USA > Ohio > A history of the church of the Brethren, Northeastern Ohio > Part 10
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The first series of meetings were held in the house of Rudolph Pinkerton for only a few days.
Jacob Kurtz was then the elder in charge of the Chippewa Church which embraced a very large ter- ritory. Geo. Irvin, John B. Shumaker, James Mc- Mullen and William Murray were colaborers with the above-named elder.
Owing to the large territory and other conditions it was thought best to divide the field into three lo- cal districts, the Wooster and Orrville forming the two new districts. Said division took place May 29, 1877.
John B. Shumaker was given charge of the Orr- ville Church, Cyrus Hoover of the Wooster and Geo. Irvin of the Chippewa.
May 29, 1877, the division was made at the Union meetinghouse, Paradise.
Elders present, Morgan Workman, Moses Weav- er, Conrad Kahler, John Swihart and Samuel Garver.
The old congregation was divided into three parts. The southeast part includes all that territory east of Sugar Creek, following the branch of that creek
OLD BEECH GROVE HOUSE, WAYNE COUNTY
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north of Smithville and south of the township line road between Milton and Green Townships.
The Wooster congregation includes the territory south of the center of Wayne Township and west of Sugar Creek, and the New Chippewa congrega- tion includes the territory north of the line passing through Madisonburg, east and west between the Harrisville road and Sugar Creek and west of the little branch of Sugar Creek and north of the town- ship line between Canaan and Green Townships, containing, on day of division, 131 members. Geo. Irvin was the bishop, E. L. Yoder, minister in the second degree; David B. Hoff, Jacob B. Hoff, Si- mon Winter, John Brenizer, Daniel Correll, Wm. Lichtenwalter, deacons.
First council meeting held by the New Chippewa congregation was at Beech Grove meetinghouse, Wayne County, Ohio, August 18, 1877.
Geo. Irvin, elder in charge. The following officers were chosen : Trustees, David Wieand, Isaac Win- ter and John Correll; Treasurer, Samuel Smith ; Au- diting Clerks, A. B. Lichtenwalter and T. B. Orr; Recording Clerk, Eli L. Yoder. Also resolved to call Brother S. H. Bashor to hold a series of meet- ings at the Beech Grove house.
The Chippewa congregation has ever been ready to engage in every good work for the uplift of its members and the advancement of the cause of Christ, as on Aug. 10, 1878, she decided unanimous- ly to open the Beech Grove house for the first Sun- day-school Convention in the District, and as early as 1886 organized a Sisters' Aid Society. However, owing to the ruling of Annual Meeting, it was dis-
NEW BEECH GROVE HOUSE, WAYNE COUNTY
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banded after a few sessions; yet, soon after Annual Meeting gave the permit, the work was reorganized.
She was in the hardest of the conflict when the di- vision of the Brotherhood occurred.
Feb. 8, 1879, a request came from the Black River congregation for a change of territorial lines, which was granted. Instead of running north between Canaan and Green Townships, the west line was ex- tended north on the Harrisonville road to the coun- ty line, thence east as far as the east line of West- field Township, Medina County, and thence north.
The Orrville Church was disorganized May 6, 1880. Aug. 12, 1886, part was taken into the Chip- pewa congregation and part into the Wooster con- gregation. This made a change in the territorial lines.
The line running east and west through Madison- burg was extended east to the county line and thence north and east.
The last change was made Aug. 13, 1910, when the Akron Mission was granted the privilege of or- ganizing as the first Church of the Brethren and the boundary line to be the county lines between Sum- mit on one side and Medina and Wayne on the other, and by this act ten members were transferred to the Akron congregation.
The following were called to the office of deacon, with time of installation :
May 10, 1879, Alonzo B. Lichtenwalter, David Wieand and Eliza.
Nov. 10, 1883, Peter Smith and Phoebe, Jacob C. Stucky and Nancy, Nov. 8, 1884, Simon Z. Griner and Sarah, Solomon J. King and Mary, Nov. 2, 1886.
June 13, 1895, Miron C. Lichtenwalter and Anna,
EAST CHIPPEWA CHURCH, WAYNE COUNTY
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Hezekiah M. Hoff and Flora I., Jacob Miller and Mariah, Urias C. Royer and Lizzie.
June 7, 1902, Daniel Shafer and Ida, Peter J. Weighley and Minnie S., Clark M. Pletcher and Sadie, James Miller and Lizzie.
To Ministry and Eldership.
Aug. 14, 1880, Edward Mason, first degree.
Aug. 12, 1882, David Lytle, second degree.
May 13, 1882, T. Calvin Wieand, first degree.
Nov. 8, 1884, T. Calvin Wieand and Ella M., Nov. 20, 1886, advanced to second degree.
Aug. 13, 1896, T. Calvin Weiand, advanced to eldership.
Oct. 3, 1890, Frederick B. Weimer and Julie Ann, eldership.
Nov. 11, 1893, Albert C. Wieand, first degree.
Aug. 11, 1900, Charles A. Helm, second degree.
Nov. 14, 1903, Aaron Heestand and Emmeline, eldership.
May 13, 1905, James Murray and Susan, eldership.
May 13, 1905, David R. McFadden and Florence, first degree.
Nov. 11, 1906, David R. McFadden and Florence, second degree.
Nov. 8, 1913, David R. McFadden and Florence, eldership.
Oct. 26, 1912, Floyd M. Irvin, first degree.
Sept. 13, 1913, John B. Wieand and Viola, Nov. 8, 1912, first degree.
Nov. 8, 1913, Simon A. Showalter and Nora, first degree.
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Places of Love Feasts Held in Barns.
June 12, 1878, at Brother David B. Hoff's. May or June, 1880, at Brother David B. Hoff's. May 9, 1882, at Brother Jacob Eshelman's. June 15, 1883, at Brother Wm. Lichtenwalter's. June 10, 1884, at Brother Geo. Irvin's.
The Beech Grove house was built in 1868. Elder Geo. Irvin was the boss carpenter and David Lytle with some others helped on. the work of the build- ing.
Aug. 9, 1884, a request was granted for a change in Beech Grove house so as to make it convenient for love feast purposes. Said change was made during 1885, and Sept. 20, 1885, at 4 o'clock P. M., was held the first love feast in the churchhouse. Ever after the place has been the scene of many a joyous feast till 1910.
Feb. 8, 1890, it was decided to built the East Chip- pewa house and the following constituted the build- ing committee: Jacob C. Stucky, Urias C. Royer, Andrew Yoder, and S. J. King as treasurer.
After the dissolution of the Orrville congregation the brethren had meetings at what is known as the Leisure Church, in Georgetown, to accommodate the members living in that section, and this was continued until the East Chippewa house was under construction. At a special council, March 22, 1890, it was decided to discontinue regular preaching at the former place.
In 1910 necessity required that something be done with the Grove house, as the old building was giving way ; so a committee was appointed to investigate
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the cost of remodeling or of building new. After the report of the committee it was decided to build new.
Feb. 11, 1911, a building committee of five was chosen as follows: Samuel T. Baker, foreman, Hez- ekiah M. Hoff, secretary, A. Wesley Rennecker, David M. Hartzler, Jacob Miller, and James Miller, treasurer.
July 21, 1912, was set for the dedication of the house, but the day was so rainy that it was post- poned until July 28. Sept. 7, 1912, at 10 A. M., was held the first love feast in the present building.
Elder Geo. Irvin requested that he be relieved of the care of the church, whereupon Brother F. B. Weimer was ordained as assistant elder Oct. 3, 1890. April 23, 1892, Elder Geo. Irvin died, after which Brother F. B. Weimer was elder in charge until Dec. 12, 1913, when he also was called to his reward. Feb. 14, 1914, Elder David R. McFadden was se- lected to take the oversight of the Chippewa con- gregation and Elder Jacob Murray assistant.
Jan. 1, 1914, the membership of the Chippewa con- gregation was 212.
Elder George Irvin. 1816-1892.
George Irvin, fifth child of a family of ten chil- dren of George Irvin, Sr., and Rebecca (Kemper) Irvin, was born April 1, 1816, in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pa.
Here, in this rich belt of country among these plain people, he spent his boyhood days.
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When eighteen years of age he moved with his parents to near Berlin, Stark County, Ohio. He re- mained with them until twenty-one years of age, then went to work at the carpenter trade with his brother David, hiring for twelve dollars per month in sum- mer and five in the winter months. The next year
ELDER GEORGE IRVIN
he continued the same trade in Medina County, and the following year in Richland County, also Ashland County, working with Brother Tracy until 1841, when he was united in marriage to Lydia Garver, daughter of David Garver and wife.
The following year they united with the church
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in the Mohican congregation. Later they moved to Ashland County, thence to Cedar Valley, Wayne County. In the spring of 1850 they located near Golden Corners, and while living there he was elect- ed to the office of deacon in 1853. During these years he worked at his trade in the summer and in winter run a saw mill.
In the spring of 1854 he bought a quarter section of land near Golden Corners, at which place he resided till death.
In 1859 he was elected to the ministry. On March 4, 1864, his beloved companion was called away, leaving eight motherless children. He afterward married Isabella Garver Ruse. In 1869 he was or- dained as an elder. In 1870 he with Brother David B. Hoff made a prospective trip to California, but returned satisfied to spend his remaining years in the field of his earlier activities.
He was very ambitious, both in temporal and spir- itual affairs. Many mornings in his younger days he was up at three o'clock and by the aid of a tallow candle lantern would work up enough wood to keep the family going until his return home on Saturday evening. The Lord blessed the labor of his hands so that he had a comfortable home.
He was a strong believer in the maxim, " Early to bed and early to rise "; for you would scarcely ever find him in bed after 4 A. M., and 8 P. M. was his regular time for retiring.
He would arise, build the fires and spend some time in reading, of which he did a great deal. His Bible was foremost, yet he did much reading from other good books, Spurgeon being his favorite au-
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thor. He was well posted, also, on affairs of state, but much regretted that his education was so meager, and determined that his children should have a better education than he.
This they did, yet in real executive ability he had no child that could compare with him.
In church work he was counseled with a great deal and was elder in charge of the Chippewa Church from 1877 to the time of his death. His first work in the ministry was begun in his home neigh- borhood at the Golden Corners schoolhouse. From the time he was first called to the ministry till 1868 the services or meetings were held at the members' homes and schoolhouses.
He was the head carpenter of the first church building in the Chippewa congregation and also gave liberally for the erection of the same. He was a firm believer in missions and the first to open his " purse strings" when a call was made. In his broken way he often urged the members to respond to the requests of the church, if they believed in her doctrines.
Nothing save sickness ever kept him away from the sanctuary, although he had five and one-half miles to church.
Of a family of twelve children all united with the church save one.
At times during the last years of his life he had palpitation of the heart, which would hinder him for a few days; otherwise, he scarcely knew what it was to be sick. Ten days prior to his decease he contracted pneumonia and on April 23, 1892, passed
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away, strong in the faith he had espoused in his young manhood.
He will be remembered in the Chippewa Church as a man of strong character and sterling worth.
Flora I. Hoff.
Mother Irvin. 1833-1914.
Isabella Garver, fourth child of a family of eleven children of Brother Joseph and Sister Jane Garver, was born on a farm near Mt. Pleasant, Westmore- land County, Pa., Aug. 16, 1833.
Here she remained in this mountain home until she grew to womanhood.
It was only by the strictest economy that the family was kept together. The mother did weaving while some of the older ones would assist. Climb- ing the mountains in search of herbs and roots for the village physician gave activity to limb and de- veloped strong bodies for the children as well as added a little to the support of the family.
On May 9, 1856, she was united in marriage with Henry Ruse, of Bryan, Ohio.
To this union were born five children, four of whom died in infancy, one surviving. Some time after the decease of Brother Ruse she came to Wayne County, Ohio, and on May 18, 1865, was married to Elder George Irvin, of Golden Corners, Ohio.
To this union were born four children, all sur- viving. Besides these, in the home of Brother Irvin, were eight children by a former marriage to
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be mothered. With all the family to see after she was very neighborly and when any one was ailing in the community, Sister Irvin was sent for. Here her early knowledge of herbs came in nicely.
She united with the Church of the Brethren in her
SISTER ISABELLA IRVIN Wife of Elder George Irvin
early teens, being baptized by Elder James Quinter, in the Jacob's Creek Church, Oct. 28, 1847.
She was full of zeal for the Master from her youth up, and was ever found engaged in serving him. Having inherited the gift of song from her mother, she was well versed in nearly all the meters of our
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old hymn books; and if Sister Irvin was in the congregation when a hymn was announced, none need fear another would have to be selected because no one could " raise the tune."
In the morning worship around the family altar the writer well remembers hearing Father Irvin an- nounce such hymns as these : " Early My God With- out Delay," "Lord, in the Morning Thou Shalt Hear," "Awake My Soul and With the Sun," and while Mother Irvin, with her clear, strong voice, would lead the song the rest of the family would join in, after which there was a season of prayer. Thus was the day begun and so were the days of the years of their pilgrimage, on through twenty- seven years, until the husband was called to his reward.
She attended, with Brother Irvin, many Annual Meetings, as well as District Conferences, and was with him at all regular meetings as much as pos- sible.
To be in the Sunday-school surrounded by the primary class was her chief delight. She was a ready talker and a lover of children, hence was often called on to address the schools where she chanced to be. After the death of Elder Irvin she remained a few years at the old homestead near Golden Cor- ners; she then went to the home of her daughter,
Mrs. Hezekiah Hoff, near Wooster, Ohio. Here she made her home, but visited much among her children. She also spent many happy hours visiting the members of the Chippewa Church, as well as the surrounding congregations, where she was al-
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ways received with much respect and treated as a mother in Israel.
In August, 1913, she attended the series of meet- ings conducted by Brother D. R. McFadden in the home church, and frequently she led in prayer and would go from place to place in search of lost ones, praising God for health to yet be of service to him.
The last few months of her life were spent in fail- ing health, and before the end came she called for the elders and was anointed with oil in the name of the Lord.
Dilatation of the heart with a complication of diseases incident to old age caused intense suffer- ing during the last few weeks of her life, but on March 27, 1914, she peacefully fell asleep in Jesus at the home of her daughter, Flora, at the ripe age of eighty years, her husband having preceded her nearly twenty-two years.
She will long be remembered by her kind words and pleasant smiles. Flora I. Hoff.
Elder James Murray. 1855-1913.
On the afternoon of July 31, 1913, after an illness of about a year and a half-but becoming alarming only about five months before-the subject of this sketch quietly fell asleep in Jesus. Bright's disease had been stealthily developing, unknown until about March 1, at which time he had a severe attack, be- ing bedfast for several weeks. He rallied from this attack again about April 15, and was able to be about his home and do light choring. On June 18
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he had sufficiently recovered so that he undertook a trip to the Springfield Church to attend the District Sunday-school and Christian Workers' Meetings which were in session there.
This trip taxed his strength severely, and the writer will never forget the deep impres- sion of rapidly-failing physical strength re- ceived that evening when father stopped to rest over night with his " Akron children " on his way back home. It was then plainly ap- parent that the weak- ened body would soon succumb to the inroads ELDER JAMES MURRAY of the disease; and so when a few weeks later, word was received that he had taken a cold which was rapidly developing serious complications, we be- gan to realize fully the meaning of the words passed between the writer and his wife that last morning he spent in our home, when we said, " Father will not be with us much longer." And yet the end came even sooner than any one expected. And though suffering acutely much of the time, yet he bore it all with patient fortitude, seldom making any complaint.
He was born March 19, 1855, in Greene County, Pa. When about fourteen years of age, the family
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removed to Northeastern Ohio, he and a friend mak- ing the trip on horseback. With the exception of about four years spent in Iowa and Kansas in his early manhood, this State and this District has been his permanent earthly home.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1876, he was married to Miss Luie Hess, of Fredonia, Kans. She died Aug. 4, 1879, leaving him with one son, who is now one of the "Akron children " previously referred to. Shortly after the death of his wife he returned to Ohio, making his home with his parents for a num- ber of years. In 1884 he was married to Miss Susan Bechtel, of Blair County, Pa. To this union were born four children-two sons and two daughters, who, with their mother, half brother, two grandchil- dren, a brother and two sisters, survive him.
Although but few educational advantages were available in his time, he acquired sufficient in the country schools, with a term or two at a Normal academy located at Perrysville, Ohio, to enable him to qualify as a teacher for eleven terms. He was very fond of reading, and this, with a good memory and keen powers of observation, combined with nat- ural tact and evenness of disposition, made him an acknowledged leader of men.
He became a member of the Church of the Breth- ren July 8, 1877, being baptized by Elder Sidney Hodgden, in Neosha County, Kans. He was elected to the ministry Oct. 11, 1878, while a member of the Fredonia Church; Wilson County, Kans. After returning to this State, he located in the Ashland Church, Ashland County, where he was advanced to the second degree of the ministry Nov. 11, 1883.
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In the spring of 1892 he removed to the bounds of the Chippewa Church, Wayne County, where he re- sided until his death. He was advanced to the full ministry Nov. 14, 1903.
Elder Murray was quite active in church work, was well known throughout the District, and also in several other sections of the Brotherhood. Until compelled to stop on account of failing health, he was active as an evangelist. From records he had kept up to August, 1909, he had baptized forty-five persons. Whether he baptized any since that date cannot now be determined. His record also shows that he had solemnized thirty-one marriages. The District considered him especially efficient as a coun- sellor, and he was frequently called to attend council meetings in the various churches. He also served several churches as elder in charge for a number of years, and at his death still retained charge of the Akron and Springfield congregations. He served a number of times as moderator at District Meet- ings, and represented the District on Standing Com- mittee in 1906, 1908 and 1911. From statistics pub- lished in the Gospel Messenger a few weeks prior to his death, it appears that he is the first member of the " Bicentennial Committee " to cross the river of death. At the time of his death he was serving his second term as a member of the District Mission Board, of which he was the Chairman. The beauti- ful Akron Church, pictured on another page of this volume, will long remain a visible monument to his interest in the missionary work of this District. He had also been elected to represent the District on the Committee of Arrangements for Annual Confer-
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ence of 1913 at Winona, but because of his affliction, was unable to take any active part in the work, having been present at only the first meeting of the committee.
Brother David R. McFadden conducted the fun- eral services at the Beech Grove churchhouse in the presence of a large concourse of sympathizing friends and coworkers ; the ministers-David Worst, A. B. Horst, A. F. Shriver, M. S. Young, S. A. Kreiner and Chas. Kurtz-of the churches in which he had been the presiding elder, tenderly bore his mortal remains to their last resting place beside his father in the quiet cemetery near by. Text, Philpp. 1:21.
" Quietly sleep, beloved one, Rest from thy toil, thy labor's done; Rest till the trump from th' opening skies Bids thee from dust to glory arise."
Claude H. Murray.
Elder William A. Murray. 1824-1910.
The subject of this sketch was born in Fayette County, Pa., March 12, 1824, and died in the Chip- pewa Church, Wayne County, Ohio, April 14, 1910, aged eighty-six years, one month and two days. In November, 1846, he was married to Miss Eliza Jane McEnteer, with whom he lived up to the time of her death in June, 1900. To this union were born ten children, six of whom have preceded him to the spirit world. The four surviving at the time of his decease are James Murray, of Sterling, Ohio; Isaac M. Murray, of West Salem, Ohio; Mrs. Susan Holl,
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of Payette, Idaho ; and Mrs. Lizzie Hiller, of Homer- ville, Ohio.
In March, 1902, Elder Murray was married to Mrs. Louisa Gore, of near Sterling, Ohio, with whom he lived until death called him home. Be- sides those already named, four brothers-James Murray, of Aleppo, Pa., aged ninety ; Samuel Mur- ray, of Jefferson, Pa., aged eighty-eight ; Jer- emiah Murray, of Boyd, Okla., aged seventy-eight; Jacob A. Murray, of Smithville, Ohio, aged seventy-six ; and three sisters-Mrs. Peter Lohr, of Mt. Pleasant, Pa., aged eighty-two; Mrs. Sarah Otto, of Sterling, Ohio, aged eighty ; and Mrs. F. B. Weimer, of Ster- ELDER WM. MURRAY ling, Ohio, aged sev- enty, still survive him. You will note that this is an exceptionally long-lived family.
Elder Murray united with the Church of the Brethren in his youth and was soon called to the ministry, in which he has been very active. He spent much time in evangelistic work, attended a number of Annual Meetings, and was a constant reader of the church periodicals, having taken all of
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them, from the Gospel Visitor to the Gospel Mes- senger. He spent nearly sixty years in the ministry, preaching up to a few weeks before his death. He found his greatest pleasure in being about his Mas- ter's business. He came to the Northeastern Dis- trict of Ohio shortly after the close of the Civil War, living at various times in Stark, Richland, Ashland and Wayne Counties, laboring with the churches located in those counties.
He had been sick scarcely a day during his entire life, and on the night of his death went to bed as usual. Some time after retiring, his wife, hearing a slight disturbance in his room, went to see what it was and found that his spirit had flown. So in life and in death he was spared a knowledge (in experience) of that suffering through disease that falls to the lot of many of us.
Appropriate burial services were conducted by Brother D. R. McFadden. Text, 2 Tim. 4: 1-9. His remains quietly await the last trump, reposing in the Beech Grove cemetery near the church where his final efforts in response to his Master's call to service were put forth. Claude H. Murray.
David B. Hoff. 1819-1910.
David B. Hoff was born in Milton Township, Wayne County, Ohio, June 17, 1819, died at Orr- ville Dec. 25, 1910, aged ninety-one years, six months and eight days. He was buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, which lies just across the road from his homestead, where he spent sixty years of a long and
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useful life. His last illness, dating from an ac- cidental fall in which he fractured a hip, lasted eleven weeks. Pneumonia contracted during this illness finally brought the end.
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