History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 41

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207

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GILLIVAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

In 1844, largely by the efforts of the Blair family, a Methodist society was organ- ized about four miles northwest of the town of Jefferson. In the year mentioned Rev. J. W. Young, of the Marysville circuit, was solicited to come and organize the society, which resulted in the following membership: John Blair and wife Jency, G. W. Blair, R. C. Blair, Jacob B. Coon, J. C. Coon, Elizabeth Tillman, Leonard Thomas, J. Zadock Chapman, Hiram Stodard and Eliza Stodard. For nine years after the society was organized the members worshipped in the residence of G. W. Blair, after which they threw their mites together; Mr. Blair donated a lot from his farm, and a frame church edifice was constructed, plain but comfortable, at a cost of about seven hundred dollars, and was dedicated in the fall of 1853, by Rev. Uriah Heath. The building served for a period of twenty-nine years, with the nominal expense for repairs of twenty dollars. The present building was constructed in 1882, at the little village of Gillivan, five miles northwest of Jefferson. E. B. Haynes donated the lot on which the building stands. This church was known as Blair Chapel until it was moved to its present site, since which time it has gradually assumed the name of the village in which it is located. The building is a beautiful, large structure, thirty-two by fifty-two feet, with

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steeple and bell, surrounded by a nice lot and lighted by a gasoline lighting system. The church contains but one room, the auditorium, with a seating capacity of about two hundred and fifty persons. The cost of its erection was two thousand six hundred dollars. This church is at present a point on the Lafayette circuit, with Rev. J. P. Landsittel as pastor, the trustees being Harry Wilson, Clint McCoy, W. R. Prose, Thurman Bidwell, Richard Wright, Jacob Beers and Dan Hoover. The present member- ship is eighty-one and the congregation maintains a thriving Sunday school of seventy- five members, of which Clint McCoy is the superintendent. Mrs. Della Bradley is president and Mrs. Thurman Bidwell, secretary of the ladies' aid society.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT WEST JEFFERSON.

The society at Foster Chapel had grown and cast its seeds in the vicinity of the village of Jefferson, but not until 1833 was there a class organized there. The original class consisted of about ten or a dozen members, among whom were Ezekiel Arnett and wife; a Mr. Mortimore and wife, who lived in a log house where the residence of James Penne later stood, and in whose house the society was organized; Mrs. Jarvis Pike and Mrs. Mary Lewis. The officiating minister was Reverend Gavett. The members were industrious and zealous in the good work begun, and ere long the class numbered almost double as many as at first. They worshipped in Mortimore's residence mostly until 1836, when they commenced holding. their meetings in the school house at Jeffer- son, where they were served by Reverend Sutton. They experiencd some unpleasant- ness with the Universalists, who also, used the same building, and in 1837, even though the flock was small, and not financially able, they had the will and found the way to erect a substantial frame church on lot No. 50, in the village of Jefferson. While in this house the society still enlarged, and in 1862, a more modern and comfortable brick edifice was erected at a cost of about five thousand dollars.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LAFAYETTE.

There is no evidence of the organization of a church among the early settlers along Deer creek until after the laying out of the town of Lafayette. About 1843, a few Methodists met together and, under the leadership of the Rev. Silas B. Chase, of Mechanicsburg, organized a class as follows: Reason Lotspeich and wife, James Wright, John Shryack, J. H. Badley, Rachel Badley and Sarah Warner-seven in all- with Reason Lotspeich as class leader. Their first meetings were held in the school house. They were received into the Jefferson circuit of the Chillicothe district and from that time on had regular preaching. About 1849 they erected a frame church edifice in the village of Lafayette, which house of worship was dedicated in June, 1849, in the presence of David Kemper, presiding elder. The first minister was Alanson Fleming and he was succeeded as follow : In 1850, by John W. Locke and James T. Bail; 1851, William Sutton and Thomas J. Loyd; 1852, William Sutton and John C. Fulton ; 1853-54, Samuel T. Middleton and William Z. Ross; 1855-56, Archibald Flem- ing and Henry H. Ferris; 1857, William Sutton and Samuel. P. Tippet; 1858, William Sutton and James Finch; 1859, John W. Young and James Finch; 1860, John W. Young and William P. Grantham ; 1861, Levi Hall and William P. Grantham; 1862, Levi Hall and Jacob S. Adams; 1863, F. F. Lewis and Jacob S. Adams, after which date the church was served by the following, in the order given; Charles Lewis, Middleton, Burns, Mclaughlin, Anderson, William Lewis, I. B. Brodrick, S. D. Hutsenpillar, C. A. Naylor, C. W. Bostwick and F. F. Lewis. Rev. Lewis was pastor about 1882. From that date until 1804 there is a breach in the pastors that the historian has been unable to fill out. After 1894 the church was served by the following pastors; R. Callaghan, 1894-96; Howard E. Wright, 1896-99; J. E. Walters, 1890-1903; T. G. Wake- Geld, 1908-05; J. I. Tyler, 1905-09; A. C. Bostwick, 1909-13, and J. P. Landsittel, the

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present pastor, since 1913. The old frame church was torn down and the present brick church building was erected in 1892. It contains an auditorium that has a seating capacity of about two hundred and a primary room used by that department of the Sunday school. The building is lighted by a gasoline lighting system. The present trustees are George Kaufman, Walter Headley, Johnson Headley, Sherman Simpson, A. E. Long, Lucy Beech, Herbert Harper, Louis Tracy and John Lane. The membership at present is about one hundred persons. A thriving Sunday school is maintained in connection with the church, with a membership of about eighty. Forrest Baker is the superintendent. There is a ladies' aid society of about twenty-five members, organ- ized during Reverend Tyler's pastorate, of which Mrs. Alice Taylor is president and Mrs. Sylvia Tracy, secretary. In December, 1909, a women's foreign missionary society was organized, which at present has about fifteen members and is maintaining two women teachers in the foreign field. The president of the society is Mrs. J. L. Land- sittel, with Minnie Kaufman as secretary.

This church is at the head of a circuit that includes the following stations: Lafayette, Summerford, Gillivan and Plumwood. Until 1913 the circuit contained only the three points of Lafayette, Summerford and Gillivan, but in 1914, Plumwood was added to the charge.

SEDALIA METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH,

It is thought that the Sedalia-then " known as Midway- Methodist Episcopal church was the first church organized in Range township. The first preaching point was at the house of William M. Linton, where it appears a' class was early formed, prob- ably about 1812-14, consisting of the following persons: David Dye and wife, Joseph Pancake and wife, Lockhart Biggs and wife, Elizabeth Counts and Septimus Stuthard and wife. These nine persons, with David Dye and Joseph Pancake, as class leaders, formed the first class. Soon after the following persons were added: Thomas Hughs and wife, William Chappell and wife, Andrew Johnson and wife, Zachariah Adams and wife, Thomas Bethard and wife, Lemuel Bethard and wife, and Isaac Fisger and wife. The home of Mr. Linton continued to be the preaching point until the erection of the David Dye school house, after which the latter building was used for church purposes until about 1844, when a frame building was erected at Sedalia, which was occupied until the erection of the present edifice, about the year 1850. The church is a frame building, capable of seating about three hundred persons and has a gallery in the rear. Among the first ministers who preached at this point . were Reverend Nation, Rev. William Sutton, Reverend Young, Rev. Alexander Morrow and Rev. John Stewart. The following pastors have served this station in more recent years, in order and period of their ministries as follow: Isaac Mackey, D. J. Smith, two years; L. F. Postle, 1885-88; D. I. Mark, 1888-92; Ralph Watson, 1892-94; W. L. Alexander, 1894-97; George Cherrington, 1807-1900; A. L. Cherrington, 1900-03; George F. Simms, 1903-05; A. L. Madden, 1905-07; E. B. Foltz, 1907-09; C. N. Smith, 1909-13, and N. C. Patterson, since 1913. The present membership is one hundred and twenty-five with the following as trustees: John V. Fenny, John Allen, Jesse Hankins, Crosby Duff, R. P. Shotts, Dr. F. B. Whifford, C. C. Hewit, and A. C. Kelso. The congregation maintains a prosperous Sunday school of about one hundred and twenty-five mem- bers, of which Mrs. Jennie Meade is the superintendent. Mrs. Lou Richardson is president and Mrs. Kate Williams, secretary, of the ladies' aid society of about sixty members. The women's home missionary society, of which Mrs. Florence D. Patterson is president and Mrs. Amanda Tenney, secretary, is a progressive group of twenty-two members. It was organized on November 11, 1914, and has sent boxes of clothing, etc .. to the Eliza Dee home at Austin, Texas. The circuit of which this church is the hend (19)

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consists of the congregations at Bethel, Concord and Sedalia, in Range township, and Newport, or Walnut Run, in Paint township. This circuit at one time also included a congregation at the Foster school house in Oak Run township. The parsonage of the circuit is located in Sedalia. A lot adjoining the church there on the north was pur- chased, and in the summer of 1868, a large two-story frame house was erected by Thomas Hughs, at a cost of about two thousand dollars. This parsonage is occupied by the pres- ent pastor. The pastor of the circuit preaches at each place every other week, at Sedalia and Newport on one Sunday, and at Bethel and Concord on the next. -

CONCORD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Concord was organized in 1816-17, at the house of Richard Gosslee, with a class consisting of the following persons: Richard Gosslee and wife, Charles Holland and wife, Thomas Dawson and wife, and a few others whose names are not now obtainable. The house of Mr. Gosslee continued as the preaching place until 1837, when the present church building was completed, and in due form was dedicated to service. In 1860, this church was remodeled and repaired, and rededi- cated to service by a sermon preached by Rev. A. B. See. Some of the early preachers who held services at the house of Mr. Gosslee were Jacob Hooper, James B. Findley. William Findley and William Westlake. The membership was about thirty-eight per- sons in 1880, but this has grown to the present membership of ninety-eight. The trustees are Nathan Gillespie, Frank Thomas, M. L. Shepherd, James Gillespie, Edward Shepherd, E. J. Gillespie, Allison Grimm, and Daniel Call. The congregation maintains a prosperous Sunday school of about fifty members, of which Oliver Shepherd is the superintendent. Mrs. Warner Snyder is president and Mrs. Maggie Call, treasurer, of the ladies' aid society. This church is a point of the Sedalia circuit, of which Rev. N. C. Patterson is the present pastor. The church is a neat frame building with a gal- lery in the auditorium and a basement that is fitted for entertainments.

BETHEL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Bethel Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1820 or 1821, by the Rev. Mr. Maley at the house of John Fisher. It is thought that the class consisted of the following ten persons: John Fisher and wife, Elizabeth Fisher, John Morris, Elizabeth Morris, Robert Farrar, Isabel Cox, James Fisher, Sarah Fisher and Prudence Steel. They continued to have preaching at the house of Mr. Fisher and in the summer in the groves of the neighborhood, until the erection of the church building, which it is believed was about 1847-48. The membership now consists of about one hundred persons. The trustees are J. W. Chenoweth, Howard Chenoweth, E. M. Tway, J. F. Martin, John Gill, Charles Wissler, C. M. Foster, T. L. Creath and J. E. Baker. It has a thriving Sunday school of about fifty members, of which J. E. Baker is the superintendent. Mrs. Martha Baker is president and Mrs. Minnie Kellough is secretary, of the Women's For- eign Missionary Society. The Ladies' Aid Society has about one hundred members and Mrs. Beatrice Junk is the president, with Mrs. Gertrude McCallister, treasurer. The first church building is still standing and is a nice brick structure with a gallery. This church is a point on the Sedalia circuit, of which Rev. N. C. Patterson is the present pastor.

BARROW RUN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. :

Early in the settlement along Barrow Run a Methodist class was organized by John Rathburn, with himself, the Allens, the Carrs and some others as the original members. They held their meetings for years in private homes and in the school house, but about 1832-33, they erected a frame building for church purposes, which stood for many years in a dilapidated condition long after its use was discontinued, but which has not entirely disappeared. Meetings and services were held at this house

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until about 1865-66. At one time it is thought that this society was quite large and prosperous, but following the death of some and the moving away of others, the church waned and finally became extinct, over forty years ago. Among the early ministers who preached there were Reverend Morrison, Elder William Raper, Elder George Walker, Reverend Chase and Reverend Webster.

WILSON CHAPEL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The origin of the Wilson Chapel Methodist Episcopal church dates from the spring of 1873, when a subscription was started and money was raised to erect a church edifice, which was built the same summer on land donated for that purpose by Washington Wil- son, located on the Wilson and Winget pike, east of Little Darby creek about one-half mile, and the house was dedicated to service in the fall of the same year (1873), the dedi- catory sermon being delivered by Elder I. F. King. The house was dedicated to ser- vice free from debt and incumbrance. Rev. R. D. Anderson was appointed to administer to this church and preached every two weeks the first year. In the spring of 1874 a series of meetings was held and several accessions were made to the church, and a class was organized consisting of the following persons: Mrs. Jennie Taylor, Daniel Anderson and wife, Isabel Woods and Mrs. Margaret Bradley, with Daniel Anderson as class leader. He was succeeded by Martin Huddle and he by Hiram Anderson, who was the last. Reverend Anderson was succeeded as minister by Rev. S. S. Sears, and he by Reverend Rudisil; then came to the charge Rev. Tressen Rider, then Rever- end Carter, and during 1883, Reverend Lewis was the pastor.' The church at one time reached a membership as high as sixty; but by the death of some and the moving away of others, the membership was reduced until during Reverend Lewis' pastorate it was only fifteen. At that time the church supported a good Sunday school of about sixty members, with Hiram Anderson as its superintendent. This church was discontinued a few years later.

AMITY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

A Methodist Episcopal church was founded at Amity about 1833-5, when a few persons, under the leadership of John Mann, organized a class, embracing, it is believed, the following persons: Henry Downing and family, Eli Douglas and family, John Finch and family, Obil Beach, Benjamin Willey, Lorenzo Beach, Theron Eastman and wife, Rev. Henderson Crabb, and perhaps a few others, with John Mann as class leader. Abont 1837-38 the little congregation erected a brick church, which was duly dedicated to service, and the society continued in a very prosperons condition for. several years, and at one time was quite large in membership. About 1849-50, Mr. Mann sold out his effects, having carried on a large business in an ashery and becoming quite wealthy. . He started for California during the prevailing gold excitement there, and from the time of his departure the church began to wane, and finally became extinct-more than sixty-five years ago.

LILLY CHAPEL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

From the best information obtainable it appears that the Methodist Episcopal church at Lilly Chapel was organized about the year 1828, with the following persons constituting the first class : Philip Durflinger, Isaac Morris, George Bell, Amos Morris, Stephen Morris, William Tway, David Sidner, David Crane, Daniel Durflinger and Samuel Tway, with their wives. For many years their meetings were held in private homes of the neighborhood and then in the school house. In 1850 a frame building was erected and the congregation received the name of Lilly Chapel Methodist Episco- pal church. This building served its purpose until 1887, when the present church edifice was erected at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars. It is a brick structure located in the center of the village of Lilly Chapel at the cross roads. A few

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of the ministers who have served this charge are David Kemper, William Westlake, Reverend Pillsbury, David Young, Reverend Finley, B. F. Durling, Theodore Creighton, D. J. Smith, and J. D. Smith. The present pastor is Rev. R. S. Myers. In connection with the church is maintained a prosperous Sunday school which has a membership of about one hundred. S. A. Sidner is the superintendent. Mrs. Bessie Sidner is president of the ladies' aid society and Flora Truitt, president of the women's foreign missionary society.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF BIG PLAIN.

Here as elsewhere the Methodist itinerant preachers are found early breaking into the field. A class early was organized at Spring Hill, about three miles northeast of Big Plain, and another class at the old Bales school house. At the latter place preaching was held regularly every two weeks. These meetings were generally conducted by a number of Methodist preachers, one after the other, as they came on the circuit, until the town of California, now known as Big Plain, was laid, when, in 1852, they decided to build a church in that town. Robert Thomas gave them a lot, and, in the summer of that year a frame house was erected, and they organized with the following mem- bers: John F. Chenoweth, Charles Henderson, Charles Warner, Moses Ellsworth, Here- kiah Chenoweth, Andrew White, John Callander, Thomas Corder, Richard Johnson and their wives, Rachel Bales, Sabina Hume and undoubtedly a few others whose names are lost at this late date. The class leaders for many years were Hezekiah Cheno- weth and Charles Warner. Among the first ministers were the Reverends Hurd, Wolf, Smith, William Sutton, Stewart and Young. Others who have served the church as pastors in later years are J. W. Waite, Herman Carter, J. P. Pillsbury, J. W. Baker, T. W. Creighton, G. A. Marshall, T. J. Danforth, N. C. Patterson, I. M. Sollars, J. S. Griffith, J. Herman Mindling and Samuel Bishop, the present pastor. This church is in the Derby circuit, which includes Derby, Big Plain, Fra and Mckendre stations, with the parsonage at Derby. The membership is about one hundred and thirty-five. In 1883, the present church edifice was erected at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars. The trustees of the church are Dr. F. P. Fitzgerald, E. O. Fitzgerald, E. C. Griffin, Frank D. Edwards, W. R. Laird, T. W. Nowland, with T. W. Nowland and E. O. Fitzgerald as stewards.

SUMMERFORD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The first church to be organized in Somerford township was by the Methodists, about 1828, at the house of Charles Soward, by Rev. James B. Austin, with the following members: Sutton Potee, Charles Soward, Joshua Davis and Samuel, with their wives, with Sutton Potee as class leader. About 1834, the organization changed the place of holding its meetings to Summerford, and services were held in private houses and in the school house until about 1843-44, when a brick church was erected in the east part of town. There services were held until the fall of 1873, when the building was torn down and the brick was used to help build the present church, which is located in the western part of the village, at a cost of about one thousand seven hundred dol- lars. This house was dedicated to service by Rev. Granville Moody on October 25, 1874. The membership of this church some ten years later was about fifty persons. At present the membership is ninety-eight. This church for several years past has been a point on the circuit of which Lafayette is the head, with the parsonage. For the ministers of the circuit see the history of the Lafayette church. Rev. J. P. Landsittel is the present pastor. The trustees of the church are J. W. Edwards B. H. Woosley, North Pitzer, Albert Fisher, C. G. Wilson, Earl Edwards, H. Nicewarner, Dan Hendricks and Clarence Potee. The congregation maintains a prosperous Sunday school in connection with the church, of about eighty members, of which B. H. Woosley is the superintendent.

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NEWPORT METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WALNUT BUN.

One of the first, if not the first, churches to be organized in Madison county was the Methodist Episcopal church of Walnut Run, known as the Newport Methodist Episcopal church. In 1807, at the house of Jonathan Minshall, a class was organized with three members- Jonathan Minshall and wife and David Watson, with the former as class leader. Meetings were held, with occasional preaching, at the house of Jonathan Minshall until, in 1809, David Watson's father, Walter Watson, having located near his son's place, meetings were held at his house until 1822, when David's mother died, after which meetings were held at David's home. As the settlers in the neighbor- hood increased in number, the class grew. Between the years 1816 and 1820, there was held each year, for two or three years, a camp meeting in that neighborhood, which was probably the first of the kind ever held in Madison county. People came to these meetings from many miles distant and camped in tents. At one evening meeting twenty persons joined the church, under the preaching of Rev. Alexander Morrow. The mem- bers held their meetings in private homes until the building of a public school house. about 1831-32, when the services were held in the school house, which was erected where the cemetery is now located. There the church continued to hold services until about 1850, when the society built a church about one mile east of Walnut Run. The building was a good substantial frame structure, erected at a cost of about seven hun- dred dollars. This building served until the erection of the present edifice in Walnut Run, about 1872. It is a neat brick building, fifty-six by thirty-two feet, and cost about four thousand five hundred dollars. At the time of the erection of the first church building the society numbered about twenty members and at the time of the erection of the brick building, about seventy-five members, and at present about two hundred and forty members. The church building was dedicated in November, 1872, with Rev. Joseph Trimble preaching the dedicatory sermon. Since the erection of the first building the church has been served by the following ministers: Mr. Smith, John Stewart, Joseph Brown, Mr. Crum, Archibald Fleming, Mr. Spahr, Samuel Tibitt, J. T. Miller, Mr. Pitzer, A. Alexander, Mr. Heath, Mr. Vananda, A. R. Miller, I. Bradrick, Mr. King, and Isaac Mackey. For the ministers serving since the time of Rev. Isaac Mackey see the history of the Sedalia Methodist church, the head of the circuit of which the Newport church is a member. The present pastor of the circuit is Rev. N. C. Patterson, with his residence at the parsonage in Sedalia.

The present trustees of the church are J. W. Johnson, James Withrow, D. M. Withrow, D. G. Kilgore, Stephen Gregg, S. E. Thompson, Frank Kulp, J. M. Neff and Byron Snyder. In connection with the church is a flourishing Sunday school, which has been in existence continuously since the erection of the first frame church. It has a membership of about one hundred and fifty, with Elroy Moody as superin- tendent. Mrs. S. E. Thompson is president of the ladies' aid society and Oliver With- row, president of the Epworth League.

MT. STERLING METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The first class of the Mt. Sterling Methodist Episcopal church was organized in August, 1831, at the home of John Puckett, with the following members: Lewis Devoll and wife, John Puckett and wife, Sophia Puckett, Sarah Puckett, George W. Ingrim and wife, John Blain and wife and probably a few others whose names cannot be ascertained at this late date, with John Puckett as class leader. For the following three years the class continued to meet and occasionally had preaching at the house of John Puckett. Some of the men who preached there at that time were William Morrow, Jacob Martin, William Westlake and Philip Nation. Mt. Sterling was at that time one of thirty-four preaching points on the London circuit. About 1834, by an earnest effort, money was raised and a church building was erected on the ground now occu-

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History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 41

Author: Chester E. Bryan Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1207

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207