Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 52

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 52

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This society was incorporated by the Legislature of Ohio, December 17, 1830. In May, 1858, the Associate Presbyterian and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Churches united, and formed the United Presbyterian Church. The persons who were the nucleus of the congregation came from Rev. John Steele's congregation in Bourbon County, Kentucky. They were James Steele, Mr. Snodgrass, Mr. Kirk- patric (an elder), a son-in-law of Mr. Steele, and all relatives of Rev. Mr. Steele. At a later date, James Dallas, of near Ur- bana, and his brother, who resided in Springfield, James Bogle, Richey Wisley, James Stewart, David Cowan, George Mc- Cullough, John Goudy, Robert Goudy and Anthony Byrd were added to the society. Mr. Kirkpatric, James Steele, David Hunter, James Bogle and James Dallas were the first elders. At a later date Will- iam Cowan, William Kirkpatric, William Hunter and Mr. Hume were added to the society.

Before erecting a church building, the congregation, for want of a better place, worshiped in the second story of William McIntire's distillery, at the northeast corner of Columbia and Spring Streets,

the present location of the Blee Brewery. There was no evidence of any harm aris- ing from so near contact with whiskey; the spirits upstairs did not mingle with those below.

The first house of worship was a stone building, erected in North Limestone Street, near Buck Creek, in or about 1819. The next building was erected in 1839, on Limestone Street, south of High Street, where James Carson & Company's store and the Kelly Building now stand. The present building at the corner of Mul- berry and Limestone Streets, was erected in 1886. The present membership is two hundred and thirty.

PRESBYTERIAN.

The First Presbyterian Church of Springfield was organized July 17, 1819, with a membership of twenty-seven. Four years before its formation, the Rev. Arch- ibald Steele was the regular supply,. preaching once a month in such rooms as could be conveniently secured for that purpose. Mr. Steele was succeeded by the Rev. Andrew Poague, who gave his serv- ices until 1825, when the Rev. Franklin Putnam became the first regular pastor of the church. At this time the village had a population of 510; males, 285, and females, 225. In April, 1828, the Rev. . William J. Frazer succeeded as supply, and during his incumbency the first church edifice was built at a cost of $600. The Rev. William Gray acted as regular supply from February 27, 1830, to Feb- ruary 24, 1832. The Rev. John S. Gallo- way, who had been supply for four months, was finally ordained and installed as pastor October 4, 1832. He continued

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in this relation with marked success for nearly eighteen years, when he resigned, April 16, 1850, and took an appointment for service, as agent, of the American Bible Society. In 1848, two years before Mr. Galloway left Springfield, the old church building was taken down, and a new one, costing $12,000, was built on the same site, corner of Main and Fisher Streets. The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Phineas Gurley, then of Dayton, but afterward of Wash- ington, D. C.

The Rev. N. C. Burt, a man of eminent ability, was called as pastor, September 2, 1850, and served till June 19, 1855, when he resigned, to take charge of a church in Baltimore. After that the suc- cession of pastors and times of service were as follows: William T. Findlay, from 1855 to 1858; Sylvester F. Scovel, from 1860 to 1866; T. A. Fullerton, from 1867 to 1871, during which time $3,000 was spent in improvements upon the church building. From 1871 to 1872, the pulpit was filled by the Rev. George F. Cain; from 1872 to 1879, by the Rev. J. W. McKnight, immediately after which the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. J. B. Helwig, president of Wittenberg College, for eight months. The Rev. W. C. Fal- coner, D. D., of St. Louis, was then called, and his installation took place November 9, 1880. His period of service was the longest, except one, in the history of the church. During this pastorate the Oak- land Mission, at the East End, was mate- rially developed and put upon a perma- nent footing; many special evangelistic meetings were held and important changes made in the music in the church, and in other matters. On account of fail-

ing health, Dr. Falconer resigned April 13, 1891, and the Rev. A. A. Murphy, having been called, entered upon his pas- torate, September 1, 1891, and closed June 18, 1894. During his term he se- cured the help, for a season, of the cele- brated evangelist, Dr. Wilbur Chapman, with remarkably good results.

The Rev. Alexander Proudfit was called, January 9, 1894, and entered upon his gospel labors February 17th, following, Whilst this servant of God was ardently engaged in the service of his Divine Mas- ter, he was suddenly called to lay down his work and receive the reward of his earthly ministry. He died on the last Friday in March, 1897. This is the first death that has ever occurred to a pastor while in active service among this people. Dr. Proudfit's body was transferred to New Castle, Delaware, for interment. In just three weeks after this event the mor- tal remains of a former pastor, Rev. Dr. Falconer, were conveyed sorrowfully away from the church building to their final resting place in Ferncliff, our beauti- ful City of the Dead.

The Rev. John Clark Hill, D. D., of Chicago, the present pastor, was called March 2, 1898, and was installed on Wednesday, April 27th, of that same year.

During the many intervals occurring between the various pastorates, the church has been indebted to the following ministers, who had served faithfully in these contingencies, namely, the Rev. Drs. John B. Helwig, Joel Swartz, S. A. Ort and J. W. H. Stuckenberg, all of Witten- berg College; the Rev. Alexander Clark, of the Methodist Protestant Church, and others. Of those who were sent into the ministry from this church, may be men-

ST. RAPHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (Showing Ruins of Block's Opera House)

CENTER ST. M. E. CHURCH

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH SOME SPRINGFIELD CHURCHES

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

tioned the Rev. Washington A. Hooper, Edwin B. Raffensperger, William H. Mc- Meen, S. M. Crothers and Gilbert L. Wilson.

During its history of eighty-eight years, this church has had twelve installed pas- tors, averaging terms of five and one-half years each, and over 1,500 persons have been received into its communion, on con- fession of faith. The Sunday school was organized on the first Sabbath in August, 1829, with eight teachers and sixty scholars, with Mr. Walcot Spencer as su- perintendent. This school has been fully and faithfully officered, and in every way maintained, for the seventy-eight years of its existence, to the present.

During Dr. Hill's pastorate, which has now continued for nearly ten years, many thousand dollars were spent in refurnish- ing and beautifying the interior of the edifice, and the church has enjoyed re- markable prosperity in the number of ad- ditions made on confession of Christ, the average annual number being larger than for many decades. The present member- ship is five hundred and nine.

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The Second Presbyterian Church was a colony from the First, and was formed in 1860, with a membership of 106. In 1862 they purchased a lot on Limestone Street for $4,000, and built thereon an edifice costing $18,000. The dedication services were held September 3, 1863. The church is a two-story brick, with the usual convenient arrangement for audi- ence rooms, Sunday school and prayer meeting rooms, etc. The following is a list of pastors, with the dates of their

services : Rev. E. R. Bower, from May, 1861, to July, 1867; Rev. P. H. Mowrey, from November, 1868, to September, 1873; Rev. W. H. Webb, from April 20, 1874, to February 21, 1886; Rev. George H. Ful- lerton, from November 7, 1886, to July 1, 1891, and Rev. E. P. Thomson, from February 10, 1892 to the present. The church now has a membership of 509, and the Sabbath school, including its Mission school, 532.

THIRD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The Third Presbyterian Church was developed from a Mission Sunday school, located on the North Side, under the pat- ronage of the First and Second Presby- terian Churches, in the autumn of 1878. This church was regularly organized May 11, 1891, with 104 charter members. On this occasion Rev. George H. Fullerton, D. D., presided over the meeting, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Maurice E. Wilson, D. D., of Dayton. Ohio. The other members of the Dayton Presbytery who participated in the exercises were Rev. J. K. Gibson, D. D., of South Charleston, Ohio, and the late Rev. James L. Rodgers, of this city. The officers in- stalled and elected at the organization were as follows: Elders, Richard H. Rodgers, Edward T. Sykes and John S. Weaver; deacons, James A. Todd; James P. Morrow, A. J. Shanks, L. C. LeRoy and M. M. McConkey.

The present church edifice was erected during the autumn and winter of 1893 and 1894, and was dedicated January 28, 1894, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. Willis G. Craig, D. D., of McCor- mick Theological Seminary, of Chicago,

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

The present membership of the church is 346, and of the Sunday school, 323. In February, 1835, a lot was purchased, located on the southwest corner of High and Limestone Streets, upon which, soon The first pastor was the Rev. George H. Fullerton, D. D., who was succeeded by the Rev. George W. S. Wenrick. Un- formerly associate pastor in the House of Hope Church, St. Paul, Minn., the church has taken a very decided forward step in the matter of missionary enter- prise. In addition to the support of the local work, the members have now their own special representatives in Foreign and Home Mission fields. These mission- aries are W. Edgar Robertson, M. D., of Hunan, China, and Mr. Karl Lehmann, of Colorado. afterward, a church building was erected, and consecrated by the Bishop, November 28, 1844. This edifice was used for its der the present pastor, Rev. John Newell, purpose until the erection of the new stone church on the corner of High Street and Linden Avenue, and its consecration, May 5, 1874. This building is a fine archi- tectural structure and quite an ornament to the city, costing $38,000, and was all paid for before its dedication. A stone Parish House was erected in 1906-7 at a cost of $17,500 by Mrs. A. S. Bushnell as a memorial to her husband, the late Gov- ernor Bushnell, for nearly half a century senior warden of Christ Church.

The session of the church today is com- posed of M. M. McConkey, Dr. John H. Rodgers, Richard H. Rodgers, Edward T. Sykes and Prof. John S. Weaver.

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL.

In March, 1834, about seventy persons, among whom were William Coles, Harvey Vinal, John Newlove, Greenfield Dovely, Samuel Clark, William Wilson, Edwin H. Cummings, William Werden, Samson Mason, Isaac Hendershott and James Sykes, together with their wives, united themselves for the purpose of establish- ing a Protestant Episcopal Church in Springfield, Ohio. On the 12th of Decem- ber, of that year, the following men were elected vestrymen : Joseph T. Thorp and Joseph Sprague; wardens, H. Vinal, George Mortimer, Peter A. Sprigman, H. Diffendorfer, Joseph Perrin, C. T. Ward, S. Mason, D. Groynn, E. C. Ross and John Cook. Rev. Alexander Varian was chosen pastor.

The parish continued under the name of "All Souls" parish until 1842, when, by a legislative act, it was changed to the present name of "Christ Church." The Rev. A. Varian having resigned as pastor August 11, 1835, the position was then filled by Rev. Henry Payne, who con- tinued until December, 1839. The next rector was Rev. William Presbury, who resigned in 1843.

The following is a list of rectors, or pastors, together with their terms of service: Rev. A. T. McMurphy, from 1843 to November 10, 1846. The pulpit was then supplied from the latter date to October, 1847, by Revs. Edward H. Cum- mings and James Stephenson, when, on December 11, 1848, Rev. Chandler Rob- bins was elected rector and served until October 1, 1854. Then came Rev. Dr. John T. Brooke, formerly of Cincinnati, who served from April 2, 1855, to August 19, 1861; Rev. H. W. Woods, 1861 to 1862; Rev. Charles McIlvaine, son of the

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distinguished Bishop McIlvaine, D. D., from June 8, 1863, to November 12, 1865; Rev. John C. Ames, from May 24, 1866, to December 7, 1869; Rev. C. B. Davidson, from November, 1870, to February, 1873; Rev. H. H. Morrell, May 3, 1874, to May 1, 1879; Rev. John T. Rose, from Decem- ber, 1879 to July 14, 1887; Rev. William W. Steele, 1887 to 1891; Rev. Rayner E. W. Cosens, December 13, 1891, to May 31, 1894; Rev. Alex. C. McCabe, from Octo- ber.1, -1894 to April 3, 1904; Rev. Charles J. French, from January 1, 1905, to the present. The Sunday school was organ- ized in 1835. The church has now a mem- bership of 300. In the seventy-three years of this church's existence it has had seventeen pastors, whose terms of service averaged about three and three-fourths years each.

THE HEAVENLY REST PROTESTANT EPISCO- PAL CHURCH.

The new Church of the Heavenly Rest, Protestant Episcopal Church, situated on South Plum Street, near Pleasant, was establishel in its present location largely through the whole-souled liberality of the late Mr. William Foos and his good wife, both of them now gone to their rest. These two persons donated the beautiful lot and the money to put up the building, and pay for most of the furnishing. The building, which is a neat, unique one-story brick, quite complete in all its appoint- ments and ornamental withal in its archi- tecture, was dedicated to the worship of God on Sunday morning, December 2, 1888. The pretty and complete auditor- ium is capable of seating 300 persons, and is at times thoroughly tested as to its capacity.

It was consecrated on Palm Sunday, the 14th of April, 1889, by the Right Rev. Boyd Vincent, assisted by the Rev. W. W. Steel, of Christ Church, Springfield, Ohio, and by the Rev. H. T. Cook, of Christ Church, Dayton, Ohio, and the Rev. C. M. Young.

A Parish House was erected and pre- sented by Mr. William Foos during the summer of 1889.

A rectory was bought by Mr. and Mrs. William Foos in June, 1889.

The services of the consecration were concluded by Rev. C. M. Young, from Greenville, assisted by the choir, consist- ing of Miss Bassett, organist, Misses Zutavern, Ferguson, Belle Albin, Mrs. Gillett, Messrs. T. J. Thomas, J. C. Brecht, John Cornor and W. N. Davis. The vestrymen then consisted of Samuel Houghton, senior warden; C. A. Davis, junior warden; William Foos, G. H. Coles, Thomas Irwin, A. J. Moyer and Thomas A. Davis. The following clergymen have served as pastors in the order here given: Revs. C. M. Young, Charles S. Walkley, W. E. Dakin, D. W. Wright, A. T. Wilder, T. K. Coolidge.

BAPTISTS.

The First Baptist Church of Spring- field was constituted on the 29th day of January, 1836, with the following named persons as members: Edward Nugent, Peleg Cotes, William T. Young, William J. Card, Thomas J. Howard, Mary Jane Hill, Jane Marenes, Mary Steinbach, Sarah A. Dowling, Lydia Card, Rachel Young, Mary Ann Nugent and Sarah Howard. On May 7th of the same year a Sabbath school was established in con- nection with the church. A call was ex-

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

tended to Rev. E. D. Owen for the pastor- ate, which was accepted, July 12, 1863. On the 23d of August following, the church was admitted into the Mad River Baptist Association.

By the wise foresight of Messrs. P. Cotes, E. J. Nugent, J. M. Gallagher, J. S. Halsey and others, a valuable lot on the northeast corner of High and Lime- stone Streets was secured March 4, 1844, upon which, soon afterward, a good, sub- stantial two-story brick house of worship was erected and finished, so as to be dedi- cated February 12, 1832. On January 17, 1838, Rev. James Elliott, of New York, was called to labor half his time as pastor, and so continued to do for about two years. May 26, 1840, Rev. H. D. Mason became pastor and served but seven months. On June 26, 1841, Rev. Enos French was called to the pastorate at a salary of $400. On the 8th of September, 1843, Mr. French resigned, to take effect at the close of the year. Rev. Mr. Syms was then chosen pastor, April 8, 1844, and served until the spring of 1848.

After this date the following ministers have had the pastoral charge of this church, for the herein-mentioned terms: Rev. John S. Moore, from October 9, 1848, to April, 1850; Rev. Joseph Brown, from November 5, 1850, to November 5, 1860; Rev. William Allington was called and remained until March 15, 1862; Rev. Samuel Williams, from June 2, 1862, to July 1, 1864; Rev. J. R. Baumes, from November 4, 1864, to March 10, 1868; Rev. R. L. Colwell, from August 11, 1868, to July 1, 1873; Rev. A. L. Wilkinson, from December 8, 1873, to August 1, 1877 ; Rev. J. B. Tuttle, to August 1, 1880. In April, 1881, this church sold its property on

Limestone and High Streets to Ross Mitchell for $25,000 in gold, and after- ward erected its present building on the corner of South Fountain Avenue and Miller Street, at a cost of $15,000.

The list of pastors may be continued as follows: Rev. F. B. Cressey, for two years, ending March 1, 1892; Rev. G. O. King, from March 9, 1892, to April 17, 1893; Rev. A. S. Carman, from Decem- ber 3, 1893, to July 12, 1898, and Rev. W. J. Sly commenced his services here Jan- uary 14, 1899, and closed his work in 1906. The membership of the church now num- bers 508, and the enrollment of scholars in the Sunday school is 225. This church, in its existence of sixty-five years, has had sixteen pastors, averaging about four years each.

The present pastor, Rev. Arthur J. Morris, was called to the pastorate in September of 1906 and commenced his pastoral duties on October 14 of the same year. The church is a vigorous and ag- gressive body, conducting an important mission in the western part of the city, and through its active membership is pushing its work along many lines of Christian activity.

TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH.

On the 6th day of April, 1868, fifty- two members withdrew from this church by letter and formed a new organization under the name of the Trinity Baptist Church of Springfield. April 9th the body was organized, having the following of- ficial board, with Rev. J. R. Baumes as pastor: J. J. Tuttle, clerk; McClung Huffman, Lewis C. Huffman, Jacob Gram and J. J. Tuttle, trustees. This church

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worshiped for a short while in the old letters of admission from the First City Hall, and subsequently in Union Hall, which was occupied until January 22, 1871. Their new brick building on the corner of Limestone and Mulberry Streets, having been finished and in readi- ness, was dedicated on the 22d of Jan- uary, 1871, the Rev. Dr. H. F. Colby, of Dayton, preaching the dedication sermon.

The pastors of this church were as fol- lows: Rev. J. R. Baumes, May 2, 1868, to November 19, 1872; Rev. C. M. Rupe, No- vember, 1872, to December 1, 1873; Rev. A. B. White, May 4, 1874, to December 1, 1876; Rev. A. B. Jordon, July 1, 1877, to July 1, 1879; Rev. T. B. DePuoy, from March 22. January 1, 1882, Rev. J. C. Fernald became pastor, and after serving a little over three years, he was succeeded by Rev. J. H. Roberts, September 1, 1885, , and he in turn was succeeded in the pas- torate by Rev. G. R. Richards, a recent graduate of Morgan Park Seminary, Chicago. He was one of the first to cham- pion the feasibility and advisability of an organic union with the First Baptist Church, holding that if such a union could be properly brought about, it would prove the beginning of a new and better era for the Baptist cause in Springfield. Mr. Richards was pastor of the Trinity Church two years and three months, when he resigned, soon after which the contem- plated union with the First Baptist Church was formally consummated, on the 17th of August, 1891.

THE BLESSED HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH.

The Blessed Hope Baptist Church was formally organized August 11, 1898. Twenty-one charter members presented

Baptist Church at this time. Rev. Albert Ehrgott, the first pastor, began his labors October 23, 1898, and closed them July 1, 1900, to resume missionary service at Rangoon, Burma. Rev. C. M. Brodie, the present pastor, commenced his work Jan- uary 6, 1901. The membership is now 165, and the Sunday school numbers 195, including officers, teachers and pupils.

Rev. C. M. Brodie resigned his pastor- ate to go to Delaware, Ohio, October, 1905. Rev. David Kerr, from Scotland, succeeded him in November, 1905. Mem- bership, 192; Sunday school, officers and teachers, 22; scholars, 240.

ST. JOHN'S BAPTIST CHURCH (COLORED).

The St. John's Baptist Church was or- ganized by Rev. J. C. Taylor, of Toledo, on the 6th day of July, 1897, with the fol- lowing charter members: Revs. Charles Orr and E. C. Clay, Y. W. Yates, Sarah Chapman, Cora Hooke, Nellie Martin, Elmer Spyglass, Elizabeth Keemer, Sarah Calvin, Sarah Chinn, John Maskell and others. A council of the Dayton and Western Union Association was called for the 23d of August, 1897, at which time the St. John's Baptist Church of Springfield was regularly organized with twenty-one members. Rev. Joseph Wilson, of Cin- cinnati, was called to the pastorate De- cember 1, 1897, and served two years; Rev. A. P. Eaton was called January 1, 1899, and yet remains as pastor. The present membership is 125, with a flour- ishing Sunday school, numbering perhaps about fifty scholars. Having purchased the comparatively new and handsome brick edifice formerly owned by the Meth-

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

odist Protestant Church, situated on West Pleasant Street, between Market and Cen- ter Streets, valued at $12,000, the church may now be regarded as established upon a permanent footing. Elder Eaton has been a zealous, working pastor. Rev. Bolling R. Reed is the present pastor.

UNIVERSALISTS.

The first minister that ever preached the doctrine of Universalism in Spring- field was the Rev. M. Fisk, of New Jersey, in 1833. For three or four years after this date believers in the doctrine had no stated times or places of meeting, but oc- casionally had preaching services in the schoolhouses or at private homes by such ministers as happened to come along. In 1837 Mr. John Winn entertained the idea of establishing a Universalist Church here, and with this object in view, he headed a subscription with $1,000, and proceeded to raise more money, and thus succeeded in getting enough to build a church, and in March of the same year, Mr. John Lowrey donated a lot situated on Washington Street, between Center and Factory Streets, upon which the so- ciety put up what was then regarded as the best church edifice in Springfield, at a cost of $4,500. Rev. George Messenger was chosen pastor and preached the ded- ication discourse, and in the summer of 1837 the building was finished. Among the prominent families entering into this early organization were the Messengers, the Wynns, the Bancrofts and the Pierces.

As the records of this church, if exist- ing, have not all been available, and as for much of the time the pastoral relations were not very regularly kept up, we can

at present barely give the names of the principal ministers and the order in which they have served, as follows: Revs. George Messenger, Pingre, Emmet, Bid- dlecome, Waite, Lionell, Weaver, Turner, Demorest, Carlton, Bosseman, Lowlinson, Henley, Carlton, Ashenfelter, Guthrie, Countryman. These all served previous to the year 1893, when the new building was erected on West Columbia street, and furnished for the day of dedication, June 18th, of that year, at which time the Revs. Cantwell, Henley and Ira W. McLaugh- lin were present and assisted in the exer- cises. After that time the pastors suc- cessively were: J. R. Stoner, George L. Sias and Henrietta G. Moore, the latter having just completed her ninth year with the church. The families having more or less representation with the church are sixty in number, while the number of ad- herents are placed at about 100 persons. The affiliated departments of the church are a Sunday school of 35 members, a Young People's Christian Union of ? members, a Missionary Alliance of 15 members and a Cary Circle of 30. This church during the 70 years of its organi- zation has had twenty regular pastors.

LUTHERAN.

On the first day of May, 1841, the Rev. John Lehman, with about forty others, organized a Lutheran society, which, after Mr. Lehman's departure, became inoper- ative, but was reorganized in 1845, by Rev. Dr. Ezra Keller and three others, name- ly : Messrs. Kurtz, Filbert and Cook, who met in the house of Jacob Schuman. The first communion was held on January 11, 1846. For awhile the services were held

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. .

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Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 52

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co. Number of Pages: 1086

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086