USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 19
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The ministers of later years who have wonderfully aided in carrying on the work are Revs. A. C. Crist, Leon Arpee, Chester H. Perkins and others.
The present membership of this church is about twenty-five. More than two hundred have been received into the society since its organization. It has not been aided by the Home Missionary Society since 1855. Of its Civil War record it may be stated that three laid down their lives. Captain James A. Cahill, Jonathan McEldary and Robert Moodie.
The Presbyterian church at Richwood was organized in June, 1874. The present church edifice, a handsome brick building, with lot and furni- ture, cost about six thousand dollars. Of this amount three thousand six hundred dollars was raised by the church and two thousand four hundred dollars was contributed by the Board of Church Extension and friends out- side. It was dedicated January 20, 1889. In 1902 the society purchased a fine pipe organ, at an expense of one thousand eight hundred dollars. The pastors have been : Revs. Henry Shedd. 1874: Charles S. Wood, 1875-76:
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C. W. Torrey, 1877-81 : John McDowell, 1882-87; John Tenney, 1888-90; N. A. Shedd, 1891-96; Charles W. Bogle, 1897-02; John WV. Wilson, 1903- 04: Leon Arpee, 1904, followed by the present pastor.
Concerning the Presbyterian churches at Marysville and its early his- tory we take the liberty of quoting largely from an historic sermon delivered in 1876 by Rev. William G. March, who brought the history down to that year :
"Several families located in Marysville during its earlier years who were members or friends of the Presbyterian church, and they were occa- sionally visited by missionaries, who preached to them. One of these was Rev. W. J. Frazier, who was sent out by the synod of Cincinnati as mis- sionary in the Miami valley. He lived to an advanced age and died in Illinois. Rev. Ebenezer Washburn, in a letter from Worthington, Ohio, dated September 23, 1829, to the secretary of home missions, reports as follows concerning the work in this section : 'The region where I have been preaching is now wholly occupied, i. e .. Mr. Allen, one of your missionaries, is employed in Madison and Union counties. Marion county and the desti- tute congregations in Delaware and Franklin counties are occupied by the American Home Missionary Society."
"After Mr. Allen had prospected this field, he held a meeting on the 9th of September, 1829, in the house of Stephen McLain, in Marysville, for the purpose of examining candidates with reference to the organization of a Presbyterian church in this place. Mr. Allen was president at this meeting. Two elders of the church of Upper Liberty (now Milford Center) were present. Samuel Reed and William Gabriel, Sr. Thirteen candidates were present, who were secretly examined without regard to their former church connection. Eleven of this number were approved as suitable per- sons to constitute a church. The articles of faith and covenant were pro- posed to the candidate and no objection was made to them. In the evening the candidates met in the court house, where Mr. Allen preached from Acts xx, 28. After the sermon a public assent were given to the articles of faith and one received the ordinance of baptism. The following constituted the first members of the Presbyterian church of Marysville : From other churches -Eri Strong, Stephen McLain, Nancy McLain, Silas G. Strong, Mana Strong. Mrs. Phebe Adamson, Mrs. Mary Richey; on profession of their faith --- James Richey, William Richey, Mrs. Sarah Phelps, Mrs. Catherine January. At this same meeting Eri Strong and Stephen McLain were elected. ordained and installed ruling elders over this infant church.
"Rev. D. C. Allen continued his labors until April 16, 1831, receiving
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thirty-four members into the church. He administered the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for the first time November 15, 1829. Some of the entries in Mr. Allen's journal and reports are as follows :
"'September 9, 1829. In the afternoon went to Marysville to organize a church. Two elders from Upper Liberty congregation and myself ex- amined thirteen candidates for membership and received eleven. Four of these had not made public profession and seven were from other churches. At night preached a sermon, baptized one adult, organized a church and ordained two ruling elders. The meeting was pretty well attended. May the Lord bless and own this little vine as of His own right hand's planting. This is the county seat of Union and it was highly important that a church should have an early existence here as the village is forming its character. The Methodists have been operating here for some time. Their number is yet small.
"'September 29. Preached at Marysville at night on the subject of temperance. Pretty good number out. Among them were some intemperate people. May the Lord favor the cause of temperance. One intemperate man walked about the house with anger. Several persons here had drawn up resolutions in favor of temperance and annexed their signature to them. I hope a temperance society will be formed soon. One store has been con- menced without any spirits and one merchant has resolved to purchase no more.
"'February 23. 1830. At night attended the meeting of lecture and prayer in Marysville. Pretty good number out, considering the wet. Vil- lagers are poor hands to stand the mud. * * A few days ago a whisky drinker in Marysville attempted to raise a log cabin. During the first day he but five hands-of course the work moved on slowly. They raised the walls seven or eight feet. The next day a temperance man ad- vised him to leave his bottle behind and he would have plenty of hands and the cold water men could put up his building directly. Having been as- sured the thing would be done, he swore he would go without the bottle. The men of strength came forward and effected the work in good time and good order.
"'May 16, 1830. Dr. Ira Wood, who had become a member of the church, was ordained and installed as ruling elder. By special act of the Ohio Legislature, in February, 1831, 'The First Presbyterian Church of Marysville, Ohio.' was incorporated: by this act Dr. Ira Wood, James Richey and Silas G. Strong were appointed trustees to serve until the first (14)
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Monday in the following March, when and annually thereafter the corpora- tion was required to elect three trustees and one clerk. At the first election the above named persons were chosen trustees and Stephen McLain as clerk. The congregation and session frequently met at Mr. McLain's house for business and religious purposes. Public services were held at first in the old wooden court house and also for a time in the subsequent brick court house. February 16, 1832, a meeting was held at Mr. McLain's house to consider the question of building a house of worship for the society. A subscription at that time was started and signed by seventeen persons, who subscribed a total of four hundred and thirty-five dollars 'for the purpose of erecting a house of public worship in lot No. 43, in the town of Marysville of such form and size and on such a plan as to entitle the First Presbyterian congre- gation in Marysville to a deed to the east half of said lot from Joshua Mathiot, Esq., whose bond, with conditions the trustees of said congregation now hold, we, the undersigned, agree and bind ourselves to pay to James Richey. Ira Wood and Silas G. Strong, as trustees of such congregation or their successors in office, the sum set to our names respectively: One half to be paid on or before the first day of September next, ensuing the date hereof, and the residue on the first day of September. 1833.'
"Mr. Strong was empowered to draft a plan of the new building, which was to be of brick, forty by fifty feet, and he was also authorized to make a contract for its construction and see that it was carried out. The work went on slowly and the house was not occupied till 1835 or 1836. Mr. Strong in- vested largely from his own means in the building and, owing to the poverty or mismanagement of the church, he was not reimbursed. The building be- came his property and subsequently, by execution or transfer, passed into the hands of a New York or Philadelphia merchant, who was a creditor of Mr. Strong. For a time the building was closed to public worship; the church became separated into Old School and New School and in the spring of 1844 the former obtained an eight-year lease on the Smith academy building. then in the process of erection. This contract was set aside by mutual agreement at the end of six years, and the congregation once more occupied the old building, which had been purchased of its Eastern owners for nine hundred and fifty dollars. The annual congregational meeting in March, 1849, was held in the brick church and the custom was adopted of assessing the pews for the purpose of raising money to support the pastor. This practice was continued for several years.
"Upon the walls of many a memory," says Doctor March, "hangs the picture of this old brick church. In vivid outline it stands before the mind's
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eye, 'grand, gloomy and peculiar.' On a bright Sabbath morning the crowd of worshippers flock to the temple gate, but there are two flights of stairs on the outside to ascend as a good exercise of breath and muscles. This had to be in order to reach the gates. These entered, and a look to one side will show the pulpit and preacher at the entrance way ; and now the momentuin of the ascending exercise brings you to another step that lifts you up one or two feet, and then you can find a seat, or moving forward. you rise higher still until at the greatest distance from the preacher you will find yourself perched in the highest seat of the synagogue. Here a good view is obtained of the hapless wights who come in later, and before the stare of glittering eyes, may stumble over the middle step. and dash forward to the same eleva- tion. There never was a church buikling better adapted to give variety and spice to the dull monotony of seating a congregation. More than once have I seen a titter spread over the placid countenance of some roguish boy or girl, as the eyes regaled themselves at the discomforture of a gay lady or swagger- ing youth who swept up the aisle, but suckenly halted and stoutly resisted the tendency to a horizontal posture. But the ludicrous was not always present. Many a time and to many a soul has this old structure been truly the 'house of God and the very gates of Heaven.' 'The Lord is in His tem- ple.' Tears of joy, sighs of sorrow, the smiles of heavenly satisfaction, the up-lifted heart, the songs of praise and the glad tidings of salvation have filled the holy walls and made their impress for time and eternity."
About 1866 a movement was made toward the erection of a new church building, and the materials for it were gathered on the ground in the autumn of 1867. The corner-stone was laid July 31, 1868, and the building was dedicated Sunday, March 20. 1870, at which time were present Revs. James Smith, John W. Drake, A. E. Thompson, former pastor, and W. G. March, pastor then in charge. The structure was built of brick, forty-five by seventy feet, surmounted by a tower, and stood near the northwest corner of Center and West streets. The cost of building and fixtures was about twelve thousand dollars.
As this is one of the pioneer Presbyterian churches in the county, and has been connected with many illustrious characters, both dead and living, it will be of no little interest to give a list of pastors in the order in which they have served. They are as follows :
Rev. Allen was the first pastor and was succeeded in about this order : Revs. Benjamin Dolbear, 1831-34: Benjamin Higbee, J. W. Lawton, 1834- 35 : James Perigen, 1835-37: William D. Smith, 1838; James Smith, 1841- 51: John W. Drake, 1852-58; J. K. Kost. 1858-60: Albert E. Thompson,
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1860-67; William G. March, 1867-80; William A. Ferguson, 1881-97; James S. Revenaugh, 1897-04; Marshall Harrington, 1905-10; Rev. Will- iam A. Atkinson, D. D., present pastor, since 1910.
United Presbyterianism at one time had quite a following in attendance of the Sunday school is about one hundred and seventy. The present church edifice, one of the finest in this section, was dedicated in November, 1904, at a cost of forty thousand dollars. It stands on the northwest corner of Fifth and Court streets, in the very center of the city. The contract price was thirty-two thousand dollars, and its present value includes the lot and fixtures.
THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
United Presbyterianism at one time had quite a following in Union county, and still has one organization. The Old Seceder church, as this denomination was styled, organized at New California between 1835 and 1840. It was organized by the McCampbells and Beards, who came in from Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1835, and were soon followed by the Liggetts. Services were first held at the home of William McCampbell, Sr., and later in a cooper shop belonging to John McCampbell. The church was organized by Rev. James Wallace and the ruling elders were William Bigger and David Beard, with about thirty members. Rev. Robert Forester, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, supplied the church for two years. The first installed pastor was Rev. I. N. Laughead, who came in April, 1843. continuing until April, 1864. He was pastor of the church at Unionville Center at the same time. His salary at one time was only three hundred dollars a year and never more than four hundred dollars. He was a farmer and looked upon as one of the most successful farmers in the county. He accumulated much property. He also taught school and many of the older men of the county attended his schools. His wife had a bright, lovable Christian character. and they had an interesting family. The oldest son, William Bradford, died in the Union army during the Civil War. Rev. Laughead and family removed to Washington, Iowa, in 1865, and there both died and are buried.
The first church building erected by this society was of logs and was "raised" in 1841. The ceiling was very low and some of the benches used as seats did not have any backs. When the minister was in the pulpit his head reaclied almost to the joists, which were heavy enough for a railroad bridge. This house was used to worship in until 1852, when the old frame
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building now used as a township house was built on the same site now occu- pied by the church building erected in 1904.
Following Rev. Laughead, in 1865, came Rev. James \. Taylor, who served until 1867. He was followed by Revs. John Gilmore, D. M. Gordon, Ebenezer E. Cleland, B. E. Dobbins, R. C. Finney and E. H. Thompson, who came in 1911. While the church membership is not as large as at one time, the influence for good in the community, by reason of the right living and due regard for the Sabbath and holy things, is going on and will ever be a blessing to those thus influenced.
The present pastor is Rev. A. D. Anderson, who came in September, 1913. The present membership is about one hundred and five. The church is valued at five thousand five hundred dollars, and the parsonage at three thousand dollars. The present frame church building was erected in 1904. This is the only church of the denomination in Union county.
The Darby Seceder church, later styled the United Presbyterian church, was formed as early as 1824. The county was thinly settled at that date and the improvements were few and far between, The original membership did not number more than twelve or fifteen, and among this number were Robert Nelson, Samuel Robinson, Thomas Robinson, James Boles, John Porter and Samuel Mitchell, Jr. The first meetings were held in good weather in the sugar grove on the farm of Judge Mitchell, east of and near his cabin, close to the banks of Big Derby. It was here the first communion services were held. The Lord's Supper was once celebrated in a large barn belong- ing to Samuel Robinson. This congregation was organized by a minister of the Nenia presbytery, and Rev. James Wallace became the first pastor. He was called in 1830. His salary from the three churches which he then served was three hundred dollars per year. The first meeting house was a frame building, thirty by forty feet, erected not later than 1835 on a lot donated for that purpose by Judge David Mitchell, northwest from Union- ville. In 1856-57 another frame church was erected to take the place of the old one. Its size was thirty by forty feet and its cost was about one thou- sand four hundred dollars. In June, 1858, the general union of the United Presbyterian, the Associate Seceders and the Associate Reform churches took place, and the name United Presbyterian was chosen. The membership of the New California church was drawn largely from this congregation. The old Seceder church was very rigid and strict in enforcing its closely drawn creed. As an illustration of this, the old records show that a meni- ber was tried for singing a Methodist hymn, and another for kneeling in
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prayer at the church of a sister society. This society was later merged into the United Presbytrian church.
METIIODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
Methodism was early in the religious field in Union county. A class was formed in Pleasant Valley, in the cabin of Andrew Noteman about 1812, and was one of the very first in Union county.
The present Plain City church is made up largely from members resid- ing outside this county, but the church building stands over the line in Union, in jerome township.
The present Watkins Methodist Episcopal church sprung from what was known in 1818 as the Mill Creek Methodist class, organized that year by Rev. Henderson Crabb, at the house of William Conklin. The members were William Conklin, Sr., Rebecca Conklin, Joseph Conklin, Joel Coleman, John Conklin, Jemina Conklin, William Conklin, Jr., Betsey Bell and two or three more. Mr. Burdick was among the pioneer class leaders and served as such many years. From this effort sprung the Watkins Methodist church. Meetings were held at William Conklin's for sixteen years, and then up to 1849 at various members' houses. That year they erected a frame house. which served its purpose until 1869-70, when a three-thousand-dollar church was erected. Among the early pastors were Revs. Smith, George Maley. John Havens and Rev. Simms.
In Liberty township, in 1819, it is thought. Elder J. B. Finley organized a class at the house of Israel Carter, consisting of members as follows: Israel and Agnes Carter, Levi and Betsey Carter and Mrs. Polly Carter. They frequently met as a class and at times had preaching at the private homes of the members. But bad roads and small numbers caused the work to finally be abandoned.
About 1826 Rev. Simms visited the same locality and organized a class in the school house. Meetings were held until about 1833, when the mem- bership erected a hewed-log meeting house, which served until 1859, when a frame building was provided. At the raising of this frame structure David Wood had his foot badly crushed by a falling timber, which crippled him permanently. The church was dedicated September 30, 1859.
In 1820. or possibly earlier. a class was formed at the house of Charles McCloud. in Darby township, from which sprung the Unionville Methodist Episcopal church, which was erected about 1856-57. The original class was located in the southern part of the township. Rev. George Maley was one
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of the pioneer ministers. The McCloud family, the Tinkhams, Amos Mc- Nier and wife, C. H. Converse and wife, Betsey Cutler, Frederick Sager and wife, John Jolly and wife. David Sager and wife and others were prominent and early members. After the cabin homes had been used for a time, the school house, just east of the site of Unionville, was used as their church house. When the village was started the hall over the John Sager building was used. Bishop S. M. Merrill was pastor when the services were held in the Sager store building hall. Other early ministers were Revs. Sharp, James Finley and James Gilruth.
In the dense forests of Paris township the older members of the Amrine families had much anxiety as to how they should rear their children in the church path. Finally, in 1821, they concluded to erect a church building, or at least to form a Methodist class. They had been members over in Bel- mont county and were about all the Methodists there were then residing in this locality. Andrew Amrine was the first class leader and steward, serving until his death. John and Jeremiah, his brothers, then took up his duties as class leader. This point was then in the London circuit, and Rev. George Maley and Aaron Wood, circuit riders, visited them. The circuit was then from two to three hundred miles around: The preachers traveled on horse back with the old saddlebags behind them. In their lonely travels they were often soaked by the drenching rain, pelted by the merciless hail, or blinded and frozen by the blinding snows of a severe winter. The hungry wolf often gave them chase, and the growling bear was heard by the way. Often, very often, when the preacher was expected, has the good woman of the house sat up till late in the night to have ready for him a warm supper after the weary day's journey.
Soon others came in and united with the class, and a round-log church building was erected a few rods south of where a neat church was later built. This old pole house was also used for school purposes. The log structure was finally burned and a hewed-log house took its place. In 1853. a mile and a half northwest of Marysville, a church was built and dedicated by the great Bishop Merrill. Sabbath school was formed as early as 1828.
In Allen township, soon after the settlers came in to make homes for themselves, projects were set on foot to encourage and establish churches by the Methodist denomination. Buck Run Methodist Episcopal church was the first organized in Allen township. A class was formed as early as 1825 at the home of Daniel Allen, consisting of the following members: Henry Vangordon. Rachel Allen. Philena Mather, Daniel Allen. Kate Vangordon, Samuel Allen and possibly a few more whose names have been lost with the
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flight of years. Samuel Allen, a local preacher, organized the class. They held services first at private houses, then in the school house until 1833, when a frame church was erected and dedicated by Bishop S. M. Merrill. The membership at one date reached over seventy souls.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Marysville was formed about 1827. George Snodgrass, in writing of those early days, remarked: "We were in the bounds of London circuit at that time. Two preachers were on the cir- cuit, one named Samuel P. Shaw, preacher in charge, and another named John C. Havens. These men offered to form a class if they could raise seven members, and we set out to raise that number. George Minturn and lady, Miss Hannah Fox (sister of Mr. Minturn, who afterward became my wife), Newton Hicks and lady, and myself made six members. Silas G. Strong, a Presbyterian, gave us his name, making the seven members. This class was formed at the house of George Minturn, a building, perhaps eigh- teen by twenty feet in size. George Minturn was our class leader."
Rev. Shaw's home was about six miles east of London, Madison county, and he was the pioneer preacher of this vicinity. His circuit extended from near Columbus to about forty miles west, taking in an area so large that it required four weeks to make the tour around the circuit. One appointment was at Amrine's, one and a half miles northwest of Marysville. The first church was erected in 1837, at Fourth and Walnut streets, at a cost of five hundred and ninety dollars.
In 1853 a lot, formerly occupied by Felix G. Wingfield with a cooper shop, was purchased for church purposes and a building erected. It was burned September 25, 1863, being at the time used for a hay-press. It was a frame structure. In 1856 a brick church was dedicated by this society; it stood on East Center street. In 1882 over two thousand dollars was ex- pended upon this building. The site was purchased in 1853. A parsonage was built in 1871 on grounds now included in the court house lots. Another parsonage property was secured in 1880; this was located on South East street. The present membership is seven hundred and ninety-six. Its Sun- day school averages six hundred and fifteen. The auditorium of the present church was dedicated in December, 1896, by Rev. Gilbert, D. D. In 1900 the completed church was dedicated by Rev. David H. Moore, editor of Western Christian Advocate, now a bishop in the church. The church property is valued at forty thousand dollars. Its location is the southwest corner of Court and Sixth streets. The pastors, who have been notable characters in the history of Methodism, include the following: James Gilruth, (Bishop) S. M. Merrill, L. C. Webster, Henry H. Pilcher, Leonard B. Gurley, N .. B. C.
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