USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > Steubenville > The church in eastern Ohio; a history with special reference to the parishes of St. Paul's, Steubenville, St. James's, Cross Creek and St. Stephen's, Steubenville > Part 6
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nell, James Dugan, Thomas Johnston, James David and James Cunningham, Vestrymen. Dr. Doddridge died at Wellsburg on November 9, 1826, and his widow on September 25, 1829. Mr. Chase succeeded Mr. Morse at Zanesville, from which death was soon to relieve him. Abner P. Pinney represented St. James's Church in the convention this year (1822), and Messrs. Morse and Wells were re-elected members of the Standing Commit- tee. Mr. Morse reported thirty families at St. Paul's, Steubenville, with fifty communicants. On August 10 the Bishop came to Steubenville, and preached that even- ing. The next day, Sunday, the Holy Communion was celebrated, and fourteen persons confirmed. A similar service was held on Monday at St. James's, Cross Creek, with four confirmations; on Tuesday Holy Communion at Finley's, and one confirmed. The remainder of the week was spent at St. Clairsville, where, on Sunday, a brick church 50x40 feet was consecrated, the second west of the mountains. Holy Communion was celebrated and ten confirmed. Morristown and Monroe County were also visited.
During this year the congregation at Steubenville, which had been worshipping in the city council cham- ber during the five or six years previous, decided to seek more commodious and comfortable quarters. In 1818 Bezaleel Wells had erected a two-story brick building on the west side of High street, a short distance above South, for educational purposes, known as the Steuben- ville Academy, the first institution in the city looking to- wards higher education. It was afterwards popularly known as the "Old Academy" to distinguish it from the one subsequently conducted by Dr. John Scott on North Seventh street. At this time the school was conducted by a corporation, of which Mr. Collier was President, and the uppor floor seems to have been a single apart-
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ment. This was leased by the St. Paul's congregation, and the second floor fitted up as a place of worship. The building, 50x30 feet, was provided with permanent pews, and made as churchly in appearance as possible. At this time and for many years after there was but one wide entrance hall with two square capped windows on each side. ' The building has since been converted into a double dwelling with two entrances, curved window caps and front veranda, as shown in the accompanying illus- tration. The portion of the rectory seen on the right is the same as during Mr. Morse's occupancy.
It was not long before Bishop Chase and his little band of helpers began to realize that there was no pros- pect of securing any appreciable number of missionaries from the East. In the first place, competent priests were none too plentiful even on the Atlantic coast, where the American Church could hardly be said to have become firmly planted. We have already seen that at one time the difficulty of getting the canonical number of bishops together for a consecration was such that it was feared a second appeal to England would be necessary to pre- serve the succession. In addition the Ohio country was still regarded as a wilderness. Travel was difficult, and the journey thither was a task equal to an Alaskan trip to-day, plus many additional discomforts, with all the drawbacks of pioneer life when the goal was reached. During the thirty years which had elapsed since Dr. Dod- dridge first came to this section the population of the state had increased from a handfull to 600,000, among whom were many Churchmen, widely scattered, singly. and in little flocks, sheep without a shepherd, cherishing their religious traditions, but whose children were grow- ing up in ignorance of the Church and her services. Owing to the looser and more flexible character of their organizations, the sects were drawing what little life
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blood was left in the Church. Only one course could check this disintegration. If clergy could not be obtained from the East, they must be chosen from the local popu- lation and educated for their work. This meant a theo- logical seminary and a college, but that would require a large sum of money, and where were the funds to be found? Bishop Chase was a natural teacher, and, receiv- ing no salary attached to his episcopal office, he had ac- cepted the presidency of a Cincinnatil college to add to the scanty income received as rector of St. John's Church, Worthington; meantime, in addition to his other duties, cultivating his farm a mile and a half south of Worthing- ton. Philander, Jr., in addition to his charge at Zanes- ville, was also principal of Worthington Academy. Rev. John Armstrong, of Wheeling, and Dr. Doddridge con- tinued to render some missionary service, but the only other clergymen in the state were Mr. Morse at Steuben- ville, Mr. Johnston at Cincinnati, Mr. Searle (in poor health) in the north, and Messrs. E. B. Kellogg (after- wards married to Miss Anne Wells), and Spencer Wall, deacons.
To make application east of the mountains for any considerable amount of money would be a fruitless task. The Church there was endeavoring to establish the Gen- ยท eral Theological Seminary at New York, and any at- tempt to divert funds to a remote and possible rival in- stitution in the western wilderness was certain to meet with coldness if not active opposition. But Providence frequently sends a ray of light even in the darkest hour. Bishop Chase, in his reminiscences, relates that on the evening preceding the opening of the Diocesan Conven- tion at Worthington in June, 1822, sometime after dark, he was walking the pavement in front of the village inn, anxiously expecting the arrival, on horseback, of his son, Philander, from Steubenville, 150 miles distant. The
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young man finally arrived, but was so ill that an anodyne was administered to relieve his pains, and he was assisted to a couch in the hotel. After he had rested somewhat, the following conversation ensued :
Son-1 am thankful, my dear father, that there are some in this world who sympathize with us in our sufferings.
Father-Who are they, my son?
Son-Mr. Morse, our dear relative, has told me that in read- ing the Philadelphia Recorder he had seen an extract from the British Critic, a periodical published in London, the purport of which is exceedingly friendly to Ohio. It takes a review of our journals and of your addresses in terms of approbation unusually warm, and commends us to the attention of the pub- lic and the grace of God.
Father-Can this be true?
Son-Mr. Morse says it is a fact; so that however we are neglected and scarcely mentioned in America, our own country, yet there are those abroad who care for us and who pray for us.
Father-And why not help us too?
Son-In what respect?
Father-In founding a seminary of learning for educating ministers.
Son-How can such a measure be brought to pass?
Father-By applying to them for aid.
Son-And will you do this?
Father-I will do this, and you shall make the application. Son-I the person! I am now with one foot in the grave; how can I go to England?
Father-The sea voyage may do you good. It cured your mother, and may be of essential service to you.
At the close of the convention an informal consul- tation was held with the members, at which the plan of trying to raise funds in England was approved, although the feeling was not optimistic as to the result. Mr. Chase was ordained priest on June 8, at Chillicothe, but he was so weak that he had to be supported through the service. His inability to make a journey to England was so ap- parent that the Bishop prepared to go himself. A bach- . elor uncle had left him a small legacy, and from this he realized sufficient to at least take him to England, and he went to Cincinnati to close up his affairs there. From
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FEATHERSTONAUGH MANSION, DUANESBURGH, N. Y., BILT INTE
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, BROOKE COUNTY, BUILT IND.
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this point he wrote the following letter to Mr. Morse at Steubenville, now published for the first time :
Cincinnati, July 23, 1823.
Dear Nephew :- Be not amazed if I tell you strange things. With me believe that God has ordered and will order all things for His glory, whether it be by life or by death. This day I have made up my determination to go to England myself. I relinquish or suspend, to be decided on Monday next, I think, the office of President of Cincinnati College, and as soon as the arrangements can be made I set off for New York. We shall go in our wagon, Mrs. Chase, Dudley, Henry and Mary. Salmon will probably remain under care of Mr. Jones, of Ham- ilton, and work with him and say his prayers till my return. Mrs. Russell and Sarah had their choice either to go with us and visit friends in Vermont, or to go on a visit to her brother in Indiana; she chose the latter. Mr. Sparrow and Edward will stay with some friends till the winter, when they will visit their sister below Natchez. On Monday next at 6 P. M. there is to be a meeting of the trustees of the college and many other gen- tlemen citizens. Before the meeting will be laid my reasons for leaving them, which, under their present circumstances, no doubt will prove satisfactory. At least it is so said by all who have been informed. Their taking leave of me, it is hoped, will not do me discredit abroad.
Now, say you, when will the Bishop be in Zanesville or Steubenville? I think of going from Steubenville to Canfield and Ashtabula, of ordaining the Rev. Mr. Hall. In this case you must go to present the candidate. You may venture to write to Mr. Hall and tell him that on the first or second of Septen- ber, God willing, I propose to start from the town of Steuben- ville with my face towards Canfield and Boardman, etc. What exact time it will take me thence to travel to Ashtabula with my family and perhaps to preach in Windsor let you and him judge. Perhaps you had better make the appointments as far as Boardman and leave all the rest to him, minding to make no unnecessary delay, nor to hurry on the lambs too fast.
You see I have left space to be with you and Philander. God grant that this time. precions indeed, may be well spent. Ten thousand things must be said, and almost as many done.
A general circular to the diocese, explanatory of this cxtra- ordinary proceeding, and requesting their prayers on the good work. A note addressed to all the Episcopalians west of the mountains requesting societies to be formed in every place to encourage and maintain young men desirous of becoming min- isters.
I have just recovered from a violent turn of the fever, and Mary is little better of the summer complaint, of which she had nearly died.
P. CHASE.
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On August 4 the Bishop and family left their farm near Worthington for Steubenville, where he met his son and nephew as arranged. They remained here until the 24th, when eight persons were confirmed, with sev- enteen at St. James's on the 18th, after which they started northward with Mr. Morse.
Mr. Hall was ordained at Ashtabula on the 31st, and the Bishop desired the signatures of Messrs. Searle and Hall to his paper of commendation to the English Churchmen. But Mr. Searle, who had had some diffi- culties with his Medina charge, refused to sign, as did also Mr. Hall. Although unanimity in this matter was considered essential, yet the Bishop decided to go on with- out the signatures of these gentlemen, but had barely started when a messenger from Medina arrived, request- ing that he remain and adjust the trouble. He did so, and in the meantime the two priests signed the paper. Visits were made to friends in the East, who discour- aged the project, but nothing daunted, the Bishop pre- pared to sail on October 1 for England. Philander, Jr., who had remained in Steubenville, left here on Septem- ber 1 to bid his father farewell, after which he sailed for Charleston, from which place he never returned.
That Bishop Hobart and others should object to Bishop Chase's plans for founding a theological seminary in Ohio was not unnatural, they no doubt believing that it would draw funds and patronage from the general seminary, both of which were badly needed. This, how- ever, does not excuse the unchristian efforts to disparage the bishop's mission, which brought forth a series of in- dignant protests, among which was the following, ad- opted by the Wardens and Vestry of St. Paul's on March 6, 1824:
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RESOLVED, That the declaration and protest of the Wardens and Vestry of Christ Church, Cincinnati, against the proceedings of Bishop Hobart and the Trustees of the General Theological Seminary in relation to the mission of Bishop Chase to England for the relief of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Ohio, be and the same hereby is adopted as also the sense and opinion of the Wardens and Vestry of St. Paul's Church, Steubenville.
Cross Creek adopted a similar protest.
Notwithstanding the opposition above related, Bishop Chase's mission was measureably successful. Great interest was manifested, and he received subscrip- tions of $20,000 in money, besides books, communion plate and other objects necessary for his work. He sailed for home on July 17, 1824, landing at New York on August 29. J
Having made a beginning, the next important ques- tion was the location of the proposed institution. Mud roads, and pretty bad ones at that, made it desirable to seek such location as near the geographical centre of the state as possible, and the Bishop had previously agreed with his English friends to donate his farm of 150 acres near Worthington, with its improvements and library, to the seminary, reserving the right to himself and wife to reside there during life, unless a more desirable site should be offered, of which Hon. Henry Clay, of Ken- tucky, should be the judge. But the Bishop should make his home at the school wherever it should be located. The convention met at Chillicothe on November 3, and the matter being laid before that body, committees were appointed whose membership included Mr. Morse, Charles Hammond and Bezaleel Wells, which reported a constitution for said seminary, which was adopted, and on motion of Mr. Mammond the question of site was left open for further proposals. After the convention adjourned, Mrs. Betsy Reed, of Putnam, Ohio, donated
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1,000 acres of land on Alum Creek, about twelve miles north of Columbus, to be used as might be directed. At the next convention, held at Zanesville, Hon. John C. Wright was added to the committee, and the recom- mendation made that the matter be held open ten months longer, and that in the meantime the college be opened temporarily at the Bishop's home, which was done.
This delay was caused by the information that a tract of 8,000 acres in Knox County, suitable in every way for the proposed institution, could be obtained on terms that would not only make its, purchase desirable from a financial standpoint, but enable the college author- ities to control such an extent of territory as to prevent undesirable settlements adjacent to the buildings. The property belonged to William Hogg, of Brownsville, Pa., and the price asked was $24,000. In order to ascertain if more favorable figures could be obtained, Bishop Chase came to Steubenville on September 20, where he ar- ranged with Mr. Morse to perform his work while he and Mr. Wells went to Brownsville to confer with Mr. Hogg. The trip consumed four days, but the result was most satisfactory. In view of the object proposed, Mr. Hogg agreed to deduct $6,000 from the price, thus sell- ing the land at $2.25 per acre. At the next convention, held at Columbus, June 7, 1826, a committee was ap- pointed with Mr. Wells as chairman, which reported favorably, and the purchase which had been made condi- tionally, was formally ratified. By this time there were thirty students at the temporary college at Chaseland, as the Bishop's farm was called, and the faculty had been given authority to confer degrees. Hon. Henry Clay and Mr. Wells were appointed a committee to have the English fund transferred, and the proceeds of Mrs. Reed's donation were ordered to be equally divided be- tween the seminary and St. James's Church, Zanesville,
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Bishop Chase was not the man to let the grass grow under his feet, but as soon as possible repaired to the new college site and the work of clearing was. begun. Matters had so far progressed that by the first week of the following June the cornerstone of Kenyon College, on Gambier hill, was laid, Mr. Morse preaching the ser- mon. The following year (1828), the massive building, 110 feet in length, with the lower walls four feet thick, was opened for students, and the school, with sixty-five attendants, was moved there from Chaseland. One of the incidents illustrative of the times was a threatened strike of the workmen while building was in progress, because the Bishop declined to furnish them with whisky. The college and seminary both occupied the same build- ing until the erection of Bexley Hall in 1839, followed by Rosse Chapel, Ascension Hall and other buildings, until the institution has a magnificent equipment in this respect, and is second to no college in the land as to the character of its graduates.
It would be foreign to the purpose of this work to follow the history of the Gambier institutions in detail, which will no doubt be given in the forthcoming diocesan history.
That the enterprise had begun to fill a pressing de- mand was evidenced by the fact that in 1830 there were 170 students at the institution, and Gambier hill pre- sented one of the liveliest scenes of activity in the rap- idly growing state. But trouble was brewing, the exact germ of which is now difficult to determine, nothwith- standing the rather voluminous literature on this subject. Bishop Chase had a full conception of his prerogative and official position in the Church of God. In addition he had sacrificed his life and private means to build up this institution, and naturally assumed the oversight as to details, which by his position he considered himself
SABE VIOD NOANAM
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entitled. On the other hand, among the professors, stu- dents and outsiders generally low ideas of the Church prevailed, and the constant presence of the Bishop in such close proximity. became a source of irritation. Insubor- dination was encouraged among the students, and mat- ters soon reached a stage which threatened to wreck the institution. Charges were made against the Bishop, prin- cipally relating to alleged tyrannous conduct, but an in- vestigation by trustees of the college, of which Mr. Wells was a member, completely vindicated him. This should have settled the matter, but the troubles still continuing when the convention met at Gambier on September 9, 1831, Mr. Chase, in the interest of peace, sent in his resignation as Bishop of the diocese, which included the presidency of the seminary and college. Possibly he thought that in view of his past services the convention would refuse to accept his resignation, but if so he was disappointed. The opposition was thoroughly organized, and affirmative action was promptly taken. A motion requesting the withdrawal of the paper received one soli- tary vote among the clergy, Rev. Mr. Morse, to 11 noes. The laity were more evenly divided, standing 17 ayes to 22 noes. An amendment by Mr. Wells met with the same fate.
Bishop Chase prepared to leave Gambier at once with his family. Soon after coming into Ohio he had located a tract of 200 acres of wild land in the north- eastern part of the state in favor of a grandniece. The property had been sold for taxes, but subsequently re- deemed by the Bishop, and on it stood a log cabin in bad condition, but which was made habitable, and here the refugees rested that winter in what the Bishop termed the Valley of Peace, he holding occasional services for the benefit of the few inhabitants in that vicinity. New
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Year's day, 1832, was spent with friends in Steubenville, whither he had gone after Christmas to bring his niece's daughter to his home. The journey was made by- sleigh. lle also came to Steubenville early in February to super- intend the printing of a series of letters vindicating him- self, which were published as a supplement to the West- ern Herald.
On Easter Day, 1832, the Bishop celebrated the Holy Communion in an unconsecrated building five miles from his residence, and on arriving home found that Mr. Wells had arrived from Steubenville, en route to visit his son Hezekiah, who had settled on Prairie Ronde, over three hundred miles distant in Michigan territory. He desired the company of the Bishop on his journey, and after considerable discussion, the latter agreed to go. The two left on horseback the next day, and after a series of adventures (among which was a day's detention by a sheriff as suspicious characters), on Friday night they reached a log tavern called Adam's Mill, on a branch of St. Joseph River. Here the Bishop learned of a beauti- ful tract of land located on a small lake eight miles further west, which he concluded to examine, while Mr. Wells pursued his journey. Next day being Sunday, the Bishop held service and preached, it being the first pub- lic use of the Prayer Book in the St. Joseph country. On Monday the land was examined, and the Bishop was so pleased that he decided to make it his future home, naming it Gilead. The place was purchased from the Government at $1.25 per acre, and after some prelimi- nary work, he went back after his two sons, who arrived there on July 4, the other members of the family coming some weeks later. It was pioneer life, but pleasant, and the Bishop expected to end his days cultivating his farm and holding services where needed in the surrounding country. But the diocese of Illinois was now organized,
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and in 1835 came the word that he had been elected its bishop. It was early Ohio over again. The clergy num- bered four priests and two deacons, and there was but one completed house of worship in the state. He did not shirk the responsibility, however, and after attending the General Convention, decided to go to England again, and make an appeal on behalf of his new charges. Here he met a number of young men who were prominent in the "Oxford movement," which was beginning to shake the dry bones in the Church. During his sojourn he received a letter from his wife announcing the destruc- tion of his Michigan home by fire, with loss of most of its contents. This, however, stimulated his friends to renewed exertions, and when he arrived home the fol- lowing June he brought with him substantial aid for his new diocese. Removal to the Illinois country began at once, and in the fall of 1836 a tract of 720 acres was preempted near the town of Peoria and a house of logs built, which was called the "Robin's Nest," because it was built of mud and sticks, and was filled with little ones. He consecrated old St. James's Church, Chicago, and the next year purchased 2,500 acres of land adjoin- ing his previous tract, where he established Jubilee Col- lege. Were we writing a biography of Bishop Chase, which we are not, we could tell much of journeyings often and perils great, of growth amid discouragements, and glimpses of cheerful sunlight. In 1840 the partly con- structed college was filled to overflowing with students. A girls' school was projected, and during November Dudley Chase came with his bride, who had been Miss Sarah G. Wells, of Steubenville, afterwards mother of Miss Emma Chase, of Gambier, Ohio.
Out of the many incidents of the bishop's pioneer life one may be mentioned as illustrative of his sturdy churchmanship in days when considerable laxity pre-
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vailed. In one parish where he visited the rector at cele- bration of the Holy Communion was in the habit of giv- ing a broadcast invitation to "members of sister churches . to stay and partake with us." The Bishop requested him to abstain from using this general call, but the rector refused to comply, and repeated the invitation as usual. Whereupon the Bishop arose and in an emphatic tone read the rubric: "There shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion, until such time as he be confirmed, or ready and desirous of being confirmed." He understood the English language, and meant that his hearers should do so.
Bishop Chase entered into rest on Monday, Septem- ber 20, 1852, having almost completed his 27th year. He had been Presiding Bishop of the American Church for two years, and no man more fittingly deserved that honor. His work ranked with that of the Apostles, of which he was a most worthy successor. A memorial has been erected to his memory in Gambier church, a fit- ting if late recognition of the work which he gave his life practically without compensation, save the consciousness of having fulfilled to the best of his ability his duty to- wards his God and His Church.
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