USA > Ohio > Church of the Brethren in southern Ohio > Part 9
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The church was remodeled and an addition constructed in 1941, and in 1950 the basement was modernized. The driveway and parking lot were provided in 1951. In 1953 the church completed the improvement of the parsonage. Much of the labor was donated by members and friends in the district.
The church has installed five deacons in recent years; Lawrence Rodamer and B. F. Click in 1939, and Elmer Peeno, Ben Reeves, and William Lane, Jr., in 1945. As indicated
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above, Lawrence Rodamer and B. F. Click were licensed in 1944 and ordained ministers in 1946.
H. M. Coppock became elder-in-charge in 1939, Orion
The Constance Church
Erbaugh in 1944, Roy Teach in 1945, and Clarence Erbaugh in 1947.
Those who have served as Sunday-school superintendents, in order, are: John T. Moll, Kathryn Royer, Lawrence Rodamer, William Lane, Jr., Lawrence Rodamer, Floyd Click, and William Peeno.
Throughout the years of its existence Constance has been under the care of the District Mission Board and Southern Ohio has provided funds for carrying on the work.
COVINGTON
The Covington church was one of the three first formed out of the Stillwater church. The first meetings in the Covington area were held in homes, barns, or groves. The first house of worship was built about 1840, between Pleasant Hill and Covington, but nearer the former. It was built of logs. Preaching was in both German and English. Gradually
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the group began to divide into Stillwater and Upper Stillwater or Covington and Harris Creek. In 1849 the second church was erected, on the present site of Camp Sugar Grove. It was forty by eighty feet and was of stone. The congregation grew. Before long there was a call for services in Covington. About 1861-62, members living there began having services in a Baptist church. James Quinter was secured for a series of meetings, in which forty-four new members were added. A Sunday school was organized in 1867. James Quinter moved to Covington in 1866 and the work grew steadily. Then came a call for a house of worship here. In 1872 a large brick church was erected. The Sugar Grove house was shared with the Newton (Pleasant Hill) congregation. In 1874 it was replaced with the present fifty-by-eighty-foot brick house. The two congregations shared its use, especially for love feasts.
The Covington Church
The church house erected in 1872 was replaced in 1911 by a large modern building excelled by very few in the Brotherhood. George W. Flory was the pastor at this time.
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He was the pastor as the former history closed. The member- ship was five hundred twenty-five and the average Sunday- school attendance was three hundred forty-two. At that time Covington was the district's largest church.
Well-known men who had been in the Covington church up to this time included James Quinter, I. J. Rosenberger, and Isaac Frantz. James Quinter edited the Gospel Visitor in his home here for a while. It was printed in Dayton.
Entering the third decade of the twentieth century we find the church under the pastoral direction of George W. Flory with Isaac Frantz acting as presiding elder. The pastor- ate of George W. Flory terminated in 1920, following ten years of leadership here. C. F. McKee came as pastor in 1921 and served until 1929. O. P. Williams followed him, leaving in the spring of 1930. Then J. O. Click was called to guide the church, remaining four years. G. L. Wine was called in 1934 and served until 1940, when he was called to Greenville. After a brief interim, in 1941 Ray O. Shank was invited by the congregation to be its pastor. Brother Shank's ministry con- tinued for ten years. In 1951 Millard Wilson was called from Pennsylvania to be the pastor and is the leader of the congrega- tion at this time.
A parsonage, which was formerly the home of Isaac Frantz, was purchased in 1920. It stands across the street from the church. The church was redecorated and carpeted in 1928. An electric organ was dedicated in 1937. Chimes were added in 1949. The kitchen was remodeled in 1951.
The Piqua church was organized in 1927 by the Covington members living there, and a dividing line between the two churches was agreed upon.
D. D. Wine and George Mohler followed Isaac Frantz as elders-in-charge. Following the coming of C. F. McKee as pastor he was made elder and served until 1930. At that time the pastor, J. O. Click, became the presiding elder. When G. L. Wine came in 1934 to be the pastor he was given charge as elder. So also Ray O. Shank when he began as pastor in 1941. When Brother Shank resigned, Moyne Landis of the Oakland church was made elder-in-charge. The present elder is Leland Emrick,
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The Covington church licensed Clarence Younker in 1930, relicensed him in 1931, and later ordained him to the ministry. Oran Yount was ordained a minister in 1931. Roy Karns was ordained an elder in 1950.
In 1933 four deacons were installed: Lawrence Arnold, John Garst, Warren Fisher, and Fred Watson. In 1950 Mark Snider, Wilfred Erbaugh, and Lester George were elected and installed.
E. M. Fox was the Sunday-school superintendent during the writing of the first Southern Ohio history. He was succeeded in 1921 by C. F. McKee, pastor. S. S. Miller acted in this capacity from 1926 to 1929. Then J. N. Arndall, 1929-30. J. L. Baker served from 1930 to 1933. Fred Watson was in this office the two following years. J. L. Baker was chosen again, 1933-35. A sister, Mrs. Cora Fisher, succeeded him in 1937 and served ten years. She was followed by Wilfred Erbaugh, 1947-49, and he by Fern Frey, who was superintendent until 1953, when Raymond Garst succeeded her.
Dorothy Inman and Homer Wilson went as missionaries to Africa from this congregation. E. B. Deeter was a member of the Auditing Committee of the district and J. L. Baker of the District Men's Work Cabinet. Mrs. G. L. Wine was president of Women's Work for Southern Ohio, and Ray Porter, Jr., was treasurer for the district. Mrs. Millard Wilson is director of Children's Work for the district.
This church was host to the midwinter youth conference in 1927, 1938, and 1951. Also the church entertained the district conferences of 1931 and 1953.
Covington has been "relief minded," beginning back in 1937 with $2.50 per month to Spanish relief. The Sunday school increased the amount to as much as $55.00 per month in 1948. In 1946, $250 worth of woolens for blankets were pur- chased and sent abroad. Gifts to the veterans' hospital in Dayton, to Puerto Rico, and to Europe were made in the meantime. The young people of the church sponsored a carload of cereal for relief, the project amounting to $3,750.
The membership is now four hundred eleven and the prospects are for continued growth.
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DONNELS CREEK
The Donnels Creek church came into being just after the turn of the nineteenth century. John Garber, who died probably in 1813, was the first elder. Meetings were held in homes and barns, or even in forests and on lawns. The earliest services were in German.
The West Charleston (Hickory Grove), Troy (Casstown), New Carlisle, and Springfield churches all grew out of terri- tory at first included in the Donnels Creek congregation. The first of these to be organized out of the territory was Hickory Grove in 1830. Casstown (Lost Creek) followed in 1840. New Carlisle became a separate organization in 1914. Springfield organized as a congregation in 1918. In addition, Donnels Creek conducted services in Madison County, lastly at Summerford, and in Greene County, south of Jamestown. The efforts in these two locations did not produce the desired results and they were later abandoned.
It was in 1848 that the first Brethren church was erected in Clark County. It was a large wooden structure built where the present new structure now stands. By 1881, the congrega- tion had grown to include some three hundred members. But that year one hundred twenty-six were lost in the Old Order division. In 1895 the first building gave way to a much larger one, which was later remodeled with Sunday-school rooms and a gallery. Again in 1938 it was further remodeled with a rededication service in November of that year. This is the structure that burned to the ground in February 1943.
At the time of the 1920 history Donnels Creek had one hundred members, including three ministers and seven deacons. The Sunday school averaged eighty-five in at- tendance. The ministers were Jacob Sandy, elder-in-charge, Leonard Young, and Cyrus Funderburg. Jacob Sandy was acting as part-time pastor.
The church was afterward shepherded by the following part-time pastors, Cyrus Funderburg, Glen Weimer, Leonard Young, Jacob Gingrich, Rolland Flory, and Walter Hawke, in succession.
In September 1948 Ross Noffsinger was called to be the first full-time pastor; he is there as this is written.
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Of the deacons serving in 1920, only one, Russell Stude- baker, survives.
During this period Rolland Flory, Jr., was licensed to the ministry in 1939 and was ordained a minister in 1940.
Since Jacob Sandy was in charge as elder in 1920, those succeeding have been Cyrus Funderburg in 1926, H. M. Cop- pock in 1932, Rolland Flory in 1935, and Walter Hawke in 1950.
The deacons installed since 1920 were: Wilbur Teach, 1922; Fred Teach, 1924; Miles Barnhart, 1926; George Barnhart, 1930; Lewis Metzger, 1933; Glenn Funderburg and Lester D. Snyder, 1947.
Jacob Funderburg was the Sunday-school superintendent at the beginning of the period of this history. He served until 1925. He was succeeded by George Getz, who was in turn followed by Glen Weimer in 1927. Harold Barnhart took charge in 1928, Harold Brunk in 1929, Glenn Funderburg in 1933, Rolland J. Flory in 1938, Lester Snyder in 1942, Laurel Flory in 1945, William Sayres in 1946, Wilfred Barnhart in 1947, and James Engle in 1950.
On Sunday morning, February 7, 1943, while services were in progress, the church building was discovered to be on fire. Some of the furnishings were saved but the building burned to the ground. A near-by abandoned church building was prepared for use and services were continued.
A new building was soon agreed upon and work was begun. An unusual amount of donated labor enabled the congregation to construct a very modern commodious brick building at a cost of $50,000. It was dedicated on December 3, 1944, with Rufus Bowman of Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago, giving the dedicatory sermon. In three years, because of sacrificial giving, the church was out of debt.
The sacrificial giving continued, however, and soon a parsonage was purchased, remodeled, and modernized, and in a short time was free of debt. It is located about a mile west of the church.
Donnels Creek is a rural congregation, served by a pastor, Ross Noffsinger, who was recently designated the Ohio Church of the Brethren Minister of the Year.
The church has been host to the following district
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gatherings: the Southern Ohio district conferences of 1929 and 1946; the Women's Work meeting of 1942; the missionary rally of 1945; and the Women's Work meeting of 1949.
The Donnels Creek Church
Ruth Funderburg has served on the District Board of Christian Education, and as a director of children's work. She and Mrs. Ross Noffsinger were camp leaders at Sugar Grove. Mrs. Noffsinger was vice-president of the District Women's Work. Ross Noffsinger was a member of the Men's Work Council and is now a member of the newly formed District Board.
Betty Young, Dorothy Teach, Wilma Studebaker, and Emily Metzger each gave a year or more of service in Brethren Volunteer Service. Wilbur Skillings gave a part of a year.
This congregation has had rapid growth since 1920 when it reported one hundred members. Membership and attendance at both Sunday school and worship have almost doubled. The membership at present is recorded as one hundred seventy-five. There is a marked church loyalty among its members.
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EAST DAYTON
More than one hundred years ago members living in the city of Dayton and ministers from near-by churches began to have services somewhere near where Wayne Avenue crosses Fifth Street. The preaching was continued until in 1845 a lot was purchased and surrounding churches joined in erecting a small church on the corner of Jackson and Van Buren streets. Services were held here until the Old Order division, when litigation was entered into for possession of the building. The house was retained by the Brethren, then was sold, and with the proceeds a new church was built in 1892, at Fourth and Philadelphia streets. This was of brick. Elders Jesse Stutsman and Aaron Coy directed the work. In 1925 a basement and a vestibule were added. This building was used until the congregation was able to occupy the beautiful new structure on the corner of East Third and Garland, a location purchased in 1946. The old building was then sold. This new building was dedicated on July 16, 1950, with V. F. Schwalm, president of Manchester College, giving the dedicatory address. Hundreds of hours of volunteer labor went into the building, reducing the cost of the lot and the building to less than $107,000. The parsonage, which was acquired in 1941, was located at 26 North Monmouth. It has recently been sold and a new location is being sought.
The congregation was organized in 1903 with thirty-one charter members. Jacob Coppock was chosen elder. The name, East Dayton, was adopted. Josephus E. Barnhart succeeded Jacob Coppock as elder in 1908, at which time J. W. Fidler began as pastor, remaining until 1912. In succession D. M. Garver, S. A. Blessing, J. O. Garst, and J. W. Fidler acted as elders to the time of the 1920 history.
Following the departure of J. W. Fidler as pastor, there was no regular pastor until 1916, when J. O. Garst took over. In the fall of 1919 William J. Buckley was secured as pastor, the Mission Board paying part of the salary.
Beginning with the thirty-one charter members, the church had forty-two in 1917; two hundred in 1930; four hundred in 1940; over five hundred in 1945; and at present four hundred fifty-five.
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Since 1920, elders-in-charge have been: J. W. Fidler, 1920-21; J. H. Eidemiller, 1921-25; D. G. Berkebile, 1925-31; C. F. McKee, 1931-33; Hugh Cloppert, 1933-41; William Hollinger, 1941-48; Henry T. Barnhart, 1948-54; Paul W. Kinsel, 1954 -.
+
The East Dayton Church
William Buckley, the pastor from 1920 to 1925, was fol- lowed by Van B. Wright, 1925-31; then there was a woman pastor, Goldie Killion, for a while, 1931-33, after which Hugh Cloppert became the leader, 1933-41. He was succeeded by Chester H. Petry, 1941-51, and he by Lester E. Fike, who remained until 1954. Beginning with Hugh Cloppert the pastors were full-time men. At this writing Clarence G. Priser is acting as interim pastor.
There is record of the following ministers, besides those named above, having been resident here since 1920: William Netzley, J. A. R. Couser, E. Friend Couser, Elmer Brumbaugh, Alvah Richards, Bertrand Von De Augedeon, Jacob Couser, Mary Couser, and John Hurst.
Goldie Killion was licensed in 1929, Jacob and Mary
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Couser in 1943 (the latter permanently licensed in 1945), and John C. Hurst in 1945. E. Friend Couser was ordained to the full ministry in 1918; Henry F. Barnhart in 1937; Bertrand Von De Augedeon in 1933; Jacob W. Couser in 1945; and John C. Hurst in 1946.
J. A. R. Couser was ordained an elder in 1918 and William J. Buckley in 1920.
Deacons installed include: Sherman Mohler, 1924; William F. Couser and Ira Landis, 1927; Henry T. Barnhart and Wil- liam M. Miller, in 1936; Jesse Martin and Jesse Herman, 1940; and Marlan Denlinger, Curtis Shock, and Everett Coy in 1945.
The Sunday-school superintendents since 1920, in order, have been: Martin Zimmerman, Ralph Brumbaugh, Perry Hoke, N. W. Sollenberger, P. J. Klinger, Jacob W. Couser, Monroe Snyder, Henry T. Barnhart, John C. Martin, Maynard Coppock, and Elmer Beeghley.
An indebtedness of $30,200 at the time of the dedication of the new building has been reduced to less than $15,000. The church house, one of the most commodious of the re- cently erected churches in Southern Ohio, proved more than adequate for the district conference of 1952.
EATON
The Eaton church grew out of the Upper Twin congrega- tion, a group in Preble County organized in 1809 as the Twin church, but divided into Upper Twin and Lower Twin in 1830. The boundaries of Upper Twin were indefinite, but it is recorded that there were one hundred eighty members in 1920. The Gratis church and the Eaton church later comprised the early territory. Just how the membership was divided seems to be obscure. Services for the Upper Twin folks were held in homes for at least fifty years.
In 1912 steps were taken to rent a place for services in Eaton. In 1919 the Universalist church was rented for one year. Sunday school was held and preaching was shared by Aaron Brubaker, J. F. Deaton, B. F. Petry, and William
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Deaton. Services were held in the Wheatville house, which had been erected in 1862. In 1929 services here were dis- continued altogether.
The Eaton Church
The Eaton folks appointed a committee in 1921 to select a site for a church. In 1923 lots were purchased on Cherry Street, and in 1925 construction was begun. The new church was dedicated in April 1926, President Otho Winger, of Manchester College, giving the dedicatory sermon.
The date of organization of the Eaton church was August 1, 1926; there were then forty-seven members, with R. N. Leatherman as elder and N. B. Wine as part-time pastor. In 1928 I. G. Blocher became elder, serving until 1932, when N. B. Wine again took charge, remaining the present elder.
Regarding the actual date when Eaton became a separate congregation, a petition from the Upper Twin congregation to the district conference of 1938 asks that the congregation be granted the privilege of dividing into two congregations "probably to be known as Eaton and Gratis." The petition was granted.
N. B. Wine pastored the church until September 1928,
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when I. G. Blocher became pastor as well as elder. In September 1932 C. G. Erbaugh became pastor for one year. His service was followed by the joint ministry of A. G. Crosswhite and William Deaton. Frank Eby served from 1935 to 1943, after which date L. John Weaver served as full-time pastor, leaving in 1950 to become pastor of the Potsdam church. Ellis G. Guthrie began as pastor in September 1951 and is the present incumbent. In the interim, 1950-51, Russell Helstern and other ministers preached.
The church has ordained two men to the eldership, Wil- liam M. Deaton in 1936 and L. John Weaver in 1947. Dale Aukerman was licensed to the ministry in 1952.
Other ministers who have resided here are: Ivan Eiken- berry, employed in the Eaton schools, 1939-41; Otto Laursen, living here in 1948-49; and Willis Kreider, still residing here.
The following have been superintendents of the Sunday school, in order: Anna F. Eyler, David Peters, Henry Auker- man, David Peters, Henry Aukerman, Henry Driver, Willard Shafer, Walter Denlinger, and Artie Cain.
Deacons installed by this church include N. A. Deaton, Earl Brower, Walter Denlinger, Daniel Deaton, and Milford Eikenberry.
Cyrus Kiracofe, Harold Kiracofe, William Deaton, and John Deaton have accompanied cattle ships to Europe or Asia. Dale Aukerman is in Brethren Volunteer Service. Kathryn Kiracofe is a missionary to India. Elizabeth Wampler has directed vacation Bible schools in Adams County, Ohio. Walter Denlinger served on the Apportionment Committee of Southern Ohio.
The church has been host to the midwinter youth confer- ence (1937), the District Ladies' Aid meeting, 1937, and the Children's Workers' conferences of 1944 and 1951.
The tenth anniversary of the dedication of the church was held in 1936.
A major project recently taken on by the Eaton church was the erection of a most beautiful and convenient parsonage. In 1945 Walter Denlinger donated two lots to the church for use in locating a parsonage. Construction was begun in 1944 and the completed parsonage was dedicated in August 1948.
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A large social room was provided in the basement which is used for church social occasions, committee meetings, board meetings, and Women's Work meetings.
Few congregations have enjoyed the rapid growth of the Eaton church. Starting with forty-seven charter members in 1926, it has developed into a church of three hundred sixty- nine members. Plans for expansion of the building to provide additional Sunday-school facilities have been completed.
EVERSOLE
The Eversole church was at first a part of the Wolf Creek congregation. The Wolf Creek people built a house here in (1872.) In 1910 the Wolf Creek church agreed to divide into two congregations, the southernmost group becoming the Eversole congregation. The first presiding elder was Samuel Horning. There seems to be no record of the number of charter members, but at the time of the former history there were one hundred fifty-eight members.
As we come into the period of this history we find John H. Root in charge as presiding elder. He had been ordained in 1914. Other elders residing in Eversole at this time include Harvey Priser and C. G. Erbaugh, the two having been ordained in 1917. Thomas Dillon and Harvey Landis were deacons at this time.
The old house erected in 1872 was dismantled and a new structure was built and dedicated in 1915, with Otho Winger, president of Manchester College, as the dedicatory speaker. A kitchen was added in 1948.
Elder John H. Root continued to preside over Eversole until 1922, when he was succeeded by C. G. Erbaugh. William Hollinger then took over in 1926, continuing until 1934. John H. Root took charge again and continued until 1942. Clarence G. Priser became elder in 1942; and in two years, 1944, C. G. Erbaugh was elected. In 1948 John Good of West Alexandria was chosen; he was succeeded by C. G. Erbaugh.
There have been two ordinations to the eldership since
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1920, that of Clarence G. Priser in 1929 and that of Fred E. Woodie in 1932.
Ordained ministers who have resided in Eversole since 1920 include: John Root, Harvey Priser, and C. G. Erbaugh,
The Eversole Church
who were installed prior to that date; C. G. Priser, ordained in 1927; Fred E. Woodie, in 1932; Harry Bowser, in 1942; and James W. Simmons, in 1944. C. G. Priser had been licensed by the church in 1928, Fred E. Woodie in 1933, and James W. Simmons in 1944. John Martin was licensed in 1951 and ordained a minister in 1952.
Elders John C. Bright, George Erbaugh, John Bowman, S. A. Blessing, and Noah Erbaugh were among those who at some time resided here. Elder H. C. Bowser withdrew to the Old Orders in 1952.
The Eversole Sunday school began the third decade of this century with an enrollment of eighty-nine. C. G. Erbaugh seems to have been the superintendent then and was perhaps followed by Russell Landis. Roy Priser directed the school
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from 1925 to 1938; Curtis Shock from 1938 to 1940; Roy Peters from 1940 to 1942. Then a sister, Anna Landis, became superintendent and had charge until 1950, when George Noffsinger took over.
It was noted above that Thomas Dillon and Harvey Landis were deacons as the former history closed. Since then ten deacons have been installed: Harry Bowser and Wilbur Shank in 1924; Orbin Lenz and Earl Smith in 1927; Quinter Musselman and Crosby Simmons in 1935; Harvey Hull and Earl Miller about 1938; and Jesse Bowser and Roy Peters in 1948.
The Eversole church was host to the Women's Work winter conference in 1950, and to one section of the missionary rally in the winter of 1953. The district conference of 1921 was held here, and the midwinter youth conference of 1945.
J. Homer Bright, son of John Calvin Bright, who was for many years a missionary to China, was a native son of Eversole. C. G. Erbaugh was for many years on the Mission Board of Southern Ohio and on the Ministerial Board several terms. George and Ruth (Erbaugh) Noffsinger and Naomi Erbaugh (now Mrs. Paul Kinsel) each served the district as a camp director at Sugar Grove. Pastor J. Oliver Dearing was a member of the newly formed District Board.
Brother Dearing came to the church from Southern Illinois as its first full-time pastor in 1945. He was succeeded in 1954 by Kenneth Hartman, the present pastor. There is splendid co-operation and Eversole is growing. The latest reported membership is two hundred thirty-five.
The need of a parsonage owned by the church was soon apparent. The move to build one was begun in 1947 with the appointment of a committee to study plans and bring an estimate of cost. In 1950 the church bought three-fourths acre of land adjacent to the church grounds on the east and in 1952 started to build on the edge of the old church foundation. The parsonage is of brick veneer, with a basement under the entire house and a breezeway connecting it with a garage. Plans were drawn by Roscoe Inman of Bradford. There was much volunteer labor done by the men of the church which reduced the cost in dollars considerably. With this splendid
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