USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 45
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ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL.
One of the very early Methodist communities in Champaign county was around what later became St. George's chapel, located on the eastern cdge of Urbana township, near the Mechanicsburg pike. Services were held there for nearly fifty years, during which time more than one hundred preachers graced the pulpit and many people were influenced to live better lives. The society was finally disbanded during the early seventies and the building was torn down about 1877.
NORTHVILLE METHODIST CHURCH.
The Northville Methodist Church in Concord township is one of the several abandoned churches of the county. The society was organized about 1858 and a church building was erected the same year. The society main- tained an active existence for nearly forty years. Its history, however, is very similar to that of most of the abandoned churches of this time.
MUTUAL GRACE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The Grace Methodist Episcopal church at Mutual was organized in 1886 by Mary Goul, Thomas Goul, Elizabeth Talbott and others. A commodious
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church building, with a seating capacity of three hundred, was erected the same year at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars. The building is supplied with a furnace, and all the conveniences found in a modern country church.
In the absence of records only the names of a few pastors can be given, however, among the number are: Thomas Cundy, Herbert Killinder, E. T. Lane, F. M. Clemons, J. D. Trout, and the present pastor, J. T. Yocum, who has served the congregation since 1916.
The church has an enthusiastic Sunday school with an enrollment of ninety-two, an Epworth League and a Ladies' Aid Society. The present membership of the church is eighty-two.
LOCAL PREACHERS CHIAPEI ..
The credit of organizing Local Preachers chapel, located north of Urbana in Salem township, belongs to B. H. Gehman, who preached in the homes of the members before a church building was erected. Sunday school and re- ligious meetings were held in the homes of A. B. Jackson and Mark Higby until property was rented in the neighborhood for religious purposes. At a meeting in the Higby home, it was suggested by A. B. Jackson that a church building should be erected for the use of the local preachers. This met with the approval of all the members, and in a short time the building was under construction. On September 14, 1874, the edifice was dedicated by John Forbus, of Cincinnati. Since the church was originally built for the use of the local preachers, it was called Local Preachers chapel.
The membership today consists of two people. The church is on the Kings Creek circuit, and is served by Rev. A. G. Newton. The community maintains an active Sunday school here.
DILTZ CHAPEL.
The Diltz Chapel Methodist church, located in Union township, was organized in 1838 by Wesley Diltz, Wesley Yocum, Amosa Jackson and Sarah Bidwell, at the home of Wesley Diltz. The need of a house of worship was urgent and shortly a log structure, twenty-six feet long and twenty-two feet wide, was erected. Services were held there for nearly twenty years. At the expiration of this period, a modern frame building was built and was dedicated by Rev. J. T. Bail.
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This society has gradually become absorbed by neighboring churches, but many of the descendants of the original members are resident of the community.
UNION METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
A colony of Methodists settled in Union township during the early forties, and formed a society in 1845, soon after the Presbyterians. The first services were conducted by itinerant preachers, among whom were Reverends Crume, Miller and Mitchell. Lafferty's cabin, on the site of the old Wolfe estate, was the first preaching place.
The present church building, which is the second one to be erected by the society, is located three miles north of Mutual, near the Urbana and Milford pike, and east of the Union school house. It was dedicated on October 14 and 15, 1865. by the pastor, Rev. D. Warnock. Men prominent in the church at that time were J. M. Yocum, Wesley Diltz and A. A. Blair.
At present the society has an active membership of one hundred and fifteen, and Rev. T. J. Yocum is the pastor. The church has a strong Sunday school, with an enrollment of one hundred and fifty. Warren Solvott is superintendent. Other auxiliaries are a Ladies Aid Society and an Epworth League of eighty members. Mrs. L. Redmon is president of the former, and Eva Yocum, of the latter.
PISGAH METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The Pisgah Methodist church, located three miles southwest of Mutual was organized in 1830 by Reverend Bandriff, the membership consisting mostly of the members from the church at Mutual. A church building was erected within a few years after the organization, and prospects for the future were indeed prosperous. But because of natural causes the church gradually declined and now it is only a matter of history.
NEER CHAPEL.
The first building of the Neer Chapel Methodist Episcopal church was erected in 1858 and was dedicated on August 15 of the same year by Rev. David Warnock. The church was given the name, Neer chapel, in honor of a member of the conference, Rev. Samuel Neer, whose death occurred on August 15, 1857.
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The dedication of the present building took place on November 8, 1885. under the direction of Rev. T. S. Cowden. At the dedicatory services an effort was made to raise enough money to meet all the obligations incurred in the construction of the building. In this connection an incident occurred which is worthy of mention. When the question was brought up for dis- cussion, Reverend Cowden very candidly admitted his inability to raise the required amount. When someone suggested that a hat be passed through the audience for a free-will offering, Mr. Cowden gave the suggestion his ap- proval, and added: "I won't risk my hat in the congregation; in fact I feel as though I stand no chance for my dinner in this community." In the end, however, the necessary amount of money was raised, and the irate minister got his dinner.
The church building burned down during the summer of 1916, and the congregation has not yet decided whether they will rebuild. At present the members of the congregation are worshipping with neighboring churches.
SPRING HILLS METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
One of the dormant Methodist churches of Champaign county is located at Spring Hills. This society at one time was almost as strong as the Pres- byterian church of that place; but, with the death and removal of many of the more prominent members, the church gradually declined. The last service held in this church was a lecture given by Reverend DeLong on the subject. "Methodism." This occurred about ten years ago. The building and site were sold a few years later to Doctor Kerns for the small sum of one hundred and forty dollars. It is now used as a blacksmith shop by C. Corwin.
One of the most stirring revivals ever held in Spring Hills was con- ducted in this church about 1856, and there were very few people thereabout who did not feel the good effects of these meetings. Reverend Oldfield is remembered as being one of the strong and able ministers who preached to this society. Among the prominent people connected with the church during the early days were Joseph Woods, G. Shoemaker and Mary Jane Leonard. A stanch supporter of the church, although not a member, was Perry Daniels, one of the early pioneers.
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WESLEYAN CHAPFL.
Wesleyan Chapel, located in Harrison township, was formed as a result of the labors of Reverends Couchman, Sullivan, Gibson and Beatty, who con- ducted services in the community at various times. The society was form- ally organized in 1845, and a church was built during the pastorate of Rev- erend Garbison in 1848. At that time the membership of the congregation numbered about twenty. In 1865 an active Sunday school was started which added to the strength of the church organization.
The society maintained an active existence until the last few years, but today there are only a few who are connected with the church. No regular services have been held there for some time.
PLEASANT HILL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
A Methodist society of about twenty-five members was formed in Adams township in 1860. Reverend Good was the first pastor. A frame meeting- house was erected one mile east of Rosewood, on section nine, the succeeding year. This same building is occupied by the society at the present time.
The church, although active at present, is not so strong as in former years. It is on the Quincy circuit, and is served by Reverend Barrin, who resides at Quincy, Ohio.
ST. PAUL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal church, located on East Market street near Kenton street, Urbana, was organized in 1824 by Rev. Moses Freeman at the home of Fanny Carter. The charter members in- cluded the following: Frank Reno, Rachael Reno, Lewis Adams, Susan Adams, John Gamon, Rebecca Gamon, Elijah Brown, and Fanny Carter. Reverend Freeman, who organized the church, was a missionary from the Philadelphia African Methodist Episcopal conference.
The first edifice occupied by the society was a little log structure built in 1844, but this was replaced in 1866 by a larger and more commodious brick structure. The present building was erected at a cost of ten thousand dollars. The building, although an old one, is very substantial, and if the present plans of the church are carried out, it will be remodeled in the near future. The lot on which the church building now stands was bought by
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"Aunt Fanny" Carter from the father of Doctor Vance. She earned the money with which to pay for the property, over the washboard, and gave one-half of the value of the property to the society, which purchased the other half from her.
The pastors of the church have been many. Elijah Brown was the first local pastor. A complete list of pastors follows: Philip Bowdie, Lafayette Davies, Jeremiah Thomas, John Tibbs, Daniel Smith, Samuel T. Wells, Charles Ratliff, William Newman, Peter Jones, Wylie Reynolds, Wilkins Lee, John Gibbons, William Morgan, Alexander H. Austin, Noah C. Cannon, Charles Antie, Jeremiah Bowman, Grafton H. Graham, Job Dundy, Joseph McClaren, Henry A. Jackson (the first station preacher), E. Cumberland, M. M. Smith, Henry Anderson, M. M. Clark, J. W. Steward, Frederick River, Thomas Lawrence, Daniel Winslow, G. W. Clark, Jeremiah Lewis, Father Charleston, M. J. Wilkerson. Charles Gray, Charles H. Peters, S. H. Thomp- son. Samuel Jones, C. C. Feltz. B. W. Arnett. J. B. Stansberry, Philip Fall- iner, R. H. Morris, John Dickerson, J. H. Bell, O. P. Ross, Dr. W. T. Ander- son, John W. Asbury, David Mitchell, A. R. Palmer, C. D. White, D. W. But- ler, B. M. Carson. T. W. Woodson, L. W. White, J. M. Ross, J. H. Coleman, W. E. Watson, W. T. Watson, John E. Hagens, and H. F. Fox, the present incumbent.
The society is the strongest of all the colored societies in the county, having a membership at the present time of one hundred and ninety-seven. The church maintains an active Sunday school, with an enrollment of one hundred and fifty-nine members. W. Murray is the superintendent. Other auxiliaries are a Young Peoples Society, consisting of seventy-six members, and a Missionary Society, of thirty members. Mrs. Q. Clarissa Cleveland is the leader of the former and Mrs. Levina Armstrong is the president of the latter.
BETHEL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, URBANA.
The Bethel (colored) Methodist church in Urbana was organized in April, 1912. The little society purchased two lots on East Water street opposite the Curry Institute and proceeded to erect a church building. The cornerstone of the church was laid on Sunday, September 28, 1913. and the church was completed in the late fall. Rev. Alfred Taylor was the pastor in charge of the congregation and assisted greatly in the actual building of the church.
The church was organized as a result of trouble which arose in the
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African Methodist Episcopal church. Several of the members of this church withdrew their membership, united with others, and organized the new society. The congregation, for the time, secured the use of a room on the third floor of the Williams building on North Main street, where services were held until completion of the new building on East Reynolds street.
This church is of the regular Methodist denomination and has the same church government as the white Methodist church. Bishop Anderson, who is the presiding bishop of the West Ohio Conference, serves also in the same capacity in the colored conference which includes the colored churches of Ohio and Kentucky. The new church began with about twenty members, all of whom were very active and enthusiastic in behalf of the welfare of the congregation.
Reverend Chinn was the first pastor and he was succeeded by Reverend Taylor. He in turn was followed by the present pastor, Rev. Pascal Light- foot. The trustees of the church are John Williams, Harvey Robinson, Mrs. Hannah Boyd, J. Slaughter and Arthur Turner. The secretary of the church is Harvey Robinson and the clerk is Mrs. J. Slaughter. The society con- sists of thirty members, and services are held on Sunday and Thursday of each week.
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. MECHANICSBURG.
The African Methodist Episcopal church at Mechanicsburg was organized about 1880. This was brought about largely through the efforts of Mrs. Amanda White, who is now living in Mechanicsburg and is the wife of the well-known former slave, Addison White. The first and present church was erected in 1884 under the pastorate of Rev. G. R. Blunt. The solicitors for funds were Cyrus Price and William Burns. The trustees at the time were Cyrus Price, C. A. Armfield, W. Burns, Charles Hill and Jacob King.
Among the pastors who have served the society are the following: Reverend G. R. Blunt, Greene, H. H. Grant. C. B. White, Woodson, Watson, C. D. White, H. H. Uptagrove (under whose pastorate the congregation was successful in building a parsonage), Martamore, Henderson, Myers and Rev- erend Singleton, the present incumbent. The church has the usual auxiliaries and has a membership of fifty-one members.
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BETHEL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF NORTH LEWISBURG.
This society was organized at North Lewisburg, August 20, 1872, with the following charter members: J. W. Hicks, William Pepsico, Sarah Terry, Isaac Merideth, William H. Hunt, L. C. Moss, Willis Bouncler, William Johnson, William Harrison, G. W. Gales, Mary Gales, Hannah Yarnel, Albert T. Green, Gabriel Beauford, Ruben Yarnel, William Taller, W. C. Barns, M. C. Johnson, Caroline Bouncler, and H. E. Green. Seven of the charter members are still living, among whom are the present pastor, Rev. A. T. Green, H. E. Green and M. C. Johnson.
The society was organized in the old Masonic hall, where services were held for two years. After this, meetings were conducted in the Christian church for a period of two years. In 1876, the society erected a building on the corner of Townsend and Gregory streets at a cost of eighty dollars. This church is occupied at the present time.
Among the numerous pastors who have served the congregation are the following: H. A. Grant. 1873-76; G. C. Whitfield, 1877; J. W. Stewart, 1878; C. R. Green, 1879-80; E. Cumberland, 1881 ; G. R. Blount, 1882-83; C. D. White, 1884-86: Jonas Montgomery, 1887; G. H. Davis, 1888-89; J. D. Singleton, 1890-92; M. N. Culpher, 1893-95 : G. W. Jackson, 1896-98; W. D. Mitchell, 1900: R. P. Clark, 1902; B. A. L. Powell, 1903; T. T. Taggart, 1904; J. M. Jones, 1905-07, and Albert T. Green, who has served the congre- gation during the last three years. The society maintains a Sunday school, a Missionary Society and a Young Peoples Society.
MT. OLIVET, OR SODOM CAMP GROUND.
About a half-mile north of the village of Cable was formerly the site of the Sodom Campmeeting Ground. These meetings, which were in charge of the Methodist Episcopal church, were started in 1833 and continued until 1839. Annual meetings were held in August of each year, and were attended by large and enthusiastic crowds. The members and ministers of the church, as well as those of other Methodist congregations, usually camped on the ground. Many distinguished ministers preached at these meetings, among whom were: William H. Raper. George W. Walker, R. O. Spencer, John F. Wright, Joshua Boucher, Michael Marley, A. Wambaugh, Silas and Ebenezer Chase.
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MECHANICSBURG METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH.
In the spring of 1855, Rev. S. P. Kazerta, of the Ohio conference of the Methodist Protestant church, saw a good field for the establishment of a church of that denomination in Mechanicsburg. The local Methodist Epis- copal church was torn with dissension at that time over the institution of slavery and Kazerta resolved that it was an opportune time to establish there a church of his denomination. In the winter of 1855-56, he conducted a successful revival in the little frame building belonging to the Baptists, and as a result he gained a sufficient number of members to warrant the estab- lishment of a church.
The original charter membership of ninety-two was largely composed of families of abolition sentiments. Prof. W. D. Hinkle, J. R. Ware, F. A. Findley, William Purtlebaugh and H. M. Snodgrass were elected trustees. David Raudebaugh, Alexander McConkey and George Wolf were constituted stewards; and Reverend Kazerta, Lewis Brittin and F. A. Findley served as a building committee.
A lot, which was purchased on West Sandusky street, has proved to be the best site which could have been secured. Many churches die in infancy on account of a false economy in the selection of a location, but this mistake was not made in the case of this church. However, the church made a mis- take in leasing to the Masonic lodge the upper story of their building. The church, which was completed and dedicated in 1858, was a two-story brick structure.
Progress of the Chucrh .- Owing to the independence and courage of the membership of the congregation, it never solicited nor accepted any aid as a mission: but was soon attached to the Catawba circuit. In 1865 is became an independent station. In 1879 the building was remodeled and refurnished; the membership at that time was three hundred and eight. In 1800 the Masons were bought out and then the whole building was razed to make way for a new and modern church structure.
The new building contained a kitchen and dining room, a basement, an auditorium and Sunday school rooms, all of which, taken together, will seat one thousand. In 1891 the remaining debt of two thousand dollars was paid off, and a substantial sidewalk was built at a cost of six hundred dollars. In the same year a two thousand dollar pipe organ was installed, and a grand piano placed in the chapel. The church had the funds to pay for these im- provements and furnishings at the time they were made or installed.
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J. R. Ware gave his old home on the corner opposite the church for a parsonage several years ago. It was torn down in 1906 and was replaced by a beautiful concrete parsonage.
The Sunday school was endowed by Rachel Kelley in 1867. A number of the members have left funds in trust to pay for their church dues as long as they live. Their names are left on the church roll as acting members, and are carved on a beautiful white marble tablet which stands in the church. Every church should stand for something, and the Mechanicsburg Methodist Protestant church has always stood for liberty and equality. It holds that "only one is Master, even Christ." Holding the law of love as supreme, it has never been divided by quarrels and dissensions. The present member- ship, including a few non-resident members, numbers five hundred and one.
METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH AT NORTH LEWISBURG.
This church, familiarly known as the Middle church, was organized in 1867, by Rev. E. J. Wynens. In 1870 the congregation erected a neat and commodious edifice on a site donated by C. W. Lyon. During the pastorate of Reverend Buckley, the building was remodeled, a Sunday school room was added, a furnace installed and a gallery put in. The congregation is composed of about fifty members, has an active Sunday school with an en- rollment of about fifty-nine, and a Ladies Aid Society of nearly thirty-five members.
Among the pastors who have served the congregation since the organi- zation are the following : E. J. Wynens, J. W. Spring, J. M. Flood, A. Hall. A. M. Ravenscroft, A. P. Powelson, W. M. Cramer, T. B. Graham, J. Shep- herd, S. S. Fleming, H. V. Clark, N. J. Kinney, F. Eaton, John Stroup, J. F. Hinkle. W. G. Elliott, E. H. Woodworth, W. Archer, J. L. Buckley, F. T. Nichols, and William L. Tyler, the present incumbent.
JENKINS CHAPEL.
Jenkins chapel, in Wayne township, was the successor of Clintons meet- ing house, which stood about two hundred yards further east. The former was built about 1842 through the efforts of Andrew Williams, a Congrega- tional Methodist minister. He was successful in interesting some of the men of the community, among whom were William Clinton, Benjamin Spillers, James Sheward, Oliver Jenkins, David Edwards. A church building was erected on a site donated by Oliver Jenkins, and used by the Methodist Pro-
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testants and United Brethren for several years. Among the early ministers for the Brethren were Fredric Hendrix and Samuel Downey. After several years of harmonious worship, a union of the two organizations was effected, and the society became known as the Methodist Protestant church. Among the preachers have been the following: John Lawson, Abbott, Callahan, Plummer, S. B. Smith, O. P. Stevens, A. Trumbo, T. B. Trumbo, T. W. Spring, A. C. Hall, F. W. Winans, H. M. Ravenscroft, W. M. Creamer, T. B. Graham. J. Shepherd, S. S. Fleming, H. V. Clark, N. J. Kinney, E. Eaton, W. Archer, John Stroup, J. F. Hinkle, W. G. Elliott, E. H. Woodworth, J. L. Buckley, F. T. Nichols, and William L. Tyler, the present pastor.
The membership of the church at the present time numbers about eighty. The church maintains an active Sunday school and a Ladies Aid Society.
THE SANCTUARY.
The Sanctuary was the name of a church erected in Wayne township in 1842 by a small society of Congregational Methodists, whose pastor at the time was John (Mingo) Thomas. Among the original members were Polly Thomas, Joseph Johnson, and Mrs. Perry and her family. The society ex- isted only a few years and passed into a state of dormancy. During the period from 1850 to 1860, the Protestant Methodists occupied the building; and from 1860 to 1866, the Baptists made use of it. After the erection of the Mingo Baptist church, the Sanctuary was abandoned as a preaching point, and was later removed. The name now is only a matter of history.
BAPTIST CHURCHES.
In the settling of the central West the Baptist denomination was always found on the vanguard of civilization, spreading the light and truth of the Christian religion. As will be noticed in the history of the following Baptist churches, their activity in Champaign county was no exception: for this de- nomination had more than an even start with the others of the county ..
Some denominations of the early days seem to have established prece- dents as to the location of their churches, whether in the towns and villages, or in the rural districts. The Methodists were wont to locate their churches in the villages, or on the cross roads; but not so with the Baptists, who con- fined their work almost wholly to the country districts. The early Baptists were a peculiar people; perhaps some would say clannish. Whatever their peculiarities might have been, they had the faculty of speedily finding out
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each other on the frontier, and then forming church organizations. In the light of the foregoing statement it may well be said that the bringing of the blessings of Christianity to the country districts is due perhaps more to the remarkable missionary zeal of the Baptist denomination than to any other.
It was at Kings Creek, in Champaign county, where the third Baptist church in Ohio was established in 1805. During the next few years rural churches were instituted at Nettle Creek, Honey Creek, Lost Creek, Tharps Run, Buck Creek and Darby Creek. For their mutual welfare and support, these organizations united themselves into the Mad River Baptist Associa- tion. Little effort was made to organize churches in the towns and villages until about 1843, when the Ohio Baptist state convention selected a few towns where it was thought that missionary work was needed. Urbana was one of these towns and missionaries were sent to this field under the auspices of the convention. Religious meetings were held in the court house, which re- sulted in a charter being issued from the state Legislature authorizing certain parties to constitute themselves into a corporate body known as the Urbana Baptist Society. According to the best information received by the historian twenty Baptist churches have been organized in Champaign county and of this number eleven are in existence today (1917).
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