History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 61

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798

USA > Ohio > Logan County > History of Logan County and Ohio > Part 61

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Zanesfield has little to boast of in the way of buildings, either public or private. There is no hotel building in the town. The store room built by Charles Folsom about the year 1866 is the only one constructed with any regard to adaptation to the requisites of a store room. The building is a good, substantial frame, two stories high. On the first floor is a fine, com- modious salesroom, well lighted and furnished, with a cellar and two convenient storage rooms, The upper room is finished and fur- nished for an Odd Fellows' hall, with all the necessary conveniences and appendages.

Of schoolhouses, there have been three built in this place. The first in 1831, on Lot No. 11. a one-story brick, about 18x30 feet in size; the best schoolhouse in the township at the time-perhaps as good as the county afforded. It was very plain and simple in its structure. In 1834, it was decided to pull it down and replace it with a larger structure, it having become dilapidated and unfit for use. Accordingly, the house now used by Robert Jacobs as a shop was built in its place, and was regarded as a long step in advance, but did not give entire satisfaction. In answer to the demand for better school ac- commodations, Lots No. 6, " and 8, in McCol- loch's Addition, and in the year 1875, a sub- stantial two-story brick building was erected, with two good school-rooms on each floor.

Of church buildings, the oldest is that occu- pied by the Baptists, at the north end of the village. It was built in 1836, by Lanson Cur- tis, and used as a place of religious worship by the Methodists, though owned and held by

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HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

him as private property until the 16th day of July, 1842, when, having removed to Columbus, he regularly conveyed it to Isaac S. Gardner and others, Trustees of the Zanesfield Metho- dist Epis opal Church. It was occupied by the church until October, 1867, when the new church building was completed and taken possession of, it having in the meantime been sold to parties for the use of the Baptist de- nomination. In 1822 a church of that denom- ination having organized, the property was conveyed to its trustees. The house was originally 24x36 feet in size. In 1843 it was enlarged by an addition of ten feet to the front end. Other improvements were also made, making it a neat and comfortable, though simple and plain church edifice. The next church edifice in the order of building was the Presbyterian, of which a brief notice will be found in the sketch of that church.

The Methodist Episcopal Church, as just remarked, was built in the year 1867. It has a pleasant location, lot No. 10 of Tenery's Addition, and is in size thirty-six by fifty-six feet. It was erected and furnished at a cost of abont $2.800. Its successful completion was larg dy due to the energetic efforts of George Folsom. S. D. Elliott and Ira Brown, and the liberal contributions of the member- ship generally, seconded by the indefatigable labor of the preacher in charge, Rev. J. A. Wright.

The block-houses were of historic note, dating back beyond either church or school- house. There were three in number-one near the residence of Ebenezer Zane. one year the present residence of Ira Brown, and on mar the alley and nearly in a line be- tw in the residence of John Everingham and htof M.s. A. E. Robb. The latter, still tin liter in 1530, was used as a stalde by Maj. Alexander Long, who owned the prem- ises. The ferrer two had been removed long before thet tim .. They were garrisoned dur -

ing the war by a company of volunteers, who were at one time relieved by a company of United States Infantry. As the post never suffered an attack, its history was a peaceful one.

The history of Isaac Zane's house, here al- luded to as the residence of the first white man that ever lived in the county, is the starting point from which the boundaries of the survey were established. Its history as a store-room, postoffice and tavern is brief. It was purchased of the owner of the prem- ises, probably Dr. Marmon by John Monroe, and removed to the northeast comer of lot No. 22, where it was rebuilt and used as a dwelling for many years, being owned and occupied by various persons until the year 186-, when it was purchased by Robert Jacobs, who, after using it as a dwelling for a number of years, converted it into a shop, for which it was used until 182-, when it was taken down and removed, after having been in its last location over forty years.

. There is little doubt that Goshen monthly meetings of the Society of Friends was the first religious society organized in the town- ship. As the early records are not to be found, no particulars of date or names can be given. The Marmons and Reamses, who were the first settlers with the family of Josiah Outland, who settled near by in Zane Town- ship at the same time, probably at first con- nected themselves with the Darby meeting, organized `and located just north of Middle- burg. Soon after this, however, a meeting- house was built on the spot now occupied by the Goshen church, one mile east of Zanes- field on the Middleburg road. Among the original members most probably were Robert Martin, and Samuel Marmon, and Josiah Out- land, and their respective families; Daniel Butler and his family; Joseph Dickinson and others whose names are unknown. Aaron Brown and a number of the Reamses were

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

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Bowers, 1859; Moses Hibbard, 1860; Wm. H. Peck, 1861; Wm. HI. Peek, 1862; Jason Young, 1863; John C. Miller, 1864; D. D. L. Reagh, 1865; J. A. Wright, 1866; HI. J. Big- ley, 1867 and 1868; Benjamin Herbert, 1869, 1870 and 18:1; Charles Larnesworth, 18:2, 1813 and 1814; Wm. S. Littell, 1875, 1876 (removed during his last year-B. Herbert supplied); B. Herbert, 1876; M. M. Mark- with, 1828, 189 and 1880.

Among the pastorates noted for large ac- cessions to the church were those of Linch, Fant, Frisby, Reagh and Bigley. Numerous other pastors have enjoyed considerable in- gathering.

Only one meeting-house has been built by the church, the first having been an individual enterprise. As the building of this has al- ready been spoken of, it need only be added that the house is in a good state of repair, hav- ing recently been repainted.

Of the members who have contributed their means and labors and influence to build up and sustain the church may be men- tioned the names of Lanson Curtis, John S. Knight, Jonathan Bishop, Joshua Scott, Rufus Sprague, Daniel Cowgill, George W. Downs, Dr. J. W. Johnson, Jacob Wonders, George Folsom, S. D. Elliott, G. S. Parkhurst, J. W. and Joel Easton, B. and J. Plummer, Ira Brown and Oren Outland. A Sabbath school in connection with the church has been sus- tained for at least thirty-five years, and the greater part of the time it has been in a flour- ishing condition, and although under the control of the church, members of other denominations have contributed largely to its numbers and interest.

The fourth church in point of time organ- ized in the township was the Presbyterian, organized on the 11th day of January, 1851. It would be, perhaps, impossible to state au- thentically who were the first Presbyterian families to settle in the township, or the date

of their advent. John Robb, an uncle of Dr. James S. Robb, of Zanesfield, eame with his family, consisting of his wife, two sons and two daughters, from Guernsey County, as early as 1832, and settled near the upper end of the McKee's Creek Valley; but being con- neeted by membership and association with the Bellefontaine Church, they were scarcely considered as a part of the religious of the township. Though worthy and respected, they left without ever being identified with any religious organization in the township. This influential denomination may have been represented by individuals, and possibly fam- ilies, prior to this time; but, if so, we have not been able to cull np the faets. Next, so far as we ean recollect, came L. P. Burton, Esq., and his estimable wife, and perhaps one or more of her sisters. They came about 183 -- , and remained until about 1843, and during the carly period of their residence in Zanesfield organized a Sabbath school in the small briek schoolhouse standing where Mr. Jacobs' shop now stands. This was the first school in the township established on the basis of the American Sunday School Union. The school continued for a considerable length of time, but for some cause unknown to the writer it was discontined; and there is nothing on record to show when the first ser- mon was preached by a Presbyterian minis- ter. It was, however, most probable that it was between the years 1842 and 1845; for it is pretty certain that in the latter year Mr. J. H. Gill and Mr. W. M. Galbreath (the latter at the time a student, or if a minister, of recent ordination) were in the habit of visit- ing Zanesfield and holding religious services in the Methodist meeting-house, then the only house of publie worship in the place.

In the meantime, Sylvester Robb and wife, and William Cook and wife, settled in the township, the former perhaps as early as 1835, and the latter in 1840, and their number

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HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

was augmented by the addition of Mrs. James Kenton, in 1845, and Mr. (now Rev.) Luther Smith and wife shortly after, thus forming a nucleus around which a Presbyterian inllu- ence continued to gather and increase until, in the latter part of the year 1850, it took shape in a memorial prepared and presented to the Presbytery of Sydney, on the 11th day of December, requesting that the memorial- ists be organized into a church to be called "The Zaneshield Presbyterian Church." The request was granted, and J. H. Gill, W. M. Galbreath and J. M. Glover appointed a com- mittee to open the church if way opened.

On the 11th day of January, 1851, the com- mittee convened at Zanesheld and organized a church consisting of Solomon Adams and wife, William Cook and wife, Sylvester Robb and wife, Luther Smith and wife, Mrs. James Konton, John Nelson and wife, Joseph A. Nelson and wife, Judge Joshua Robb and wife, and two daughters, Jesse Milner and wife, with others, amounting in the aggregate to thirty-three persons. They were not, however, all residents of Jef- ferson Township. One of those unfortunate dissensions that occasionally mar the har- mony and impair the usefulness of a church had broken out in the church at Bellefontaine, and hence a number of influential members of that church withdrew and became constitu- ent members of the church at Zaneshield. At the organization of the church, Judge Robb and Luther Smith, were elected and installed ruling Elders.

It is difficult, in the absence of any definite rever 1, to give a detailed account of the dif- fient pastorates, but they occurred in about tlo flowing order: Rov. J. K. Lye, a young mindfer ien Kentucky, continued to preach for The olen h hn a few months after its or- ganze, but left probably in May or June flavinr; and we find no record of any meet- ing of the session or other act of church until

November 12, 1853, when Justns Rutan, his wife and five others were received into the church, Rev. T. T. Smith then being Pastor. Mr. Smith probably only remained one year, as Rev. E. D. Raffensperger was present and or- dained Mr. Rutan a ruling Elder in May, 1855. The pulpit was supplied occasionally-per- haps a part of the time regularly-by Revs. Seth Howell, L. HI. Long, W. B. Spence and E. D. Raffensperger until September, 1857, when Rev. William G. Hillman assumed the duties of pastor, only remaining, however, one year, after which the church was supplied by Rev. J. H. Gill and perhaps others, including Rev. L. I. Drake and Mr. James A. Marshall until June, 1860, when Mr. Marshall was or- dained and installed as Pastor of the church, which relationship he held for three years, in- terrupted only by an interval of failing health, during which the church was supplied by Rev. Mr. Kingsley. At the close of Mr. Marshall's pastorate. we are only able to learn from personal recollections that the Rev. . I. Drake, Principal of the West. Liberty Union School, supplied the pulpit for a considerable length of time, followed by Mr. Charles Hill, who commenced his labors as a supply in 1866, and was ordained and installed as Pastor of the church in the carly part of 186 ;. Ile continued Pastor of the church two years, af- ter which Rev. L. I. Drake continued to sup- ply the church regularly, in addition to his arduous duties as Pastor of the Church at West Liberty, until the latter part of the year 1874, when Mr. Luther Smith, then in his seventy-fourth year, in accord with the advice and approval of his friends in the church and in the ministry, presented himself before the Presbytery as a candidate for ordination. Ile was ordained and installed as Pastor of the church, in which capacity he continued to serve until his resignation in October, 1819. since which time the church has been without a Pastor; Mr. D. C. Ghormley, a student of

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Princeton University, is serving as temporary supply. From this brief review it will appear that the pastorates have usually been short; none exceeding three years except that of Mr. Smith, and no one has followed his pre- cedling one without an intervening vacancy. And yet the church seems to have made a reasonable progress, having received into its communion two hundred members. The ruling Elders have been: Joshua Robb, Luther Smith, Justas Rutan, E. T. Davis, Samuel Marquis, George D. Adams, Charles H. Chap- man, J. K. Abraham, Samuel Jameson, Thomas Marquis, William S. Irwin, Charles Rockwell, C. A. Rockwell, R. B. Porter, J. E. Smith and G P. Stevenson.

At an early period in the history of the church - perhaps in 1853-a house of wor- ship was erected on lot No. 4, McColloch's Addition to Zanesfield. It simply consisted of a good, substantial frame building, 36x50 feet in size, with two doors in front, with an aisle leading from each to the rear, where a plain pulpit was constructed. It was furnished with plain but comfortable seats. The posi- tion of the pulpit and seats have several times been reversed, but at present occupy their original position. The house was erected by William Cook and Joshua Scott, but at what cost we are unable to learn, as much of the labor and material was furnished by contrib- utors, of which no record is to be found. Dr. J. S. Robb was a leading member of the building committee. Some five years ago, a proposition was entertained to repair or rebuild the house, which was very much out of repair, but, a large proportion of the membership and congregation residing in the vicinity of East Liberty, the project was overruled, and a very neat edifice erected at that place, where the church holds services alternately. During the pastorate of Mr. Hillman, a Sabbath school was organized, of which he was Superintendent. It was in successful

operation for two or three years, but after the departure of Mr. Il. waned in interest, and finally disappeared. Schools have been or- ganized at different times subsequently, but have never become permanent in duration.

The East Liberty Free Will Baptist Church is a body composed of two congre- gations-one at East Liberty, having a house of worship there, and the o her in and around the head of Marmon's Valley, having a house of worship three miles east of Zanesfield, on the Middleburg road. The two congregations grew up simultaneously about the year 1853, under the missionary labors of Elder David Dudley. Of the last mentioned branch or congregation we aim to give a brief sketch. A temporary organization was effected at a prayer-meeting held in the schoolhouse in District No. 1. Among the first members were Edward Outland and daughter. Samuel Reams and wife, A. P. Curl and wife, A. P. Marmon and wife. Samuel Butler and wife, one of Benjamin S. Taylor's sons, and prob- ably several others whose names are not known. The church continued to worship in the schoolhouse a few years. Shortly after its constitution, following a very refreshing re- vival at East Liberty, Rev. Oscar Baker com- menced a protracted meeting at this point, which resulted in a great ingathering. It is probable that through the impetus thus given the neat and comfortable meeting-house was built, now used by the church. We cannot give the dimensions of the building, nor the expense of erecting, but its size is sufficient to accommodate the very respectable congrega- tions that usually assemble there; and in re- gard to the cost of building, it was cheerfully contributed by the community in crested, without soliciting foreign aid or incurring the blighting influence of a church debt. After the pastorate of Elder Baker, which contin- ued until about the year 1849, the Rev. Mr. Colyer became Pastor of the church, and

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continued in that relation until he enlisted in O. V. I., in 1862. Ile was followed by Elder B. F. Zell, who continued with the church until the year 1815, succeeded by Elder - Hig- gins for one year, since which time Elder A. Jl. Whitaker has been Pastor of the church. An interesting Sabbath school has been kept up in the church for many years, perhaps throughout most of its history.

The New Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted about the year 1850, at the schoolhouse in District No. 5, about one mile cast of Jerusalem on the road lead- ing to West Mansfieldl, its constituent mem- bers having been previously connected with the Lutheran Church in Bellefontaine, wor- shiping in the old brick meeting-house on South Main Street. It was constituted under the auspices of the Rev. - Shaffer of that place. The New Salom meeting-house was built about the year 1831. Mr. Shaffer did not continue his relationship as Pastor of the church, and the church was without a Pastor for a number of years, during which the Rev. Peter Detrick, of the German Bap- tist Church, was accustomed to preach in the church frequently. In the year 1858, Rev. Enoch Smith, of Bellefontaine, commenced to labor for the church, and continued for eighteen months, after which the church was again without a Pastor until the year 1868, when the Rev. A. R. Howbert assumed the duties of Pastor, which he has since continued to discharge. There has been a Sabbath school kept up in the church for a considera- ble length of time, but we have not been able to obtain the statistics of the school or the church.

The Mt. Zion Evangelical Lutheran was organized in the year 1874, the constituent members being mostly from New Salem Church. The organization of the church was the result of the labors of the Rev. A. R. Howbert at the two schoolhouses situated in

the southwestern part of the township. After the organization of the church a beautiful building spot was selected, about one mile south of the Bellefontaine and Zanesfield pike, on the Township road, running south from the old Costin Corner, on which a neat frame structure was erected, of sufficient size to accommodate an ordinarily, large congre- gation. The house was finished and dedi- cated in 1817, Rev. Dr. Helwig, of Witten- berg College, preaching the dedicatory sermon. The Rev. A. R. Howbert has been Pastor of the church since its organization. A Sabbath school is held in the church.

The Zanesfield Baptist Church was organ- ized on the 11th day of May, 1812, by the following named members, holding letters of dismissal from Tharp's Run Baptist Church; Rev. H. H. Dunaway, Lydia A. Dunaway, Jordan P. Dunaway, Martha S. Dunaway, Phineas Runyan, Ruth Lowe, Elizabeth El- liott, Patience Ilenry, Sarah F. Draper, Sallie E. Scott, Amelia L. Scott, Eliza A. Scott, and B. S. Scott. A council was called to meet the 8th day of June following, to con- sider the propriety of recognizing the church. The surrounding churches were in- vited to send delegates. On the day ap- pointed, the council met in the Baptist meeting-house in Zaneshield, and organized by appointing Rev. James Harvey, Moderator, and Rev. John Wright, Clerk. After due discussion, the council agreed to recognize the church; after which, Rev. H. H. Duna- way was called to act as Pastor, and B. S. Scott as Clerk. Eller H. H. Dunaway con- tinued Pastor of the church until the 1st of September, 18:3. In August, 18;1, Elder D. Vance was called, and served the church as Pastor for one year. From July, 1876, to September, 1877, Elder Vance supplied the pulpit, but did not sustain the relationship of Pastor. The remainder of the time the church has been without a Pastor until July,

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1878; sinee which time Elder Milton Squibb has been Pastor of the church.

In writing of the early schools and school- houses of Jefferson Township, we have to enter at once on the field of conjecture to some extent. As early, probably, as 1818, a large log house was erected in the north part of the township, for the purpose of a Baptist meeting-house. Its location was near the southwest corner of J. C. Kitchen's farm, on the road from Zanesfield to Harper. It was used at a very early period-perhaps as early as 1822-for a selioolhouse, and here the youth of the neighborhood received instruc- tion-at first from Richard Baldwin, Philip Stout and William Charles, and later from Joseph Robb, and Vincent Reams, and Wil- liam Bain, after which it eventually gave place to the old schoolhouse in District No. 4. A little after this-perhaps in 1823-a brick schoolhouse was built at Goshen meet- ing-house, preceded, however, by a log-house near by, in which one John Garretson taught. At the approach of Christmas, while he was teaching, the boys insisted that he should treat them to apples, which he persistently refused to do. They persuaded him by placing him intellectual part downward in a pool of water. Against this he remonstrated as well as he could under the unfavorable circumstances. Physical force, however, triumphed over argu- ment and protest; the minority in strength and number had to submit to the majority; the apples were purchased, and hostilities ceased. We cannot state, certainly, who taught in the brick house first. It is toler- ably certain that Benjamin Stanton and B. S. Brown taught there, and it is reason- able to suppose that Brice Blair and Miss Ann Gunn taught there, as their names were familiar as teachers in the neighborhood. About the same time a brick schoolhouse was built near the present location of the New Salem church, but the carly teachers are un-

known at a later period. Asa Brown was a favorite teacher there. In the southwest quarter of the township the first house, so far as known, stood near the southwest corner of J. C. Mason's farm, on land then owned by his father, Edward Mason. It stood on a gentle elevation between two small branches that unite some rods westward of the building, near a spring from which water was obtained. Originally in the midst of the forest, the timber had been taken from the plat around the building to construet it, and for fuel after it was completed. It was constructed of round logs, and was about 18x20 or 22 feet in size. A hole was cut in the east end, about six or eight feet wide in which to build the fireplace. This was built of boulders laid in clay mortar and secured and kept in place by a pen of split logs built on the outside. The chimney was built on top of this, of lath or split sticks of sufficient length to give it the proper size, and laid up in clay mortar so as to entirely protect the wood from the fire and render the structure very solid and permanent. The floor was of puncheon, hewed so as to give a good, smooth surface. It had one door in the south side near the sonthwest corner. In the north side a log was removed the entire length, or possibly it was the lower half of one log and the upper half of the log below, was hewed away and sticks secured at inter- vals of eight or ten inches, so as to form some- thing like a sash, on which paper was pasted and then oiled so as to transmit the light. Across the west end, light was obtained in the same manner. Under these openings, at the proper height, pins were inserted, having the proper inclination, on which wide boards were nailed for writing desks; slabs from the sw- mill, or puncheons split from logs, with legs of the proper length supplied the seats. A water bucket and tin, with a shelf to set it on, a poker or handspike to stir the fire with, a hickory broom, a shingle with OUT on one

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side. and IN on the other, hung at the door, completed the outfit of furniture. The above description would apply to schoolhouses fre- quently met with previous to 1830, and occa- si naby afterwards; but better buildings were soon introduced, and after 1840 a schoolhouse without stores, and glass windows would have indicated an unprogressive community. We cannot give the name of the first teacher in the house> last mentioned; David Kemper, now a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. taught there in the winter of 1831-32, having a very interesting school, confined, however, to the study of orthography, read- ing, writing and arithmetic, in which very creditable progress was made by many of the pupils. In addition to the school already alhided to, many were taught in private dwell- ings, of which we only mention one, taught by Mary Brown, daughter of Aaron, in the cabin her father had first lived in, after he had moved into his brick house; one taught by Dr. Nathan M. Thomas, now of Schoolcraft, Mich- igan, in the oldl Simon Kenton house, stand- ing on the banks of Mad River, on the Mid- deburg road, probably in 1826, and one taught in the north room of the house occu- pied by Mr. J. G. Hanulon, in Zanesfield, by Miss Ann Amy, in 1830, in which only read- ing, writing and spelling were taught. The first school taught in the brick schoolhouse in Zan shield, in 1831, was by Orson Marsh, of Bir kmantown, N. Y. It is impossible to give a correct statement in regard to wages of teachers, In subscriptions, the teacher re- prived, probably, from :$1.50 to $2.50 per pupil, for a term of three months. Later, when teachers were employed by the form, Fito 0 per term of thirteen works, was empid o Bestwiges, the latter being seldom Obtain d'in the country schools. Wo append ttist . , Kindly furnished by W. H. Outland, T wrapf beck, of schools exclusive of Zane till bron School. Number of Schoolhorses

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History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 61

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin Number of Pages: 798

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798