USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Historical Sketches and Eary Reminiscences of Hamilton County, Ohio > Part 10
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Williams, John. Waidsmith, John. Willis, Benjamin.
Williams, George.
Winans, John. Winans, Mary.
Weller, Andrew.
Youst, Abraham.
Cronymus Felter, collector for Sycamore township, report:
Total taxes for county purposes,
$184.54
state
154.03
Total amount assessed,
$338.57
collected
331.07
Amount delinquent,
$7.50
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164
EARLY WHITE SETTLEMENTS.
GENERAL STATEMENT FOR THE COUNTY, 1808-9.
Total am't of taxes for Cincinnati township, 81471.12₺
Columbia 66
397.56
Springfield
462.88
66
Sycamore 66
331.07
Anderson 66
268.18
Crosby
66
130.63
Whitewater
166.62
Colerain and Miami township,-
190.41
66
Cincinnati for 1807,
50.00
Total collected for county, 83,468.47}
Cincinnati,
71.89
Licenses,
292.82₺
333.30
.
84,166.49
Number of horses and cattle in Sycamore township, in 1813, as assessed for taxation :-
Horses,
527
Cattle,
667
Stallion,
1=1195
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EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
CHAPTER VIII.
Among the severest privations connected with pioneer life was that arising from the want of schools and churches. The youth of the country were de- prived of the means of education, and the entire people of the influence of religious associations. This, in a particular and marked degree, was true among the early settlements in the north-west terri- tory. The sparce population and indigent circum- stances of the settlers, but, above all, the protracted Indian wars, were the principal causes preventing the establishing of schools, and the organization of religious societies.
War, with all the modifying rules that civilization can throw around it, is still demoralizing to a nation or people; but when carried on with a savage race, that disregards all principles of humanity, it sears the very fountains of human sympathy. It should not be surprising, therefore, if it be found that among the early settlers of the Miami Valley there was
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166 EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
wanting that strict morality and fervent religious sentiment that prevailed in communities free from those corrupting evils, and surrounded with greater educational advantages and religious influences.
There were few of the settlers, even among those who were heads of families, that had been favored with more than a rudimentary education, and many who could not even boast of that advantage. What with the seven years' struggle for independence, and the border wars with the. Indians, embracing a period of nearly fourteen years, the whole country had been kept in a state of almost constant turmoil, a condition certainly very unfavorable to educational advancement or religious thought.
Such were some of the disadvantages under which the pioneers of the Miami Valley began their settle- ments. Hoping, though almost against reason, for a season of peace and quiet, that would enable them to settle down upon their lands, with none to molest or make them afraid. They were nevertheless dis- appointed, as new and increased troubles confronted them. No sooner had they began improvements than Indian hostilities were renewed, and for five more long and tedious years they were destined to live amid the horrors of war.
During the continuence of these Indian wars but little effort was made to establish schools, and the organization of religious societies was attended with
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EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
indifferent success. At some of the station - houses, and at a few of the private dwellings, there was occa- sional preaching and other religious worship; and as early as 1790, a church was organized at Colum- bia, by the Rev. Stephen Gano, a Baptist minister, from Providence, Rhode Island; and a private school was also established there soon afterwards by John Reily, assisted by Francis Dunlevy (afterwards Judge Dunlevy, of Lebanon, Ohio). At Cincinnati also the Rev. James Kemper, a Presbyterian minister, from Kentucky, organized a church as early as 1791. But these were exceptional cases, and do not contro- vert the fact that the interests of education and religion were greatly neglected, or, more properly speaking, suspended, from the minds of the people by the greater necessity of protecting life and pro- perty from a cruel and merciless foe
There were other influences operating adversely to the interests of education and religion, among which was that of intemperance, which spread through the settlements, and left a moral blight in almost every home.
The indiscriminate use of intoxicating drinks was, in a great measure, the result of army regulations adopted during the revolutionary war. Whisky formed an important part of the rations, and was dealt out with even more freedom and regularity than other supplies or provisions. In fact, ardent
-
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168 EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
spirits was thought to be indispensable in sustaining the soldier through the fatigues and hardships inci- dental to war. Thus it was that the free indulgence in drink became a prevailing habit in the continental army. Few of the soldiers escaped inebriety, and the evil spread as a contagion, until the citizen, alike with the soldier, became its victim. Rum or whisky was to be found in almost every cabin, and was used as a common beverage by the family. In Kentucky and throughout the Miami settlements especially, it was used with such freedom, that the churches were contaminated, and drunkenness became a sin so popular and formidable as to defy discipline.
During the first years of the settlements the scarcity of intoxicating drinks curtailed, to some ex- tent, their use, but it was not long until still-houses were erected, one or more in each settlement, and produced such an abundant supply, that the country was deluged with not only rum and whisky, but also with apple, peach, and cherry brandy, and their use became little less than universal. The officer and the soldier, the statesman and his constituents, the minister and the layman, all indulged in degrees from moderation to excess, until it was estimated that at least one-fourth of the men that. were heads of families were habitual drunkards.
It was not until peace was established at Greene- ville, in 1795, that the minds of the settlers were
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EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. 169
sufficiently freed from the perils of war to turn their thoughts upon subjects of so much interest to the individual, and of such vital importance to the wel- fare of society, as that of religion and education.
It would be exceedingly gratifying to record the particulars of each of the church and school organi- zations that were established in Springfield and Syca- more townships during the early settlements. But the records of the proceedings of these organizations were at that day either neglected or very imperfectly kept, and, except in a few rare instances, all such records have yielded to the ravages of time. Their history consists almost entirely of traditionary ac- counts, that are either meager, conflicting, or uncer- tain ; and such of them as pertain to the early schools embrace little more beyond the fact of their having once existed, and are of no great historical interest. The writer must content himself, therefore, by sketch- ing such facts as are at his command pertaining to the history of a few of the early churches.
We have no account of any religious organization, outside of Columbia and Cincinnati, until after the close of the Indian wars.
At a few of the station-houses and private dwellings religious meetings were occasionally held. Daniel Clark, John Smith, James Lee, and John Mason, Baptist Elders, paid casual visits to White's, Tuck- er's, and Carpenter's Run settlements, and held reli-
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170 EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
gious services there prior perhaps to 1795. Elder John Smith was the regular pastor of the Columbia Baptist Church, the pioneer religious organization of the Miami country. The other named ministers were of the same denominational faith, and resided at Columbia for several years, and preached at the different surrounding stations.
Elder John Smith preached at Cincinnati as early as 1790, as also did the Revs. David Rice and James Kemper, Presbyterian ministers from Kentucky. Elder Peter Smith came to Columbia in 1796, and was one of the stated pastors of the Baptist church there until 1804-5. The Revs. James Kemper, Archibald Steel, and Peter Wilson, preached occa- sionally at Pleasant Valley station (afterwards known as Foster's Grove), south of the present village of Glendale, as early as 1798; the Rev. Mr. Kemper perhaps as early as 1795.
The first church organization within the townships of Springfield and Sycamore, was that known as the Carpenter's Run Baptist Church, located at the point now known as the Plainfield school-house, two miles west of Montgomery, in section 15, in Sycamore township. This church was an out-shoot from the Columbia Baptist church, and was formally organized and constituted on the 17th day of June, 1797. For two or three years previous there had been religious meetings held in the settlement, and occa-
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EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. 171
sional preaching by Elders John Smith and Daniel Clark, and also by John Mason, the brother-in-law of John Smith.
The little run, near which the old church was built, derived its name from the first settler, James Carpenter, who went there from Columbia in the spring of 1794, and built a cabin on section 15, near where the old meeting- house was afterwards built. Mr. Carpenter died before the organization of the church, and one of his daughters subsequently mar- ried Francis Dunlevy, afterwards Judge Dunlevy, of Lebanon, Ohio.
The original book of minutes of this old church is now in the hands of the writer, and is remarkably well preserved. The book was obtained from the Rev. R. A. Denman, a grandson of old Deacon Ayres, one of the founders of the church. Mr. Denman resides near Pontiac, in Shelby county, Ohio. The following is the first entry :
"'A' BOOK OF RECORDS"
"For the church at Carpenter's Run, which was con- stituted June 17, 1797, by the assistance of brethren . John Smith and Peter Smith, composed of five mem- bers, viz .: Richard Ayres, Mary Ayres, Morris Osborn, Esther Osborn, Sarah Brown.
"The church concluded to have monthly church
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172 EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
meetings the third Saturday in each month, to meet at eleven o'clock."
The next meeting was held in July, 1797, and the minutes read: "The church met and received, by letter, John Ferris, and Elizabeth, his wife."
At a meeting in September following, the minutes show that Sarah Johnson was received by letter, and Richard Ayres was appointed as Deacon, and John Ferris as Clerk.
On the 26th of December, 1797, the church met at brother Osborn's, and it appears that brethren from the Miami were present and agreed to join at the next meeting.
On the 20th of January, 1798, the church met at brother Osborn's, Elder Peter Smith was in attend- ance, but no particular business was transacted.
At the meeting on the 17th of February, the fol- lowing persons were received by letter, viz .: Moses Hutchings, Henry Devie, Benjamin Devie, Nathan- iel Jerrard, Isaac Devie, Sarah Hutchings, Mary Jerrard, and Rebecca Devie.
At the meeting 21st of April, Mr. Samuel Knotts was received to fellowship, through experience and baptism-the first accession to the church through conversion and baptism.
At the meeting in May, Richard Ayres, Moses Hutchings, John Ferris, and Morris Osborn were appointed messengers to the Miami Association.
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From the first organization Elder Peter Smith appears to have been the regular pastor, in fact, for several years no other minister is mentioned in the minutes.
In December, 1798, the church concluded to "view a spot of ground for a meeting house," and it appears that a considerable time was consumed in selecting a suitable site. At any rate the house was not built until the following summer. The site selected was on the lot now occupied by the Plainfield school house, and there they erected a commodious log-house, built entirely of blue ash timber, and from this fact it derived the name of the Blue Ash Meeting-House, by which name it was ever after known.
It is not proposed to give a minute history of the proceedings of this old church, but no doubt it will be interesting, and especially to their descendants, to have the names of its members recorded. The writer, therefore, presents the following complete list of all who belonged to the church from the time of its organization until its extinction, showing the time and manner of joining. The first five here named were dismissed from the Columbia church, for the purpose of organizing the one at Carpenter's Run :
-
Richard Ayres, June 17, 1797 ; made Deacon, Sept. 1797. Mary Ayres, June 17, 1797.
Morris Osborn, June 17, 1797 ; made Deacon Dec. 21, 1799. Esther Osborn,
Sarah Brown,
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174 EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
John Ferris, by letter, July, 1797.
Elizabeth Ferris, " "
Sarah Johnson, by letter, Sept. 1797; died January, 1814.
Moses Hutchings, by letter, February 17, 1798 ; his gift of preaching approved and license granted him, April 19, 1800; dismissed, with Sarah, his wife, February 27, 1802, and went to Mill Run Church.
Sarah Hutchings, by letter, February 17, 1798.
Henry Devie,
Benjamin Devie, 66
Nathaniel Jarrard, 66 66
Mary Jarrard, 66
66
Isaac Devie,
Rebecca Devie, 66
66
Samuel Knotts, by baptism, April 21, 1798.
Benajah Osborn, by baptism, February 16, 1799.
Marsh McGee, by baptism, February 16, 1799.
Stephen Osborn, by letter, February 16, 1799.
Price Thompson, by baptism, February 16, 1799. David Denman, " Israel Marsh, 66 16 ¥
Abraham Osborn, by experience, March 16, 1799.
Margaret Osborn, by experience, April 20, 1799.
Phebe Knotts, "
Benjamin Willis, by experience, June 15, 1799. Cyrus Crane, June 15, 1799; made Deacon November 26, 1803; ordained Elder, May 25, 1816.
Susannah Willis, by experience, June 15, 1799.
Phebe McCauling, 66 66
Abigail McGee, 66 66
Elizabeth Delow,
66
Sarah Marsh, by experience, April 20, 1799.
Sarah Bonnel, by letter, August 17, 1799.
Edmund Buxton, by recommendation, April 20, 1799.
John Seward, by letter, Jan. 18, 1800; licensed March 15, 1800. Abner Denman, by experience and baptism, June 21, 1800. Thomas Higgins, by letter, October 24, 1801.
Lewis Winans, by experience, November 23, 1801.
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Hannah Ferris, by experience, Dec. 26, 1801; died Aug. 18, 1803. Benajah Ayres, by experience, February 27, 1802.
Nathaniel Denman,
Lydia Buxton,
Polly McCauling,
66
Sukey McCauling, 66
Peggy McGee,
66
Mary Bowman, 66
66
1
Sally Devie,
William McCauling,
66
66
Elihu Crain, by experience, March 16, 1802; made Deacon May 25, 1816.
John Schenk, by experience, March 16, 1802.
Hannah Crain by experience and baptism, March 16, 1802.
Polly Schenk,
"
"
"
"
Hannah Crane, wife o Elder C. Crane, by experience and bap- tism, March 16, 1802.
Patty Crane, by experience and baptism, March 27, 1802.
Henry Tucker, by letter, March 27, 1802; made Deacon No- vember 27, 1803.
Mary Tucker, his wife, by letter, March 27, 1802.
Samuel Loins, by experience and baptism, April 24, 1802.
Robert Withern,
"
"
Ebenezer Goble,
"
Esther Loins,
"
"
"
"
Adam Lee, by experience and baptism, April 24, 1802; licensed to exhort, April 23, 1803.
Hannah Dusky, by experience and baptism, May 22, 1802.
Mary Tucker,
"
"
"
Phebe Hosbrook, by letter, June 26, 1802.
Michael Pearce, by letter, December 25, 1802.
Phebe Pearce,
"
"
Stephen Gard, by letter, December, 25, 1802; licensed May 28, 1803; ordained Elder September 24, 1803.
Isaac Martin, by letter, May 28, 1803.
Sarah Martin,
"
"
"
Lydia Hutchings, "
"
Elizabeth Osborn, by experience and baptism, May 28, 1803.
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176 EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
Elihu Crain, Jr., by letter.
Rosannah Jones, by letter, Feb. 22, 1805; died Feb., 1828. Michael Hildebrand, by letter, February 22, 1805.
Christiana, wife of M. Hildebrand, by letter, February 22, 1805. Margaret Heggerty, by letter, August 24, 1805.
Joseph Denman, by experience and baptism, February 28, 1807.
Susannah Denman,
"
"
Hannah Willis, "
"
Sukey Willis, having been dismissed on account of belief in Hell Redemption, was restored March 28, 1807.
Samuel Lyon, by experience and baptism, March 29, 1807.
Phebe Denman,
"
"
"
Polly Radly,
" "
Sally Radly, " "
" "
John Burns, by letter, June 27, 1807.
Mary Burns,
"
Ann Lee, "
Margaret Lee, Jr., by letter, July 25, 1807; died May 1, 1814. Margaret Lee, by letter, August 22, 1807; died May 21, 1815. Hannah Bur, by letter, October 24, 1807.
Nancy George, by letter, January 23, 1808.
Abraham La Rue, by letter, February 27, 1808.
Abigail La Rue, " " "
Betsy Ferris, by experience and baptism, July 23, 1808.
David Brand, by experience and baptism, August 26, 1808. Mary Tucker, Jr., by letter, Nov., 1808; died June 25, 1814. Ephraim Tucker, by experience and baptism, June 23, 1810. Hannah, wife of Samuel Tucker, by experience and baptism, June 23, 1810.
John Carpenter, by experience and baptism, August 25, 1810. Jacob Skillman, "
Massey, wife of Jacob Skillman " " "
Nancy Brand, by experience and baptism, February 23, 1811. Sarah Woolley, by letter, July 27, 1$11.
Phebe Crane, by letter, February 22, 1812.
Elizabeth Brannan, by experience, April 25, 1812.
Lucretia Lucas, by letter, April 25, 1812.
Nelly Higgins, by experience and baptism, May 23, 1812.
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EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. 177
Anna Sipe, by experience and baptism, May 23, 1812. Benjamin Ramsey, by letter, May 23, 1812.
Archibald Molen,
"
"
Hesther Ramsay,
"
"
"
Lydia Molen, by experience and baptism, May 23, 1812.
Sarah Molen,
"
"
"
",
Richard Ayres, Jr., "
"
May 24, 1812.
Patty, wife of Richard Ayres, Jr., "
"
"
Phebe Terry, by letter, May 14, 1812.
Katy Lee, by experience and baptism, May 24, 1812.
Betsy Malden, by experience and baptism, August 22, 1812.
Catherine Digby, by letter, August 22, 1813.
Mary Authony, by letter, January 22, 1814.
Abigail Burrows, by letter, May 21, 1814.
Abraham Griffith, Elder, by letter, June 25, 1814. Polly Eldridge, by letter, October 22, 1814.
Lenah Lewis, by letter, August 26, 1815.
David Pecklehimer, by letter, June 22, 1816; died July 25, 1818. Elizabeth Pecklehimer, by letter, June 22, 1816. .
Samuel Thompson, by experience and baptism, Nov. 23, 1816. Daniel Morris " "
Betsy, wife of Dan'l Morris " "
Sally German, by letter, April 24, 1817.
Price Mclaughling, by experience and baptism, May 24, 1817.
Caleb German, by letter, August, 1817; died May, 1821.
Benjamin Burrows, by letter, September 27, 1817. "
Mary Burrows, " "
James Patterson, by letter, February 21, 1818.
Nancy Ringsby, by experience and baptism, October, 24, 1818.
Betsy Merrie, by letter, May 21, 1819.
Mary McKee, " " "
Longstreet Harvey, by letter, August 21, 1819. Charity Harvey, " "
Ruth Homan, by letter, May 27, 1820.
John D. Bowers, by experience and baptism, June 24, 1820.
Polly Mitchel, by experience and baptism, November 26, 1821.
Polly Eldridge, by letter, April 24, 1824.
James C. Handley, by recommendation, April 24, 1824.
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178 EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
The following is a list of the Elders and Deacons of Carpenter's Run Church, arranged in the order of their appointment, as appears from the minutes of the church :
ELDERS :
John Smith assisted in constituting the church in June, 1797. Peter Smith, from 1792 to 1803.
John Seward, licensed by the church, March 15, 1800; preached about one year, and died soon afterwards.
Moses Hutchings, licensed by the church, April 19, 1800; preached till 1802, and went to the Mill Run church.
Stephen Gard, licensed May 28, 1803, and ordained in the church, April 19, 1803, and preached till 1804.
James Lee, 1803 and 1804, inclusive, and part of his time in 1815-16.
Moses Frazer, part of his time in 1803.
David Jones, preached part of his time in 1805, 1807, 1809, 1810, 1812, and 1813.
Cyrus Crain, licensed by the church February 22, 1812, and preached occasionally till May 25, 1816, when he was or- dained an Elder by the church, and continued to preach there occasionally while the church existed.
John Burns, preached in 1811, 1812, 1813, occasionally.
Abraham Griffith, in 1814.
James Jones, in 1826.
DEACONS :
Richard Ayres, ordained September, 1797.
Morris Osborn, ordained June 22, 1799.
Henry Tucker, ordained November 26, 1803; obtained dismissal in 1815, and assisted in constituting the Springfield Baptist church.
Cyrus Crain, ordained November 26, 1803.
Elihu Crane, ordained May 25, 1816.
This church, under the teaching principally of Elder Peter Smith, had a season of great prosperity. Two
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PART V.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES AND
EARLY REMINISCENCES OF
HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO
INCLUDING
A BRIEF HISTORY OF A FEW OF THE EARLY CHURCHES AND OF THE SETTLEMENT
OF THE TOWNS
READING, MONTGOMERY, CARTHAGE, SPRINGDALE, SHARON, MOUNT HEALTHY, AND LOCKLAND.
TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SOME OF THE EARLY SETTLERS OF THE
MILLCREEK VALLEY, BY
J. G. OLDEN.
CINCINNATI, O. H. WATKIN, PRINTER, 119 FIFTH STREET, BET. VINE AND RACE, 1882.
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EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
179
years after its organization it numbered thirty-two members, and in 1803 it had more than sixty com- municants. At this time, however, unhappy dissen- sions arose, the primary cause of which was, the in- troduction into the church of the new light doctrines, or, as sometimes called, Kentucky revivals. These revivals had their origin in Lyon county, Kentucky, in the year 1800, under the preaching of the Rev. James McGready, a Presbyterian minister, formerly from North Carolina. The meetings were attended with entirely new spiritual manifestations, or emo- tional exercises. So rapidly did this form of revival spread among the Presbyterians, that in less than a year it had embraced every church of that denomi- nation throughout Kentucky and Tennessee; and, in the fall of 1801, it was introduced into the Ohio churches, by Richard McNemar and John Thomson, both able Presbyterian ministers, formerly from Kentucky, causing intense excitement, disrupting many, and threatening destruction to all the Presby- terian churches of the west.
The Rev. McNemar characterized his followers as "praying, shouting, jerking or rolling, dreaming, prophesying and looking, as through a glass, at the glories of Mount Zion, just about to break open upon the world."
These strange proceedings were mostly confined to the Presbyterians, but embraced individuals of
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180 EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
other denominations, and in the winter of 1801-2 found some favor at Carpenter's Run. Several of the congregation, including two or three of the mem- bers, were affected with the exercise .* Such violent proceedings were not long tolerated, however; a majority of the members did not hesitate to denounce them as disorderly and irreligious. Nevertheless the teachings which followed as a sequence to this pecu- liar mode of revivals left deep impressions upon many of the prominent members, leading them into discontent, and finally to open renunciation of the radi- cal doctrines of the Baptist faith. The old and time- consecrated tenets of election, perseverence of the saints, and even of atonement, were greatly disturbed by this system of sudden, passionate, and free-will conversions ; and those who attempted to harmonize them soon found themselves without guide or com- pass in a sea of conflicting ideas, tossed on each passing wave of doubt, until scepticism, by degrees, led them to open expressions of unbelief, and neces- sitated some action on the part of the church to free itself from the heresy.
On the 23rd day of June, 1804, the church cited Price Thompson, David Denman, Abner Denman, and Susannah Willis, to appear on the 28th day of
* These strange religious phenomena will be more fully described in treating of the history of the Presbyterian Church at Springdale.
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EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
July, and answer to the charge of "holding the doctrine of universal or hell redemption, and not being in subjection to the church discipline."
At the appointed time these members were ar- raigned, and their cases separately and fully inves- tigated. Price Thompson was solemnly excommu- nicated "as one that had departed from the faith once delivered to the saints." David Denman and Susannah Willis were expelled for "holding the doctrine of universal or hell redemption." Abner Denman was not present, but the minutes show that he was expelled "for the offense of which he was charged."
Notwithstanding this prompt and decisive action, the church was by no means fully purged, and there are evidences that heritical opinions were to some extent tolerated for many years afterwards.
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