USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II > Part 96
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The rectors of the Trinity parish have succeeded one another in the following order: 1829-1841, Rev. William Preston ; 1841-1842, Rev. Charles Fox ; 1842-1846, Rev. Alexander F. Dobb; 1847 1850, Rev. Dudley A. Tyng; 1850-1854, Rev. William Preston ; 1855-1858, Rev. Charles Reynolds; 1858-1859, Rev. G. H. Norton ; 1859-1860, Rev. William D. Hanson ; 1861-1864, Rev. Julius E. Grammer ; 1865-1869, Rev. C. A. L. Richards ; 1870-1877, Rev. Rufus W. Clark ; 1877-1879, no regular rector; 1879-1888, Rev. C. H. Babcock ; 1888-1889, no regular rector ; from November 1, 1889, the present rector, Rev. Robert E Jones. On June 19, 1881, Rev. Frederick W. Clampett, of Christ Church, Springfield, Illinois, was called as associate rector, because of infirmity of health of the rector who, on that account, was granted a six months' leave of absence. Mr. Clampett remained as associate rector until April 5, 1842, when his resignation was accepted.
In 1854 the infirm condition of the spire on the church caused it to be removed. The bell which swung in this spire was noted for its beautiful tone. The School Board purchased it. and placed it on the Highschool building on State Street, where, after being used for a time, it was cracked and ruined. An effort to erect a new church in lieu of the stone edifice on East Broad Street, was made in 1853, but was not successful. The effort was renewed in 1855, in which year the ground then known as the " Work Lot." on part of which the Highschool building now stands, at the southeast corner of Broad and Sixth streets, was purchased for $8,000. This purchase had a front of 99 feet on Broad Street, and extended south to Oak. The foundation for a church was laid on it in 1856, but the work progressed no further.4 The original part of the present Highschool building was erected on the site selected for the church, and, in November, 1862, the remainder of the tract was sold for $2,500 to Hon. William Dennison, of whom a new site for the church, 75 x 1873 feet, at the southeast corner of Broad and Third streets, was purchased for $7,500. In 1863 the old stone church was purchased for $10,000 by Doctor John Andrews.
The foundation of the present Trinity Church was laid in 1866, under the direction of William A. Platt, Francis Collins and William G. Deshler. W. Lloyd, of Detroit, was the architect of the building, and William Fish the superintendent
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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.
of its construction. The style of architecture adopted was the English Gothic the material used for the upper walls was sandstone brought from the vicinity of Newark, Licking County. During the spring of 1867 Messrs. Platt, Collins and Deshler resigned as members of the building committee, and Messrs. Charles J. Wetmore, John G. Mitchell and Samuel McClelland were appointed in their stead. Under the supervision of this latter committee the church was erected and com- pleted, excepting its tower, which is still unfinished. The original cost of the lot and building was about $70,000. First use of the chapel for religious services was made in December, 1868, and of the main building on April 1, 1869. The last stone of the old church on Broad Street was removed on May 22, 1868.
Trinity Guild, a society of laymen designed to promote the interests of Trinity Church, was organized November 6, 1872. Trinity Chapter Number 115 of the Brotherhood of St. Andrews, also a working organization of laymen, has now been in existence about one year. The property on East Broad Street formerly known as the Esther Institute, more recently the Irving House, was purchased for the uses of the church in June, 1890, and is now known as Trinity House. The price paid for this property was $45,000. On January 18, 1889, the consecration of Bishop Kendrick took place at Trinity Church in the presence of a large number of prom- inent prelates and clergymen.
St. Paul's .- The foundations of a Protestant Episcopal church were laid dur- ing the autumn of 1841 at the corner of Third and Mound streets. On December 1, 1842, the parishioners who had signed articles of association for the formation of the parish of which this church was to be the place of worship, met and named it St. Paul's. Rev. H. L. Richards was chairman of this meeting and F. J. Mat- thews was its secretary. A. Buttles was chosen senior warden, I. N. Whiting junior warden and Henry Matthews, Moses Altman, John Burr and Herman M. Hub- bard vestrymen. Rev. Henry L. Richards, the first rector of the parish, began holding services therein on the first Sunday in Advent, 1842. The completed church edifice was conscerated by Bishop Mcilvaine on August 11, 1846. In July, 1848, Rev. Henry L. Richards was succeeded as rector by Rev. Alfred M. Loutrel, who remained until 1851, when Rev. Thomas V. Tyler took charge of the parish, but to remain only a few months. Rev. W. Norman Irish became rector on Sep- tember 1, 1852, but resigned in the summer of 1855, and was succeeded for some months by Rev. E. B. Kellog. The next rector was Rev. 1. A. M. La Tourette, who began his ministerial duties on the first Sunday after Ascension Day in 1856, but was succeeded in March, 1858, by Rev. James L. Grover, who served as rector until June 25, 1862. Rev. George Seabury, who was next in the pastoral succes- sion, began service on September 20, 1864, but resigned in January, 1867, and was succeeded in September of that year by Rev. C. C. Tate, who continued until November, 1872, when he removed to the diocese of Indiana. His successor was Rev. C. H. Kellogg, since whom the parish has been served by Rev. Robert W. Grange, Rev. Lincoln and the present rector, Rev. Francis A. Henry.
The present church edifice is located on East Broad Street, south side, between Garfield and Monroe avenues.
On October 26, 1869, an ecclesiastical court was convened at Trinity Church for the trial of Rev. Colin C. Tate, rector of St. Paul's, on a charge of having organized a choir of boys, in white surplices, to sing while entering and going out of the church. The defense entered a plea denying the jurisdiction of the court. This plea prevailed, after exhaustive argument, and the court was dissolved.
Church of the Good Shepherd .- This church, located on the southeast corner of Buttles and Park streets, was originally a mission of the Trinity Episcopal congre- gation. The cornerstone of its church edifice was laid June 13, 1871, with cere- monies conducted by Bishop G. T. Bedell, of Gambier. An address was delivered on that occasion by Rev. Wylleys Hall. The present rector is Rev. Mr. Graham ; his predecessor was Rev. Frederick O. Grannis.
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INDEPENDENT PROTESTANT GERMAN.
INDEPENDENT PROTESTANT GERMAN.
Moved by a desire for religious worship disassociated from the forms and symbols of the Lutheran and Reformed German Protestant churches, a number of German Protestant citizens of Columbus met on February 6, 1843, at the house of Henry Waas, then known as the Canal Hotel, were called to order by J. P. Bruck and chose Louis Hoster as chairman. A congregation was then organized by selection of the following officers: President, Louis Hoster ; vice presidents, Nieh- olas Maurer and Otto Frankenberg; secretaries, P. Ambos and J. D. Bruek ; treas- urer, Jacob Silbernagel ; trustees, Daniel Wendel, Jacob Lauer, Andreas Dippel, David Baner, Frederick Funke, George M. Unger and Christian Faber.
A choir was organized during the ensuing month, meetings were held in differ- ent localities as they happened to be available, and services were conducted by Rev. Mr. Zeller who volunteered to aet temporarily as pastor. The erection of a church edifice was at once taken into consideration, a building committee was appointed, and through the untiring efforts of Daniel Wendel, George Hoster and other members of the society, subscriptions to a building fund amounting to three thousand dollars were obtained. On April 21, 1843, J. P. Bruck purchased of Gen - eral J. Patterson the lot constituting the present site of the church on Mound Street, near Third, for $500. A plan for the church, drawn by N. B. Kelley, architect, was presented to the congregation by P. Herancourt, the cornerstone was laid on June 5, and on December 17, 1843, the new church, beautifully bedecked with flowers and crowded with interested people, was formally dedicated. The dedicatory sermon was preached by the temporary pastor, Rev. A. L. Bege- man, and some additional remarks were made by Rev. Doctor James Hoge.
Thus the new church began its career with fine promise of prosperity, bnt frequent changes in its pastorate, caused partly by sickness and partly by other untoward circumstances, produced unhappy results and to such financial straits was the congregation reduced that, in 1849, it felt obliged to lease the church edi- fice to the Trinity Lutheran Society, in whose possession it remained until the end of the year 1857. The church organization was meanwhile maintained, and the income derived from the church edifice was so prudently managed that by the beginning of 1858 the debts by which the society had been embarrassed were nearly all paid. At the same time the friends of the church, including many descendants of its founders, began to insist that the church should be reopened for its original purpose, which was accordingly done. Rev. Edward Graf was engaged as temporary pastor and after having served one year in that relation was defin- itely employed in February, 1859, for an additional term of three years. A Sun- dayschool under the leadership of Pastor Graf was organized, and in 1860 con- tained about seventy children.
Mr. Graf resigned before the expiration of his term, leaving his congregation for a time without any pastor. On May 5, 1862, Rev. Philip Zimmerman was called to take charge of the congregation, but on December 2, in the same year, his useful and very highly appreciated services were arrested by his death. Rev. Mr. Engelman was next called to the pastorate, but resigned it on September 1, 1865. After mueh seeking to find another suitable person to take charge of the church, the choice of the congregation finally fell on Reverend Christian Heddaeus, the present popular pastor, who was chosen on January 24, 1866, and on April 14 of the same year entered upon the duties of the pastoral office, which he has from that time to this fulfilled with extraordinary acceptability to his people.
710
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.
Until the year 1871 the church property belonged, not to the congregation, but to a portion of its members. The number of these proprietors was finally reduced to eleven. In 1871 these proprietors generously entered into a compact to transfer to the congregation their entire interest in the property provided the debt then enenmbering it and amounting to a little over one thousand dollars should be paid. This condition was complied with and the transfer was accord- ingly made.
UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST.
This denomination did not exist in Columbus in organized form until 1866, when its first church was erected on the south side of Town Street, between Fourth and Fifth. Of the society thus located Rev. W. B. Davis was the first pastor. In 1867, Mr. Davis, after retiring from the First Church, organized the Olive Branch Church, an edifice for which was erected near the Piqna Railway Shops. A branch of this society was organized in the southwestern part of the city in 1870, and took the name of Mount Zion Church. A German Church was organized in 1868, and erected an edifice on the south side of Friend Street, east of Seventh.
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST.
Central Christian Church .- The Society bearing this name had its origin in prayermeetings held by a few persons in private houses during the month of October, 1870. On December 1 of that year, a small apartment for a Sunday- school, and for prayermeetings, was rented in a building then occupied by Sam- uels's drugstore, on North High Street. Here occasional religious services were held, conducted by different clergymen. On April 1, 1871, the congregation rented a large room in the Sessions Block, southeast corner of High and Long streets. In this apartment, Rev. R. Moffit, of Bedford, Ohio, preached on the first Sunday in April, 1871, and Rev. T. D. Garvin, of Cincinnati, on the Sunday next following. Mr. Garvin accepted a call which was tendered him to become pastor of the church, and on the third Sunday in April, 1871, entered upon his duties pursuant to this call. On April 22, 1871, a meeting of which T. Ewing Miller was chairman and F. D. Prouty secretary, chose T. Ewing Miller as treasurer of the church, F. D. Prouty as secretary and William Wallace and F. D. Prouty as deacons. William Williams and Benjamin Styles were at a later date chosen as additional deacons.
At a meeting of the congregation held in its apartments in the Sessions Block on March 7, 1872, the pastor, Rev. T. D. Garvin presiding, F. D. Prouty was elected clerk of the church, and a resolution was adopted to incorporate the society "under the name of the Central Christian Church, known as the Disciples of Christ." The church was accordingly incorporated on March 20, 1871, and three trustees were elected : T. Ewing Miller for three years, William Williams for two years and James Archer for one year. On a lot 623 x 123 feet, at the southeast corner of Third and Gay streets, purchased at the time of incorporation at a cost of $5,300, a temporary church was erected. William Williams was the builder of
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DISCIPLES OF CHRIST -FRIENDS -UNIVERSALIST.
this church and T. Ewing Miller, James G. Archer and F. D. Prouty were the building committee. It was first opened for public worship on the third Sunday in May, 1872. The present briek edifiee which has succeeded it was ereeted in 1879, and was dedicated on August 1 of that year. An address was delivered on that occasion by Rev. Isaac Errett, editor of the Christian Standard, Cincinnati. The church eost, inclusive of its furniture, about $14,000. The members of the building committee which supervised its erection were T. E. Miller, J. M. Mont- gomery, Albert Allen, John R Hunt and William Williams. The successors of Rev. T. D. Garvin as pastors of the church have been, in the order of service, as follows : William P. Aylesworth, William A. Knight, J. C. Aganier, F. Bell, Thomas Chalmers, Andrew B. Chalmers and the present pastor, Rev. J. D. Forrest. The members of the church number at the present writing between four and five hundred. Its elders are Professors G. P. Coler and James Chalmers, of the Ohio State University, J. E. Striekler and S. A. Shupe. Its trustees are J. M. Montgomery, A. N. Fox, B. E. Styles, William Williams and G. H. Warden. The Sundayschool, which is now in a flourishing condition, contains about two hundred scholars, officers and teachers. Another valuable adjunet of the church, embracing its younger element, is its large and active society of Christian Endeavor.
Church of Christ .- This is, as yet, a small society. Its place of worship is located on Fifth Avenue.
FRIENDS.
The church editice in which this society worships is situated on Ohio Avenue Its dedication took place on October 12, 1873, on which occasion Charles F. Coffin, of Richmond, Indiana, Esther B. Tuttle, of Delaware, Ohio, and Mr. and Mrs. Frame, of Clinton County, Ohio, were the most prominent visitors and speakers.
UNIVERSALIST; BY REV. W. M. JONES.
The earliest existing records of this church are dated January 4, 1844. Traveling preachers of Universalism had for some years visited the city, and there was here to welcome them, hear them and assist them forward a small company .of men and women holding this faith. On the above date these signed the fol- lowing " Declaration : "
We whose names are hereto annexed, being desirous to cooperate for the support of religious truth and the promotion of human good; and recognizing and acknowledging God as our Father, Divine Inspiration as our moral guide, Jesus Christ as our Exemplar and Saviour, our common race as beirs of a blissful immortality, and filial and fraternal love as the sum and substance of human duty, do hereby form ourselves into a society to be known and distinguished as the Universalist Society in Columbus; submitting to the discretion of the majority of the members present at the first regular meeting the adoption of such rules and regulations as may be deemed the most effective in securing the attainment of the objects of our association.
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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.
12
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
713 .
UNIVERSALIST.
To this declaration were signed the following names: Demas Adams, John Field, John Greenwood, N. Merion, N. Wallace, Philip Reed, William Bambrough, James W. Osgood, Hiram Loveland, Smithson E. Wright, J. C. Armstrong, W. A. Standish, E. R. Hill, H. H. Kimball, Allen Hogan, Frederick Cole, H. McMaster, William C. Preston, Leonard Humphrey, William Richards, Enos Doolittle, William F. Wheeler, S. A. Preston, Susan Adams, Adaline Kimball, Mary Bambrough, Sarah J. Reed, Amelia Richards, Elizabeth Cadwallader, Catherine G. Dalsell, Elsey Preston, Catherine P. Preston, Matilda Wright, Catherine Bancroft, Eliza- . beth M. Field, Amanda Martin, Sophia P. Kelton, Ellen Loveland, Catherine D. Doolittle, Harriet Bancroft, Mary Eberly, Catherine N. Humphrey and Harriet Osgood.
This society, so formed, cooperated in maintaining occasional preaching as they could secure ministers, using the house of the German St. Paul Church on Third Street, which they afterwards purchased. On March 29, 1845, the society was incorporated under an act of the Ohio legislature passed March 13 of that year, and at the same time appointed the first board of trustees. These were John Greenwood, John Field, James W. Osgood, Demas Adams and William Bambrough. The first regularly employed pastor was Rev. N. Doolittle, who began his service with the society in October, 1845. In this month a committee was appointed to canvass for funds for a new church building and to be a building committee in case of success in securing necessary funds. This project took shape in December of the same year in a resolution to build " on the pewstock principle."
The matter of the rules and regulations of the society contemplated in the declaration of 1844, remained in statu quo until May 1, 1851, when in addition to the original declaration, the society adopted a constitution defining the duties of its officers and fixing a time of regular meetings. Under this constitution the society has continued until this present record. Mr. Doolittle resigned in 1851, and the society secured Rev. Mr. Gibbord as temporary supply. Rev. N. M. Gay- lord was engaged as pastor in April, 1852, and continued until November, 1854. During 1855 and 1856, the church engaged Rev. Mr. Upson and Rev. Mr. Haws to supply the pulpit until October of the latter year, when Rev. H. R. Nye was called to the regular pastorate. This beloved pastor remained with the society until 1859, when he removed to Cincinnati to assume charge of The Star of the West, a denominational organ. The pastors since then have been Rev. Thomas Gorman, Rev. Doctor J. S. Cantwell, Rev. A. W. Bruce, Rev. Doctor E. L. Rex- ford, Rev. W. S. Ralph, Rev. T. P. Abel and Rev. W. M. Jones, the present pas- tor.
The church lot and building on Third Street were sold in 1884 to the society of Cerneau Masons, whereupon the society purchased the lot on State Street whereon stands the present edifice, finished and dedicated in May, 1891. Soon after the purchase of the lot on State Street a Sundayschool and chapel building was erected on the rear part of the lot. The present pastor, Rev. W. M. Jones, was installed in 1888. During the first three years of his pastorate the present beautiful church edifice was erected on the front part of the State Street lot at a cost of $35,000, all raised by voluntary subscription.5 During the present pas- torate the church has come into possession of a beautiful pastor's home on Twen- tyfirst Street, valued at 86,000, the gift of Mrs. Lucy M. Stedman.
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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.
CONGREGATION OF B'NAI ISRAEL.
The origin of this society is thus sketched in a communication to the author by Mr. I. M. Schlesinger: "Judah Nusbaum, a native of Bavaria, Germany, arrived here in the year 1838; Nathan and Joseph Gundersheimer in 1840. All three were traveling traders and made their headquarters in Columbus until a few years later, when they commenced a general store in the Walcutt building, at the corner of High and Town streets. Simon Mack, S. Lazarus and three brothers, Samuel, Hess and Abraham Amburg, came here to reside in the year 1844. In 1847 came Breidenstuhl, of Rochester, S. Schwalbe, S. Morrison and a halfbrother of S. Lazarus named Aaronson. In 1849 all of the gentlemen above named united in starting a congregation under the title of B'nai Jeshuren, this being an ortho- dox society, and S. Lazarus, a merchant clothier, officiating, without remuneration, as their Rabbi. Their first meetingplace was an upstairs room in the building now known as the Twin Brothers Clothing Store, and the president of the congre- gation was Nathan Gundersheimer. Two brothers named Schreier who resided here about the year 1848 were joined by a third brother from California in 1849. All three died with the cholera, these being the only Hebrews who perished with that dread disease in Columbus. The first Jewish wedding which took place in this city was that of Joseph Gundersheimer on July 9, 1849. The next Rabbi was Joseph Goodman, who officiated until 1855 when Rev. Samuel Weil, of Cincinnati, was called bere. At that time the congregation met in a hall above the present Siebert gunstore, on South High Street. Other Rabbis succeeded in the following order : Rev. S. Goodman, Rev. Mr. Wetterhahn and Rev. Mr. Rosenthal. During the terms of the last two the congregation met at Waleutt's Hall. The members not harmonizing well, nineteen of them withdrew during the spring of 1870 from the congregation B'nai Jeshuren and started the congregation of B'nai Israel which was organized at a meeting held April 24, 1870. At that meeting Nathan Gundersheimer was chosen chairman and S. Amburg, Louis Kahn and Judah Nusbaum were elected trustees for one year. At a meeting of the trustees Jacob Goodman was chosen secretary, Joseph Gundersheimer treasurer and Nathan Gundersheimer president. The old congregation was dissolved."
For the purpose of erecting an edifice adapted to the Hebrew forms of worship a lot at the northwest corner of Friend (now Main) and Third streets was pur- chased. The price paid for this ground was $5.000, which sum was pledged by twentyone members of the congregation, which at that time numbered in all about thirtyfive. Previous to these events the services of the congregation had been conducted in the Hebrew language; it was proposed to conduct them thence- forward in English.
Subscriptions of money for the erection of the new temple were actively solic- ited and were obtained not only in Columbus but elsewhere. Messrs. Nathan and Joseph Gundersheimer and Jacob Goodman were appointed to supervise the build- ing, a contract for which was awarded to Hall & Fornoff. On May 15, 1870, the cornerstone of the temple was laid with imposing Masonie ceremonies, in the pres- ence of several thousands of people. After a parade in which the Odd Fellows and Masonic bodies of the city took part, the ceremonies at the building site were opened by the Mannerehor which sang impressively, to the tune of Pleyel's Hymn, the stanzas beginning :
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B'NAI ISRAEL -Y. M. C. A.
Round the spot - Moriah's Hill - Masons meet with cheerful will : Him who stood as King that day We as cheerfully obey.
After the stone had been lowered to its place an address on Human Dignity was delivered by Rev. Isaac M. Wise, of Cincinnati. The exercises closed with an anthem by the Mannerchor and a benediction.
On September 16, 1870. the completed temple was ceremoniously dedicated. After an address by Rev. J. Wechsler at the old synagogue, in Walentt's Hall, a procession was formed and marched to the new temple, on arrival at which the key to the building was presented by Miss Ada Gundersheimer to the chairman of the building committee, Mr. Nathan Gundersheimer, who was fitly addressed by the lady making the presentation and appropriately replied. The door was then opened and the procession entered. The ceremonies which followed were thus described :
The three serolls of the law were borne by the members appointed to take charge of them, from the right of the altar down the west aisle of the temple and then hack on the east aisle to the place of starting. This was denominated " making the first cirenit " . . During the making of this circuit the Mannerchor sang " O Day of the Lord." . . Prayer by Rev. Dr. Wechster followed, after which he read the one hundred and fiftieth Psalm. Response to this was made by the choir of the Temple who sang beautifully " Praise God in His holiness." During the singing the procession of the bearers of the scrolls of the law was again formed and, marching around the Temple, made the second circuit. The prayer of King Solomon at the dedication of the Temple was then read by Rev. Doctor Wechsler, after which the choir sang a Hebrew song, during which the third circuit was made. The scrolls of the law were then placed in the Ark to the rear of the pulpit, the choir at the same time singing the one hundredth Psalm.
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