History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 100

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826

USA > Ohio > Licking County > History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present > Part 100

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William Newman, Turner Roberts and Mr. Peters. Probably one or more of these were influential in the organization and establishment of the church.

It was more than twenty years after the organiza- tion was effected, before they had a church they could call their own; meanwhile they rented rooms or buildings in various places. About 1861 or 1862 they purchased a lot for seventy-five dollars, upon which they erected the small building called the "Colored Chapel," which they occupied two or three years, and sold. They then rented and oc- cupied the Baptist church two or three years, when they purchased the present building and lot. This building had been used as a church by the Second Presbyterians, and had been removed by that society in order to erect upon their lot the present beautiful structure. The lot and old building cost the colored people one thousand six hundred dol- lars; they repaired it, and as it stands, it has cost them about two thousand five hundred dollars. The society is well established, strong and active, both in church and Sunday-school. The church membership, proper, is about forty, but the con- gregation is large.

The Sunday-school was organized in 1844, by William Henry and George Roots, two colored men, in a room south of the canal, then used by the society as a place of meeting for worship. This school went down once or twice, and was resuscitated, but has been for many years estab- lished on a permanent basis. The membership is about thirty.

St. Frances de Sales church :- The first written records of the Catholic congregation of Newark date back only to 1844, at which time, under the administration of Rev. I. Lamy, now archbishop of San Francisco, the first church edifice was erected, fronting on Granville street.

As early, however, as 1836, Rev. D. Young, of Washington, District of Columbia, visited Newark on horseback, on his way to Somerset and Cincin- nati, dispensing the sacraments of the church, and attending the sick calls along the canal, then being built. The same gentleman is also remembered as having about that time given lectures in the old court house on the square.

Among the early members of the church, and

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contributors to the erection of the frame building, now used as a barn, and standing on the rear of the church lot, are found the names of William Stanbery, Bradley Buckingham, E. McCarthy, Jonas Maurath, M. Morath, E. Koos, J. Buckell, Patrick Connelly, and Wilson and McMillen, some of whom are yet living in the city.

From 1844 to 1848, Revs. D. Senez, I. Lamy, A. P. Anderson, W. Schonat, and J. T. Boulger, attended the congregation in succession, until a regular pastor was appointed in the person of Rev. J. Branneman, who remained from 1848 to 1854, and who died at Rockaway, New York, in 1876.

In 1854, Rev. F. Bender was appointed by Arch- bishop Purcell, to the Newark parish, which com- prised the Linnville, Jacksontown, Natchez, Kir- kersville, Mattingly, and Jersey settlements.

In time the old church on Granville street be- came inadequate for the accommodation of the growing congregation, and steps were taken to erect the present substantial structure, the corner stone of which was laid about 1860, by Archbishop Purcell.

Soon after the foundation of this church was laid, a heavy rain came on, and the gutters being blocked by building material, the water ran in and undermined one corner, causing it to give way; which circumstance gave rise to considerable feel- ing against Father Bender, then pastor, and who was superintending the work. As the building was without much architectural beauty the congre- gation thought it should be, at least, solid; but Father Bender intended the building should answer the purposes of a school-house and church com- bined, and its long service for these purposes has fully tested its strength and justified the faith of the builder. Rev. Mr. Bender's efficiency being appreciated at headquarters, he was appointed to the task of superintending the erection of St. Edward's church, in Cincinnati, and in retiring from the pastorate of this church, generously relin- quished all claims against it for money he had advanced. He was succeeded by Rev. L. Cartu- yvels, December 19, 1863.

A school-house had been built by Rev. F. Ben- der as early as 1858. Rev. Cartuyvels remod- elled it, put a large addition to it, and transformed it into a parsonage, having removed the schools to

the west side of the church building. He als: renovated and added to the comfort and conwr ence of the church by painting, putting pine flo. in place of brick, placing furnaces in the baseme" and making various other changes, requiring :- outlay of a considerable amount of money. 4 lottery scheme was started by the church, why was successful in discharging a portion of this indebtedness. Some dissatisfaction, however, c1 isted in the congregation, and this, together vi- the fact that Rev. Cartuyvels, although having assistants at various times, among whom was Rey P. T. Daly, was no longer able to attend to :.. duties on account of age, and infirmities, causei his removal, and Rev. N. Pilger was appointed = his place.

During these years the school had been sustained first under private teachers, then under the care the sisters of charity, who, from their little earnin,s and charity fairs, succeeded in time in buying : lot on the corner of Granville and Pearl street- This society, leaving Newark to make way for the sisters of St. Dominie, sold this lot to the paster, Rev. N. Pilger.

Mr. Pilger was succeeded in 1874, by Rev. I. DeCailly; the present pastor. This gentleman firs paid the debts of the church, then removed the old buildings to the rear of the lot, and put a new floor in the church edifice, making it two stories He then erected the present beautiful brick par- sonage, on the corner of Granville and Peari streets, and both spiritually and financially lifed the church out of many of its former difficulties

The present membership is about sixteen her dred, of whom about one thousand or eles! hundred are communicants. The school attend- ance in four rooms averages two hundred and fif scholars, the larger boys being under the cha: of M. F. Kirnes. About three hundred children belong to the Sunday-school.

From past progress, it is expected that the strength of the church will so increase in a fer years that a new church edifice will be needed. and with this view the church has secured and holds in reserve a beautiful lot, fronting Granville and Sixth streets.

The German Methodist Episcopal church s

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cated on Fourth, south of the canal. Its organi- tion dates back' to about the year 1847, and ev. Conrad Gahn was, probably, more influer.tial an any other person in its establishment. The iginal members were Mr. Imhoff and wife, Mr oung and his daughter Caroline, Mrs. Kirsch ohn Reiff and wife, and a little later, Joshua Zart- an and wife, and others. Their first meetings ere held in the school-house in that part of town, id continued there uutil 1856, when they erected frame church building, at a cost of one thousand ur hundred and eight dollars, which is yet in use. he first pastor was Rev. Nippart, who is now in ermany. Conrad Gahn succeeded him. The 'esent minister is Rev. Trinker. The society is nall at present.

In 1850 a Sunday-school was organized, Joshua utman being the first superintendent. This hool is yet continued, with a membership of renty or more.

A parsonage was erected in 1874, at a cost of ne hundred dollars.

The Salem German church, of Newark, was ganized October 4, 1857. The corner-stone of e church building was laid October 9th, of the me year. The church was dedicated March 28, 358. Rev. W. C. Kiesel was the first pastor. he first elders were David Fisher, John Durkis, ugust Auer, and Peter Sacks. The number of embers at the organization was forty-nine, all ales. W. C. Kiesel continued in the pastorate of is church until 1861, and was succeeded by Rev. . Shide, in the autumn of that year. Mr. Shide as pastor until the spring of 1864. Rev. Phillip oser was pastor from 1864 to 1866, and was fol- wed by Rev. F. H. W. Bruechert, who was a aduate of the Presbyterian German Theological minary at Dubuque, Iowa. The present pastor Johannes Kromer, a native of Wurtemberg, Ger- any.

The Sabbath-school has been in existence since le organization of the church. This church longs to the Zanesville presbytery, and is there- te a member of the Presbyterian church of orth America.

The Christian Union church located in Cherry

valley, was organized in 1864 by Rev. B. Green. There is a large settlement of people of this denomination in this valley, and the church was well attended and sustained from the start. The original members were James M. Tomkins, John Showman, Jacob Showman, Monterville Lucas, A. Lucas, James Elliott, M. N. Odel, and fifty-five others. In the same year the church was built at a cost of one thousand five hundred dollars. The pres- ent membership is about twenty-five. A Sunday- school was organized in 1866, Mr. M. N. Odel being the first superintendent. The school numbers, at present, forty scholars and six teachers. C. C. Shaw superintendent.

The Seventh Day Advent church is located on Sixth street, between West Main and church streets. It was organized May 14, 1878, at the residence of Joseph Walton, M. D., on North Fifth street, by Elder J. H. Waggoner. The original members were Joseph Walton, Basil B. Francis, Mary Francis, Lucinda Sayre, Harriet Harrison, Samuel W. Brooke, Maria W. Brooke, Julia A. White, Charles C. Chrisman, Hannah F. Francis, Minnie A. Lumley, Charles C. Cooper, Mary Cooper, Melissa J. Dowell, Rachel A. Fow- ler, Phyla R. Hutchins, and Mary Lawrence.

The church had its origin in a two weeks' camp meeting, held in August, 1877, in the county fair grounds. The attendance at this meeting was large.

August 31st a tent was pitched on Fifth, near Granville street, and meetings held there until September 23d, when Wilson's hall was rented for their purposes. Meetings were held during the winter of 1877-8, in the various churches and in Dr. Walton's house. The church was erected in the fall of 1878, and dedicated December 29th, of that year, by Elders D. M. Canright and Burrell. The building is a square frame, and cost one thou- sand five hundred dollars. They have no settled pastors. The membership is now twenty-eight. The Sabbath-school was organized January 15, 1878, and has a membership of thirty-five.

The New Jerusalem church is located on Church street. It was organized in 1849 by Rev. Sabin Hough. Most of the original members of the or-

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ganization moved away soon after, and no services were held between the years 1851 and 1857, when the society was reorganized by Rev. J. P. Stuart, with twenty members, as follows: James White, Dr. E. R. Tuller, Jane P. Tuller, Henry Jones, William M. Cunningham, William B. Arven, Mary C. Baldwin, Fannie A. Baldwin, R. E. Jones, Ellen Marvin, Jennie Rees, John Cunningham, Henri- etta M. Roney, John O. Jones, Elizabeth Bryant, Julia A. Funk, Caroline Jones, William M. Bald- win, Julia C. Baldwin, and Valeria Arven.

The first lectures on the new church doctrines were delivered in the court house, by Professor Bronson, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio; the early meetings of the organized society being held in the second story of the market-house, corner of Main and Fourth streets. Dr. E. R. Tuller was the leader of worship.

The present church edifice was erected in 1861, and cost, with the lot, eleven hundred and sixty- five dollars and ninety-three cents. But two set- tled pastors have been employed; the first being Rev. A. J. Bartels, from 1862 to 1863, one year, and the second Rev. S. H. Spencer, one year, from 1874 to 1875. Worship has been conducted at other times by leaders selected by the society and by visiting ministers. The membership reached forty-three at one time, but by removals and death it has been much decreased.

Plymouth Congregational church, of Newark, was organized May 21, 1879, with sixty-six mem- bers, thirty-one by letter and thirty-five on profes- sion.

The organizing council, of which Rev. Samuel Wolcott, D. D., was moderator, and Rev. Henry C. Haskell, scribe, was composed of representa- tives of the following churches, viz: Euclid Ave- nue church, of Cleveland; Plymouth church, of Cleveland; the Congregational church of North Amherst; First Congregational church, of Colum- bus; High Street Congregational church, of Colum- bus; the Congregational church of North Colum- bus; the Congregational church of Alexandria; the Congregational church of Lock; the Congre- gational church of Mansfield; the Congregational church of Mt. Vernon; the Congregational church of Marietta.

The Rev. E. I. Jones had been preaching to i congregation for seven months before the orgaz ing council was called, first in the opera hozz afterward in the Murphy home, then in the cr hall.

The services attending the organization mr. held in the city hall; the Rev. R. G. Hutchens ! D., preaching the sermon, and Rev. D. S. Jc .- expressing the fellowship of the churches. Inte diately after the organization of the church. tx members extended an unanimous call to Rev. E L Jones to become their pastor.

At ten o'clock the next morning, May 22d. tz council met to examine the pastor-elect on doctrze and experience, and decided to proceed with se installation, which took place in the presence of 1 very large congregation on the evening of the same day: Installation sermon by the Rev. Frank Russell, installation prayer by the moderator, change to the pastor by the Rev. T. H. Hawks, D. L. right hand of fellowship by the Rev. Henry C. Haskell, charge to the people by the Rev. R. G Hutchens, D. D., closing prayer by the Rev. Jois Jones. The exercises throughout were character ized with dignity, ability and much spiritual power

On the first Sabbath in June, the church en joyed its first communion, when seven were added to its membership on profession of their faith in Christ.

The original members of this organization were! Mrs. Louisa Adams, Charles Adams, William H Ayres, Mrs. Eliza A. Ayres, Mrs. Martha Ayres Mrs. R. Biddings, Mrs. Julia Bourne, George M. E. Bourne, Miss A. A. Brooke, Irving H. Carb- right, Mrs. M. J. Cathright, Charles Cessna, Mrs. Adalade Cessna, Miss C. A. Cherington, Charles Daugherty, Mrs. Margaret Daugherty, Mrs. A. C. Drumm, Mrs. Margaret Eader, Miss Ida Eader, George Edwards, Mrs. Lucy E. Edwards, Mis Anna Evans, Abraham Flory, Mrs. Nancy Fhry, Thomas Falls, A. H. Fowler, Mrs. Minnie Fowkr, Wilton Fisher, Mrs. Leila Fisher, Mrs. Sarah Hathaway, Stephen H. Harvey, Mrs. Anna Harvey Mrs. Cloe Harris, Daniel Harten, Mrs. Jennes Harten, Thomas Hazlett, Mrs. Susan Hazlett. Res E. I. Jones, Miss O. B. Jones, DavidJ. Jones, Nel son M. Lamb, Emily J. Lamb, Miss Esther Luca Maynard Maybery, Margaret Maybery, James I

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Montgomery, William H. Montgomery, Mrs. E. L. [ontgomery, Mrs. Catharine Merrill, Miss Susan Terrill, Miss Mary C. Moull, J. W. Myers, Mrs. trah Myers, Mrs. Martha Norpel, Mrs. Harriet verturf, Miss Mary Reese, Mrs. Eliza Richard- on, Luther J. Sasser, Mrs. Doredia Steimetz, Mrs. arrie Taylor, D. S. Thurston, Mrs. Jane W. hurston, Mrs. Augusta Thurston, Mrs. Julia A.

White, Miss Emma Wheeler, Mrs. Permelia Wil- kins.

The present membership of this church is one hundred and forty-six. They have no church edi- fice, but occupy the City hall and the churches of other denominations.

A Sabbath-school was organized in April, 1879, and the pupils now number about two hundred.

CHAPTER LXX.

NEWTON TOWNSHIP.

OUND BUILDERS-INDIANS-STREAMS AND SPRINGS-SOIL AND TIMBER-FIRST SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS-FIRST SCHOOLS-FIRST MILL-THE PIONEER PREACHERS-THE "JERKS "-REV. JAMES B. FINLEY-THE CHURCHES -- CAMP MEETINGS-FAIRFIELD-CHATHAM-ST. LOUISVILLE-VANATTABURG-FIRST POST OFFICE-COUNTY OFFICERS FROM THE TOWNSHIP- - INCIDENTS OF PIONEER TIMES-WILLIAM KINNING-ZACHARIAH ALBAUGH-GENERAL JOHN SPEN- CER -- COLONEL WILLIAM SPENCER.

THE Mound Builders once occupied the terri- . tory which now forms Newton township. They ected some works, the chief of which is a small one mound between the North fork and the Clear rk, on the farm formerly owned by Mr. John eed; also a large earth mound on the farm of the te Benjamin Elliott, not far from the junction of e Brushy fork and North fork; and a small stone ound on the hill west of the Coffman mill.

There is no Indian history of especial interest onnected with the 'township. The Wyandots, Delawares and Shawnees roamed through it exten- vely, using it as a hunting ground, and most like- had temporary encampments within it, but none a permanent character, nor any village within istoric times, at least.

The Clear fork, Brushy fork and North fork are le principal streams. The "Big spring," east of le North fork, forms a tributary to the latter, ›metimes called "Spencer's run," and is a consid- able stream.

The spring is upon the farm on which General ohn Spencer settled in 1805, and in early times irnished an amount of water sufficient to drive a w-mill and a grist-mill. It was probably the rgest spring in Licking county, but, doubtless, in

common with other streams, flows less water now than it did at the time of the first settlement of the county, before the land was cleared, and the ob- structions in the streams removed, and when the evaporation was inconsiderable. Spencer's run is not much over a mile in length.

There is considerable alluvial soil along these streams, but elsewhere in the township the land is rolling, and in some places hilly. It is, however, rather productive, especially in the North fork and Clear fork valleys; also along the Brushy fork and in other localities.

Maple, hickory, walnut, sugar and different vari- eties of oak were among the prevailing forest trees, with others common in this latitude.

Its early settlers were mostly from Virginia and western Pennsylvania. John Evans came from Virginia and settled in what afterward became Newton township, in 1803, and was its first settler. His brother, George Washington Evans, either came at the same time or not long afterward, and had a temporary residence with, or near, his brother, before he settled near the Indian village of Raccoon town, now Monroe township, in 1807, and became the first settler in that township.

In 1804, Evan or "Dickey" Humphrey, as he

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was called, and Chiswold May, his son-in-law, both Virginians, settled on Spencer's run. The latter was a noted hunter. Mr. Humphrey was a some- what singular, indeed an eccentric character, and had passed with honor;through the Revolutionary war. He was one of General Wayne's forlorn hope at the storming of Stoney Point.

General John Spencer came from Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1805, and settled near the Big spring. Stephen Robinson came during this or the succeeding year.

Abraham Wright, James Evans, Evan Pugh and George Harris settled in Newton in 1806.

In 1807, Thomas Cannon, of Delaware, came to the township from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, where he had had a short residence.

Abraham Wright, above mentioned as an immi- grant of 1806, may not have arrived until this year.

William Morrison came from Pennsylvania and settled in this township, on or near the borders of the Welsh hills, during this or the previous year.

The immigrants of 1808 were James Stewart, Samuel Stewart, Thomas and William Gray and Nathan and Samuel Preston, though the Preston brothers may have arrived a year later. They all ~came from Pennsylvania, as did also Captain James Coulter, who settled in 1809 or 1810. Captain Elias Hughes, George Woods and Joseph Laird, became settlers in 1809 or 1810.

Henry Benner, John Bevard, and perhaps oth- ers came to Newton in 1810; and these were fol- lowed in succession by Major John Huston, Will- iam Spencer (brother of General John), Colonel John Waggoner, Peter Pence, David Marple and others, who were principally Virginians and Penn- sylvanians. Zachariah Albaugh, the veteran cen- tenarian revolutionary hero ; John Keim, Christian Stout, Bazaleel Moreland, Edward Thomas and others were settlers of a later date. These were also Virgi ans and Pennsylvanians.

James Maxwell taught the first school in the township. This was in a small log cabin school- house which stood on the land now owned by Mr. Bullock, near St. Louisville. William Morrison, father of a late fellow citizen, William P. Morri- son, was also a pioneer school teacher in Newton. He taught in 1808, in a log structure erected for

a stable, on the farm long owned and recently oc- cupied by the late venerable Maurice Jones. Mr. Morrison was a man of considerable ability and learning. He received his education in Massa- chusetts, his native State, where he attended an academy, having John Quincy Adams, once President of the United States, as a fellow student

Alexander Blackburn taught school in a log school-house that stood on the land now owned by James Stewart, one of our county commission- ers, then near General Spencer's residence, about the year 1810, and for several years afterward About the same time the aforesaid Maxwell taught in a log school-house wr.ich stood on the farm of Isaac Harris, near the Clear fork.

The house was built by George Harris, Stephen Robinson, and a few others in that neighborhood

About the year 1815, Archibald Wilson com- menced teaching in Spencer's school-house. He followed teaching several years; having a collegi- ate education and considerable ability. He served during the War of 1812, on the staff of General Gaines, on the northern frontier, in which service his health was greatly impaired.

Newton township is, at present, divided into eight districts for school purposes.

About the year 1806, Mr. John Henthorn built a grist-mill on Spencer's run. It was a mere corn- cracker, about twelve feet square, with buhrs or millstones about the size of a large grindstone. Mr. Stephen Robinson erected a saw-mill on the North fork in 1808, and not long after a grist-mill also, on the same stream.

Judge Elliott built a saw-mill on Spencer's run in 1814. William Spencer came to Newton in 1816, and during the next year erected a grist-mill near the Elliott saw-mill on the same stream. During the War of 1812 George Harris built a saw-mill on the Clear fork; and soon thereafter David Harris erected a grist-mill on the same stream. John Keim built a saw-mill near the mouth of Clear fork about forty years ago.

The pioneer preachers of this township wert John Emmett, Michael Ellis, William Knot, James Smith, Abraham Fry, John Green, and Messrs. Cloud, Daniels, Gruver, and McClelland These held religious meetings here before 1814 Rev. James B. Finley regularly traveled a circ

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which embraced Newton township, in the years 810 and 1811. He preached regularly at the louse of Mr. Stephen Robinson while on this cir- uit, and, probably, at the house of Mr. Nathan 'reston, who was an acquaintance and friend of is, they having previously lived near each other in he southern part of the State. Mr. Finley was a prominent preacher in Ohio nearly half a century. His father had given him a good education, which, dded to more than the usual amount of intellectual lower, made him a preacher of considerable force. His father had charge of the Presbyterian church t Cane Ridge, Bourbon county, Kentucky, where ras held the celebrated camp-meeting in August, 801. At this most remarkable camp-meeting or- ginated the religious exercises known as the 'jerks." Mr. Finley was, in his youth, much iven to the vices prevalent in frontier communi- ies, but he attended the Cane Ridge camp meet- ng, and was induced by the teachings there im- arted to him, and by the inspirations he then eceived, to commence a Christian career which ave to the people of the west the ministerial ser- ices of an efficient pioneer preacher for more than fty years. He was a plain, blunt, bluff, out- poken man, and wielded considerable influence in is denomination. He spent some years as a mis- ionary among the Wyandots, and for a long time erved as chaplain in the Ohio penitentiary. He 'as widely known as a bold advocate of temper- nce. He indulged much in a pugnacious spirit; 1 fact, his temperament was of the combative sort, nd he devoted much of his time to fighting schis- natics, errorists, distillers, Calvinsts, slave-holders, 'hiskey-sellers, and sinners generally, of all classes.

Mr. Finley was born in North Carolina in 1781, ut his childhood and youth were spent in the cane- rakes and frontier settlements of Kentucky. He rew into manhood in the midst of rough back- 'oodsmen and untutored, pugilistic associates. After spending many years among the half-civilized Vyandots and State prison convicts, it is not sur- rising that he never attained to those superior de- rees of polish in manners, speech, and deportment, at belong to the higher plane of civilization; but ontinued somewhat pugnacious in temper, rustic 1 manner, and harsh, blunt, rough-spoken in ad- ress.

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 100

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr. Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Number of Pages: 826

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826