USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Youngstown > Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th > Part 49
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On January 6, 1887, the church building was destroyed by fire, which originated from an explosion of natural gas in the Andrews block, which stood at the southwest corner of Boardman and Market streets. The church at once made plans for rebuilding on the same site. The new building was first occupied in the basement December 18, 1887. It was com- pleted and the dedication took place July I, 1888.
The Rev. J. A. Snodgrass presented his resignation, effective February 1, 1889.
In the following June the Rev. Clement Hall was called to the pastorate which he as- sumed about September 1, 1889.
On January 1, 1899, Rev. Clement Hall tendered his resignation to take effect from the first of the following April.
On October 4, 1903. the Rev. Henry Par- rish tendered his resignation effective Janu- ary 1, 1904.
On January 31, 1904, the present pastor. the Rev. C. H. Pendleton was called. He as- sumed the pastorate February 10, 1004. His previous charge was at Mount Holly. New Jersey.
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It is a fact worthy of note that at the pres- ent writing, March. 1907, the first pastor of the church, the Rev. W. M. Ingersol, is still living, residing in Cleveland, Ohio.
The present membership is about 550.
WELSH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
The Welsh Congregational Church, whose place of worship is on Elm street, near Wood, was started about 1845 in an old log school- house at the intersection of Hamburg and West Federal streets, Brier Hill. Rees Her- bert, Thomas Morgan, Joshua Davies, David Evans, John Edwards, William Owens and William Matthews, with their wives, consti- tuted the original members. The installation ceremonies were conducted by Rev. D. Davies, who came from Brady's Bend, Pennsylvania, to officiate. For some years the pulpit was filled at intervals by visiting pastors.
The first regular pastor was Rev. Thomas Evans, who at the time he took charge was a lay preacher and a recent immigrant from Wales, and who was ordained some time after becoming connected with this church. At the time the call was extended to him the church had about twenty-five members. It continued as a small community of worshippers until about 1865, at which time the city was ex- periencing a rapid growth along industrial lines. Rolling mills were being erected, and other important industries springing into life or developing with new vigor. These condi- tions attracted large numbers of immigrants. among whom were many Welsh miners and iron workers. Thus the church became in- · fused with new vitality, and it was soon found necessary to seek more commodious quarters.
A piece of land including the present church site and extending to Wood street was purchased, and the present frame building erected. That part of the lot bordering on Wood street, not being needed, was sold.
At this time the church extended a call to its present pastor, Rev. Thomas W. Davies. who continued in the pastorate for about three years.
In January, 1870. Rev. Thomas W. Davies
was succeeded by Rev. David S. Davies, a bright young man from Centreville, Ohio, a fluent speaker, possessed of considerable ora- torical power, and an ardent supporter of the temperance cause. His temperance lectures and sermons are remembered and spoken of to this day by the older members of the con- gregation. The next pastor was the Rev. Lot Lake, an eloquent preacher, who came from South Wales. He remained with the church until 1875. His successor, Rev. John Morgan Thomas, was also from Wales, and had the advantage of a former personal acquaintance with many of the original members of the church in their native land. During his pas- torate 161 members were added to the church. The Sunday school was also in a flourishing condition. The singing at this time was led by Thomas Griffith, Jr., whose sisters, talented vocalists, rendered able service in the choir. Their father, the elder Thomas Griffith, had previously been chorister.
About this time some of the younger ele- ment in the church demanded a pastor who could speak the English language, all the services up to this time having been held ex- clusively in Welsh. In 1880, therefore, a call was extended to Rev. John L. Davies, of Paddy's Run, Ohio, who was a fluent speaker in both languages. During his pastorate, which continued till 1885, he organized and solidified the English element, which in that vear separated from the mother church to form the organization now known as Plym- outh Congregational Church. Their first meetings were held in the court house, but subsequently they built an edifice on West Rayen avenue, where they worshipped until it was burned down in 1891. They then built the present large edifice on West Rayen avenue. Mr. Davies remained pastor of Plym- outh church until 1890.
He was succeeded in the pastorate of the Elm street church by Rev. Lot Lake, men- tioned above, to whom the church had ex- tended a second call. The latter returned and continued as pastor until 1888. Rev. J. P. Williams, of Racine, Wisconsin, was the next pastor. While he had charge the church
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reached a membership of over three hundred. In 1894 he left. He was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. J. B. Davies, of Genoa, Illinois, who took charge on the first Sunday in December, 1895.
In 1887 the church was remodeled and a pipe organ installed.
The church services are conducted in the Welsh language, except one sermon a month, which is in English. The Sunday school has several Welsh classes, but eight out of eleven classes are taught in English.
Rev. John B. Davies was born in Pem- brokeshire, Wales, in 1859. He was educated in his native land, where he took a college course and also studied theology. In 1884, when a young man of twenty-five, he came to this country, and in the following year was ordained to the ministry at Radnor, Ohio, After his ordination he pursued further theo- logical studies at Oberlin College, taking the regular three year course. Before coming to Youngstown he had filled none but English pastorates. His first charge was the English Congregational Church at Fredericksburg, Ohio, whence he went to Lexington, Ohio, and subsequently to Chenoa, Illinois. From the last-named place he came, twelve years ago, to Youngstown, where he has since re- mained in the pastorate of the Welsh Con- gregational Church. He was married in 1885 to Miss Emma Watkins, a native of Radnor, Ohio, but of Welsh parentage.
WALNUT STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
This church had its origin in 1845 when the Rev. Robert Probert, who came to Brier Hill, Youngstown, from Brady's Bend, Penn- sylvania, began preaching the gospel in private houses to the Welsh people who had flocked to the place on the opening of the coal mines by David Tod, afterwards governor of Ohio.
In December. 1846, a few of the brethren and sisters organized themselves into a church in the house of Thomas Edwards.
In 1847 the two deacons, Mr. Thomas Pro- bert and Mr. David Jones, were instructed to look for a suitable lot upon which to erect a
building that should be a house of worship and church home for the members. An acre of ground was purchased on West Federal street and a neat frame house erected thereon, the balance of the ground being reserved for a cemetery. About this time the church was strengthened by the addition of Richard Wooley, a pious and able man who came from Brady's Bend and who was elected dea- con. The chapel was completed free from debt in June, 1847, by which time it numbered sixty members. Here the congregation wor- shipped for nineteen years during which time it had a gradual and regular increase of many hundreds by baptism, restoration and letters of dismissal from other churches.
The membership in Brier Hill was composed mostly of coal miners, consequently with the approaching exhaustion of the coal mines which became apparent about 1863, and the erection of the iron works, some began to move to other places and some to the town.
Under these circumstances the church in Brier Hill came to the conclusion to build a church edifice in the town and abandon the cause in Brier Hill.
Accordingly in 1866 a committee of three was appointed who selected the lot on Walnut street, on which the church edifice now stands, the cost of which was $960.00. The church building was erected at the close of 1866, the total cost, including the lot, being about $5,000. When the church was dedicated in January, 1877. it was entirely free from debt. The membership at this time numbered about ninety.
In December, 1871. Rev. D. Probert re- signed the pastorate of the church and was succeeded by the Rev. Lumley Evans who was pastor for eleven months. He was followed by Rev. D. Rhys Jones, of Johnstown, Penn- sylvania, who officiated for two years and one month. In 1877, Rev. Probert again became pastor and so continued until his final resig- nation in February, 1895, after a pastorate of forty-three years and of fifty-three years in the Christian ministry.
In 1883 extensive improvements were made in the church. Rev. Probert was suc-
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. ceeded in the pastorate in 1895 by Rev. R. C. Morgan of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. On his . coming the order of services was changed, a Welsh sermon being preached on the Sabbath morning and an English sermon in the even- ing, as there were many Welsh in the city not conversant with the language of their fathers.
Owing to the increasing congregation it · was resolved in the spring of 1896 to erect a .more commodious place of worship. The work was commenced in May of that year. The new building contains several handsome memorial windows and was dedicated Novem- ber 16, 1896.
Rev. R. C. Morgan resigning after a pas- ; torate of one year and ten months, the church was without a pastor until a call was extended ·to Rev. J. T. Lloyd, of Wilksbarre, Pennsyl- vania, an eloquent preacher and tireless worker who commenced his ministry in De- cember, 1898. Since he became pastor the «church debt has been raised and some further repairs have been made and paid for.
MARTIN LUTHER GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
"Owing to the large number of Germans among the early setlers of Mahoning county, whose ancestors were members of the Church . of the Reformation, we find the German Evan- gelical Lutheran Church established in dif- ferent parts of the county at an early date. In those days ministers served from ten to fif- teen congregations, sometimes scattered over several counties.
"The Rev. G. Kranz of North Lima, who served in Boardman in 1857, frequently preached in Youngstown and attempted to · organize a congregation here about that time. In the following year the Rev. Mr. Fehr, who had just been called as pastor of the German Reformed Church of Youngstown, proposed that the two parties should unite and build a union church. After the church was built, it was claimed as a Reformed Church. The Lutherans being thus deceived, resolved to "organize themselves as a German Evangelical
Lutheran congregation, which was done Au- gust 1, 1859. There were at first twenty-two members. Rev. F. C. Becker served the church temporarily, until in July, 1859, the Rev. L. Krebs of Brookfield was called to be their pastor. For some time services were held in various localities, until the lot on the corner of Wood and Champion streets was purchased on which the church now stands. To this lot which was 45x120 feet, fifteen feet more was subsequently added by purchase.
"In the spring of 1862 the corner stone of the church edifice was laid, and on November 2d the church was dedicated. There were then fifty members in the congregation. The Rev. L. Krebs, who moved to Youngstown in 1862, was called to be their regular pastor. January I, 1869, he was succeeded by the Rev. G. F. H. Meiser. During this year a piece of ground adjoining the church was purchased and a parsonage erected thereon.
A parochial school, for the purpose of training the children in the German and Eng- lish languages, and to combine religious with secular instruction, was established in 1876, with Prof. A. W. Lindemann as teacher. At first this school was held in the church build- ing, but in the following year a school house was erected on the lot belonging to the con- gregation, which by this time had increased to some 200 families, with 120 scholars.
In 1880 a pipe organ was purchased for the church. Soon after, it becoming apparent that the congregation had outgrown the church and school accommodations, it was resolved to make a division, and in 1881 St. Paul's Church at Brier Hill was organized, and soon a suitable church and school house were erected. The building plat was donated to the congregation by Messrs. David James and Robert Mackey."
In the early part of 1885 Rev. G. F. H. Meiser received a call to Detroit, which he accepted. To fill the vacancy a call was ex- tended by the church to Rev. E. A. Boehme, of Columbus, Ohio. He arrived April 15, 1885, and has since continued as pastor of the church. A Ladies' Society had been organ-
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ized in 1870; and in August, 1885, a Young People's Society was organized. Both these societies have been of great benefit in the up- building of the church. In October, 1890, English evening services were introduced, and were held regularly until the organization, in September, 1895, of the English Lutheran Trinity Church, when they were discontinued. In 1891 it was found necessary to build an addition to the church, not only to provide sufficient accommodation for the people at the regular church services, but also because more room was needed for the school. This addi- tion, 35x60 feet, and costing $12,500, was so constructed as to give the church the form of a double cross. The parochial school was taught by Prof. R. O. Kieling for sixteen years-from 1885 to 1901. Towards the end of his connection with it an assistant had been engaged, and the school formed into two classes. The present teachers are Prof. C. F. Theiss and Miss Caroline Walther. The pres- ent strength of the congregation is 860 bap- tized members, 580 communicant members, .and 125 voting members.
Rev. E. A. Boehme was born in Zittau, Germany, May II, 1848. He was educated at the Gymnasium (College), at the same place, completing his studies there in 1864. He studied theology at the German Lutheran Seminary, at Columbus, Ohio, and was or- clained to the holy ministry July 31, 1868. His first pastorate was at Union City, Indiana, where he remained until 1878. He was then pastor at New Washington, Ohio, up to 1882. From that time until 1885 he held college pro- fessorships at Columbus, Ohio. Since then he has been pastor of Martin Luther's Church, Youngstown. From 1886 to 1896 he was the German secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and other states, and has since been first vice-president of the same body. He has been a member of the board of trustees of Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, since 1876, excepting four years, and has been president of the seminary board since 1894. He was editor of the Kinderfreude (Sunday school paper) from 1886 to 1898,
and editor of Kirchenseitung (German organ) from 1898 to 1904.
GRACE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
Thirty years ago, in the month of Septem- ber, 1877, a small number of German Luther- ans met together under the leadership of the Rev. Samuel Baechler, to hold divine ser- vice. The service was held in the English language. These persons formed the nucleus of the Grace Evangelical Lutheran congrega- tion in Youngstown. It continued its services as a mission in the Reading Room Hall, on Federal street, with the Rev. E. J. Meissner, pastor. In the spring of 1878 a Sunday school was organized, embodying the name and faith of the organization, together with rules of business. The mission grew slowly but sub- stantially. Soon a longing was felt to worship in a consecrated church home. During the summer of 1880 active steps were taken toward building such a house of worship. Committees were appointed to secure a location and to solicit subscriptions. Through their efforts a plot of ground was purchased, at the corner of Wood street and Belmont avenue (then Liberty street), and a building erected, which was consecrated to the service, December 31, 1881. The organization of the congregation was fully completed by the formal adoption of its constitution, December 31, 1882. In the fall of 1885 the mission became a member of the Pittsburg Synod of the General Council of the Lutheran Church. In the early part of the year 1887 Rev. E. J. Meissner tendered his resignation as pastor, which was accepted April 24th of that year.
He was succeeded by the Rev. H. W. Tope, D. D., who began his labors in the fall of 1888. During his pastorate the mission be- came self-sustaining, a parsonage was built and the church enlarged at a cost of $5,000. After a period of a little more than seven years Rev. Tope resigned in the spring of 1895.
He was followed by the Rev. A. D. Potts, Ph. D., who entered upon his duties in the spring of 1896, but on account of ill health,
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was obliged to relinquish them and to resign in the early part of the ensuing year.
July 18, 1897, the congregation extended a unanimous call to the Rev. Jesse LeRoy Miller. August I the call was accepted and a new page began in the history of the congre- gation. The first thing necessary was a change of location. The pushing and pulling of the powerful freight engines over multi- plied tracks, the puffing and blowing of the electric powers, both in proximity to the church's situation, made such a change most desirable. And an old debt, which always hangs like a millstone around the neck of a congregation, appeared at the time like one of the Himalayas. But after many prayers and much generosity, the debt disappeared and the mortgage was burned May 30, 1897. It was a moment of great relief and was followed by an increased desire and renewed hopes for a better and more beautiful place of worship. March 3, 1901, the old church property was sold and a new site was secured on West Rayen avenue, on which, August 10, 1902, the corner stone of a new church was laid.
The new church property is valued at $35,000. The membership of the congrega- tion is now 450, and has a Sunday school with an enrollment of 325 scholars. The income from all sources for the year 1906 amounted to $4,500.
Rev. Jesse LeRoy Miller, the present pas- tor, was born June 9, 1870, at Germano, Har- rison county, Ohio. He is the tenth son of John and Susannah (Mikesel) Miller. After finishing the course of study in the common school, he entered Thiel College, Greenville, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1889, from which institution he graduated cum laude in the spring of 1894. In the fall of 1894 he entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Mt. Ayr, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and finished his professional course there in the spring of 1897. And on August 1, 1897, he began the work of the ministry and assumed its duties as pastor of Grace Church. On June 25, 1902, Rev. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Ada Elizabeth Ritter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Ritter.
TRINITY ENGLISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.
Trinity English Evangelical Lutheran Church, under the auspices of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and other states, was organized January 3, 1896. Rev. W. M. Kibler was its first pastor. Called by the Mission Board, he began his labors in Youngstown about August, 1895, at which time a number of members of the Martin Luther congregation, favoring English ser- vices, received their dismissals. At the organ- ization the "Model Constitution" was adopted and the congregation received the name "Trin- ity English Evangelical Lutheran Church, Youngstown, Ohio."
The first Sunday school was held Septem- ber 8, 1895, in the Y. M. C. A. building. The total attendance was ten. Divine service was held the same evening with an attendance of twenty-four. The congregation worshipped here for about six weeks, after which services were conducted in the City Council Chamber until November of the same year. The Town- ship Hall was then secured, where services were held until the dedication of the present church building on Wilson avenue.
November, 1897, after a faithful service of two years and three months, Rev. Kibler was called to another field. The mission was then served by Rev. O. S. Oglesby and other neighboring pastors. The following June, 1898, Rev. G. C. Schaub, a graduate of the Theological Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, as- sumed the work and for two years and five months was the faithful pastor of the mission. March, 1901, he followed a call to another parish, which again left the little flock without a regular pastor. Rev. Oscar Tressel, then a student of Capital University, supplied the field for about three months, when the present pastor, Rev. G. A. Harter, took up the work. He was installed August 18, 1901.
Services were continued in the Township Hall, however, under great disadvantage to the growth of the congregation. At the call- ing of the present pastor, a temporary arrange- ment was made granting half of the time for
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Sunday services to the Trinity Lutheran con- gregation of Girard, Ohio, thus making the field self-supporting and the mission becoming a congregation.
During the latter part of 1902 it was de- cided to sell the Rayen lot, bought in 1899, and purchase the lot and building on Wilson ave- nue. The church built about five years pre- vious was remodeled and refurnished, and on May 24. 1903, dedicated to the service, the pastors, Revs. W. M. Kibler, G. C. Schaub and G. A. Harter officiating. Since that time the congregation has enjoyed prosperity and be- sides a thriving Sunday school, a Ladies' Aid and a Young People's Society has a communi- cant membership of 161.
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
A society of Disciples was organized in Youngstown in July, 1841, with twenty-seven members, and worshipped for about a year in the old Academy on the Diamond. The con- struction of a church edifice on Wood street was begun July 20, 1872, and completed and dedicated in 1874, the total cost being $27,000. Among the early preachers were Wesley Lam- phere, John Henry, John Applegate, Henry Brocket, W. S. Gray, O. Higgins, Walter Haden, James Calvin, F. S. Whistler, Orwin Gates, Jasper Hughes, R. E. Davis, C. C. Smith, M. L. Streator and J. N. Monroe. In 1895 the church was remodeled and additions made at a cost of $17.000. It is now in a flourishing condition. Rev. John R. Ewers is the present pastor.
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Central Christian Church, of Youngstown, was organized the first Lord's Day in January, 1895, with 106 members, President Zollers, of Hiram, assisting. Its charter, dated Novem- ber 28, 1894, was issued in the name of the Church of the Disciples of Christ, which name was later changed to that now borne-Central Christian. The church's first place of meeting was Davis Hall, on Federal street. Every- thing, even to the communion set, was rented. 21
But the little band was active and aggressive, and grew rapidly from the first. Soon a church building became a necessity. Available prop- erty was inspected, and finally the Thomas Brown homestead on Market street was pur- chased at a cost of $15,000. It was a burden- some obligation, but its weight was carried gladly by those who saw in it the future of a splendid church home. The building was re- modeled at a cost of about $3,000 and was occupied as a place of worship by the congre- gation. Here, as before, the church prospered, and in November, 1904, it was declared that there was not one penny of debt on the prop- erty. During the ten years of its existence an average of $5,000 a year had been raised for all purposes. But soon the home was once again too small. Increased facilities were needed, and in July, 1905, work was begun upon the present building. The first service in the new auditorium was held January 28, 1906. The pipe organ was installed the second week in February, and on February 18, 1906, the new church home, with all its splendid equipment, was dedicated to the "Glory of God and the Good of Men." The church now has a membership of about 600. A remarkable feature of its work has been that accomplished along missionary lines. It has contributed largely to both home and foreign missions, and supports a missionary at Osaka, Japan. The church organization is good in all departments and all ages are represented in church work. At different times successful revival meetings have been held, as well by the pastors as by evangelists of wide fame. The present pastor of the church is Walter S. Goode. T. V. Shrock is the Sunday school superintendent.
Rev. Walter S. Goode was born in Pal- myra, Illinois, in 1869, son of Rev. G. M. Goode, a minister of the Church of the Dis- ciples, and Mary E. (Nevins ) Goode. He was educated at the Illinois State Normal School, where he was graduated in 1893. For some five years subsequently he was engaged in teaching school. He then studied theology at Chicago University, and was ordained at Nor- mal. Illinois, September 17, 1899. His first regular charge was at Palestine, Illinois, where
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