USA > Ohio > History of Ohio Methodism : a study in social science > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
After the death of Mr. Hunt no preacher was sent to the Miami Circuit for about eighteen months. Philip Gatch, a faithful local preacher, labored hard to supply the work, and a great revival took place in the settlement. The following description of this re- vival is taken from the "Memoirs of Philip Gatch:"
"Some time in the course of 1801, while destitute of itinerant ministers, the first distinguished revival commenced as follows: Philip Gatch had preached on the afternoon of the Sabbath, and dismissed the con- gregation; and stepping into another part of his cabin, he saw a colored boy that he had raised, leaning his head against the wall, crying. He spoke to him, and the boy immediately fell to the floor, crying aloud for mercy. The congregation that were still in hear- ing, returned to see what was the matter, and as they entered the house, the power of God fell upon them. The professors, who were conscious that they had lost, in a measure, the enjoyment of religion in the anxieties
94
OHIO METHODISM.
and cares and privations of their new homes, began to struggle for a renewal of their spiritual strength, calling upon their classmates to help them, while one sinner after another was struck to the floor and con- strained to cry aloud for mercy. The meeting lasted until a late hour at night. Several of the members were greatly blessed, and four or five were converted. . Religion now began to show itself in earnest prayer-meetings, which were frequently held in differ- ent cabins throughout the settlement. It was seldom the case, where these meetings were held, that one or more was not made to experience religion. . It was a striking scene to witness the breaking-up of one of the night-meetings. The people, though com- ing from a distance, had no way of returning in the darkness but by dim paths or traces, some of which had been first formed by the tread of wild beasts. To obviate this difficulty, they would procure fagots made of bark from the trees, or splinters made fine, and rendered highly combustible; these would be fired upon starting home, and in every direction they might be seen like so many meteors, bounding amid the thick forest, and gilding the foliage of the loftiest trees, while the air would often be made vocal with the songs of rejoicing and praise. This revival spread generally over the country where such meetings were established and classes formed."
In 1802 Elisha W. Bowman was sent to Miami Circuit, and continued the revival, and built up the work. The membership had increased in four years from ninety-nine to four hundred and fourteen.
Likewise, in 1798, Reece Woolf, a local preacher,
95
INTRODUCTION OF METHODISM.
saw the great field to be occupied, and wrote to Bishop Asbury from Little Kanawha, Virginia, urging him for a preacher. Rev. Robert Manley was sent, and re- mained three weeks in Virginia, and then crossed the Ohio River to Marietta, and on April 7, 1799, preached the gospel to a few people at the cabin of William McCabe. He organized the first Methodist so- ciety in Marietta, which was then the seat of Gov- ernment of the Territory. This class was composed of six persons, William McCabe, John and Samuel Prots- man, and their wives. He also formed a circuit, ex- tending forty miles along the Muskingum River, and left ten or twelve classes. Jesse Stoneman followed him, and the work rapidly multiplied so that Rev. D. Hitt sent Mr. Quinn to assist him. In 1803 Asa Shinn organized a circuit on the Hockhocking with fifteen societies. Thus Methodism kept pace with the settlements, and within a few years scores of circuits were formed along the tributaries of the Ohio.
The Methodist itinerants invaded Ohio from the east as well as from the south. They made their way across the line which divided Pennsylvania from Ohio.
Youngstown began to be settled as early as 1793, and Cleveland in 1796. Settlements with a few families were commenced in 1799 in Canfield, Deerfield, War- ren, Ravenna, Hudson, Mentor, Willoughby, Wind- sor, and Austinburg. In 1800, Paynesville, became the nucleus of a flourishing settlement. The Western Reserve was dotted over with settlements, widely sep- arated and exposed to many hardships. In 1801, Rev. Obed Crosby, a local preacher, moved from Connec- ticut with his family, and settled in Vernon, Trumbull
96
OHIO METHODISM.
County, and some time in June, or early in July, formed the first Methodist society on the Western Re- serve. It consisted of five members-Obed Crosby and wife, Ewins Wright and wife, and Eunice Brock- way, who afterwards married Daniel Bushnell, of Hartford. This society afterwards bore the name of Hartford. The following year Rev. Henry Shewel, an old-fashioned local preacher, a native of New Jer- sey, removed to Deerfield, Portage County, and some time during the summer he collected together the Methodist families, and formed them into a class. They were Henry Shewel and wife, Lewis Ely and wife, Ephraim Hubbard and wife, Simeon Card and wife, Lewis Day, and Daniel Diver and wife.
Rev. Noah Fidler was on the Erie Circuit in 1803, when he crossed the Pennsylvania line into Ohio, and formed a class in the town of Hubbard.
The first regular appointed preacher to Eastern Ohio was Rev. Shadrach Bostwick. He was a phy- sician as well as a zealous and devoted preacher. It was providential that Dr. Tiffin in Southern, and Dr. Bostwick in Eastern Ohio, should be raised up to do such valiant service for the Church. In 1803 the Bal- timore Conference appointed him missionary to Deer- field, the home of his father-in-law, Daniel Diver. He found time to visit other settlements and render ef- ficient services in preaching and organizing societies.
This year he was induced to visit Youngstown, where he was refused the privilege of preaching in the small log-houses built for religious services by the citizens, but occupied by the Presbyterians. Judge Rayen invited him to preach in his barn, which he did
97
INTRODUCTION OF METHODISM.
until a better place was provided. He formed a class, and the work grew.
After serving the Church two years, he located; but he continued to travel and preach extensively, and evidently accomplished a great deal of good.
The Erie and Deerfield Circuit was supplied, in 1805, by Rev. J. A. Shackelford and R. R. Roberts,
R. R. ROBERTS.
afterward made bishop. The boundaries of this circuit were more than four hundred miles long, which had to be traversed every four weeks. These men were instrumental in forming a society in Mantua, Portage County, and in several other localities.
Rev. John Norris, a local preacher, in 1812, formed a class in Windsor, and began to preach. During the year 1814, Father Shewel, a faithful old pioneer, 7
98
OHIO METHODISM.
with his family, settled in Rootstown, Portage County, and formed a class, and also one at Ravenna. Mr. Laine formed a class at Nelson and another at Niles. In 1818, Rev. R. Eddy formed a class in Mentor, and in the following year one at Bloomfield, Austinburg, East Farmington, Mayfield. The same year Mr. Mahan formed a class in Warren. Elder Wm. Swayze, in company with Mr. Green, visited Painesville, in 1820, and, after preaching to a few people, formed a class. The Rev. James McIntire had the honor of forming the first class near Akron this same year. It was not until 1827 that Mr. Crawford formed a class in Cleveland, where Methodism now has such a strong hold.
The introduction of Methodism on the Western Re- serve was no easy task. The inhabitants were mostly from New England, and were slow to yield their Cal- vinistic prejudices in favor of Arminianism, with its broad platform of salvation to every penitent soul. Methodism made steady progress in this Puritan soil, notwithstanding a polemic warfare was waged wher- ever it made for itself a home. Providence raised up such men as Bostwick, Quinn, and Roberts, and a host of strong men with giant intellect, versed in the Bible, and with a knowledge of the plan of salvation. They did for Ohio, in this controversial period, what Lee and Brodhead, Pickering, and Fisk performed for Methodism in New England. These men were eminently fitted by nature and grace to accomplish a work that would usher in a period of peace and prosperity to the cause of Methodism.
"Methodism at that time (1817), and previous,"
99
INTRODUCTION OF METHODISM.
says Alfred Brunson, "had but little foothold on the Reserve. The people generally adhered to the forms,
ALFRED BRUNSON.
creed, and mode of worship of their New England forefathers. A few Methodists had emigrated from
100
OHIO METHODISM.
the East, and a few had come from Maryland, Vir- ginia, and Pennsylvania; but when all these were put together, they bore but a small proportion to the mass of the people. The Congregationalists having been long 'the standing order' in New England, they felt their dignity in their new homes; and the Methodists were treated as intruders, and with much contempt. The first schoolhouses were built before the Ohio school system was adopted, and, of course, by sub- scriptions, and not taxes. As the settlements were weak, a union of all parties was invoked to help build, with the promise that the houses should not only be for schools, but be free to all denominations to wor- ship God in. As soon, however, as the houses were finished, 'the standing order' took possession of them whenever they came along, to the exclusion of others, and especially of the Methodists. We learned that the freedom to worship for all denominations meant that they all might do so, under the government and control of 'the standing order,' and when no minister of that order was present. In some places the Meth- odists might occupy the house. In a few, and a very few, places, where we had a society and friends, we were allowed to occupy these houses as of the first right.
"Under these circumstances, our circuits and dis- tricts being large, and the Churches being poor, and the support being small, they (the circuits) were supplied by young and single men from the lower part of Ohio and from Kentucky. These young men, after receiving their appointments at Conference, would go home and visit their friends, and calculate to reach
IOI
INTRODUCTION OF METHODISM.
their field of labor, generally, just before their first quarterly-meeting, and leave for a home visit imme- diately after their fourth quarterly-meeting. By this mode of service the circuits were generally without preaching for at least three months every year.
"Under these circumstances Methodism did, and could, grow but little, until a change took place, and preachers were raised up among us, or those sent to us got married, and made their homes there. When this was done, they would stay on their work till just time enough, by hard travel, to reach the seat of Con- ference; and, when that was over, return as quick as their horses would carry them. As soon as this state of things was inaugurated, Methodism began to rise with rapid strides. Three preachers, James McMa- hon, Ira Eddy, and Ezra Booth, who came to us in a single state, married in the country. As preachers in those days who had wives found it convenient and necessary to live near their wives' relations, from whom they derived a portion of their support, these brethren were fastened to the country."
In 1818 Lower Sandusky, now Fremont, was sup- plied with ministers sent out from the Ohio Huron Mission. William Westlake supplied the place in 1819. He "preached in all the towns and rural settlements made accessible, and was the first minister who vis- ited and preached in Tiffin, Portland, Lower Sandusky, Pryor Neighborhood, and a few times at Woodville, Perrysburg, and Maumee City. In 1820, Dennis Goddard was sent upon this charge, and as the country had improved, Mr. Goddard commenced organizing the Church, and established Methodism in Portland,
IO2
OHIO METHODISM.
Norwalk, Milan, Huron, Tiffin, Lower Sandusky, Woodville, Stony Ridge, Prior Settlement, and in what is now Ottawa County, in the Day Neighborhood, Shaw Settlement, and a few other places between what is now Oak Harbor and the county-seat. During his two years upon this charge, in 1821, he returned a membership to Conference of three hundred and ninety-nine."
Methodism was established in Tremainsville, now incorporated in the city of Toledo, as early as 1825. The first Methodist class was formed at the home of Eli Hubbard, and became the nucleus of the Tremains- ville Methodist Episcopal Church. This same year a class was also formed at the home of Noah A. Whit- ney. "The first house for public worship," says E. C. Gavitt, "by any denomination whatever, in North- western Ohio, was built at this place. This church was commenced in 1834, and finished in 1835. The first Methodist class formed in this place, in 1825, was the nucleus of Methodism in Northwestern Ohio." In 1832, Toledo proper was a small place with but few houses. In October of this year Rev. E. C. Gavitt claims to have preached the first sermon to about twelve persons in a warehouse occupied by Mr. God- dard. Rev. E. H. Pilcher preached on January 27, 1833. Prior to this, however, Rev. John A. Baugh- man, of the Ohio Conference, must have preached in Tremainsville, as it was embraced in his circuit in 1825. St. Paul's Church, Toledo, was organized in 1836. Thus Methodism, with its great network of preaching- places, was spread throughout Ohio and the most
103
INTRODUCTION OF METHODISM.
remote settlement felt the transforming influence of the gospel.
Methodism was introduced under the leadership of earnest, self-sacrificing men of God. Great relig- ious zeal and enthusiasm characterized their labors. They rank among the bravest and most heroic men of any age in the world's history. The religious life they everywhere awakened became a powerful social ele- ment. The Christian principles they taught were grad- ually interwoven into the social fabric, and made pos- sible a Christian community. Each consecrated Christian life became a social energy which worked for the development of social order and righteousness.
The strength and impetus given by these men to the flexible organization of Methodism in its purpose to spread the gospel, and to build up quiet, peaceable communities, can never be fully appreciated. They gave inspiration to long and glorious periods of growth.
The introduction of Methodism in Ohio was op- portune. The early settlers were often strangers to each other. They scarcely began work in a new coun- try before the Methodist preacher was calling them to the service of God. The pioneers were generally separated from old associates and customs, and became more receptive to the influences of the gospel. At a later period, when the social bonds were stronger and the individual was hedged about by customs, it might have been more difficult to bring him under the power of a divine life. Surely there was a providence in this religious movement, working for truth and right- eousness in the world.
Chapter IV. Growth of Methodism. 105
TUDENTS of ecclesiastical history have estimated that at the close of the first century of the Christian era, Christianity numbered not over five hundred thousand converts in the whole world; but in eighty-six years American Christianity alone gained eleven million five hundred thousand, or twenty-three times as many. The part Methodism has shared in this work may be judged from the fact that about four million five hundred thousand of the twelve million communicants, or over one third, in 1886, were Methodists of various branches."-Dorchester.
ETHODISM is the most powerful element in the religious prosperity of the United States, as well as one of the firmest pillars of our civil and religious institutions."-Robert Baird.
106
CHAPTER IV.
T HE growth and achievements of Methodism in Ohio are unparalleled by that of any other de- nomination. Prior to the organization of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church in 1784, the Methodist preach- ers had traveled over the entire country, from the Atlantic to the mountains of Tennessee.
From this period we date the growth of circuits. We have seen how that small groups of families were scattered here and there along the water-courses, when Kobler, the first missionary, was sent into the Ter- ritory. It was during the year 1798 that he formed the first regular circuit in Ohio, known as the Miami. Its boundaries are thus given by Kobler: "Beginning at Columbia, and running up the Little Miami and Mad River to Dayton, thence down the Big Miami to Cincinnati." In 1805, Rev. John Meek describes the boundaries of this circuit as follows: "Including the Miami Valley, from Cincinnati to the settlement two miles from the spot of ground where the beautiful town of Urbana is built. Extending and spreading from the Big Miami River to White Oak Creek into what is now called Brown County, at Brother Davis's, near Georgetown."
The Scioto Circuit was the next formed by Henry Smith, in 1799, who, on the 23d of September, started up the Ohio, and began his work at Eagle Creek. He says: "I commenced on Eagle Creek, and directed
IO7
108
OHIO METHODISM.
my course toward the Scioto, and thence up the river to Chillicothe. In three weeks I formed Scioto Cir- cuit, preaching a number of times, and sending ap- pointments to other places against I came around again." The Scioto Circuit had grown in 1816 to em- brace parts of what are now the counties of Delaware, Franklin, Madison, Fayette, Highland, Brown, Adams, Scioto, Pike, Jackson, Ross, Pickaway, and the greater part of Fairfield.
The work of Methodism in the eastern part of Ohio fell under the name of the Erie and Deerfield Circuit, which was formed in 1805. It extended more than four hundred miles in length, and embraced part of Pennsylvania. This circuit grew until it became necessary to divide it, in 1810. The western part, ly- ing chiefly in Ohio, was called the Hartford Circuit, and took in nearly all the settlements where Meth- odism was planted in Eastern Ohio. In 1812 this cir- cuit was again divided. The Grand River Circuit ex- tended along the lake shore to the eastern line of Ohio to the mouth of a river by that name, while the Trumbull Circuit embraced the south part of the old Hartford Circuit, lying mostly along the waters of the Mahoning River.
Rev. Alfred Brunson traveled the Huron Circuit in 1818. "My circuit," he says, "extended from Black River, along the Ridge Road, by where Norwalk now stands, which was laid out in the spring of 1818, to the little town of New Haven; and from thence, by a zigzag course, to Sandusky Bay, at Venice and Portland, now Sandusky City; then through Perkins, east along the lake shore, to the place of beginning.
109
GROWTH OF METHODISM,
I soon formed a four weeks' circuit of twenty-four ap- pointments, with two hundred miles travel to com-/ pass it. I preached the first sermon ever preached in many places, and especially Sandusky City, then containing but some thirty houses. ยท I trav- eled this (Huron) circuit six months, and from five appointments that were furnished me to begin with, I enlarged it to one of four weeks, with twenty-four appointments, and returned 145 members, being an increase of seventy-five over that I found. I held a quarterly-meeting in January, 1818, at Perkins, soon after I reached the circuit; but as Brother Finley could not reach the place, I held it alone, having the Lord's Supper administered by Brothers Beattie and Gurley, I not being then ordained. In March, Brother Finley held one for us in New Haven, in the height of our revival there; and in July, Rev. D. D. Davisson came as a substitute for the presiding elder, and held the third in a barn on a prairie, near the center of the county."
In 1820 the Mahoning Circuit included the most of Trumbull County, and part of Portage. Trumbull then included what is now Mahoning County. It was one hundred and fifty miles round, having about thirty appointments.
The Grand River Circuit, in 1821, "lay in Ashta- bula, Geauga, and Trumbull Counties, and had forty- four appointments to be filled in four weeks, being about two hundred miles round it."
The work on the circuits made such progress that it became necessary to combine several circuits, and form them into a district. Accordingly Bishop As-
IIO
OHIO METHODISM.
bury, in 1803, sent William Burke into Ohio to form the Ohio District, the first in the State. This district "included all the settlements from the Big Miami up to the neighborhood of Steubenville, which was then called West Wheeling Circuit, running down the Ohio, including Little Kanawha and Guyandotte Circuits in Virginia, and some settlements on Licking, in the State of Kentucky."
BISHOP ASBURY.
Burke entered upon his work in October, 1803. "The first quarterly-meeting," he says, "was at Ward's meeting-house-a new house built of rough beech logs-on Duck Creek, Hamilton County, near where Madisonville is now situated. John Sale and Joseph Oglesby were the circuit preachers. This was then called the Miami Circuit, and included all the settle- ments between the Miamis and as far north, including
III
GROWTH OF METHODISM.
the settlements on Mad River, as high up as the neigh- borhood where Urbana now stands, and east of the Little Miami as high up as the settlements on Bull- skin, and all the settlements on the East Fork of the Little Miami, and a few settlements in Campbell County, Kentucky. This route the preachers accom- plished in six weeks. We organized two quarterly- meetings in the bounds, so that the presiding elder was two weeks in the bounds of the circuit, preaching nearly every day. The most easterly appointment was at Brother Boggs's, on the Little Miami, a few miles from the Yellow Springs. From that point we gen- erally started at daylight for the settlements on the Scioto, having between forty and fifty miles, without a house, to the first inhabitants at old Chillicothe. The Scioto Circuit included all that tract of country inhabited on Paint Creek out to New Market, Brush Creek, Eagle Creek, and Ohio Brush Creek, and up the Ohio to the mouth of the Scioto, and then up the Scioto to the Pickaway Plains, including Chillicothe and the settlements on White's Creek, a four weeks' circuit. From thence one day's ride to the settlements in Hocking Valley, which was called Hocking Circuit, which lay principally on that river and its tributaries, and a few settlements on the waters of Walnut Creek. From New Lancaster we generally took two days and a half to reach the bounds of West Wheeling Cir- cuit, in the neighborhood where St. Clairsville is now located. This was a four weeks' circuit, including the settlements on the Ohio River, and extending back to the frontier settlements on the West Wheeling and Short Creek, etc. From this point we returned by
II2
OHIO METHODISM.
the same route to New Lancaster, and then down the Hocking to Sunday Creek and Monday Creek, and then over to Marietta Circuit. This circuit was up and down the Ohio from Marietta, as low down as the settlements were formed, and up to the head of Long Reach, and up the Muskingum River as far as Clover Bottom and Wolf Creek, and so down to the neigh- borhood of Marietta, and over the Ohio into Virginia, on the waters of the Little Kanawha. This was called the Muskingum and Little Kanawha Circuit. It was but a three weeks' circuit, and had one preacher. From the neighborhood of Marietta we started down the Ohio River by way of Graham's Station to the mouth of the Great Kanawha, and down to Green Bot- tom-Brother Spurlock's-which was the first appoint- ment on Guyandotte Circuit. This circuit contained all the territory south and west of the Great Kanawha, and down to the mouth of the Big Sandy and the settlements back from the Ohio River.
"This was a field of labor that required about eleven weeks to accomplish, and many privations. The Methodists were, in those days, like angel's visits, few and far between, and we were half our time obliged to put up in taverns and places of entertainment, sub- ject to the disorder and abuse of the unprincipled and half-civilized inmates, suffering with hunger and cold, and sleeping in open cabins on the floor, sometimes without bed or covering, and but little prospect of any support from the people among whom we labored, and none from any other source; for there was no provision in those days for missionaries. But, not- withstanding all the privations and sufferings that we
113
GROWTH OF METHODISM.
endured, we had the consolation that our labor was not in vain in the Lord. We were gratified in having souls for our hire, and rejoiced to see the wilderness blossom as the rose. New societies sprang up in va- rious places, the circuits were enlarged, immigration increased, and the forest was subdued, and comforts multiplied.
"In the fall of 1805 I was removed from the Ohio District to the Kentucky District, and Brother John Sale was appointed my successor. The two years that I presided in the Ohio District laid the foundation for the future success of Methodism. We had been successful in introducing our doctrines into almost every neighborhood, and this formed a nucleus for the immigrants that were constantly arriving in the country. Numbers of Methodists from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the eastern States, settled in the Miami, Scioto, Hocking, and Muskingum Valleys, and a goodly number of valuable local preachers settled among them, and united with us in carrying on the good work of God, under the superintendence of Divine Providence. Numbers of young men were raised up in different sections of the western country, and entered the missionary field full of zeal, and eminently pious, and by this means we were enabled to follow immigration and the wide- spread settlements."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.