USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Historical Sketches and Eary Reminiscences of Hamilton County, Ohio > Part 15
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December 24, 1853, Alonzo F. Crain, Edward Whipple, Henry
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Skillman, Abraham J. Price, Elizabeth Pickard, and Mary Dunn, received, and were baptized December 25, 1853. December 31, 1853, David Chatten, received.
February 18, 1854, Mary E., wife of John G. Olden, received on relation of her experience, and was baptized June 18, 1854.
June 17, 1854, L. M. Rees, by letter from Fifth Church, Cin- cinnati.
February 17, 1855, Tyler Thayer, George Price, Eliza Ferrel, Mary Johnson, Benjamin F. Miller, and Harriet Pickard, received during a protracted meeting, lasting three weeks.
March 18, 1855, J. H. Gordon, received as candidate for baptism. April 14, 1855, Hiram and Mary Bolser, by letter from Piqua Church.
December 9, 1855, John Atkins, by letter from Rome, N. Y. August 10, 1856, Ruth Bolser, baptized.
September 20, 1856, George E. and Anna E. Leonard, by letter from Mt. Vernon Church; and Phebe Cornell, by letter from Hamilton Church.
November 9, 1856, Eliza Atkins and Malinda Zellers, received for baptism.
November 23, 1856, Mary Ward and Alice and Nancy Cooper, received on relation of experience and baptism.
January 25, 1857, Isaac C. Conklin, Henry Claughsen, Matilda Cunningham, Mrs. Bryant, and Miss Burrows, by experi- ence and baptism.
February 1, 1857, Maria Patton, received on relation of her experience, having previously been baptized
February 8, 1857, A. M. Abbott, received as candidate for baptism.
March 1, 1857, Jane Edwards, received for baptism.
June 20, 1857, Jane Price, by letter from the Fifth Church, at Flint, Mich.
December 17, 1858, Christiana Yenne, received as candidate for baptism.
January 31, 1858, William, Ann, and Samuel Thornell, by letter ; and Samuel Richards, Andrew J. Huddleston, Sarah Thor- nell, and Angeline and Mary Cunningham, through baptism.
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February 6, 1859, Martha, wife of E. Walker Brown, received by letter from the Deciple Church of Carthage.
October 23, 1859, E. H. Ferris, received by letter from High Street Church, Cincinnati.
November 20, 1859, Thomas Spooner and wife, by letters from Ninth Street Church, Cincinnati.
It was during this year and under the pastoral charge of Elder J. B. Sutton, that the church build- ing, being regarded in an unsafe and dangerous con- dition, was torn away, and a new structure erected in its stead, at a cost of $1,723.69.
ELDERS OF THE CHURCH.
It was the purpose of the writer to give, in con- nection with other historical matter, a short biogra- phical sketch of each one of the ministers in the order in which they served the church, but failing to obtain the necessary information, he is unable, except in a few instances, to give more than a passing mention of each in chronological order, and, in the few exceptional cases, a mere outline of their history and ministerial service.
Of the early pastors, or those who supplied the church prior to 1825, nothing can be added to the simple mention made of them on pages 242-243.
About this time Elder James Lyon accepted a call for a portion of his time, and continued to preach there with brief intervals until the church became extinct, about the year 1844.
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Elder Lyon was born in New Jersey, October 30, 1784, and died January 1, 1865. While yet a child six years of age, his father, James Lyon, came with his family to the north-west territory, landing at Columbia in the spring of 1790. The family re- mained there and at Cincinnati until the close of the war with the Indians in 1795, when they moved out upon a tract of land, being now section 3 of Mill- creek township, which had been purchased of Judge Symmes, in New Jersey, previous to the time of their emigration. One hundred and thirteen acres of this tract is still owned by the descendants of Elder Lyon. James was the second of four sons, and, in 1801, at the age of seventeen years, was baptized into fellowship in the Duckcreek Baptist church. Soon after this he left home and went to what was then known as the bear grass country, near what is now Louisville, Ky., where he remained until 1824. It was there he obtained a limited education, such as the common schools of a pioneer settlement could afford.
In 1819 Mr. Lyon was licensed to preach by the "Little Flock" Baptist Church, of Bullet County, Kentucky, of which, for some years previously, he had been a member, and in which his talent for speaking had developed through his efforts in exhor- tation.
In 1824 he returned to Ohio and resided on a small
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farm near the Old Duckcreek Meeting-house until 1836, when he moved upon the old homestead. Im- mediately on his return to Ohio he again connected himself with the Duckcreek church, where he con- tinued his membership during the remainder of his life.
For some time after coming to Ohio Mr. Lyon taught school, laboring before and after school hours and on Saturdays upon the farm, and preaching on Sundays. On the 3d day of April, 1824, he was ordained Elder in the church at Duckcreek, and soon afterwards placed in the service of the Baptist Home Mission, and for the following six months traveled on horseback through the countics of Clark, Miami, and Champaign principally, assist- ing in constituting new churches, and visiting and giving ministerial aid to the weak and destitute places throughout his circuit.
Protracted meetings were frequently held during his stay at the different churches, and many interest- ing and some amusing incidents occurred during these itinerant excursions. One incident, as related by Elder Lyon in after years, will show the value that some members of the church placed upon the labor of the ministry in those days, and how impenetrable is the avaricious heart even to the in- fluences of religion.
Near the close of a protracted meeting, held at
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Piqua, in Miami County, Ohio, and after the baptism of a large number of converts, a wealthy farmer of the neighborhood, becoming unusually happy, and feeling that he ought to do something for the Lord's cause, and that he might conceal from his left hand what his right hand doeth, he took Elder Lyon be- hind the pier of the bridge and there, in secret, gave him as a donation an eleven-penny-bit (12} cts.), and felt no doubt that he had done his whole duty to the church and to the preacher.
About the year 1825 Mr. Lyon accepted a call from the Springfield Church for a portion of his time, and he supplied that church at different periods thereafter until 1844, when the membership became so reduced through diversions to the New Church at Lockland, that it was no longer able to support a pastor, and ceased to exist. During that period and subsequently he occasionally supplied the churches at Muddycreek, Cheviot, West Millcreek, and other points. In 1845 and '46 he supplied Mount Carmel church two Sabbaths in each month, at a salary of fifty dollars a year.
Upon the great question of Mission and Anti- Mission Mr. Lyon took no very decided part. In- clining perhaps to partial atonement, he was not aggressive toward more liberal views, and acquiesced in if he did not fully approve the support of Missions and other benevolent societies; at any rate, he
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seemed not to have entered into the controversy with any aggressive feeling toward either party, but maintained his influence and fellowship with both, ready to labor and harmonize with either. He was not learned, nor was he an eloquent speaker, yet he exercised more than an ordinary influence over his congregration wherever he preached. He was a man of deep and earnest piety, plain and simple habits, amiable disposition, and of unswerving integrity of character, this it was that drew to him many warm friends.
Mr. F. W. Athearn, who up to the time of his death was a prominent member of the Lockland Baptist church, once related to the writer an incident growing out of a small business transaction between himself and Mr. Lyon, which will be recognized by all who remember the old pastor as being quite characteristic. While preaching at the Springfield church the Elder generally put up at the house of some friend in Lockland, where he remained until Monday morning, and frequently he stopped at the house of Mr. Athearn, who was then the proprietor of the two grist mills of the village, and where Mr. Lyon frequently purchased his flour. It seems that in one of those transactions a mistake was made, and a fortnight afterwards, on returning to Lockland, the old Elder handed to Mr. Athearn a small amount of momey which, he said, had been incorrectly given
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him in making change. Mr. Athearn remarked that it was but a trifle, and he was not aware that a mistake had been made. No, said the old Elder, I suppose you are not, but I know it, and God knows it, and that is enough.
Mr. Lyon was twice married, first on the 12th day of February, 1812, to Miss Sarah Davis, who was born August 28, 1792, and died April 11, 1816. To them were born three children, all of whom died in infancy. He was married a second time, January 13, 1821, to Miss Maria Ogg, born October 8, 1786, and died December 23, 1875. By his second mar- riage he had five children: 1st, Johanna, born March 14, 1822, and married February 26, 1840, to Joseph G. Langdon ; 2nd, Eliza, born February 2, 1824, and died March 25, 1845; 3rd, Mary Ann, born October 10, 1825, and married March 27, 1845, to John W. Crosley ; 4th, James Carden, born October 8, 1826, and married April 19, 1853, to Amanda Dunseth ; 5th, Martha Jane, born January 25, 1829, and married March 20, 1849, to Samuel Langdon.
James Lyon, sr., father of Elder Lyon, died Sep- tember 20, 1841, aged 86 years and 20 days.
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ELDER DANIEL BRYANT.
Elder Bryant was called to preach the dedication sermon of the Lockland Baptist Church, in Novem- ber, 1839, and immediately afterwards became its pastor, and remained in charge for six years.
Mr. Bryant was a native of New Jersey, born September 12, 1800. In his early childhood his parents moved to New York, and settled near the town of Lyons, in Wayne county, where Daniel grew up to manhood, assisting his father in his labors on the farm.
At the age of nineteen years he went from home and taught a school some twenty miles distant, and during his stay in that neighborhood received his first religious convictions. On returning home the following spring he embraced religion and joined the Baptist church of Lyons. On being baptized he stood in the water, and, appealing to his associates and friends, besecched them to seek the Lord, and enjoy with him the love and communion of the Holy Spirit. This exhortation produced a deep impression upon the multitude that had assembled, and through- out the country where he was well and extensively acquainted. A great revival followed, and hundreds were converted, and found peace in the Savior.
At this time Mr. Bryant was impressed with a deep conviction to preach the gospel, but having
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already entered upon the study of medicine, he strove against the feeling, and soon afterwards, when his father determined on moving to Ohio, he readily consented to accompany him. The family settled at North Bend, Hamilton County, near the home of General Harrison, in the spring of 1821. Here Daniel obtained a school, and for some time pursued that calling, devoting his spare time to the study of medicine.
During that year his father, mother, two brothers, two sisters, and himself, united with the West Mill- creek Baptist church, in Colerain township. The church being destitute of a pastor, young Bryant, whose talent and ability the members had been quick to observe, was prevailed upon to lead the meetings, and in a short time he was tendered a license to preach, and urged at once to make his first effort on the following Sabbath. Accordingly, with little preparation, and at the appointed time, he preached from the words, "For I am ready as much as in me is to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." From this time he continued to preach, dividing his time between the churches of Millcreek and Pleasant Run.
On the 14th of April, 1823, he was married to Elvira, daughter of Ichabod Corwin, of Lebanon, Ohio, and was ordained an elder in the church at Millcreek in May following. In 1824 he was called to
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Muddycreek church, where he remained three years, and where his labors were successful and satisfactory. Ile was next prevailed upon to go to Hamilton, Ohio, where up to that time no Baptist society had been organized. After a few weeks' labor he was success- ful in collecting a sufficient number of members together to form a church, himself and wife being two of the number. For a time the little church continued to prosper, there were accessions almost every month, but Hamilton and the surrounding country was exceedingly unhealthy at that time. Malarial diseases were so prevalent that few families escaped during the summer and fall seasons without more or less affliction from it. In Mr. Bryant's family the chills and fever were almost constant, and, though he did so reluctantly, he felt it a duty to leave the place.
He next went to Middletown, where his labors were abundantly blessed. While there he frequently preached at destitute places throughout the country, traveling generally on horseback. At Piqua, after visiting from house to house for a number of days, he was instrumental in constituting a church, and had the pleasure of baptizing the first convert in the Miami river. After seven years service at Middle- town he traveled as a missionary within the bounds of East Fork, Miami, and Mad River associatons. Among other places during his itinerancy he visited
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Lebanon, Ohio, and through his efforts mainly a great revival work was begun, which continued for many months. The churches of other denominations participated, and many hundreds were converted. After two years of great labor and fatigue in this field his health failed him, and for six months it was feared that his work had ended. In the fall of 1839 he had so far recovered that he accepted an invita- tion to preach the dedication sermon of the new church at Lockland, and, while performing that ser- vice, the church extended a call for him to become its pastor. This he accepted, and at once entered upon his duties. He moved his family to Lockland sometime in January, 1840. During the first three years of his pastoral charge at Lockland, which ended November, 1845, the church was very pros- perous. Protracted meetings were held annually, and many were added to the roll of membership. Besides his labors at Lockland he preached occa- sionally at Newtown, Mount Carmel, and other points in the surrounding neighborhood. He held stated meetings at the Liberty school house and at Springdale during one or two years, which were productive of much good; there were many conver- tions, all of which were added to the membership, and greatly contributed to the building up of the Lockland church. The first four years of the term of Mr. Bryant at the Lockland church is looked upon
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as among the most prosperous in its history. Cir- cumstances greatly favored its growth, it is true, but Elder Bryant was zealous and unremitting in his labors, and they were usually favored with the evidences of success. During the last two years of his term dissensions arose among the members which finally involved him and caused his resignation.
In November, 1845, he left Lockland and moved his family upon a farm a short distance below Lebanon, that had been given to Mrs. Bryant by her father, and during the same year he was prevailed upon to accept the pastoral charge of the Fifth street church of Cincinnati, then greatly incumbered with a debt that threatened its destruction unless speedily liquidated. Under these circumstances Mr. Bryant agreed to preach for the church one year without compensation, except merely the payment of his board, by which time it was hoped that the debt would be paid off. Instead of one, however, he served the church in this way for three years, his family in the mean time supporting themselves on the little farm. The debt having been liquidated, and the church strengthened by the accession of many members, it agreed to pay the pastor a salary of $600 per year, and upon the consummation of this agreement he moved his family to Cincinnati, where he soon found that this small salary was entirely inadequate to their support. Soon the farm
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had to be sold, and from six to eight hundred dollars worth of real estate expended each year to meet the current wants of his family, and, at the close of seven years' service, he found it necessary, in order to save even a small remnant of his wife's estate, that he should leave the city. An opportunity just then was presented.
He received an invitation to go to Urbana, Ohio, which he gladly accepted, in the fall of 1852. The following winter was one memorable in the history of this church. During a protracted meeting sixty- seven were added to the roll of its membership, and a number of those converted at that time are now among the pillars of the church. At the close of three years he next took the charge of the Kings- creek and Millcreek churches (the latter in Deleware county), dividing his time between the two. There he labored successfully for seven years, each winter holding special meetings. After leaving Kingscreek church his time was divided between the churches at Millcreek, Casstown, Fletcher, and Union, at all of which his labors "were blessed of God." After leaving Millcreek he preached for a time at De Graff and Quincy churches, and, as an evidence of his continued success, it may be stated that he baptized seventeen converts in one day at a meeting held at Quincy.
Five years before his death he declined the pas-
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toral care of any church, yet he preached every Sabbath, supplying vacant pulpits throughout the neighborhood. He had many times expressed a desire to die at his post with armor on, and the time was now at hand when his wishes were fully realized. On the 13th day of June, 1875, he supplied the pulpit at the Honey creek church ; his sermon was upon regeneration and faith, a favorite subject, and he preached with more than usual earnestness until near the close of his discourse, when he was seized with paralysis, and staggering would have fallen but for the timely assistance of one of the deacons, who caught him, and who, with the aid of others, removed him to the house of Mr. William Wilson, where in a few hours he quietly, as if sleeping, passed away, supported by Mrs. Bryant, who had arrived but a short time before his death. At his funeral, which was largely attended, the Rev. S. N. Clark pro- nounced a beautiful and fitting eulogy upon his life. His remains were buried at Oak Dale cemetery.
The greater part of the above sketch is substan- tially as given to the writer by Mrs. Bryant, his widow, who is still living at Urbana. Mr. Bryant had five children, viz .: 1st, Wilson G., now a prac- ticing physician at Springfield, Ohio; 2d, Julia, who died at Lockland in 1842; 3d, Corwin; 4th, Cather- ine; 5th, James.
Mr. Bryant, though not a finished orator, was a
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forcible speaker. The secret of his power consisted chiefly in his great earnestness. He harbored no doubts, and preached the word as he believed it, and in such a deliberate and earnest manner as to carry conviction with it. Without giving offense he was always aggressive, never failing while presenting the olive branch to exhibit in the back ground the sword of justice.
Elders J. L. Moore and William Rooney, the latter from Hamilton, preached for a short time at Lock- land after Mr. Bryant left.
ELDER WILLIAM BLAIR.
On the 20th of December, 1845, Elder William Blair accepted the pastoral charge. Mr. Blair was born in Tennessee in 1810. His parents were mem- bers of the Presbyterian church, his father a deacon. He entered upon a course of study with the ministry in view, and graduated at Hanover college, Indiana. And it was there, while studying the languages, that he became convinced that immersion only was baptism.
Soon after graduating he took a school at Law- renceburg, Ky., and there was baptized by Elder William Vaughn, about the year 1840. He subse- quently went to Georgetown, Ohio, where for a time he taught school and preached as supply in destitute
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places, as time and opportunity presented. He was ordained in the early part of 1845, at Georgetown, and labored for some time as a missioner within the bounds of the East Fork Association. He after- wards moved to East Walnut Hills, in Hamilton county, where he took a school for a short time and supplied different churches occasionally through the surrounding country; while there he accepted a call to the Lockland church. He found the church in a somewhat distracted condition, growing out of difficulties that arose during the latter part of Mr. Bryant's charge, and, finding himself not properly supported by a large number of the members, he resigned at the close of the first year. From here he moved back to Georgetown, and again engaged in teaching, until he received and accepted a call from Stone Lick church, in Clark county, where he labored faithfully and successfully until his death, which occurred March 24, 1852. Mr. Blair was a well qualified and successful teacher, and also a very acceptable preacher, conscientious and faithful in every duty and calling, and would have become eminent perhaps had it not been that his labors were frequently interrupted by sickness, having had eleven attacks of lung fever within a period of nine years.
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ELDER JACOB V. HOPPER.
Jacob V. Hopper was the next settled pastor at Lockland .. He preached his first sermon, in the early part of April, 1847, and served until November 14, 1849.
Mr. Hopper, who is still living, and now the supply at Bunker Hill, Illinois, is a native of Ohio, born in Hamilton county, September 26, 1814. His parents, Garret and Elizabeth Hopper, were natives of New Jersey. He was married February 28, 1838, to Miss Lucinda Johnson, and made a profession of religion, and was baptized in August, 1841. He was licensed to preach by the Clough Baptist church, of Anderson township, in the fall of 1843. He supplied for a time the New Town and the Ten Mile churches in his licentiate capacity.
He was ordained at the Clough church in the spring of 1845. Among the council were James Lyon, Aaron Sargent, sr., R. K. Morris, and James Sargent, jr. Mr. Hopper served as missionary within the bounds of the East Fork of the Little Miami Association for near two years, visiting weak and destitute churches, under the direction of the Com- mittee of the Association. Among the results of these labors were the organization of one church and the resuscitation of another. For one year, in 1846-7, he preached for the Muddycreek church, and in the
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spring of 1847 received a call from the Lockland church, where he labored for two years with great success. He found the church in a very weak and distracted condition, but his efforts were soon effective in bringing about harmony among its members, and infusing a higher degree of spiritual life. Mem- bers who, from indifference and neglect of duty had been suspended, were reinstated, and there were many conversions that increased the roll of member- ship to almost double its former number.
On the first of April, 1849, Mr. Hopper moved to Illinois, and settled upon a farm adjoining the town of Bunker Hill, and since that time has served the Bunker Hill church as pastor and supply at different times ; but the most of his ministerial labor has been with churches in Macoupin and Madison counties. He is now pastor of the Litchfield Baptist church, but resides on his farm, and still retains his member- ship in the Bunker Hill church, which belongs to the Edwardsville Association. Mr. Hopper has always held a high and honorable position in the church, and is still, though the weight of years is upon him, a very able minister.
ELDER GEORGE WEBSTER.
After the retirement of Mr. Hopper, Elder George Webster was called as pastor, and though a learned and very talented minister, he failed from some
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