USA > Ohio > History of the Central Ohio conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, 1856-1913 > Part 14
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 | Part 26
193
History of Churches-Alphabetically Arranged.
In this open field of opportunity and need we have a large and vigorous Sunday school and a growing membership; and the Church is commending itself to the community and to the Church at large by the earnest and valuable service it is giving to the people.
M.E. CHURCH, DESHLER,O.
E
DESHLER CHURCH.
Rev. W. S. Philpott, the present pastor, is having a very suc- cessful pastorate. The Church has prospered greatly under his wise and kindly administration.
FINDLAY METHODISM-FIRST CHURCH.
Methodism had its inception in Findlay when Adam Poe, D. D., preached in that place in the year 1829. Incidentally, this was the first sermon ever preached in that city. Dr. Poe was the pre- siding elder connected with the Wyandotte Mission at Upper San- dusky. He reached Ft. Findlay, as the place was then called, on Saturday night, a stranger, and had only thirty-seven cents in his pockets. He rode his horse up to the hotel and gave directions that it should be taken care of, then he went to the Duddleson Schoolhouse, a log building on East Crawford Street, which was also used as a courthouse. He made a fire and drew two benches together, which he used as a bed on which he passed the night.
13
194
History of the Central Ohio Conference.
In the morning he went out and informed the people whom he met that he would preach in the schoolhouse at ten o'clock. Many came to hear him, and at the close of the service a kind lady asked him to her home for dinner, at which it was revealed that as yet he had had neither supper nor breakfast.
The Revs. Thomas Thompson, Elnathan C. Gavitt, Jacob Hooper, Jacob Young, and Russel Bigelow each visited the place and preached.
The first Methodist class in Findlay was formed by the Rev. Elam Day, in November, 1832. The members were John Baker,
First M. Uhavet durch, Finalup, Ohio.
LEID
FIRST CHURCH, FINDLAY, O.
Mrs. Mary Baker, Isaac Baker, Mrs. Rebecca Baker, Parlee Carlin, Sarah Carlin, William Dewitt, Jacob and Mary Foster, and others.
When Findlay was made a mission circuit, Elam Day was preacher in charge, with Benjamin Allen assistant. They were appointed by the Ohio Conference. The meetings were held in the schoolhouse and courtroom. The first church building was erected in 1825 on the east end of Main Cross Street, the Revs. Henry Whiteman and George W. Breckenridge being the pastors.
The building was a frame structure and cost $1,400. The membership of the Church was fifty. This house was used until 1851, when a brick building, much larger and better than the frame, was erected on West Sandusky Street, at a cost of $7,000.
195
History of Churches-Alphabetically Arranged.
The Sunday school numbered at that time 185, and the Church 180, the Rev. W. S. Lunt being pastor.
The next year (1852) Findlay was made a station, and Rev. W. S. Lunt was returned as pastor.
The pioneers of Methodism in this region of the State-Bige- low, Gurley, Runnells. Allen, Breckenridge, Heustes, Biggs, Wilson, Pope, Gavitt, Hill, Whiteman, and others equally prominent -- traveled the wilds of Hancock County, proclaiming the gospel with zeal and great success.
The second church building was erected on West Sandusky Street, in 1867-68, at a cost of $38,000, including the parsonage. It was a fine brick building with stained glass windows and sur- mounted by a spire 180 feet high. The first story, a basement, was used as a lecture room and for Sunday school and class purposes. The audience room, on the second floor, had a seating capacity of about seven hundred, with a gallery in the south end and the pulpit and organ in the north end. The organ cost $2,000.
The Rev. Isaac Newton was at that time pastor. This edifice continued to be the house of worship until the year 1902, when it was replaced by the present structure, dedicated on the 7th of December of that ycar. In design and architecture the present church is a marvel of beauty. Its total value is $75,000. The building is of the Craig sandstone, and is 180 feet long east and west, and 100 feet wide north and south. The beautiful, triple- arched main entrance is one of the most pleasing features of the exterior. With the aid of the Sunday school part, fifteen hundred persons can be comfortably seated. The basement contains, besides the furnace rooms, a large dining hall, kitchen, and social rooms.
This church was built during the pastorate of the Rev. C. R. Havighurst, now pastor of Trinity, Youngstown, Ohio, to whose untiring efforts the building of so fine a church is largely due. The membership of the Church is about 950 at present (1913).
The following is a list of the pastors who have served the Church since it became a station: W. S. Lunt, J. A. Kellam, David Gray, J. S. Holmes, Thomas Parker, L. B. Gurley, Gershom Lease, John S. Kalb, Joseph Wykes, Isaac Newton, Oliver Kennedy, Wm. Jones, I. R. Henderson, P. P. Pope, John F. Davies, E. D. Whit- lock, W. A. Yingling, S. L. Beiler, A. J. Fish, L. E. Prentice, C. R. Havighurst, J. M. Avann, W. G. Waters, H. C. Jameson,
-
196
History of the Central Ohio Conference.
C. R. Havighurst. E. O. Crist, Geo. B. Wiltsie, F. W. Stanton. and H. C. Jameson.
The presiding elders and district superintendents have been Wesley J. Wells. John Graham. Horatio S. Bradley, David Gray, L. C. Webster. W. W. Winter. Alexander Harmount, I. R. Hen- derson, A. C. Barnes, L. A. Belt. J. L. Albritton, W. W. Lance, E. D. Whitlock. and J. H. Fitzwater.
HOWARD CHURCH. FINDLAY.
This Church was the outgrowth of the natural gas boom of 1884 to 1887. At this time Dr. Andrew J. Fish, pastor of the First Church. Findlay. saw the large incoming of people and the wonderful growth of the city, and especially the north side of the Blanchard River. He, failing to induce the trustees of the First Church to pur- chase suitable lots on the north side of the river, bought the two lots on which Howard Church stands. Samuel How- ard, residing on the north side, was induced to buy and donate these lots to the First Church trustees. The Board of First Church, under the wise assist- ance of Dr. Fish, erected the church.
Rev. H. C. Jameson was REV. JAMES W. GIBSON, M. D .. PASTOR. siding elder, Dr. L. C. Webster. appointed pastor by the pre- Rev. Jameson organized the Church and served it successfully for nearly two years; then he was sent to Fostoria, and Dr. N. B. C. Love was sent from Upper Sandusky to succeed him. At this time the indebtedness, besides the interest, was even $5.000. A new Board of Trustees was ap- pointed and took charge of the Church and its finances. The First Church nobly stood by the new organization with kind words and large financial aid. Without giving in detail the account of the successful efforts to raise this debt. it can be truthfully said that
.
197
History of Churches-Alphabetically Arranged.
during the pastorates of the Revs. Love ( for two years), Taney- hill (for two years), and Boyer ( for two years) the Church pros- pered and became free from debt. The Church Extension Society gave the last $1,000.
Rev. J. L. Boyer at a special service. with the assistance of former pastors Dr. N. B. C. Love and Rev. C. W. Taneyhill,
HOWARD CHURCH. FINDLAY, O.
in the presence of a great congregation. burned the mortgages and notes and declared Howard Church free from debt.
The society worships in a commodious brick building, and the pastor lives in a comfortable parsonage. bought during the pas- torate of Jacob Baumgardner. Under the pastorate of M. E. Ketcham the church was changed so as to admit a larger organ.
198
History of the Central Ohio Conference.
The other pastors serving this Church have been as follows: J. W. Holland, one year; M. C. Howey, three years; Peter Biggs, three years : Jacob Baumgardner, five years; M. E. Ketcham, three years, and the present pastor, J. W. Gibson, is in his third year.
THIRD CHURCH, FINDLAY.
Third Church, Findlay, Ohio, situated in the north part of the city, was organized October, 1889, with twenty-two full mem- bers and six probationers.
-
The ministers who have served this Church are as fol- lows: C. E. Rowley, A. C. Thomas, Jeremiah Kelley, W. F. Ernsberger, C. M. Baker, R. E. Woodruff, E. D. Cooke, Wm. E. Ortman, W. N. Shank, R. J. Beard, J. C. Clemons, B. W. Day, A. E. Huntington, D. E. Moffitt, J. O. Moffett, W. N. Harthan, W. H. Dresch, I. N. McDuffee, Chas. Ketcham, C. E. Rowley, and E. H. Snow.
For a number of years Bairdstown, a village on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, some three miles east of North REV. EUGENE H. SNOW, PASTOR. Baltimore, has been associated with Third Church. Third Church has a neat frame house of wor- ship, and a comfortable parsonage, erected in 1912; and Braids- town has a good church building.
FIRST CHURCH, FOSTORIA.
. In the early days of Methodism the present Fostoria was two towns, known as Rome and Risdon, rivals in religion as well as in business. Rome was situated in Seneca County, and Risdon at the corner of Seneca, Hancock. and Wood Counties. The Methodists were the first to settle in the southeastern part of Wood County, and the first sermon was preached at the home of Wm. Shawhan by the Rev. Andrew Hollopeter, in April, 1832. The next year,
--
199
History of Churches-Alphabetically Arranged.
in 1833, the first log church was built, which was just west of the old public square in Risdon, by John Gorsuch, Robert F. Caples, Livingston Thomas, Isaac Germond, Wm. Shawhan, Reuben Bryan, and others. Then Rome wanted a church, and one was built on what is now known as West Tiffin Street, with James Anderson, James Wiseman, John Hooper, and others as charter members. These Churches became part of Risdon Circuit, served most of the time by two preachers, as the circuit included a number of appointments, and covered a large territory.
These early pioneers were served by the Revs. Dubois, Brock, Conway, Whiteman, Wil- son, Jewett, Elliott, and Seymour, with Leonard B. Gurley, Thomas Barkdull, Raymond, and Disbrow, presiding elders.
In 1851 Geo. W. Collier came upon the cir- cuit. He saw that, with the strong rivalry be- REV. C. W. BARNES, tween the two places and Churches, they could D. D., PASTOR. not accomplish the good they might if the two Churches were united. He at once commenced plans for uniting the two Churches. He brought the officers of the Churches together a number of times to take steps for the union; but they did not want to unite, and many stormy scenes resulted. When the sessions would get pretty warm, Brother Collier would say, "Let us pray," and there would be a season of prayer and the atmosphere would clear. Some few of the brethren held out against the union, and finally Chaplain Collier threatened to remove them and put members in their places who would vote for the union of the two Churches. Finally they agreed, and a two-story frame building, 40 x 60 feet, was built in 1854, on the site of the present church, about half-way between the two towns.
According to Chaplain Collier, this was the means of the two towns uniting, and at the suggestion of Dr. Abraham Metz the town was called Fostoria, in honor of Charles W. Foster, father of Ex-Governor Charles Foster.
In this church were held many gracious revivals, which resulted in largely increasing the membership of the Church. The revivals which resulted in the most conversions in the old Church were during the pastorates of Revs. Biles and Ambrose Hollington, the
1
200
History of the Central Ohio Conference.
father of Rev. Richard D. Hollington. who later filled the pulpit so acceptably in the present Church. It is said that while the re- vival was in progress under the elder Hollington, his health failed and the Rev. Bever was called in to conduct the meeting. So deep was the interest that the meetings went along without a break and resulted in many conversions.
The congregation outgrew the old church and, under the pas- torate of the Rev. Richard Wallace, it was torn down and. in 1883, the present brick church was erected at a cost of about $40,000.
FIRST CHURCH, FOSTORIA.
In 1887, during the pastorate of the Rev. T. C. Read. a great revival broke out, which seemed to shake the town and resulted in about five hundred conversions. The next year the balance of the debt on the church was raised. and Bishop Warren dedicated the church to the worship of God.
The pastors who have served the Church during the occupancy of the present building are: Richard Wallace, L. M. Albright, T. C. Read, H. C. Jameson. W. W. Lance. J. W. Hill, Jr .. R. D. Hollington, J. F. Harshbarger, J. F. Olive, and C. W. Barnes. the present pastor.
201
History of Churches-Alphabetically Arranged.
Dr. Harshbarger organized the "Brotherhood of St. Paul" in 1903, and, under the presidency of Mr. W. O. Allen, the Brother- hood was formed into a Sunday school class, and soon the member- ship was increased to two hundred. The meetings of the Brother- hood and the Sunday school class are held in the "assembly room" in the basement of the church, which the Brotherhood fitted up at a cost of $1,200.
The Hon. J. V. Jones, who recently passed to his reward at the age of cighty-seven, began to attend the Risdon Sunday school when ten years old, and at the age of eighteen united with the Church, in 1841.
Martin Adams, Edward Bricker, Andrew Emerine, Sr., L. J. Eishelman, Christian German, Norman Saltzman, B. M. Solomon, Albert Thomton, W. O. Allen, David Cole, T. L. Caskey, David Ballmer, Alonzo Emerine, David Lynch, John Noble, W. A. Bamler, S. J. Reycraft, E. O. Sheller, W. N. Abbott, J. H. Barr, Thomas Billyard, Aaron Cox. Taylor I. Hale, Wm. V. Hastings, Ezra Miller, J. J. Rumsey, Wm. E. Sponslor, Noah Stahl, David Sprout, WVm. Callahan, J. W. Bricker, Dr. Caples, Philip Caples, Dr. Longfellow, Daniel Asire, and Eli Feebles, who in the early years of the North Ohio and the Central Ohio Conferences was a traveling preacher, are some of the names appearing on the Quarterly Con- ference roll from a date preceding the year when the present church edifice . was erected, down to the present, widely known in the vicinity as men of probity in business and usefulness in the Church. Besides J. V. Jones. already mentioned as having died, Eli Feebles. Wm. Callahan, Dr. J. W. Bricker, Philip and Dr. Caples, David Asire, Taylor I. Hale, and Dr. Longfellow have gone to the land on high.
The Sunday school of the Church is large and well organized, and the Church, one of MRS. C. W. BARNES, Foreign Missionary Society. the most desirable in the Conference, com- Recording Secretary Woman's prises a membership of nearly 1,200. The Rev. C. W. Barnes, D. D., ably assisted during the second year of his pastorate by Evangelist Stough, has received altogether some three hundred persons into the Church.
Mrs. C. W. Barnes is a very efficient Church worker. She is
-
1
202
History of the Central Ohio Conference.
quite prominent in leadership in the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she has been the recording secretary since 1905. Prior to that she was for a number of years recording secretary of the Cincinnati Branch of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society.
FIRST CHURCH, FREMONT.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church in Fremont, Ohio, was organized by the Rev. James Montgomery. He was born in West Moreland County, Pa., November 20, 1776, and received most of his education in the city of Pitts- burgh. His father died in the Revo- lutionary War, and at the age of seventeen young Montgomery moved with his widowed mother to Ken- tucky. In 1806 he married and set- tled on a farm eight miles east of Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio. In 1812 he moved to Springfield, Ohio, and soon after was appointed by Governor Meigs commissary of the army, and at the close of the war he returned to his farm near Urbana.
REV. J. F. HARSHBARGER, D. D., PASTOR.
In 1819 President Monroe ap- pointed him the first agent for the Seneca Indians, when he moved to Fort Seneca, Seneca County. The Indians gave him the name, "Kuckoo-Wassa," or "New Acorn."
Mr. Montgomery was a local preacher for thirty years, having been ordained by Bishop Asbury in Lebanon, Ohio. He died at Fort Seneca in 1830. He preached almost constantly in connection with his official duties. Soon after reaching Fort Seneca, in 1819, he found his way to the village of Lower Sandusky, where he held the first Methodist service. He continued to preach at regular intervals, and in 1820 organized a class, consisting of himself, wife and daughter.
At this time the Rev. James B. Finley was the presiding elder in this part of the State.
4
203
History of Churches-Alphabetically Arranged.
In one sense this class may be considered the beginning of Meth- odism in Fremont. The first communion service was attended by these three and a local preacher from Springfield, Ohio, by the name of Moses Hincle. There is, however, some uncertainty as to how long this class was continued. In the month of March of that year the Bowlus family came from Maryland and settled near Lower Sandusky, on the Muscalonge.
In the fall of the same year Joel Strahn and his wife moved from Perry County and settled on a farm three miles up the San- dusky River, afterwards known as the Hafford farm.
The reorganization of the class in 1822 by Mr. Montgomery marks the beginning of the Methodist Church in Fremont, Ohio. The class was composed of eleven members: Jacob, Sarah, Mar- garet, Susan, Elizabeth, and Sophia Bowlus ; Joel and Sarah Strahn, Nancy Holloway, Thomas L. Hawkins, and Thomas White.
Joel Strahn was appointed class leader. Soon after the or- ganization, Rebecca Prior, Mrs. Wilson, and Mrs. Geyer united with the class.
At the date of the organization the Rev. Thomas Weddle was the presiding elder of the Lancaster District, Ohio Conference.
James McIntyre, a local preacher in Huron County, Ohio, visited Lower Sandusky and preached frequently for the newly organized class. The services were held in the old two-room stone schoolhouse which stood on the west end of the lot now occupied by the new high school building.
In the fall of 1822 John and Nathan Walker were appointed to the Huron Circuit, and Lower Sandusky or Fremont was one of their appointments the rest of the year.
In the fall of 1823 the Rev. Wm. Swazy, the presiding elder, instructed Benaja Boardman, a local preacher, to organize a cir- cuit along the Sandusky River, with Lower Sandusky as its head. The success of the year was so great and assuring that at the session of the Ohio Conference in 1824 Lower Sandusky Circuit was entered in the Minutes as a Conference appointment, and the Rev. E. H. Fields, a young man just entering the ministry, was appointed pastor. Elijah H. Fields was for many years an hon- ored member of the Cincinnati Conference. His residence during his superannuation was in St. Paris, Champaign County, where he died at an advanced age.
204
History of the Central Ohio Conference.
The year Mr. Fields was pastor the circuit reported ninety- seven members, and the Rev. James C. McIntire was presiding elder. Father Fields was a man of exact speech. A brother min- ister, when walking with Mr. Fields one bright. sunny morning in March, observed, "It is warmer to-day." "Not so cold. you mean," replied Mr. Fields.
In 1825 the Rev. J. W. Clarke was appointed pastor, and after- ward Arza Brown, during whose pastorate the Church was blessed with a gracious revival.
The pastors of the charge from 1828 to the present were: J.
4
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, FREMONT, O.
Hill and J. Billings ; Benj. Cooper and Wm. Sprague; Rev. Russcl Bigelow. one of Ohio's eminent and eloquent Methodist preachers, was at this time presiding elder ; Elihu Day and E. B. Chase: Elim Young and J. C. Martin; C. Goddard and A. B. Austin, and Henry O. Sheldon, presiding elders down to 1834.
In that year the cholera almost depopulated Lower Sandusky, the scourge being so dreadful as to frighten everybody out of the village excepting Mr. Birchard, uncle of Gen. R. B. Hayes, Judge Hildreth, and Dr. Rawson.
205
History of Churches-Alphabetically Arranged.
The Rev. Jas. T. Kellam, who was the pastor at the time, hearing of the grave situation and the awful pestilence, extended his help to those men in burying the dead. When the disease had abated and the terrorized inhabitants had returned to their homes and occupations, steps were immediately taken by the congregation to build a church; a lot was purchased on the corner of Arch and Garrison Streets, and on it a frame building, with a basement under the front part, was erected and ready for occupancy some time in 1836. In the meantime services were held in the old stone schoolhouse.
The trustees of the Church were Samuel Treat. Thomas L. Hawkins. Henry Beck, Jesse Emerson, Jacob Bowlus. and Henry Prior: Jacob Bowlus is the only one of the trustees now living.
The Sunday school was organized when the church was dedi- cated. For six or seven years a union school had been conducted on the East Side, on East Street, in a house that stood near the place where the Herbrand shops are located. Jacob Bowlus was one of the original members of that school.
The order in which the pastors came after 1834 is: J. Kin- ncar : J. H. Pitzel; Wesley J. Wells and Leonard Hill, in 1836, when the church was dedicated; Leonard Hill and Osborne Mennette ; Peter Sharp and B. Blanchard, with Dr. Adam Poe as presiding elder, who was afterward one of the Book Agents at Cincinnati.
In 1838, on account of the enfeebled health of Mr. Sharp. Lower Sandusky was made a station, and Mr. Sharp continued in charge.
In 1839 Lower Sandusky was in the Michigan Conference. but for one year only, with Wesley Brock as pastor. In 1840 Alexander B. Campbell was pastor, Wm. Rumells presiding elder, and. the work becoming greatly disorganized, Lower Sandusky ceased to be a station and was made a part of the Lower Sandusky and Ottawa Mission.
In 1840 the North Ohio Conference was formed out of the Ohio, at Norwalk, Ohio, Bishop Hedding presiding, and the territory of Fremont was included in its business. The pastors were Thomas Thompson and Darius Dodge; Samuel P. Shaw and Hibbard J. Ward: W. G. Heustis and Joseph Kenneda and S. Fairchilds.
The Quarterly Conference records show that in 1845 Port Clin- ton. Salem Chapel (on Wolf Creek), Grills' Meeting House,
206
History of the Central Ohio Conference.
Cooley's Class (seven miles south of Fremont), Bettsville, the Stone Church (in Washington Township), Rock Church (on Lake Erie), and Bowlus Church were associated with Lower Sandusky. Joseph B. Jones and Jacob T. Caples were the pastors; then Jones again, and T. L. Waite.
In 1848, Joseph Rees and James Elliott, pastors, and Thomas Barkdull, presiding elder. The allowance for ministerial support was: "Bro. Rees, quarterage, $200; table expenses, $75; fuel, $25; horse feed, $26, and for extra traveling expenses, $20. Bro. Elliott, quarterage, $100; horse feed, $10; and Bro. Barkdull, pre- siding elder, $48."
FIRST CHURCH, FREMONT. (PRESENT BUILDING.)
In 1849 Samuel M. Beatty and Stillman George, a local preacher, were on the work, and Fremont was made a station, with Fremont as the name of the charge, Lower Sandusky being discarded.
In that year the trustees purchased the lot on which the church now stands and erected a brick building, which was begun in 1850 and completed in the following year. Samuel M. Beatty was re- turned to the church in 1850, and Fremont was included in the Tiffin District, with W. B. Disbro as presiding elder.
The membership numbered 155. The list of pastors of the charge thereafter was: Dorcas Dodge, Wesley J. Wells, W. H. Seely, L. A. Pounds, Jacob T. Caples.
In 1856, when the Central Ohio Conference was organized,
207
History of Churches-Alphabetically Arranged.
Fremont fell into its territory. Chas. G. Ferris, Wm. S. Lunt. pastors in succession.
The old parsonage on Garrison Street had been sold in 1859, and another home was secured on High Street, and during that year this property was sold, and a parsonage built on the north end of the church lot in 1861.
In 1861 Simeon H. Alderman was pastor ; then E. B. Morrison, Amos Wilson, and Joseph Wykes, with Loring C. Webster as pre- siding elder; then Geo. W. Collier and Franklin Marriott, with W. W. Winter presiding elder of the Findlay District; then Ger- shom Lease, Isaac Newton, J. W. Miller, with Alexander Harmount as presiding elder ; then Adam C. Barnes, T. H. Wilson, and D. D. Mather, with I. R. Henderson on the district.
In August the corner-stone of the new church was laid, Ex- President Hayes presiding. At this time L. E. Prentiss was pastor and E. D. Whitlock was presiding elder, the charge being in the Toledo District; then John M. Mills, pastor, and Parker P. Pope as presiding elder, in 1887. In February, 1888, the church building was badly damaged by fire, and on the same day of the fire the Official Board met, when, on motion of General Hayes, it was decided to begin at once to rebuild the church and parsonage, and a subscription of $15,000 was immediately secured.
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.