USA > Ohio > Knox County > Past and present of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. I > Part 15
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The following have served as pastors. of the Methodist Episcopal church of Mt. Vernon :
1810-Robert Cloud.
18II-James B. Finley.
1812-Elisha W. Bowman.
1813-Michael Ellis.
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1814-William Knox. 1815-Samuel West.
1816-John Solomon. 1816-John McMahon.
1840-Edward McClure. 1841-John T. Kellam. 1842-G. W. Howe.
1843-E. R. Jewitt.
1817-Shadrack Ruark. 1818-Henry Baker. 1818-Philip Green.
1845-T. Dunn.
1819-Thomas Carr.
1846-G. W. Breckenridge.
1819-Lemuel Lane.
1847-R. H. Chubb.
1820-Carr and Lane.
1848-M. French.
1821-Joseph Carper.
1849-S. Mower.
1822-Shadrack Ruark.
1850-S. Mower.
1851-J. Kennedy ( First church ).
1823-John Pardo. 1824-Abner Goff.
1824-James C. Taylor.
1825-John Crawford.
1826-Jacob Hooper.
1826-Thomas Beachman.
1827-Jacob Dixon.
1827-John C. Havens.
1828-Solomon Manear.
1855+Banning D. Rutledge.
1856-Nickerson and Rutledge.
1857-Nathan Barker.
1857-Joseph Wolfe.
1858-Nathan Barker.
1858-W. N. Conant.
1859-Thompson Hildreth.
1859-James Wheeler.
1860-T. F. Hildreth.
1860-Banning J. Whitworth.
1861-Uri Richards.
1834-A. M. Lorane.
1834-C. R. Lovell.
1861-John Mitchell.
1862-Richards and Mitchell.
1835-W. S. Herr.
1835-G. Blue. 1835-G. B. McMahon.
1836-James McMahon.
1837-George Elliott.
1838-George Elliott.
1830-Thomas Barkdull.
1863-Richards, Mitchell.
1864-E. H. Bush.
1865-Henry Whiteman.
1866-F. M. Searles.
1867-F. M. Searles.
1868-John Graham.
1851-Thomas H. Wilson (Second church). 1852-J. Kennedy, T. H. Wilson.
1853-Lorenzo Warner.
1853-Alexander Harmount.
1854-Henry E. Pilcher.
1854-David Rutledge.
1855-M. H. Nickerson.
1828-Jesse Roe.
1829-Curtis Goddard.
1829-Jesse Roe.
1830-Abner Goff.
1830-Henry E. Pilcher.
1831-James McMahon.
1832-James McMahon.
1833-A. M. Lorane. 1833-W. W. Westlake.
1823-Daniel Limerick.
1844-L. G. Gurley. 1845-L. G. Gurley.
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1869-W. D. Goodman.
1888-1893-A. D. Knapp.
1870-George Mather.
1893-1898-W. C. Endley.
1871-George Mather. 1898-1900-L. K. Warner.
1872-1875-Lorenzo Warner. 1900-1901-J. Frank Smith.
1875-1878-George W. Pepper. 1878-1880-P. B. Stroup.
1902-1908-Charles Gilmore.
1908-Glezen A. Reeder, Jr.
1880-1883-E. Persons.
1909-Glezen A. Reeder, Jr.
1883-1885-J. S. Broadwell.
1910 to present-E. D. Barnett.
1885-1888-J. S. Reager.
The various changes in conference lines and the names of presiding elders (now district superintendents) have been as follows :
First Mt. Vernon was in the Western conference; in 1813 changed to the Ohio conference ; 1835 to the Michigan conference; in 1840 to the North Ohio conference.
The various districts in which this church has been located are these : Muskingum. Tuscarawas, Lancaster, Portland, Lancaster, Wooster, Norwalk. Mt. Vernon.
The presiding elders (now called district superintendents) have been as follows: James Quinn, David Young, Jacob Young, Charles Waddle, Jacob Young, Charles Waddle, Jacob Young, William Swaze, James McMahon, David Young, Leroy Swormsted, W. B. Christie, A. Poe, John H. Power, Elmore Yocum, John H. Power, J. Quigley, S. Lynch, Wesley Brock, Henry Whiteman G. W. Breckenridge, Thomas Barull, Lorenzo Warner, D. D., T. Mattison. J. A. Kellam, B. P. Stroup, George W. Ball, James Torbet, C. F. Johnson, J. F. Smith, Friend I. Johnson.
METHODIST SUBDIVISIONS.
The last minutes show that in Knox county the church work was divided and sub-divided as follows :
Centerburg, with Mt. Liberty, one pastor; Danville, Brookhaven and Wesley Chapel, with one pastor ; Democracy, North Liberty, Pike and Union Chapel, one minister ; Fredericktown and Berlin, one minister; Gambier and Hopewell, one minister ; Howard, alone; Batemantown, served from Levering.
At Howard there are sixty-two members; in Sunday school fifty. The church property is valued at five thousand dollars.
At Lock there are sixty-three members and pupils in Sunday school twenty-five. The value of the church building is placed at four thousand five hundred dollars.
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On Mt. Vernon circuit the membership is one hundred and twenty; in Sunday school, seventy-five; the building is valued at two thousand dollars.
THE CENTERBURG CHURCH.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Centerburg was organized in 1834. Centerburg was at that time connected with the Chesterville circuit. This society was organized at the home of John Rinehart, on the farm where George Rinehart now lives. The following were the charter members: John and Harriet Rinehart, Samuel and Julia Degood, Ferdinand and Mary Mc- Lain, William and Margaret Borden, David and Elizabeth Chadwick. They held their meetings in different homes, shops and vacant rooms until 1843, when a small church was built which stood near the place where Mr. Higgins' livery barn now stands.
In 1871 the trustees met and decided to build a new church. They esti- mated the cost at two thousand dollars, and immediately went to work to raise the money. George Reardon, who is still living and an active member of the church today, was the secretary of the board of trustees at this time. The church was not completed until 1873. After the frame work was up nothing more was done for one whole year.
This building served until the present elegant structure, which was dedi- cated August 27, 1911, by Bishops Bristol and Hamilton, who saw that every dollar of the twenty-three thousand was pledged. This beautiful church, said to be among the finest in the conference, stands in a central location. It is of the gothic style and is made from roman yellow brick. Its interior is finished in golden oak and every part of the large edifice is furnished with strictly modern furniture and appliances. The building that stood on the church grounds has been converted into a commodious parsonage.
The present membership of this church is two hundred and eighty-five. The pastors on the Bloomfield circuit, of which this is a station, have been : Revs. A. H. Tilton, 1867; E. B. Morrison, 1868-70; B. A. Disney, 1870-72; J. H. McConnell. 1872-74; Jesse Williams, 1874-76; S. R. Clark, 1876-78; J. J. Phifer 1878-80; J. McK. Barnes, 1880-83; Joshua Crawford, 1883-86; C. C. Ball. 1886-90 : C. I. Russell, 189-92 ; F. H. Huntsberger, 1892-94 ; E. L. Smith, 1894-96; W. J. Hyde, 1896-1900: D. L. Edwards, 1900-03; W. H. Eglin, 1903-10; Charles F. Mott, 1910 and present pastor.
METHODISTS AT MARTINSBURG.
At Martinsburg, Clay township, the Methodist church was organized in the summer of 1808, one hundred and three years ago. The earlier records
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have been destroyed or lost accidentally, so no history can be given farther back than 1837, more than to state that a brick building was built, which later was torn down and a frame house erected in its stead. The original church was near the last one, the frame just mentioned which still serves. In 1906 re- pairs were made on the building to the amount of two thousand two hundred dollars. At that time the Young People's Society purchased and installed a new organ.
The membership now is placed by the records at one hundred. It may be of interest to look back over the years and note who have served as pastors of this devoted people, who have kept up their work for more than a century in Knox county. Beginning with the record of 1837, they have been : Revs. Sanford Parker, John Scoles, Wesley Clark, Henry Whiteman, Jacob Brown, Phillip Wareham, Austin Coleman, James Wheeler, 1846, S. D. Seymore, W. H. Nickeson, Hiram Shaffer, Stephen Shaffer, John McNabb, A. Foster, William Spafford, Allen Moffit, F. S. Wolfe, 1857, James Wheeler, Daniel Lambert, A. J. Lyon, George W. Ball, John Whitworth, J. McBarnes, Jesse Williams, James A. Kellam, B. D. Jones, T. Roberts, E. Moore, E. L. War- ner, Joseph Long, J. D. Lea, C. I. Russell, Robert McCaskey, 1892, S. E. Idleman, Joseph Long (second time), J. D. Lea (second time), M. E. Rife, resigned and place was filled by Rev. Sehnert, W. S. Chapman, for six years, R. C. Beechley, two years, J. W. H. Brown, present pastor, 19II.
[The author is indebted to Mrs. E. E. Kerr for the notes on this church.]
THE BRANDON CHURCH.
The Brandon Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1850, through the zeal of Mrs. Catherine Rouse, who got together fourteen members of this faith, and Rev. James ("Uncle Jimmie") Wheeler organized the church. Mrs. Catherine Rouse is the only surviving member. The others were Eras- tus and Catherine Rouse, I. Montgomery and wife, S. F. Vorse and wife, Stephen Lockwood and wife, N. Dunn and wife. Mother Rouse is now ninety years old. The ground on which the old brick church stood was donated by Daniel Rowley. The church was blown down in that terrible storm known as the "Brandon storm." An old store building was then used. In 1863 a frame building was provided on the old site, and there the church still worships. In 1891 the church was repaired and a belfry added and a bell purchased. The furnace and all improvements amounted to two thou- sand three hundred dollars. "Little Gem" it was called and in this a happy. church of about ninety members meet for weekly worship. The present pas- tor is Rev. D. S. Carpenter.
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The pastors' list has been furnished by Mr. Sligar as follows: Revs. James Wheeler, Benj. F. Heskitt, Samuel Mower, John Whitworth, C. Cra- ven, 1859; John Blampfield. 1859; S. A. Moffatt, 1860; John Mitchell and Joseph McK. Barnes, 1861 ; S. R. Squires, 1866-67; James H. Johnson, 1868- 69; James A. Kellam, 1870-71; J. R. Reasoner, 1872-73; S. Z. Kauffman, 1874-75 ; W. L. Phillips, 1877-78; C. Craven, 1879-80; M. L. Wilson, 1881-82 ; Jesse Williams. 1883-84; W. B. Taggert, 1886-87-88-89; C. F. Irish, 1890 to 1895, when he died; W. B. Maughiman, 1893; Martin Weaver, 1894-96; J. F. Hastings, 1897-99; W. B. Maughiman, 1900-1902; J. F. Strete, 1903; F. W. Hass, 1904-5; R. F. Whitehurst, 1906-07; C. M. Wallace, 1908-09; D. S. Carpenter, 1910-II.
THE BRINK HAVEN CHURCH.
When the Methodists began preaching in Brink Haven we have no means of finding out, but the church was organized in 1848 by Rev. Omar Law- rance. For many years the society had no church building of its own, but worshiped in the homes of the members. In 1863 a building was erected in the main part of the town on a lot given to the church by James Hibbitts. The lumber was given by Jacob Gann, Sr., and sawed after night by a Mr. Greer, he being too busy to do the work at any other time. The work was donated principally by Mr. Hibbitts.
This building was substituted in 1911 by a large cement structure of modern style and equipment, equal for its beauty, size, and durability to any of the churches in Knox county.
The society has a membership of one hundred and thirty, with a Sunday school near the hundred mark. It has enjoyed a steady growth.
The ministers having served this church are Lawrence, Jacobs, Wheeler, Buckman, Barnes, Markman, Huston, Harris, Ayers, Lea, Walker, Long, Russell, Hunsberger, Ashbaugh, Snyder, Beechley and H. A. Shook, the pres- ent pastor and builder of the new church.
James and Henry Hibbitts, Henry and Anna Black and Elizabeth Titus were among the charter members. Myrtila Gann, Martha Hibbitts and J. N. House, still living, were members when the first building was erected.
THE GAMBIER METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The Gambier Methodist Episcopal church history has been written es- pecially for this work, by Miss Hattie Ridgeley Sherwood, who is a member
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of the same, and has compiled many other items of value concerning this denomination, hence can be relied upon as accurate, unbiased and true. Her abridged account of this church reads as follows :
As early as 1832 the Methodists began holding services in their homes, in Gambier. At about that time a society was organized at Danville, Ohio, and the circuit rider from that. place aided and encouraged the brethren as far as possible.
It was the intention of the founders of Kenyon College, who owned the township at that time, to keep control of all the land and not permit any other denomination but the Protestant Episcopal to gain a foothold. For this reason the Methodist people, who did not, nor could not, own a foot of land, held their meetings as privately as possible. Their prayer and praise meet- ings were well attended and soon began to attract the attention of others out- side their own number, drawn to them through curiosity. Among these was a young man, then at Kenyon College, who by the power of God became the noted Dr. William Nast, the founder of German Methodism in the United States. (The present church edifice, which he substantially aided, bears wit- ness by a memorial window to his conversion here.
In 1837 Gambier became a regular appointment, but the preaching ser- vices were at long intervals, and many of the people attended the public wor- ship at Brown's meeting house on Schenck's creek, near Pleasant Valley. At this time their number was increased by the arrival of a number of families from Pennsylvania. On account of the distance to travel and the uncom- fortable modes of conveyance, the people were unable to attend services at points where communion services were held, so Brother Thomas arranged with Rev George Eliott, then pastor of the Mt. Vernon station, to hold a communion service at Gambier. It was held in a grove near the village. It is related that Brother Eliott preached an impressive sermon to a large and appreciative audience, and afterward administered the holy sacrament ac- cording to the form of the Methodist Episcopal church. This was the first service of the kind in Gambier. Much comment was made, but the Metho- dists, undisturbed, went shouting and singing "Hallelujah" just the same.
This period of history is noted on account of the many who were called of God to special service in his vineyard. Among these appear the names of Rev. Rezin Sapp, Rev. Enoch Sapp and Rev. John Walker, men who became strong advocates of the Gospel.
At this time the circuit of which Gambier was one appointment, included the following: Danville, Millwood, Brown's meeting house, Wesley chapel. Brownsville, Frizzels, Davis meeting house (since North Liberty), Scholes' Corners, Amity, Pike, Beck's school house, and Gambier.
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In 1841 the adherents to Methodism were so numerous that their little log cabin would no longer accommodate their audiences and they took tacit possession of the school house which stood near the site of their present church. During this year Rev. William Harris came to the appointment as the circuit rider. In later years we knew him as the efficient Bishop Harris.
In 1843 the church membership numbered fifty. Monthly concerts for missions were established, the collections were good and the missionary spirit abounded in spite of the people's poverty.
The time had now arrived when it was no longer advisable for the col- lege to hold all of its land; accordingly farms and town lots were surveyed and sold and the people bought the land upon which they had built their houses. The church, if the society might so be called, began to spy out the land and to make preparation to enter it. Accordingly, Rev. E. Raymond, the pastor. appointed D. L. Fobes, G. W. Pearce, Francis Penhorwood, J. T. L. Jacobs, Fred Clippenyer, A. K. Fobes, and Thomas Colwill trustees, and these men formed the first executive official board of the church. After mak- ing several selections, they finally settled on the present site of the church, and no one can doubt their foresight and wisdom. The next move was to erect a church, and in the summer of 1855 a neat frame building on the corner was dedicated to the worship of God by the Rev. Thomas H. Wilson.
The pastors following William Harris were Leonard Parker, Oliver Bur- gess, Raymond. Plummer, Heskett, Lambert, James Wheeler, Webster, Hal- deman, John Wesley Burton, Joseph McK. Barnes, William Huestis, Oman Lawrence, Philip McKillips, J. H. Johnson, Stephen Fant and Vincent Law- rence. During the pastorate of Vincent Lawrence, 1880, the church added to its property by the erection of a parsonage at a cost of sixteen hundred dollars. Following the death of Rev. Lawrence, Rev. James P. Mills took the charge to the close of the year 1881. In 1881 Rev. Fred A. Gould began his pastorate here, which was wonderfully blessed. Next Rev. L. H. Baker, then Rev. Joseph Long, afterward Rev. F. G. McCauley.
Upon Rev. McCauley's coming among us plans were laid to build our present church edifice. On the last Sunday in March, 1888, the Methodists held their last service in the old church which would no longer comfortably accommodate the people. On Thanksgiving day, 1890, a new brick and stone edifice, which had been built at a cost of ten thousand dollars, was formally dedicated by Bishop J. H. Bashford. The Bishop preached an eloquent ser- mon from Psa. 8:4, 5. The building committee, comprised of the following persons, Alfred Fish, H. C. Ayers, D. B. Kerr, William T. Hart, A. K. Fobes, and Hattie R. Sherwood, presented, by the pastor, Rev. William Chase, the church for dedication and was formally accepted by the trustees of the church.
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Rev. William Chase served the church until 1894. From that time to the present the following pastors have filled the appointment: Rev. L. A. Edward, Rev. William Eglin, Rev. B. F. Rhoades, Rev. Thomas Hambly, Rev. Albert Corfman, and the present pastor, Rev. D. A. Morris. During all these years the church has sustained a good record. Her Epworth League, her Sunday school, her Home and Foreign Missionary societies and her Ladies Aid have all done their part to promote the gospel work at home and abroad. The present (1911) membership is one hundred and seventy.
God has blessed the little vine planted so many years ago on this hillside. Storms have beaten it, prejudice has pruned it, but the sunshine of God's love has shone upon it and it still yields a harvest.
FREDERICKTOWN METHODIST CHURCH.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Fredericktown, located on Sandusky street, near the public square originally, was organized about 1818, the first subscribers being Catherine Haldeman, Mr. and Mrs. Aker, Mr. Fiddler and wife, Hannah Benedict, S. Doty and a few more. Its first meetings were held in the old block-house, and later in Mr. Haldeman's shop, until the erec- tion of the first church in 1840. Pioneer Haldeman was not a member of any church, at that time, but being a clever old Pennsylvanian he swept out his shop every Saturday evening and placed temporary seats for the audience to use the next day. The church, when erected, was a frame structure on Sandusky street and it served well its purpose until in 1856, when a fine brick church was constructed by the society and neighboring friends of the congre- gation. A Sunday school was also organized in the shop referred to, in 1828.
In 1907 the old brick church was repaired and made almost as good as a new edifice and it is now valued at twelve thousand dollars and the parson- age at two thousand dollars. The present membership of this church is three hundred and sixty-three.
The pastors within the memory of the present generation, those who have served since 1884, are as follows: Revs. W. T. Lewis, J. S. Broadwell, James Torbet, C. C. Ball, B. Hushour, L. M. Snyder, A. C. Coffman, Thomas Hambly, J. B. Jones, present pastor.
OTHER METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
The Methodist Episcopal church in Berlin township was organized and located near the south line of the township about 1830. However, many
(II)
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years before that date preaching was had by traveling circuit riders and Meth- odist missionaries, who held services at log cabins and at the homes of the settlers who professed the Methodist faith. Also at log school houses in the forests here and there throughout the township. Among the original mem- bers may now be recalled these : John Durbin and wife, Stephen Cole and wife, and others. The Coles were prominent and donated land upon which the church was finally built. This first edifice was erected in 1834 and used twenty or more years when another, neat frame structure was provided.
A second Methodist Episcopal church was organized at Palmyra, about 1840, but later went down. This was formed through the energies of Robert Sites and Joseph Palmer. A few years the congregation worshiped in the school house, and later purchased the cooper shop and remodeled it for church purposes.
The first church organized in Brown township was the Methodist Epis- copal, about 1850, and a frame edifice was erected that year. A new and more up-to-date building was erected in 1881. This is known as the Jello- way church, being located in the village by this name. The society is still among the active churches of this county.
The Methodist people were the first to organize a society and erect a church building in Harrison township, Knox county. The first building was a rough log structure raised in 1823 or 1824. This stood in the northeastern part of the township and was called Mt. Tabor. Owing to many changes and the work of other denominations, the church was abandoned after a few years and the work given over to other hands.
In Howard township the Methodists were the pioneers in religious work and organization. At a very early day Rev. James B. Finley and Rev. An- thony Banning, with Absalom Waddle, men of more than ordinary religious note, preached to these pioneers in Howard township. Anthony Banning was a good preacher, a zealous worker and withal a good business man and held much property in Knox county. He was a radical Whig in politics and president of the first Whig meeting held in Knox county. He supported Henry Clay for President. He began to preach at the age of sixteen years in Virginia. and was thus well intended for good work in the wilds of Ohio later in life.
The Methodists built the first church in Howard township in 1830. It stood two and a half miles east of Gambier. Among the early pastors the name of Rev. Shafer, a great evangelist and noted singer, is recalled on the church records. A graveyard was attached to the church property and therein were laid to rest many of the old pioneers of the township. When the time
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arrived to erect a better church, it was deemed wise to locate it a mile south of Monroe Mills, in Monroe township. The spot where stood the old log church and cemetery can hardly be located at present, with the changes of so many years.
In Hilliar township the Methodist preacher, mounted on his trusty steed, his saddle-bags, with Bible and hymn book within, and a change of linen (usually early midst the scenes of the early settlements in Ohio, and such was the case in this township), might have been seen wending his way through the timbered lands of this section of Knox county where he raised high the standard of the Cross. No class was organized here, however, until about 1834, when Rev. Morrow formed one near Rich Hill in a little log school house. The original members were John Rinehart, Harriet Rinehart, Samuel Degood, Julia Degood, Ferdinand McLain and wife, William Borden and wife, and Daniel Chadwick and wife. Ferdinand McLain was class leader. Services were held in the school house one year, after that in the house of John Rinehart for several years, or until 1840, when the meeting place was changed to Centerburg. There in 1841, east of the public square, a frame church was erected thirty by forty feet in size. After three years a new church was erected which was forty by fifty feet and cost two thousand seven hundred dollars. In 1881 the membership of this church was placed by the conference books as ninety-five. In 1910 the minutes placed the membership at three hundred and eighty-seven and Sunday school at two hundred and seventy-three. A beautiful brick church was dedicated recently which will stand many decades a monument to the liberality of Centerburg people.
In Jefferson township the first church organized was the Methodist Epis- copal in 1832, at the house of Rev. Burriss, who was the first class leader of the society. Meetings were at first held at private houses and in school houses near by. Some years later a log church was provided which served the place of a house of worship until 1866 when a frame edifice was erected at a cost of about eleven hundred dollars. Wesley Chapel cemetery was located at this church and there were buried many of the hardy pioneers of this township.
In Liberty township, the pioneer preacher of the Methodist denomina- tion was Rev. Thomas Carr, who filled regular appointments in 1814. No regular Methodist class was formed until 1837. Father Conant preached in the old log school house on land where later stood the Mt. Liberty school house. The class was composed of Charles and Joanna Wright, John Zent, Martha Spellman, Allen Spellman and wife, Eliza Robertson, John Wilson, son and daughter. From this beginning was formed later the Mt. Liberty
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