USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Groveport > History of Madison Township, including Groveport and Canal Winchester, Franklin County, Ohio > Part 25
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HENRY LONG. Aug. 22, 1819 - May 4, 1881.
THOMAS PATTERSON. June 30, 1800 - Sept. 8. 159).
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No records could be found, so we must be content with the incomplete list of pastors and elders. The successive pastors were Reverends James Hoge, D. D., Mathew Taylor, Abner Leonard, Elias Vandeman, John W. Fulton, Josiah D. Smith, John Scott, John Arthur, Andrew Barr and Wm. Maynard.
Among the elders were Abiather V. Taylor, David Taylor, John McComb, Geo. W. Kalb, Mathew E, Kalb.
In 1835 the frame church was replaced by a sub- stantial brick church. This building was occupied until about 1870 when it was considered unsafe, and in about 1885 on a Sunday afternoon some of the walls. fell in. Shortly afterwards Samuel Brown purchased the brick and used them in the erection of some build- ings on his farm.
We are indebted to Henry C. Taylor, Esq., for the following interesting items regarding the purchase of stoves and the sale of pews: "Truro Church, January 9th, 1836. The congregation met agreeably to public notice. A. Leonard was called to the chair and David Taylor was appointed secretary.
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to pro- cure two ten plate stoves, and such pipes as said com- mittee shall think best for the use of the meeting house. Messrs. David Taylor and Hiram Leonard were ap- pointed said committee. Resolved, that the stoves shall stand in the broad aisles before the doors, and the pipes suspended from above. Resolved, that pew No. I be designated for the use of the officiating pastor and his family. Resolved, that eight pews at the east end of the house, viz., two in each row, be set apart as public seats, and the two front block pews for the use of the choir. Resolved, that a public sale of the 24 H MT
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pews not otherwise designated, take place on Wed- nesday, the 25th inst., on the premises at 10 o'clock a. m., and that immediate public notice be given of said sale by the building committee, and that it be published from the pulpit on Sabbath, the 22d inst., in the presence of the congregation, and that a sale of the old meeting house and stoves take place at the same time and place, provided that no pew nor the old house shall be sold at a less value than the appraised price. Adjourned sine die. Abner Leonard, chair- man. David Taylor, secretary."
Also for the very unique copy of a deed in fee simple for a pew. "David Taylor having purchased and paid fifty dollars in full for pew No. 52 in the Truro Presbyterian meeting house, situate on their lot, being part of the northwest quarter of section No. 3, township 11, range 21, Congress land, in Franklin County, Ohio. In consideration of which payment, the right, title and possession of said pew are hereby granted and conveyed to said David Taylor, his heirs and assigns forever, subject to the conditions on which the pews were originally sold, and to such other reg- ulations as the congregations may hereafter make re- specting them. In witness whereof, the undersigned, trustees of Truro Presbyterian congregation, have hereunto put their hands and seals this 30th day of December in the year of our Lord 1837.
(Seal) JOHN LONG, (Seal) A. V. TAYLOR, (Seal) JONATHAN McCOMB, (Seal) ELIAS CHESTER, SR., Trustees."
David Taylor also purchased pew No. 31 paying the same price and receiving a similar deed.
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"The Truro congregation was for many years one of the strongest in the Columbus Presbytery. The most prosperous period of the church was during the eleven years of the ministry of Rev. Josiah D. Smith. He was a most excellent man and a very able minister and deeply regarded by his congregation. He came from Truro to Columbus to assist Rev. Dr. Hoge in the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church and afterwards became pastor and built up the Westmin- ster Church. I remember well the time he came to Columbus, which was several years before my father moved to Columbus (David Taylor moved to Co- lumbus in 1857), and the church never prospered after he left it as it had before." (From a let- ter written by Col. E. L. Taylor). Like many another rural church, the decline of Truro was caused by the fact that the old substantial members either died or moved away, besides many of the farms in the vicinity of this church have been for many years largely occu- pied by tenants instead of by the owners. Then it is reported that "the coming of the Civil War during the pastorate of Rev. Wm. Maynard caused some dissension." Very likely these differences were no more serious than in many of the other congregations of the different denominations of those days. While some have distinct recollections of this feeling others cannot recall and even doubt that there was any feel- ing, indicating that the dissension was not general.
Truro graveyard, for many years one of the best kept and one of the most prominent in the county, has also gone down, and no burials have taken place there for several years.
Many of the tombstones have fallen over and some are broken.
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The congregation owned a parsonage just north of the church building, but across the line in Truro town- ship.
A Sunday school was organized at an early day and continued until about the time of the disbandment of the congregation. A Sunday school was also main- tained at the "Branch (or Mission) Church," known as the Alum Creek Church. The officers of the Truro Church served both churches, the services at the Alum Creek Church being held in the afternoons. This building was sold in about 1867 or 1868 and still occu- pies the same lot which is now a part of the Schaff farm on the Columbus and Winchester pike.
Groveport Presbyterian Church.
This congregation was organized October 13, 1854, with the following membership: John Begg, Mary Begg, Mrs. Damaris Champe, Jane Coffman, C. Perry Dildine, Mary Ann Dildine, E. A. W. Furgeson, Anna M. Gares, Samuel Sharp, Eliza N. Sharp, Abraham Sharp, Temperance Sharp, Mrs. Ruth Seymour (wife of William), Mrs. Sarah Woodring, Miss Sarah Wright, Miss Jane Wright, and two days later-Octo- ber 15th-the following others became members : Daniel McIntire, Clarinda McIntire, Mary Paul, Maria Roberts. From 1854 until 1860 the following united : John K. Adams and wife, Jane Clark, Mrs. Susan Dildine, Margaret A. Decker, Wm. T. Hendren (en- tered the ministry in 1864), Geo. L. Hendren, Marga- ret Long, Mrs. Sarah McCormick, Joseph Rathmell, John R. Smith, Harriet R. Sharp (wife of Abraham), Parmetia Sarber (wife of Leonard), Mrs. Mary Shoe- maker, Miss Melvina Sharp, Mrs. Mary Woodring (widow of Perry) ; from 1860 to 1870: Solomon Al-
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spach and wife, Sarah Alspach, Miss Jenet Beggs, John Begg, Jr., Mrs. Kate M. Brown (widow of T. M. Brown; Mrs. B. married Rev. John Creath on May 2, 1871), Miss Mary Camerson, Rodney Champe, Mrs. Mary J. Coffman, Elizabeth and Leander Champe, Ho- mer Chester, Andrew F. Dildine and wife, Alpheus H. Davis, Mary, Laura A., Mary Belle and Albert Dildine, Mrs. Mary Decker, Milton Fisher, Miss Sarah J. Fisher, Mrs. Gares, Mrs. Ann Glick, Lewis S. Guerin and wife, John E. Guerin (attending Theological Semi- nary), Henry Geese, Nancy Hendren (wife of Geo. L.), A. Turner Hendren and wife, Hiram Mealy and wife, Mary E. Moul, Mrs. Christena McIntire, Miss Maggie McIntire (married A. M. Rarey), John Mc- Comb, Miss Elizabeth Overdeer, Mrs. Kate Root, Elias Remalia and wife, Mrs. Mary Reese, Mrs. Eliza Steele, Miss Kate Seymour (married John Cox), Chas. J. Stevenson, Thos. Seymour and wife, Welton and Miner Seymour, Leonard Sarber, Wm. P. Sharpe and wife, Mrs. Susannah Senter, Maggie and Ida Ella Seymour, Mrs. Mary E. Sharp, John Wildermuth, Mary A. and Effie Woodring, Mrs. Maggie Peister, Mrs. Martha Wallace, Miss Theodosie Wallace, Mrs. Olive Work, John E. Whitemore and wife, Miss Ma- hala Whaley, Mrs. Elizabeth Westenhaver; between 1870 and 1880: Geo. S. Dildine, Miss Eliza Herr, Virginia F. Hughes, Geo. W. Kalb and wife, Mathew E., Albert and Alice Kalb, Henry Kalb and wife, Ja- cob C. Knight, Jephtah King and wife, Samuel Kindler and wife, Geo. W. Lisle and wife, Mrs. Eliza Lisle, David Leda, Mrs. Angelina Mansfield, Mrs. Hannah Needels, Mrs. Eliza Needels (wife of Geo. W.), John Pattrick and wife, Mrs. Charlotte Ramsey, A. Miner Rarey, Mrs. Sarah F. Stevenson, Samuel S. Schooley,
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John P. Sharp and wife, Geo. Seymour and wife, Miss Jennie Seymour, Mrs. Jennie Shockley, Jesse Sey- mour, Mary Jane Seymour, Mrs. Sarah Seymour, Mrs. Maria Simpson, Mrs. Francis Sarber, Nathan P. Toy and wife, Miss Jennie Thompson, Mrs. Mary C. Van Wormer, Lucinda Van Wormer, Miss Irene Vesey, Mrs. A. J. West, Miss Rosetta M. West, Levi Wag- ner and wife, Daniel Wagner and wife, Geo. T. Wheeler and wife, Miss Elizabeth Wheeler, Mrs. Mar- garet A. Whims (wife of Seymour W.), Jacob Wolf, Sr., and wife, Mrs. Elouissa Watkins, Mary L. Wood- ring, David Westenhaver, Mrs. Catharine Wheeler, Mrs. Nettie Willie, Miss Almeda Barrett, Peter Agew, Mrs. Anna M. Chester, Samuel Cairns, Miss Nancy Cairns, W. A. Chamberlain, Mary A. Champe, Elon Champe, Samuel S. Crist, Sarah A. Crist ; 47 persons became members during 1870, many of them coming from the Truro Presbyterian church. Since 1880 the following others have become members: Mrs. Ella Baird, Connetia M. Butterman, Anna Crist (married Rev. S. H. McClenigan), Wm. T. Decker, Dr. Walter Hewetson and wife, John Pattrick, Maggie Pattrick, John Reed, Mrs. Anna Reed, Jacob Reed, Henry Scof- feld and wife, Miss Deaza Senter (wife of C. D. Ra- rey), Mrs. L. A. Seymour (wife of Miner), Alonzo Strode, J. V. Thompson, Wm. E. Thompson, Mrs. Ann E. Vesey, David M. Willie and Jacob Zimmerman. Geo. L. Hendren says: "The present membership is about (40) forty. This congregation has suffered great loss in the last two decades by deaths and removals- seven ruling elders and their families, eleven trustees and their families, and others, making about twenty- five families. The Sunday school has suffered even greater losses. There are more ex-members of this
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church and Sunday school in Columbus churches and Sunday schools than we now enroll, besides all that have gone far away or died. * * "This con- gregation, in the seventies, could sustain a pastor at a salary of ($1,000) one thousand dollars and give hun- dreds to missions and benevolence, besides owning a parsonage; now we do well to raise three hundred dol- lars for all purposes. Surely this has been a mission church, swarming almost to death ; but we have a name to live, and in God's hands may yet do much."
The pastors have been : Reverends Samuel Wilson, Wm. Maynard, Irwin Schofield, Creath, Stevenson, Reynolds, Kingery, C. B. Downs 1880, N. R. Crow 1881, E. Thompson 1882. Then Groveport and Lith- opolis jointly called S. D. Smith, 1882-1885; A. B. Brice, D. D., 1886-1889; Dr. Brice closed his pastoral labors of fifty years with this church, becoming wholly disabled. He died at Cincinnati June 28, 1892; Hempstead, T. B. Atkins and Wm. Bullock, the pres- ent pastor.
Among those served as elders were: Samuel Sharp, C. Perry Dildine, John Begg, Sr., Wm. P. Sharp, L. S. Guerin, Geo. W. Kalb, Samuel S. Crist, Geo. L. Hendren, Miner Seymour, Welter Seymour, A. W. Strode, John McComb.
The church building was erected the same year that the congregation was organized, and about the same time a Sunday school was started. The superintendents have been: Samuel Sharp, C. P. Dildine, Geo. W. Kalb and Geo. L. Hendren.
The present membership of the church is about 40, and of the Sunday school about the same.
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Groveport Baptist Church.
On August 27, 1808, Ishmael Davis, John Dukes, Wm. D. Hendren, Wm. Clevenger, Mary Dukes, Nancy Chester. Elizabeth Cherry, Eleanor Peterson and Mary Rawlings were constituted into a regular Baptist church, called Bethel, by Elders Wm. Brundidge and John W. Loofborrow. For several years the meetings were held at the residences of Wm. D. Hendren and Wm. Clevenger. As was the custom of all the pioneer churches of the township, meetings were held but once a month. No meetings were held in November, De- cember and January, in the winter of 1808-1809, on account of the severe weather and high waters. In July of 1809 John Swisher and wife and Jane Punt- ney become members. In 1815 meetings were held al- ternately at Bro. Hendren's and Sister Caldwell's. "On June 22, 1816, by a unanimous vote, Bro. Ishmael Davis was called to exercise his gifts." The first church building, a frame, was erected in 1838-1839, about one-half mile west of town, and is now occupied as a residence. Under date of January 14, 1837, the minutes record the following: "Resolved, that we thankfully accept Bro. Samuel Richardson's proposal for building a Baptist meeting house." The building committee was Wm. W. Richardson, Jacob Weaver and John Swisher. The first meeting held in this building was on March 16, 1839. Soon after the build- ing was occupied a division arose, some favoring mis- sions and Sunday schools, the others opposing them. On April 18, 1840, Elkanah Simms, Thos. Blakely (an exhorter ), Sisters Weaver, Myers, Seymour and Nancy Simms, being opposed to missions and Sunday schools, styled themselves "old school Baptists," and
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they, having possession of the keys to the church, held the building. "Having lost our meeting house by fraud" on August 13, 1842, Thomas C. Hendren, G. W. Simms and Fred Swisher were appointed a building committee-by those favoring missions and Sunday schools-to purchase a lot in Wert's grove and build a church. This building was erected in 1843 on lot No. 38, at a cost of about $1,200.00, and is still occupied. "In February, 1846, Elders Madden and Heistand held a "meeting of days," which resulted in the addition, by baptism, of John Swisher, Mary Swisher, Dinah Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Emily Updegraff, Frederick Whitzel, Geo. Whitzel, Emanuel Conklin, Susan Conk- lin, Catharine Smith, Margaret Tussing, Wm. Rower, Thos. Stickley and Sarah E. Hendren. In 1880 some $400.00 in repairs and improvements were added under the supervision of Wm. Whims and Frederick Swisher. The following soliciting committee assisting: Miss Sallie I. Settle, Mrs. Mary Turner Hendren and Miss Sarah E. Hendren. And on May 28, 1881, the build- ing was reopened for worship. The re-dedication ser- mon was preached by Rev. H. L. Gear and Rev. D. A. Randall, D. D., preached in the evening. Miss Irene Vesey of the Presbyterian church acted as organist, and Mrs. Casper Limpert furnished a profusion of plants and flowers for the occasion. The membership had become reduced by deaths and removals to only eight. In 1882 a series of meetings were held at which Rev. A. L. Jordon, of Columbus, assisted, and ten were added to the membership. The candidates were bap- tized in Blacklick creek, about a mile north of Grove- port, being the first baptism in twenty years. In the fall of 1884 the baptistry was put into the church, and
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in November Henry Whitzel and wife, Arthur Seymour and Betsey Whitzel were baptized in it.
The pastors have been: Wm. Brundige, 1808; Thos. Snellson, Adam Miller, John Hite, 1816-1819; James Peters, Lewis Madden, 1831 -....; Samuel D. Alton (after the division), 1843, ("John H. Fristoe and John W. Miller were granted clear licenses to preach the gospel on February 11, 1843") ; John W. Heistand, James Harvey, 1848-1852; John W. Miller, 1853-died in 1855, ("May 6, 1854, M. C. Hendren was licensed to preach the gospel") ; E. Bounds, Mordicai Cloud Hendren, 1861 -....; O. Allen, for six years, died in Columbus May 19, 1870; Samuel C. Tussing, 1883- ; A. L. Jordon (resigned August 1, 1886) ; A. W. Gale, James W. Miller and M. M. Marlow.
Supply pastors: Geo. Jeffries, A. W. Williams. Dr. D. A. Randall, of Columbus; T. C. Emerson and Geo. D. Rogers.
The following is a list of the officers: Deacons- Wm. Downing Hendren, Wm. Glasscock, - Bolles, Geo. W. Simms, Wm. Cox, Frederick Swisher, Thomas Cloud Hendren, Edward Davis, Chas. Steward, J. W. Mitchell, Wm. Snow Crosby, A. J. Bradfield and Chas. Hattenfels. Clerks-Wm. D. Hendren (grandfather of Sarah E.), John Swisher, John Fristoe, A. Willie, John Updegraff, Thos. C. Hendren, for 19 1-2 years (father of Sarah E.), and Sarah E. Hendren, for 17 years. The present Board of Trustees is Mrs. Sallie I. Settle Brown, Sarah E. Hendren and Annie McCul- lock.
Canal Winchester Reformed Church.
Among the early settlers in Bloom and Violet town- ships, Fairfield county, were many German Reformed people, coming principally from Pennsylvania. The
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Jobs, Betzers and Glicks congregations (the latter was organized September 15, 1808) were among the very first church organizations in this section. Rev. George Weisz baptized children in the neighborhood of Win- chester as early as 1816 or 1817, and in 1830 or 1831 Rev. Weisz instructed a class of about twenty-five chil- dren in the Heidelberg catechism preparatory to con- firmation, at the residence of Daniel Leckrone, who then lived in a two-story log house that stood on the town lot. The children would bring their dinners and the instruction would begin at eight o'clock in the morning and last until about four o'clock; in this way the catechism would be studied and perhaps committed to memory in one week, and the following Sunday the class was confirmed at Job's church. Preaching ser- vices were held in a log school house that stood in the southeast corner of section No. 16, along the Lithopo- lis and Winchester road, and in the large room on the Samuel Deitz farm that had been built by Lewis Kra- mer and the United Brethren people in which to hold meetings. This building was afterwards removed to the southeast quarter of section No. 16, now occupied by Chas. Schacht-and in the building on the southwest corner of West and Washington streets, now occupied by Mrs. McFadden.
In 1839 in company with the Lutherans a brick church was erected on lot No. 40, Washington street. Frederick Fruchey did the carpenter work for $787.50, and Eichelberg & Epply received $784.48 for the brick work. It was occupied some four or five years before it was plastered. The plastering was done by Peter Miller. The first pews were slab benches.
A memorandum, dated August 1841 says. "The church is in debt eight hundred and twenty-five dol-
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lars and some cents." Three hundred and fifty dol- lars of this amount was borrowed from J. B. Wert, the note being dated October 20, 1841 at Werts Grove, O. It seems that this debt hung on for several years: in 1849 and 1850, when Henry Game was one of the Trustees some two hundred and seventy dollars were paid and on May 8, 1854 a payment of one hundred and sixty-five dollars was receipted for in full, Samuel Loucks and Philip Zimmer were active Trustees, and each subscribed $50 on the first sub- scription list under date of May 24, 1839. In 1861 a new roof was put on the building and a steeple added. The pulpit was located in the east end of the church until the steeple was put up when it was re- moved to the west end of the room, and the pews faced about. On March 20, 1863 the bell was put up. In the summer of 1869 the interior of the church was remodeled. The old goblet shaped pulpit with its flight of six or eight steps, the old benches, the Melo- deon, the ten plate stoves and other furniture was sold at auction. The old floor was replaced with a new ·one, a raised platform for the choir and the organ was erected in the rear end, (East) between the doors. new windows and doors and pews were furnished at a total cost of some thirteen hundred ($1300) dol- lars.
This building was occupied alternately by these two congregations until 1881 when the Reformed people purchased the interest of the Lutherans.
The building was however occupied by both con- gregations until each of them completed their new churches and later it was occupied by the United Brethren during the time they were building their church in 1887. On February 11, 1881 at a congrega-
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tional meeting called for the purpose "the Elders, Deacons and Trustees were appointed a committee to see what amount of money can be secured towards putting up a church building," and on March 8 this committee made a proposition to the Lutherans to either buy or sell their half interest in the old build- ing at $600.00, after due consideration the Lutherans decided to sell, and on April 2 at a congregational meeting it was voted to build. Several building sites were proposed ; one plan was to buy the adjoining lot No. 41 on the south and build on these two lots; some proposed to build on lots No. 19, 20 and 21 on East Waterloo street then owned by O. P. Chaney, others favored three lots - No. 35, 36 and 37 on East Mound Street then owned by Wm. P. Miller, finally lots No. 24 and 25 on the corner of West and Washington Streets were selected and purchased for $1250, and the following building committee was ap- pointed : John S. Lehman, Chairman; Geo. Loucks, John Brenner, Jacob Bott, and Sam Deitz with Rev. S P Mauger Secretary, who served until May 15, 1882 when Geo. F. Bareis was elected secretary and Elijah Alspach Treasurer. The Building Committee visited the Obetz Lutheran church on the Columbus and Groveport pike and then requested Geo. F. Bareis to prepare Plans and Specifications for a similar building, which were slightly modified and adopted. The following persons were awarded the respective parts of the work: Ferdinand Leonard, wood work $2225; N. J. Wolf, brick work $2442; James Scanlon, plastering $275 ; O. J. Lawyer, painting $110; Geo. W. Siegfried, frescoeing $250; Watterson and Co., glass $218.
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The building alone cost $6600. Other expendi- tures including the lots, pews, pulpit, carpet, stoves, fence, and bell, (the bell was taken from the old church but its value is included) amounted to $2200 at total of $8800. The corner stone was laid on Aug- ust 1, 1881. Rev. J. Vogt D. D. of Delaware preached the sermon, Revs. Geo. H. Leonard, James Heffey and the pastor Silas P. Mager assisting; by Septem- ber I the walls were up to the square and the roof was put on late in the fall. The building then stood until the next spring when the plastering, frescoeing, etc. were in turn completed, and on February 18, 1883 the building was dedicated free of all debt. Rev. E. P. Herbuck of Akron preached the dedica- tory sermon from Isaiah LII: 1. The following min- isters were also present: M. Louck, D. D., James Heffley, W. A. From and the pastor, Austin Henry. The buildings that stood on the lots were sold at auction on June 4, 1881 ; Wm. Schrock purchased the house and moved it to Lot No. 36 Dove's Ist Addition and John C. Speaks purchased the stable and moved it to the adjoining lot No. 26. In October 1882 the old church property was sold at public auction to Geo. Loucks for $526, the bell and furniture being reserved.
November 26, 1895 the wind removed part of the roof and soon after Mr. Loucks sold it to Israel Gay- man who in 1896 tore down the old building that had become sacred and hallowed by many baptisms, con- firmations, funeral and other services.
The following were the early members: perhaps up to 1854, Peter Brown and wife, Chas. Brown and wife, Samuel Loucks and wife, Wm. Leight, Daniel Harmon, Daniel Bergtresser, John Brenner, Henry
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Harmon and wife, Lydia Miller, George Deitz, Lewis Deitz, Sarah Sunday, Absalom Shoemaker, August Walters, Christena Brown, Rebecca Shoemaker, Eliza Armpreister. Susan Brenner, Solomon Alspach and wife, John Schrock and wife, Henry Game and wife, John Graff. John Wagoner and wife, Jacob Boyer and wife. Of these Mrs. Eliza Armpreister aged 90 years, Mrs Susan Brenner Hunsicker and Mr. John Brenner are still members.
The following pastors have served this church con- secutively : Rev. George Weisz arrived at Lancaster, Ohio, on October 20th, 1816. He then spent about two months in Fairfield, Pickaway, Perry and Ross counties, preaching on the Sabbath and often through the week. The people in the localities that he visited importuned him to become their pastor ; but not hav- ing been licensed and ordained to preach he returned to Philadelphia, Pa., and pursued his studies until the following September, when, at a meeting of the Synod at York, Pa., he was licensed and his call to become the pastor of the people he had visited the year pre- vious was confirmed. On October 11th, 1817, he again arrived at Lancaster, Ohio, and at once com- menced his ministerial labors-organizing congrega- tions, preaching, instructing the young, and engaging in such other duties as were required of the pioneer missionary. At first he supplied thirteen congrega- tions at distances from each other, varying from twenty to fifty-six miles. All the congregations of Lancaster Classes, except Delaware and the two in Columbus grew out of his labors. The rapid increase in the membership and of the number of the congre- gations, created an imperative demand for more lab- orers. In the absence of a theological seminary, al-
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