USA > Ohio > Knox County > Past and present of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. I > Part 17
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Amity Baptist church, of Pike township, was organized June 21, 1847, by Rev. James Seymour. The first organizing members were the Wrights, Hardins, Odors, Damudes, Hicks and Daniels. This church is located at the village of Amity, where Elders Stoors and David Thomas, of Mt. Vernon, frequently preached as early as 1845. Daniel Thomas was the first stated pastor. For a number of years the society prospered, but on account of re- movals to the far west and by reason of death, the membership dwindled down until they could not support a minister and were without one several years. In 1880 Rev. J. A. Davis took charge as pastor. Its membership is now thirty.
THE COLORED BAPTIST CHURCH.
The colored people have only one Baptist society in Knox county; this is the Baptist church at Mt. Vernon, where about three hundred of this race reside. The Methodist is the older and much largest church, but in about 1907 a Baptist church was organized and now has a membership of about fifteen faithful souls. They have purchased ground and a building and pro- pose to erect a building soon as times will permit of it. They hold property valued at two thousand five hundred dollars.
FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Free-will Baptist church of Centerburg was the result of the labors of Rev. George W. Baker, who finally organized a regular church near the
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village in 1839, at the house of Absalom Debolt, less than a mile out toward the southeast. At first meetings were held in barns, private houses, log school houses, until 1842, when a frame building, thirty by forty feet, was erected a half mile east of town. Rev. George W. Baker was pastor from 1839 to 1860, when he was followed by Kendall Higgins and later by others. In 1880 the church had a membership of ninety communicants.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCHES.
The United Brethren at Millwood organized a church in 1864. Among the first members may be recalled Stephen Day, William Black, Charles Hib- bitts, L Stevens and their wives, Isaac Hiatt and Edward Day. The society was never strong and finally, after a few years, sold its chapel to the Catholic people and abandoned the work of their church.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCHES.
This church was organized in Brown township in 1850 and the same year a log church was built a mile and a half southwest of Jelloway. Its members belonged in Knox, Richland and Ashland counties. In 1881 it com- prised one hundred and forty members. In 1857 the log church gave way to a more desirable church, costing one thousand eight hundred dollars.
LUTHERAN CHURCHES.
Rev. William Gilbreath preached in the vicinity of North Liberty in 1846 and formed a Lutheran church society or class, whose members included Henry Boven and wife. Jacob Gower and wife, William Worley and wife and Adam Stump and wife. In 1860 the society had need of a good church build- ing and a neat brick edifice was erected, thirty-six by forty-six feet square, the same standing in the village of North Liberty.
Messiah Evangelical church (Lutheran), of Butler township, was erected in 1874. Dr. Thomas Drake was the first pastor. This was never a strong congregation, the Lutherans not being very numerous in this part of the country.
Mt. Zion Evangelical Lutheran church was organized in Harrison town- ship in 1835, by Rev. H. W. Lauer. A building was erected by the society in 1837, a frame structure large enough to hold the congregations which there assembled. In 1854 a new and larger church was finished. From the start, this society was strong and had financial backing from the wealthy farmers of
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that day who belonged to this branch of the Lutheran church. Many of the first members were from Pennsylvania. The first records were kept partly in German and partly in English. In 1880 the membership numbered eighty-six.
In Pleasant township, in 1853, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church was formed, Rev. Jacob Bovee being the first to preach this faith in that part of Knox county. He was there as early as 1820. Rev. William M. Galbreath was the organizer and preached at the old Crawford school house on the Mar- tinsburg road. In 1854 a subscription was circulated to raise funds with which to erect a church building, and Benjamin Kerr was appointed treasurer. A frame house thirty-six by forty feet was built on the Martinsburg road and dedicated July 1, 1855, by Rev. Sloan. Rev. Galbreath became first pastor and continued until 1875. In 1881 the society numbered fifty-six.
The Jelloway English Lutheran church of Brown township was organized in February, 1881, and a frame church building erected that year.
UNIVERSALIST CHURCHES.
About 1831 a Universalist church was formed in Fredericktown, which was of slow growth, at first, but after erecting a comfortable church and engaging a talented preacher, the congregation became quite popular. The first members were largely Eastern people who had held to this cheery faith in their homes in the Atlantic states. Among the members were the Strongs, Corbins, Clarks, Doolittles, Benedicts, Wadsworths, Johnsons, Parsons, Gil- lets and others. The preacher for many years was Thurman Strong. For several years the church they erected was used for Masonic hall purposes and finally the church society went down. It appears that while there are some of this peculiar religious faith still within Knox county, they are too few to sup- port a church property. The theory of universal salvation as taught by this sect is not popular anywhere in this section of the United States. if indeed anywhere.
Occasional Universalist meetings were held at one time at Union Grove in this county, but no society was perfected there.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.
The Seventh-Day Adventists organized a church at Waterford at the house of F. C. Penn, in Morrow county. This was brought about by the work of Elder O. Mars. The original members were George Bisel and wife, W. T. Carson and wife, E. O. Penn and wife and W. S. Boon. The first meetings were held in private houses until 1874, when a neat frame church was built a
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half mile to the west of Waterford. Its cost was one thousand two hundred dollars. In 1881 the society had a membership of forty-four. The member- ship is now only twenty, as many removed and some worship at Mt. Vernon. George Bisel is the present elder.
The other Adventist church in the county is at Mt. Vernon, organized September 19, 1885, with a membership of ten. Since the Sanitarium (now occupied as a college) was so conveniently located and equipped, the church organization invested two thousand dollars to assist in the construction of a building to be used jointly with the Sanitarium as chapel and church. This arrangement has been maintained to the present time. The membership has increased to one hundred ninety-one. The elders or pastors during that period have been as follows : J. E. Scanlan, G. A. Irwin, C. L. Taylor, F. W. Field, W. H. Wakeham, W. W. Miller, P. S. Steinbaugh, N. W. Lawrence, M. C. Kirkendall, F. D. Starr, O. F. Butcher and S. M. Butler.
The Mt. Vernon Sanitarium was erected in Academia, Morris township, in 1886, which building is now occupied by the Mt. Vernon College. The in- stitution was under the management of Dr. G. A. Hare, and succeeded by Dr. O. G. Place. In 1893 the management considered it advisable to disor- ganize, at which time the building was remodeled for school purposes.
THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
Some of the pioneer settlers in Wayne, Middlebury and Berlin town- shops, Knox county, were of the staid and even-balanced Quaker faith, who had emigrated from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. They, true to their teachings. "came like brethren, slow and calm."
In 1809 the Friends church was formed and known as the Owl Creek society. Private houses at first were their meeting places, but later a house in which to better worship was provided, for these people are ever devout and thrifty, hence erected a church home soon as possible. Logs of unhewed sur- faces formed their first building, which served until 1822, when a brick build- ing, twenty-five feet by forty, with a large brick fire-place at each end, was erected on the Fredericktown and Mansfield road, near the center of section 20. For years the Friends here gathered on the first and fourth days of each week to worship God according to their own peculiar belief. For some time these brethren dwelt together in perfect harmony and peace, but the serpent of discord entered the Eden of brotherly love and a change came over the spirit of their dreams.
When Elias Hicks arose and claimed to be guided by an inward light superior to George Fox and proclaimed new and strange doctrines, trouble
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was brewing for this little band of Quakers. Two factions arose, the Ortho- dox and Hicksites. A sliding partition was placed in the church and on either side of that line the two set of Quakers worshiped. Some good men in the eighties penned the following graphic description of this fallen society in Knox county :
"Nothing is left as a monument, save the old brick meeting-house, with its large outside chimneys, plain front doors, moss-grown roof and weather- beaten walls, as it still stands there desolate and unoccupied in the pleasant beech and maple grove, whose welcome shade long years ago was sought by man and beast. There it stands the very picture of desolation, gradually yield- ing to the touch of time, destined soon to share the fate of the little flock that used to meet within its sacred walls.
"The seasons roll on-springtime returns, and with it the grass on the old church-yard comes forth, matures, fades and dies, untrodden by the foot of man, save by the stranger whose curiosity may have led him hither. The beech and maple grove obeys nature's call, and in due time puts on its living robes of green; the birds build their nests in the branches and sing a merry song, But alas the ears that once heard them with such fond delight hear them no more. They have all long since gone to rest while many of their off- spring have found homes and large fortunes in the West, forgetting alike the scenes of childhood and parents' teaching."
At this date ( 1911) there are no regular societies of Friends in Knox county.
UNION CHURCHES.
From time to time there have been numerous Union church buildings erected to accommodate the religious element, no part of which was sufficiently strong to support a church of their own special religious tendencies. Among such churches and societies-made up of almost all denominations-may here be named that of Union church in Jackson township, organized in 1870, and a neat frame chapel erected in which to hold meetings. Rev. George Steven- son was chosen the first pastor and the trustees were as follows: John S. McCament, Uriah Blue, Henry Holtz, J. F. Way and Ephraim Anderson. This building mentioned stood on section 12 of the township named.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
Congregationalism in Mount Vernon, Ohio, had its origin in the forma- tion of a church organized July 26, 1834, under the name of the "Free Pres-
(12)
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byterian Church." This was really an off-shoot of the Presbyterian church of Mt. Vernon, who left that church and with a few Congregationalists formed the new church. Later, they were all more or less in harmony with the creed and polity of what afterwards became the New School Presbyterian church. The new church had no ecclesiastic connections until August 1, 1836, when, by its delegates, it united with the Western Reserve Congregational Associa- tion. Four or five months after its organization, Rev. Benjamin Higbee be- cante its pastor. Under his more than three years of pastorate a church was erected on Mulberry street and it was later sold to the Methodist Protestant society. In April, 1849. after much deliberation, a new constitution was adopted, also a brief summary of faith, with resolutions that breathed forth strong anti-slavery sentiments. It then took on the form and name of Con- gregational. The church building was thrown open for conventions, whose object was to eradicate slavery and intemperance from this country. In 1852 a temperance convention was held in this church, and Joseph W. Vance, of Mt. Vernon, was nominated for state senator and A. Greenlee, of Frederick- town, for representative, both pledged in favor of the Maine liquor law. Abolition conventions were welcome to this church, which took the name of "Nigger Church." An incident, in the light of what has happened in this country since, should here be recorded : A Mr. Allen was to lecture on slav- ery in this church on a certain night. When the time came his arguments were met by the pungent logic of rotten eggs, and the meeting broken up. Next morning preparations were made to give Allen a free ride out of town on a rough rail, clad with a garment of tar and feathers, but while the crowd was being assembled by martial music under a banner with appropriate motto, "No Free Discussion," Allen fled. Being hotly pursued, he passed in at the back door of David H. Drake's residence, a half mile north of town, and, in- stead of trying to tarry there, took to the woods from the front door, being shielded from view by the house. The crowd soon came up and surrounded the house, demanding the fugitive. Mr. Drake said to them: "Gentlemen, you have the privilege of the house ; go right in and take him." After a dili- gent search, Mr. Drake urged them to make a good search, but they finally gave it up; and Mr. Drake showed his usual hospitality by bringing in a good supply of bread and butter and invited all to luncheon with him. That all over, the motley throng returned to town, as cheerful as a band who had raided a deserted hen-roost could be expected to.
During pastor Monroe's time, the old Mulberry street church became too small and at a cost of thirty thousand dollars, in 1868, a new and beautiful church was dedicated on the corner of Sugar and North Main streets. In this edifice, with numerous improvements, the society still worships. In 1880
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there were three hundred and fifty members. The 1911 roll shows a member- ship of four hundred and ninety-four.
. The following have served as pastors, in about the order here given : Benjamin Higbee, Edward Woods, M. E. Strieby, S. C. Leonard, T. E. Monroe, I. C. Billman, E. B. Burrows, R. T. Hall ( 1879), Edward I. Bos- worth, commenced 1886; Sidney Strong, 1887; William J. Turner, 1893; S. C. Dickinson, 1899; E. O. Mead, 1902; Ira J. Houston, 1910.
The Congregational church at Gambier was first located in that village bv the Cumberland Presbyterians. Among its early members were Thomas Minard, Thomas Bennett, John Bennett and a few more. It was organized into a Congregational church in 1867. A two thousand dollar edifice was erected in 1871 and in 1876 it was removed to its present site. This church is not in existence today.
The Congregational church at Fredericktown was organized about 1841, by a Mr. Mead, then of Mt. Vernon. The prime movers and first members were Joseph Hitchcock and Pascal Dunklee, both rich and liberal. On East Sandusky street they built a very good church building, in which they wor- shiped successfully for more than fifteen years, when interest went down and the society became extinct. . The church lot and building were sold to D. C. Lewis. This church went down and many of its members moved away and some joined the Presbyterian church.
At the little hamlet of Lock, a Congregational church was formed and in 1844 a good church was erected. Among the prominent members should never be forgotten Peter Eddy, Potwin Stoughton and Nathaniel Stoughton. The society is not in existence now.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
There are two Catholic congregations or parishes in Knox county. The entire tract of land where now stands the city of Mt. Vernon once belonged to a Catholic soldier, Col. John F. Hamtramck, who was a soldier before he was a man. He was born in Quebec in 1756. The tract of land was esti- mated to contain two thousand three hundred sixty-three acres and Colonel Hamtramck received it from the United States government for military ser- vices. The deed was given in 1800 and signed by President John Quincy Adams. He afterwards sold the same land for a few shillings. One of the well known streets of the city still bears his name.
The first Catholic to locate at Mt. Vernon was John P. McArdle, who emigrated from Ireland, March 17, 1801, together with his father and family, coming to Knox county, Ohio, in 1809. By trade he was a practical printer
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and in July, 1813, set up the first printing press in Knox county at the village that wanted to be made the county seat, Clinton. The paper he established was the Ohio Register, which for several years was conducted by McArdle & Smith, at Clinton and later at Mt. Vernon.
Other early Catholics in the county were David Morton, a convert, from Baltimore; William Brophy and Timothy Collopy. The last named was mentioned by Banning Norton, local historian, in these words: "He was a devout Catholic and a zealous Democrat, liberal and generous, public spirited and benevolent. He was an excellent justice of the peace, and a much es- teemed citizen. He died in his sixty-eighth year at Mt. Vernon."
The David Morton mentioned died in Mt. Vernon in 1852 and William Brophy died and was buried in the cemetery at Mt. Vernon in July, 1866.
The first mass ever said in Mt. Vernon was celebrated by Bishop Purcell, May 23, 1834, at the house of David Morton, who lived at the corner of Sugar and Main streets. It should be stated in this connection that when Bishop Purcell first came here there were but few Catholics and few finished churches of any denomination. Pioneer Anthony Banning, of the Protestant faith, had set about building a neat brick chapel which had been enclosed and almost finished when Bishop Purcell arrived the second time, which was in 1836. The Catholic families, few in number, desired to secure one of the churches for their own services, but. having been denied this, sought out the county commissioners for the purpose of obtaining the court house, but were again denied the use of about the only available place in the little hamlet for con- ducting religious services. But, as if by providence, a boy heard of this and reported the same to Anthony Banning, later known as Judge Banning, who at once buttoned up his coat and, with cane in hand, walked to David Mor- ton's, where the Bishop was staying, and tendered the use of "Banning's Chapel" for Catholic services, which offer was thankfully received upon the part of the Catholic people and Bishop Purcell. So it was that the first Catholic service, proper, in Mt. Vernon was held in the building just men- tioned. For many years after this services were frequently held in the Mor- ton house The "Banning Chapel" was really the meeting house of the radi- cal wing of the Methodist church, built by Mr. Banning, and would today be called the Protestant Methodist church.
In 1842 the first attempt at building a church here was being carried on successfully under Rev. Mr Lamy, and in 1843 the books show there were eight baptisms, three first communions, one marriage, and three burials by the Catholic people of Mt. Vernon. The new church was built on the northeast corner of High and Mckenzie streets. It was only a small brick edifice, but served well its purpose in the minds of its builders. However, it was doomed,
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for before entirely finished, March 2, 1844, it was destroyed by fire, nothing remaining but the bare brick walls. The citizens of the place, regardless of church profession, liberally subscribed and six hundred dollars were raised to rebuild with. The repairs were made on the building, but delay followed delay until about two years had gone by. It was finally dedicated as "St. Vin- cent de Paul Church," on Sunday, October 14, 1849. The lots about the church, Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Warden and Thomas addition to the city of Mt. Vernon, were bought for four hundred and fifty dollars July 11, 1849.
In 1855 the present brick parochial residence was built on the corner of Chestnut and McKenzie streets. In 1872 a neat frame school house was built by Father Brent on the southeast part of the church lots, and in September, 1873, a parochial school was started. Its cost was one thousand five hundred dollars It was in 1872, also, that a tower was provided for the church and a chime of bells were blessed and placed therein, the largest bell weighing one thousand five hundred and sixty-seven pounds. In 1882 beautiful stained glass windows were placed in position in the church, the same being donated by Miss Frances Brent in memory of her brother, Father Brent. In the same year the church bought for six thousand six hundred dollars the old Congress- man Sapp property, which increased their grounds materially, it now embrac- ing one entire square in the heart of the city and near the court house square. The Sapp residence became the convent for the sisters. In 1884 a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was placed in the yard midway between the school and church.
In 1887, under Father Mulhane, there were improvements made on the church building to the total amount of two thousand two hundred and sixty- six dollars, all paid for when finished. This new addition to the church edifice was dedicated October 30, 1887, by Father Mulhane, under direction of the Bishop. In 1888 a new floor was placed in the church building. as well as modern pews, all of which cost one thousand and forty-five dollars, paid for by subscription and proceeds of a lecture by the pastor on "Leo XIII."
In 1890 was commenced the building of the much needed school, which was completed in December of that year and dedicated in January, 1891, at a total cost of thirteen thousand dollars.
It was in 1895 when the sweet-toned pipe organ now used was purchased, the largest donor being Hon. Frank Hurd, of Toledo, in memory of his mother, who was a convert to the Catholic faith.
The following pastors have served the Catholic church at Mt. Vernon : For many years transient priests and the priest at Danville had charge of the work in Mt. Vernon, but in the autumn of 1839 Father Lamy was appointed pastor of St. Vincent de Paul's church. In 1847 Father Lamy, who became
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archbishop and died in 1888, was called to Covington, Kentucky, by the Bishop, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas J. Boulger, who took charge here and at Danville, and at St. Joseph's, Mt. Holly, Holmes county. He remained pastor here until September. 1851, when he was followed by Rev. Julius Brent. who had been baptized by Father Lamy. He labored here until his death, in July. 1880, well liked by all who knew him. Father Thomas J. Lane succeeded him, serving until September, 1885. when he re- signed and was followed by Rev. Lawrence William Mulhane, present pastor, through whose zeal and devotion, coupled with excellent executive ability, the congregation has been built up to its present high standard. Father Mulhane was born in Berlin, Massachusetts, February 21, 1856, and appointed pastor of St. Vincent de Paul's church in Mt. Vernon, October 1, 1885, hence has been in constant charge here for two years more than a quarter of a century and is still pastor of the parish, working hard to solve the many great problems of church and education for his people, and be it said to his credit that all is executed in a Christianlike spirit and with a masterly hand. He is beloved, not alone by the Catholic people of Knox county and central Ohio, but by the Protestant world and those who hold to no special religious faith. His motto seems to be, from the various records of his parish, "Don't go into debt." Perhaps the most important and lasting monument to this truly devoted man is the school, of which further mention is made, which institution ranks as among the best in all Ohio.
There are now about one thousand families in the parish of St. Vincent de Paul, at Mt. Vernon.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SCHOOL.
The first Catholic school in Mt. Vernon was opened in a small house, which stood on McArtor street, between High and Vine streets, in the year 1856. Miss Ann McDermott taught this school until the end of 1858. W. F. O'Rourke, who died pastor of Holy Angels church at Cincinnati a few years since, had charge of the school a part of 1858-59. Then Miss McDermott taught the fall term in 1859, and Henry Durbin taught the winter term of 1860 to April. 1861, and was followed by S. J. Brent, who taught from April, 1861. but on account of the Civil war the school could not be conducted, as the war cloud had worked hardships and the congregation could not support it during those dark days of civil strife.
In 1872 Father Brent erected the frame school house before named, which adjoined the church on the east, two rooms for the school and three rooms for the Sisters. Other teachers about that date were Miss Teresa Col- lins, with the first Sisters who came to the place to take charge of the institu- tion. These came from Joliet, Illinois, and commenced with about one hun-
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