USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of Dayton, Ohio. With portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneer and prominent citizens Vol. 2 > Part 28
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HISTORY OF DAYTON.
Ascension Chapel, as is stated in the history of Christ Church, was established as a mission Sunday-school in the castern portion of the city in 1868. A lot, upon which it was the design to erect a church edifice, was purchased on the following Ascension Day, and hence the name of the organization. Finding soon afterward that the location was not suitable for the work of the mission, a lot was purchased in South Day- ton, on the southeast corner of Monroe and Warren streets, upon which a building was erected and completed in 1870 at a cost of nine thousand dollars, including the cost of the lot. This lot was consecrated June 20, 1870, by Bishop Bedell. Rev. A. W. Seabrease was called to the rector- ship December 23, 1870, but declined, and on July 18, 1871, a call was extended to the Rev. F. B. Bartlett, who likewise declined. This experience was of such a discouraging nature that for some time no further effort to secure the services of a rector was made, but the Sunday- school was kept up regularly and was the means of bringing many into the church. Rev. J. II. Logie became rector of this church in 1885 and remains in the pulpit to the present time.
The First United Brethren Church was organized in 1847 in a small upper room of the Oregon engine house, which stood at the southeast corner of Sixth and Tecumseh streets. This was not, however, the first movement to organize a church of this denomination in Dayton, an un- successful attempt having been made in 1840. Of the church organized in 1847, there were fifteen members, among them being John Dodds and wife, Daniel Keifer and wife, John W. Crabbs, and Mrs. Bowen. At first there was preaching every other Sunday afternoon, in connection with the Springfield circuit. The first pastor was the Rev. Robert Norris, who was assisted by Rev. William J. Shuey. For the first few years the chief obstacle to the growth of the society was the want of a house of worship. This obstacle was, however, at length overcome, the congregation being strengthened in 1850-1851 by valuable accessions from the country, and the erection of a church building was undertaken in 1852 at the corner of Sixth and Logan streets. This building was of brick and was com- pleted that year. It was dedicated by Bishop J. J. Glossbrenner, and served the congregation as a temple of worship until 1873. It is now used as a mayor's office and by the police. court of the city. When the church building was erected, a parsonage was also erected adjoining the church on the west.
The first regular pastors of this church after the erection of this new building were the Revs. William R. Rhinehart and D. K. Flickinger, who served jointly, services being sustained both morning and evening ou Sundays. A. Sunday-school was organized, in which D. L. Rike and
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CHURCH HISTORY.
E. W. MeGowen were active workers. The growth of the church was slow but steady, and was aided in 1853 by the establishment here of the publishing house which gave valuable additions to the membership. In 1856, there were ninety-two names on the roll. At a revival in 1860-1861 one hundred and four persons were received into the church. A Young Men's Association was established, and the prospect was inspiring, but when the War of the Rebellion broke out, it swept away the young men into the army, and the association was broken up. In 1858, under the leadership of J. B. King and John Lawrence, a mission was begun among the colored people of the city, which resulted in the organization of the Third United Brethren Church on Ludlow Street.
The pastors during the first twenty years of its existence, while it occupied the Sixth Street property, were, besides those above mentioned, the Revs. John W. Price, L. S. Chittenden, Henry Kumler, Jr., Alexander Owen, John Walter, William J. Shuey, S. M. Hippard, Jacob M. Marshal, D. Berger, W. II. Lanthurn, and C. Briggs. During the pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Briggs, the conviction seized upon a few of the members that further expansion and usefulness would be next to impossible in the old location, east of the canal. The discussion of this question resulted in the sale of the old property-church building and parsonage -- to the city of Dayton for the purposes above mentioned, and the purchase of a site on Fifth Street, between Main and Jefferson, on which the church now stands. The old house was vacated January 1, 1873, and before the next Sunday a temporary place of worship had been secured in what is now St. Jolm's Lutheran Church on St. Clair Street. In the meantime the trustees rented the Universalist church, on Main Street, at an annual rental of five hundred dollars. At this time the membership was two hundred. In 1873, a new church was erected on the site purchased in 1872. The basement was completed and opened November 20, 1873, aud dedicated by Bishop Weaver, who also dedicated the auditorium on Sun- day, December 17, 1876.
The Rev. Mr. Briggs served the church from 1870 to 1873, and was succeeded by the Rev. W. J. Pruner, who remained one year. Rev. E. S. Chapman became pastor in 1874 and remained until March 1, 1882, when he was succeeded by Rev. S. A. Mowers. In 1888, Mr. Mowers was suc- ceeded by Rev. L Bookwalter, A. M., the present pastor. In 1874, under the Rev. Mr. Chapman, a new and upward career of the church began, which resulted in trebling the membership, the Sunday-school, and the stated congregations For many years a mission Sabbath-school had been conducted on High Street by this congregation. A lot had been purchased and a frame building created as far back as 1865. In 1878,
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HISTORY OF DAYTON.
under Mr. Chapman's pastorate, a brick building was erected in place of the frame, and in 1881 the Conference was requested to organize a separate congregation at that place. This was accomplished in the fall of 1881, and the church is now known as the High Street United Brethren Church. In the spring of 1886, one of the members of this church suggested to the Dayton United Brethren Ministers' Association the establishment of a mission in the southern part of the city, between Wayne and Brown streets. A committee was appointed to examine the field and a member of the High Street United Brethren Church to can- vass it. An encouraging report was made, and the committee continued with power to act. The First Church Quarterly Conference elected a board of five trustees from the various congregations. A lot was pur- chased on the corner of Oak and Bonner streets, and a chapel and parsonage erected at a cost of six thousand and five hundred dollars. With the exception of one thousand and twenty-five dollars given by the Annual Conference, the money was contributed by the First Church. The results of this mission work so far have been exceedingly gratifying. At its first session in the new building the Sunday-school numbered 279; at the third, 370; at the fourth, 360; and at the fifth, 377. The membership of the First Church in 1881 was 555; in 1887 it was 609, and in 1889 it is 630, and that of the Sunday-school, 475.
The Sunday-school of this church is in a very flourishing condition. Some of the statistics are as follows: The attendance for the three years 1883, 1881, and 1885, was more than eighty per cent of the enrollment. The average attendance of adult scholars per Sunday was 236, while for the year 1885 it was 252. The average attendance of the school was, for three years, 353, while for 1885 it was 381. The regular collections of the school for the three years amounted to $1,603.07, or $534.36 per year, while, in 1885, the regular collections amounted to $544 60. In 1883, ten scholars united with the church; in 1884, thirty, and in 1885, thirty-five.
The Ladies' Aid Society of this church, first known as the United Brethren Sewing Society was organized in 1861. Its first meeting was held in a small room on the second floor of the Telescope building. After- ward its meetings were held at the houses of the members, then at the parsonage, and later at the church. The purpose of the sewing society was to secure, by donation or manufacture, articles of clothing for the needy poor of Dayton, and such other places as the society may determine. In 1872, the name of the organization was changed to the Ladies' Aid Society, the constitution was revised, and the work of the organization enlarged, its purpose now being "to supply the wants of
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the needy in our church, and to urge children to come to Sunday-school; supply them with suitable clothing when necessary, and to do all in our power to induce the parents or guardians to become Christians." Origi- nally, the society derived its revenues from fees of members, donations, and solicitations. Now the church is called on annually for a subscription to which it cheerfully and generously responds. Its labors have becu directed in other channels besides that of helping the poor. In 1882, it raised, by subscription, $514 for the purpose of refitting the lecture room of the church, frescoing the walls and ceiling, and carpeting the floor. An organ recital was given, under the auspices of the society, which netted $218.50, and the society donated one hundred dollars toward paying for the new organ. The money for the pulpit furniture was given by the ladies. The society, in its quiet way, is doing a great deal of good, and its efforts are characterized by a spirit of humility and charity. . The members are extremely thankful that the efforts of the society to do good have been uniformly crowned with success.
The Second United Brethren Church ( German ) was organized in 1853. The first pastor was the Rev. II. Staub, and the second was Rev. J. A. Sand. At first, worship was conducted in the lecture room of the. First United Brethren Church, but in 1855 a one-story brick church edifice was erected on Wayne Street, near Jones. Rev. W. L. Craumer was the third pastor, and he was succeeded by Revs. E. Light, G. Fritz, G. Schmidt, A. Krause, M. Bussdicker, C. Streich, E. Lorenz, Charles Schneider, Solomon Vonneida, Justus Mocller, Charles E. Schneider, George Schmidt, and Justus Moeller.
The Third United Brethren Church was organized in 1858 as a mission, under the care of the First United Brethren Church, for work among the colored population in the city. A brick building was erected a few years later, on South Ludlow Street, at the present entrance to Court Street. The church was disbanded in 1883, many of the members were taken into the other United Brethren churches, and the building was sold and removed. Four of its former members, Rev. and Mrs. .Joseph Gomer, and Rev. and Mrs. D. F. Wilberforce, have been for many years missionaries at Shaingay, West Africa.
Summit Street United Brethren Church was organized in 1871 by . a number of members of Miami Chapel, a United Brethren church a short distance south of the corporation limits. It was then known as the Home Street Church. The house of worship, partially completed, was dedicated May 21, 1871, by Bishop J. J. Glossbrenner. The church building remained in an uncompleted condition until 1880. But this the congregation would have been unable to accomplish, had it not been 16
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HISTORY OF DAYTON.
for a generous proposition made by John Dodds, to furnish all the money necessary to complete the work, after the congregation had itself raised three thousand dollars. A neat and commodious church edifice was the result of this proposition. The church will seat one thousand persons, and the entire cost was $8,098.90. The Ladies' Aid Society gave $513 toward the cost of the cupola. The church was dedicated April 30, 1882, by Bishop Glossbrenner. The pastors have been as follows: J. P. Landis, C. Briggs, A. W. Drury, William Dillon, different members of the faculty of Union Biblical Seminary and editors of the Religious Telescope who served in the interval when the church was without a regular pastor, William Boardshear, M. HI. Ambrose, W. C. Day, and George M. Mathews.
Iligh Street United Brethren Church was organized as a mission of the First Church in 1870, a Sabbath-school having been established in 1866. The pastor, in 1881, was Rev. George M. Mathews, who was succeeded by the Rev. E. S. Lorenz, and he by the Rev. J. W. Kilbourn, the present pastor of the church.
Oak Street United Brethren Church is located on the northwest corner of Oak and Bonner streets. It was established in 1886, with Rev. Lewis Bookwalter, A. M., as, pastor. In 1888, Rev. E. A. Starkey, A. M., succeeded the Rev. Mr. Bookwalter. Its membership is now about two hundred.
Miami Chapel United Brethren Church is located east of Broadway and south of the corporation line. It is the oldest church of the denom- ination in this vicinity, and the parent of all the United Brethren churches in the city. Rev. E. F. Powell was pastor in 1882, and he has been succeeded by Revs. Edgar W. Bowers, George W. Arnold, M. R. Bair, and Henry Doty.
The Otterbein United Brethren Church (German) was organized in North Dayton, in April, 1889, with Rev. J. Sick as pastor. It is located on Chapel Street.
The Dayton United Brethren Ministers' Association was organized in 1886. Its present president is Rev. W. J. Shucy. It holds monthly meetings from September to May, discussing topies of general and special interest, and planning for the extension of church work.
The Broadway Christian Church was organized in 1828 with nine members. Not long afterward a church building was erected on Main Street, between Fourth and Fifth, which was known as the Union Meeting House. In .1848, the church was re-organized and a new cov- enant adopted, which was signed by twenty-one members, and a short time afterward seventeen other names were added. In 1849, a prominent
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member of the organization died, having bequeathed the south half of lot number 206, upon which the meeting-house stood, to the church. In 1852, the church commenced receiving colored persons as members. Three years later the heirs of Mr. Bruen purchased the half-lot of the church for thirteen hundred dollars. From 1851 to 1857 the church was without a regular pastor, and was supplied by the conference. In 1858, it was again re-organized with thirty-nine members, and in 1859 two lots were purchased on the corner of what are now Broadway and Home Avenue. A building committee was appointed to ercet a house of worship, and a one-story brick church with basement was erected, and the basement dedicated in June, 1860, by P. Mccullough, who was then the pastor. From 1864 to 1867 the church, being again without a pastor, was supplied by the conference. In 1868, the auditorium of the building was com- pleted and dedicated by Rev. J. W. Weeks. It has a seating capacity of four hundred. In 1872-1873 the debt of the church was paid. In 1874, the name was changed to the Broadway Christian Church. In 1876, an effort to unite with the Christian ( Disciples') Church failed. Following is a list of the ministers of this church since its organization: Revs. T. S. Wells, E. W. Humphreys, J. M. Dawson, J. T. Lynn, P. Mccullough, J. W. Weeks, J. Byrkit, H. Y. Rush, W. A. Gross, J. S. Jones, W. J. Lawrence, J. W. Nobles, C. D. Williamson, George Tenney, and Josiah P. Watson.
Brown Street Christian Church was organized at first as the First Regular Baptist Church, as 'has been set forth in the history of that organization. On the 21st of March, 1829, it became what was then known as a Campbellite Church and continued to worship in the church building on Main Street, between First and Second, until about 1850, when it transferred its worship to the corner of Brown and Sixth streets. While on Main Street, some of the pastors were Elders D. S. Burnett, David Gosney, William Pinkerton, L. H. Jemison, and J. R. Fraim, and the visiting ministers were Alexander Campbell, Walter Scott, Ayleft Rames, Samuel Hushom, and Joshua Swallow. From 1849 to 1862 the pastor in charge was Elder J. M. Henry, and his successors in the regular order of their pastorates were Elders Jolm Errett, J. M. Long, D. E. Van Buskirk, J. H. Mccullough, L. H. Frazier, Dennis M. D. Todd, L. R. Gault, and IT. L. Willett, the present pastor.
There has recently been established another church of this denomi- nation in Dayton View, called the Church of Christ. It is located on Salem Avenue, between Gilbert and Superior avenues.
Emmanuel Church Evangelical Association was established in 1840 by Rev. A. B. Schafer. The first meeting was held at the house of Peter
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HISTORY OF DAYTON.
Schneiber in Angust, and in 1841 a class of twelve was formed and attached to Miami Circuit as a mission. In 1843, a lot on the corner of Walnut and Fifth streets was purchased for two hundred dollars, and a small brick church erected at a cost of four thousand dollars. This building was dedicated on the first Sunday in September, 1843, by Rev. A. B. Schafer. In 1849, a second church was erected in front of the old one, 38x50 feet in size. In 1851, this building was dedicated by the same pastor. In 1855, it became a station, and in 1857 it was added to the Indiana Conference. In 1870, a lot was purchased on Commercial Street, near Fifth, upon which a commodious house of worship was erected at a cost of seventeen thousand dollars. It is a two-story brick, the audito- rium being in the upper story, with a seating capacity of over five hundred, and the Sunday-school rooms and class rooms in the basement. The building was dedicated in 1870 by Bishop R. Dubs, D. D. Following is a list of the pastors of this church in the order in which they have served: A. B. Schafer, John Hall, Frederick Meyer, Jacob Burkert, Levi Hess, G. F. Spring, A. B. Schafer, John Nicholai, - Koag, A. Dreisbach, John Dreisbach, Darl Strohman, Leonard Scheurman, M. Steuffe, Philip Brech, F. Weithoupt, John Fuchs, J. M. Gomer, M. Hoehn, M. Steuffe, M. Klaiber, John Kaufman, J. E. Troger, J. M. Gomer, J. F. Hansing, Mathias Hochin, Charles F. Hansing, Mathias Hochu, and C. C. Beyrer. The membership of this church is now two hundred and ninety, and the scholars in the Sunday-school number two hundred and twenty. There is connected with this church a mission, having forty members, and its Sunday-school has three hundred and fifty scholars.
Wayne Avenue Evangelical Association was begun as a mission of the Emmanuel Church. In 1888, a frame building was erected on the southeast corner of Wayne and Xenia avenues, and a church was organized in June, 1888. The pastor is Rev. A. O. Raber.
The First Reformed Church was organized in 1833 with seven members. Rev. David Winters was one of the first ministers of this denomination to preach in Dayton, and it was as the result of his work here that this church was formed. Regular services were held for a time in the courthouse, but soon the Christian Church on Main Street was secured, and it was in this building that the church was organized. Some years afterward a number of German families were taken into the. con- gregation, and services were held alternately in the English and in the German language. A charter was obtained for the church in January, 1837. On the 18th of April, 1837, the trustees purchased the ground now occupied by the church ou Ludlow Street, between Second and
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Third, for seven hundred dollars, and a fine brick church was erected on the lot the same year. The building was dedicated June 7, 1840, there being two sermons, one in English by Rev. Henry Willard and the other in German by Rev. George Weisz. In 1849, a German organization with ninety-five members was effected as an integral part of the congregation. In 1850, a division of the charge, which included three congregations besides Dayton, was made, and the pastor resigned. Rev. A. P. Freeze took charge of the Dayton church, and the Rev. David Winters of the other three congregations. Rev. Mr. Freeze retired in 1852 and was sue- ceeded by Rev. Samuel Phillips, who retired in April, 1853. In the following September, six families withdrew to organize the Mt. Carmel Church, three miles west of the city. On the 1st of January, 1856, Rev. George W. Willard, D. D., became pastor and retained the pulpit until December, 1860. Rev. Lewis HI. Kefauver became pastor of the church January 1, 1861, and remained until July 1, 1863. He was succeeded in October by T. B. Bucher, who remained until January 1, 1867. In the meantime the church had been improved at a cost of nearly twenty thousand dollars. Rev. Dr. Van Horne then served the church as pastor from September 1, 1868, until 1875, and was succeeded by Rev. W. A. HIale, the present pastor. This church has now six hundred members. and the Sunday-school has three hundred and forty scholars.
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The Second Reformed Church grew out of a separation of a part of the members of the First Church from that body, as set forth in the sketch of that church. About thirty families withdrew, in order to have services in their own (the German) language. In 1859, they creeted a church building at the corner of Clay and Cass streets, which was dedi- cated in the fall of the same year by Rev. II. J. Rutenek, of Cleveland, Ohio. The following have been pastors of this church: Revs. A. Tons- meier, C. Becker, E. F. Luedders, W. Wittenweiler, George Rettig, Oswald J. Accola, C. HI. Schoepfle, and the present pastor, II. A. Meier. Rev. Oswald J. Accola came first in 1866, and remained until 1876, when he was succeeded by Rev. C. H. Schoepfle, who remained two years, when Rev. Mr. Accola returned, and remained the second time from 1878 until 1886, when the present pastor came. Since then the congre- gation has erected a new briek church on the site of that erected in 1859. It is a one-story structure, 76x54 fect in size, and with a spire one hundred and ten feet high. When completed, it cost twelve thou- sand, five hundred dollars. The Sunday-school has one hundred and fifty scholars, and the church two hundred and fifty-six communicant members.
Trinity Reformed Church was organized December 12, 1886. It is
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HISTORY OF DAYTON.
an organic part of the Miami Classis of the Reformed Church of the United States. Originally, there were forty-nine members in the organ- ization. The first services were held on January 2, 1889, and the Sunday- school was organized on this day. The Rev. E. Herbruck was pastor in charge of the church from the date of its organization until August 28, 1887, when the present pastor, Rev. M. Loucks, came. Services have been held, so far, in Room 12, Central Block, at the southwest corner of Fifth and Jefferson streets. The church has now two hundred members. The following have been elders of the church: G. G. Prugh, V. P. Van Horne, D. C. Lichliter, M. D. Myers, and G. W. Shearer; and the following have been deacons: G. G. Galloway, S. B. Hall, J. S. Crilly, John Blum, and W. A. Filbert. The elders and the deacons constitute the consistory of the church. The following is a list of the trustees: M. D. Myers, W. G. Miller, David Hawker, John Blum, and J. H. Dorf- meier. On the 5th June, the church held a congregational meeting, at which it was determined to raise thirty thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting a new church building, and that ten thousand dollars should be raised before any selection of ground upon which to build should be made. V. P. Van Horne has been superintendent of the Sunday-school ever since its organization. At first there were one hundred and thirty- two scholars enrolled, now there are four hundred and eight. It has a library of three hundred volumes, and G. G. Galloway is the librarian. Mrs. V. P. Van Horne is the president of the Ladies' Association; Mrs. Rev. M. Loucks, of the Mission Band; W. A. Blum, of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor; and Mrs. Rev. D. W. Ebbert, of the Missionary Society.
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The Hebrew Congregation, Kilo Kodish B' Nai Jeshuren, was organ- ized in 1850, with about twelve members. Among these first members were Jacob Schwab, Joseph Lebensburger, Abraham Ach, Simon Ach, Adam Lebolt, Morris Wertheimer, and Abraham Mack. For some time they met in what had been the old Dayton Bank building, on Main Street, which was afterward the residence of Joseph Bimm, and in other places. Some time in the early part of 1863, they purchased the church building standing on the corner of Fourth and Jefferson streets, of the Baptists, put it in a good state of repair, and adapted it to the uses of their own congregation. It was then called the New Jewish Synagogue, and on the 28th of September, 1863, was described as nearing comple- tion. The tables of Moses had been established above the ark of the covenant, and ou either side of the ark were seats for the president and vice-president. In the center of the synagogue was a second altar, upon which was a desk, where the scroll was read on Sabbath days and
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holy days. This new synagogue was dedicated October 7, 1863. A procession was formed at two p. M. The band headed the procession, and was followed by the city council, invited guests, little girls, young ladies, prominent members of the Jeshuren bearing the three scrolls containing the law, and male members of the Congregation. The Rev. Dr. Wise, of Cincinnati delivered a short address, and was followed by Rev. Mr. Demary, rabbi of the Congregation, and after the dedicatory address there was a song by the Cincinnati choir. Rev. Gotthilf Taubenhaus was pastor of the church until 1883, when he was succeeded by Rev. Israel Saenger.
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