, and later in Kautz's school house,-only a log cabin, too,-when it could be had for that purpose. In 1834 he organized the congregation at this place which has lived and prospered through all these years and has been a savor of life to the whole community and has sent out into the world a large number of
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young men and women to bless the world in other fields.
Among the charter members of this congregation the records show the names of John G. Stough, Isaac Rice, John Fry, Horatio Markley, and Andrew Hess, to which may be added James Burk, Benjamin Rupert, and probably Patrick McIntyre and Patrick Moriarty. At the time of the organization, Isaac Rice and Jno. G. Stough were elected Church Officers.
The congregation was not organized as a mission but was connected with the Bucyrus congregation in a charge, which arrangement continued until March, 1859, when it yielded to the desire of the Bucyrus congregation to have a morning service every Sunday, and formed a union with the Oakland congregation, six miles to the north-east, and which union continued unbroken for thirty-six years, during which period twelve ministers served this pastorate for varying terms ranging from a few months, as supplies, to a pastorate of five years.
In 1885 the Oakland congregation withdrew from Sulphur Springs and extended a call to Rev. Dr. J. Crouse, who served it until the time of his death, three years later.
This left Sulphur Springs with the Holmes con- gregation, five miles north of Bucyrus, to support a pastor alone. This arrangement continued until 1890, when Sulphur Springs was made a part of the North Robinson Charge and Holmes congregation was added to the Nevada Pastorate. One year later the Oakland congregation had moved into the village of Tiro and erected a new church building and asked permission
12
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of the Synod to unite with the Sulphur Springs con- gregation in the formation of a pastorate to be known as the Tiro Pastorate, which was granted. The Rev. A. E. Gaff, received by letter from the United Breth- ren Church, became the pastor of this newly formed charge some time during the year 1892. For a period of eighteen years this arrangement of the pastorate continued until Sept., 1911, when the Tiro congre- gation again asked to be permitted to withdraw and form a pastorate alone, which was granted by the Synod at its session in Plymouth, Ohio. The sum of $200 was voted by the Synod to enable Sulphur Springs to support a pastor alone. Another adjust- ment was made in 1914, when, after the disbanding of the Trinity congregation of the North Robinson charge, the Sulphur Springs congregation, by the action of the Synod through its President was united with the North Robinson and Loss Creek congrega- tions, by the unanimous vote of each of the congre- gations, the pastor living at Sulphur Springs.
In June, 1900, during an electric storm the tower of the church was struck by lightning, tearing off the spire and riddling ten feet of the brick work. Im- mediate steps were taken to repair the damage. The men of the church turned out "en masse," tore down the wrecked tower and rebuilt it and made other re- pairs at a cost of about $1,100. During this time the congregation worshipped in the town hall until the church was re-opened in December of the same year. Dr. S. A. Ort of Wittenberg College was the officiat- ing clergyman.
During the year 1908 the Ladies' Aid Society repaired the plastering of the church and re-decorated
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:
SULPHUR SPRINGS CHURCH.
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the whole interior at a cost of $200.00. The con- gregation has four organizations, viz. : A Ladies' Aid, Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, A Luther League, and a Junior League of 20 members, all in good working condition. The church owns a parsonage next door.
The first church building was a frame erected about the year 1840. The present building of brick was erected during the pastorate of the Rev. A. J. Kissell and dedicated in 1876. It is 66 by 38 feet, and has a comfortable seating capacity of 400.
It is heated by a furnace in the basement, and lighted by an inverted mantle gasoline plant.
Following is a list of pastors with their terms of service :
Rev. F. J. Ruth 1833-1854
Rev. J. Crouse.
1855-1859
Rev. A. R. Howbert 1859-1862
Rev. J. B. Helwig.
1862-1865
Rev. Melanchthon Ort.
1865-1866
Rev. G. W. Halderman, three mos. sup- ply . (1866)
Rev. J. Crouse
1866-1868
Rev. I. J. Delo
1868-1869
Rev. J. Crouse.
1869-1874
Rev. A. J. Kissell.
1874-1877
Rev. J. N. Morris
1878-1879
Rev. Wm. H. Dolbeer
1879-1881
Rev. M. L. Smith
1882-1884
Rev. S. E. Greenewalt, three mos. supply. (1885) Rev. E. Minter.
1886-1889
Rev. I. D. Worman, three mos. supply .. (1889)
Rev. Jabez Shaffer 1890-1892
Rev. A. E. Gaff 1892-1895
Rev. G. M. Grau. 1895-1898
Rev. J. B. Grove.
1898-1903
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
Rev. C. E. Berkey
1903-1906
Rev. C. S. Ernsberger
1907-1910
Rev. J. W. Bressler
1910-1911
Rev. C. G. Stacey
1914-1915
Rev. E. E. Campbell
1915-
REV. C. G. STACEY.
Loss Creek Lutheran Church
The Loss Creek Lutheran Church stands on the brow of the hill overlooking the beautiful Loss Creek valley in Sandusky Township, Crawford County, Ohio.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
The early beginnings of this historic congrega- tion are told in a paragraph from the first record book of the congregation over the signature of its first pastor, the Rev. F. J. Ruth. The paragraph reads as follows :
"In the year A. D. 1840 a few members of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church residing in Sandusky Township, Crawford County, Ohio, expressed a desire to have preaching by a clergyman of their own denomination. Accordingly, on the 1st of March, 1840, Rev. F. J. Ruth, then residing in Bucyrus, Crawford County, O., was called to preach for the above members in the school-house of District No. 5, in the above mentioned Township, and continued to labor among them until sometime in the month of July, A. D. 1840, when the Society was organized by the election of the fol- lowing members as Church Officers, viz .: Joseph Bishop as Elder, and John Kaler and William Wert as Deacons."
Following is a list of the charter members: Isaac Rice, William Wert, Joseph Bishop, Mary Rice, Barbara Wert, Elizabeth. Bishop, John Kaler, Peter Arter, John Kaler, Jr., David Wert, Elizabeth Kaler, Barbara Arter, Elizabeth Kaler, Hannah Wert, Mar- garet Wert, Joseph Wert, John Bishop, Adam Wert, Jacob Bishop, John Rice, George Kaler, David Rice, Eva Wert, Mary Wert, Sarah Walter, Nancy Rice, Elizabeth Bishop, Hannah Bishop, and Elizabeth Rice.
In the published biography of Rev. F. J. Ruth, he says :* "I am not able to say now, with certainty whether the Loss Creek congregation was organized by myself or by Brother Crouse."
The date of the erection of the first building can not be definitely fixed, but it must have been some-
*Autobiog., p. 84.
HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD 183
-
Loss CREEK.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
time between 1843 and 1846. Prior to that time the congregation worshipped in a barn belonging to David Wert. The first building was a frame structure, 30 by 40 feet, old style, square box cornice, two doors, two aisles, two windows in each side, pulpit in north center, and with a seating capacity of about 250. This building was replaced in 1884 by another frame build- ing at a cost of $3,000, which was dedicated in Oc- tober, 1884. In January, 1905, this building was en- tirely destroyed by fire. The congregation again set itself to the task of providing a new church home, and in the fall of 1905 the present beautiful structure was dedicated at a cost of over $5,000. The building is of brick, handsomely furnished and deco- rated, with art glass windows, furnace heat, and lighted with acetylene lamps. Following is a list of the pastors with the terms of service :
Rev. F. J. Ruth 1852-1861
Rev. Joshua Crouse
1861-1864
Rev. F. J. Ruth. 1864-1873
Rev. E. W. Shanibarger 1874-1875
Rev. A. B. Kirtland
Supply 1876
Rev. H. B. Miller.
1877-1881
Rev. S. P. Fryberger
1881-1885
Rev. E. K. Baker.
1885-1889
Rev. Jabez Shafer
1890-1891
Rev. S. P. Kiefer.
1892-1893
Rev. W. H. Schrock 1894-1899
Rev. G. B. Weaver
1900-1901
Rev. A. J. Houk. 1902-1904
Rev. J. H. Fetterolf 1905-1907
Rev. S. P. Kiefer 1907-1910
Rev. H. M. Nicholson 1910-1912
Rev. J. L. Marvin. 1912-1914
Rev. E. E. Campbell 1914-
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The Loss Creek Women's Christian Temperance Union is supporting a native missionary in India.
North Robinson Church
From lack of definite records, any historical sketch of the North Robinson congregation must be quite fragmentary. The leading spirits, however, in the organization, for the most part were Dr. P. Ebert. and Henry Ensminger. These, with a few others equally loyal to the faith of their fathers, spared no effort to bring about the organization of a Lutheran Church in the village of North Robinson.
This was brought about February 13, 1876. The officiating minister was Rev. E. W. Shanibarger. Strange to say, the minutes of Synod have taken no notice of this organization.
The names of twelve persons appear as charter members, viz .: Doctor P. Ebert, Henry Ensminger, M. S. Ebert, Corwin Lininger, Jacob Lohr, Frank Ensminger, Albert Ensminger, William Magers, Joel Shoemaker, A. J. Morrison, Mrs. Letitia Ebert, Susan Ensminger, and there were a few others whose names do not appear.
Rev. Shanibarger remained but one year and a half. He was succeeded by Rev. H. B. Miller in the fall of 1877. During his stay (in 1878) the Church building now standing was erected. It is a neat struc- ture of brick, with a seating capacity of about 200, containing a gallery, and heated with furnace.
The congregation has never been strong, either financially or numerically, but it has maintained itself amid most trying conditions, held together by a most
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faithful band of officers that have maintained, stead- fastly their regular Council Meetings, continually fol- lowing up the best interests of the congregation. An active Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary So-
REV. E. E. CAMPBELL.
ciety has been sustained which has been a very helpful adjunct to the work of the congregation. A Young People's Society is being organized, which will add new interest in that important work.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
NORTH ROBINSON.
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
A good Sunday-school organization has been maintained, and a healthy spirit of activity among the leading people of the congregation.
The congregation has been associated with various other surrounding churches in different pas- torates. Originally it was a part of the Galion Charge, -composed of North Robinson, Leesville, Loss Creek, and Trinity, or Scherer church. Later the name of the Galion charge was changed to North Robinson Charge. Still later,-in 1889,-Leesville withdrew to unite with Crestline, and Sulphur Springs was added to the pastorate, to remain but one year, when it with- drew and united with the Tiro congregation.
This arrangement stood for many years until Tiro withdrew from Sulphur Springs in 1915, when Sulphur Springs was again united with North Robin- son in a new arrangement, with the pastor living at Sulphur Springs and the charge taking the name of North Robinson, composed of Loss Creek, North Robinson and Sulphur Springs,-Trinity congregation having disbanded. Pastors have served this congre- gation in the above relations as follows :
Rev. E. W. Shanibarger 1876-1877
Rev. H. B. Miller.
1877-1881
Rev. S. P. Fryberger. 1881-1885
Rev. E. K. Baker 1885-1889
Rev. Jabez Shaffer 1890-1891
Rev. S. P. Kieffer.
1891-1893
Rev. Jabez Shaffer 1893-1895
Rev. W. H. Schrock 1895-1899
Rev. G. B. Weaver 1900-1902
Rev. A. J. Houk. 1902-1905
Rev. J. H. Fetterolff 1906-1907
Rev. S. P. Kieffer 1908-1910
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Rev. H. M. Nicholson 1911-1912
Rev. J. L. Marvin. 1912-1914
Rev. E. E. Campbell 1914-
There are active missionary societies in all of the three congregations of the charge,-North Robinson, Loss Creek, and Sulphur Springs. The constitution of each congregation has been changed so as to call for twelve councilmen, and the Joint Council is to meet twice each year. The missionary societies of the charge hold a union meeting each year and the three congregations hold a union Sunday-school picnic each year.
WEST LIBERTY PASTORATE
English Lutheran Church, West Liberty, Ohio
For some time occasional services were held by different ministers in private houses in West Liberty, Ohio.
Rev. N. B. Little, member of the Synod of the West, and afterward of the Miami Synod, and who sometime was located at Circleville, Ohio, and later at Tarlton, where he organized congregations, came to West Liberty, and in 1857, organized a congrega- tion of 48 members, among whom were Miss Angie V. Seig, Almira Woodard, and Charles Woodard. These forty-eight people were duly received into church membership, celebrated the Lord's Supper, and organized a congregation by the election of Jacob Zeigler and Stephen Packer, Elders, and Peter Bow- man and Charles Moots, Deacons.
In 1858 Rev. Little started a project for the building of a house of worship. The money panic of 1858-1850 delayed the construction of the building
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
somewhat, but on March 18, 1860, the completed building was dedicated; the dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. F. W. Conrad of Dayton, O., assisted by Rev. Dr. Samuel Sprecher, President of Wittenberg College. In the same year the congrega- tion was admitted to membership in Wittenberg Synod in session at Tiffin, Ohio.
Pastors served this congregation as follows :
Rev. C. A. Gelwicks.
1860-1862
Rev. A. R. Howbert.
1863-1876
Rev. J. M. Cromer
1877-1878
Rev. E. K. Bell
1878-1879
Rev. J. F. Shaffer.
Supply
Rev. W. H. Dolbeer
1881-1882
Rev. E. C. Jessup
Supply
Rev. E. C. Jessup
1884-1885
Rev. A. Schafer
1885-1886
Several years of vacancy and supply.
Rev. John Ryder
1890-1893
Rev. N. J. Hadley
1894-1898
Rev. A. J. Houk
1898-1902
Rev. A. D. Gilbert 1903-1906
Rev. J. M. Weber
1906-1908
Rev. F. M. Traub.
1909-1911
Rev. J. H. Culler, D. D
1911-1915
In 1904 the old brick edifice was declared unsafe, and the erection of a new frame structure was decided upon. The leading spirits in this movement were William Woodard and the Rev. A. D. Gilbert, then pastor of the congregation. Personal solicitation of members of the church and residents of the village was so successful that in the summer of 1905 the building was dedicated free of debt. The present building consists of a large Auditorium with Sunday-
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
school room, separated by a movable partition. The Auditorium has a seating capacity of about 350; when both rooms are thrown together, they will accommo- date 500 people. The church is furnished with two good organs, fine solid oak pews and pulpit. Hymnals were donated by Clay Woodard and Nannie Fulwider.
Services are discontinued since 1915 until a pres- ent indebtedness is removed. Services are supplied semi-monthly, and the Sunday-school is maintained regularly.
The Philadelphia, Salem, and Mt. Zion congrega- tions are associated with it, constituting the West Liberty Pastorate.
Philadelphia Church
A number of Lutheran families living in Union Township, Logan County, Ohio, secured the services of Rev. A. R. Howbert, then living in Bellefontaine, to preach for them occasionally, and after holding services for some time in an abandoned church that had been occupied with services of another denomina- tion, a Lutheran congregation was organized by the Rev. Howbert on February 18, 1870. It once had been a social and religious center and a community cemetery was located near by.
Twenty-eight members entered into the organiza- tion, among whom were John M. Rausenberger, Jacob F. Maier, Mary A. Moore, Sarah C. Moore, Miss Louisa Packer, and others whose names cannot now be obtained.
The new congregation applied in a regular man- ner for admission to Wittenberg Synod in session at Mansfield, in August. 1870, was admitted and at
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
its own request was made a part of the West Lib- erty Pastorate, then being served by the Rev. How- bert. In 1876 the West Liberty .congregation sep- arated from the West Liberty Charge and called
REV. A. R. HOWBERT.
Rev. J. M. Cromer. Rev. Howbert continued to serve the Philadelphia Church, for a time in connec- tion with two other congregations in Logan county, and then later, the Philadelphia congregation alone, then, later again he served the other two congrega-
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
tions together with Philadelphia until 1888 when he resigned and was succeeded by Rev. G. G. Clark as . a student supply from Springfield, for a year or two. In 1891 the three congregations again united with West Liberty and called Rev. J. W. Ryder. He was succeeded by Revs. G. C. Smith, and N. J. Hadley in short pastorates. Since then it has been connected with the West Liberty Pastorate.
It has always maintained a flourishing Sunday- school and for a number of years an excellent Woman's Missionary Society with which the young women of the congregation faithfully co-operate. Many barrels and boxes of good things have gone from the congregation to the Oesterlen Home at Springfield, Ohio.
A number of the young people of the congrega- tion have attended Wittenberg college and other schools of higher education, several of them gradu- ating. One of this number, Miss Anna Kauffman, is now a missionary in China.
The influence of this church brought the legacy of $55,000 from Alexander Moore to Wittenberg Col- lege, and besides this, in a general way it has always been a wholesome, uplifting power to the entire com- munity.
During the pastorate of the Rev. A. D. Gilbert, the old church was replaced by a new frame build- ing, which was dedicated on Sunday, March 20, 1904. At the morning service the sermon was preached by the Rev. J. H. Culler, D. D., then President of Wittenberg Synod. The sermon in the evening was by the Rev. N. J. Hadley, a former pastor, who also
13
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
preached at West Liberty in the afternoon, and as- sisted in all the services of the day, the pastor having charge of the formal dedicatory services.
The church building is modern, a neat frame, with furnace, art glass windows, and tastefully fur- nished throughout, costing about $4,000.00.
New Salem Congregation, Logan County, Ohio
In the pioneer days of church building, when congregations of believers were far apart, contrary to what would be supposed, records were poorly kept, and churches came into existence, and disbanded, without any account definitely rendered to the synod to which they belonged. Striking indications of this fact will become apparent to any one running through the files of the minutes of synods. This will account for the fact that the records of the Courts must be sought for definite data as to the location and the beginnings of church work in certain communities. This has been the case with the New Salem Con- gregation located about six miles east of Belle- fontaine.
Court records show that, on March 29, 1851, a deed was made by Ralph Lowe and wife, to Michael Unangst, John Gable, and Daniel Arbogast, Trustees of the Lutheran Church, - recorded September 19, 1851.
Other records show that, during the following summer (1852) a church building was erected, and that on May 4, 1853, Rev. J. S. Schaefer, completed the organization of a Lutheran congregation, by the adoption of a Constitution and By-Laws, and that among the Charter Membership were the names of
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
Michael Unangst, John Gable, John Haas, Daniel Arbogast, Jacob Wolff, Jacob Slonaker, and others, to the number of fifty-four. From this it will appear that the New Salemi congregation is one of the oldest Lutheran congregations, and perhaps the oldest, in Logan County, and indeed, in that section of the state.
NEW SALEM CHURCH.
No traces of a recognition of this congregation- appear in the records of this synod, until in 1868. when, after the West Liberty congregation had sup- ported a pastor alone for eight years, another con- gregation is reported in the. Parochial Table as be- longing to the West Liberty Pastorate, but no name is given. Presumably the New Salem congregation is meant, because neither the Philadelphia nor the
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
Mt. Zion congregations were organized at that time. However, in the minutes of 1879, where the names . of each congregation in every pastorate of the synod is given, the Philadelphia pastorate is named as con- sisting of three congregations, viz .: Philadelphia, New Salem, and Mt. Zion, with DeGraff and Bloom Center as preaching places.
The New Salem congregation, though not a strong one numerically, and never was, nevertheless, has been, and still is a distinct force for righteous- ness for the entire community.
It has an efficient Church Council, an active Aid Society, a good Sunday-school, and two organized adult Bible Classes.
Its pastors have been the same as those of the Philadelphia congregation.
Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, Logan County, Ohio
No matter what the social status of a community may be, or its moral tone, all right minded people will know and believe that a living church organiza- tion more than any other will promote its religious life. It was this conviction in the hearts of the good people of Jefferson Township, that led them to make the effort to organize a Lutheran Church. Services were held in a school house just north of where the church now stands, conducted by the Rev. A. R. Howbert of Bellefontaine, then pastor at West Lib- erty.
The time set for the organization was January 20, 1876. Rev. Howbert organized with twelve char- ter members, as follows: William Arbogast, Sarah Arbogast, Sarah S. Crouse, Catherine Crouse, Mary
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HISTORY OF THE WITTENBERG SYNOD
E. Crouse, Mary M. Crouse, Elizabeth Moon, Wil- liam Moon, Sarah Moon, Levi Moon, Susanna Moon, Sarah E. Mason.
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