USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County : together with historic notes on the Northwest, and the state of Ohio, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and all other authentic sources > Part 42
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Odd-Fellows .- Xenia Lodge, No. 52, was instituted November 4, 1845, by Past Grand H. N. Clark, of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, with the following charter members: William M. Stark, John W. Merrick, A. M. Stark, E. S. Nichols, Peter Kepler, C. Wittrim, and L. P. Defrees. It is the parent of Odd-fellowship in this county. It has at present one hundred and forty-seven active members, and about $3,300 of investments.
Tabor Lodge, No. 315, was instituted June 11, 1857, by Right Worthy Grand Master William Chidsey, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Charter members : D. R. Foreman, F. A. Loyed, Levi Rader, J. M. Newkirk, F. E. Hubbard, and W. C. M. Baker. First officers: D. R. Foreman, noble grand; Levi Rader, vice grand; W. C. M. Ba- ker, secretary; John F. Dodds, permanent secretary; F. A. Loyed, treasurer. On the 10th of October, 1862, Tabor Lodge voted to surrender her charter, which was accordingly done. By request,
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the grand lodge, May 10, 1871, restored the charter. The present number of members is eighty.
CHURCHES.
United Presbyterian .- At a meeting of the presbytery, held at Cynthiana, Harrison County, Kentucky, September 28, 1808, a pe- tition was presented from certain persons in Xenia, Ohio, desiring supplies of preaching from the presbytery. In accordance with this petition, Rev. Abraham Craig was appointed to preach at Xenia on the fifth Sabbath of October, and first Sabbath of November, 1808. Mr. Craig also preached four Sabbaths in Xenia in 1809. In 1810 Mr. Steel was appointed to preach four Sabbaths in Xenia, previous to the next meeting of the presbytery. April 24, 1810, Mr. Steel was appointed to preach at Xenia, and preside at the elec- tion and ordination of elders in this congregation. The regular organization of the congregation, therefore, must have taken place in 1810. In 1811, Rev. Adam Rankin and Rev. William Baldridge were appointed to preach in Xenia. In 1813, a petition was pre- sented for the moderation of a call, which was the first call for a pastor. It was made out for the Rev. James McCord, but never presented. Rev. McCord connected himself with the Presbyterian Church, and the call was returned to the congregation.
During the year 1814, Revs. Rankin and Craig frequently preached at Xenia, and on the second Sabbath of that year dis- pensed the Lord's Supper, which is the first account on record of the observance of that holy ordinance in this congregation. In 1815-'16, Revs. Risque, McFarland, and Steel were frequently ap- pointed to fill the vacancy at Xenia. In 1817, a call was made out for Rev. John Steel, which he accepted, removed to Xenia in 1817, and took charge of the congregation, with which he continued to labor until 1836, a period of nineteen years. He was the means of converting many souls to God. On account of his infirmities, and a desire to educate his sons for the ministry, he resigned in 1836, and on January 11, 1837, was called to the great congregation in heaven.
As illustrative of pioneer life, we give an extract from Mr. Steel's journal :
"On the 17th day of April, 1808, we set out from a point near Maysville, Kentucky. After crossing the Ohio, we lay out in the
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woods all night, and reached Chillicothe on the evening of the 20th. Preached at Chillicothe from Romans 10: 4; also, Romans 14: 17; probably the first preaching to the Associate Reformed congrega- tion in Chillicothe."
On the 13th of May he crossed the Little Miami in a canoe, mak- ing his horse swim by its side, and preached at the house of Mr. (afterward governor) Morrow.
"17th, preached at the house of Mr. Beckett; 20th, preached at the house of Mr. Shaw, on Clear Creek. On the 21st of May, preached at the house of Mr. MeKnight, near Bellbrook. On the evening of the 22d of May, staid at the house of Mr. Galloway, near Old Chillicothe, who was the father of our worthy and de- ceased brother, Major James Galloway."
After his resignation, in 1836, the organization remained without a pastor for two or three years, when a call was made out for James R. Bonner, and by him accepted. Mr. Bonner continued to preach for about eight years. When he resigned, another vacancy occurred for two or three years. In October, 1845, Rev. Robert D. Harper visited the congregation, accepted their call the next year, and was ordained and installed. In 1870 he was succeeded by Dr. More- head, who served until 1875, when Dr. Thomas H. Hanna was called, who in turn gave place, in 1880, to - Wright, present pastor.
The Second United Presbyterian congregation, of Xenia, is the old associate congregation, continued under this as its name since the union of the Associate and Associate Reformed churches in the year 1858.
It has been claimed, and we suppose correctly, that, though the Associate church had organized congregations in Greene County before the Associate Reformed, still the latter had its organized con- gregation in Xenia before the former. Hence, since the union of these churches, the Associate Reformed has been known as the First United Presbyterian congregation of Xenia, and the Associate as the second.
Organization .- The immigration into Greene County of Associate Presbyterians, especially from Kentucky, which began near the close of the last century, increased rapidly, and two congregations were soon organized, called, in the minutes of the Presbytery of Ken- tucky, sometimes the Greene County congregations, sometimes the congregations of Massie's Creek and Sugar Creek. Soon thereafter,
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a log building, as a house of worship, was erected by the Massie's Creek congregation, on the lot immediately adjoining what is now called the Massie's Creek old burying ground. About the same time, a log building for the same purpose, was erected by the Sugar Creek congregation, about two miles north of Bellbrook. The members of the Associate church, in and around Xenia, belonging to the Massie's Creek, and Sugar Creek congregations-chiefly the former. In 1804, Rev. Robert Armstrong, who had been the pastor of the great majority of these immigrants while in Kentucky, was installed over them again as their pastor in these congregations in Ohio. These congregations were under the joint supervision of one session. As far back as 1811, this joint session included the following ruling elders, namely: Messrs. Joseph Kyle, (grandfather of Messrs. Joseph and D. M. Kyle, of this congregation), Thomas Simpson, John Gregg, Hugh Hamill, George Galloway and James Morrow, residing in Massie's Creek congregation, and Messrs. James Bain, John Torrence, and William Turnbull, residing in Sugar Creek. On the 2d day of April, 1813, a new minute-book made its appearance, called the minute-book of the session of Xenia and Sugar Creek congregations. This session, like that of Massie's Creek, and Sugar Creek, formerly had joint supervision of these two congregations. The first meeting of this joint session noticed in this book was held on August 2, 1813. Ruling elders present, William Turnbull, John Torrence, Hugh Hamill, and James Bain. Mr. Turnbull shortly afterwards removed into Massie's Creek con- gregation. Whether any meetings of this session were held, pre- vious to this one, we do not know. If there were, the minutes can not be found. This much, however, is certain-this session, as a session, had an existence before that time. In the minutes of the presbytery of Kentucky for October, 1813, we find the following extract from the minutes of the associate synod of May, 1813, namely : "The petition of the associate congregations of Xenia, and Sugar Creek to be disjoined from the Presbytery of Kentucky, and annexed to the Presbytery of Chartiers" was granted. Here we find the con- gregation of Xenia mentioned in May, 1813, as then an organized congregation. Tracing the history still farther back, we find it was in an organized condition on October 13, 1812; also on April 21, 1812, and yet father back still, on the 21st of October, 1811. In the minutes of the Presbytery of Kentucky for October 21, 1811, we find this record, namely: "Two petitions were presented, one
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from Massie's Creek, and Sugar Creek 'congregations, praying for the moderation of a call, which was unanimously granted." Again in the minutes of that presbytery for April 21, 1812, we find this record, namely : " A call from Greene County congregation for Rev. Wm. Hume, accompanied with two petitions, was presented and read."
Church Buildings .- During the first two or three years of its ex- istence, this congregation ordinarily met for divine worship in the court house of that day. In the year 1814 its first house of worship was built. It was a stone structure, perhaps 50x35 feet, and stood on the lot immediately west of the lot on which the present church building stands. In that house the con- gregation worshiped twenty-six years. In 1840 the present house of worship, 75x57 feet, was erected. In 1857 an improvement was made upon it by the addition of six feet to its hight, two pilasters, standing one at each front corner, and two towers, standing at proper distances between the pilasters. In 1877 the present lecture room, 40x26 feet, was built.
Boundary Lines .- When this congregation was organized, the principle of elective affinity as regulating congregational connec- tion was not regarded with favor. It was a time of congregational boundary lines. Accordingly, the first thing in order to organiza- tion was, as we have already seen, the establishing of a dividing line between Massie's Creek congregation on the one hand, and Xenia and Sugar Creek on the other. This line ran nearly north and south, and about one and a half or two miles east of Xenia at its nearest point. There was no clearly defined line between Xenia and Sugar Creek congregations until January 14, 1822. Though the session was a joint session, having the supervision of both con- gregations, and all the members of the two congregations took part in the election of members of the session, still it was the un- derstanding that they should have each about the same number of elders and deacons. Moreover, it had always been the understand- ing that each congregation was responsible for its proportion of the pastor's salary. Both these things supposed a tacit understanding of a dividing line. Yet, to guard more certainly against difficulty, it was decided to have this line definitely fixed. This was done at the date above named. This line ran nearly north and south, and directly past Mr. Thomas Ginn's (now Mr. John Ginn's). Again the congregation of Massie's Creek, in 1827, removed the place of
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worship from its old site to the present location, on the farm of the late Mr. William Collins. In consequence of this removal, a num- ber of families of that congregation were nearer to Xenia than to Massie's Creek new church, and therefore petitioned presbytery to be disjoined from Massie's Creek and annexed to Xenia. This petition was granted. The result was the removal of the dividing line from one and a half to two miles further east, and the annex- ation of some fourteen families of Massie's Creek to Xenia congre- gation. Further, the congregation of Sugar Creek, in 1833, removed their place of worship from the old log church north of Bellbrook, and located it on the farm of Mr. Samuel Holmes. This movement removed the place of worship so far from those families of the congregation residing between the Little Miami River and the western boundary of Xenia congregation, that the result ultimately was the transference, by presbytery, of these fam- ilies to the latter congregation, thus virtually establishing the above named river as a new boundary line between the two con- gregations, and it so continues to this day.
Ruling Elders .- The ruling elders residing within the limits of the two congregations, and constituted by act of presbytery, Octo- ber 21, 1811, at the first session, were William Turnbull, John Tor- rence, James Bain, and Hugh Hamill.
Trustees .- William McClellan, James Galloway, Jr., and James Winter, appointed March 26, 1814.
Pastors .- As many will feel an interest in knowing, not only those who became actual pastors, but also those who were called but declined accepting, we will give both classes.
Rev. William Hume, brother-in-law of Rev. R. Armstrong, and at that time pastor of the associate congregation of Nashville, Ten- nessee. The call on him was moderated in 1811, or early in 1812. On October 13, 1812, Mr. Hume, having referred the disposal of this call to the presbytery, that court, after much deliberation and with great hesitancy, decided against transfering.
The call on Mr. Francis Pringle was moderated by appointment of Chartiers Presbytery, most probably in 1813. Sustained by that presbytery, April 13, 1814, accepted July 19, 1814. Mr. Pringle was ordained by that presbytery, at Mt. Pleasant, Washington County, Pennsylvania, November 29, 1814, and, in pursuance of the appointment of that presbytery, installed by Rev. Robert Arm- strong, on the second Wednesday of January, 1815. From this
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pastoral relation he was released by death, on March 15, 1818. The minutes of session give neither the names nor number of those received into membership during Mr. Pringle's pastorate. The uniform oral testimony, however, was that the congregations greatly prospered under his ministry. He was greatly beloved by his people. They regarded him as an able minister, and yet not so eminent for his talents as for his piety and faithfulness. In 1817, in consequence of failing health, he went to North Carolina, to visit his brother, Rev. James Pringle, pastor of the associate con- . gregation of Steel Creek, of that state, and died of consumption at the time above indicated. His brother James died of fever the following October. It is sufficiently remarkable to be noted, as one has said, that these two brothers died in the same house, in the same room, and in the same bed; they were laid in the same grave, and the same monument records their excellence and end. It appears that a sermon was shortly after preached in Xenia con- gregation, by Rev. R. Armstrong, having special reference to Mr. Pringle's death.
From the defect in the minutes of session already referred to, in neglecting to give either the names or number of persons admitted to membership, we are unable to give the number of accessions from the close of Mr. Pringle's pastorate to the commencement of the next-a period of two years and six months.
Mr. Robert Douglass. Called May 5, 1819. The called declined.
Dr. Thomas Beveridge, having been requested by the session of this congregation to give a sketch of his pastorate in Xenia and Sugar Creek congregations, gave the following :
"Having been licensed by the Associate Presbytery of Chartiers in August, 1819, my appointments led me, among other places, to Xenia and Sugar Creek, which congregations I reached the 1st of November, 1819. I preached alternately in the two congregations during that month; and the last two Sabbaths of the succeeding January. The two congregations united in a call to me, February 28, 1820. The salary promised was $500, considered at that time very liberal. The Presbytery of Kentucky, as it was then called (afterward Miami), consisted of only three ministerial members- Messrs. Armstrong, Hume, and Kennedy-and these at great dis- tances from each other. In consequence of this, the call was sent to the Presbytery of Cambridge, New York, to be presented. It was accepted August 2, 1820. That presbytery also received and
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sustained my trials for ordination. I arrived at Xenia October 4th, but was not ordained till the 9th of the next January. Mr. Hume came all the way from Nashville, to assist Mr. Armstrong in that service. At this time there was great trouble in Massie's Creek congregation, in consequence of which Mr. Armstrong resigned his charge."
Mr. David Goodwillie. Called October 22, 1824. Call declined.
Mr. Joseph Clokey was called February 20, 1827, but declined. The foregoing call on Mr. Clokey, and all the preceding ones, were made by the congregation of Xenia, in connection with Sugar Creek, as one pastoral charge. This connection was dissolved by the Presbytery of Miami on the 10th of November, 1828. The calls following were made by the congregation of Xenia alone.
Rev. Abraham Anderson. Called January 26, 1829. Call de- clined.
Mr. Samuel Wilson. Called May 3, 1830. This call was accept- ed on September 20, 1830. Mr. Wilson was ordained and installed April 27, 1831. Rev. N. Ingles preached and presided in the ordi- nation, and Rev. Dr. Carson, of Tennessee, gave the charges to the pastor and congregation. This congregation had been vacant from April 5, 1824, until September 20, 1830, a period of six years and five months, but received from presbytery all the supply of ordi- nances and pastoral care in its power to give. To Rev. James Adams, especially, who had been installed as pastor of Massie's Creek congregation a short time before. Mr. Beveridge's resignation, was due from Xenia congregation a lasting debt of gratitude for his prompt and very acceptable ministerial services whenever needed, and in his power to render. During this period of vacancy thirty- six members were added-thirty on profession, and six on certificate.
On the 20th of September, 1830, commenced the pastorate of Mr. Wilson, and it continued for a period of twenty-five years and six months. In May, 1855, he was elected to the professorship of The- ology and Hebrew in the Xenia Associate Theological Seminary. Finding his labors in the seminary and congregation rather too bur- densome, but especially because the synod had indicated it as rather their wish that he would give his undivided attention to the sem- inary, he tendered to the Presbytery of Miami his resignation of the pastoral care of the congregation, which was accepted March 18, 1856.
Mr. S. B. Reed. Called December 1, 1856. Call declined.
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Mr. R. B. Ewing. Call sustained September 21, 1858. Ordina- tion and installation, January 20, 1859. Dr. Clokey preached on the occasion, Rev. J. P. Wright presided in the ordination and in- stallation, Rev. R. E. Stewart delivered the charge to the pastor, and Dr. Beveridge to the people.
During the period of nearly three years elapsing between the res- ignation of the former pastor and the installation of Mr. Ewing, there were received into membership on profession, twenty-four; on certificate, twenty-four-in all, forty-eight; and dismissed, fif- teen. The pastorate of Mr. Ewing continued about nine years, during which time there were received into membership on profession, one hundred and two; on certificate, one hundred and fifteen-in all, two hundred and seventeen : and dismissed, twenty-two. Through- out his pastorate he continued, as his predecessors had done, to preach twice on the Sabbath, except in the three winter months of a few years, when, at the request of the congregation, he preached but once, that the Sabbath-school might meet in the afternoon. At the beginning of his pastorate he, like his predecessors, had his alternate years of district catechetical instruction and ministerial family visitation, but after some time ceased from them altogether. At his own request, he was released from his charge January 14, 1868. The pastorate remained vacant two years, during which time there were received into membership on profession, twelve; on certificate, fifteen-in all, twenty-seven; dismissed, forty-one.
J. G. Carson-1870-1880. In May, A. D. 1869, a call was made out for Rev. J. G. Carson, pastor of the congregation of Cannons- burg, Pennsylvania, in the Presbytery of Chartiers. This call was accepted by him in October, and his installation took place toward the last of December of that year. Rev. J. W. McNary preached the sermon, Dr. Herron delivered the charge to the pastor, and Rev. W. A. Robb to the people. At the beginning of this pastorate a considerable number of the congregation-between forty and fifty members-including two of the elders-Messrs. Morrow and Mon- roe-separated from the congregation, and uniting with the Re- formed Presbyterian congregation, which agreed to come into the United Presbyterian Church, formed the Third United Presbyterian congregation of Xenia. This reduced the membership of the con- gregation to about one hundred and eighty-five members, which, however, in the first fifteen months was again increased to its pre- vious number of two hundred and thirty. During the first year,
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also, notwithstanding its diminished strength, the congregation un- dertook and accomplished the entire refitting and furnishing of the interior of the church, at an expense of over $3,000, the whole of which amount was subscribed and paid by the time the work was completed.
The Third United Presbyterian Church of Xenia, was organized December 9, 1869, by a union of thirty-five members of the Re- formed Presbyterian Church, and forty members from the Second United Presbyterian Church of Xenia.
The first communion was held by Rev. W. H. McMillan, January 23, 1870. On March 28, 1870, a call was made for Rev. W. H. McMillen to become their pastor, which he accepted, and was in- stalled in June of that year; remained pastor till January 28, 1873, when he received a call to Alleghany, Pennsylvania, which he ac- cepted.
November 3, 1873, a unanimous call was given to Rev. R. Turn- bull, which he accepted, and remained pastor till September 17, 1878, when he received a call to Detroit, October 8, 1878. A unanimous call was made for Rev. W. G. Morehead, D. D., which he accepted, was installed December 17, 1878, and now is their pastor.
First Baptist Church .- This church was first formed in Xenia by nine persons, who had taken letters from the Cedarville, and Cæsar's Creek Baptist Churches for that purpose. They were Rev. T. P. Childs, Sister A. E. Childs, Rev. Wm. McDonald, Sister Lucinda McDonald, Thomas McDonald, John and Elizabeth Birth, Ebenezer and Melinda Hatch; five brethern, and four sisters, representing only four families.
The church was organized November 2, 1844. Rev. T. P. Childs acting as moderator, and John Birth as clerk. After due delibera- tion, articles of faith, and a church covenant were adopted. On the 30th of the same month, Rev. Childs, who had labored so carn- estly, and efficiently in organizing the church, was called to the pastorate. At the same meeting, Sister Susanna Parcell and her two daughters, Catharine and Martha, presented letters of, dismis- sion from another church, and were received; being the first acces- sions after the organization.
On the Thursday before the last Sunday in December, 1844, the church dedicated its new house of worship. On Sunday, June 8, 1845, Joshua Jones was baptized, the first recorded.
The first celebration of the Lord's Supper recorded, took place
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August 10, 1845. During this year, the church united with the Mad River association. This year, also, for the first time the church held thanksgiving services.
January 10, 1846, delegates were appointed to meet with others at Cæsar's Creek, for the purpose of forming the Cæsar's Creek association.
July 11, 1846, Rev. T. P. Childs resigned his pastorate, after a service of nineteen and a half months, during which time five per- sons had been received by baptism, and fifteen by letter.
September 12, 1846, letters of dismission were granted to Rev. T. P. Childs, and Sister A. E. Childs, the first dismissions on record.
December, 1846, Rev. S. Marshall was called to the pastorate, served regularly for one year, and half the time, three subsequent months. June, 1848, Rev. J. R. Downer was invited, and accepting, was subsequently ordained, and served the church until 1850.
At the church meeting, March 30, 1850, a call was extended to Rev. G. D. Simmons, at a salary of four hundred dollars. In Nov- ember and December, 1850, the first revival of note was enjoyed, the pastor being assisted by Rev. S. Gorman, in which thirty-six were received-twenty-four by baptism, and twelve by letter. In May, 1851, Rev. G. D. Simmons, closed his labors as pastor, on ac- count of inadequate support, with the regrets of the church. Brother Simmons' pastorate, was marked by the admission of many mem- bers, who in after years became shining lights in the church. The church was without a pastor until October of the same year, when O. B. Stone accepted an invitation, and was ordained March, 1852. The first expulsions are found in the records of August 9, 1852.
October 8, 1853, Rev. Stone resigned, and December 10, 1853, a call for three months was extended to Rev. Parmalee; March 11, 1854, a regular call was given him, and he was ordained March 23, 1854, a special invitation being given to Rev. M. Stone, of Cincin- nati, Ohio, to preach the ordination sermon. The spring of 1854 was a fruitful year for the church. November, 1855, Mr. Parmalee resigned.
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