USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Memoirs of the Miami valley > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82
51
SETTLEMENT OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
favorably. A Presbyterian may not regard the coloring as of the. brightest hue, for, in all probability, had it not been for the Ken- tucky Revival, Presbyteriansm in Southwestern Ohio would be relatively as strong as it is today in Western Pennsylvania.
In March, 1805, there arrived at Lebanon the forerunners of another religious movement, John Meacham and his associates, who came to found a community of the Shaking Quakers, started in England about sixty years before, in the delusions of a woman, Ann Lee, who claimed to be a reincarnation of Christ. She was put in a madhouse in the old country, but came to America and found favor. The sect had much success at Lebanon, and founded the Shaker town at Union village. In 1810 feeling against this sect became very strong and in August of that year occurred a most extraordinary and unwarranted attack upon the resident believers in that peculiar creed. The believers were told in effect that they must renounce their faith and practice-their manner of living, preaching, and mode of worship, or, as an alternative, leave the country. Refusal to comply with the demands meant a resort of violence, they were told. The threat was not carried out, however, and the Shakers continued to worship according to the dictates of their conscience; but they gradually grew fewer in numbers.
If any excuse is desired for the above mentioned proceeding it must be that it was in accord with the spirit of that early day. Re- ligious belief and practices frequently developed into fanaticism and the feeling of enmity between the followers of different creeds became in some instances extremely bitter. But in the Miami val- ley, as elsewhere, the ecclesiastical development kept pace with the development of the country and exercised a marked influence on the character of its population. Dr. Drake, in writing of the popu- lation of the valley in 1815, says that Cincinnati then had about one thousand houses, a stone courthouse with dome, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Friends' meeting-houses, two banks, two newspapers, a library, a two-story building in process of erection for the accommodation of the newly founded Lancastrian Seminary, and a number of manufacturing establishments, including one stone mill. Hamilton had seventy houses, chiefly log, a postoffice and printing office, but no public buildings save a stone jail. Lebanon was a considerable village with houses of brick and wood, a court- house and a schoolhouse, Baptist and Methodist churches, a stone jail, a printing office, a library, a bank, and several manufactories. Franklin had forty-five families, grist and sawmills and a post- office. Dayton had one hundred dwellings, principally wood, a courthouse, a Methodist meeting-house, a brick academy, a library of 250 books, a bank, a postoffice and a printing office. Oxford was described as a sparsely populated village, located on the frontier of the state, that had gained notoriety from having been fixed on as the seat of a university.
The first churches were planted to the northward of the Ohio a full quarter century before Dr. Drake penned his description of the Miami country. A little more than a year after the coming of the first settlers steps were taken to effect a religious organiza- tion. The initiative was taken by the Baptists who, at Columbia,
52
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
on Jan. 20, 1790, organized the first Protestant church in the north- west territory. The officiating clergyman was Rev. Stephen Gano, and the number of charter members was nine, though this was short- ly added to. The following May, Elder John Smith, later a mem- ber of the Constitutional Convention, and United States Senator from Ohio, took charge of the congregation. This church grew rapidly, but after Wayne's Treaty, in 1795, many of its members moved into the interior, and in 1797 was recorded the founding of Miami Island, Carpenter's Run and Clear Creek churches.
In December, 1790, a Presbyterian congregation was organized at Cincinnati by the Rev. David Rice, of Danville, Ky. A few months later James Kemper, a licentiate, was sent to supply this congregation and to establish preaching stations at Columbia, North Bend, and Round Bottom. He arrived at his field of labor a few days before St. Clair's defeat, and proved a tower of strength to the disheartened settlement in those troublous days.
Although the Baptists have the honor of organizing the first congregation, to the Presbyterians belong the credit of erecting the first house of worship in the Miami country, and this by the Cin- cinnati church. In January, 1792, subscriptions were made by 116 persons, totaling $289 plus 3 pounds and six pence in English money, 170 days' work, 71 days' work with team, 23 pounds of nails, 450 feet of boards, and 65 boat planks. The church erected at that time is described as a good frame house, 30x40 feet, but "neither lathed, plastered, nor ceiled." The floor was of boat plank laid loosely upon the joists. The seats were of the same material, sup- ported by blocks of wood. There was a breastwork of unplaned cherry boards called a pulpit, behind which the clergyman stood on a piece of boat plank resting on a block of wood. This church, some- what improved a few years later, served the congregation until 1812, when a more commodious edifice was erected.
While there may have been some prior sporadic preaching, it was not until 1798 that a definite effort was made to establish Methodism in the Miami valley. In that year, Rev. John Kobler, acting under appointment of Bishop Asbury, crossed the Ohio at Columbia and made his way to the cabin of Francis McCormick, near Milford. Here he organized a class of twenty-one members. A few days later, accompanied by McCormick, he set out on a tour of the settlements between the Miamis, visiting among other points, Dayton, Franklin, Hamilton, and Cincinnati. The few score of Methodists whom he found he organized into eight or ten classes which he sought to visit every two weeks. After such a ministry of several months, he retired from the circuit, reporting ninety-nine members. It was not, however, until five years after the close of his ministry in the Miami valley that Methodism gained a foothold in Cincinnati, as on his visit to the place in 1798 he could find no one interested in his ministry, and so did not include it in his list of appointments. It was in 1804 that John Collins, a local preacher residing in Clermont county, while on a business trip to Cincinnati, learned of the presence there of a number of Methodists. These he at once gathered together, and after preaching to them organized them into a class, and a little later secured their inclusion
53
SETTLEMENT OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
in the appointments of the Miami circuit. However, there was no regular place of preaching until about 1807, when a stone meeting- house was erected. By 1812 this church had so grown that it had 209 names upon the roll of its members.
It will give some idea of the growth in population, as well as interest in religious work to note the establishment of church or- ganizations in the Miami valley, prior to 1816. The years given are the time of establishment: In 1790, at Columbia, a Baptist, and at Cincinnati a Presbyterian; 1795, Presbyterian at Springfield ; 1796, Presbyterian at Pleasant Ridge; 1797, Baptist churches at Clear Creek, Miami Island, and Carpenter's Run; 1798, Methodist at Dayton, United Presbyterian at Sycamore, and Baptist at Turtle Creek; 1799, Presbyterian at Beulah and also the first church of that denomination at Dayton; 1800, Baptist at Trenton and United Presbyterian at Clear Creek; 1802, Presbyterian at Hamilton and United Presbyterian at Monroe; 1803, Evangelical Lutheran and also German Lutheran at St. John's, and a Friends' church at Waynesville; 1804, Methodist at Duck Creek, Baptist at Muddy Creek; 1805, Presbyterian at Hamilton, Methodist at Lebanon, Friends at Middleburg, Congregational at Paddy's Run, German Reformed at Springboro, Shaker at Shaker village; 1807, Friends at Goshen, Baptist at Troy, and Friends at West Milton; 1808, United Presbyterian at Hopewell, and Presbyterian at Unity ; 1809, German Reformed and Lutheran, both at Germantown; 1810, Presbyterian at Collinsville, Baptist at Indian Creek, Methodist at Rossburg, and Baptist at Bethel; 1811, United Brethren at Poast- town, Presbyterian at Harrison, Baptist at Todd's Fork, Methodist at McKendree Chapel, and Baptist at Bethel, in Hamilton county ; 1813, Presbyterian at New Jersey, Baptist at Cincinnati, and Methodist at Zane; 1814, Presbyterian at Bethel in Warren county, Friends at Cincinnati, Lutheran at Cincinnati, and Baptist at Little Creek ; 1815, Lutheran at Ellerton, United Presbyterian at Hamil- ton, Presbyterian at Bethel in Butler county, and Lutheran at Samuels. The churches herein named are still in existence and are therefore all more than one hundred years old. It is note- worthy that among them there is found neither a Catholic nor Episcopal church nor a Jewish synagogue.
Resuming the story of the Shakers, it may be stated that on a beautiful elevation near the old church at Shaker village they erected their community buildings, some of which are still standing, more than a hundred years old. There, in 1810, they erected their chapel, which is a fine example of pioneer architecture, and it is perhaps the oldest building devoted to religious services now stand- ing in the Miami valley. Here the Shakers led their life, introducing new methods of agriculture, developing new breeds of stock, pro- viding garden seeds and remedial agents to the general public, and engaging in certain forms of manufacturing. For many years the community flourished until it numbered several hundred people. North and south villages were erected on the Turtle Creek prop- erty, while additional communities were established on Whitewater and near Dayton. In time, however, the community declined, and as numbers decreased they centralized at Union village. Finally,
54
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
in 1912, recognizing that they must soon become extinct, they dis- posed of their buildings and farm lands amounting to about six thousand acres to the United Brethren church, reserving a life in- terest in one of the buildings and its grounds. Here, enjoying the comforts of life, the remnant of this interesting community calmly await the ultimate call.
As early as 1802 J. W. Brown, of Cincinnati, preached at vari- ous points in the region of Paddy's Run, Butler county. The Chris- tians of the community were from England, Wales, Scotland, Ire- land, and New England; they were of various denominations, but in order to properly maintain the ordinances of the church decided to drop personal predilections and organize on the broad basis of Christian love. A committee was appointed to draft a constitution and rules of discipline. The report of the committee was, after due deliberation, adopted, and the church was formally organized on September 3, 1803, at the home of John Templeton, and given the name of The Congregational Church of Whitewater, but it has been commonly known as the Paddy's Run church. The first members were Benjamin McCarty, Asa Mitchell, Joab Comstock, Andrew Scott, Margaret Bebb, Ezekiel Hughes, William and Ann Gwilyne, David and Mary Francis. In 1804 a committee of their own mem- bers set apart the aforementioned John W. Brown to the office and work of the ministry. The relation thus established continued until 1811, when Mr. Brown was sent on a mission to the eastern states by Miami university. The church received large accessions to its membership, among whom were many Welsh. These soon became numerous and, in 1817, a minister was secured, Rev. Rees Lloyd, who could hold services in both English and Welsh, which custom was continued for many years.
The members of this congregation early evinced an interest in education, and in 1807 erected a schoolhouse and started a sub- scription school. In 1821 the co-pastor, Rev. Thomas Thomas of the congregation, opened a high school with a boarding department. This school soon acquired considerable distinction. In 1821 a Union Library association was formed and chartered, and it is still flour- ishing. In 1823-25, a brick meeting house, 43x30 feet, was erected. In 1856 a new church was built and the old one was given over to community purpose. This congregation continues to flourish, and recently has, at very considerable expense, remodeled its building in order to better adapt it to its present needs.
It is but natural that a congregation with such a spirit should send forth a due compliment of its sons and daughters to achieve distinction in the world's work. Among them have been Gov. William Bebb, Murat Halstead, Dr. Griffin Shaw, Alfred Thomas, legal adviser in the United States Treasury department; Rev. Thomas E. Thomas, at one time a professor in Lane theological seminary ; Rev. Mart Williams, of the China mission; Prof. S. W. Williams, of Miami university, and many others.
Among the pioneers who came into the Miami valley in the early years of the last century were many Germans from Pennsyl- vania, Maryland, and the valley of Virginia. Judging by churches founded these settled almost wholly within the valley of the Great
55
SETTLEMENT OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
Miami, and for the most part within the upper half of the west slope of the valley. One important center was about Germantown, German township, Montgomery county. Here they organized a United Brethren church, in 1806, and Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed congregations in 1809. These latter two, as they fre- quently did throughout the valley, united in erecting a house of worship and used it alternately. As the congregation grew in strength each built its own house of worship, and today both are flourishing congregations with well appointed buildings. Many of the German churches endeavored to continue the exclusive use of the German language in their church services. They found in time that they could not do this and retain their young people. Thus they were led to use the English in part or in whole in their ser- vices.
After 1800 a number of families settled in the vicinity of Frank- lin. On August 14, 1813, a number of them met at the home of Will- iam P. Barkalow and resolved to form themselves into a congrega- tion, to apply to Presbytery for one-half of the ministerial services of Rev. Francis Montfort, and to raise him $150 in half yearly pay- ments. The following year ruling elders were chosen and Mr. Montfort was ordained as their pastor. In 1815 steps were taken to build a frame church. This was used until 1867, when it gave place to a handsome brick structure that cost $16,365 and is well adapted to religious services, Bible school work and the social work of the community. This congregation today numbers more than two hundred members who look well to the comfort and sup- port of their pastor and are deeply interested in all missionary activities.
Within half a mile of this church stands the Tapscott Baptist church, founded in 1814 by people of the same general stork. but with different religious ideals. A little later a brick meeting-house, which still stands, was erected and for a time the church prospered. But in 1835 dissension arose in the Baptist churches as to the pro- priety of undertaking missionary work, establishing Bible schools and joining in evangelistic effort. In 1836 a majority of this con- gregation decided in opposition to those agencies. Those favoring withdrew and formed the Franklin Baptist church. Today the Tap- scott church numbers a very few members, holds an occasional service, and is without any vital hold on the community life. Of similar history is the Clear Creek Baptist, founded in 1797, but which stands today practically unused and with trees growing about its doors.
It would be interesting to study the lives of the men who pioneered in the religious and other developments of the Miami valley. And in this connection it will be not out of place to men- tion a few of the early preachers :
Stephen Gard, 1776-1839, was born in Essex county, New Jer- sey, and educated in a classical academy near his home. He arrived at Columbia, in 1798, and located at Trenton, where, in 1801, he was married to Rachel Pierce. He founded Baptist churches at Trenton, Middletown, Carlisle, Dayton and Hamilton.
James Kemper, 1755-1784, was born at Warrentown, Fauquier
.
56
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
county, Virginia. Though reared in the Episcopal church he was led to espouse the Presbyterian faith. In 1735, at the solicitation of Rev. David Rice, he moved to Kentucky to take a position as teacher in the Transylvania seminary. In 1791 he was licensed and appointed to supply in the churches of the Miami. The same year he came to Cincinnati where, after a year, he was ordained and installed pastor of the Presbyterian church at that place. Later he ministered to the Turtle Creek Presbyterian church, but his work here was cut short on account of the disapproval by the plain dress- ing pioneers of his wife's elaborate headdress. Later he founded the Second Presbyterian church of Cincinnati. He was a man of ambitious plans and promoted the Kentucky academy, the Walnut Hills academy, the Cincinnati college, and Lane theological sem- inary.
James Hughes was born of English parentage in York county, Pennsylvania. About 1780 he moved with his parents to Wash- ington county, where he received his classical and theological edu- cation, in part at least, under the tuition of Rev. John McMillan in the log college which he erected near his house, and which still stands on the campus of old Jefferson college. He was licensed in 1788, and two years later was ordained and installed as pastor of the Short Creek and Lower Buffalo churches. He was probably the first Presbyterian clergyman ordained west of the Alleghenies In these fields he labored until 1814. In 1815 he settled at Urbana, where he founded the Presbyterian church, to which he ministered until 1818, when he was elected principal of the grammar school of Miami university. On moving to Oxford he organized the Pres- byterian church at that place. Here he died in 1821.
Robert H. Bishop (1777-1855) was born near Edinburgh, Scot- land, graduating in the university at that place in 1798, and from the theological seminary at Selkirk in 1802. In that year he, with four others, was induced to migrate to America to minister to the Associate Presbyterian churches there. With another of these, he was sent to the Ohio valley to labor. After ministering for a time to churches in Southern Ohio, he located at Lexington, Ky., where he occupied a professorship in Transylvania university, and the pas- torate of two congregations near that place. In 1819 he connected with the Presbyterian church and became pastor of McChord church, Lexington. In 1820 he was made first president of Miami university. In this connection he served for a time as pastor of the Presbyterian church at Oxford. In Kentucky he was reckoned as one of her best pulpit orators. In 1844 he severed his connection with Miami and became president of Farmers' college at College Hill, where he served until his death.
The pioneer Methodist preacher of the Miami valley was Francis McCormick, who was born in Frederick county, Virginia, June 4, 1764. In 1790 he became a local preacher. In 1795 he moved to Kentucky and two years later crossed the river into Ohio, locating at Milford in Clermont county. At his suggestion, Bishop Asbury sent Rev. John Kobler to Ohio, and it was at his cabin that the first class was organized. He acted as guide to Kobler on his first tour of the Miami country. He was instrumental in organizing a
57
SETTLEMENT OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
class near Lockland and another near Columbia, where he located in 1807.
Rev. John Kobler was born in Virginia in 1768. At twenty- one he entered the ministry, and in 1798 he was appointed to the work in Ohio where he formed the Miami circuit, being the first regularly appointed Methodist preacher in the northwest territory. He is described as tall and well proportioned, with long black hair, and unusual intellectual powers. The arduous work of the frontier undermined his health and he died after rendering eighteen years of ministerial service.
Rev. John Collins was born of Quaker parentage in New Jersey, in 1789. At an early age he was licensed as a local preacher. In 1803 he moved to Ohio and settled on the east fork of the Little Miami where he purchased a tract of land. In 1807 he became an itinerant and attached to the Miami circuit. He was a man of prepossessing appearance, gentle spirit and great eloquence. He was the founder of the churches at Cincinnati, Columbia, Dayton, Hillsboro, and other places. He died in 1845.
One thing of much importance that retarded the settlement of the Miami valley was the want of an organized commercial sys- tem. It has already been noted that a few well-to-do farmers met this difficulty occasionally by taking their own cargoes to New Or- leans, but the greater number did not produce in sufficient quantity to dispense with the services of the middleman in finding a mar- ket. Probably the earliest exporters of the products of the Miami valley were the pioneer merchants who followed in the wake of the settlers. It would appear that Cincinnati did very little exporting before 1800, when her merchants seemed to have become active in the purchase of the products of the surrounding country. From that time advertisements similar to the following appeared in in- creasing number : "Wanted : A quantity of corn-fed pork." "Good flour will be taken by the barrel, whiskey and corn at market prices." "The subscriber will pay cash for 100,000 weight of good corn-fed pork." "Wanted: 5,000 bushels of wheat, at 50 cents per bushel." Advertisements for contracts for future delivery of wheat and pork were frequent. Trade was principally by barter. Store goods were exchanged for country produce. This growing commercial spirit was also evidenced by frequent quotations of Cincinnati and New Orleans prices in the local papers.
On August 31, 1802, John Wilkins, jr., through the Pittsburg Gazette, issued an address to the farmers, millers, traders and man- ufacturers of the western country, setting forth the difficulties of the Mississippi trade and proposing the organization of an ex- porting company in order to more effectually meet them. The Pittsburgh district soon acted upon the suggestion, and near the close of the following winter the idea was taken up in Cincinnati, when Jesse Hunt, an experienced merchant and pioneer, suggested the formation of an exporting company to handle the entire exports of the Miami country. The organization, which was known as the Miami Exporting company, was chartered to do an exporting and an importing business, and it also was privileged to engage in business as a banking institution. It was the business of the direc-
58
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
tors to build or purchase boats, employ superintendents and boat- men, transport to New Orleans produce entrusted to their care, sell it and make returns to the owners. That there was an effort to interest the entire Miami valley in the enterprise is shown by the fact that every important center of population in that region was represented on the committee appointed to receive subscriptions. In 1807 it ceased to engage in the exporting business, but continued to do business as a banking institution until 1822, when it was car- ried down by the financial crisis that began in 1835. It is needless to say that the exporting business continued to grow without the assistance of a co-operative company and that commercial firms continued to rise that met the demands of the rapidly increasing trade of the Miami valley.
The organization of the Miami Exporting company was has- tened by the closure of the Mississippi river by the Spanish intend- ant at New Orleans, early in November, 1802. On January 19, 1803, the Western Spy published an extract from a New Orleans letter, dated November 12, saying that the orders of the intendant were rigidly enforced and that Americans had nothing to hope from his clemency. That the people of the valley were deeply interested in the situation is shown by the fact that from that time until the following July, when the Western Spy published in large type the news of the purchase of Louisiana, nearly every edition of a Cin- cinnati paper contained some communication on the subject. The whole thing was irritating, but trade was not entirely stopped ; as exporters continued to advertise for "corn-fed pork," "good flour," "good whiskey," "country linen," "sugar," and "good merchantable wheat."
The opening of the Mississippi by the purchase of the Louisiana territory and the admission of Ohio to the Union doubtless greatly accelerated immigration to the west and did much to increase the volume of exports. By 1805 it was estimated that 30,000 people a year were settling in Ohio, and a goodly portion of them were finding homes in the Miami valley. The development of the Miami country and the growing export business soon brought about a corresponding import business, and very frequently both branches of commerce were carried on by the same firm. By 1805 there were twenty-four merchants and grocers doing business in Cincinnati, and in 1809 upwards of thirty merchants were selling from $200,- 000 to $250,000 worth of imported goods. The prosperity of the region and its advance in civilization is evidenced by the fact that its citizens were demanding some of the luxuries of life. As early as 1805, the merchants of this frontier metropolis were selling fine coatings and cassimeres, white and colored satins, silk stockings, silk and leather gloves, Irish linens, Morocco and kid shoes, um- brellas and parasols, and fine wines.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.