History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 42

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

USA > Ohio > Madison County > History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions > Part 42

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pied by the present church. This structure was of brick and cost about seven hundred dollars. In this building preaching and services were continued until the summer of 1859, when the old building was torn down and a frame edifice was erected. at a. cost of two thousand five hundred dollars. This building was dedicated in the fall of the same year, Reverend Clark, later Bishop Clark, of Cincinnati, preaching the dedicatory sermon. The historian was unable to obtain a complete list of the pastors that have served this congregation, but the following roster has been obtained through the gener- ous help of the present pastor, Rev. Charles E. Hill : . A. R. Miller; J. P. Pillsbury, 1881; P. B. Davis, 1884-85; J. M. Adams, 1885-87; W. S. Benner, 1887-88; David Storer, 1888-90; J. B. Bradrick, 1890-94; A. B. Sniff, 1894-96; J. W. Mougey, 1896-99 ;. H. . E. Wright, 1899-1901; A. A. Sayre, 1901-05; S. A. Crosby, 1905-09; Charles E. Hill, since 1909. The frame. church building was used by the congregation until 1912, when the present beautiful building was erected at a .. total cost of about. twenty-two thousand dollars. The cornerstone of the new. building was laid on July 20, 1912, by Bishop Daniel H. Moore, of Indianapolis. The church was dedicated on August 31, 1913, with Bishop William F. Anderson preaching the dedicatory sermon. The building is a handsome brick structure, trimmed in stone. . It contains an auditorium and a Sunday school room that may be thrown together and is then capable of seating about eight hundred persons in view of the speaker. The basement is equipped with a kitchen and a dining-room for the use of the auxiliary societies of the congregation.' It also contains the heating and ventilating apparatus and a large. room that may be finished as a gymnasium and social room. The entire building is lighted by both electricity and gas. The church owns its parsonage, a. neat frame cottage, which was built in 1865 and was remodeled in the winter of 1901-02, during the pastorate of Reverend Sayre. The church is planning to build a new parsonage in the near future, adjacent to the church. The present membership is about three hundred and twenty-five and Herman Carter, C. H. Clark, H. Clay Johnson, William Blaine, John S. Core, Harvey G. Beale and Willis Jones are the trustees of the church. A flourishing Sunday school is main- tained, which has an enrolled membership of about four hundred and an average attendance of about two hundred and fifty. Milton Shepherd is the superintendent of the Sunday school.

LOWER GLADE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

It seems certain that the first church organized in Union township was' on Glade run, and is now known as the Lower Glade, or Melvin, Methodist Episcopal church. About 1808-09 several persons met at a log house on the farm later owned by Preston Adair, situated between what is known as the upper glade and the lower glade, and there, by . the . Rev. Mr. Pavey, a class was organized consisting of the following persons: John McDonald, James McDonald, Charles Ewing, Samuel Ewing, John Ewing, Jacob Sidener, John Adair, James Wright, Eliza Wright, William Erwin and his mother, Charles Melvin, John Melvin, Benjamin Melvin, Joseph Melvin, and their wives, Isaac Wright, James Wright, William Ragan, Abby Melvin, Schuyler McDonald, Phebe Melvin, Henry Coon and wife and Polly McDonald. While they continued to hold their meetings at this log house, they were ministered to by the Reverends Pavey, Smith, Bacon, Robert Finley, James Finley, William Sutton and William Simmons. About 1812, by mutual agreement, for the convenience of the members, the class was divided, those who lived in the vicinity of the upper glade, forming a class, which was the nucleus of the McDonald church, or the Upper Glade Methodist Episcopal church, and those who resided in the vicinity of the lower glade constituted a class, and the beginning of the church, the history of which is here given. This class was composed of the following: James McDonald, William Erwin and his mother; Schuyler McDon- ald, Charles Melvin, John Melvin, Benjamin Melvin, Joseph Melvin, Henry Coon, and

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their wives ; Abby Melvin, Phebe Melvin, Adam Bennett and wife; Jacob McCuen, Sam- uel Adair and wife, and John Harrison and wife, numbering twenty-six members in all. They held services in the house of James McDonald, and the homes of the others, and in the school house until about 1831, when they erected a log meeting house, which at that time was considered a fine structure. It was probably dedicated by. Rev. William Simmons. The people worshipped in this log house for some time without a floor, the minister preaching to the people from a platform of boards laid upon .some of the hewed joists. Many years afterward this log building was weather-boarded and repaired, and made. to take on quite an improved appearance. Thus fitted up, this house continued to serve the people until 1881, when arrangements were made to erect, upon the same site, a substantial brick edifice, which was built by James Self, of London, and was a fine specimen of workmanship. This house was thirty-two by fifty-four feet, with an eight-foot tower projecting in front, making the extreme length sixty-two feet. In the interior, the house was neatly and tastefully furnished, the seats being of heavy ashwood, trimmed with walnut. The whole cost of the building was a little over twenty-seven hundred dollars. The house was dedicated to service on June 11, 1882, by the presiding elder .of the district, Rev. J. F. King .. The sermon was delivered on Sabbath. morning at ten o'clock, from the text, "We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house. even of Thy temple." (Psalm 65, iv). There were present two of the former pastors, Rev. A. M. Alexander and Rey. B. Tressen- rider, also Rev. J. W. Peters, pastor of the Methodist .Episcopal church of London, all of whom participated in the services. At the close of the discourse, a financial exhibit was made by the pastor, and the congregation was. asked for six hundred and twenty- five dollars, the amount necessary to liquidate the indebtedness of. the church. The response made to the call by the elder was both generous and general, and in a half hour or so, the membership and friends contributed: about eight hundred and. ten dollars. Several friends who were not present had remembered the church and had sent subscriptions. This liberality enabled .the church to pay all of its indebtedness and. to provide itself with a good :bell. After the subscription, the church was pre- sented, on the part of the trustees, by Brother J. J. Melvin, and was then formally dedicated to God as a house of worship, according to the ritual of the church. Rev. John Waite was pastor at that time. This building was occupied until August 23, 1912, when, during a. storm, the tower was struck by lightning, setting fire to the edifice. The progress of the fire was swift and all that could be saved was the pulpit furniture. . Insurance to the amount of two thousand dollars was carried on the building and came as a relief to the church in distress. The pastor at that time was Rev. E. A. Harper. Others who were pastors in the old brick church. were Revs. Pearly Davis, Pillsbury, George Marshall, Herman Carter, J. W. Baker, Danford, Sollars, Creighton, Steel, Darling, George M. Hughes, Gilmuth, Crosby and Watson ..

The present handsome frame structure was completed in January, 1915, at .a cost of about two thousand four hundred dollars. This church has had no minister or regular preaching since August, 1912. Its Sunday school was organized in April, 1915. with J. J. Melvin as superintendent. The present membership of the church consists of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Summers, Libby Summers, Edward Summers, Mrs. . Nancy Wheeler, Mrs. George Street, Mrs. James Holway, Mrs. Rebecca Lane and J. J. Melvin.

UPPER GLADE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

It is thought that the first church organized within the present limits of Deer Creek township was the Upper Glade, or, as it is also called, the McDonald, Methodist Episcopal church. Further below in the glade was a settlement of Methodists, of whom the Melvin family were numerous and active, and a class was early established there and a church organized. But it was too far distant for the people of the upper

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glade to attend; so, about 1812, a class was organized at the upper glade with the following members: John McDonald, Jacob Sidener, Samuel Samuel and John Ewing, Daniel Wright and John Adair, with their wives. Their meetings were first held at their several homes. One of these homes where they met most often, and whose "latch string" was ever out to the intinerant minister was that of John McDonald, and from him and others of the McDonald family the church received strong support throughout the many years of its existence. After the building of the log school house on Mr. McDonald's land the meetings of the Methodist class were held there, where they continued, and where they had preaching as often as possible, until, about 1836, when the members contributed of their means and erected a frame building on a site provided by John McDonald, where they later erected their brick church. In this building they worshipped until the building became so dilapidated that it could no longer be occupied, after which they again resorted to the school house. Finally the members and people again rallied, contributing freely of their means, and, in the fall and winter of 1873, a neat and comfortable brick church edifice was erected. When ready for dedication, in March, 1874, it was clear of debt, lacking but forty dollars, whereupon George G. McDonald came forward with two twenty-dollar bills, cleared all indebtedness, and the church was dedicated free of all incumbrance.

The church prospered and increased in membership, until at the period of her greatest prosperity it probably numbered seventy or seventy-five members. Some forty years ago the church began to decline. However, the organization continued to be maintained until July, 1912, in which month a severe wind storm visited the county, wrecking the old church. It has never been repaired, though the old walls are still standing. At that time the membership consisted of about forty persona. This mem- bership was then transferred to the West Jefferson church for the first year, and since that time has scattered. The remaining members continue to hope that they will again be assigned a pastor and then hope to erect a new building. Meanwhile irregular meetings are held when the opportunity offers itself in the school house. The Sunday school is still maintained with about twenty members, Mrs. Howard McDonald, super- intendent.

M'KENDREE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

In March, 1852, a class was organized at the King school house by Rev. David Smith, consisting of the following members: William Stone, Elizabeth Stone, Wash- ington Morain, Nancy Morain, Eliza Ann Morain, Harrison Morain, Lizzie Morain, Albert Stone, Joseph Lane, Mary Lane, William Lane, Dilliann Lane, Samuel Thorn- ton, Catharine Thornton, Philip Kyle, Mary Kyle, Harriet Kyle, John Kyle, Rachel Frazier, Millie Smith, Matilda Oglesbee, Mary King, Stephen Anderson and Margaret Anderson, with William Stone as class leader. Their meetings continued to be held in the school house above mentioned for about three years, after which they purchased a house and lot; the building was a large log house, which had been erected for a dwelling, but had never been finished or occupied. The congregation finished this building and fitted it for church purposes, and used it as a house of worship until the summer of 1874, when a substantial and comfortable frame church was erected, which was occupied the same year, but was not dedicated until in October of 1879. Rev. Joseph Trimble, of Columbus, preached the dedicatory sermon, and the building in due form was set aside for the worship of God. This church is at present on the same circuit as Derby, Era and Big Plain.

TRADERSVILLE METHODIST, EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Tradersville, or Fletcher East, Methodist Episcopal church was organized, it is believed, at the school house in 1838. Among the first members who organized a

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class were Moses Bales, Rev. Eli Adams, Mr. Geer, Isaac Newman, Charles Rigdon, William Davidson and their wives and Edwin West and his wife, Margaret, and daughter. About 1843-44 they erected a frame church, in which services were held for many years. In 1873 another frame church was erected, at a cost of about two thousand two hundred dollars. The church at one time was numerically strong and prosperous, but in later years decreased, many moving away and others dying. Some of the first or early ministers of this church were tl.e Revs. Ell Adams, George Boucher, Cherry, Conrey, Ellsworth, Willlams, Keck, Jackson, Fiddler, Hull, Havens and Smith. Others who have served this church were J. H. Davis, R. Callaghan, Howard E. Wright, J. F. Walters, T. G. Wakefield and J. I. Tyler. In 1909 this church was on a circult composed of itself, Wilson Chapel, Lafayette, Upper Glade and Lower Glade churches, but in that year it was dropped.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, PLAIN CITY.

The Methodist church at Plain City is the oldest one of the denomination in Madison county. It dates from 1815. when seventeen members of the church organized a class at the home of Titus Dart, about a mile south of Plain City. Six years later (1821) the little congregation built a church a half mile south of Plain City, which was known as the Block church. This church was dedicated by Rev. Russell Bigelow. The next build- ing was erected on East Main street, in Plain City, in 1848 and dedicated in 1850 by Rev. Uriah Heath. In 1875 the third house of worship was erected, the location being on North Chillicothe street. This third church was dedicated by Dr. C. H. Payne. The present beautiful structure was completed in 1908 under the pastorate of Rev. W. A. Palmer. The dedicatory sermon was preached by J. W. Bashford, president of Ohio State University.

The list of pastors who have served this church during the century of its existence includes practically every minister who has preached in this section of Ohio. The list follows: Robert Finley, Collins, R. Finley, Hooper, Solomon, Glaze, Baker, Stewart, Alsup, Baker, W. Finley, Carr, Simmons and Davidson, Ballard and Branduth, Carnell and J. Smith, Shaw & Haven, Wood and Haley, Banahoe and Williams, Lawrence and Crabb, R. Finley and Simms, Davidson and W. Worrow, Woaley and W. Worrow, Camp and Cartney, Westlake and Kemper, Manear and S. Chase, J. B. Finley and Sutton, A. Morrow, James Brown, Owens and J. Brown, Gilruth and Havens, Parcels and J. Smith, Webster and Johnson, Sutton & Kimber, Young and Warrington, Young and Hud, Webster and J. Brown, Holtzinger and Hauffman, Gaseox and Millize, Sharp and Gilruth, Sharp and Risker, E. Chase and Muril, Muril and Loyd, Taft and Martindale, Mann and Adams, Wharton and Adams, Wharton and Miller, Sangman, Law and Slocum, Sangmas, Bennet and Granthan, West and Ferris, West and Heagler, Tippet and Heagler, Tippet and Mann. Lewis, Moore, Carrol, Prudens, Pilcher, S. Danshoe, Adams, Henley, Ferris, Sayer, Tressenrider, Rudisil, Brandnick. Rife Smith, Tilfer, Creamer, Partle, Croaks, Palmer, Evans, Smith, Priar, Wilhim, and S. A. Stephan, the present pastor.

This church since its early history has supported a Sunday school, which, in the way of a continuous record is probably the oldest Sunday school in the county. It also has a Ladies Aid Society, that has been an important factor in the continuous prosperity of the church. The Epworth League supplies the younger members of the congregation with their religious training. The other auxiliary societies are the Woman's Foreign Mission- ary Society, Woman's Home Missionary Society and the Standard Bearers. The member- ship of the church at the present time is five hundred and thirty.

PLUMWOOD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Methodist Episcopal church, of Plumwood, was organized on July 13, 1897, with the following board of trustees: William Murray, Henry Watrous, James Rutan, A. E.

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Garrett, S. K. Reece and J. W. Elkins. Among the ministers who have served the con- gregation may be mentioned H. E. Wright, J. E. Walter, T. E. Wakefield, J. I. Tyler, A. C. Bostnick, G. M. Hughes, E. A. Haber, J. A. Weed, A. L. Rogers and J. L. Landsittle. The church erected a frame building in Sanford at a cost of eight hundred dollars. The building stands on lot 86 on the main street of the village. The auxiliary organizations of the church include a flourishing Sunday school, Epworth League and a branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The present membership of the church is seventy-five.

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LONDON.

The St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal church of London has its buildings, located on West Center street, on ground made sacred and hallowed by having been the previous site of the Catholic church. Its earliest meetings were held in the homes of families; that of Mrs. Sarah Jenkins, then living on the Chrisman land, being the most prominent. About the year 1870 the services of pastors became more regular, the interest and congregation increased and the voluntary use of halls was given for services, especially the Silver Urn Masonic hall, which was then over what is now Lanigan Brothers' store.

In the first preserved records is found the name of Rev. George Robison, a theolo- gical student of Wilberforce University, in charge. . Owing to its proximity to this institution, it has been the policy of the conference to serve this point mostly from that source. Rev. George Whitfield, beginning in 1872, gave three years' service, during which. the present location was purchased. The Union Sunday school in Toland hall, that had been established and fostered by such Christian spirits as I. S. Davidson, William Morgan, Giles James, Mrs. George W. Lewis nee Beir, Miss Lida Farrar and Frank Shaw, associated with Reuben Heathcock, George Black, Spradely Betts and George White and others, was succeeded. by a separate Sunday school organized on December 1, 1872.

In securing the above property and in the support of the ministry too much credit can hardly be given to Edward Mumford and family, Mrs .. Clarrisa .White, Mrs. Eliza Nicolson and the family of Robert Jenkins, who in those early days of the church extended the hospitality of their homes to the pastors without stint. or expectation .of pay. During this administration the society was incorporated. About that time a very helpful factor was brought into service in the person of S. B. Norris, then and for a number of years a teacher in the public schools. Rev. Burton Lewis was the pastor in 1875, followed by E. W. Taylor in 1876 and M. R. . Wilson in 1877, the latter continuing for four years, by which time the society had attained the dignity of a well-organized and fairly well-furnished mission. The year 1880 brought Rev. W. T. Artis, a strong and vigorous man, who extended his energies beyond the limits of the immediate vicinity and established a strong and active class near Mt. Sterling, in Pleasant town- ship, in school district No. 9, thereby nearly doubling the membership. Among the standard-bearers of this class were the Lowry brothers, then prosperous farmers of that locality. With this addition, petition was made and the mission was changed to a station.

With the previous success a threatened calamity came, the collapse of the venerable church building, but Providence provided a man sufficient for the emergency, the Rev. Silas French. With an abundance of latent determination, a good stock of experience, and aided and encouraged by such noble-hearted people as Hon. S. W. Durflinger, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Watson and other like-minded spirits, within six months the present substantial brick structure was dedicated and ready for use. Having incurred a debt, it required wisdom and activity to meet the demands, but Rev. Jesse Henderson, in

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1885, Alexander Smith, in 1886, and J. D. Singleton, 1887 to 1889, had well nigh met all obligations. In the meantime the spiritual and moralizing influence had not faltered.

In their time and turn, Hilman Hurd, Noah Hodges, Addison Tyree, William Tyler, Theopholous Cromwell, P. Q. Jenkins, Washington Boone, Frank Lowery, Elias Lowery, Miss Emma Washington, Anna Phonosdall, Maime Jenkins, Arsbel Taylor, Sarah Roberts, Grace Roberts and many others to whom limited space will not permit refer- ence, stood like beaten anvils to the stroke and did what they could. From the incep- tion of the temperance cause by the women's crusade, the Murphy movement, mission work, Christian endeavor, church aid, Allen league, men's bible study, Sunday school institute and ladies' sewing circle all have had a place and received more or less attention. Rev. Isaac Williams was appointed pastor in 1889, C. H. Coleman in 1891, Joseph Stevens in 1893, J. H. Grant in 1894, George Bundy in 1895, J. W. Young in 1896, R. P. Clark in 1898, M. N. Culpher in 1900, E. L. Bell in 1903, and Benjamin Carson in 1904, the latter of whom advised and got the consent of the society to pur- chase a parsonage.

George H. Cotton came in 1906, but was soon transferred to Lockland and his place was supplied by S. H. Savage, who was followed by C. D. Young in 1907; R. B. P. Wright in 1908, J. H. Mason in 1910, S. S. Adkins in 1911, and . I. H. Alston in 1912, the ' latter being followed in 1915 by W. W. Dawkins, the present incumbent. The trustees are Richard Taylor, Horace E. Tyree, Elias H. Lowery.

The society, at no time since its incorporation, in 1873, has been without a regu- larly appointed pastor, and its services at no time have been suspended, except for some temporary purpose. A pure Gospel in accordance with its church faith has been pro- claimed. Its Sunday school and' other auxiliaries have been kept well intact. The society, thankful for the blessings of the past, hopes still to be of use for the uplift of those who may attend its services. ..

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WEST JEFFERSON.

The African Methodist church of West Jefferson was organized in 1865, when the spirit of Methodism was first kindled among the colored people of that town, of whom it seems fitting to mention the names of Mary Smith, Andrew Bayless and wife, David Slago, Louisa Walker, Pereene Ricks, Mary Cooper and. a few others. This class was first visited by Rev. Edward Wright, and through his efforts a few accessions .were made, and the society was regularly served with a minister. The membership for the next twenty years included about twenty. The society first worshipped in private dwellings, and mostly assembled at the house of "Mother" Smith, whose door was always open and her reception warm to any who might desire to enter. The second step, by and by, was to rent a house; though very poor, it answered the purpose, and finally, in 1870, the members. purchased their present property, the old academy and surrounding grounds. This building still stands, but is no longer used as a church. Of late years the society grew weak and presently discontinued services, although it still possesses the church, which is under the control . of a board of trustees. Regular services have not been held for about ten years.

METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH OF ROSEDALE.

About 1840 a few persons, under the leadership of John H. Surfus, caused the erection of a brick church in the west part of the village of Rosedale, then called Liverpool, in which was organized a Protestant Methodist society. The class embraced John H. Surfus and wife, I. Whitcomb and wife, some of the Williams family and a few others. This society continued as an organization but a few years, as, after the death of its principal support, Mr. Surfus, it dwindled away and the property was sold to the Catholics, who held services there for several years, after which their organiza-

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tion was removed to Mechanicsburg, since which time the building has been unoccu- pied.

METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH OF NEWPORT.

The Methodist Protestant church of Newport, now known as Walnut Run, was founded in 1850, when a few persons met at the school house and, under Rev. Rameth Hussey, were organized into a class, consisting of the following persons: Presley Rains, wife, three sons and one daughter; James Jewell and wife; Elias Forbis and wife; Joseph Stroup and wife; Gideon Peck and wife; Isabel Stroup, Josie Watson, Sarah Jones, Polley Wagoner and Elizabeth Siffrit, and . perhaps one or two others whose names are lost at this late date. Ellas Forbis was the class leader. The society held meetings at the school house for three or four years. In 1854-55 a frame house for church purposes was erected in Newport, which was completed and dedicated to service the same year. It is believed that Rev. A. H. Trumbo preached the dedicatory sermon. This church gradually declined' until it finally was discontinued.

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History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 42

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

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