History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume I, Part 110

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1202

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An ecclesiastical council met on the last day of January, 1882, at which the organization of the church was approved and Mr. Metcalf was ordained as a min- ister and installed as pastor. The church began its organized existence with forty- nine members, of whom twenty-four came from the First Congregational Church, five from other churches in Columbus, seventeen with letters from other places, and three who united on confession of faith. The first officers were: Rev. I. W. Metcalf, pastor and superintendent of the Sundayschool ; J. Il. Brenneman, G. II. Twiss and E. F. Church, deacons; P. J. Loffand, D. D. Bolenbangh, A. B. Adams, C. Atcheson and S. B. Porter, trustees; J. P. Naylor, secretary, and W. D. Park, treasurer. The church had a steady, healthy growth from the start. The first large increase was in the year 1886, when fortysix were admitted on profession at the March communion, as the result of union meetings with the Mount Vernon Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church and the Hildreth Chapel, Baptist. The net increase reported at the next annual meeting was sixtysix, making a total mem- bership in October, 1886, of 207. This gain was repeated and even exceeded in 1887, when the number of active members rose to 282.

Beginning with the new year, 1887, a lady missionary was employed to work among the poorer and more neglected people of the city, which benevolent work is still kept up though in a different form. In November, 1887, the pastor was temporarily laid aside by the loss of his voice, but he returned to his duties in full strength after a winter in California. His place was supplied by Rev. E. C. Bar- nard, then residing in Oberlin.

The Christian principle and spirit of the church were tested early in 1889, by the application for admission of a worthy colored gentleman with a letter from an eastern church. Though objection was made to his reception the members as a body stood nobly for the right and by an overwhelming majority voted the admission of the gentleman, giving no countenance to the spirit of caste.

About the middle of March, 1889, Mr. Metcalf resigned his charge, to take effect the first Sabbath in the following May. A council held April 23, appoved the dissolution of the pastoral relation, with fitting testimony to the fidelity, devo- tion and efficiency of the retiring minister. Mr. Metcalf had been on the ground for over seven and a half years, during which time 375 had joined the church, 307 of whom were members when he left. When the church was organized in 1882,

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the only other religious organization in that section of the city was a small Friends society with a meeting house on Ohio Avenne. In 1889, there were on the same territory twelve churches of seven different denominations.

[Irving Wight Metcalf was born in Bangor, Maine, November 27, 1855. Graduated at Oberlin College in 1878, and from its Theological department in 1881, having spent one year in the Seminary at Andover, Massachusetts. Was ordained January 31, 1882. In 1889, he preached a few months for a new organization in Dayton, Ohio. He is now pastor of Hough Avenue Church, in Cleveland.]

During the interval between Mr. Metcalf's resignation and his departure the church had agreed upon and called a new minister, Rev. Robert S. Lindsay, who entered his duties immediately, and was installed July 2, 1889. Mr. Lindsay was born in Montrose, Scotland, June 12, 1852. Ile graduated at Oberlin College in 1881, and from its Seminary in 1884. After his ordination June 12, 1884, he min- istered to the Congregational Church in Ironton, Ohio, three years, and to that in York, Nebraska, two years.

Eastwood Church has been from the first a working church, giving liberally to the benevolent canses supported by Congregationalists generally. It has been especially forward in the promotion of temperance and of city missions. It sus- tains a vigorous Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor and a Sundayschool with an average attendance of 230. The membership, January 1, 1891, was 322. The officers are Rev. R. S. Lindsay, pastor ; W. D Park, W. N. Cott, J. C. Dilley, George 'T. Scott and James H. Parker, deacons ; J. P. Carlisle, D. D. Bolenbaugh, V. C. Ward, G. HI. Twiss and B. M. Brooke, trustees; E. C. Wagner, clerk ; and H. A. Williams, treasurer. C. H. Houseman is superintendent of the Sunday- school. Eligible lots were purchased on Twentyfirst Street, near Broad, in 1890, and the foundation for a new house of worship was laid in the latter part of the year. Contracts for the erection of the chapel portion of the building were reported at the annual meeting in October, 1891, the work to be done in 1892. When the whole building is completed according to the plans Eastwood Church will have for its home one of the largest and most commodious church edifices in the city.

Mayflower Church .- The pastor of the First Congregational Church, wbile cast- ing about for an nnoccupied field of labor in the southern part of the city, fell upon a section lying on East Main Street which seemed to be full of promise. It was quite remote from any Protestant church and was rapidly filling up with a good population. A thorough canvass of the neighborhood by ladies of the church brought in a large list of children who might be gathered into a Sundayschool. Accordingly, in the spring of 1886, a vacant storeroom was rented and on Sunday, May 23, a school was opened which, by a happy combination of the season of the year and of Congregational memories, was named the Mayflower Sundayschool. There was an attendance on the first day of 99, including teachers, scholars and visiting friends. Of course the regular number was for a time somewhat less, but the school grew thrivingly and soon became a gratifying success. The first super- intendent was Mr. F. T. Cole, who was succeeded later in the year by Mr. Amasa

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Pratt. The next superintendent was Mr. E. F. Wood who has continued to the present time, being now in his fourth year of service.

The school remained nearly three years in its first hired rooms, at 898 East Main Street, which were often so crowded that larger accommodations became an evident and pressing necessity. Accordingly, in 1888, a lot was purchased by the trustees of the First Congregational Church at the corner of Main Street and Ohio Avenue, and the adjoining lot was donated by Mr. F. C. Sessions. A building committee was appointed consisting of Walter A. Mahony, L. W. Rose and E. F. Wood, with power to raise funds and contract for the erection of a chapel on the rear of the lots. Mr. W. E. Cherry undertook the contract at an agreed price of 83,427.40, and began work in October. The chapet was completed before the end of winter, and, in the afternoon of February 24, 1889, was occupied for the first time with special services of the Sundayschool, followed by a dedication service conducted by Doctor Gladden. The average attendance of the school for 1889 was 144, which has since been largely increased.

After the completion of the chapel, Doctor Gladden preached there every Sunday afternoon for nearly three months. On April 22, 1889, about fifty persons met to consider the advisability of forming a new church. The meeting voted that it was expedient to proceed to the formation of a Congregational Church in connection with the Mayflower Chapel. They appointed a committee of seven to arrange plans of organization, canvass for members and prepare a constitution and form of admission. A second meeting was held May 27, when the constitu- tion and rules were adopted for both church and society and the following persons were elected as the first officers: Samuel Chamberlain, E. O. Randall, Lyman W. Rose, R. B. Smith and Nelson Hoyt, trustees; Frank T. Cole, clerk ; J. Knox Liv- ingston, treasurer; Eugene S. Peck, Edwin F. Wood and Frank T. Cole, deacons; and Miss Mary B. Rose, clerk and treasurer. The Mayflower Congregational Society was duly incorporated June 10, 1889.

The church was formally recognized by a council on June 18 and then con- sisted of thirtynine members, of whom twentyone were from the First Congrega- tional Church, five from the Second Presbyterian Church, three from the Eastwood Church, three from churches ontside of the city, and seven united by profession. Soon after its organization the church put itself under the pastoral care of Doctor Gladden and his assistant, Rev. Ilenry Stauffer. In their division of duties Mr. Stauffer was more especially responsible for the Mayflower Church. He entered on the work May 19, 1889, preaching once a week during the summer and early fall, and after November 1 holding two services each Sabbath.

The evangelical pastors in the eastern part of the city made a careful canvass of the district east of Eighteenth Street, between Broad Street and Livingston Avenue in the fall of 1889, and found 150 families without church connection. Of these more than one third are accessible to Mayflower Church and may be considered as belonging to its field. With its flourishing Sundayschool and an active Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor there is every reason to expect a vigorous growth of this young church. The present officers are, Rev.

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Henry Stauffer, pastor; Samuel Chamberlain, Lyman W. Rose, A. Houpt, Richard Plimmer and W. G. Lockhart, trustees; Eugene S. Peck, clerk ; S. II. Kerins, treas- urer ; Nelson Hoyt, D. L. Agler and R. M. Sayer, deacons; and Miss Mary B. Rose, clerk and treasurer. The total membership at the close of 1891 was ninety- five. Mr. Stauffer was installed as pastor November 25, 1890.

The latest forward movement of this vigorous young church is the erection, in the closing months of 1891, of a building to be used as a readingroom and gymnasium for the young men and boys in that part of the city. It was opened for use the eighteenth of December, and is successfully accomplishing the purpose for which it was projected.

Welsh Church .- The Welsh Congregational Church of Columbus was organ- ized late in Deeember, 1837, with twelve members, of whom only three were men. Following the custom then prevalent in some parts of Wales, David Davis was made elder, and William Jones deacon. For many years its members were few and its strength small, and in its weakness it affiliated itself in a measure with the First Presbyterian Church, on whose pastor, Rev. James Hoge, D. D., it leaned for counsel and help. This is doubtless one reason why it was, by a misnomer, often called and known as the Welsh Presbyterian Church. Owing in part to its weak- ness, there were frequent changes in its ministry and several interruptions. The minister serving regularly was Rev. Hugh Price, who for two years divided his time between this church and one in Dublin. He was followed by Rev. Seth Howell, who served four years; Rev. James Price for one and a half years; and, after quite an interval, Rev. B. Evans, who preached nearly two years.

The strength of the church was seriously reduced in 1849, by the withdrawal of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, now known as the Welsh Presbyterian Church. In this same year Rev. Rees Powell began preaching here; he continued for five years. After him Rev. John H. Jones preached four years ; then Mr. Powell returned and served the church ten years longer, finally leaving in 1869. His successors were Rev. John Jones, for two years ; Rev. Isaac C. Hughes, a year and a half; Rev. R. D. Thomas, about two years; Rev. John Jones, again, four years, and Rev. John Cadwallader, three years. The present pastor, Rev. Grif- fiths Jones, began his ministry in Columbus in October, 1885.

During the first seven years of its existence the church worshiped in several different places, the first of which seems to have been a schoolhouse standing on the alley between High and Front streets and north of Broad Street. After that they held services for a time in the Baptist Church, still standing in 1892-a quaint relic of a past generation - at 338 South Front Street, a little north of Mound. They next occupied a schoolhouse, the location of which cannot now be determined ; after that they worshiped at the residence of David Davis, and still later in a schoolhouse on the northeast corner of Fourth and Oak streets. In 1845, they built a frame meetinghouse, 33 x 26 feet, on the north side of Town Street, between Fifth and Sixth. For several years the title to this property was in lit- igation, it being claimed as resting in the Welsh Presbyterian Church. After a tedious and expensive suit, it was decided that the deed in favor of the Presby- terian church was given by a misnomer, and that the equitable ownership was

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with the Welsh Congregational Church, as the actual possession had always been. On the strength of this decision the society sold its property on Town Street and purchased a lot at the northeast corner of Gay Street and Washington Avenue, where it erected in 1890 a new church at an expense of about $13,000, which was dedicated, free of debt, May 10, 1891.

The church has had a legal existence since April 10, 1872, when it was incor- porated under the title of the Welsh Congregational Church, with David Price, John Davies, John Bain, Richard Brown and Jonathan Stephens as trustees. The present officials are Rev. Griffiths Jones, pastor ; Thomas Baxter, John T. Griffiths, James T. Jones, Evan Walter and John D. Evans, deacons ; D. D. Phillips, William R. Evans, Ezekiel Hughs, Evan Davis and Evan Walter trustees. James T. Jones is superintendent of the-Sundayschool, which numbers from eighty to one hundred in regular attendance, a majority being young people just coming to maturity, although the proportion of children is increasing since the occupancy of the new meetinghouse.

The membership of the church, January 1, 1892, was 140. One of their num- ber is studying at Oberlin, in preparation for the ministry. The worship is always conducted in the Welsh language as being more acceptable to the older members and to newcomers from the old country and from the mining regions of our own state. From the indications under present plans this practice will be continued, and the Welsh Congregational Church will always stand as a Christian home for those who cherish the Welsh as their native tongue and the Congrega- tional order as the one best befitting their sturdy independence and love of freedom.

South Church .- In the summer of 1890, Mr. Jesse L. Bright, a recent graduate of Yale Theological Seminary, made a house to house visitation in the southern part of the city, where there seemed to be need of a new church. So favorably was he received that steps were taken early in September to build immediately a small frame chapel on South High Street as the rallying place of a new Congre- gational church. The work was pushed by the zealous energy of Mr. William B. Davis so that the room was made ready in less than three weeks. On Friday, September 26, a meeting was held to organize a Sundayschool, which met under the superintendency of Mr. Bright in the afternoon of the following Sabbath. Mr. Bright preached in the same place on Sunday evening and these services have been regularly sustained ever since.

About three weeks later a society was organized and elected five trustees, which number was afterwards increased to seven. The trustees were anthorized to purchase lots and erect a permanent chapel. Ground was bought at the corner of High Street and Stewart Avenue and the sum of $3,500 was speedily raised towards the building. A council of churches, called for the purpose, met on November 24, to recognize the infant church and ordain its young minister. Fortynine persons were reported as ready to join in the new organization, three- fourths of them on confession of their faith. They had selected for deacons Messrs. R. B. Adams and H. E. Reiser, and for clerk Miss Lorana Stimel. The council examined and approved the candidates for membership, and, after examining Mr. Bright, recommended that he be ordained to the ministry. Public services were

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accordingly held in the evening for the recognition of the church and the ordina- tion of the pastor. The sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Gladden and the prayer of ordination was offered by Rev. Sidney Strong, of Mount Vernon.

This little plant in the sonthern part of the city has taken good root and hids fair soon to become a vigorons church. The Sundayschool numbers over two hun- dred in regular attendance, and has literally packed the little chapel full almost from the start. The evening audiences have also been large, and thus at both services there has been an earnest pressure for the immediate erection of the new building. Pastor and people have bent all their energies to this work, which has been so far completed that service was held in it the last Sunday evening in June, 1891. The trustees of the society, which is duly incorporated, are Messrs. J. L. Stelzig, W. B. Davis, H. M. Munk, R. B. Adams and Mr. Mitchell. Frank Strat- ton is clerk, and Mrs. A. Davis treasurer. The number of members on the church roll January 1, 1892, was eightysix. The deacons are five : R. B. Adams, J. II. S. Ferguson, H. E. Reiser, John Brownlee and J. L. Decker. G. Lindeman is clerk of the church.

St. Clair Avenue Chapel .- Late in the summer of 1890, through the exertions of Mr. George W. Bright and other members of the First Congregational Church, a neat frame chapel was erected on lots purchased the previous year at the north- west corner of St. Clair and Hoover avenues. It was dedicated in the afternoon of Sunday, September 21, with a sermon by Rev. Doctor Gladden. The dedica- tion service was followed by the first meeting at this place of a Sundayschool transferred from a room on Twentieth Street. This school was for some time under the superintendency of Mr. C. H. Houseman, a member of Eastwood Church which furnished most of the teachers.

Sunday evening services were held regularly during the fall, and in December Rev. W. B. Marsh, assistant pastor of the First Church, took charge of the work. In the spring of 1891 Mr. Charles E. Albright became superintendent of the school, which has made good progress and has sometimes numbered over one hun- dred. Rev. George P. Bethel joined this enterprise in March, 1892, holding preaching services Sunday evenings, and a weekly prayermeeting. No church has been organized as yet in connection with this chapel, but it is expected that one will in due time grow out of this work.

Biographical.

CHAPTER XL.

REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

ALLEN G. THURMAN [Portrait opposite page 16.]

Was born at Lynchburg, Virginia, on November 13, 1813. His father was the Rev. P. Thurman, and his mother, the only daughter of Colonel Nathaniel Allen of North Carolina, the nephew and adopted son of Joseph Hewes, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. In 1819, his parents removed to Chillicothe, Ohio, and he resided there until 1853, when he removed to Columbus, his present residence. lle was educated at the Chillicothe Academy and by the private instructions of his mother. He studied law with his uncle, William Allen, after- ward United States Senator and later Governor of Ohio, and with Noah H. Swayne, afterward Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was admitted to the bar in 1835 and practiced his profession until elected Judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio in 1851. From 1854 to 1856 be was Chief Justice. Previous to his election as Judge he had served in the House of Representatives for the Twentyninth Congress, having been elected a member of that body in 1844. In 1867, he was the Democratic candidate for Governor of Ohio and was beaten less than 3,000 votes, although the Republican majority the year before was 43,000. In January, 1868, he was elected to the United States Senate and took his seat on March 4, 1869. In January, 1874, he was reelected. After retiring from the Supreme Bench he resumed the practice of his profession in Columbus, and was engaged as counsel in the Supreme Court in many of the leading cases from all over the State. The Ohio Reports containing his decisions during the four years of his service as Judge had given him a great reputation as a sound lawyer and jurist, and his opinions on legal questions were much sought after and relied upon by attorneys practicing in the Supreme Court; hence he was retained as co-counsel in most of the important cases. Ile has always been a laborious student and indefatigable in the through preparation of his cases, and a forcible, direct speaker, who wasted no time on immaterial points.

Mr. Thurman has always been a Democrat of the straightest sect and not inclined to run after temporary expedients in politics. While serving in the twentyninth Congress, he, with many other Northern Democrats, voted for the

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Wilmot proviso, extending the anti-slavery provisions of the Ordinance of 1787 to our newly acquired Mexican territory. He was opposed to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, because he belived it a fair settlement of controverted ques- tions, the reopening of which would cause the sectional struggle which has since deluged the country with blood. On all the exciting questions of that era, he took a bold and manly stand, speaking out his opinions unhesitatingly and doing his best to secure their settlement in the interest of the national welfare. He has always been opposed to the doctrine of nullification and secession, as the plat- forms of his party in Ohio, in many cases drawn by him, have repeatedly attested.

The gubernatorial contest in 1867, wherein the negro suffrage question was an issue, brought him prominently before the people as a rising national man In that canvass he spent over four months on the stump, carried the Legislature in both its branches for his party and defeated negro suffrage by over 50,000 votes in one of the strongest Republician states in the Union. On the meeting of the Legislature, he was nominated by the Democratic caucus for United States Senator over Vallandigham by a vote of two to one. After his election to the Senate no man rose more rapidly in the publie estimation. Though in a minorty of scarcely onefifth in the Senate, he exercised great influence and obtained among reflecting people of all parties the character of a pure and honest politician and statesman, who would expose fraud and corruption, no matter whom the exposure might hit. Until recent years he has taken an active part in stumping the State and planning the campaigns of his party. In 1873, he succeeded in carrying the Legislature, which secured his reelection to the Senate, though the State the year before had given General Grant nearly 40,000 majority for President Ex-Sen- ator Allen, his uncle, was elected Governor, though the rest of the Republican ticket was elected by a majority of less than one thousand votes. He was appointed by Garfield one of three commissioners to represent the United States at the International Monetary Congress in 1881, at Paris. Shortly after this he was selected with Chief Justice Thomas M. Cooley of Michigan, and Washburne of Illinois, to serve upon an advisory commission in the troubles as to differential rates between the trunk railroads leading from the Atlantic seaboard to the West. In 1888, much against his inclination he was nominated by his party as Vice President and entered into the campaign with a vigor that surprised both friends and enemies. Since that campaign he has been living in the quiet and retirement of his home on Rich Street.

SAMUEL GALLOWAY [Portrait opposite page 32.]

Was born on March 20, 1811, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His youth was spent in his native village, and just before his majority, and very soon after the death of his father, he removed to Ohio to make his home among relatives in Highland County. He graduated from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, in 1833, and at once entered upon the study of law at Hillsboro, Ohio. In the midst of his studies he became deeply impressed with the obligations of religion and promptly abandoning his law studies, he was entered as a student of theology at Princeton. At the end of a

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year be became convinced that the profession of law and not the ministry was his true vocation. He did not at once, however, assume his legal studies, but accepted for a term the chair of Greek in his Alma Mater, Miami University, and went from there to South Hanover, Indiana, to enter upon the duties of Professor of Langua- ges. He soon renewed and completed his preparations for the bar and began the practice of law, associated with Nathaniel Massie, in Chillicothe, in 1843. The fol- lowing winter he was elected Secretary of State, and removed to Columbus in 1844 to enter upon the duties of that office, and was a continnous resident of Columbus until the day of his death. By virtue of his office as Secretary of State he became also an ex-officio Commissioner of Common Schools, and by his zeal and indefatig- able efforts did much to advance popular education and promote the common school system in Ohio.

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History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume I, Part 110

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1202

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1202