USA > Ohio > Medina County > Chatham > Chatham sesquicentennial, 1818-1968. > Part 4
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Two missionaries went out from the Black River church about this time: Beulah Woods to India in 1922 and Corda Wertz to China in 1932. In 1924 a group of young people organized a B.Y.P.D. In 1925 F.L. Findley became a deacon; Dean Bowman in 1931; Aaron Browand and Glenn Garver in 1940.
Stanley Noffsinger served the church between D.E. Sower's departure and Arthur L. Dodge's arri- val in 1931. Brother Dodge operated the farm and served the church until 1941. During his pastorate, a men's work organization was formed in 1938. The farm has not been operated since Brother Dodge left. George Sheets and Donald Keifer fill the pulpit until C.C. Louder became the fulltime pastor in 1943 he was followed by Jesse Whitacre.
Herman Reinke was elected to the ministry in September 1943 and ordained July 1, 1945. Walter Bowman was ordained April 26, 1944.
Brother Whitacre terminated his pastorate with the church in 1953, at which time Harold I. Deeter was called. Brother Deeter was with us until 1956. On August 2 of that year C. Kenneth Fisher came to be our pastor; he continues in that capacity at the present time.
The Church under his ministery has been able to maintain itself as a strong rural church in the community.
In 1968 Sister Effie Orr gave the Church three acres of land east and south of the church for the building sight of a new parsonage. In the same year the church built a new parsonage and sold the old one. Brother Fisher continues to serve the church well.
Contributed by Rev. Kenneth Fisher
Heb. 10:24-25
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. Not forsaking the assembling our- selves together.
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UNITED CHURCH of CHRIST CONGREGATIONAL AND ITS PEOPLE
The year was 1675, and it was the Narragansett expedition of King Phillip's War, the 840 soldiers who took part therein, were promised "If they played the part of men, took the fort, and drove the enemy out of the country, they should have a gratuity in land besides their wages."
So it was in 1732 the descendents of these soldiers were granted townships in Maine, N. H., and Mass. From these settlements groups of people came out to the Ohio territory together, settled in the same communities and formed the same churches in places like Lafayette, Chatham, Litchfield, Weymouth and others.
From the town of Plainfield in the rocky hills of Western Mass. a group of six families (Gardner, Packard, Richards, Warner, Shaw, Daniels) travel- led West some 700 miles to the Ohio territory. They came by wagon to Troy, New York, from there by boat on the Erie Canal to Buffalo, where they took passage on a small lake craft to Cleveland, which was at that time a village of five log hou- ses. The trip from Cleveland to Chatham was by ox cart.
The religious needs of these people were first met by occasional sermons by Rev. John McCrea from Westfield and later Joel Goodell of Harrisville was engaged to preach one half time at Lodi and the other half at Chatham. With the help of these two men and a stalwart faith be- hind them these early pioneers organized the first Congregational Church of Chatham upon a doctrine of faith that has stood with little change through 137 years of world progress.
The church for some time was under the watch and care of the Presbytery on the plan of union adopted by the General Assembly of Conn. and the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church in 180 which gave the right to Congregational churches to transact their own business, Presbytery being
only advisory. This relation lasted for nearly forty years. In 1873 the church withdrew from the Cleve- land Presbytery and later united with the Medina Conference, then Association of Congregational Churches and now the United Church of Christ.
In those early days the Presbytery met regu- larly with a delegate representing the Chatham Church. A diary tells of the hardships of travel by wagon and on foot to such places of meeting as Brecksville, Hudson, Bath Westfield and of a meeting on April 11, 1838, at Chatham.
Although this village was still a small vil- lage with some log houses and termed "the woods country below Lake Erie" it took an active part in the affairs of the state and nation. In 1842 almost 20 years before the Civil War the following "quote" -expression of sentiment and resolution on the subject of slavery was presented for the consideration of the church.
"We the members of this church of Chatham regard Slavery as it exists in our country a great sin against God and our fellow men; against God- as it violates His law, which requires us to love others as ourselves, and do to them as we would that they should do to us. And against our fell- owmen as it deprives them of the invaluable priv- ileges, social, civil, and religious. It deprives them of reading the Bible, it breaks up the family relations. It takes from them too great cruelty and oppression. It deprieves them of the unali- enable right which God has given them to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happines. We, there- fore, deeply regret that some professed ministers, and many professed Christians of various denomin- ations, hold their fellowmen in bondage; and as the Bible makes it our duty to rebuke our neighbor who does wickedly, and not suffer sin upon him, and to have no fellowhip with the fruitful works of darkness, we regard it, as the duty of the Church of Christ, kindly, yet decidedly, to express their disapprobation of American Slavery. And we Resolve that while there may be extraordinary cases, re- sulting from peculiar circumstances, yet in all ordinary ones, we cannot admit a slave holder to
2
officiate in our pulpit or to participate in our communion."
A motion was made to adopt the foregoing sent- iment and resolution and after considerable dis- cussion the motion was put forth and carried." end quote." There were two underground railroad stations at Chatham with slaves being moved from Chatham to Oberlin.
In 1843 a number of people withdrew from the church and formed a 2nd Congregational Church and erected a house of worship on the N.E. corner of the "common". Fifteen years later-having outgrown the reasons for separation, they were reunited. In 1864 the above mentioned "house" was sold upon the condition that the front of said lot be kept open to the common the same distance as the S.E. and S.W. corners, which shall forever be open for a public square also the house shall never be used by any denomination for religious purpose that this church (the first Cong. Church) does not consider evangelical in doctrine. The Kenneth Welsh family now lives in this house.
The first services of the church were held in homes and in a log school house 1 and 12 mile south of the present church. Later alternating between this school house and one built at the center. In 1844 the present church was erected. Some twenty families agreed to pay to the building committee (composed of Orin Shaw, George Packard, and William Packard) sums varying from $10.00 to $100.00 in cash, labor or material. "The meeting house for public worship of God shall be for the public and under the control of the first formed Congregational Church and Society in Chatham and owned by indivi- duals in proportion to the amount paid by them to build it."
The pews were auctioned to the members. They sold from $20.00 to $36.00. From the subscriptions and money from the pews some $900.00 was raised for the building of the church. In 1856 horse sheds were built at the rear of the church and they were also sold to members. After the two churches reunited the pews were declared free. In 1852 a
be11 weighing 1242 pounds was purchased for $400.00 and a belfry and entrance was added to the original structure.
In 1849 a sum of $550.00 was subscribed toward the founding of Adelbert College, Western Reserve University, by individual members. These were sums of cash from $25.00 to $125.00. This gave the first Congregational Church of Chatham a "Permament Scholarship" in said Institution, and shall have the right of having one indigent student of approved character and capacity, free of charge for tuition, so long as the college stands. Many young people have taken advantage of the fore thought of our ancestors. At the present time Tony Gedos, Cloverleaf High School graduate, is using this scholarship.
The church sometimes acted as judge and jury, in some cases excommunicating members from the church because of their misdeeds. The records of the trial of one Edwin B. Richards in the year 1857 reads like a court record, "The Charge"-Thursday, March 5, 1857.
The First Congregational Church of Chatham, Medina Co., appointed Deacon E. Allen, Deacon 0. Shaw and Joshua Shaw a committee to prefer a charge against Edwin B. Richards for the intemperate use of ardent spirits, common fame being the accuser. Whereupon the above named committee in behalf of the church, proceeded to prefer the above named charge against Edwin B. Richards under the following specifications:
Spec. 1st At Grafton Station Jan. 1st 1856 drank intoxicating spirits to excess. -- A.W. Dyer- Witness Spec. 2nd In the town of Litchfield about the middle of Nov. 1856 was too intoxicated to keep his team in the road. -- Ephraim Wilson-Witness
Spec. 3rd At Bridgeport Jan. 23, 1857 too intoxicated to proceed with his singing school. -- Harrison Packard, Henry Rotertine, J.G. Hower and E. Raftzgar -Witnesses The trial proceeded with much detail written into the church records. Many witnesses appeared for both sides. It concluded with Dr. Palmer being
called in Mr. Richard's defense. He stated that he had treated him for a disease, the nature of which often left him confused, such as to have the appear- ance of his being excited by liquor.
The trial ended with his exoneration and a committee of three (Rev. J.B. Sheldon, Eli Smith and T.S. Shaw) was appointed to disabuse Mr. Rich- ards of the false impressions held in the minds of some of the members of the church.
The church has always taken an active interest in helping its fellowmen. Through the years the records show no time when the Benevolence giving has been below $100.00 a year. The results of its influence in spiritual and financial gifts were evident in the early Foreign Missions Move- ment in the Southern Pacific Islands, with Sunday School children giving money to purchase a boat, called the Morning Star, for travel between the Islands. In 1875 the children were organized into a Mission Band. For many years the church gave annual support to one child in India, and later the Church School adopted children in China. The present one being Wong Wuk Chi. For many years Mrs. Lillian Williams has kept the church membership actively interested in its mission work throughout the world.
About 1869 a Ladies Aide Society was formed. For many years its main objective was giving many socials, suppers and various entertainments to raise money for the physical upkeep of the church property. In 1958 the Ladies Aide, more recently called Ladies Benevolent Society, became a part of the National Women's Fellowship of the Congrega- tional Christian church. An important part of its work is now study and aid given each year to a local mission field and also a foreign mission field. The past two years being Japan and Puerto Rico. The next study course will be Africa. Keeping informed on Christian Social Action is also an important part of Women's Fellowship.
A Young People's Christian Endeavor Society was organized August 10, 1896 and met for many years. After a number of years of lapse this
society was reorganized in 1932 and became a very active part of the church. Through the efforts of the group many young people were sent to church camp every summer at Linwood Park on Lake Erie. This society was active for about ten years when it again disbanded. Around 1958 the direction of Mrs. Buelah Auble and Robert Mattingly; Jr. and Sr. youth groups were again formed, under the Pilgrim Fellowship of the Medina Association. Now a combined group of young people from the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ Congregation have been active under the direction of the minister and his wife, Rev. and Mrs. Stanley Robinson.
A new church camp for people of all ages has been constructed at Pilgrim Hills, near the Mo- hicanville State Park. This camp was started in 1957 with this church contributing $400.00 towards its construction. Many members of our Pilgrim Fell- owship groups have attended church camp at Pilgrim Hills.
Through the years music has played a very important part in the growth and developement of the church. George Packard directed the church choir for forty years. At one time he visited eight township schools at regular intervals and gave instruction in vocal music. He has been credited with helping originate the plan of traveling music and art teachers still today use it. After his retirement Milo Gunsual, Virginia Lance Conklin and others have been choir directors. For many years Mrs. Carl Packard and Mrs. Ray Packard were pianists assisted by younger members of the church. Judith (Mrs. A.E.) Noah has directed the choir in recent years with the assistance of a faithful group of ten or twelve members of the church. Since the combining of the United Methodist Church and the U.C.C.C. for Sunday morning worship the choir is now made up of members of both churches and is under the direction of Mrs. Harold Elliott and Mrs. Albert Noah.
On November 9, the proposition to yoke with the Litchfield Congregational Christian Church was brought before the congregation. This proposition was accepted unanimously by the congregation.
From then until 1966 , the two churches shared the same ministers.
An acre of land in the back of the church was purchased from Mrs. Buchanan for $100.00 in September of 1959.
A Lord's Acre project was carried out in the summer of 1960. A crop of corn was planted on land donated by Mrs. Lillian Williams and an amount of $173.00 was cleared on the project.
On July 7, 1960, the Congregation Christian Church joined with the Evangelical Reformed Church and became known as the United Church of Christ. At the annual meeting on January 11, 1961, the Chatham Congregational Christian Church passed a resolution to approve the constitution of this newly organized group and became a part of it. The name of the church was then changed to the Chatham United Church of Christ Congregational.
In 1961, the ceiling and sidewalls of the church were insulated at a cost of $950.00. In 1963, a new oil furnace was installed by Babcock Plumbing and Heating of Hinckley at a cost of $1050.00.
On April 15, 1964, the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ asked that the members of the churches " uproot intolerance, Bigatry and prejudice within our own lives and to replace them with good will and the determination to strike down immediately, the barriers which divide men on account of race and make it plain to all the people with whom we live and work that the church and the members thereof stand for brotherhood." The Chatham United Church of Christ endorsed this resolution at its annual meeting on January 8, 1964.
In 1964, the sanctuary, chapel and vestibule were remodeled and plastered. The outside basement steps were rebuilt and enclosed. A new water pump was installed and rest rooms were put in. The fol- lowing year, the church interior was painted and flooring and carpeting was installed. Also during that year the church council voted to sub- scribe to the United Church Herald Magazine for
each church family. since that time.
This practice has continued
A new constitution was written and accepted by the congregration. This included the changes made necessary by the forming of the United Church of Christ.
Chatham Churches, as well as churches all over the country, were faced with a great challenge. Because of the small membership of many churches, the low budgets and shortage of minister, the que- stion of obtaining a full time minister and being able to pay him an adequate salary became a real problem. A pilot project was set up under the app- roving eye of Dr. Howard J. Wyant of the Methodist . N.E.O. Conference, and Rev. Paul Falino of the East Ohio Conference of U.C.C. where by a joint parish was formed. This involved the Litchfield and Chatham U.C.C. and the Chatham Methodist Chur- ches. Rev. Stanley Robinson was called by the unanimous vote of the three churches to be minister of this parish, which arrangement has proved to be working very well. By this arrangement a new era of ecumunical unity exists in this community.
The U.C.C., for some time has sponsored a "Trick or Treat" for U.N.I.C.E.F. project, town- ship wide at Halloween time. We also particapate with the Brethren Church and United Methodist Ch- urch in the World Day of Prayer Services.
As in the beginning of our church, the ideals of our pioneer ancestors still hold. The most im- portant thing is still, as then, a stalwart faith in God and an understanding heart for our fellow men.
-- by Mrs. Kenneth J. Siman
MINISTERS OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Joel Goodell -- 1834-1838 Phillip Everlett -- 1838 - 1839 Lewis F. Laine -- 1839-1840 Caleb Burbank 1840 - 1855 James Sheldon 1855 - 1858 J.E. Vance 1859 - 1868 Stephen D. Peet 1869 - 1872 Ruben Hatch 1872 - 1876 J.S. Whitman 1877 - 1883 James B. Stocking 1883 - 1885 S.S. Calkins 1885 Edwin Pose 1886 - 1888 Kendrick H. Crane 1888 - 1892
Davy L. Jones 1892 - 1895 Frank H. Richardson 1895 - 1898 Charles Simpson 1898 - 1905 Chester W. Green 1906 - 1908
George W. Tingle 1908 - 1910 Henry J. Barnes 1911 - 1913 Harold D. Lamb 1914 - 1916 B.U. Child 1916 - 1917 T.S. Winey 1917 - 1918 Arthur A. Wall 1918 - 1920 B.J. Williams 1920 - 1922
D.T. Williams 1922 - 1925
Henry W. Hunt 1925- 1932
Joseph H. Dudley 1932 - 1936
Oscar Nichols 1936 - 1938
Carey Christy 1938 - 1940 George Edwards 1941
J.S. Dickson 1942 - 1943
F.C. Jenkins 1943 - 1944
Torrence Jones 1944 - 1945
R.B. Fisher 1945 - 1950 James Savides 1950 - 1952
Walter Grevatt 1952 1953
Walter Nugent 1953 - 1955
David Crowle 1955 - 1957 Richard Ainsworth 1957 - 1958 John McDuffie 1959 - 1962
Ronald Adams 1962 - 1965
Robert Mills' 1965 - 1966
Stanley Robinson 1966 to present
CHATHAM METHODIST CHURCH
METHODIST MINISTERS
Rev. Paul Bauders
Rev. Horace McSwain
Rev. Gladstone Brown
Rev. Wendell Rimmel1
Rev. Lorenzo Todd
Rev. Richard Frothingham
Rev. Maynard French
Rev. James Brown
Rev. Arthur Deutsch
Rev. John Jolley
Rev. Stanley Robinson -- now serving
The history of the Methodist church in Chatham begins with the coming of the first settler in the township.
Moses Parsons and family came from the state of New York in April, 1818. They were ernest and devout Methodists. As soon as several families had been added to the settlement, Mrs. Parsons persua- ded Methodist Circuit Riders to visit the little colony and conduct regular church services. The meetings were held in the log cabin homes or some- times in the open barn.
The first real church organization was formed in 1832, and the Chatham station was added to the Wellington circuit. Meetings were held every four weeks in a log school house; two miles south of the center, situated on what is now the Giesinger farm. In 1838 another Methodist society was formed by the settlers in the northern half of the township. They also worshiped in a school house, standing two miles north of the center.
Among the itinerant preachers who visited these pioneer churches was a Rev. Mr. Harris who later became Bishop Harris.
In 1854, the two societies joined together with a combined membership of seventy-four. The same year they erected a church edifice, at the center on its present site at a cost of $1,080.00. The original frame building still serves, though, it has been remodeled several times.
The new society was placed on the Westfield Circuit, with Westfield, Harrisville and Lafayette. As the years passed, Seville, Spencer and River Corners were added to the charge.
In 1861 the work was again divided. The ch- urches at Harrisville, Spencer, River Corners and Chatham formed the Chatham Circuit. Years later, sometime before 1880, Chatham was placed of the Lodi charge, and continued thus until 1895 when it again became the Chatham charge. It has been known as such to the present time.
Originally the church had a tall steeple; but, with the trend of the times and the need of repairs, the question arose as to the advisability of re- moving the spire. One sultry afternoon in the summer of 1906, a Ladies Aide Meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Edwin Gilbert. It was voted to have the spire removed. However, during the meeting a violent storm arose. Lightning struck the church, demolishing the steeple and killing a man who was painting in the interior. Two other men, who were working with him, were unharmed.
The original heating system was three stoves in a dug-out beneath the floor. Slots were made be- neath the seats where the heated air could rise and warm the main room. It is told that one Sunday during the services a child dropped a woolen mitten thru a slot in the floor and it landed on a stove. The odor of burning, which filled the building was very unpleasant, to say the least. In time a furnace was installed, which was a great improve- ment.
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