USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > Centennial history of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Vol. I > Part 18
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF COLUMBUS
St. Patrick's, Seventh and Naghten streets. Rev. M. Hagen, O. P., rector; Revs. W. J. O'Leary, O. P., F. L. Kelly, O. P., R. L. Rumaggi, O. P., assistants. St. John the Baptist, Lincoln and Hamlet streets. Rev. V Scovilla, rector pro tempore.
St. John the Evangelist Ohio avenue and Newton street. Rev. S. Weis- inger, rector.
St. Peter's, York avenue. (Milo). Rev. H. Ewing, rector.
Sacred Heart, First avenue and Summit street. Rev. J. B. Eis, rector ; Rev. W. Schaefer, assistant.
St. Ladislaus (Magyar), S. Columbus. Rev. R. Paulovits, rector.
St. Thomas', 5th and Cassaday avenues (E. Columbus). Rev. A. J. Johnson, rector.
Chapels and Chaplains.
St. Anthony's Hospital, Taylor avenue and Hawthorne street. Rev. P. C. Schneider, chaplain.
St. Francis of Assisi Hospital, 6th and State streets. Rev. J. Murphy,
chaplain.
Deaf and Dumb Institute, E. Town street, attended from St. Mary's church.
Good Shepherd Convent, W. Broad and Sandusky streets. Rev. B. Hanna, chaplain.
Mt. Carmel Hospital, W. State street and Davis avenue, attended from St. Patrick's high school, Mt. Vernon avenue.
St. Patrick's High School, Washington and Mt. Vernon avenues. Rev. R. J. Meaney, O. P., chaplain ; J. Healy, O. P., D. Wynn, O. P., E. Spence, O. P., and W. Lawler, O. P., assistants.
St. Turribius', E. Main street, attended from the Josephinum College. St. Rose's, E. Main street, attended from the Josephinum College.
St. Mary's of the Springs, E. Columbus. Rev. J. D. Pendergast, O. P. chaplain.
St. Vincent de Paul, E. Main street and Rose avenue. Rev. J. Gold- schmidt, chaplain; Rev. J. O'Neill, assistant.
Josephinum Pontifical College, E. Main street. V. Rev. Mgr. Soent- gerath, chaplain.
Notable Educational Institutions.
St. Patrick's College and High School, Mt. Vernon avenue. Rev. R. J. Meany, O. P., president; Rev. J. H. Healy, vice-president. Revs. D. Wynn, E. Spence and W. Lawler, professors.
The Pontifical College Josephinum of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, E. Main street. Rt. Rev. Mgr. Joseph Soent- gerath, president. Sixteen other professors.
St. Mary's of the Springs.
Notre Dame Academy.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF COLUMBUS
Diocese of Columbus.
In July, 1868, the apostolic letters creating the diocese of Columbus were received by the archbishop of Cincinnati. They prescribed the boun- daries and extent of the new diocese as follows: The territory of the arch- diocese of Cincinnati is divided in such wise that the part of the state of Ohio which lies between the Ohio river on the east and the Scioto river on the west, with the addition of the counties of Franklin, Delaware and Mor- row as far up as the southern limits of Cleveland diocese, shall belong to the new division; and the rest of the state south of Cleveland diocese, includ- ing Union, Marion and Hardin counties, remain in the archdiocese of Cin- cinnati. We will, also, that the see of the new cathedral be fixed in the city of Columbus and its diocese be called Columbensis, and possess all the honors, rights and privileges which other Episcopal sees possess and enjoy. These letters were dated at Rome, March 3, 1868, and named Rt. Rev. S. H. Rose- crans as first bishop of the new diocese.
Bishop Rosecrans remained at St. Patrick's as pastor, and with that church as the pro-cathedral, while St. Joseph's church, now determined upon as the cathedral, was in process of construction. He was assisted in 1867-8 by Rev. George H. Ahrens, chancellor, and upon the latter's removal to Holy Cross, Rev. P. J. Daily and Rev. F. Gouesse became assistants in 1868-9. During 1869 Rev. N. A. Gallagher, Rev. J. McPhillips and Rev J. A. Rotchford, O. P., were also stationed at St. Patrick's attending parochial duties. Father Gallagher remained until the fall of 1871, when he became president of St. Aloysius Seminary, just established on the west side, as a diocesan institution for the preparation of young men for the priesthood. Father Rotchford con- tinued to assist until 1872. Father Gallagher was succeeded as assistant by Rev. Jeremiah A. Murray and later by Rev. William T. Hawe.
St. Joseph's Cathedral.
The present imposing cathedral on East Broad street was the outgrowth of the plans originally devised and expanded by Rev. Edward M. Fitzgerald, one of the most beloved of the Columbus priesthood, who was later consecrated bishop of Little Rock, and who at the time was pastor of St. Patrick's. These plans, with but few modifications, were reproduced in the architectural im- pressiveness of the present pile.
The building is Gothic in architecture and the outside finish is known as the boasted ashlar, the chiseling of the stone relieving the dead appearance of a yellow stone wall. The stone, which possesses the property of hardening by exposure to the air, was obtained principally from quarries in Licking and Fairfield counties. The dimensions of the building are ninety-two feet front- ing on Broad street and one hundred and eighty-five feet on Fifth street. The outside walls are forty-two feet in height from the ground level and thirty-four feet from the floor line. The inside or clearstory walls have an altitude of seventy feet from the ground and sixty-two from the floor. The
BROAD STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Built of Beautiful Material, in the Heart of a Fashionable Residence Section.
CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, On Third Street, Immediately South of the Custom House.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF COLUMBUS
main walls are three feet thick. The clearstory walls, supported by arches, rest on clusters of Gothic columns, standing on dressed limestone pedestals. Some crosses surmount the outside walls at intervals and give a decided relief to their otherwise dullness. The windows are cased in freestone obtained in Pickaway County. The brackets are cut from Columbus limestone and are about the only stone articles in the structure procured at home. The seating capacity of the cathedral is over two thousand. On Broad street there are three main entrances and on Fifth street one. Entrance is gained to the sac- risties by a door at the rear on Fifth street and from the pastoral residence. The arching of the windows and the supports of the clearstory carry out the directions of General W. S. Rosecrans, who, in the summer of 1870, spent some time with his brother, the Right Rev. Bishop, assisting in the details of the construction. The windows, all donated, are of stained glass in beautiful designs.
Pending the completion of the cathedral edifice the cathedral congrega- tion was organized, and for a short time occupied Naughton Hall on the east side of High, between State and Town streets. On Christmas day, 1872, the cathedral was ready for divine services, and Rt. Rev. Bishop Rosecrans cele- brated pontifical mass.
The 20th of October, 1870, was an ideal autumn day. The coolness of the advancing season was just sufficiently moderated by the genial warmth of the bright sun to render the day all that could be desired for the occasion so anxiously anticipated by thousands who came from far and near to par- ticipate in it. The faultless arrangement of the committees having the various portions of the celebration in charge insured perfect success. The consecra- tion ceremonies began at five o'clock in the morning and occupied nearly four hours. The consecrator was Rt. Rev. Joseph Dwenger, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; assistant priest, Rev. J. B. Schmitt, Lancaster; first deacon, Rev. G. H. Ahrens; second deacon, Rev. H. B. Dues; subdeacon, Rev. M. M. A. Hartnedy ; chanters, Rev. J. B. Eis, Rev. P. Kenmert, Rev. F. Moitrier, Rev. P. Thurheimer. Other offices were filled by seminarians and sanctuary boys. The beautiful and interesting ceremony was carried out in its entirety under the direction of Very Rev. N. A. Gallagher as master of ceremonies, assisted by Mr. L. W. Mulhane, now the rector of St. Vincent de Paul's Church, Mount Vernon. The decorations of the auditorium and the sanctuary were in keeping with the grand and festive occasion and elicited the admiration of all.
There have been four bishops (biographical sketches of whom appear elsewhere), of the Columbus diocese in the following order: First, Rt. Rev. Bishop Sylvester Horton Rosecrans, born in Homer, Licking county, Febru- ary 5. 1827, became the first bishop of the diocese in July, 1868, having re- ceived the papal letters, etc., March 3, 1868; second, Rt. Rev. Bishop John Ambrose Watterson, born in Pennsylvania in 1844, was consecrated as the successor of Rt. Rev. Bishop Rosecrans in 1880; third, Rt. Rev. Bishop Henry Moeller was consecrated bishop and duly installed in 1900; and fourth, Rt. Rev. James J. Hartley, born in Columbus in 1858, was consecrated bishop in his own parish church in Steubenville, Ohio, February 25, 1904.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF COLUMBUS
THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
Organized 1845.
Previous to 1844 there had been itinerant Universalist ministers in Columbus and they' held services, but not until 1844 was a congregation brought together. In that year the following persons signed a declaration to unite and support a hurch of that faith: Demas Adams, John ,Feld John Greenwood, N. Merion, N. Wallace, Philip Reed, William Bambrough, James W. Osgood, Hiram Loveland, Smithson E. Wright, J. C. Armstrong, W. A. Standish, E. R. Hill, H. H. Kimball, Allen Hogan, Frederick Cole, H. McMaster, William C. Preston, Leonard Humphrey, William Richards, Enos Doolittle, William F. Wheeler, S. A. Preston, Susan Adams, Adeline Kim- ball, Mary Bambrough, Sarah J. Reed, Amelia Richards, Elizabeth Cadawol- lader, Catherine G. Dalsell, Elsey Preston, Catherine P. Preston, Matilda Wright, Catherine Bancroft, Elizabeth M. Field, Amanda Martin, Sophia P. Kelton, Ellen Loveland, Catharine D. Doolittle, Harriet Bancroft, Mary Eb- erly, Catharine N. Humphrey and Harriet Osgood.
In 1845 the church was incorporated by act of the general assembly of Ohio. John Greenwood, John Field, James W. Osgood, Demas Adams and William Bambrough constituted the first board of trustees, and Rev. N. Doolittle was the first pastor, beginning his pastorate in 1845. Among his successors have been Rev. Thomas Gorman, Rev. J. S. Cantwell, Rev. A. W. Bruce, Rev. W. S. Ralph, Rev. T. P. Abel, Rev. Mr. Gifford, Rev. N. M. Gaylord, Rev. Mr. Upson, Rev. Mr. Harris, Rev. William M. Jones and Rev. Dr. E. L. Rexford.
The German St. Paul church on Third street was purchased by the society and occupied until 1884, when it was sold and the present edifice on State street was erected, which was dedicated in 1891. About the same time Mrs. Lucy M. Stedman presented the society with a beautiful pastor's home on Twentieth street.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Organized 1852.
The First Congregational Church of the city of Columbus was organized on the 29th of September, 1852, under the name of the Third Presbyterian church. It was composed of forty-two members, dismissed at their own request from the Second Presbyterian church. It adopted rules of government substan- tially Congregational, and its membership, with perhaps two or three exceptions, were all such. The legal organization of the society was effected the day previous. A neat frame building had been erected on Third street, a short distance north of Broad, and was dedicated July 11, of the same year. Rev. W. H. Marble was chosen pastor early in the following winter and resigned his office in January, 1856. Rev. Anson Smythe, with great acceptance, acted as pastor during the eight months preceding November 1, 1856.
On the 3d of November, 1856, the name of the church, by unanimous consent and wish, was changed to that of First Congregational church of
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Columbus. Rev. John M. Steele, having been unanimously called to become its pastor was installed on the 7th of November, 1856. Mr. Steele died in New York city in April following, much regretted by the church and all who had made his acquaintance. In the summer and fall of 1857, the society erected their present brick church on Broad street, and it was dedi- cated on "Forefather's Day," December 22, 1857.
Rev. N. A. Hyde accepted a call from the church and was officiating in 1858, and the number of members accredited to the church a half century ago, in its sixth year, was one hundred and forty-two. As already suggested it was of Presbyterian lineage, and, as Mrs. Abram Brown, the bright and versatile historian of the church, aptly says, "bore the family name for four years." Dr. Lyman Beecher, a Congregationalist, and Rev. James Hoge, Presbyterian, sought to keep up the bars confining it within the Presbyterian pasturage, but to no avail. The metamorphosis of 1856-the putting aside the name of Presbyterian and assuming that of Congregational -was a mere formality and in no way interfered with the personnel of the membership.
Rev. William H. Marble ministered to the flock in the little Third street sheepfold, and all things spiritual, financial and material prospered under his earnest and simple ministrations. Almost one hundred members were added to the roll in a single year. Dr. Marble resigned in 1856, with one hundred and fifty-eight enlistments to the credit of his pastorate.
Rev. Anson Smythe, state commissioner of common schools, acted as supply until the installation of Rev. J. M. Steele, of Strathon, New Hamp- shire, was installed, November 7, 1856, the Rev. Dr. Storrs, of Brooklyn, preaching the sermon. Dr. Steele, while on a visit to New York, died of smallpox April 5, 1857. The new church on its present site was dedicated in December following-sixty-three feet front on Broad and one hundred and twenty feet deep. Rev. Anson G. Smythe again supplied the pulpit, during the interregnum, for several months, while Rev. Nathaniel W. Hyde acted as a stated supply. In November, 1858, Rev. Henry B. Elliott, of New Haven, was installed as pastor, in which relation he continued until 1860, when he resigned. Rev. E. P. Goodwin, engaged in missionary work, was called in June, 1860, and came and was installed in February, 1861. He resigned to accept the call of the First Congregational church, Chicago, in 1867.
A short and successful pastorate by Rev. George W. Phillip followed. He was called, accepted and was installed May 10, 1868, and resigned in Septem- ber, 1871, to accept a call from the Plymouth Congregational church, Wor- cester, Massachusetts. One of his admonitions, later carried out in spirit, if not in letter, was to rebuild and adorn the church edifice.
In 1872 Rev. Robert G. Hutchins was installed as pastor and during his pastorate additional ground was bought west of the church, and the building extended and remodeled. Dr. Hutchins continued his ministry till 1882, when to the regret of his flock, he resigned to accept a call to the Plymouth church, Minneapolis. The resolutions adopted by the church breathed the highest esteem for the retiring pastor. The vacancy caused by
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the retirement of Dr. Hutchins was filled for some months by Dr. Walter Q. Scott, of the Ohio University.
In 1882, Dr. Washington Gladden, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was called to the vacant pulpit, and in March, 1883, he was installed. From that day to this he has spoken for himself, no less, in wider idea, to the whole community as to his own flock. Under him the church has broadened and expanded, and the influence of the society has extended far and wide in many channels. The membership was from four hundred and eighty-four in 1884, after thirty years of existence, to nine hundred and sixty-nine in 1897.
There were three other English-speaking Congregational churches in Columbus, when Dr. Gladden came into the field. Two were alive but the third was apparently moribund. All are now living and flourishing.
In 1886 the remodeling of the First church building became neces- sary for lack of available space. A new front was added, and a modest, but none the less striking tower was builded. All the essentials and accessories to church work were called into existence and the response thereto is eloquent in their visible testimonials. The parish of the First Congregational church is coextensive with the city, the Sunday school work systematic and success- ful. Woman's work in every department of the field is also entitled to special mention and commendation, and the church as a whole is most favorably situated and environed.
The branches now number seven, and, with the parent church, are located as follows: Broad, between High and Third, Dr. Washington Glad- den, D.D .; Eastwood, Twenty-first street. near Broad; Mayflower, northwest corner Main and Ohio, Rev. Harvey C. Colburn; North, corner East and Blake avenues, Rev. T. G. Nichols; Plymouth. Fourth avenue west of High, Rev. E. Lee Howard; South, northwest corner Stewart and High, Rev. J. L. Davies ; Washington Avenue (Welsh), corner Washington avenue and Gay, Rev. J. Morgan Thomas; West Goodale, 445 West Goodale.
THE JEWISH CHURCH
Organized 1852.
B'Nai Israel congregation is the reformed Jewish church of Columbus, in the sense that it teaches both the letter and the spirit of the law, rather than the letter alone as is the case with the orthodox Jews, throughout the world wherever found and not inconsiderably represented in Columbus.
The organization of the orthodox church, if organization in the modern sense exists, is not characterized by efficient cohesion, as is the case with the reformed. In the one case it is the commonwealth; in the other scattered tabernacles. Both are democratic with the practical democratic idea with the reformers.
Between the two branches of the tree there is but little antagonism- differences of opinions and forms, seldom gravitating to religious bitterness and vindictiveness. The spirit that has endured the persecutions of centuries in almost every land, except America, is not apt to flame into resentment
BROAD ST. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
TRINITY CHURCH
JEWISH TEMPLE
ST. JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
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and violence because of variance of tenets. The orthodox branch or branches of the church in America comprise the more recent emigrants of the faith, while the reformed are more thoroughly Americanized by long residence and education. This dividing line between the two, however, is not hard and fast, but obtains as a generalization.
Mr. I. M. Schlesinger gives the following account, in Colonel Alfred E. Lee's History of Columbus, 1892, of the origin of Congregation B'Nai Israel :
Judah Nusbaum, a native of Bavaria, Germany, arrived here in the year 1838; Nathan and Joseph Gundersheimer in 1840. All three were traveling traders and made their headquarters in Columbus until a few years later, when they commenced a general store in the Walcutt building, at the corner of High and Town streets. Simon Mack, S. Lazarus and three brothers, Samuel, Hess and Abraham Amburg, came here to reside in the year 1844. In 1847 came Breidenstuhl, of Rochester; S. Schwaibe, S. Morrison and a half-brother of S. Lazarus named Aaronson. In 1849 all of the gentlemen above named united in starting a congregation under the title of B'Nai Jeshuren, this being an orthodox society, and S. Lazarus, a merchant clothier, officiating without remuneration, as their rabbi. Their first meeting place was an upstairs room in the building now known as the Twin Brothers clothing store, and the president of the congregation was Nathan Gunder- sheimer. Two brothers named Schrier, who resided here about the year 1848, were joined by a third brother from California in 1849. All three died with the cholera, these being the only Hebrews who perished with that dread dis- ease in Columbus. The first Jewish wedding which took place in this city was that of Joseph Gundersheimer on July 9, 1849. The next rabbi was Joseph Goodman, who officiated until 1855, when Rev. Samuel Weil, of Cincinnati, was called here. At that time the congregation met in a hall above the present Siebert gun store, on South High street. Other rabbis succeeded in the following order: Rev. S. Goodman, Rev. Mr. Wetterhahn and Rev. Mr. Rosenthal. During the terms of the last two the congregation met at Wal- cutt's Hall. The members not harmonizing well, nineteen of them withdrew during the spring of 1870 from the Congregation B'Nai Jeshuren and started the congregation of B'Nai Israel, which was organized at the meeting held April 24, 1870. At that meeting Nathan Gundersheimer was chosen chair- man and S. Amburg, Louis Kahn and Judah Nusbaum were elected trustees for one year. At a meeting of the trustees Jacob Goodman was chosen secre- tary, Joseph Gundersheimer treasurer and Nathan Gundersheimer president. The old congregation was dissolved.
Following the dissolution of the old and the organization of the new congregation, steps were taken to erect a permanent house in which to worship. A lot on the corner of Main (formerly Friend) street and Third was purchased and a handsome brick temple was erected, under supervision of Nathan and Joseph Gundersheimer and Jacob Goodman building com- mittee. The corner stone was laid with imposing ceremonies May 15, 1870. On September 16, 1870, the completed temple was ceremoniously dedicated, and the congregation continued to worship there during the closing years of
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the nineteenth century, at the turn of which the property was disposed of and ground was broken for the beautiful temple of the congregation B'Nai Israel an Bryden Road, between Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets, which was dedicated and occupied in 1904-5. Rabbi David Klein officiated at the corner-stone laying and the dedication, and was, for a long period, rabbi of the congregation. That office is now filled by Rev. Joseph S. Kornfeld.
Aguedas Achim, 464 South Fifth street, and The Tree of Life, same number, both under the supervision of Rabbi N. Silverman, are orthodox branches and the House of Jacob, organized but not permanently located, is a third orthodox branch. The I. O. O. B. lodge is a Jewish secret society, there being several lodges in the city, the ceremonies being partly religious.
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST (DISCIPLES)
Organized 1872.
The first church of this people in Columbus was organized in 1871-2, with about twenty-five charter members and at first a small frame church built at the corner of Third and Gay streets, which soon gave way to a modern brick building, where the church met until 1905, when it was sold and the present handsome structure at the corner of Broad and Twenty-first streets erected. The present membership of the Broad street church is almost one thousand.
During his incumbency of the office of governor of Ohio, Hon. Richard M. Bishop attended; and was a communicant of this church. President James A. Garfield, when a visitor in Columbus, attended its services and sometimes spoke. Each church of these people is a unit-all are independent of each as units but are a whole in brotherhood. There are at this time six churches in the city, namely: Broad Street, corner Broad and Twenty-first streets (formerly Central), Walter Scott Priest, pastor.
West Fourth avenue, near Neil, Walter Mansell, pastor.
Chicago avenue, near West Broad street, C. M. Arthur, pastor.
Wilson avenue, near Mound street, O. P. McMahon, pastor.
South Side, Wood avenue and Sixth street, W. F. Nuzum, pastor.
Some Independent Organizations.
The following separate church organizations were formed at different periods, but nearly, if not quite all of them, are now merged with some one of the modern church organizations, incidentally if not directly :
1821, German Lutheran Reformed. 1846, the German Reformed. 1848, Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran. 1842-3, German Evangelical Protes- tants. 1858, German Evangelical Church. 1840, Colored Baptists. . 1847, Anti-Slavery Baptists (colored).
Some Minor Church Organizations.
United Brethren, First Avenue church, southwest corner First and Pennsylvania avenues.
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Olive Branch Church, southwest corner Long and Fifth streets.
Camp Chase Friends Church, corner West Broad and Wilson Pike. Quakers and Friends, southeast corner Ffth avenue and Fourth street.
Hungarian, First, East Livingston street; Hungarian, German, 70 East Mound street.
Church of Christ, corner Neil and Fourth avenues.
Seventh Day Adventists, 84 South Ohio avenue.
Spiritualist Church, State and Sixth streets.
West Side Spiritualists, 77 McDowell street.
All Souls' Church, State and Sixth streets.
Missions and Religious Benefices.
All Saints for D. D. pupils and others, 136 East Broad.
Antioch Home, 844 East Spring.
Bethany House, 663 Delaware avenue.
Christian-Missionary-alliance Mission, 694 Mount Vernon. Rev. I. Patterson, pastor.
City Mission, 258 East Livingston.
City Park Avenue Mission, 846 City Park avenue.
Cold Water Band Mission, 328 Spruce street.
Disciple's Church Mission, Broad, west of Princeton.
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