USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 27
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At present this parish has a good membership and is worshiping in the church erected in 1867.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The First Methodist church of Wooster was the outgrowth of the labors and prayers of this devout people, some of whom sought to plant the seed of Methodism here as early as 1817-18. It is unfortunate for the present day historian that the records are lost and the exact date of its organzation cannot be definitely fixed. Up to 1832 the history of this church
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is lacking. At a quarterly conference, held in Wooster, December 15, 1832, for Wooster circuit and district, William P. Christie appeared as presiding elder. Class leaders for that day are known to have been A. Stewart, A. Warner, J. Sampson, D. Chacey, C. Yordy, George Snider, H. Kizer, D Black, M. Warner and William Spear.
The Sunday school was organized about 1832, and in 1835 the Wooster class numbered one hundred and twelve scholars. In April, 1836, William Spear, Christian Eyster and David Fairfield were appointed a committee to estimate the cost of building a church. In 1837 a proposition was made to divide the circuit, embracing all the appointments north of Wooster and the state road, leading to Mansfield, which was agreed to. In 1837 Adam Poe was presiding elder, and in 1838 J. H. Power.
June 27, 1840, the trustees of the Methodist church made the following . report :
"First, the meeting house has been pulled down and lies even with the ground. Second, they have determined to build a new house of the follow- ing dimensions : seventy-five by fifty feet, a portico eight by thirty, with columns in front, etc. They have contracted for building the same for two thousand seven hundred dollars and two thousand five hundred and three dollars have been subscribed; the building is now in a state of forwardness and they expect to have the basement fully ready for use by the first of September next and the house finished sometime during the summer.
"Signed, J. J. Armstrong, Jacob Immel, William Spear, D. P. Hart- man, M. E. Hamp, D. Black, C. Yordy, Thomas Williams, Trustees."
October 17, 1840, E. Yocum appears as presiding elder. October 14, 1843, at a quarterly meeting the question arose whether it was best to divide the circuit and make Wooster a station, which, upon a vote, was carried in the affirmative, whereupon it was moved and seconded that Bodine and Smithville appointments be attached to Wooster, which was carried. The circuit was now divided as before decided by the conference, and Wooster was constituted a station.
September 21, 1844. E. Raymond appears as presiding elder. D. Black, William Stitt, D. M. Crall as stewards.
May 6, 1849, the trustees reported the church entirely out of debt, but suggested some repairs and improvements to the building. William Henry donated the parsonage grounds ..
March 28, 1858, J. Hinton offered the following resolution :
"Whereas, The putting on of gold is a plain violation of Scripture pre- cept, as well as the rules of our church, therefore, be it
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"Resolved, That the members of the Methodist Episcopal conterence prohibit the use of it in their own families, and discountenance the use of it by the members of the church."
After discussion, Rev. J. Durbin presented the following as a substitute, which was accepted by Mr. Hinton, and passed by the conference :
"Resolved, That we hereby request our pastor to preach discourses at his own pleasure and convenience, on the subject of dress; and that we will sustain him in the execution of the general rules of our discipline, without exception."
The subjoined is a complete list of the various pastors who have served on the charge on which Wooster is situated :
Edward Taylor 1820-21 H. R. Parish 1837-38
James Gilbreth 1821-22 E. C. Gavitt 1838-39
Peter Stevens
1822-23 W. L. Harris
1838-39
John Graham
1823-24 David Gray
1839-4I
Isaac Ellsbury
1823-24 Cyrus Sawyer
1839-40
James Murray 1824-25 C. B: Brandenburg 1840-4I
S. Meriman
1824-25 Thomas Barkdull
1841-42
Abner Goff 1825-26 J. N. Kellum 1841-43
J. C. Taylor
1826-28 William D. Drisho
1842-43
C. Carpenter 1826-27 G. W. Howe 1843-44
Adam Poe
1828-29 R. H. Chubb
1843-44
H. Colclozer
1828-29 E. R. Jewett
1844-45
J. M. McMahan 1829-30 Cyrus Sawyer 1845-47
James Wilson 1829-30 H. E. Pitcher 1847-48
James Dixson 1830-31 L. B. Gurley 1850-52
H. Sheldon 1831-32 L. S. Yourtee 1852-53
J. Hazzard 1831-32 Jesse Durbin 1853-54
E. M. Dalbey
1831-32 H. S. Brodley
1854-55
L. Bevans 1832-33 T. S. Kalb 1855-56
S. Ruark 1833-34 W. H. Seeley 1856-58
P. P. Ayers 1833-34 H. G. DuBois 1858-60
W. Runnels 1834-36 L. Warner I860-61
C. R. Lovel. 1835-36 M. C. K. Hard 1861-62
E. Thompson 1835-36 C. L. Foot 1862-64
E. Yocum
1836-37 A. R. Palmer
1864-66
Thomas Dunn
1836-38 J. Mallock
I866-68
George Smith
1837-38 George Mather
I868-70
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G. W. Pepper 1870-72 R. T. Stevenson 1886-89
A. Nelson 1872-74 W. C. Dawson 1890-95
O. Badgley 1874-76 J. Frank Smith 1895-00
G. A. Hughes 1876-79 John H. Deeds 1900-04
I. H. McConnell 1879-81 Edgar V. DuBois 1904-00
N. S. Albright 1881-84 Charles L. Johnson 1906-09
George Mather 1884-86 J. W. Dowds 1909 ---
The more recent year presiding elders (district superintendents) are : Rev. G. A. Hughes, 1879-83 ; Rev. E. Persons, 1887-93; Rev. P. B. Stroup, 1887-99; Rev. George Mather, 1893-99; Rev. A. D. Knapp, 1899; Rev. Keys, present incumbent.
On a Sunday morning in February, about 1885, the old Methodist church building burned. Insurance was carried to the extent of four thou- sand dollars, which was promptly paid and this enabled the society to go ahead with new building plans. Right at that juncture, the Trinity church of the same denomination, which owned and used a small brick church where now stands the First Episcopal building, concluded to unite, or rather re- unite, for they had left the parent church some years before, and so the property of the two congregations was united and the Trinity building was taken down and the present First Methodist church building was erected at a cost of about thirty-five thousand dollars. In the year 1906 a very fine pipe organ was added to the church. Its cost was about four thousand five hundred dollars, and Andrew Carnegie donated one-third of the amount. one thousand five hundred dollars.
The present membership of this church is seven hundred. Considering the fact that Wooster is largely a Presbyterian place (owing to the uni- versity influence and interests), the Methodist church is indeed a strong, influential denomination and is doing most effective work.
TRINITY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, WOOSTER.
This is one of the more modern churches of this denomination. It dates its organization from November 23, 1872, and then started out with a membership of thirty-five. The St. James Episcopal church was rented for the use of the newly formed society. The first pastor was Rev. John Toner, of Canton, Ohio. The first official board was as follows : stewards, Daniel Black, Henry C. Harris, C. M. Amsden, J. C. Knoble, F. L. Parsons, John Van Meter, W. S. Leyburn ; trustees, D. O. Liggett, B.
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Barrett, John H. Silvers, J. H. Carr, W. M. Pinkerton, J. B. Power, T. Y. McCray, M. K. Hard, C. V. Hard.
In 1874 it was determined to erect a house of worship and about the middle of June the work was begun on a lot on the corner of North Market and Larwill streets, where a new, handsome structure rapidly rose. In size it was fifty-eight by ninety-two feet and seated four hundred, while the Sun- day school room accommodated fully two hundred more. This building was dedicated January 24, 1875. The first sermon was preached by Rev. D. S. Gregory, D. D., of Wooster University, and the regular dedicatory sermon was by Bishop W. X. Ninde, D. D., then of the Northwestern University, Chicago. In 1878 the membership of this church was even two hundred. Early in the eighties this church, after the burning of the old First Methodist Episcopal building, united with that church and since then only one Methodist church has existed in Wooster. The brick church above named was torn down and the present fine edifice was erected as common property of the united congregation-the First church putting in the insurance money it had received and other monies and the Trinity people putting in the lot and material of their church.
FREDERICKSBURG METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The First Methodist Episcopal church of Fredericksburg was built in 1830 and stood south of town. The first minister in charge was Rev. H. O. Sheldon. The second edifice erected was built in 1860. Some of the earlier members of this charge were: John Miller and family, David Griffith and family, Samuel Brown and family, Robert Armstrong, Sr., J. R. Armstrong, Jacob Kiser (the singing shoemaker ), Stinson McWilliams, Nancy Sefton and family, C. P. Tennant and family, R. S. McEwen and family.
The church, at present, has a membership of two hundred and fifty-eight. Besides this there was an early-day organized Presbyterian church in Sugarcreek township.
CANAAN TOWNSHIP METHODISM.
A Methodist Episcopal church was erected in Windsor in 1850-51, which they continued to occupy until 1874, when they again built a neat edifice. Among the early members here may be remembered the Strat- tons, Notestines. Wiles, Van Doorens, Haskins, Stephenson, Haws and others.
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“
'BEND CHURCH."
This was the name of a church built in Canaan township in 1831-32, through Dr. Barnes, a minister of that denomination who had preached at that point as early as 1815. The earliest to attend and support this society were the Weeds, Bowmans, Strattons, Kearns, Thrapps, Zuvers and Hills. The church became extinct just prior to the Civil war, yet the "Bend Metho- dists" left their impression on the community.
METHODISM IN FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.
The First Methodist Episcopal church was built in Moreland about 1830, and was a one-story frame building thirty by thirty feet, located on Robert Buckley's land and was donated by him for church uses. For the first fifteen years before the church was built services were held at private houses, generally at that of William P. Force. The second church was built in the summer of 1863. At present, 1909, the church has a member- ship of one hundred and sixty.
CRESTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Methodism in this immediate section began its work at Jackson at a very early date-about 1850. In 1863 the old frame church at Jackson was moved to Creston and stood on the site of the present church. The old building served until 1884, when the present brick church was erected at a cost of eight thousand dollars. It is sixty-one by sixty feet, to which has been added during the last year parlor and Sunday school room thirty by thirty feet that cost two thousand dollars.
The present membership, in good standing, is two hundred and eighty. WV. A. Wells has served this church as its recording steward and generally had charge of the collections and finances of the church for the past thirty years. Through his management, the treasury always has a credit when conference meets.
The following have served as pastors in the order here named since 1850: Revs. M. T. Ward. A. R. Palmer, Munsinger, Reeder. Jones, Moffett, Owen, Peters, Col. S. R. Clark, Wells, T. S. Warner, Hushouse, Huntsberger, Warner, Saholzer, Snyder, Wager, Whitnorth, Peterson, S. E. Sears, and present pastor (1909), C. D. Castle.
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT ORRVILLE.
A Methodist Episcopal church was formed in the district in which Orrville was situated as early as 1853 by Joseph Hayes, and services were held in a school house in the western part of the little village. Among its first members were David Huston, leader ; Mrs. Joanna Hayes, Daniel Hoover and wife, Mrs. Mary Van Buskirk, Father Wilford, a local preacher, and Mr. and Mrs. Skelton. They completed their church edifice in 1868-69 and it was dedicated by Rev. Alfred Wheeler. Pastors who served this church in the order here given are (since 1869) : Revs. Clinton Craven, N. J. Close, A. E. Thomas, Philip Kelser, J. L. Sanford, J. T. McCartney. W. Reese, J. F. Brant, Freshwater, Ashbaugh, F. S. Wolfe, Boothe, Dunbar, Slutz, Barnett, Hyde, Meyer and Fleming.
The present membership is two hundred and fifty. The cornerstone of the church has this dating, "1866-1905," meaning the date of old and new edifices. The new building is perhaps the finest in Wayne county. Its stone walls and elegant finishings make it all round modern. Its cost was eighteen thousand dollars. It stands on Church street, and was dedicated by Dr. Mitchell of Cleveland, now of Chicago.
OTHER METHODIST CHURCHES.
Other Methodist Episcopal churches within Wayne county in 1909 have a membership, as shown by the 1908 conference minutes, as follows : Apple- creek, 210; Burbank, 144; Congress, 170; Dalton, 275; Doylestown, 170; Marshallville, 95; Moreland, 160; Shreve, 209; Smithfield and Canaan, 134; West Salem, 183.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
It appears that Catholicism first had its start in Wayne county in the early forties and St. Mary's church was erected in 1847 at Wooster. The cornerstone was laid during that year in the month of September by Arch- bishop Purcell. The first resident priest was Father Champion, succeeded by Fathers Brennan, Haley, O'Neal, Arnold, Gallaher and Ankly. When the church was erected there were but fifteen resident members, but by 1878 it had increased to over a hundred members.
The old burying ground, to the east of the church, was used until Jan- uary, 1871, when the first lot was sold in the new cemetery to Joseph Holland. In 1869 Father Ankly purchased these grounds from David Robison, Jr.,
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paying therefor two hundred dollars per acre for ten acres. The beautiful brick parsonage was built in 1906 at a cost of seven thousand, two hundred dollars. The same church is in use that was erected in 1847 and seems as good as the day it was built, due to honest workmanship.
This congregation now numbers eighty families. Father Fridolin Ankly has been in charge of this congregation since the autumn of 1865-forty- four years. He is a native of Switzerland, came to America when eighteen years of age, was partly educated in Europe and finished here. He served in Sandusky, Ohio, before coming here; also in Cleveland. Protestants and Catholics alike vie with one another to do this man of God honor. He is one of Ohio's most venerable priests and makes friends wherever he goes. This church is now styled the Immaculate Preferred Conception.
The original organ for this church came from Westfield, Massachusetts, and cost one thousand dollars. In 1866 the bell was bought in St. Louis at one thousand and four hundred dollars and weighed (gross) three thousand five hundred pounds.
ST. MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.
This Catholic church was erected in Baughman township in 1849 by Ambrose Halter, and the first priest was P. Morat. The church here is now known as St. Joseph's, and numbers seventeen families.
MILTON TOWNSHIP CATHOLIC CHURCH.
A Catholic church was erected in Milton township in 1858, the corner- stone having been laid July 26, 1858. This embraced the so-called "French Settlement," and lately the church has laid a cornerstone for a new building to be located at the town of Rittman, where there are twenty families of this faith.
At Orrville the church has purchased two lots on the corner of High and Elm street where they contemplate building a church soon.
STS. PETER AND PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.
This church is located at Doylestown and was organized a mile to the south of the present town in 1827. Their first building was a log structure twenty-eight by forty feet, which served until 1849, when a church was erected
(18)
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on the site of the present magnificent church in the village. This was thirty- six by sixty feet in size and cost four thousand dollars. This served until 1877 when the present brick church was erected at a cost of thirteen thousand dollars, now worth twenty-five thousand dollars. It is fifty-six by one hun- dred and ten feet in size and its ceilings are forty feet high. Recently the church has built a fine two-story brick school building near the church. The present membership of this congregation is about eighty families.
FRENCH SETTLEMENT CHURCH.
The work among the Catholics began here in 1855 and in July, 1858, a church was dedicated-a frame building which is still standing. A frame church was built in 1909 costing four thousand dollars. The Catholic work in this section is being rapidly transferred to Rittman, the railroad point, and is all served by the priest at Doylestown at this date.
AT STERLING.
The work here was established in 1883 and that year there was bought a frame house twenty-eight by thirty-five feet that had been a school house. This work will also be removed to Rittman eventually.
DIED AMONG STRANGERS.
On September 20, 1832, Father Ed D. Fenwick, a bishop, died at Wooster, among strangers, there being no Catholic hand to administer the last sacrament to him. No Catholics lived in the place at that time.
SONNEBERG SWISS MENNONITE CONGREGATION.
In Sugarcreek township is located one branch of the Mennonite church- the one above named. The total membership of this congregation is now four hundred and seventeen. Its ministers are Jacob Nussbaum (bishop), C. N. Amstutz, J. S. Moser (ministers), J. J. Moser (deacon). A Sunday school is in connection with the church work.
Sonneberg is neither a town nor postoffice-simply a German Menno- nite settlement which received its name from the first settlers who emigrated direct, from Switzerland where they had lived on a mountain called in Ger-
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
man, 'Sonneberg." Hundreds of years ago the rulers of Switzerland had a prejudice against the faith of the Mennonites and hence bitterly opposed and persecuted them, and they were compelled to flee to the mountains, where they were not allowed to live in towns or to own land, and were forced to farm wild mountain lands and pay high rent for the same. In 1817 Benedict Schraag started for America and located in Green township, near Orrville, Ohio. He wrote to his friends telling them what opportunities there were in America for the Mennonite people. They persuaded Isaac Sommer, David Kirchhofer, Peter and Ulrich Lehman to come to America. They started from Berne in April, 1819, boarded the ship "La Havre," from France, and after a forty-seven-days voyage landed in New York, from which place they went on foot to Ohio, via Lancaster, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and on through Canton, Ohio, to within four miles of Wooster, Wayne county, near the southwest corner of land now owned by the Ohio Experimental Station, where they lived in a school house for over a month. After traveling around for some time they bought a piece of timber land from the government, James Monroe then being President of the United States. The purchase was made in the center of what is now known as the Sonneberg settlement. They at once began to fell the giant forest trees and clear up land on which to raise grain and vegetables upon which to subsist. There was no money and all the settlers about them spoke a strange language: they had to exchange prod- tice for other articles, as there was no market for what they raised. One of their number rode to Canton, twenty miles away, with a sack of wheat, the grist for four families. They were ever glad, however, that they came to free America. In 1821 seven families more came across the ocean to join them. Among this number were John Lehman, Abraham Zuerich, Jacob Bixler and others. In 1824 came Christian Beer, Peter and John Welty, John and Abraham Tschantz, David Baumdarder, Ulrich Sommer and Peter Schneck. Others came in 1825 and located in Greene township, near the Old People's Home.
The first minister in the Sonneberg congregation was John Lehman, who arrived from Switzerland in 1821. The first to be ordained of this con- gregation was Ulrich Sommers and Peter Schneck. This was in 1827 and two years later Peter Schneck was ordained a bishop.
The first baptismal service was held in 1828. The first marriage per- formed was on December 31, 1822, that of Ulrich Lehman and Barbara Gerber. The first death to occur in the settlement was that of Elizabeth, wife of Ulrich Gerber, in September, 1823.
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Church services were held in private dwellings until 1834, when the first church was built; it was rebuilt in 1861, and again in 1907, when the building was dedicated on September 29th. Its cost was six thousand dollars. Since 1828 more than seven hundred persons have been received into the church by baptism; over three hundred couples united in marriage and more than four hundred deaths have occurred. In this congregation there are now one hundred and fifteen families, or over four hundred single memberships.
AMISH MENNONITE CHURCH.
This branch of the Amish Mennonite church was organized in 1816 in Green township, Wayne county, with six or eight families, or about twenty members. They conducted their services in private houses until 1862, when they erected their first house of worship, one mile east of Smithville, a frame structure, at the cost of three thousand dollars. This house served well its purpose until 1905, when a new building was erected at the same place at a cost of about seven thousand dollars. In 1880 the congregation erected a church edifice in Milton township at a cost of about two thousand dollars, and since conducts regular services at both places. Its present membership is about six hundred.
The first ministers were Daniel Zook (Zug for German) and Christian Brandt, who organized the church. The bishops, since its organization, have been Christian Shantz, Jacob Yoder, John K. Yoder; the last named served forty-five years, and since 1896 its bishop has been Benjamin Gerig. The as- sistant ministers are Jacob S. Gerig, C. Z. Yoder and D. Z. Yoder. The church is active in home and foreign missionary work ; several of its members have been to far-away India where the church helps to support a number of mission stations. Some are at work in the home missions that are scattered from east to west in some of the larger cities .. The church also helps to support other church institutions, such as the publishing house, old people's home, orphans' home, schools, etc., and is interested in the evangelistic work throughout the world.
Much might be added concerning the good work being accomplished by this devout people who are among the most thrifty and law-abiding citizens within Wayne county, but in a work of the character of this the above will suffice.
MENNONITE CHURCH OF SUGARCREEK TOWNSHIP.
This branch of the Mennonite church is a strain of the original Mennon- ite church of America and is under the Mennonitish conference of Ohio that meets annually in different parts of this state. They endeavor to teach
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the whole gospel of Jesus Christ and make it practical in their daily lives. As a people, they are industrious and are, for the most part, farmers. They are hospitable, kind and generous, and opposed to war, secret societies, swear- ing of oaths and conforming to the world. This branch of the Mennonite church has a membership of about two hundred and fifty.
It had its beginning in 1834 when it was organized in this county. John Bohrer and Jacob Buchwalter came from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and settled southeast of Orrville and organized what is known as the Martin church. This band was soon followed by others of like faith, including the Martins, Lengers, Brennemans and others, after which the church grew rapidly. A few years later a second church was built across the line in Stark county to accommodate the people. A few years after that a third church was built, called Salem church; this was south of Smithville, and in 1909 a fourth church was organized at Orrville. These several buildings were erected at an average cost of about three thousand dollars.
These four churches are under one charge, with Bishop Michael Horst, of Orrville, as their old retired bishop. I. J. Buchwalter, of Dalton, grandson of the above named Jacob Buchwalter, as their active bishop, has general oversight of the church's work and he is assisted in his duties by the following . ministers : A. H. Brenneman, Marshallville ; David Hostetler, Weilersville; David Martin, Dalton, and Aaron Eberley, of Dalton. The deacons are John Hackman, Orrville; S. K. Plank, Orrville; William Shoup, Orrville; Abe Burkholder, Orrville.
This church helps in the noble support of the Mennonites' Old Peo- ple's Home, near Rittman, as well as assists in the organization of other church societies in adjoining counties. Sunday schools and young people's meetings are kept up with much interest at its different places of holding meetings ; they also do a good foreign missionary work.
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