USA > Ohio > Darke County > History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 22
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the Old School Presbyterian church was secured and in September, 1864, Rev. T. P. Bucher of Dayton, preached here to a large congregation. This meeting was followed by others conducted by Rev. William McCanghey and Rev. A. Wanner, and on September 19, 1864, a society was organized at the home of Mrs. Clara Bartling on East Main street with the following members: Philip Hartzell and wife, Mrs. Clara Bartling. Solomon Creager, Mrs. E. E. Baer and Mrs. Mar- garet Webb. Rev. William McCaughey was called as thie first pastor. In the spring of 1866 a building committee was appointed and in October of that year the old Christian church on Walnut street was rented for six months. In 1869 the Old School Presbyterian church building on the north- west corner of Fourth and Broadway was purchased for. $4,000.00. This seems to have been a premature venture as most of the purchase money had been borrowed and in Feb- ruary. 1870, this property was sold at auction. Previous to this the lot on the southwest corner of Third and Vine streets had been purchased from John Harper. This also was dis- posed of and on May 30, 1870, some forty-five feet by seventy feet off the rear of lot 29 on the west side of Sycamore street between Third and Fourth streets was purchased for $1.000.00. An active canvass for funds was soon commenced and the building of a church edifice pushed. In 1872 the new building was completed at a cost of some $5,400.00, and the Rev. David Winters of Dayton and others assisted the pastor in the dedi- catory services. The building was constructed of brick on a stone foundation, with tower, pitched roof, buttresses and pointed art glass windows in the Gothic style of architecture, was frescoed, carpeted and neatly furnished, making it prob- ably the best appointed church in the town at that time.
On February 16, 1873, the first communion was observed in this church. Rev. McCaughey served this church for a period of ten years, preaching his farewell sermon on September 6. 1874. He was succeeded by Rev. R. B. Reichard who served from December, 1874, till July, 1876. Other pastors were Rev. Jesse Steiner, spring of 1876 to the fall of 1877 ; Rev. Samuel Mease. 1880 and 1881 ; Rev. G. H. Sonder, 1882 and 1883 ; Rev. J. C. Beade, 1883 to 1886; Rev. J. M. Kessler, July, 1886, to February, 1887; Rev. William E. Ludwick, April. 1887, to June. 1898 : Rev. William H. Shults, November, 1898, to spring of 1900; Rev. J. Wolbach, December, 1900, to October, 1901.
During this period of the church's existence many difficul-
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ties were encountered and its growth and progress were con- paratively slow until the pastorate of Rev. W. E. Ludwick, when the church made considerable gain financially and numerically.
Rev. Joseph Pierce Alden, a graduate of Ursinus School of Theology, was called to the pastorate and in July, 1902, came to the church. He is still filling that position in a very ac- ceptable manner. During his incumbency the membership has increased, the organization of the church and Sunday school has been greatly strengthened and a feeling of har- mony and co-operation has prevailed. In June, 1910, the west half of lot No. 37 on the northeast corner of Third and Syca- more streets was purchased for six thousand dollars. A good eight room parsonage with modern improvements is situated on the rear of this lot, facing on Sycamore street. Lot No. 28 on the southeast corner of Third and Sycamore streets, was purchased from Miss McCaughey in May, 1914, for $8,250 and with a $5,000.00 gift set aside by Mr. Jacob New- baurer in memory of his wife, Emma, recently deceased, who was a devoted member of the congregation, as a nucleus, it is proposed to commence the erection of a modern and con- venient church and Sunday school on this site this year, it being the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the church. The building committee appointed for hhis purpose, comprises the following members: C. M. White, E. T. Wag- ner, F. E. Wilson, H. P. Hartzell, Chalmer Brown, Mrs. W. WV. Teegarden and Gertrude Ditman.
The present members of the Consistory are: Rev. J. P. Alden, president ; Elders S. C. Vantilburg, L. S. Brown and C. M. White; Deacons, C. O'Brien, Jesse Bruss and F. E. Wilson (clerk) ; church treasurer, Gertrude Ditman.
President of the Ladies Aid Society, Mrs. E. T. Wagner.
President of the Woman's Missionary Society, Mrs. J. E. Turner.
President of the Y. P. S. C. E., Omer Brodrick.
The present church membership is 158.
The Sunday school has an enrollment of about 150 mem- bers and has been largely instrumental in building up the church and strengthening its finances. It is graded according to modern standards, and has also three regularly organized classes, a cradle roll, a home department, a missionary and a temperance superintendent Jesse Bruss is superintendent
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of the school ; Elsie Black, secretary ; Paul Warner, treasurer and Myrtle Slonaker. missionary superintendent.
There are now (1914) congregations at East Zion (two and one-half miles east of Greenville), West Zion (near Baker's). Hill Grove and Beech Grove (three and one-half miles west of Arcanum), under the pastorate of Rev. Scott V. Rohrbaugh of Greenville. There is also a church at Arcanum. Like other denominations, the Reformed church attempted to plant congregations in ill-advised localities, with the result that these have been discontinued after a short history of struggle and sacrifice. Among these were the congregations at Beamsville, Pikeville, St. John's, Mt. Pleasant, Bethel and New Madison. An effort is now being made to retrieve these losses by a stronger and more efficient organization of the remaining rural churches. By a careful survey and canvass of the field of the East Zion church this congregation has been reorganized and strengthened and is attempting to solve some of the pressing problems which now confront the rural churches, here and elsewhere, and threaten their existence. These problems have arisen largely on account of the moving of the land owners to the county seat. and their sons to the cities, leaving the affairs of the church to disinterested ten- ants, and also to the ill-advised competition of various denom- inations endeavoring to plant churches where they are not needed. These facts are being carefully considered by va- rious denominations which are now advocating co-operation instead of competition, and are striving to meet the changed conditions of rural life.
The Church of Christ.
This denomination, sometimes called Disciples, at others Campbellites, and in the west known as Christian, challenged the attention of the Christian world about one hundred years ago under the preaching of Alexander Campbell, who had orig- inally been a Presbyterian, as a protest against sectarianism and the extreme doctrines of Calvinism.
The church has no regularly formulated or written creed. except the Bible, but requires of candidates for admission a statement of belief in Jesus Christ and Him crucified as a per- sonal and all sufficient Savior. Baptism by immersion is also required and the members partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper frequently.
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The local church was organized early in 1898 when services were held in the city hall. Among the charter members were Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Payne, Mr. and Mrs. Milo Smith, Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Beanblossom, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Batten, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Hindsley, Mr. and Mrs. S. Victor and daughter Elsie, Mrs. Morton and sons For- est. Walter and Earnest, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. B. Dively and daughter Lou, Mrs. Geo. W. McClellan, Emma Deardoff. Sarah Martin, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Harnish.
Rev. P. O. Updike, who had been sent by the State Mis- sionary Board, organized this church and became its first pas- tor, serving about two years. A lot was purchased September 9. 1898, on the south side of East Main street, between Ludlow and Locust streets, and a substantial brick church erected thereon and dedicated Sunday, January 1. 1899.
The pastors who have served this church since Updike were: W. B. Slater. A. T. Shaw. William Hough. A. Baker, Clarence Baker, Gerry Cook. W. A. McCartney, Adam Adcock. Rev. Hill and Charles W. Perry.
The present membership is about seventy-five.
The superintendent of the Sunday school is Bon Logan.
The trustees in 1913 were: J. W. Browder, president ; F. M. Payne, clerk; William M. Wenger. Nelson Batten, Aaron Kerst. Samuel Harnish.
Elder. J. A. Deweese.
Deacons: \V. M. Wenger, J. H. Hoover, Perry Stonerock, Albert Batten.
Other churches-Carnahan (on the Winchester pike, one and one-half miles west of Sharpeye). The original Carnahan church was built by John Carnahan, a farmer and preacher of the Campbellite faith, who settled in the neighborhood about 1830. It was built of logs and was located about one-fourth of a mile west of the present structure, which was erected in 1867. Palestine, Burkettsville, Yorkshire.
The Mennonite Church.
One of the latest denominations to enter the Darke county field was the Mennonite, and as a consequence its doctrines and customs are not as well known here as are those of other sects. This body is an outgrowth of the Anabaptist movement which followed the Reformation and now numbers in its vari- ous branches about a quarter of a million adherents of whom
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some 55,000 are in the United States, being mostly located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland and Virginia. They hold to the cardinal Protestant doctrines, but are opposed to taking oaths, to military service, to theological learning and to infant- baptism, and practice simplicity in life and worship. The local church governs itself.
The Greenville church was organized by Rev. D. Brenne- man, the presiding elder, in February, 1900, as the outgrowth of a mission which had been held for three or four years pre- vious on South Broadway.
Among the charter members were, Robert Wright and wife, Curtis Swabb and wife and Wesley Gorsuch. Rev. F. C. Rudy was the first pastor. A neat brick church was built on the southeast corner of Warren and Hall street, convenient to the residents of the east end of the city. Several pastors have served this church for brief periods since its establishment, among whom were William Huffman, J. J. Hostetter, H. F. Beck and the present incumbent, Clarence F. Moore. The pres- ent church enrollment is about seventy, and the membership of the Sunday school about one hundred. S. D. Hinegardner is the superintendent of the latter organization. There is an- Other church of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ which holds services in the Union church at the Beech, a few miles south of Gettysburg.
Other Denominations.
Besides these more or less well established denominations, there are representatives of the Christian Alliance, the Holi- ness Sect, Christian Science, and the Old Order River Breth- ren (sometimes called Yorkers). The latter live in a well de- fined community between Horatio and Bradford, where they commenced to settle at an early date. They are the most con- servative in practice of all the various denominations, living a simple, primitive life, and having no church. building. Among the early families of this sect were the Etters and Boyers. At present there are only about fifteen families in the county. The colored people also have two churches in their settlement in western German township near the state line.
County Sunday School Association.
The first recorded Sunday school in the history of Darke county was organized early in 1834 at the home of Abraham Scribner, later called "Scribner's White House," on West Main
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street. Eleven persons enrolled representing three or four de- nominations. Several accessions were soon made and within three years the number of members had increased to probably one hundred and seventy-five. About this time separate de- nominations began to organize their own schools and the school was disbanded. William Barrett, a Methodist, was the first superintendent ; Herman Searles. a Congregationalist, was the first secretary; and the Presbyterian and Episcopalians were also represented in the teaching force, which included such workers as Mrs. Bell, Mrs. Sexton, Mrs. Briggs, Mrs. Barrett and Miss Evaline Dorsey. As noted in the separate church sketches, each denomination later strove to develop a denominational consciousness. This condition continued until about 1870 when some of the most enthusiastic Sunday school workers saw the propriety of holding annual conventions and promoting co-operation among the schools of the county, re- gardless of denominational affiliation. W. J. Birely was presi- dent ; J. R. Robinson, secretary ; and William McCaughey, H. S. Bradley, J. L. Gourlay, J. T. Martz, J. T. Lecklider, John H. Martin, Rev. Wainwright, John Clark and P. H. Davis prominent workers in 1871. Conventions were held at Ver- sailles and Arcanum during that year. Much enthusiasm pre- vailed for awhile but the organization finally discontinued. Darke county was reorganized February 11, 1882, by S. E. Kumler, of Dayton, Ohio, and held its first convention at Greenville, May 18-19, 1882. The Rev. William McCaughey was the first president, and H. K. Frank the first secretary. The interest lapsed until 1885, when W. B. Hough became president, no convention being held in 1883-4. During the Hough administration from 1885-88, there was an awakening and several townships were organized. L. F. Limbert, of Greenville, was district secretary in 1888-9. In 1890, Superin- tendent John S. Royer, of the Gettysburg public schools, came upon the scene and organized all the townships in the county. except Adams, which had not lapsed, and York, which had but one school in it, but he and James Stewart organized York in 1894. This enthusiastic worker drove all over the county in the summer of 1890, enduring exposure and hardships. paying his own expenses and receiving no pay for services. In 1893 he organized eleven counties in southern Ohio, under the di- rection of Marion Lawrence, and that made Ohio a banner state.
In 1910 Mr. Royer reached the climax in bringing Darke
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county into the front-line rank ahead of all the other counties in the state. We quote from the general secretary's report to the State convention at Dayton in June, 1911 :
"Of the 373 front-line schools in Ohio, 243 are in twelve counties and about one-sixth of these are in Darke county, which has seventy-four schools, and forty-one are proven-up Iront-line. This remarkable record has been achieved largely through the plans and labors of Professor Royer, who philo- sophically reasoned that the pathway to front-line townships and to front-line county was by making all the schools front- line. It is therefore not surprising to find that of Darke county's twenty townships, ten are front-line. This record could be duplicated in every county in Ohio if the county offi- cers would seek to make both the townships and the county front-line by working the problem from the end of the front- line school."
Some Workers in the Revival of 1890.
Adams-S. D. Kissel, J. T. Hershey, P. B. Miller. James H. Stoltz, J. C. Harmon.
Allen-A. J. Bussard, S. A. Ross, Philip Heistand, William Ewry, Joseph Zerbe.
Butler-Calvin North, Joseph Jordon, Mrs. Harvey Fellers.
Brown-O. F. Johnson. R. P. Vernier, P. C. Zemer, E. Schmidt, George Rahn, John Gange.
Franklin-Monroe-A. A. Penny. E. E. Beck, Levi Minnich.
Greenville-A. J. Mider. I. N. Smith, W. D. Brumbaugh, A. B. Maurer. Lloyd Brown.
German-William Ludy, H. H. Webb, Elijah Wilcox. Lee Woods, Ellen Perry.
Harrison-Isaac Wenger. R. E. Thomas, W. C. Mote. D. W. Threewits, J. W. Ketring.
Jackson-William B. Foutz, M. F. Oliver, A. A. Hoover. William Arnold.
Mississinawa-Ed Miller, Gabriel Reigle. C. R. Reprogle. David Minnich.
Neave-Fred Wagner, John North.
Patterson-J. W. Keckler, Dottie Meek (Miller), H. Swal- low. J. N. Supinger.
Richland-M. L. Shafer, James Reed, G. H. Mills, B. F. Beery. Dennis Shafer.
Twin-Ezra Post, S. Rynearson, B. F. Keller, Ella Town- send.
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Van Buren-William Albright. J. C. Trick, James Routsong.
Washington-E. C. White, C. E. Daubenmire, B. F. Skid- more, William Weidman.
Wayne-J. S. Wade, M. A. Stover, Horatio Dye, James T. Stewart.
Wabash-C. A. Sebring, L. M. Carter, F. M. Birt, Job Goslee.
Since the revival of 1890, J. S. Royer, I. S. Wenger, Ezra Post, W. D. Brumbaugh, C. B. Douglas, F. M. Shults, D. T. Bennett. J. A. Pantle, William Underwood, A. L. Detrick and others have acted as superintendent ; while Mrs. J. C. Turpen, Mrs. John H. Martin, Mrs. E. M. Miller, O. E. Harrison, Ella Calderwood, Norman Selby. Mrs. E. Foutz and Fannie Hayes acted as secretary. Annual meetings have been held mostly in the towns throughout the county, in which state workers have taken a prominent part. Mrs. C. J. Ratcliff of Greenville has been the efficient and enthusiastic secretary for several years. The officers at present are :
President-A. L. Detrick, Rossburg.
Vice-President-A. F. Little, Bradford.
Secretary-Mrs. C. J. Ratcliff.
Treasurer-P. B. Moul, Gettysburg.
Superintendents of Departments-Elementary : Mrs. M. M. Corwin, Savona. Intermediate: Odessa Bussard, Ansonia. Adult: J. A. Westfall, Bradford. Teacher Training : Dr. J. A. Detamore, Hill Grove. Missionary: Mrs. Lewis Erisman, Gettysburg. Home and Visitation : Mrs. A. L. Neff, Green- ville. Temperance : Dr. W. B. Graham, Arcanum.
CHAPTER XI.
RANDOM SKETCHES From the "Darke County Boy."
The editor of this work has been led to compile a chapter under the above heading from the voluminous contributions of George W. Calderwood, the far-famed "Darke County Boy." who has written articles for the Greenville Courier, of which he was once editor, at irregular intervals for over thirty years, writing probably fifteen hundred or two thousand columns to date.
Mr. Calderwood is the son of the late Judge A. R. Calder- wood, a brother of Mayor E. E. Calderwood of; Greenville, and of Jolin Calderwood, editor of the Courier, and a brother-in- law of the late Barney Collins and Samuel R. Kemble. He was born in 1848 at Matchetts' Corner, about seven miles south of Greenville, and was raised in the county seat. He was a vigorous and jolly boy, keenly enjoying the sports of the days of his youth, and a close observer of the people and customs of those interesting times before the war. He pos- sesses a versatile mind, is gifted with humor, pathos and a remarkable and retentive memory, making his writings a ver- itable mine of information and a source of much sentimental enjoyment to others. George was a drum-major when but thirteen years old and acompanied his father with the Fortieth Ohio which was largely recruited in Darke county. He also served in the One hundred and fifty-second and One hundred and ninety-third regiments, and knows the ups and downs of soldier life.
As a temperance orator for the National Prohibition organi- zation he attained an extended reputation.
In build he is stout and stalky and bears a striking resem- blance to his distinguished father.
As a sentimental lover of the comrades and associations of bygone days, and a fluent, ready and persistent writer of pio- neer lore he has no equal in the county.
Accordingly this chapter is dedicated to him by one who knows the meager appreciation accorded the unselfish chron- icler of local history.
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On account of the diversity of topics treated, the matter selected can only be roughly classified and is accordingly ar- langed under the following heads :
SOCIAL LIFE.
Winter Sports.
We will now have an old-time winter talk :
All Mud creek is overflowed and frozen up from Tecumseh's Point to far above Bishop's crossing.
Hundreds of muskrat houses are to be seen stretched along the way. The ice is covered with snow, and rabbit tracks are seen galore. Greenville creek is also frozen up from Dean's mill to Knouff's dam and beyond.
Skaters everywhere. The snow isn't deep enough to annoy any one.
Pete Marks leads off, because he is the "champion skater of the west." George Smith is next, then comes his brother Ben. Hen Tomlinson swings in fourth, followed by Bill Creager, Tip King, Dave and Bob Robey, George Coover, Les Ries, Clay Helm, Ed Connor, Ike Kline, Jerry Tebo, "Jont" Gor- such, Jack Clark, Ike Lynch, Ed Tomlinson, Gus Rothaas, Bill Collins, Frank (Alex) Hamilton, and a dozen others.
Every muskrat house is assaulted and several animals are dead and lying on the ice. Bonfires are blazing and rabbits are being roasted. A lot of fish have been killed either by the snare, or stunned by the pole of an ax. The day is one of feasting, and fun of all kinds is on tap.
Supper time finds everybody at home, but none so tired but that they can take in the Thespian or the dance in Weston & Ullery's hall.
If the snow is deep enough, the older boys will be out sleigh- riding with the girls, while we smaller kids can be seen coast- ing down the hill towards Greenville bridge, but scooting off to the right of it and plunging down onto the ice in Greenville creek.
On moonlight nights the hill behind Robey's house (now the Bause home on Sweitzer street), found us coasting down it, the sleds often running as far out in the prairie as the old race track.
One thing the boys wore in those days that I seldom see now, and that is knit comforts of red, yellow, green and blue.
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The boy that had the most colors in his neck comfort was en- vied by all other boys. Neither do I see so many fur caps.
A rabbit skin cap or a squirrel skin cap was not to be sneezed at in those days.
The boy whose parents were rich enough to buy him a pair of buckskin gloves, or "mits" was envied by all boys who had to wear the "mits that mother knit" or go without.
The "holidays" in the 50's lasted from Christmas until New Year. That was the great dance and "festival" week-oyster suppers at the churches and other places. It was the great coming out season for boys who could afford overcoats, fur caps, skates and neck comforters. Later on it became fashion- able or rather aristocratic for boys to wear gloves-fur gloves at that-and the way they would put on style was a caution. Bear's oil was the favorite grease for the hair, provided it had plenty of cinnamon drops in it. Nearly every boy in town wore a round-a-bout. Long-tailed coats were for men only. Not every boy in town was accustomed to a pocket handker- chief. His coat sleeve was good enough. He would use first one sleeve and then the other. That kind of boy seems to have gone out of fashion.
Singing School.
Every community in Darke county had a "singing teacher" and of course a "class" of singers-or those who felt that they had voices that should be heard around the world.
The first thing to learn was the scale :
"Do-ra-me-fa-la-se-do Do-se-la-fa-me-ra-do."
That was about all they sang the first night. Most of the teachers had a little steel prong that they would tap on a table in order to get the right "pitch." Holding this to his ear the teacher would open his mouth as wide as the room would per- mit and then out would come his voice until the whole room was full of music. Organs and pianos were scarce in those days but melodions were plenty. As soon as the class was drilled sufficiently a concert would be given, the receipts of which went to the teacher as payment for his valuable ser- vices. He would then visit another neighborhood and "get up a class" and so on throughout the county. These teachers did lots of good and seldom any harm.
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"School Brats."
All those who were "school brats" from 1865 backward are requested to bring their "McGuffey's Readers," "Webster's Elementary Speller," "Ray's Third Arithmetic," "Stoddard's Mental Arithmetic," "Mitchell's Geography," "Bullion's Gram- mar," and "Payson's Copy Book." Of course each one is ex- pected to bring a slate and a pencil. Don't forget your lunch baskets. See that they are well filled, as you may want to eat a bite at recess.
The "girls" will be expected to wear sunbonnets, gingham aprons, short dresses (ladies', or course) and pantalettes with ruffles at the bottom. Those that have coppertoe shoes should wear them. Mohair garters are always in style-so that those who can't get coppertoe shoes should wear garters with rub- ber stretchers on each side. The "boys" should come bare- footed, if possible, but in case they have bunions they should wear red top boots.
When the spelling class is called every one should be pre- pared for it. There will be some jaw-breaking words, I know, such as Lat-i-tu-di-na-ti-on, In-com-pat-i-bil-i-ty, In-com-pre- hen-si-bil-i-ty, O-pom-po-noo-sol. Con-sti-tu-ti-on-al-i-ty, and Ir-re-spon-si-bil-i-ty.
Dancing.
When I was a boy everybody knew what a fiddle was, but nowadays they call them violins-a name that was too hi-fa- loo-tin for the pioneer dances in Darke county. It was a com- mon thing in early days at a country dance for one fellow to lead as chief fiddler and one or two others to play "second fiddle." Later on the big bass fiddle was added, as was also a horn, and then the outfit was called the "orchestra." The orchestra business killed off the old country fiddlers, and as a feature at country dances they have passed into history.
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