USA > Ohio > Coshocton County > Historical collections of Coshocton County, Ohio : > Part 16
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THERE are in Coshocton county, at this time, some eighty congregations, representing the various religious bodies. These congregations own church buildings costing about $225,000. Ten of the congregations are reported as owning parsonages, which cost some $15,000 in all, rang- ing from $500 to $5,000 apiece.
Many of the earlier settlers of the county did not have much appreciation of the clergy, and were not more in- clined to the church than to the school, and none of the de- nominations made much headway for nearly a score of years after the county was organized. Some of the set- tlers, however, invited the ministers of their old homes to come and preach to them in the wilderness, and these re- sponded. Ministers passing to and fro stopped and conducted religious services. Of course, at that day, there was no need to carry rifles to the meeting-places to protect from the Indians, as in the days of the fathers in Western Penn- sylvania. " Grove-meetings " were often held. Some log churches were built, but even these were arranged for fire, and were not in this like the first sanctuaries in New England, and they had puncheon floors, and at least split- log seats ; and while there were " backwoods " appliances, there was little to now recall in amazement. Now and then there were at the services " some fellows of the baser sort," and it is said that on more than one occasion the preacher had occasion to display his muscle as well as mind and heart.
Some of the doings would call to mind the story of the preacher, who, upon sending his hat around for a collec- tion, exclaimed as he surveyed its contents : " Thank God, I got my hat back from this crowd." One of the earliest
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preachers was reported to have been " a great fighter " in his old Maryland home, and, it was said, lost a piece of his nose, it having been bitten by his antagonist in a fight be- fore he came into the church. People came from a long distance to church, all usually on horseback. Poverty and ignorance and their glazed-eyed daughter indifference were in the way to the success of the churches; but, after all, most of the trials were mutual to people and ministers, and had in them very little of romantic interest or striking character. What weariness and pain came to individuals -what struggles were required by godly women and noble men-in the building of the church even to its present height, in this county, would take more than a volume to tell. And yet these were of such sort as that they must appear in individual history, or necessarily lead to invidi- ous discrimination, and even then to tiresome repetition.
BAPTIST CHURCHES .*
Previous to 1825, we have no solid history of this de- nomination of Christian workers, more than that there were a few pioneer Baptist preachers, who traveled and preached the gospel in dwellings, school-houses, etc., wherever and whenever opportunity and circumstances made it their duty. As among the most prominent of these self-sacrificing ministers, we mention the names of Elders Stephen Norris, Wm. Spencer, and Amos Mix. But there were other ministers and devoted laymen, who aided much in planting the gospel in this county at that time.
The first Baptist church organized in Coshocton county was the White Eyes Plains. This church was organized at the house of Isaac Evans, on said plains, November 5, 1825, by Elders S. Norris and Wm. Spencer, with fourteen members. Elder Norris was the first pastor, and labored for them three years, when he was succeeded by Elder Wm. Spencer, who continued with them until about the
* By Elder A. W. Oder.
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year 1831, at which time the church numbered about twenty-four members.
Their places of worship were dwellings, school-houses, etc., in Oxford and Lafayette townships. In the later part of 1847, they completed a house of worship in the village of West Lafayette, having previously been at times nearly prostrate in power and influence.
At the time of the formation of the Coshocton Baptist Association, August 25, 1845, this church had a member- ship of thirty-four, as nearly as can be ascertained from their records, which at times were badly kept.
In the year 1850, the church built another house of wor- ship, near the center of Oxford township, to accommodate the eastern portion of the church, making it also a regular place of worship.
In 1870, the church having increased largely in num- bers, efficiency, and territory, divided into two separate and independent bodies. That portion which remained with the eastern part retained the name of the White Eyes Baptist Church, and the other portion took the name of the West Lafayette Baptist Church. Since the separation, both have been doing good work for the Master, and are having regular service, and also keeping up good Sabbath-schools. The White Eyes church has a membership of about fifty, and Elder E. B. Senter is their successful pastor. The West Lafayette church has about sixty-five members, un- der the well-received ministry of Elder J. F. Churchill. The order of the pastors that have labored with the White Eyes Plain church is as follows : Stephen Norris, William Spencer, - -Pritchard, S. Price, L. Gilbert, H. Sayer, L. L. Root, H. Broom, A. W. Odor, J. G. Whitaker, L. Rhineheart, and E. B. Senter, who was serving them at the time they separated, and who continues with the White Eyes church. The ministers that have labored with the West Lafayette church since it became an independent body are E. B. Senter, G. W. Churchill, and J. F. Churchill, who is yet with them.
Jefferson Regular Baptist Church, located in Jefferson
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township, was organized in May, 1840, by Elder B. White, with six members. It grew rapidly, and, in 1846, its member- ship was nearly one hundred, and in 1850, one hundred and thirty. Subsequently, it began to decrease in numbers, caused mostly by removals West and elsewhere. Not more than ten years elapsed until it was but a weak church, and since 1860 it has not been able to sustain preaching, and in fact is no longer to be properly called a church. The min- isters that have labored for this church are as follows: B. White, William Mears, L. Gilbert, J. M. Winn, R. R. Whitaker, S. W. Frederick, A. W. Odor, under missionary employ, and A. W. Arnold. The old frame house of wor- ship is almost a wreck. There are probably eighteen mem- bers.
Tomika Regular Baptist Church, situated in Washington township, was organized January 5, 1828, with but three members, by Elder Amos Mix, who was its first pastor. For several years they had no house of worship, and the first one they built was a log one. In 1845, their member- ship had increased to about seventy-five. They have had their misfortunes and successes alternately, and at present have a frame-house of worship, capable of seating from three hundred to four hundred persons, and a membership of nearly sixty, with a good working Sabbath-school. Their pastor, Elder S. C. Tussing, closed his services with them a short time ago. The order of the pastors who have labored for them since their organization is as follows : A. Mix, J. Frey, Sr., William Mears, L. L. Root, L. Gilbert, H. Sampson, J. Frey, Jr., S. West, R. R. Whitaker, B. Alen, E. B. Smith, J. W. Reed, A. W. Odor, E. Frey, J. C. Skin- ner, and S. C. Tussing.
Clark Township Regular Baptist Church was organized June 19th, 1833, by T. G. Jones and E. Otis, with eleven members. Shortly after the organization, the church li- censed one of her members, B. White, to preach, and in June, 1834, he was ordained as an elder and called regularly to the pastorate, in which relation he continued about nine
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years. This church did not grow rapidly, and at no time could it boast a large membership, yet it has lived, and con- tinues to this day to hold forth the word of life through the labors of S. W. Frederick, who is their present pastor. After Elder White closed his labors as pastor of the church they went into strife and contention, until finally they di- vided into three separate bodies, but were afterward united as before, Elder White again becoming the pastor of the church. At this time the church has a membership of about thirty-five. They have a new frame house of worship, capable of seating three or four hundred persons. The order of pastors is as follows, viz : B. White, -- Am- merman, H. Sampson, J. W. Dunn, and S. W. Frederick.
Mill Fork Regular Baptist Church, located in Virginia township, about eight miles southwest of Coshocton, was organized May 1st, 1840, by Elders William Mears and L. Gilbert, with fifty-two members. After the organiza- tion, the church grew rapidly, and in a few years had over one hundred members. Having reached a membership of one hundred and forty, the number decreased, and at pres- ent it is about eighty-five. Since 1850, this church has sent four of its members into the ministry, viz .: J. W. Reed, E. B. Senter, F. C. Wright, and A. W. Odor. The present pastor is Elder S. C. Tussing. The ministers that have served this church as pastors are as follows : Wm. Mears, L. Gilbert, T. W. Grier, L. L. Root, J. G. Whitaker, R. R. Whitaker, T. Evans, E. Smith, A. W. Odor, J. C. Skinner, and S. C. Tussing. They have a commodious frame house of worship, built in 1870.
Mohawk Regular Baptist Church, located in Perry town- ship, was organized about the year 1841 or 1842. In 1846 the membership was forty-nine, and in a few years was about one hundred ; but since that time has been gradually decreasing until 1870, when it was thirty-five. The pres- ent membership is about fifty. They have no minister at the present time. They have a small frame house of worship, in tolerably good repair. The ministers that
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have labored as pastors are as follows; S. Wickham, J. Frey, jr., R. R. Whitaker, A. W. Arnold, E. B. Senter, and S. W. Frederick.
Tiverton Regular Baptist Church, located in Tiverton township, was organized in 1841. In 1854 there were about fifty members, and in 1860 over one hundred. Since that time the number has decreased, and although the membership is about seventy it can not be properly called an active church. They have a strong and capacious frame house of worship, but it is not in proper repair. The minis- ters that have labored with this church as pastors are as fol- lows : L. Gilbert, R. R. Whitaker, R. W. Lockhart, B. M. Morrison, A. W. Arnold, and S. W. Frederick. The Sun- day school still manifests some life.
White Eyes Regular Baptist Church, located in White Eyes township, was organized in 1839, with fourteen mem- bers. For a time after the organization the church pros- pered, and in 1854 had a membership of sixty. From that time the number has decreased, and more than a year ago they met and disbanded, having at that time about fifteen members. Their house of worship is a small frame one, quite old. The ministers who have served this church as pastors are as follows : H. Sayer, B. White, R. R. Whita- ker, A. W. Odor, J. W. and H. Broom.
Monroe Regular Baptist Church, located in Monroe town- ship, was organized in 1847, under the name of the Wolf Creek Church, and was subsequently changed to Monroe. When first organized she went forward, with seeming zeal for success, and in a few years had a membership of over sixty. In 1867 she changed her location, at that time hav- ing a membership of only twenty-seven. At present they report fifty-five members, but have no house of worship, using a school-house for that purpose. The ministers that have served as pastors to the Monroe church are as follows: J. M. Winn and L. L. Root, the latter having served the church for over twenty years and still continues.
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Pleasant Hill Regular Baptist Church, located about five miles west of Roscoe, in Jackson township, on the graded road, was first organized in 1845, with about forty mem- bers. They advanced steadily for a few years, but in about fifteen years became virtually extinct. In 1862 they were reorganized, being named the Rock Hill Church. They made some progress, and in 1869 built a comfortable house of worship on its present site, being renamed Pleasant Hill. The ministers who have served as pastors of this church, from its first organization, are as follows : L. L. Root, H. Sampson, J. G. Whitaker, R. R. Whitaker, W. S. Barnes, A. W. Odor, S. W. Frederick, and E. B. Senter, who is their . present pastor.
Evan's Creek Regular Baptist Church, located in Adams township, was organized in 1845, with about twenty mem- bers. In ten years the membership was about fifty. From that time the number began to decrease, and in 1866 they ceased to be a church. They once had a log house of wor- ship, but it has ceased to be serviceable. The ministers that furnished pastoral service to this church are as follows : R. R. Whitaker, J. G. Whitaker, A. W. Odor, and J. W. Moreland.
Perry Regular Baptist Church, located in the western part of Perry township, and formerly a branch of the Tomaka Church, was organized in 1860 as an independent body, with twenty-seven members. They have been slowly but steadily advancing, their number now being about forty. They have a small but neat frame house of worship, in tol- erably good repair. The ministers that have labored with them as pastors are as follows : S. West, R. R. Whitaker, E. B. Senter, A. W. Odor, E. Frey, and A. W. Arnold.
Darling's Run Regular Baptist Church, located in Jeffer- son township, was organized in 1866, with ten members. They advanced for some years, but have now come to a stand-still condition, with a membership of a little over twenty. They have no house of worship, using a school-
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house for that purpose. They have had as pastors Elder W. S. Barnes and Rev. H. Clark. They have no pastor at present.
Harmony Regular Baptist Church, located in Monroe town- ship, was organized in 1866, with about twenty members. Since that time it has steadily advanced, having at the present time over sixty members. They have no house of worship, using a school-house instead. They contemplate building soon. They have had as pastors A. W. Arnold and J. K. Linebaugh. The latter is still with them.
Canal Lewisville Regular Baptist Church was organized in 1866, with twenty members. Since that time the number has increased to about forty. They have a small frame house of worship not very well adapted to the purpose. As pastors, they have had Elders L. L. Root, W. S. Barnes, and S. W. Frederick.
Chestnut Ridge Regular Baptist Church, located in Tiver- ton township, was organized in 1873, with about twenty members. It has been striving for three years to do work for the Master, and the membership has increased to twenty- seven. They have built a comfortable frame house of wor- ship, and paid off all the incumbrances. They meet regu- larly, and have a good Sunday school. Elder J. K. Linebaugh preached for them before their organization, and has contin- ued to do so up to the present time.
Chestnut Hill Regular Baptist Church, located one and a half miles east of Coshocton, was organized in 1875, with twenty members. They have no house of worship, but use the district school-house. They have a good Sabbath school kept up throughout the year, and at the present time have a membership of twenty-four. They have been visited oc- casionally by different ministers, and for some time were regularly supplied with preaching by Rev. H. Clark. At present they are under the oversight of Elder J. F. Churchill, of West Lafayette.
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A Regular Baptist Church was constituted at Coshocton on the 23d of August, 1834-the services being held at the house of Wilson McGowan (who was a leading member, and for many years clerk of the congregation), and con- ducted by Elders John Pritchard, Geo. C. Sedgewick, Wm. Spencer, and Wm. Purdy. Elder Sedgewick Rice was the minister until May 5, 1838, when he was at his own request released. He died sometime thereafter, leaving a pleasant recollection of him in the community as a godly man and an able and earnest advocate of his church. After his services ceased, the church was supplied by several breth- ren for several years, until it seemed to have become practi- cally dissolved about 1848. The McGowan, Bryant, Welch, Burt, Coe, Carhart, Farwell, Loder, Miller, Estinghausen, Whittemore, Babcock, Sprague, Elliott, Wright, and Oder families seem to have been connected with this movement. At one time there were some thirty-seven members. The services were held in the court-house. Benjamin Coe was the last clerk of the congregation.
Keene Regular Baptist Church was organized in 1850, with about twenty members, several of whom had been members of the church which had been organized and kept up for several years in the town of Coshocton, but at the above date had ceased to exist. The Keene Church built a good frame house of worship, but never made a successful ad- vance, and in 1866 failed to report to the association, hav- ing ceased to be a church proper. The house has since been burnt, and naught remains. The ministers who la- bored with this church were J. M. Winn, B. White, M. J. Barnes, and T. Evans.
There were at different times four other organizations of Baptist Churches in Coshocton county beside the ones already noticed, but they were not of sufficient importance to merit a sketch.
The probable number of Regular Baptists in Coshocton county is not far from 950.
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CHRISTIAN CHURCHES.
There is a Christian church, having at present one hun- dred and fifteen members, in Virginia township. It was organized by Elder J. W. Marvin, of Knox county, Ohio, in 1832, starting with five members, of whom two are yet living. For some twelve years the congregation met in the woods, or a barn, or a school-house. In 1844, a frame meeting-house (twenty-eight by thirty-two feet) was erected, which, in 1873, was replaced by a better and a larger house of worship. The pastors of the church have been J. W. Marvin, James Hays, Wm. Bagley, Jacob Harger, A. E. Harger, A. Bradfield, B. Rabb, Wm. Overturf, M. M. Lohr, E. Peters, and John W. Wright, at present in charge.
The whole number of members enrolled in connection with this church during its history is two hundred and thirteen. Formerly there were three other active churches of this communion-the West Bedford, the Antioch, and the Severns-each with a good house of worship for the day and locality ; but they are now almost extinct.
It is understood that there is at least one congregation of German Baptists known as "Dunkards," gathered in the Saul Miller neighborhood, quite small, having no house of worship, and without much ministerial service.
No organized society of " The Disciples " has been re- ported as at this time in existence, although there is a con- siderable number of adherents of that church in the county.
CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
There are four of these in the county. The oldest-St. Mary's, of Linton township-was organized about 1840. A small log building was used by the congregation until about 1873, when this was replaced with a neat frame. This church and the few scattered Catholics elsewhere in the county were for years ministered unto by priests from Zanesville, who would make three or four trips a year, traveling on horseback. About 1855, the Rev. T. Bender, of Cincinnati, was appointed pastor of the Newark church, having also the charge of the Coshocton county Catholics.
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He went vigorously to work, and by 1857 had succeeded in gathering and establishing the church of St. Nicholas in Franklin township, and the church of St. Elizabeth in Monroe township. Each of these erected small log-houses of worship, built by the labor of the members, who also furnished the ground and materials. These congregations have both been greatly depleted by emigration to the Far West, and they have made little or no progress since their organization. They have been mainly supplied by week- day services by the resident pastor of Coshocton.
In 1858, the Rev. Serge De Stchaulepinkoff (a Russian priest, who, on becoming Catholic, had been compelled to leave his country) was sent to Coshocton, and was the first resident pastor. Under his direction, St. George's church, of Coshocton, was built. He continued in charge for some three years, and was succeeded at short intervals by Fathers Andres, Ranch, and Nordmeyer-all sent by Rev. J. B. Purcell, archbishop of Cincinnati.
In January, 1869, Rev. John M. Jacquet was appointed pastor of Coshocton by the Right Rev. J. H. Rosecrans, who, the year before, had been made first bishop of Colum- bus. In the membership of the St. George's church, there has been no great change for some years. Through the in- strumentality of Father Jacquet, both the church building and the pastoral residence have been much improved, and all debts against the charge paid off. The country churches have also been repaired and much improved.
The total membership in the county is about seven hun- dred, of which some four hundred are communicants.
LUTHERAN CHURCHES.
There are three evangelical (English) Lutheran churches in the county. The oldest of these is Zion Church, in Crawford township. It seems to have been gathered and organized through the labors of Rev. E. Greenwald (long settled in New Philadelphia), about 1832. Rev. J. B. Reck succeeded him in 1835 ; but, after a few years, the care of the church again devolved (in 1838) on Mr. Greenwald. In 1840 Rev. E. C. Yunge took charge of the church, and
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in 1846 Rev. E. Melsheimer, who died in 1849. In 1850 Rev. A. U. Bartholomew became pastor, and in 1859 Rev. M. M. Bartholomew. Rev. S. S. Samson took charge in 1862, and Rev. David Sparks in 1864. The present pastor, Rev. J. W. Myers, has been in charge some ten years. The elders have been Andrew Eichmier, Jacob Myser, Henry Grimm, John Smith, A. Winklepleck, William Stall, and Frederick Everhart. The Mysers, and Winkle- plecks, and Frocks, and Doaks, and Everharts, and Michael Grill, John Smith, James Christy, Frederick Barrick, and Nicholas Storm have been among the more prominent members, who have varied in number from thirty to eighty. The congregation has a good house of worship in Chili.
About 1840 an effort was made for a church in Franklin township, and an organization was effected and building secured, but, after some years, the enterprise was aban- doned. About 1856 Rev. S. Kammerer began preaching in that (the Wertz) neighborhood, and a church building about thirty by forty feet was erected, and a congregation called St. Paul's organized. Rev. A. N. Bartholomew be- came pastor, and continued for twelve years. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. J. S. Sleutz in 1870, and he in 1872 by the pres- ent pastor, Rev. John Weber. This church and the church at Adamsville, in Muskingum county, have always been joined as a pastoral charge. Daniel Gaumer gave the land for the church and burial-ground. The church building is of frame, and cost about $1,500. The elders have been John Wertz and Zachariah Glaze. The number of mem- bers at the organization was thirty ; at this time it is about ninety.
The third church is at West Carlisle-a neat frame building. But few services have been held for several years ; and the congregation, especially since the removal of Mr. Billman from the township, is very feeble.
There is a church near New Bedford, a little way over the line in Holmes county, with which a considerable num- ber of residents of Coshocton county are connected.
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St. John's Evangelical Lutheran (German) Church, at New Bedford, was organized by Rev. G. Doepken in 1854, and ministered unto by him for twenty years, at the end of which time he removed to Marietta. The minister at present is Rev. O. Primer. The house of worship, a large frame, was built in 1855. At its organization there were connected with the congregation some twenty-five families; in 1876 there are about sixty-five families. Among the more prominent have been the Schaumeeker, Schmelz, Schmidt, Schlegle, Baad, Steel, and Holt families. The church is in connection with the Joint Synod of Ohio.
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CHAPTER XXII.
THE CHURCHES-DETAILED ACCOUNTS OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL, METHO- DIST (PROTESTANT), PRESBYTERIAN, UNITED PRESBYTERIAN, PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL, CHRISTIAN UNION, ETC.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
In relation to the Methodist Episcopal churches south of the rivers, the following has been furnished by Rev. B. F. Beazelle, the pastor of the one in Coshocton :
The first preacher who occupied this territory was the Rev. John Mitchell. That was in 1812. He was most likely the first Methodist preacher of Coshocton county. He organized three classes that year-one near where Plainfield now is, one at Maysville (Marquands), and one in the Robinson neighborhood, now called Bethany church. Religious services have been maintained in these places ever since, and after the lapse of nearly two generations, the fruit of this " handful of corn" is seen in a comforta- ble and tasteful house of worship at each place, and larger and more vigorous societies than perhaps ever before.
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