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 33
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The lot, then considered a long distance in the country was valued at $800, and less than forty years later, in 1883, was sold for $62,500. The new church was dedicated by Bishop Janes in September, 1847. Rev. George C. Crum was the first pastor. The congregation flourished and the Sunday school became an important adjunct of its work. It was during the pastorate of Rev. James L. Grover, 1853-5 that the change in the manner of church seating took place. Families had hitherto been separated by sexes, the men on one side of the church, the women on the other. The change was made in October, 1854. and the objection to choirs and pipe organs was also overcome shortly after. In 1864, under Dr. Cyrus Felton the church was remodeled. This year also a mission, Christie Chapel, was founded on Eighth street, (Cleveland averue), for the benefit of those members who had moved eastward. This mission had a strong existence for a few years but after the organi- zation of the Broad Street church the chapel was sold and its members distributed to other churches.
On May 13, 1883, fire destroyed Wesley Chapel, which was not rebuilt on the old site. The lot was sold and a better location secured at the corner of Broad and Fourth streets, where a handsome and commodious edifice was later erected. While it was building services were held in Lyndon Hall, corner of Long and Fourth streets. The new church was dedi- cated by Bishop Foster on July 26, 1885, and grew rapidly in worth and influence. The pastors have been Rev. H. C. Sexton, Rev. James Bitler, Rev. A. N. Craft, Rev. H. W. Bennet, and Rev. W. E. Fetch.
Third Street Methodist church, originally known as Bigelow Chapel, was organized in the spring of 1853 as a mission Sabbath school and preaching place for local ministers. It was first located in upstairs rooms at the corner of Fourth and Main streets. The mission had a precarious existence for a time but did a great deal of good and finally emerged as a successful society, with the names of many earnest pastors on its roster: Rev. Thomas Lee, Rev. J. C. Jackson, jr., Rev. S. D. Hutsinpillar, Rev. Franklin McElfresh. During Mr. Lee's pastorate the society traded their property for that of the Second Presbyterian church on Third street near Friend, this becoming the new Bigelow Chapel. A lot was bought and a parsonage was built in 1869. This year a great calamity befell the society in a fire which partially destroyed the church, but with characteristic energy the edifice was at once rebuilt and was dedicated in December, 1870. Four years later under the pastorate of Dr. Kendall the name of the church was changed to "Third Street Methodist Church."
Records of the first Methodist Society in Franklinton which afterward became the Franklinton Mission, then Heath Chapel and now Gift Street Church, have been lost, but it is known that there was a mission class there as far back as 1840. This class was served by the Franklinton Circuit until 1850. Heath Chapel was built in 1856 on a lot at the corner of Broad and Mill streets, donated by Michael and Fannie Sulivant. After many vicissitudes and a period of abandonment because of the removal of the Circuit, the growth of the district began to warrant the crection of a new church, which was finally started in 1889 in a new location at the corner of Gift and Shepherd streets. The society was then incorporated as the Gift Street Methodist Episcopal Church. The Sunday school room was opened in July, 1890, and by November of the same year the church was ready for dedica- tion. Prominent Methodists of the city as well as the Church Extension Society contri- buted toward the erection of the church which cost $10,000. Rev. W. C. Holliday was the energetic pastor to whose wise management much of the success of the undertaking was due. Gift Street Church continues in its good work with an earnest membership and a thriving Sunday school.
Neil Chapel, located on the southwest corner of Michigan and Collins streets, was the seventh Methodist church of Columbus. The new congregation was organized in 1870 by Rev. Daniel Horlocker, then serving Heath Chapel, and it grew with great rapidity. The chapel was built in 1872, but not completed until 1886. In a few years the location became unsuitable and a new site was secured at the corner of Goodale street and Neil avenue, and in 1890 a beautiful chapel was built at a cost of $6,000. With the appointment of Rev. J. M. Rife as pastor the name of the church was changed to the Neil Avenne Methodist Church. Its present pastor is Rev. P. H. Fry.
Broad Street Methodist Church, a child of Wesley Chapel, was organized in 1875, when a frame church was built at Broad and Washington avenue, eventuating ten years later in the splendid edifice now crowning the corner. This church has a fine auditorium, an
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excellent choir, a large Sunday school, which includes many social works in its activities, and an active and energetic membership. A recent addition supplies a gymnasium and other facilities for the entertainment of the young, also a playground maintained during the summer months. This church has had a notable succession of pastors, ineluding Rev. J. M. Trimble, Rev. Simon McChesney, Rev. Isaac Crook, Rev. (now Bishop) Oldham, Rev. H. W. Kellogg, Rev. E. F. Tittle and Rev. Walter E. Burnett, now serving.
King Avenue Church on the north side began as a mission Sunday school in the fall of 1888, and by December 22, 1889, a new church had been built and dedicated at the corner of Neil and King avenue. Rev. Byron Palmer was the first pastor and did much to build up the new church. A handsome main building was put up fronting on Neil avenue, and the membership is one of the largest in the city, zealous in church attendance and in all good works. There is a large Sunday school. This beautiful church was destroyed by fire on August 23, 1918, and plans were at once laid for the erection of a tabernacle in which to hold services until the edifice could be rebuilt. The pastor is Rev. T. H. Campbell.
Miller Avenue Church was the outcome of a union Sunday school started there in 1880, and passing into Methodist hands about the year 1887, when Rev. Charles T. King was made pastor of the little Methodist gathering. The neat frame church seating about 200 was bought by the Town Street Methodist church, and the congregation grew with the growth of that portion of the city. The church was enlarged in 1891 under the pastorate of Rev. W. C. Holliday. The location of the church was eventually changed and it is now known as Morgan Memorial, corner Main and Fairwood, Rev. A. E. Mccullough, pastor.
A Sunday school organized in 1866 was the origin of Third Avenue Church. This school did not long continue but it paved the way for its successor, a Methodist Episcopal Sunday school organized later in the same year by R. P. Woodruff, and in 1867 the Mount Pleasant Mission of the M. E. Church was started, with Rev. A. G. Byers, then chaplain of the Ohio Penitentiary, as first pastor. A year later with the advent of Rev. Lovett Taft as pastor the name was changed to the Third Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church. The location also changed with the purchase of a lot at the corner of High street and Third avenue, where a frame church was erected. The present handsome church was built in 1885 and dedicated by Bishop Andrews on Easter Sunday, 1886. The church has wide influence and patronage and is one of the most prosperous in town. Its pastor at this writing is Rev. H. F. Ross.
West Park Avenue Church was organized in 1893 and the first building was erected in 1895. A brick auditorium built later was destroyed by fire in 1917. However, a handsome new building was erceted and dedicated in August, 1918.
Shoemaker Chapel on the Harbor road grew out of the mission labors of Rev. Mr. llorlocker in 1887, when he organized a Sunday school in the district school at that point. As a result of his efforts a church was soon built on a lot donated by Mrs. Sarah Shoemaker, and with brick donated by the people of the vicinity. The local Church Extension Society also aided by a constribution of money. Preaching was done by Mr. Horlocker for a time, then by Mr. E. D. Bancroft, a divinity student.
The North Columbus Methodist Episcopal Church was successor to the Clintonville church and had as its first pastor Rev. Louis F. Postle. The church was built in 1881 and the congregation prospered to such an extent that many improvements were made. In 1891 the name was changed to the High Street Church.
The organization of the Mount Vernon Avenue Church is due to the zeal of a woman, Mrs. John Sugdon, who in 1882 gathered together those of the Methodist persuasion in the region then known as Mt. Airy and started a Sunday school in the teaching of which she was helped by her husband. There was no Methodist church within reach of this sparsely settled dis- triet, and as the Sugdons were moving away they turned their class over to the presiding elder of the Columbus distriet. Rev. Noble Rockey was at once appointed to take up the work of forming a new congregation, which in time developed into a thriving society with a frame church erected in 1881 at the corner of Mt. Vernon avenue and Eighteenth street. This in turn was succeeded in 1899 by the present large and handsome church in which a zealons congregation worships. It has an excellent Sunday school and does much good work under the wise direction of Rev. R. T. Stimmel, the pastor.
The First German Methodist Episcopal Church in Columbus was organized by Rev. John Barth in 1812, and the members at first worshipped in an engine house on Mound street, until their church at the corner of Third and Livingston was erected. This gave way in
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1871 to a larger edifice which cost $16,000. This church can boast of a devoted membership and a long line of hardworking and earnest pastors down to the present day, when the church is in charge of the Rev. John W. Huber.
The Donaldson Street Methodist Church for colored people was built in 1888. It was located in the midst of a large settlement, of colored people having no Gospel preachings and from the first wrought great good. With the aid of the Church Extension Society a frame chapel was built and placed in the pastoral charge of Rev. Gabriel White, who worked ener- getically for the salvation and betterment of his people. Other pastors have been equally successful down to the present incumbent, Rev. C. D. White, who has charge of the new church at the corner of Mt. Vernon avenue and Twenty-first street.
The growth of Methodism in Columbus has been from the very first, steady and secure, and no denomination has worked more earnes ly for the uplift of the people and their growth in all things that make for holiness of living. There are at present forty-seven churches of that denomination; one Free Methodist, Rev. L. C. Watters, pastor; three Methodist Protestant, First, Rev. C. S. Johnson, pastor: Grace, Rev. T. R. Woodford; and Lane Ave- nue, Rev. H. S. Willis.
Protestant Episcopal.
The first Protestant Episcopal Society of the northwest was organized in 1803 by the Worthington colony, most of whom were Episcopalians. They established a church and an academy, located on the public square, and services were held regularly every Sunday, Rev. James Kilbourne officiating. The society was regularly incorporated as St. John's Parish in 1807 and fully expected to be the first Episcopal parish in the capital of Ohio, but in 1812 their hopes were shattered when the seat of the government of Ohio was definitely located "on the high bank of the Scioto opposite Franklinton." Though greatly disap- pointed many of the villagers adjusted themselves by moving to Columbus, where in the new capital a little Episcopal colony was soon formed, and where on May 3, 1817, the first religious services in accordance with the ritual of the Protestant Episcopal church were held in the Buckeye House on Broad street by Rev. Philander Chase. A few days later thirty persons signed artieles associating themselves as "The Parish of Trinity Church, Columbus, State of Ohio, in communion with the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America."
Services were subsequently held in various places, sometimes conducted by Bishop Chase, sometimes by other clergymen; and for a time prior to 1833 the congregation occu- pied a small frame building on South Third street. In 1829 Rev. William Preston became the first regular pastor of Trinity, in connection with his duties as pastor of St. John's, Worthington. At the expiration of two years he took up his residence in Columbus and devoted his entire time to Trinity, then a growing and responsible parish. During his pastorate the first Trinity Church was built, a stone structure located on the site of the Hayden bank building, East Broad street. Its eost was $10,000 and it was said to be one of the largest and handsomest churches in Ohio at that period, 1833-34.
. The first Episcopal confirmation services were held in Columbus on September 15, 1830, and the first marriage recorded in the parish was that of Justin Morrison and Melissa Boardman.
As early as 1853 efforts were made to build a new church to take the place of the stone church on Broad street but it was not until 1862 that the present site of Trinity at Broad and Third streets was purchased for $10,000 by Dr. John Anderson. Here a handsome edifice was built of grey sandstone in the English Gothic style of architecture, at a cost of about $60,000. In December, 1868, the chapel was ready for services and by the fol- lowing April the whole church was completed. The property on East Broad, once known as Esther Institute and later as the Irving House, came into possession of Trinity and was for a long time used as Trinity Parish House. When the parish sold this for an excellent figure a fine addition was built at the rear of Trinity church, on Broad, containing a chapel, parish house and offices for the rector, making a stately and attractive pile of buildings. A prominent feature of Trinity is a melodious set of chimes installed in 1910, manipulated by the organist, Professor Karl Hoenig. Trinity has a large number of active church societies, including its ladies societies, Trinity Guild and the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. The present rector is Rev. E. F. Chauncey.
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The second Protestant Episcopal church in Columbus was that of St. Paul's, the foundation for which was laid in the fall of 1841 at the corner of Third and Mound streets, and in December, 1842, Rev. Henry L. Richards, the first rector, began holding services in the unfinished edifice. The church was not completed until 1816, when it was consecrated by Bishop MeIlvane. The growth of the city in time demanded a change of location, and the present St. Paul's is found on East Broad street between Garfield and Monrce avenues. It is chaste and attractive in architecture, has a fine choir and an influential membership.
The Church of the Good Shepherd was first located on the corner of Buttles and Park streets, and was organized as a mission of Trinity Church. The church was built in 1871 under the pastorate of Rev. F. O. Grannis. The membership increased rapidly and it was later decided to build a new church.
The churches and chapels of Protestant Episcopal faith in Columbus are as follows: Trinity, Rev. E. F. Chauncey; St. Paul's, Rev. Sidney E. Sweet: Good Shepherd, Rev. H. S. Ablewhite; St. James, North Broadway; St. John's, Town and Avondale, Rev. E. C. Prosser; Chapel of the Holy Spirit, North High street, Rev. F. C. F. Randolph; St. Andrews, Whittier avenue; All Saints Mission for the Deaf, East Broad street ; St. Philip's Chapel, 250 Lexington avenue (colored).
Lutheran.
The first Lutheran services in Columbus were held in the year 1813 by Rev. Michael J. Steck, of Lancaster, in a room at the O. H. Perry Inn, afterward known as the Frank- lin House on South High street. In the then little pioneer village and the surrounding country there were a few members of the Lutheran faith and ensuing services were at first sparsely attended, but in the course of time a church to be known as St. Paul's was or- ganized and in 1819 Rev. Charles Henkel, of Virginia, came to it as its first pastor. In the beginning services were held at the home of Conrad Heyl, corner Rich and Front streets, settlers coming from many miles in the contury in all kinds of humble conyevances and on horseback to unite with their brethren in worship. Their first church was a plain edifice erected in 1820 on Third street between Town and Rich, and was the third church building of any denomination in Columbus which then consisted of only five hundred people. Serviees were at first conducted by Rev. Henkel entirely in the German language, but as time went on the afternoon services were in English, and in 1827, in addition to the German Sunday school, an English one was also started.
Growth was slow owing to the difficulties of pioncer life. Rev. Henkel served two other congregations, one at Heltzel and the other at Delaware, and on June 22, 1825, he was regularly ordained as pastor of the three congregations by the Lutheran Synod con- vened at Lancaster, it being the custom in those days to require a probation of several years of candidates before ordination. In 1827 Pastor Henkel accepted a call to Somerset and the Columbus congregation was without a pastor for four years, during which time it gave the use of its church to the Episcopalians who had just organized and had no building of their own. In 1831 Rev. William Schmidt, a native of Germany, who had established a theological seminary in Canton, Ohio, which institution by act of the Ohio Syncd and the consent of the founder was transferred to Columbus, was called to take charge of the congregation, remaining until his death in 1839. During his ministry the German lan- guage alone was used in the services, the congregation being made up chiefly of German immigrants and their descendants. During these early years Christian Heyl was the leading spirit of its lay membership. His house in which the congregation was first organized was always open to any Lutheran or Reformed minister traveling through Columbus and by his generosity he tided over many a financial shortage in the church treasury.
English afternoon services were again introduced in 1840 under the pastorate of Rev. Dr. C. F. Schaefer. of Hagerstown, Md., who also acted as professor of the seminary. During the pastorate of Rev. Conrad Mees, who succeeded him, a lot was bought at the corner of High and Mound streets, the old lot being accepted as part payment. On this lot the church afterward erected the stately edifice which ocenpied that corner up to 1917. At various periods difficulties arose in regard to the use of the English language, resulting finally in 1815 in the organization of two separate congregations-a German one under the name of Trinity Lutheran and an English one bearing the name of the First English Lutheran, both under the pastorate of Rev. William Lehmann, who had been made sole professor of
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the seminary. The meetings during the first year were held upstairs in a building at the corner of High and Rich streets on the site of the cabin in which Christian Heyl lived when he came to Columbus in 1813, and where some of the first Lutheran meetings were held. Subsequently the two congregations rented the German Evangelical church on Mound street, near Third, and organized both German and English Sunday schools. In 1850 the congregations in accordance with their original design amicably separated. The English congregation choosing Rev. E. Greenwald, of New Philadelphia, as their pastor, held services in the old "Covert School" building which the Seminary had bought for its use in connection with the Capital University. After 1853 they occupied the old Congre- gational Church on Third street until they built their own church on Rich street, and with the growth of the congregation later on East Main street, where they now occupy a hand- some stone edifice of architectural beauty. The present pastor is Rev. A. J. Holl. The German division soon after the separation built its own church on Third street under the pastorate of Professor Lehmann.
Meanwhile St. Paul's at the corner of Monnd and High streets continued in growth and usefulness with Rev. Conrad Mees as pastor. On October 10, 1856, a fire destroyed the church built twelve years before but with characteristic energy it was at once rebuilt, a 205 foot steeple being added in 1872. In 1890 it was remodeled, and in 1917 the growth of the city and the removal eastward of most of the congregation made it expedient to dispose of the High street property which was done and the historic church torn down. A new building at Germania and Bruck streets was occupied.
Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran congregation was founded in 1847 by 48 members of St. Paul's United Lutheran and Reformed Church of Columbus. They secured the leadership of Rev. C. Spielmann and in 1848 became a regularly organized church. The next year they rented a building on Mound street and their growth a few years later war- ranted the erection of their own church building at the corner of Third and Fulton, then South street. It was dedicated on December 20, 1857. In 1866 a parochial school was started, lasting only two years, but later in the history of this church a very successful school was conducted. The congregation grew and prospered under a succession of zealous pastors and many improvements were made in the church from time to time. The present pastor is Rev. C. C. Hein.
Grace Lutheran Church was organized in 1872 with Professor C. H. L. Schuette as first pastor. Services were held for a time in Trinity Lutheran Church and later in Emanuel Methodist Episcopal Church, then situated near Livingston avenue and Third street. A lot was bought on South Fourth street near Mound and in 1873 a frame chapel was built. The congregation grew and in 1889 the church was enlarged and improved. This church is now located on Oakwood avenue, and Rev. R. E. Golladay is the pastor.
St. Mark's English Lutheran Church was organized in 1885 and services were at first held at the homes of members. By the next year the membership had increased to such an extent that it was decided to build, and a church was erected at the corner of Dennison and Fifth avenues, Rev. J. C. Schacht was the first pastor. The congregation has grown steadily and is now in charge of Rev. A. C. Schiff.
On the removal of the Capital University from the corner of High and Goodale to its present location on East Main street in 1876, a neat brick church was erected across the street from the first university building. This is now a thriving congregation, and the church, known as Christ Lutheran Church, is in charge of Rev. J. Sheatsley as pastor. Here the students of Capital University attend church during the school year.
St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church had its origin in a Sunday school first started by Professor Theodore Mees in the northeast section of the city. The success which at- tended him at once, decided the different Lutheran churches to start a mission there as well as on the south side. In 1892 the church organization was effected and Rev. J. P. Hentz, of Lima, became pastor. A neat frame church was built on Denmead avenue.
There are at this writing twelve Lutheran churches in Columbus. The members of this faith are earnest and active in their church duties and are devoted to Sunday school and mission work. The Lutheran Book Concern, the largest publishing house in Columbus, was the outcome of their evangelical work and issnes many parish and Sunday school publi- cations.
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Baptist.
In the year 1823 Elder George W. Jeffries of the Baptist Church eame to Columbus from Marlboro, Delaware county, Ohio, and began holding preaching services in his own home. He had been an evangelist in Marlboro and as a result of his preaching in Columbus Sarah Garrison and Alpheus Tolle were converted and baptized. It was at once resolved to organize a church and on May 15, 1824, a Council met in Columbus to consider the pro- priety of instituting a Baptist Church, with elders from Liberty, Bethel and Harlem churches in attendance. Elder Jacob Drake of Liberty was the moderator and William D. Hendren was clerk. Letters were presented by eleven persons, three of whom were colored, thus founding the First Baptist Church of Columbus, with Elder Jeffries as pastor. By July the membership had inercased to twenty and thereafter its growth was steady if slow. Like all the rest of the pioneers in the little town the Baptists were poor in this world's goods, however earnest they might be in devotion to their religion, and thus were not able to support a pastor, so that Elder Jeffries, as did other ministers, was obliged to visit other churches and preach in many places. For the same reason the Baptists were slow in securing their own house of worship and it was not until 1828 that the pastor ventured to build a small church on a lot previously purchased by himself for this purpose. It was located on the south side of Mound street between High and Front streets. Worshipping in their own church resulted in an immediate increase in membership and in 1830 the congre- gation requested Mr. Jeffries to devote the whole of his services to the Columbus Baptists.
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