USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, Ohio, from the founding of Franklinton in 1797, through the World War period to the year 1920 > Part 32
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The Methodists appeared here as an organization in 1811, when Rev. Samuel West, then in charge of this circuit, brought together George McCormick and his wife, George B. Harvey and Miss Jane Armstrong, constituting them a class to which Moses Freeman, a colored man, was soon admitted. From that humble beginning has sprung the great Metho- dist organization of the present eity.
Trinity Episcopal church was organized by Bishop Philander Chase in 1817, the first church officers being: Orris Parrish and Benjamin Gardiner, wardens; John Kilbourne and Joel Buttles, vestry; Joel Buttles, secretary. There was no regular rector or building for some years, and Bishop Chase, then living in Worthington, preached occasionally in a one- story frame building on Third street, between Town and Rich.
The German Lutheran Reformed church was organized in 1821, Rev. Charles Hinkle pastor, and worshipped in a frame building on Third street between Town and Rich.
The Baptists next appeared, having been organized in 1825 by Rev. George Jeffries, who figures in carly Columbus history as cabinet-maker, glazier, school teacher, school director and manufacturer. He was a man of many parts and is to be classed among the sturdy men of the time who made the city.
Holy Cross Catholic church was organized in 1833 and soon after erected a small stone church on Fifth street between Town and Rich.
Thus in 1834 when Columbus became a city, six religions denominations were repre- sented here in a population of abont 2,000. All of the churches were weak, some of them without pastors. Martin in his history names eight officiating clergyman of that date: Dr. James Hoge, Presbyterian: William Preston, Episcopalian; L. B. Gurley, Methodist, with Thomas Asbury and Jesse F. Wiseom, local preachers, and Russell Bigelow, agent for the Temperance Society, all of the same denomination; George Jeffries and Edward Davis, Baptist. The Welsh Presbyterians organized in 1837 and, withont a regular pastor, wor- shipped in a small frame building on Town street, east of Fifth. In the same year the Universalist Society appeared and held meetings in the United States Court House, where Rev. A. A. Davis, of Delaware county, preached. The German Evangelical Protestants organized and erected a church on Mound street in 1842; the German Reformed, Rev. Hiram Shall, Town street, between Fourth and Fifth, in 1846; the Welsh Methodists organized in 1848 and erected a brick building at Long and Sixth streets, Rev. Mr. Perry of Granville, being the first pastor. The first Jewish organization appeared in 1819, when 28 members worshipped in rented rooms, with S. Lazarus as rabbi. The colored Methodists appear as a separate organization in 1823, and the colored Baptists in 1836, with a building on Gay street, between Third and Fourth, and the Anti-Slavery Baptists (colored) in 1847, with
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a brick building on Town street, between Fifth and Sixth. It was there that Rev. James Poindexter first preached, The two congregations were afterwards combined, with him as pastor, in the Gay street building, and there he ministered for many years, being the most distinguished representative of the race in civic, as well as religious affairs.
The First Congregational church, which has played so important a part in the life of the eity, was first constituted September 29, 1852, its original 42 members having been dis- missed from the Second Presbyterian church for that purpose. Among its first officers were N. B. Bateham, J. W. Hamilton and F. C. Sessions. Its rules of government were partly Presbyterian and partly Congregational, with Rev. Wm. H. Marble as first pastor. In 1856 by a unanimous vote of the members the organization became the First Congregational church.
As the churches have from the first rendered an incalculable service in determining the high quality of civic life, so many of the religious leaders have come, either from active participation in public affairs or from the silent influence they exerted from the sanctuary, to be regarded as never-to-be-forgotten builders of the city. First and foremost of these is Rev. James Hoge who, born in Moorfield, Va., the son of a Revolutionary soldier and divine, came here when he was 21, and here spent the remainder of his life. He preached for two years and then organized the First Presbyterian church, of which he was pastor for 50 years. He was prominently identified with all the early charitable and benevolent enterprises, participated in the establishment of the state schools for the education of the deaf and blind and the first hospital for the insane. He was an early advocate of the pub- lic school system, and in his years of activity no public gathering for doing good was complete without him. The Presbyterians have also given to the city Rev. E. D. Morris, pastor of the Second church from 1855 to 1868, afterwards identified with Lane Theological Seminary; Henry L. Hitchcock, pastor of the same church till 1855, when he became presi- dent of Western Reserve University ; Rev. William E. Moore, for more than 20 years pastor of the same church and from 1872 a sterling factor in the city life.
Of the Methodist leaders only a few can here be mentioned: Rev. J. M. Trimble, pastor of Town street church in 1810-41 and later at Wesley Chapel; Rev. A. G. Byers, once pastor of Third avenue, later secretary of the State Board of Charities and foremost in the State's benevolent work; Rev. James L. Grover, at different times pastor of Wesley Chapel and Third avenue church and later the first librarian of the Public Library; Rev. Granville Moody, pastor of Town street church in 1815-17 and, in the Civil War, colonel of the 7tth Ohio Infantry, commandant at Camp Chase where he won the affection of the Confederate prisoners, and later in active military service.
Rev. Philander Chase, (after 1818 Bishop) was the founder of the Protestant Episcopal church here, being identified with it from 1817 to 1830. He came from Connecticut to establish churches in this section, made his home on a farm between Columbus and Worth- ington, preached in both places, and organized at his farm house a college which was after- wards established at Gambier as Kenyon College. It was in 1826 that Bishop Chase took possession of the new site and began the erection of the first building of the present thriving institution.
For eight years ending about 1865, Rev. D. A. Randall was the regular pastor of the First Baptist church, and thereafter often preached in the absence of the regular pastor or on special occasions. He was later the head of the firm of book dealers, Randall & Aston. Ile was traveler and author, and was interested in the carly efforts to establish a public library, the fruit of which is the present institution, of which his son, Dr. E. O. Randall, was long a trustee. Another Baptist minister who contributed much to the city life was Rev. I. F. Stidham, who was pastor of the First church from 1871 to 1886. He was deeply interested in the science of the day and for his achievements received from Denison University the degree of Ph. D.
Notable: pastorates in the German churches, each covering about three decades, werc those of Rev. Conrad Mees, pastor of the German Evangelical church which long stood at High and Mound streets; Rev. W. F. Lehmann, of Trinity German Evangelical on Third street, and Rev. Christian Hleddacus, of the Independent Protestant German church at Mound and Third streets. None but a good and useful man could hold a pastorate so long.
One of the vigorous ministers of Universalist faith is Rev. E. L. Rexford, who first came to Columbus to preach in 1869. He was for a number of years pastor of the church when it
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worshipped on Third street south of Town. Later he preached in the church on State street and after that was pastor of All Souls church. His interest in public welfare work has been keen and helpful.
Next to Dr. James Hoge, the man who came nearest to being pastor to the whole eom- munity was Dr. Washington Gladden who, coming in 1882 to be pastor of the First Con- gregational church, remained either as pastor or pastor emeritus until 1918. He entered at onee into the life of the city, helped to establish industrial justice, was prominent in the eity government reform movements and for two years was a member of the City Couneil. Every good movement sought and found his support. His 36 years of life and service here left a strong impress for good on the community.
There is much more that might be said of these and other useful leading ehurehmen, but space in this volume will not permit. 'It now remains to speak briefly of the early ehureh organizations-the mother ehurehes of the several denominations, with a referenee to the later churches, the children and grandchildren of the first. With the growth of the eity, the ehureh-goers seattered; missions in outlying distriets were established; these missions grew into ehurehes, many of which have established missions further out, in their turn to become ehurehes. An adequate statement of the process of growth would require a volume; we can only hope in a measure to indicate the development.
Presbyterian.
The eall to Dr. Hoge to become pastor of the First Presbyterian church September 25, 1807, was in the handwriting of Lucas Sullivant, and was signed by Robert Culbertson and William Reed as elders, and by Joseph Dixon, John Dill, David Nelson, Wm. Domigan, Joseph Hunter and Lneas Sullivant as trustees. The initial membership was 13. Under the eall, which he accepted, he was to be pastor for three-fourths of his time at $300 a year, the remainder of his time to be left open for missionary work in adjacent territory. Dr. Hoge was ordained and installed by the Presbytery of Washington, June 17, 1808.
The first meeting house was erected in Franklinton in 1811, chiefly through the gen- erosity of Lueas Sullivant. It was a small brick building, which before its completion was taken over by the commissary department of the government and filled with grain. In Mareh, 1813, a heavy rain penetrated to the contents and the swelling of the grain burst the walls. The government made good the loss but it was not until 1815 that another house of worship was built. This was situated on the west bank of the Seioto near a wooded island known as British Island from the fact that British prisoners had onee been detained there. Meanwhile aeross the river the population of the village of Columbus was inereasing and for the convenience of the Presbyterians there Mr. Hoge preached in various private houses, until in the year 1814 a log cabin for church purposes was built on a lot owned by the minister on Spring street near Third. Here, alternating with Franklinton, he held serviees for several years, until the growth of the Columbus congregation warranted a newer and better ehureh edifiee. For this purpose liberal subseriptions were made by different mem- bers and lots having been donated by the eity at the corner of Front and Town streets, a sub- stantial frame edifiee, 80x60, was erected at a cost of $1,050. The seating eapaeity was 400. On June 20, 1821, the First Presbyterian Society of Columbus was incorporated, with the signatures of such well known people as Gustavus Swan, Lincoln Goodale, David Taylor, William MeElvain, James O'Harra, and others whose descendants have still a part in the religious activities of the eity and State The society assumed the legal title of "The First Presbyterian Congregation of Columbus." which it has borne ever sinee. On November 19, 1821, the Franklinton congregation became merged in the Columbus church with the same title and under the same trustees. It is probable that services eeased to be held in Franklin- ton when the new church was built at State and Third streets. This was in 1830. In January of that year, the location and building on Town street having become unsuitable, the site for a new church was chosen at the southwest corner of State and Third streets, where before the year elosed one of the finest church edifices in the city was built. It was open for services the first Sunday in December, 1830, and proved a most popular place of wor- ship. Columbus being on the great stage line from the east and west, there were many travelers to carry far and wide the fame of Mr. Hoge as a preacher.
The growth of Presbyterianism in Columbus was not without its difficulties and trials,
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chiefly of a financial nature, and debt hovered for a long time over the new church and threatened the salary of the pastor. However, the storms were weathered and the congre- gation grew and flourished. Dr. Hoge had many calls to other places but he steadfastly clung to his work in Ohio, until in 1850 he was selected as professor of theology in the semi- nary which the Old School side was trying to establish in Cincinnati and which later became the McCormick Theological Seminary of Chicago. He was released for the work and an assist- ant secured for him in the person of Rev. David Hall of Truro. On June 30, 1857, Dr. Hoge laid down his pastoral duties after more than a half century of noble work in which he distinguished himself and his church. He was the father of the Presbytery of Colum- bus and of the Synod of Ohio. He was a moderator of the General Assembly in 1832 and he was a pioneer in the cause of temperance. No man in the city was more instrumental than he in shaping the charitable and educational policy of the State.
In June, 1857, Rev. Edgar Woods of Wheeling, W. Va., was called to the pastorate of the First Church. He was succeeded by Rev. William Roberts of Wilmington, Del., Rev. William Marshall, Rev. Robert Laidlaw, Rev. E. P. Heberton. During the pastorate of Mr. Laidlaw in 1871 the chapel and Sunday school rooms were built, and the choir was made a leading feature of the services. Others to fill the pulpit were Dr. Willis Lord,
First Presbyterian Church, built near Spring aud Third Streets in 1814.
Dr. J. W. Bailey, Rev. Francis Marsten, who was pastor for four years, resigning in 1887 to take charge of the Broad Street Presbyterian church.
Presbyterianism continued to grow with the growth of the city. The Second church was organized March 3, 1839, and was located on the west side of Third street between Rich and Friend, now Main street. The building was completed in 1810 and Rev. George Hitch- cock was the first pastor. During his incumbency a new congregation was formed north of Broad street with a church building located on Third between Broad and Gay streets. Mr. Hitchcock was succeeded in the pulpit by Rev. E. D. Morris of Auburn, N. Y., and shortly after it was decided to build a new church. A lot being donated for this purpose by Daniel Woodbury in a more suitable location further north on Third street, a new church was built at a cost of $35,000. Dr. Morris resigned in 1867 to become a professor in Lane Theological Seminary, and was succeeded by Rev. J. F. Kendall, during whose pastorate the reunion of the Old and the New School Presbyterian . Assemblies took place. The recon- structed Presbytery of Columbus met and was organized in the Second Church July 11. 1870, and on the following day the Synod of Columbus was organized, healing a breach of thirty years. Dr. Kendall resigned in 1871 and Rev. William E. Moore of Westchester, Pa., was called to the pulpit. This is now called the Central Church. The present pastor is Rev. J. T. Britan.
In 1885 the First Church started a mission on North High street near Fourth avenue,
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which two years later united with Hoge Chapel to form the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
The Westminster Church, a colony of the First Church, was organized in April, 1851, and at first held services in Starling Medical College. Its own house of worship was built on East State street in 1857, with Rev. Josiah D. Smith as first pastor. Succeeding incum- bents were: Rev. H. M. MeCracken, Rev. Henry Robertson, Prof. E. B. Andrews, Rev. R. R. MeNulty, Rev. N. D. Smith, D. D.
Hoge Chapel, a mission of the First Church was established at the corner of Park and Spruee streets in 1868, becoming an independent organization in 1870. Pastors in eharge were Reverends J. C. Tidball, David Kingery, J. M. Richmond, J. F. Hamilton, D. R. Colmery. In January. 1887, the High street mission of the Second Church united with Hoge Chapel to form the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. The Park street property was sold and a handsome house of worship erected on Fifth avenue at a cost of $9,000. Rev. John Rusk, of Cineinnati, was called to the pulpit.
The Broad Street Presbyterian Church was the natural outcome of the growth of the city eastward. Under Dr. Marsten's pastorate of the First Church a Sunday school had been organized on East Long street east of Garfield avenue and preaching services were held in Gospel Hall. Many families of the First, Second and Westminster churches had moved further east and with new people coming in seemed to warrant the formation of a new church. Accordingly in 1887 a lot was seeured at the corner of Broad and Garfield avenue and a chapel was first built on the rear. Later a beautiful stone church was erected at a cost of $50.000. Rev. F. E. Marsten was released from the pastoral charge of the First Church to accept a call from the Broad street church, assuming his new duties in October, 1887. Dr. Marsten was a popular and sueeessful pastor, a man of literary tastes and a writer of graceful verse. The present ineumbent is Rev. S. S. Palmer, during whose pas- torate the building has been enlarged and beautified, the membership has grown and the usefulness of the organization has increased.
The old First church building at Third and State streets continued to be oeeupied for several years and then with the shifting of the city's population, a removal to Bryden Road near Ohio avenue was decided upon. There a handsome edifice was built, and the old structure was sold. On August 11, 1910, the spire which had long been a thing of beauty was pulled down and the razing of the church for the erection of the present Hartman building was begun. In its new location the church has prospered.
The Welsh Presbyterian church in Columbus had its first house of worship at the corner of Long and Fifth streets. It was organized in 1849 by Rev. John Williams, with 28 members. For several years it had no regular pastor, but in 1855 Rev. David Williams was installed and helped materially to increase the membership. Though enlarged front time to time, under sueeceding pastors the church finally became too small for its attendance. and in 1887-8 a new church was built further east on Long, at the corner of Sixth street. In 1919, the building was sold and the ereetion of a new structure on Miami avenue was begun. The pastor is Rev. E. E. Jones.
The United Presbyterian Church was formed May 25, 1858, by a union of the Associate and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian church, which owed its origin to Scotland. Early in the fifties there had been an Associate Church in Columbus worshipping in its own church on Sixth street, but it had been disbanded by 1858. A site for a church was chosen on Long street east of Washington avenue and a church creeted at a cost of $10,000. Rev. R. B. Patton began his work as pastor on September 17, 1887, and the congregation in- creased and prospered. The present pastor is Rev. Alexander Mitchell.
Presbyterianism in Columbus is now represented by nineteen churches.
Methodist.
Methodism in Columbus owes its beginning to a zealous layman, George McCormick, who as early as 1812 induced Methodist ministers to visit the infant community on the outpost of civilization and preach the gospel to the few scattered members of the Methodist Hoek settled thereabouts. The first services were held in the homes of the people by Rev. Samuel West of the Delaware eireuit, who is mentioned as one of the earliest Methodist ministers to visit this loeality. The nucleus of an organization was formed on December 20,
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1813, in the appointment of a board of trustees, and in 1814 on a lot in East Town street near High, donated by the eity, the first Methodist church was erected. It was built of hewed logs and cost the modest sum of $157.533. In a still unfinished state is was occupied for services in 1815 and completed two years later. This church was also used for school purposes for several years, William T. Martin being the teacher. By 1818 it became neces- sary to enlarge the building and a frame extension was added. The congregation, white and colored, grew so rapidly that in 1823 the colored members deemed themselves strong enough to organize independently, forming the society that is now the St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal church of East Long street.
A measure of prosperity attended the little church on Town street and a new edifice of brick took its place in 1825, ealled Zion Church. There were some financial difficulties as is usual with all pioneer ventures, and the building remained in an unfinished state. But meanwhile it had the honor of housing the annual session of the Ohio Conference, among its attendants being several converted Wyandot Indians from Upper Sandusky. It became necessary to build a new church in 1852 and during its erection the society was permitted to worship in the City Hall. This church also was occupied before completion, and as the Methodists of the early days werc voor in this world's goods it took a long time to pay for the church. But as all were zealous and of good will the Methodist church in Columbus grew and prospered, and by 1891 had entirely outgrown its location and church building. A new site was seeured at Bryden Road and Eighteenth street, the old property being sold to the city for library purposes. The structure is a handsome one of brick and stone.
It is interesting to note that the first marriage solemnized in Columbus was that of two charter members of the Methodist church, George B. Harvey and Jane Armstrong. Another charter member, Moses Freeman, a colored man, afterwards went as a missionary to Liberia, Africa, where he died working among his oppressed race.
In the beginning Rev. Samuel West, who effected the organization of the little Metho- dist society, remained as pastor until 1814, when he was obliged to resign owing to dearth of salary, and to take up farming as a means of making a living for his family. He was sue- ceeded by Isaac Pavey, whose means also forced his to "locate," as it is called in Methodism. Other preachers in those early days whose zeal and ability contributed to the growth of Methodism were Jacob Hooper, William Swayze, Simon Peter, Lemuel Lane, Jacob Tevis and Leroy Swormstedt. These were all eireuit preachers and led a hard and difficult life. Dr. Swormstedt, as he afterward became, served twelve years on circuits and prominent stations, six years as presiding elder and twenty-four years as assistant or principal agent of the Western Book Concern. He was an excellent preacher. Among the early preachers the figure of Russel Bigelow stands out prominently as a prince of orators. He had been a missionary to the Wyandot Indians at Upper Sandusky and he was chaplain of the Ohio Penitentiary at the time of his death in 1835. Adam Poe was one of the noted men in early Ohio Methodism and was the prime mover in founding Ohio Wesleyan University.
In 1830 Columbus was made a station and Thomas A. Morris was appointed to take charge of Methodism in the growing city. A long line of worthy and able men succeeded him in the pulpit, working with zeal and energy in their calling. Mr. Morris was the first editor of the Western Christian Advocate and was made a Bishop in 1836. He died at Springfield, Ohio, in September, 1874. Leonidas L. Hamline, another of the early pastors, also became a Bishop in 1844. One of the carly pastors around whom mueh interest cen- tered was Joseph M. Trimble, son of Governor Allen Trimble, who was converted during his son's incumbency. The Methodists were humble folk and looked to their young pastor to bring them that social prestige so long enjoyed by other denominations. John Miley, author and theologian, was another strong figure of the early days, and among the most illustrious pastors was Granville Moody, a noted preacher and a Colonel in the Civil War. J. Asbury Bruner, John W. White, J. M. Jameson, B. N. Spahr, D. D. Mather, Dr. W. H. Scott, Earl Cranston, Isaac A. King. Dr. A. C. Hirst, W. D. Cherington, are the names of a few of the succeeding pastors whose efforts in the cause of Methodism brought the church up to a high standard in the community and aided in its growth and prosperity. The present pastor of the First Methodist church is Rev. C. R. Havighurst.
It was during the incumbeney of Mr. Trimble that the Methodist society in Columbus became strong enough to divide, and on a lot donated by William Neil on High street between Gay and Long streets, the church so long known as Wesley Chapel was built in 18 15-6.
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