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CHAPTER LXIX.

THE CHURCHES OF NEWARK TOWNSHIP AND CITY.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN-THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN-EPISCOPAL METHODIST- BAPTIST-PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CALVINISTIC METHODIST-GERMAN LUTHERAN-WELSH CALVINISTIC METHODIST-WELSH CONGREGATIONAL AFRICAN EPISCOPAL METHODIST-CATHOLICGERMAN METHODIST-GERMAN PRESBYTERIAN-CHRISTIAN UNIONSECOND ADVENT-NEw JERUSALEM (SWEDEN BORGIAN) - ENGLISH CONGREGATIONAL.

"Where dusky savage wooed his dusky mate,

And through the forest rang his battle cry,

Now stands the arched and templed halls of State,

And gilded steeples pointing to the sky."

THERE are, at present, seventeen church organizations within the limits of Newark township, fourteen of which are in the city. This fact alone speaks volumes for civilization, law, order and intelligence. Life, liberty and property cannot but be safe in such a community. The history of these churches covers the full period of time since the first settlement began in the wilderness. Ministers of the Gospel were among the first to brave the perils and hardships of the frontier, where they planted the seed that has grown, developed and borne fruit, the evidence of which appears in these beautiful churches, and in the religion and higher civilization of the people.

The First Presbyterian.-The doctrines taught by this denomination were the first introduced into this section. The first Christian minister who preached on the territory now occupied by the city of Newark, was the Rev. Mr. McDonald, a Presbyterian. He came to this place in 1802, on his way to Franklinton, now Columbus, and was probably a missionary from the neighborhood of Pittsburgh. He was a middle aged man at the time of his visit, and lodged at the house of Samuel Elliott, who lived about one and one-half miles east of Newark. He preached several times to the families that were here, which, at that early date, were few in number, either at their houses or in the open air. Thus Presbyterianism was introduced by a living preacher upon the very threshold of the existence of the city.

In the summer of 1803 Rev. John Wright visited this place. He was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1777. Accustomed to frontier life from his earliest recollections, being familiar with the rifle carried to the house of God by the worshippers, for use in case of attacks by Indians, he was well fitted for ministerial labors among the pioneers. In the year 1806, Rev. James Scott preached regularly for some months. As these two men were among the earliest, most active and widely known of the pioneer Presbyterian ministers of central Ohio, they deserve more than a passing notice.

Rev. John Wright graduated at Dickinson college, Pennsylvania, and was licensed to preach about 1800 by the presbytery of Redstone. He engaged in missionary labors two or three years in Virginia, North and South Carolina, returning through regions now comprising Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio.

In this work he became acquainted with a little band of Presbyterians upon the Hock-Hocking and Rush creek, and settled among them in 1804. In 1806 he became pastor of Hock-Hocking (Lancaster) and Rush creek churches. Here he preached thirty-two years, his labors being scattered over a wide extent of country. Many of the churches through this part of Ohio were organized through his instrumentality. He died at Delphi, Indiana, at the residence of his son, Rev. E. W. Wright, August 31, 1854, in his seventy-eighth year.

Rev. James Scott was born in Pennsylvania, east of the mountains, in 1775. He graduated at Cannonsburgh, Pennsylvania, and located at Mt. Vernon in 1807. About 1810 he was married to the

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daughter of Archibald Wilson, of Newark. He preached at Mt Vernon, Fredericktown, and Martinsburgh, the extremes of his pastoral charge being about twenty miles apart. Indians were yet in the country, and he was compelled to endure much hardship and danger in his circuit. He frequently walked to Martinsburgh, eleven miles, to preach, and that, too, after searching vainly in the woods for his horse. He died in September, 1851, in his seventy-eighth year.

Through the efforts of these ministers, and by the removal to Newark of some families of Presbyterian education, that element in the community had,. in 1808, attained sufficient strength to warrant the formation of a church, which was accordingly accomplished in the autumn of this year. Rev. John Wright was present and officiated at this organization. David Moore and James Taylor were elected elder's, and in the following year Jacob Wilson was elected an elder.

Of these elders, David Moore was born in Gettysburgh, Pennsylvania, April 9, 1774. He came to Newark in the spring of 1808, and died April 27, 1843, aged seventy-one years. He was a good business man, and was an elder of this church about thirty years. James Taylor was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1753. He removed to Washington county, Pennsylvania, and subsequently to the vicinity of Wheeling, Virginia. He came to Newark in 1804. He was one of the first judges in the county, having been elected in 1808. He died at the residence of his son-in-law, James Maholm, in 1844, at the advanced age of ninety-one. He was a revolutionary soldier, and was with Colonel Williamson in his campaign against the Moravian Indians, and with seventeen others cast his vote against that massacre. He was a man of high character and universally respected, and was an elder of this church for thirty-six years. The other elder, Jacob Wilson, was born in Hardy county, Virginia, September 15, 1781, and came to Licking county in 1803. He raised a crop of corn in the North Fork valley, a mile above Newark, and returned in the fall to Virginia. In March, 1804, he married Nancy Colville, of Shenandoah county, and soon after removed to this place, where he lived until his death, on the eleventh of October, 1827, when he was but forty-eight. He served in the capacity of elder eighteen years, and led. the singing in the church.

The church was not supplied with regular preaching for more than a year after its organization. In the autumn of 1809, the pastoral services of Rev. George Van Eman were secured. He was then a young man twenty-three years of age, unmarried, and had just completed his educational course.

As late as 1868 Mr. Van Eman was yet living, as will be seen from the following letter, dated Findlay, Hancock county; Ohio, September 1, 1868.

"I settled in Newark in the fall of 1809, was ordained and installed there between Christmas of that year and New Years day, 1810. Revs. John Wright, of Lancaster; Jacob Lindley, of Athens, and James Scott, of Mt. Vernon, were at the ordination. I preached in the court house, sometimes also used as a school-house, a hewed-log building which stood in the public square. I continued pastor three years and six months, when my health failed and I did not preach for some years.

"I cannot tell the number of members, nor who they were. There were two Mr. Moores, with their wives, and several by the name of Wilson. I was the first of our order who settled there. No meeting-house was built in my time. After I commenced preaching again I spent a Sabbath in Newark on my way to tire synod at Chillicothe, and preached the first sermon in their new house of worship, just finished. It was a building, perhaps forty by fifty feet, 'and stood on the public square.

"There were a goodly number of exemplary Christians, as I hope, there in my time. There were some careless, profane, and ungodly men, but no violent opposition to.religion. I had the good will so far as I know, and all classes attended the meetings,

"I was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1786, on the twenty-third of April; received my education at Cannonsburgh; united with the church while at college; graduated in the fall of 1806; studied theology under Dr. McMillen; was licensed by the presbytery of Ohio in 1808, in Upper Buffalo meeting-house, and just one year after that was ordained. I took part in the organization of Richland presbytery; was pastor of the church at Mansfield two years and a half, then went to Greene county, Pennsylvania, and spent fifteen years as pastor of the same churches in New Providence and Jefferson. I then gave up my charge and came to this place, and have been in this county thirty-two years. I was the first pastor in Newark, Mansfield, and this place. I have had no charge since resigning this church on account of age, but preach occasionally,

This venerable preacher died in Findlay March 12, 1877, in the ninety-first year of his age. In Mansfield he is spoken of as one of the first ministers in that place. He spent most of his ministerial life as a pioneer preacher, acceptably and successfully. He was cheerful, pleasant, companionable in his intercourse, and exemplary in all the relations of life. He was an honorary member of

556 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

the Pioneer society of Newark, and attended one of its meetings in October, 1868, coming all the way from his home in Hancock county expressly for that purpose. Many will remember his interesting addresses at that time, consisting, for the most part, of reminisences of early times in the county. His stay extended over the Sabbath, when he gave to the people of the congregation of his former charge an exceedingy interesting discourse, a few of his old parishioners being present , who had been attendants upon his ministry more than fifty years before. Of that number, Mrs. James M. Taylor and Mrs. Isaac Wilson are believed to be the sole survivors. He was then eighty-two years of age, but vigorous physically and mentally.

From the summer of 1812 to the summer of 1815 this church was without a pastor; but during the summer of 1815 Rev. Thomas D. Baird was called. Mr. Baird was born in the county of Down, Ireland, December 23, 1773; came to the . United States in 1802, and settled in South Carolina in 1805. He was licensed in 1811, ordained in 1813, and came to Newark about August, 1815. In the following year the first building for the Presbyterian society was erected in Newark.

On the eighth of March, 1816, an article of agreement was entered into "between Zachariah Davis and Robert Davidson of the first part, and William Wilson, Abraham C. Wilson and Bradley Buckingham of the second part, in which the said parties agreed to the building of a meeting-house for the Presbyterian congregation of the town of Newark, to be of the following dimensions and materials, viz: A brick building fifty-four by fortysix feet, the foundation of stone, the walls of which are to be two and' a half feet high and two feet thick; the brick walls of said building to be eighteen inches thick, and fifteen feet high with suitable brick cornice; to put four windows in each side; to put in two doors, which are to be seven feet high and four feet wide (to be double), with a window above each door, with eight lights each; the pillars which support the roof to be cased up to the plastering overhead, the house to be cased all around as high as the windows; to put in forty pews, which are to be three feet high, with a suitable door to each pew, well hung ; the floor to be raised eighteen inches higher at one end of the house than at the other; and to have the whole of said work completed by the first day of November next; and it. is agreed between the parties that after its completion it shall remain in possession of said parties of the first part as security, until the full amout of two thousand seven hundred dollars shall be paid to them, which sum they are to receive for the completion of the aforementioned building in the manner aforesaid:"

Until the completion of this. house the congregation had held all their religious services in a building used for purposes of court, school, and church, which stood on the north side of the public square. It was a structure of hewed logs, containing one room which had seats of rough boards, laid upon logs. This new church stood on the west side of what is note the park; the west end of the house being near the west side of the park. Mr. Van Eman, in a letter written subsequently to the one above given, referring to the opening of this church edifice in the fall of 1816, says:

"Mr. Davis. who built the house, had finished it a day or two before I was there, and to secure prompt payment, had locked it up. The people did not know what to do. On Sabbath morning Mr, William Stanbery, a lawyer, took a boy with him to the house, raised the window and lifted in the boy, who opened the doors. The congregation, at the appointed hour, entered, Mr. Davis and his family among the rest. There was no disturbance about it. Mr. Davis told me, at the close. of the meeting that he had promised not to open the house, but was glad it was done. My text that day was, I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."

The congregation having for the first time a house of worship of its own, elected William Trindle and Joseph Moore elders, secured regular pulpit ministrations and entered upon a new career of prosperity.

Mr. Baird was a Calvinist of the old school, and maintained his views persistently. During a portion of the time he resided here he engaged in teaching in connection with his ministerial work. His first class teas formed for the purpose of study; ing the Latin language. This class was composed of B. W. Brice, J. R Stanbery, Nathaniel English, J. N. Wilson, John C. Gault, and John Moore. This class subsequently grew into one of greater numbers and a wider scope of study.

The pupils cherished for him the strongest attachment. On one occasion one of his pupils, J.

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N. Wilson, having been maliciously, and without cause, threatened with a whipping by a boy belonging to another school, and having discovered that he was about to be assailed, turned upon his antagonist and gave him a severe handling. The teacher on the following morning, when the circumstances of the case were explained, instead of administering the punishment that was apprehended, gave to the school in the clearest and most forcible manner his views upon the subject of self-defence, and the laws that should govern the social relations and intercourse of boys and men, at school and through life. He enjoined upon his pupils that they should always be careful not to be in the wrong, and when they were in the right they should not submit tamely to wrong and injustice, but in a manly way, maintain their rights.

In 1820 Mr. Baird resigned his charge and removed to Pennsylvania, where he continued pastoral labor about ten years. While returning from a visit to the south he was attacked by disease, and died in North Carolina January 7, 1839. He was a man of. great vigor of intellect and energy of will. He was an old school man and very decided in his convictions."

In 1820 Rev. Solomon S. Miles preached a few times in Newark, and in April, 1821, came here to reside. He was a graduate of the Ohio university, at Athens, in the same class with Hon. Thomas Ewing, and Rev. Henry Perkins, D.D., of New Jersey.

Early in his ministry, a Sabbath-school was organized-the first in this city. This was formed in June, 1822. A weekly prayer meeting was also established.in the same. year. . About 1824-5, by the efforts of Mr. Miles, a more active missionary spirit was awakened. Considerable interest was also excited about the same time in the work of Bible and tract distribution in the town and over the county.

In the year 1825 the church building became unfit for occupancy. On the Fourth of July of that year occurred the ceremonies in connection with the opening of the Ohio canal. Many strangers were present, among whom were Hon. Thomas Ewing, Governor Morrow, ex-Governor Worthington, Governor De Witt Clinton, of New York, and others. On the day preceding the celebration (Sunday), a large audience, of which the distinguished strangers named formed a part, were assembled in the Presbyterian church. A severe storm arose during the service, and the roof being inadequate to the protection of the house against rain, the plastering began to fall from the ceiling in quantities somewhat alarming, and the congregation becoming, in a measure, panic-stricken, abandoned the church, and fled through the storm to the old court house, injuring several persons in -the rush and confusion. After this, the house was not long used. In the following year it was sold to Mr. Z. Davis, the gentleman who erected it, and removed

The, congregation now worshipped for a time in the old court house again, and in a school-house near the locks of the canal not far from the present location of the Episcopal church, and subsequently in the upper portion of the market house, a building that stood at the east end of West Main street. Religious services were held here until the present church edifice was erected.

January 24, 1827, an act was passed by the legislature entitled "an act to incorporate the First Presbyterian society of the town of Newark, in the county of Licking."

The corporators were James Taylor, Jacob Wilson, John J. Brice, James M. Taylor, Bradley Buckingham, Hugh Scott, John Blaney, E. S. Woods, A. H. Caffee, Henry Smith and N. Cherry.

Owing to ill health Mr. Miles was released from his pastoral charge here, May 18, 1831. The church was then united and harmonious, and numbered sixty members.

Rev. James Harrison, a young man, supplied the pulpit for.a short time before Mr. Miles' resigns nation.

June 30, 1832, Rev. William Wylie, of Wheeling, Virginia, visited the church, by invitation, with a view to permanent settlement. The next day, Sunday, July 1st, the new church edifice was opened for the first time for the reception of a congregation. This building was erected by Bradley Buckingham and Buckingham Sherwood, and the pews were assessed and sold at such rates as to cover the cost of its construction and the value of the ground on which it stood. It, with the lot on which it is located, was conveyed by deed to

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the church in 1834, by Bradley Buckingham and Buckingham and Albert Sherwood, for four thousand dollars.

When the house was built, the pulpit was much higher than it now is, in accordance with the prevailing style of church architecture at that time, and it occupied a place at the opposite end of the house between the doors, the gallery extending across the west end.

The bell was purchased in 1834 or 1835, and cost three hundred dollars. Mr. Wylie was called June 17, 1833, and installed the sixth of August following. The elders at this time were James Reeder, Jonas Ward, Robert Milligan, and Luman Woodruff. In 1835 the membership was one hundred and sixty-two.

A series of difficulties extending through several . years, culminated in December, 1836, in the withdrawal from this church of more than twenty members, who, with others, organized the Second Presbyterian church of this city.

Dr. Wylie continued his ministry here until 1854, through a period of more than twenty-two years. His was the longest pastorate the church had. He was, when he resigned, in his seventyeighth year. He was a graduate of Jefferson college, and died in May, 1858, aged eighty-two years. He was succeeded by Rev. William M. Robinson, who had been his nearest neighbor in the ministry for ten and a half years. Mr. Robinson, a native of Pennsylvania, was installed June 8, 1855, and his pastoral relation with the church ceased June 1, 1862. During his pastorate, an old debt was cancelled, important repairs put upon the church edifice, and one hundred and sixteen persons received into the church.

He was followed by Rev. A. S. Milholland in 1862, and Rev. H. T. Alexander in 1863. Rev Henry M. Hervey began preaching to the congregation in May, 1863, and was installed December 15, 1863, Mr. Hervey was followed by Rev. William F. Brown, who was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. R R Moore.

The following is a list of the elders of this church from its organization to the present time; David Moore, 1808; James Taylor, 1808; Jacob Wilson, 1809; William Trindle, 1815; Joseph Moore, 1815; Noah Owen, 18x8; Lewis Godden, 1818; James Reeder, 1829; Jonas Ward, 1830 Chester Wells, 1829; Robert Milligan, 1830 Moses Moore, 1829; Luman Woodruff, 1833; George Wilson, 1836; John Wolf, 1836 ; James Belford, 1836; Nathan Barnes, 1836; E. J. Lewis, 1850; S. J. Reynolds, 1850; M. W. Swan, 1857; W. H. Winegardner, 1857; T. J. Davis, 1867; George F. Moore, 1867, and W: D. Hamilton, 1867. Among the later elders are J. C. Galbraith, Mr. Bates, Dr. Wotring, and in 1880 Mr. John Fulton, of Lockport, and Mr. William A. Jones were elected. Of all those who have held this office, Robert Milligan, yet living on Second street, has exercised its functions the longest term of years, having acted in the capacity of elder from 1830 to the present time.

A choir was formed in 1833 or 1834, of which Samuel H. Bancroft was the leader.

The first Sabbath-school organized in Newark, was in connection with this church, in June, 1822 It was called "The Newark association for affording Sabbath-school instruction." It had twelve "articles of association," which provided for the election of a superintendent and four managers, by the members annually, on the first Monday in October; for the opening of the school at eight o'clock, A. M.; for its opening and closing with prayer; for instruction in the Scriptures, and in the Westminster shorter catechism, not making, however, the study of the catechism obligatory upon all the pupils. They enjoined punctuality and diligence upon all the teachers, and prohibited corporeal punishment in the school. "Entreaty, persuasion, reproof, suitable rewards, and every means calculated to win the affections and secure the good behavior and attention of the scholars to their duties, will be resorted to; when these fail to secure the end proposed, recourse will be had to expulsion."

These articles were signed by S. S. Miles, L. Godden, H. R. Gilmore, Charles Sager, J. Mathiot, George Shaver, C. W. Adams, John Cunningham, Jonathan Taylor, Thomas Taylor, Eliza Young, his Ann Brice, Lucy C. Gilmore, Olive Taylor, and e: Sarah C. Burnham. Lewis Godden was elected superintendent the first year, and Miss Sarah Burnham, Mrs. Ann Brice, Rev. S. S. Miles, and Joshua Mathiot, were made managers.

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The school was held in the church edifice until that building became unfit for occupancy in 1825, when it was held in the old court house. While it was held here, Rev. Mr. Judson, an agent of. the American Sunday-school Union, visited this place, and, assisted by Mr. Miles, they raised funds for the purchase of a library-the first in Newark for Sabbath-school use.

The school subsequently held its meetings in the school-house near the canal locks; in the upper part of the market-house; in a brick building belonging to David Moore, in the northeast corner of the public square; in a school-room fitted up by Mr. Miles, in the rear of the present church building, before its completion. From here it went into the present church building.

There was considerable prejudice against the Sabbath-school in in its early history here. A gentleman who was teaching school in this place in 1831, and who was strongly opposed to the institution of the Sabbath-school, announced, on a certain Monday morning, that it was his intention to discipline by dismissing from his school all his scholars who had attended the Sabbath-school on the previous day; and, for the purpose of ascertaining who the offending parties were, required them to rise to their feet. Somewhat surprised to see that all the school, except his own two children, rose, and not wishing so suddenly to be thrown out of employment, he immediately said: " You can take your seats."

In 1832 the school numbered eighty-nine pupils and fourteen teachers. The school is at present a large and flourishing one. The following gentlemen have been superintendents: Lewis Godden, Robert C. Gist, Mark Howe, James Young, John Wolf, John Moore, Robert Milligan, E. J. Lewis, Henry S. Martin, L. P. Coman, T. J. Davis, Rev. W. M. Robinson, George B. Wright, W. H. Winegardner, Rev. H. M. Hervey, W. D. Hamilton, and the present pastor, Rev. R. R. Moore.

The school is provided with a library of several hundred volumes.

The Second Presbyterian Church.-The foregoing history of the First church alludes to the fact of the organization of the Second church in the simple statement that "A series of difficulties extending through several years, culminated in December, 1836, in the withdrawal from this church of more than twenty members, who, with others, organized the Second Presbyterian church of this city."

July 16, 1876, the pastor of this church, Rev. Howard Kingsbury, preached an historical sermon on the fortieth anniversary of the Second church, from which is gleaned the following history of that congregation:

Stating the causes which led to the organization of this church as briefly and accurately as possible, it may be said the first disaffection in the old church in this place sprang up immediately upon the call extended to the Rev. Mr. Wylie, who was not the choice of a considerable number of the congregation. This was publicly known, and vafious inaffectual attempts were made to reconcile the disaffected members. At length, in February, 1836, disciplinary measures were brought against six prominent members of the church-Asa Beckwith, James Nailer, Starr Baldwin, N. H- Seymour, Thomas H. Bushnell, and James Young. Of these, all but the last two effected a compromise with the session. Messrs. Bushnell and Young determined to stand trial. Their cases were finally settled in the presbytery in the spring of that year, that body not sustaining any of the charges brought against them.

At this time the question of forming a separate church, which would not have been thought of a little while before, began to be agitated, and steps were taken in that direction. A petition was presented to an adjourned meeting of the presbytery, April 21, 1836, signed by "fifty-one members and supporters of the church -and congregation of Newark, praying to be set off as a Second church in Newark. It was moved and seconded that the petition be received, and after considerable discussion the motion was put and carried. in the affirmative."- (Minutes, Presbytery of Lancaster, pp. 145, 146) Notice was given that an appeal would be taken from this decision. Against the petition a remonstrance was presented, signed by a hundred and twenty-eight members and supporters of t the church of Newark. The matter was at length referred to a committee consisting of Revs. Sam-

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uel W. Rose and Jacob Little, and Elder William Thompson, of Jersey.

At a called meeting held in Newark, December 27, 1836, against the very assembling of which protests and appeals were presented by different members, a memorial was addressed to presbytery, signed by forty-five names, members and supporters of the church of Newark, asking to be organized with all who may chose to associate with them, into a Second Presbyterian church in Newark, or the dissolution of the pastoral relation between the Rev. William Wylie and the church and congregation of Newark.-(Minutes Presbytery of Lancaster, p. 171). This was considered at length, and it was finally

Resolved, that they grant the memorialists their requests,so far as it relates to the organization of a Second Presbvterian church in Newark.-(ibid., p. 172.)

and the Revs. Roswell Tenney, William H. Beecher and Charles M. Putnam, with Elders Chester Wells and Jonas Ward were appointed a committee to organize the church. This duty they carried out faithfully on December 29, 1836.

The sermon was preached by Rey. W. H. Beecher, who alone survives of this committee, from Romans 1:16-17.

Thirty-one members of the church at Newark presented themselves, and were duly organized into the Second Presbyterian church. Their names as they appear on the journal of that day's proceedings are Henry Shurtz, James Nailer, Matilda Edwards, Ann Nailer, Ruth Stephenson, Sarah Beckwith, Mary Baldwin, Sarah Smith, Elizabeth Breakbill, Thirza Gregory, Jonas Ward, Mary Houston, Sarah Steel, Charlotte Cook, Ann Mead, Mary Ann King, Benjamin Ells, James Young, Jane Doolittle, Sabra Ells, Sarah Young, Leah Hollar, Margaret Scott, Martha Seymour, Jennet Shurtz, Sarah Woods, N. H. Seymour, C. S. Gilbert, Starr Baldwin, Asa Beckwith, and Peter Breakbill. Jonas Ward, James Young and Asa Beckwith were elected ruling elders. Mr. Ward being an elder was installed, and the others ordained.

The church was now organized and ready for work; but the matter did not rest here. An appeal was taken from the decision of the presbytery, and a protest against their action in forming the Second church; and from the decision of the synod, reversing the action of the presbytery, the session of this church took an appeal to the general assembly.

In May, 1838, however, the general assembly divided into two branches, known as old and new school. In the following fall the synod of Ohio divided at its meeting at Lancaster; and the new school presbytery of Lancaster held its first meeting, according to appointment, at Jersey, December 11th of the same year. Although it was not the case with the synod at large that all who had been considered "new measure" men went with the new school, and all extreme Calvinists with the old; it is stated as nearly, if not exactly, the fact that all who had opposed the organization of this church formed the old school presbytery, while those who had favored it formed the new school. Naturally, therefore, this church sought the continued companionship and assistance of its tried friends.

Thus, while the division of the church at large had nothing to do with the division of the Presbyterian family in this place, it nevertheless came to pass that by this greater division all ecclesiastical opposition to this minor division was ended; and the Second Presbyterian church was duly recognized by, and represented in, presbytery.

The first services of the new church were held in the school-house in the rear of the old church. Without a pastor they enjoyed the occasional services of neighboring ministers, and at other times one of their number read a sermon.

Late in April, 1837, a young man, Alexander Duncan, who had been brought up in the city of Troy, New York, under the pastorate of Dr. Bee. man, and by him prevailed upon to consecrate himself to the work of the ministry, was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Cincinnati.

He was not ordained or installed, however, until some time later, being received from the presbytery of Cincinnati, by the presbytery of Lancaster (new school) at its first meeting, December 11, 1838; and set apart to the ministry and installed pastor of this church, Thursday April 4, 1839. Rev. W. H. Beecher preached the sermon. The moderator, Rev. Jacob Little, presided and gave the charge to the people. The ordaining e prayer was made by Rev. Samuel W. Rose.

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In the spring of 1837 arrangement was made with the county commissioners for the use of a jury-room in the second story of the court house.

This was fitted up at an expense of about a hundred dollars, with an unpainted pulpit and unpainted pews, which afterwards did service in the basement of the first building erected. The second year permission was given to use the same room a while longer. From this room the church was summarily ejected; being granted time barely to remove their furniture, it having been -discovered by the county commissioners that such an occupation of it by a religious society was a perversion of its original design.

At a meeting held May 29, 1838, a committee was appointed, consisting of James Young, E. S. Woods, and Jonas Ward, "to fix a site for a church, and report plans and expense of house built of brick and wood." June 14th, it was determined to proceed at once. The west half of the east half of in-lot number twenty-five, together with a narrow strip running north, had been quietly secured by Mr. Young more than a year before, with reference to this object, and by him was delivered at cost, for the sum of five hundred and twenty-three dollars. A soliciting committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. J. Young, E. S. Woods, A. Beckwith, B. Sherwood, and A C. Edgell, who were enabled to procure, on the first subscription, the amount of two thousand four hundred and sixty-one dollars.

Of the fifty-five names, three subscribed three hundred dollars each; two, two hundred; four, one hundred. The rest are smaller, running down to even two dollars. Among the original subscriptions was one of an eight day clock, that was sold for thirty dollars. The gentleman who had charge of it when sold, took it, set it up on the mantel, wound it and set it going. That clock is said to have celebrated the occasion by striking, not twelve the first time, but a hundred and forty-four. It evidently did its best.

July 26th, the following gentlemen were appointed a building committee: Messrs. Doolittle, Young, Beckwith, Seymour, and Woods; Mr. Seymour being appointed treasurer. All questions of detail were left to them, and on August 24th, they entered into contract with Messrs. Reeder & Rodgers for a frame building, "thirty-eight feet by fifty-two feet, and twenty feet high, between sills and plates;" the basement to be completed by December 1st.

It was not ready for use until February 17, 1839, when, with glad hearts, the church, who had meantime been worshipping in a large room in the second story of Mr. Beckwith's store, on the south side of the square, took possession for the first time of a church home they could call their own.

A bass-viol that. had been presented to the choir by Mr. Buckingham Sherwood, on condition that it should be used, had, unseen, lent its aid to. music of that happy day; but on the next Sunday its presence was disclosed to the horror of one of the little original band of worshippers, who at once arose and withdrew, and never set foot again within the desecrated walls. The efforts of her pastor to remove her prejudice were unavailing, she persisting that she would never "sit and see any one pretending to worship God by scraping on the devil's backbone."

March 15, 1839, the Second Presbyterian church was duly incorporated by an act of the legislature; Samuel D. King, John Metcalf, Alfred Doolittle, Asa Beckwith, Ezekiel S. Woods and James Young being the corporators.

Divine service continued to be held in the humble room just described, for a little over a year, when the audience-room above was completed, and on April 16, 1840, solemnly dedicated to God. The sermon on that occasion was preached by Rev. Addison Kingsbury, of Putnam, on the text, Exodus 25:8.

The first addition to the membership of the church was on the last Sabbath of May, 1837, when eleven united with it. During that year twenty-three were added, five of them on profession of their faith, making a total of fifty-two. There was a steady growth until 1848, the largest accession being in 1842, during which year the church enjoyed a visit from Rev. Dr. Lindsley, then president of Marietta college. The interest which had for a long time been increasing then culminated, and forty-five members were added, thirty of them on examination.

The whole number added to the church under Mr. Duncan's ministry of nearly sixteen years was

562 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

two hundred and sixteen, making in all two hundred and forty-seven members.

January 11, 1853, Rev. Mr. Duncan resigned his pastoral charge, having been chosen superintendent of the public schools of this city. His resignation was accepted at a meeting of the church and congregation held the next day, though the pastoral relation was not formally dissolved until the spring meeting of presbytery; and he continued to supply the pulpit mainly until the spring of 1854.

In February, 1854, a proposition was made by the First church looking to the union of the two churches. The correspondence was friendly, but resulted in nothing; the main point at issue, so far as the resolutions of the respective parties indicate, being that of the ecclesiastical connection of the reunited church. Naturally the First church adhered to the old school presbstery of Zanesville; as naturally the Second church preferred the new school presbytery of Pataskala.

Rev. Simon J. Humphrey, a graduate of Bowdoin college, Maine, in 1848, and of Andover seminary in 1852, preached here six Sabbaths early in the year 1854. A call was extended to him March 8th of that year, which, being accepted, he was ordained to the ministry, and installed pastor the eighth day of the following June; Professor Allen, of Lane seminary, preaching the sermon. That year the cholera prevailed here, and in the pastor's note-book is preserved this sad record; "Sunday, August 27th. This is the cholera Sabbath. Ten burials to-day."

In the spring of 1856 the church was enlarged by an addition at the rear, giving about a hundred new sittings. At the same time a pipe organ, costing between six and seven hundred dollars, took the place of the cabinet-organ formerly employed. Services were held during this time in the city hall, beginning March 23rd; the enlarged church being occupied for the first time on June 1st.

The trustees of the church in April, 1856, purchased a house and lot adjoining the church for a parsonage, at the price of seventeen hundred dollars, to be paid in three yearly instalments.

The whole number added to the church in Mr. Humphrey's pastorate of just seven years, was eighty-nine. Financially the report for this period is about as follows

Enlarging and repairing church, $1,205; organ, $677; parsonage (a small balance paid later), $1,700; current expenses, $5,800; benevolence, $2,287; total, $11,669.

In the spring of 1861, Rev. Mr. Humphrey receiving a call from the First Congregational church of Beloit, Wisconsin, resigned the pastorate of this church.

The pulpit was supplied for a year, to May 1, 1862, by Rev. William Lusk, jr., and on October 14, 1862, a call was extended to, and accepted by, Rev. Rollin A. Sawyer.

Mr. Sawyer is a graduate of Western Reserve college in 1851, and of Union Theological seminary, New York, in 1857. Prior to his settlement here, he had been pastor of the Westminster church, Yonkers, New York, from February 17, 1858. He was installed over this church January 1, 1863, and continued its pastor until January 16, 1866.

Up to the close of his pastorate here, including the previous interim, when two were added, the whole number of additions to the church was forty-four.

Total on church-roll to January, 1866 ... . . . . . . .... . . . . . . 380

Financially the report for the four years is about

as follows:

Current expenses ............................................................$5,200

Benevolence .................................................................. 1,750

Total......................................................................... $6,950

The vacant pulpit was not filled immediately. November 4, 1866, Rev. Daniel Tenney preached his first sermon here. A call was subsequently extended to him, which he accepted January 9, 1867. He was installed pastor of this church May 1, 1867; on which occasion Rev. D. E. Beach, of Granville, preached the sermon from the text, 2 Cor. 2; 15, 16. Rev. Addison Kingsbury, D. D., of Putnam, charged the pastor, and Rev. Charles Putnam, of Jersey, who was present at the organization of the church, thirty years before, charged the people.

In November of that year the very important step wag taken to determine upon a new church building. On Saturday evening, November 2d, a number of prominent gentlemen, connected with the church, called, by invitation, upon the pastor, each one somewhat surprised at the presence of

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY. - 563

others. The matter was discussed, and Mr. Tenny offered to make-up the balance from the rest of the society, if they who were present would do about what he had in his thoughts assigned them. All ..promising not to be. offended at his making figures for them, he read the supposed subscription. But let him describe the scene for himself, as he does in a letter received from him:

"Nobly did they respond with but slight variations from the estimates I had made. About twelve thousand dollars were pledged that night. It was a solemn and precious hour, and as we kneeled and thanked God, every heart was deeply moved. I shall never forget that night. God was there. The next day, the Sabbath, November 3d, I preached from the text: 'Let us rise up and build.' On Monday I took the field to make up the balance of the subscription needed, and before night nearly twenty thousand dollars were pledged. Never, I think, were subscriptions more generously or snore promptly pledged. I would like to mention the names of some of those brothers who joyfully-made their offerings of thousands into the Lord's treasury for that object, but it would be insidious. But I must speak of one person who was knowing to my plan, one invividual who had earnestly advised me to move, and to move at once and heartily in the matter. That person was a woman. She insisted that it could be done, and that now was the time. She would say to me again and again, go forward, and you will succeed. That noble woman was Mother King. God bless her!"

A congregational meeting was held December 23, 1867, when the following gentlemen were appointed a building committee: Messrs. William Shields, William A. King, esq., John McCune William O. Bannister, Rev. Daniel Tenney, Albert Sherwood, John S. Fleek.

The parsonage was moved from the corner to the rear of the lot, and made to front on second street, and the church, instead of occupying its old position, was advantageously-placed .on-the corner, fronting Church street. Services were held in the meantime in the old building, which was removed to where it now stands, and which has since be' come the property of the African Methodist Episcopal church, and in the city hall.

June 13, 1868, on a beautiful Saturday evening, the corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies, when Rev. H. M. Hervey, of the First church, conducted the devotional exercises, Mr. Matthew Newkirk read a historical statement of the church and Sabbath-school, Mr. Tenney delivered an address, Waldo Taylor, esq., read a statement respecting the proposed building, and Rev. J. W. White, of the Methodist church, offered prayer.

Thursday, January 28, 1869, the first services were held in the lecture room, consisting of a Sunday-school festival and dedication. The following Sabbath, January 31st, was rendered memorable by the reception of twenty new members, the celebration of the Lord's supper, a dedication sermon, and the raising of two thousand dollars.

A new bell, weighing twenty-one hundred pounds, was procured largely through the efforts of Miss Martha Scott (now Mrs. Osborn), and was raised to its place May 20, 1870. That bell was rung so joyfully for the next two years that it prematurely cracked, and another was immediately obtained for it in exchange, weighing a little over fifteen hundred pounds.

Mr. Tenney resigned his pastoral charge March 8, 1871, and removed to Troy.

The whole number added to the church under his ministry was a hundred and thirty-four.

Previously registered ................................................. 380

Total on church roll to March, 1871 . . . .. . . . .... ... . 514

Financially the report for the four years is about as follows:

Church building ...................................................... $20,500

Bell.............................................................. (nearly) 2,000

Current expenses . .................................................... 6,800

Benevolence ............................................................ 1,610

Total................................................................... $29,910

"Here I should prefer to leave the history of the church to other hands, but duty requires some reference to more recent years."

Rev. Howard Kingsbury, a graduate of Yale college in 1863, and of Union seminary in 1869, was called to this church May 8, 1871, and installed June 22d Rev. Dr. Kingsbury, of Zanesville, preached from a part of Ephesians 4, 15, "Speaking the truth in love." Rev. A. S. Dudley, of Granville, delivered the charge to the pastor, and Rev. H. M. Robertson, of Westerville, the charge to the people,.

November 27, 1872, at the suggestion of the session, who tendered their resignation, the church, after much prayer and calm deliberation, adopted the system of term eldership, the session to be constituted of six elders, the term of office to be six years, an election of two elders to be held every two years.

564 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

At a congregational meeting, March 4, 1873, it was determined to proceed to finish the church. In due time a subscription paper was circulated, and a building committee appointed, consisting of the following gentlemen: Messrs. Adam Fleek, T. L. Clark, George Sherwood, George Markley, C. H. Newkirk, T. H. Sites, J. H. McCune.

On Sunday, April 12, 1874, the long looked for day arrived, when the audienceroom should be congregated to the worship of God. The sermon was preached by Rev. W. E. Moore, D. D., of. Columbus, from Psalm 95, 6. The dedicatory prayer was offered by the pastor. Then the sacrament of the Lord's supper was celebrated, Rev. Mr. Tenney conducting the service; and the session of the First church, who had given up their own service to unite with this church on the joyful occasion, joined with this session in the distribution of the elements. Sixteen were received into the church, seven of them on profession of their faith.

In the afternoon a Sunday-school dedication service was held, conducted by Mr. Tenney, and in the evening an historical address by Rev. Mr. Duncan.

A brief description of the church building seems appropriate at this place. It is built of brick, with Ohio sandstone finishings. It is somewhat Gothic in architecture. Its extreme length is one hundred and six feet, and extreme width sixty-two feet two inches.

The basement, entirely above ground, contains a lecture-room, with a seating capacity of three hundred and fifty; a conference-room, holding a hundred; two smaller rooms, the one the pastor's study, the other a parlor, and a library room; all, with the exception of the last, connected by sliding-doors.

The audience-room has a seating capacity of five hundred and fifty, with room to spare. Its extreme length is ninety-six feet, eleven feet of which form a vestibule, and fifteen feet a recess back of the pulpit, occupied by the choir and organ; leaving the regular proportions of the room seventy feet by fifty-five.

The whole number added to the church during the present pastorate is ............... 109

Previously registered ............................................................................................ 514

Total on church roll to July, 1876 ..........................................................................623

The financial report for the present period,including pledges just secured for a debt of two thousand three hundred dollars still due on the finishing of the church, to be paid within a year, is substantially as follows:

Church building (finishing) .................................... $9,500

Church cemetery lot ................................................ 45

Current expenses ..................................................... 8,750

Benevolence ............................................................ 2,180

Total..................................................................... $20,475

It was through the influence of Mr. James Young that the first prayer-meeting ever held in Newark is due, he soliciting his pastor, Rev. Mr. Baird, although himself at the time not a professor of religion, to introduce such an agency of use fullness into the church. Mr. Baird replied to his solicitation: " Cannot you start one?" He shrank from the responsibility, and the matter for the present dropped. When Mr. Miles became pastor, Mr. Young, having then become a member of the church, addressed an anoymous letter to him upon the same subject, which had the desired effect. On the next Sabbath a prayer-meeting was announced, and I suppose not a week has passed since that long-ago time, 1822, when there has not been a prayer-meeting in this city.

The Sabbath-school has always been a prosperous institution, varying from time to time, but on the whole gaining in numbers and interest. It was organized in January, 1837, i. e. at the very beginning of the church, by the Rev. James Hildreth, a young licentiate from the city of New York. The pastors of the church have all been Sundayschool men, and the superintendents and teachers have been active, faithful and zealous. It has grown from an average attendance of about seventy-five to over two hundred. According to the annual report of the secretary, Mr. Antone Weber, presented March 26, 1876, the school consisted of six officers and thirty teachers, twenty ladies and ten gentlemen. There are three bible classes, with an enrollment of forty-two, and an average attendance of eighteen; the main school, with an enroll ment of ninety-six boys and one hundred and twenty-four girls, and an average attendance of fifty-six boys and seventy-five girls; and an infant class with an enrollment of seventy-three, and an average attendance of forty-five. Total enrollment

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY. - 565

three hundred and seventy-one; total average attendance for the year, two hundred and fourteen: The whole amount contributed was two hundred and seventy dollars and thirty cents.

The following is a nearly, if not quite, correct list of superintendents, with the dates of the beginning of their service:

James Young ................................................1837

Asa Beckwith ................................................. 1840

N. H. Seymour ............................................... 1845

A. C. Edgell.................................................. 1848

W Newkirk .................................................... 1850

S. G. Arnold. ................................................. 1855

L. P. Coman.................................................... 1860

M. Newkirk.................................................... 1863

Dr. J. B. Hunt................................................ 1866

M. Newkirk.................................................... 1868

Hon. Charles Follett........................................ 1870

.M. Newkirk ................................................... 1875

Mr. Newkirk is the present superintendent.

In addition to the home school, the church sustained a mission in East Newark for ten years, from October, 1858, to April, 1868. The highest enrollment was in 1859 one hundred and twentysix scholars, eleven teachers; Mr. J. D. Parsons, superintendent. It grew gradually smaller until it was re-organized in June, 1866, and its more than fifty scholars were placed under the care of a single teacher, Miss Clara Knight, whose faithful service, unassisted and often unappreciated, was finally terminated by an attack of sickness, which put an end to the school.

Rev. Howard Kingsbury was succeeded in March, 1878, by Rev. George A. Beattie, who remained until the summer of 1880. The debt of the church was canceled during his pastorate.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Newark.-Unfortunately the larger part of the history of this church has not been preserved. This is more to be regretted as this has generally been the pioneer church. In the advance of civilization the Methodist preachers were generally found on the picket line, and were the first to proclaim the Gospel in the wilderness. This was not always the case, but if not the first, they were, at least, amon the first, and for this reason the history of thi church becomes a part of the history of the territory contiguous to its location.

Rev. Mr. McDonald, a Presbyterian, was the first preacher in Licking county. This was in 1802. In 1803 the Methodist Episcopal church organized the Hock-Hocking circuit, which embraced the territory, in part, of what now forms the counties of Fairfield, Licking, Muskingum, Coshocton, Knox, Franklin, Pickaway, and Ross. Rev. Asa Shinn was appointed the intinerant to take charge of it, establish preaching places, organize classes, and generally minister to it. He made the cabin of Mr. Benjamin Green, in the valley of Hog run, a regular preaching place, which he visited once in four weeks, and where he instituted, in 1804, the first regular church organization in Licking county. It is probable that Mr. Shinn also preached about that time in the Licking valley, and, perhaps, in Newark, which .had been laid out the year before (1802), but no record appears to that effect. The first man to preach in Newark was; probably, Rev. John Wright, a Presbyterian. This was in the summer of 1803. A sketch of Mr. Shinn's life will be found in the history of the Hog Run church, in Licking township.

In the autumn of 1804, Mr. Shinn was transferred to Kentucky, and Revs. James Quinn and John Meeks took his place on the Hock-Hocking circuit. There is no record that they preached any where else in the county than in the little church at Hog run, but it is presumable that they occasionally preached in Newark, but if they did they must have held the service under a tree, or in the cabin of some settler, as no building had been erected for church purposes, and was not erected for years afterwards.

Mr. Quinn was continued upon this circuit, being re-appointed in 1805, but he was sent to the Scioto circuit when about one-half of his second year had expired, making his whole service on the circuit, a period of eighteen months, running into the early part of 1806. Before he left the village Newark was attached to it, and his congregation usually numbered "from fifteen to thirty persons," says Mr. Smucker. Here then is the first evidence of the establishment of the first Methodist class in Newark. A small class existed here which Mr. Quinn left in 1806, composed of five or six persons, who met at the cabin of Abraham Wright, esq., an emigrant of 1802, from Washington county, Penn-

566 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

sylvania, who was at this period, and had been for some time, an acting justice of the peace.

Rev. James Quinn, who organized this first Methodist class in Newark, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, April 1, 1775, and entered the itinerant ministry in May, 1799. He was appointed to Greenfield circuit in western Pennsylvania, but was also a missionary in the Hock-Hocking valley in December, 1799, and January, 1800, going as far as Lancaster. In 1801, he served Erie circuit, the Winchester circuit in Shenandoah valley, Virginia, in 1802, and Redstone circuit, in the Monongahela valley, Pennsylvania, in 1803. The next year he erected a cabin in the woods in Fairfield county, near the present vi!lage of Pleasantville, which he made his home. It was the work of twenty-six days to ride around his circuit, and he was allowed but two days at home. Mr. Quinn was a faithful and efficient minister, and continued his ministerial duties until 1812. He died at his residence in Highland Co., Ohio, December 1, 1847, at the age of nearly seventy-three.

Rev. John Meeks, Mr. Quinn's cotemporary, came from Western Virginia, above Wheeling. He remained many years in the itinerancy, but no record of his life and services has been obtained.

In 1805, Rev. Joseph Thrap came into the county, and Rev. Joseph Williams was appointed to the Hock-Hocking circuit. A biographical sketch of Mr. Thrap is given in the history of Hanover township, where he lived and established a church. It is not unlikely that he preached many times to the class in Newark. Mr. Williams also preached here at the same time.

In 1806, quite a number of preachers of different denominations made their appearance in Newark and vicinity. Among them was Rev. John Emmett, a Methodist, who preached a number of sermons under a tree which stood on the public square. Rev. Peter Cartwright also made his appearance on the Hock-Hocking circuit, taking the place of Mr. Meeks, who, by reason of failing health, was unable to keep his appointments. At that date the following names appear as members of the Methodist society here. These were probably the organizers of this church: Jam°s Stewart, Mrs. Stewart, Jane Wilson, Mr. Couch, James Stewart, jr., Martin Lincoln, Aaron Baker, Mrs. Baker and Benjamin Wilcox, a colored youth brought to Ohio from Virginia, by Captain Archibald Wilson. Three gentlemen from New England, named Curtis, Mallery and Petty, were soon added to the above list, but not long after a schism sprang up in the little church which led to the secession of Aaron Baker and a number of others. Mr. Emmett officiated as chaplain on the Fourth of July, 1807, the first Fourth of July ever celebrated in Licking county. He spent the subsequent years of his life in the Scioto valley, and represented Pickaway county several sessions in the legislature.

Rev. James Axley was assigned to this circuit in 1806, and in 1807 Revs. Joseph Hays, James King and Levi Shinn, brother of Asa, the two former having charge of the Hock-Hocking circuit. In 1808 Revs. Ralph Lotspeitch and Isaac Quinn came as regular Methodist itinerants. The former was a minister of note, who performed much pastoral labor among the Methodists in this county during this and succeeding years.

In 1809 Revs. Benjamin Lakin and John Johnson were minis: ministers on the Hock-Hocking circuit, and, of course, supplied the Newark congregation. About that time the first court house in this county was erected-a log building-on the public square, and this was thereafter used by all denominations for many years, for religious meetings.

One of the most prominent of the early Methodist ministers was Rev. Noah Fidler, who came to this vicinity, settling a few miles south of Newark in 1811. He entered the Methodist itinerancy in 1801, serving the Frederick, Pittsburgh, Erie, Clarksburgh, Botetourt and Staunton circuits, in the order named, until 1808, when he retired from the labors of a circuit preacher, and became a local minister in the Methodist church, continuing in that relation until his death, which took place in Miami county, Ohio, to 1849, at the age of seventy-one.

In 1823 this church was included in what was called Granville circuit; in 1834 in Newark circuit, and in 1840 it was made into a station, and Rev. Cyrus Brook appointed as pastor.

Rev. Noad Bidler lived near this place after retiring from the regular ministry, and was one of the leading members of the society until 1834. The

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY. - 567

appointments were as follows, according to tradition from 1823 to 1828: In 1823-4, William Cunningham and Charles Thorne; in 1824-5, Edward Taylor and H. S. Fernandes; in 1825-6, Samuel Hamilton, Z. H. Costen; in 1826-7, Samuel Hamilton, Curtis Goddard; in 1827-8, Jacob Hooper.

On the first page of an old record appears the following subscription form, used for soliciting money for the first Methodist "meeting house" in Newark:

"METHODIST EPISCOPAL MEETING HOUSE-A subscription addressed to the generous people of the town of Newark and its vicinity for the sole purpose of obtaining funds and materials for building said house in the town of Newark, on a lot obtained from Thomas Reed, on Fourth street, a few rods north of the old burying-ground-We, the subscribers, from motives of friendship to the cause of religion and moralitv, and willing to give our aid for the promotion of the town of Newark, do covenant and agree that we will pay the sums we hereunto subscribe to our names to the trustees of said house which said trustees shall be under bonds to make the best use of in building the house in a good, substantial manner, according to the best of their judgment.

"January 16, 1828."

The following are a few of the principal subscriptions: James Hays, fifty dollars; Martin Lincoln, fifty dollars; James Bramble, forty-five dollars; William Stanberry, fifty dollars; Hugh Allen, twenty-five dollars. The remainder were from fifteen dollars down to one dollar. Total subscription, seven hundred and seventy-one dollars:

January 12, 1830, the following minute appears on the trustees' book:

"The following is an abstract of the report of the acting committee of the Methodist Episcopal meeting-house, in the town of Newark, to the trustees of the same, relative to the cost, etc., up to the present date, a copy of .which was published in the Newark Advocate and Newark Gazette:

Amount of contractors' bills ............................... $1,025.66

Amount paid by subscription and otherwise ........ 792.29

Balance due contractors ........................................ $233.26

JOHN CUNNINGHAM, Secretary.

Immediately after this is the following minute:

"Due James Hays twenty-four dollars and forty-two rents, to be paid in country products by April 1st, at any place of deposit from St. Albans to Irville, on the Zanesville road.

"January 8, 1830.

[Signed]

JAMES BRAMBLE,

THOMAS TAYLOR,

THOMAS ATHERTON,

JOHN EVANS,

JOHN CHANNEL,

NOAH F IDLER."

The contractor for the brick work of the house was Ebenezer Chadwick, and for the carpenter work the firm of Bramble & Wilson.

The house was formally received by the trustees and settlement made May 4, 1829. The preacher in charge at this time was Rev. Jacob Hooper. The trustees who began the erection of the meeting-house were James Hays, James Bramble, John Evans, Thomas Taylor, John Channel, Thomas Atherton and Thomas Parker. The lot (the site of the present church) cost fifteen dollars, and the deed was made August 6, 1828.

The following subscription paper is interesting as showing the progress of matters:

"To the ladies of Newark and vicinity:-The liberality of the ladies, in matters of public importance and utility, we believe has never been appealed to in vain. In those things that pertain to the convenience and ornament of society, they are ever ready to contribute their proportion, and from none are donations for such purposes more appropriate. It is proposed to purchase a bell for the use of this town generally, to be hung in the cupola of the Methodist church, to be rang twice everyday. The cost of the bell will be about fifty cents per pound; consequently the more there is subscribed, the larger and more useful will be the bell purchased. From the munificence of the ladies in the vicinity, and in the town of Newark, we certainly hope to be able to effect this laudable object. Therefore, we, the subscribers, agree to pay the several sums annexed to our names."

One hundred and nine dollars were received.

In the fall of 1829, Rev. James Gilruth was appointed to Newark circuit, with Jacob Hooper as colleague. Leroy Swormsted was presiding elder. There were at that time sixty-nine members. In 1831 H. S. Fernandes was appointed to the charge, and remained two years and was followed by J. W. Gilbert. The church, up to 1833, seems to have been in an unfinished condition, and another .subscription. was taken to complete it. In 1834-5 bills were granted to the amount of four hundred and fifty-four dollars, which shows. the cost of the building to have been, including the bell, one thousand five hundred and eighty-eight dollars. On the first of August, 1835, a property was purchased of Jabez Edwards "on the northwest corner of the town, for a parsonage, for which the sum of four hundred and fifty. dollars was paid." The Sunday-school at this time numbered one-hundred and five, which is the first report in the hands of the pastor.

No important changes occur during the succeeding years, except the changes of pastors. The following are the names of these after J. W. Gilbert

568 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

and his colleague: Rev. T. A. S. Philips in 1835; in 1835-6, James Gurley and B. R. Maltby; in 1836-7, C. R. Lovell, J. Hill; in 1837-8, B. F. Myers, A. Carroll; in 1838-9, John M. Reed, Martin Wolf; in 1839-40, M. A. Milligan, G. G. West and F. A. Lowry.

In 1847 Methodism felt strong enough to sustain two churches. Rev. E. B. Chase was the minister. A frame church and lot located on the north side of Main street, between First and Second streets, was purchased of the Universalists, for which they paid eight hundred dollars, and upon which they bestowed twenty-two hundred dollars in remodeling. It was dedicated to the worship of God in the fall of 1848; the sermon was preached by Bishop Hamline. At the following session of the Ohio conference, which met in Newark in 1848, the church was divided. Rev. William F. Stewart was appointed pastor to the "eastern charge," and Rev. E. B. Chase was appointed to the "western charge."

The following is a list of appointments during the twelve years of its existence, viz.: William F. Stewart, one year; John Dillon, one year; George W. Brush, two years; H. T. Magill, one year; James Mitchell, two years; J. H. Creighton, two years; W. T. Hand, one year; E. V. Bing, one year.

These two churches remained distinct and separate until 1860, when they were consolidated. In 1864 the erection of the present edifice was projected. Rev. L. Taft was the minister. It is situated on the ground occupied by the old church. The old structure was removed, and during the four years succeeding the congregation worshipped in the house used formerly by the Eastern congregation. After four years the basement was ready for use, and was dedicated to the purpose of divine worship. Rev. L. Cunningham was minister. . The dedicatory sermon was preached by Bishop D. W. Clark.

A heavy debt was contracted in the erection of the building which greatly embarrassed the society. In 1874 the audience-room was completed and dedicated. Rev. E. I. Jones was the minister.

The debt contracted in the first building of this church still hung upon it as a great incubus, amounting at times to ten thousand dollars. It was not until 1879 that this heavy burden was removed. The threat of a foreclosure of a mortgage held by an insurance company in St. Louis, Missouri, brought the whole church suddenly to its feet. A meeting was called, and it was determined to make a final effort to discharge the debt. The thirtieth day of April was set apart as a day of prayer. From nine o'clock in the morning until ten o'clock at night the voice of supplication was heard in the church. One lady said during these services: "At these altars I was dedicated to God in baptism, by my parents, when I was an infant. At the same altars I gave my hand to the minister as a member of the church, and here I took the sacred vows of marriage, and I had hoped that here my funeral rites might be performed, and must it now be forfeited. and lost to the church." Before the meeting closed it was apparent that success would follow the efforts. The community was thoroughly in sympathy with the distressed Methodist, church. The people, without respect to what church they might belong, said "No, the Methodist church cannot be sold for debt." Mr. A. B. Clark, editor of the American, when the minister, Rev. Orville J. Nave, related to him the danger to which the church was exposed said, at the same time bringing his fist down upon the table, "By George! that cannot be done," and the whole city and county said amen, by willing offerings. In ninety-two days the whole amount needed, eight thousand five hundred dollars, was in the hands of the church treasurer and the debts cancelled. Too much cannot be said in praise of the unity of sentiment which prevailed among Christian people, and the liberality of many who were members of no church, in working this society out of its crisis. Much praise has justly been accorded to the minister for the successful termination of this work.

Mr. Isaac Smucker writes as follows regarding the first Sunday-school of this church. It is almost unnecessary to add that it has been kept up since that day and is now in a flourishing condition

"In the spring of 1831, now almost fifty years ago, there was but one church edifice in Newark, and that was in an unfinished condition, with its rough brick walls unplastered, and using slab benches instead of pews. This was the Methodist church, which stood upon or near the site of the present one, corner of

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY. - 569

Church and Fourth streets. The community generally had contributed to its construction, and it was then being occupied jointly every alternate Sabbath by the Methodist Episcopal society and by the Protestant Episcopal congregation, then recently organized, whose ministrations were conducted by Rev. C. P. Bronson. Both congregations being so small that neither could well sustain a Sunday-school alone, it was on consultation decided to concentrate the efforts and labors of both, and of such as were not of either congregation, in organizing a union Sunday-school. This was done by the election of Dr. Daniel Marble, of the Episcopal congregation,, president of the organization, and Mr. Isaac Smucker treasurer. The names of the vice-president and secretary are not remembered, though it is believed that James Parker was chosen vice-president, and Miss Mary Ann Davis secretary. Mr. Milton Moore was the superintendent. He was of the Methodist church, and was a young man of most exemplary conduct and deportment, much given to active benevolence and good works. All the officers of this early-time union Sunday-school of half a century ago, so far as they are remembered by the only two resident survivors (Mrs. Dr. Marble and the treasurer), were teachers, as were also Miss Amanda Holmes, Mrs. Robert Hazlett and Mrs. Dr. Marble. The class of the last named, after her resignation, was taught by her sister, Henrietta Trowbridge, who subsequently became the wife of Mr. Milton Moore, both yet living and enjoying a "green old age" (almost octogenarians) at Racine. Wisconsin. After a successful career of a number of years, this union school came to be the Methodist Sunday-school by the withdrawal of those of Protestant Episcopal proclivities, who organized one in connection' with that congregation, which meanwhile had built a church edifice. It may be proper to remark that there was in this school a preponderance of Episcopal sentiment and influence, and hence the adoption and use therein of the Sunday-school ritual and liturgy of that denomination. And it may also appropriately be said that this union Sunday-school, although of "ye olden time," was not the first, but the second established in Newark, the First Presbyterian church having some years before organized one, which was in operation when this one was started, and which held its meetings in the second story of our first market-house, that stood in the middle of West Main street, facing the public square, between the Newkirk and Patton comers, and which still lives, as does also the continuation of the union Sunday-school of 1831."

The Fourth Street Baptist church is now located on the corner of Granville and North Fifth streets. It was organized in 1828, at the corner of Third and Main streets, by Rev. James Beerry.

The first members or this church were Joseph Coffman, John Vance, Peter Coffman, Margaret Coffman, Mrs. Vance, Mr. Kimpton, Mrs. Kimpton, Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, H. Gregory and wife, Catharine Platto, Daniel Warren and wife, and some .others,

This society erected its first church in 1837, on Fifth street, just north of the canal, now occupied by Foos' carriage shop, This answered the purposes of the society until 1874, when the present magnificent brick structure was erected, and which cost twenty-eight thousand dollars.

The pastors besides Mr. Berry, have been Revs. H. Gear, D. E. Thomas, Granger, Benjamin Thomas, Andrews, Lamb, Clouse, Wooster, Abbott, Gates, Miller and Owens. The present membership is about two hundred and eighty.

The organization of the Sunday-school was probably coeval with that of the church, and has always maintained a. vigorous existence, -numbering at present, about two hundred pupils. Mr. George Blood is superintendent.

Protestant Episcopal: The early beginnings of this church in Newark are of sufficiently modern date to be in the memory of many now living, yet it is difficult to get at anything very tangible before the regular records in the diocesan journals.

There was, however, occasional preaching, at long intervals, from time to time, for years before there was any church building or even organization; the congregation being gathered at private residences, the court room, or the house of another denomination. Of those who thus preached were Bishop Chase, his son, Philander, and the Rev. Doctor Doddridge; and these, perhaps, only when they passed through Newark in their journeys to and from places of more note.

In 1826 this was regarded as a favorable point for the establishment of a church, and one was organized by Bishop Chase. It was represented the next year in the convention by judge Holmes.

It was placed under the missionary care of Rev. N. G. Baldwin, in connection with Zanesville and Granville; hence, having but one-third. of his time. The next preacher in charge, after a long vacancy, was the Rev. C. P. Bronson; Rev. R. T. Rogers followed him. The pastorate of these two clergymen, besides being short (only a few months each), was unfortunate, and little or nothing was done till 1833, when the Right Rev. C. P. McIlvaine, on his way to Gambier from his consecration in the east as bishop, remained in Newark two days, preaching each-evening and urging the erection of a church. The record of this visit is as follows:

"The churches of the Methodist and Presbyterian congregations were kindly offered for the. use of the Episcopalians in

570 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

Newark. I preached once in each and then held a meeting at the house of Mr. Hazlett. The meeting was small but spirited, and one thousand one hundred dollars pledged for building."

The parish being without a rector, no further progress was made until the next year, 1834, when Rev. G. Denison, a professor of Kenyon college, Gambier, taking charge, immediate steps were taken for building a church. The following are the names of those who subscribed for the erection of the present building: George Baker, Elijah Cooper, Alexander Holmes, Daniel Marble, Israel Dille, Daniel Duncan, C. W. Searle, L J. Haughey, Adam Fleek, S. R. Conner, T. J. Christian, S. M. Browning, J. E. Walker, Thomas Morris, James Bramble, Woodford Owens, John N. Wilson, Albert Sherwood, James M. Taylor, Daniel Wilkins, D. S. Wilsor, W. D. Ingman, Richard Harrison, Asahel Dunham, John I. Mooney, Smith Allen, Robert Hazlett, Betsy Rowe, John Boston, Charles Hoover, A. Pier, Nathan King, Joel Arnold, E. S. Woods, John Moore, George McMullen, Henry Smith, Thomas Rowe, Horace Gregory, Henry Lemley, John Hollister, James Parker, Amos H. Caffee, James Holmes, James , Young, B. W. Brice, George Hogg, Samuel Dewees, Daniel Gardiner, Martin Lincoln, C. M. Giddings, Robert Bryden, H. S. Sprague, Robert Davidson, and W. G. Oatman.

In 1836, the neat Gothic church on Second street was consecrated. The entire charge and responsibility of its erection had been thrown upon Mr. George Baker. The estimated cost of the building to be erected was two thousand six hundred dollars; but Mr. Baker, with changes, additions and improvements ran up the bills to three times that sum. On being expostulated with, his reply was: "What difference does It make; do you doubt my ability or willingness to pay all this additional expense? All I have belongs to the church." Under such protestations the fears of the members subsided, for Mr. Baker was wealthy, without heirs, and a man of his word. But the best of intentions sometimes comes to naught through misfortune. Entering into an unsuccessful business partnership, this good friend of the church became insolvent, and the debt passed into the hands of one who held the vestry responsible-Mr. N. B. Hogg. This gentleman, however, was generous.

Instead of demanding four thousand dollars, as he might justly have done, he settled his claim for half that sum

The parish gained in numbers and influence under the rector ship of Mr. Denison.

Following is a list of the ministers who succeed Mr. Denison: W. H. Newman. 1837; John Ufford, 1840; G. Denison (second term), 1841; S. A. Bronson, 1850; John Swan, 1851; F. B. Nash, 1852; Henry Blackaller, 1855; H. B. Wray, 1858; J. W. McCarty, 1859; Rev. William. Bower, C. S. Bates, D.D., and Rev. F. M. Hall, the present minister, who took charge in December, 1878.

In the history of this church, as in that of every other Episcopal church in this part of Ohio, the name of Bishop Chase was closely identified, and his influence all powerful in its establishment. His history has been written, and will not be referred to here, but the herculean labors of this good man were simply astonishing. His greatness and power; the good he accomplished, and hi, many virtues are not as well understood and appreciated as they should be; but his name will go down in history among the greatest and best of Ohio's pioneers.

The present membership of this church is about one hundred and seventy-five.

The establishment of the Sabbath-school was probably coeval with that of the church, and has been maintained with a good degree of regularity since. Its membership is at present about one hundred and seventy-five.

Mr. John H. Franklin is one of the most influential of the Sabbath-school workers in this church.

The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist church of Sharon valley. In 1832, William T. Williams, an immigrant direct from Wales, and James Evans and Robert Walker; Welshmen from Oneida county, New York, settled in the "Sharon valley," a few miles from Newark, in the direction of the Welsh Hills settlement. At this time there was no regular Welsh preaching in Licking county, and hence the foregoing persons united temporarily with the English Congregational church of Granville.

In the spring of 1833, the settlers in Sharon, with other families direct from Wales, who located in the valley, united with Walter and Nicodemus

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY. - 571

Griffiths (immigrants of 1815) in establishing a Welsh Sabbath-school at the old stone schoolhouse, two miles northeast of Granville, on the Utica road. This was the pioneer Welsh Sabbath-school in Licking county, and probably in Ohio. These settlers also sustained a regular weekly Welsh prayer meeting.

In October, 1834, Rev. Edward Jones traveled on foot from his home in Cincinnati, to preach a few sermons to his countrymen in Sharon valley and Granville. This feat of clerical pedestrianism was repeated by him in 1835. During this visit he organized, October 25th, at the before mentioned stone school-house, the pioneer Welsh church of Licking county, in which he had the assistance of Rev. William Morgan, recently from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but living, at this time, at the Mary Ann furnace,

The original members were William T. Williams, Mrs. Williams, James and Mrs. Evans, Alban Albans, Mrs. Albans, John J. and Mrs. Evans, Robert Walter, William Parry, William Lewis, Mrs. Lewis, Jenkin Hughes, Nathaniel Davis, Mrs. Davis, Miss Albans and Miss Jane Davis.

Rev. William Parry was licensed as a minister of the Gospel at this meeting. Rev. William Morgan was employed as settled pastor of the church. Rev. William Parry occasionally supplied the pulpit until after his ordination, in 1838, when he became the settled minister, and remained such until 1853, a period of fifteen years.

In 1836 the society purchased, for a nominal sum, a lot for a church, on which they erected a frame building (the first in the neighborhood), twenty-one by thirty feet, which was finished in 1837, at a cost of three hundred and twenty-one dollars and eighty-nine cents, besides gratuitous labor performed by friends of the enterprise.

This was the first Welsh Calvinistic Methodist church built in Ohio. There are now more than thirty. This church edifice was dedicated June 25, 1837, by Rev. Dr. Rowlands, of New York city, who was reputed to be one of the most eminent divines in his denomination, and whose character is known to all who are familiar with the religious literature of Wales.

In 1852, Rev. Joseph E. Davis succeeded William Parry as the settled minister. He was followed in 1856 by Rev. E. T. Evans, who sustained that relation until 1867, when William Parry again took charge.

The original elders, elected in 1835, were William T. Williams, James Evans and Alban Albans. Those subsequently elected were John J. Evans and Robert Walter in 1842, and David Hughes in 1859. The Sabbath-school has been regularly sustained from its establishment, in 1833, to the present time. The services in this church have always been conducted in the Welsh language.

This is properly the pioneer Welsh church in Licking county, because the Baptist church on the Welsh Hills, although organized in 1808, nearly thirty years before this one, is but partially Welsh, its public ministrations having generally been conducted in the English language, and only occasionally in Welsh. It is probable, however, that a majority of its members had been natives of Wales or of Welsh parentage. The original church building is still occupied by this church. The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist churches of Newark and Granville were, to some extent, branches of this church.

The St. John's German Lutheran church was probably organized as early as 1835, by Heinrich Rickenbach and a few others. Their first meetings were held in a school-house which stood on the rear end of the first Presbyterian church lot. They rented this building for their purposes and held meetings here several years, and although no record appears, the probability is that Mr. Rickenbach preached for them in .these earlier years. In 1841 they were strong enough to erect a small brick church on South Fifth street, on the site of the present building.

The first officers of this church were Heinrich Rickenback, president; David Fisher, treasurer; Franz Boedel, secretary; and Jacob Grasser, Jacob Paul, Carl Frederick Boettcher and John Ehrgott, elders.

The present brick church was erected in 1870, and is surmounted by a chime of three bells. For the last three years, the church being somewhat in debt, has not felt able to employ a minister, and Mr. F. Kochendorfer has officiated in that capacity tree of charge. As their debts are about canceled

572 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

they have employed the Rev. L. Hass, who will soon take charge. There are about one hundred members connected with the church at present. A Sunday-school has been maintained since the organization of the church.

The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist church of Newark.-Rev. William Parry, of Granville, preached in Newark in August, 1836, at the house of Mr. Thomas Hughes, which stood on the lot north of the American house, owned by Andrew Smucker. This, it is said, was the first Welsh ser mon preached in Newark. Few, if any other Welsh families, then resided in Newark. The text was from Luke xii. 32: "Fear not, little flock."

From this time until the autumn of 1840, there was Welsh preaching occasionally; a school-house south of the canal being used for that purpose, as well as for the purposes of a Sabbath-school, which was early established.

The Welsh citizens in town and country worshiped together, and in 1840-41, erected a church on Granville street, at a cost of five hundred and fifty-five dollars and eighty-one cents. It was finished in May, 1841, and a church was duly organized May 28, 1841, with twenty-four members. Rev. William Parry ministered to them occasionally, until September of the same year, when Rev. Hugh E. Rees, recently from Llanderfel, Wales, was called as settled pastor.

Thomas Hughes and Morgan Williams here elected deacons, and Thomas Hughes, William Parry, Morgan Williams, Timothy Winston, Richard Watkins, Thomas Dowell and Enos Owens, were elected trustees. During this year, a valuable accession to the church was Deacon Robert Owens, of Montgomeryshire, Wales, and Deacon Edward Brown and family, and a number of other families strengthened the church in 1844.

In January, 1845, a difficulty occurred in the church, and Rev. H. E. Rees and most of the congregation removed to a brick school-house on the east side of Mt. Vernon street, and there, on Sunday, January 12, 1845, established themselves as a church. The minority that remained, consisting of eight or ten members, retained possession of the church.

Those removing to the school-house soon purchased that building, paying for it three hundred and eighty dollars. This served their purpose until 1856, when a new church was built on Elm street at a cost of a little snore than two thousand three hundred dollars, nearly three hundred dollars of which were contributed by those outside the church.

Mr. Rees continued his ministrations until 1848, when he removed to Cincinnati. Rev. Hugh Roberts succeeded him, and remained until July, 1852, when Rev. Joseph E. Davies took charge, and continued his services until the spring of 1855. He was followed by Rev. E. T. Evans and Rev. Mr. Roberts.

The services in this church are conducted in the Welsh language.

A Sabbath-school has been connected with the church since its establishment, and has generally been a large, active one.

That portion of the congregation which retained the church on Granville street kept up a separate organization some time, perhaps two years, but gradually grew weaker until it ceased to exist. Many of its members joined the seceding branch, which was recognized as the legitimate church.

The Welsh Congregational church of Newark. Rev. James Davis, from the Welsh settlement on Owl creek, preached the first Welsh Congregational sermon in Newark, about 1837.

Thomas D. Jones and Nicodemus Griffiths who lived a few miles northwest of Newark, and who were very decided Congregationalists, were the first to move in the matter of organizing this church. Learning that several Welsh families of their faith had settled here and in the neighborhood, they called upon them, and the interview resulted in the appointment to meet at the house of David Jones in Lockport to consider the subject.

This meeting was held early in 1841, and was attended by Rev. Rees Powell, of Delaware county, and Rev. Seth Howell (a Presbyterian minister), who was a sojourner in the neighborhood at the time, David Jones, T. D. Jones, Thomas Rees, David Lewis and Thomas Roberts with their families; also Mr. Evan W. Evans and Titus and Joshua Davis.

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY. - 573

An adjourned meeting was held the next day, at the house of Thomas Rees in Newark, where the Welsh Congregational church was organized. Thomas D. Jones, David Lewis and Thomas Rees were elected deacons.

They soon after purchased a frame church building on Mt. Vernon street, furnished with ordinary wooden seats, and old ten-plate Mary Ann furnace stoves, for a little less than five hundred dollars. They took possession March 3, 1841, and elected David Jones, Evan W. Evans, Thomas Roberts, Thomas D. Jones, David Lewis, Watkin Watkins and Thomas Rees, trustees.

Sabbath services were conducted by Rev. John Powell, assisted by Rev. Thomas W. Evans after his arrival from Wales, in July of this year. These joint labors were continued until 1843, when Rev. Jenkin Jenkins was chosen the regular pastor; he served, however, but one year, and was followed, in 1846, by Thomas W. Evans, who remained until 1856, and was succeeded for a few months by Rev. Rees M. Evans. Rev. David R. Jenkins then became pastor, and so continued until his death, which occurred March 11, 1861. Rev. David Price was-elected pastor in October, 1862, and remained until March, 1869.

In 1867 this society erected a fine brick church, costing seven thousand dollars.

Weekly prayer meetings and a Sabbath-school have been regularly maintained since the organization of the church.

The pulpit and other services have generally been conducted in the Welsh language.

The African Methodist Episcopal church is located on Church street, between First and Second.

Its early history rests mostly on tradition, but the organization existed as early as 1840. It was probably organized here about or before that time. Prior to its organization the few colored people in Newark attended other churches, and their children .the Sunday-schools of the white people. The names of the original. members of this organization cannot be ascertained; nor those of the minister who were influential in bringing it into existence. Some of the early ministers, however, were Revs George Coleman, Ratliff, Major J. Wilkinson, William Newman, Turner Roberts and Mr. Peters. Probably one or more of these were influential in the. .organization and establishment of the church. It was more than twenty years after the organization was effected, before they had a church they could call their own; meanwhile they rented rooms or buildings in various places. About 1861or 1862 they purchased a lot for seventy-five dollars, upon which they erected the small building called the "Colored Chapel," which they occupied two or three years, and -sold. . They- then ..rented. and occupied the Baptist church two or three years, when they purchased the present building and lot This building had been used as a church by the Second Presbyterians, and had been removed by that society in order to erect upon their lot the present . beautiful structure. The lot and old building cost the colored people one thousand six hundred dollars; they repaired it, and as it stands, it has cost them about two thousand five hundred dollars. The society is well established, strong and active, both in church and Sunday-school. The church membership, proper, is about forty, but the congregation is large.

The Sunday-school was organized in 1844, by William Henry and George Roots, two colored men, in a room south of the canal, then used by the society as a place of meeting for worship. This school went down once or twice, and was resuscitated, but has been for many years established on a permanent basis. The membership is about thirty.

St. Frances de Sales church:-The first written records of the Catholic congregation of Newark date back only to 1841, at which time, under the administration of Rev. I. Lamy, now archbishop of San Francisco, the first church edifice was erected, fronting on Granville street

As early, however, as 1836, Rev. D. Young, of Washington, District of Columbia, visited Newark on horseback, on his way to Somerset and Cincinnati, dispensing the sacraments of the church, and attending the sick calls along the canal, then being built. The same gentleman is also remembered . as having about that time given lectures in the old court house on the square.

Among .the early members of the church, and

574 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

contributors to the erection of the frame building, now used as a barn, and standing on the rear of the church lot, are found the names of William Stanbery, Bradley Buckingham, E. McCarthy, Jonas Maurath, M. Morath, E. Koos, J. Buckell, Patrick Connelly, and Wilson and McMillen, some of whom are yet living in the city.

From 1844 to 1848, Revs. D. Senez, I. Lamy, A. P. Anderson, W. Schonat, and J. T. Boulger, attended the congregation in succession, until a regular pastor was appointed in the person of Rev. J. Branneman, who remained from 1848 to 1854, and who died at Rockaway, New York, in 1876.

In 1854, Rev. F. Bender was appointed by Archbishop Purcell, to the Newark parish, which comprised the Linnville, Jacksontown, Natchez, Kirkersville, Mattingly, and jersey settlements.

In time the old church on Granville street became inadequate for the accommodation of the growing congregation, and steps were taken to erect the present substantial structure. the corner stone of which was laid about 1860, by Archbishop Purcell.

Soon after the foundation of this church was laid, a heavy rain came on, and the gutters being blocked by building material, the water ran in and undermined one corner, causing it to give way, which circumstance gave rise to considerable feeling against Father Bender, then pastor, and who was superintending the work. As the building was without much architectural b. . .e congregation thought it should be, at large solid; but Father Bender intended the building should answer the purposes of a school-house and church combined, and its long service for these purposes has fully tested its strength and justified the faith of the builder. Rev. Mr. Bender's efficiency being appreciated at headquarters, he was appointed to the task of superintending the erection of St. Edward's church, in Cincinnati, and in retiring from the pastorate of this us church, generously relinquished all claims against it for money he had advanced. He was succeeded by Rev. L. Cartuyvels, December 19, 1863.

A school-house had been built by Rev. F. Bender as early as 1858. Rev. Cartuyvels remodeled it, put a large addition to it, and transformed it into a parsonage, having removed the schools to the west side of the church building. He also renovated and added to the comfort and convenieace: of the church by painting, putting pine floors n place of brick, placing furnaces in the basement and making various other changes, requiring an outlay of a considerable amount of money. A lottery scheme was started by the church, which was successful in discharging a portion of this indebtedness. Some dissatisfaction, however, existed in the congregation, and this, together with the fact that Rev. Cartuyvels, although having assistants at various times, among whom was Rev. P. T. Daly, was no longer able to attend to his duties on account of age, and infirmities, caused his removal, and Rev. N. Pilger was appointed in his place.

During these years the school had been sustained first under private teachers, then tinder the care of the sisters of charity, who, from their little earnings and charity fairs, succeeded in time in buying a lot on the corner of Granville and Pearl streets. This society, leaving Newark to make way for the sisters of St. Dominie, sold this lot to the pastor, Rev. N. Pilger.

Mr. Pilger was succeeded in 1874, by Rev. L. DeCailly; the present pastor. This gentleman first paid the debts of the church, then removed the old buildings to the rear of the lot, and put a new floor in the church edifice, making it two stories. He then erected the present beautiful brick parsonage, on the corner of Granville and Pearl streets, and both spiritually and financially lifted the church out of many of its former difficulties.

The present membership is about sixteen hundred, of whom about one thousand or eleven hundred are communicants. The school attendance in four rooms averages two hung and fifty scholars, the larger boys being under the charge of M. F. Kirnes. About three hundred children belong to the Sunday-school.

From past progress, it is expected that the strength of the church will so increase in a few years that a new church edifice will be needed, and with this view the church has secured and holds in reserve a beautiful lot, fronting Granville and Sixth streets.

The German Methodist Episcopal church is

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located on Fourth, south of the canal. Its organization dates back to about the year 1847, and Rev. Conrad Gahn was, probably, more influential than any other person in its establishment. The original members were Mr. Imhoff and wife, Mr Young and his daughter Caroline, Mrs. Kirsch John Reiff and wife, and a little later, Joshua Zartman and wife, and others. Their first meetings weie held in the school-house in that part of-town, and continued there uutil 1856, when they erected a frame church building, at a cost of one thousand four hundred and eight dollars, which is yet in use. The first pastor was Rev. Nippart, who is now in, Germany. Conrad Gahn succeeded him. The present minister is Rev. Trinker. The society is small at present.

In 1850 a Sunday-school was organized, Joshua Zartman being the first superintendent: This school is .yet continued, with a membership of twenty or more.

A parsonage was erected in 1874, at a cost of nine hundred dollars.

The Salem German church, of Newark, was . organized October 4, 1837: The cornerstone of the church building was laid October 9th, of the . same year. The church was dedicated March 28, 1858. Rev. W. C. Kiesel was the first pastor. The first elders were David Fisher, John Durkis, August Auer, and Peter Sacks. The number of members at the organization was forty-nine, all males. W. C. Kiesel continued in the pastorate of this church until 1861, and was succeeded by Rev. R. Shide, in the autumn of that year, Mr. Shide was pastor. until the spring of 1861. Rev. Phillip Roser was pastor from 1864 to 1866, and was followed by Rev. F. H. W. Bruechert, who was a. graduate of the Presbyterian German Theological seminary at Dubuque, Iowa. The present pastor is Johannes Kromer, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany.

The Sabbath-school. has been in existence since the organization of the church. This church belongs to the Zanesville presbytery, and is therefore a member of the Presbyterian church of North America.

The Christian Union church located in Cherry valley, was organized in 1864 by Rev. B. Green. There is a large settlement of people of this denomination in this valley, and the church was well attended and sustained from the start. The original members were James M. Tomkins, John Showman, Jacob Showman, Monterville Lucas, A. Lucas, James Elliott, M. N. Odel, and fifty-five others. In the same year the church was built at a cost of one thousand five hundred dollars. The present membership is about twenty-five. A Sunday-school was organized in 1866, Mr. M. N. Odel being the first superintendent. The school numbers, at present, forty scholars and six teachers. C. C. Shaw superintendent.

The Seventh Day Advent church is located on Sixth street, between West Main and church streets. It was organized May 14, 1878, at the residence of Joseph Walton, M. D., on North Fifth. street, by Elder J. H. Waggoner. The original members were Joseph Walton, Basil B. Francis, Mary Francis, Lucinda Sayre, Harriet Harrison, Samuel W. Brooke, Maria W. Brooke, Julio A. White, Charles. C. Chrisman, Hannah F. Francis, Minnie A. Lumley, Charles C. Cooper, Mary Cooper, Melissa J. Dowell, Rachel A. Fowler, Pnyla R. Hutchins, and Mary Lawrence.

The church had its origin in a two weeks' camp meeting, held in August, 1877, in the county fair grounds. The attendance at this meeting was large.

August 31st a .tent was pitched on Fifth, near Granville street, and meetings held there until September 23d, when Wilson's hall was rented for their purposes. Meetings were held during the . winter of 1877-8, in the various churches and in Dr. Walton's house. The church was erected in the fall of 1878, and dedicated December 29th, of that year; by Elders D. M. Canright and Burrell. The building is a square frame, and cost one thousand five hundred dollars. They have no settled pastors. The membership is now twenty-eight. The Sabbath-school was organized January 15, 1878, and has a membership of thirty-five.

The New Jerusalem church is located on Church street. It was organized in 1849 by Rev. Sabin Hough. Most of the original members of the or-

576 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

ganization moved away soon after, and no services were held between the years 1851 and 1857, when the society was reorganized by Rev. J. P. Stuart, with twenty members, as follows: James White, Dr. E. R. Tuller, Jane P. Tuller, Henry Jones, William M. Cunningham, William B. Arven, Mary C. Baldwin, Fannie A. Baldwin, R. E. Jones, Ellen Marvin, Jennie Rees, John Cunningham, Henrietta M. Roney, John O. Jones, Elizabeth Bryant, Julia A. Funk, Caroline Jones, William M. Baldwin; Julia C. Baldwin, and Valeria Arven.

The first lectures on the new church doctrines were delivered in the court house, by Professor Bronson, of Alt. Vernon, Ohio; the early meetings of the organized society being held in the second story of the market-house, corner of Main and Fourth streets. Dr. E. R. Tuller was the leader of worship.

The present church edifice was erected in 1861, and cost, with the lot, eleven hundred and sixtyfive dollars and ninety-three cents But two settled pastors have been employed; the first being Rev. A. J. Bartels, from 1862 to 1863, one year, and the second Rev. S. H. Spencer, one year, from 1874 to 1875. Worship has been conducted at other times by leaders selected by the society and by visiting ministers. The membership reached forty-three at one time, but by removals and death it has been much decreased.

Plymouth Congregational church, of Newark, was organized May 21, 1879, with sixty-six members, thirty-one by letter and thirty-five on profession.

The organizing council, of which Rev. Samuel Wolcott, D. D., was moderator, and Rev. Henry C. Haskell, scribe, was composed of representatives of the following churches, viz: Euclid Avenue church, of Cleveland; Plymouth church, of Cleveland; the Congregational church of North Amherst; First Congregational church, of Columbus; High Street Congregational church, of Columbus; the Congregational church of North Columbus; the Congregational church of Alexandria; the Congregational church of Lock; the Congregational church of Mansfield; the Congregational church of hit. Vernon; the Congregational church of Marietta.

The Rev. E. I. Jones had been preaching to the congregation for seven months before the organizing council was called, first in the opera house, afterward in the Murphy home, then in the city hall.

The services attending the organization were held in the city hall; the Rev. R. G. Hutchens, D. D., preaching the sermon, and Rev. D. S. Jones expressing the fellowship of the churches. Immediately after the organization of the church, the members extended an unanimous call to Rev. E. I. Jones to become their pastor.

At ten o'clock the next morning, May 22d, the council met to examine the pastor-elect on doctrine and experience, and decided to proceed with the installation, which took place in the presence of a -very large congregation on the evening of the same day: Installation sermon by the Rev. Frank Russell, installation prayer by the moderator, charge to the pastor by the Rev. T. H. Hawks, D. D., right hand of fellowship by the Rev. Henry C. Haskell, charge to the people by the Rev. R. G. Hutchens, D. D., closing prayer by the Rev. John Jones. The exercises throughout were characterized with dignity, ability and much spiritual power.

On the first Sabbath in June, the church enjoyed its first communion, when seven were added to its membership on profession of their faith in Christ.

The original members of this organization were: Mrs. Louisa Adams, Charles Adams, William H. Ayres, Mrs. Eliza A. Ayres, Mrs. Martha Ayres, Mrs. R. Biddings, Mrs. Julia Bourne, George M. E. Bourne, Miss A. A. Brooke, Irving H. Cathright, Mrs. M. J. Cathright, Charles Cessna, Mrs. Adalade Cessna, Miss C. A. Cherington, Charles Daugherty, Mrs. Margaret Daugherty, Mrs. A. C. Drumm, Mrs. Margaret Eader, Miss Ida Eader, George Edwards, Mrs. Lucy E. Edwards, Mrs. Anna Evans, Abraham Flory, Mrs. Nancy Flory, Thomas Falls, A. H. Fowler, Mrs. Minnie Fowler, Wilton Fisher, Mrs. Leila Fisher, Mrs. Sarah Hathaway, Stephen H.. Harvey, Mrs. Anna Harvey, Mrs. Cloe Harris, Daniel Harten, Mrs. Jennette Harten, Thomas Hazlett, Mrs. Susan Hazlett, Rev. E. I. Jones,. Miss O. B. Jones, David J. Jones, Nelson M. Lamb, Emily J. Lamb, Miss Esther Lucas, Maynard Maybery, Margaret Maybery, James L.

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Montgomery, William H. Montgomery, Mrs. E. L. Montgomery, Mrs. Catharine Merrill, Miss Susan Merrill, Miss Mary C. Moull, J. W. Myers, Mrs. Sarah Myers, Mrs. Martha Norpel, Mrs. Harriet Overturf, Miss Mary Reese, Mrs. Eliza Richardson, Luther J. Sasser, Mrs. Doredia Steimetz, Mrs. Carrie Taylor, D. S. Thurston, Mrs. Jane W. Thurston, Mrs. Augusta Thurston, Mrs. Julia A. White, Miss Emma Wheeler, Mrs. Permelia Wilkins.

The present membership of this church is one hundred and forty-six. They have no church edifice, but occupy the City hall and the churches of other denominations.

A Sabbath-school was organized in April, 1879, and the pupils now number about two hundred.

CHAPTER LXX.

NEWTON TOWNSHIP.

MOUND BUILDERS-INDIANS-STREAMS AND SPRINGS-SOIL AND TIMBER-FIRST SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS-FIRST SCHOOLS-FIRST MILL-THE PIONEER PREACHERS - THE "JERKS °-REv. JAMES B. FINLEY-THE CHURCHES--CAMP MEETINGS-FAIRFIELD-CHATHAM-ST. LOU FIRST POST OFFICE COUNTY OFFICERS FROM THE TOWNSHIP--INCIDENTS OF PIONEER TIMES-WILLIAM KINNING-ZACHARIAH ALBAUGH-GENERAL JOHN SPENCER COLONEL WILLIAM SPENCER.

THE Mound Builders once occupied the territory which now forms Newton township. They erected some works, the chief of which is a small stone mound between the North fork and the Clear fork, on the farm formerly owned by Mr. John Reed; also a large earth mound on the farm of the late Benjamin Elliott, not far from the junction of the Brushy fork and North fork; and a small stone mound on the hill west of the Coffman mill.

There is no Indian history of especial interest connected with the township. The Wyandots, Delauwres and Shawnees roamed through it extensively, using it as a hunting ground, and most likely had temporary encampments within it, but none of a permanent character, nor any village within historic times, at least.

The Clear fork, Brushy fork and North fork are the principal streams. The "Big spring," east of the North fork; forms a tributary to the latter, sometimes called "Spencer's run," and is a considerable stream.

The spring is upon the farm on which General John Spencer settled in 1805, and in early times furnished an amount of water sufficient to drive a saw-mill and a grist-mill. It was probably the largest spring in Licking county, but, doubtless, in common with other streams, flows less water now than it did at the time of the first settlement of the county, before the land was cleared, and the obstructions in the streams removed, and when the evaporation was inconsiderable. Spencer's run is not much over a mile in length.

There is considerable alluvial soil along these streams, but elsewhere in the township the land is rolling, and in some places hilly. It is; however, rather productive, especially in the North fork and Clear fork valleys; also along the Brushy fork and in other localities.

Maple, hickory, walnut, sugar and different varieties of oak were among the prevailing forest trees, with others common in this latitude.

Its early settlers were mostly from Virginia and western Pennsylvania. John Evans came from Virginia and settled in what afterward became Newton township, in 1803, and was its first settler. His brother, George Washington Evans, either came at the same time or not long afterward, and had a temporary residence with, or near, his brother, before he settled near the Indian village of Raccoon town, now Monroe township, in 1807, and became the first settler in that township.

In 1804, Evan or "Dickey" Humphrey, as he

578 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

was called, and Chiswold May, his con-in-law, both Virginians, settled on Spencer's run. The latter was a noted hunter. Mr. Humphrey was a somewhat singular, indeed an Occentric character, and had passed with honor through the Revolutionary war. He was one of General Wayne's forlorn hope at the storming of Stoney Point.

General John Spencer came from Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1805, and settled `near the Big spring. Stephen Robinson came during this or the succeeding year.

Abraham Wright, James Evans, Evan Pugh and George Harris settled in Newton in 1806.

In 1807, Thomas Cannon, of Delaware, came to the township from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, where he had had a short residence.

Abraham Wright, above mentioned as an immigrant of 1806, may not have arrived until this year.

William Morrison came from Pennsylvania and settled in this township, on or near the borders of the Welsh hills, during this or the previous year.

The immigrants of 1808 were James Stewart, Samuel Stewart, Thomas and William Gray and Nathan and Samuel Preston, though the Preston brothers may have arrived a year later. They all came from Pennsylvania, as did also Captain James Coulter, who settled in 1809 or 1810. Captain Elias Hughes, George Woods and Joseph Laird, became settlers in 1809 or 1810.

Henry Benner, John Bevard, and perhaps others came to Newton in 1810; and these were followed in succession by Major John Huston, William Spencer (brother of General John), Colonel John Waggoner, Peter Pence, David Marple and others, who were principally Virginians and Pennsylvanians. Zachariah Albaugh, the veteran centenarian revolutionary hero; John Keim, Christian Stout, Bazaleel Moreland, Edward Thomas and others were settlers of a later date. These were also Virginians and Pennsylvanians.

James Maxwell taught the first school in the township. This was in a small log cabin schoolhouse which stood on the land now owned by Mr. Bullock, near St. Louisville. William Morrison father of a late fellow citizen, William P. Morrison, was also a pioneer school teacher in Newton

He taught in 1808, in a log structure erected for a stable, on the farm long owned and recently occupied by the late venerable Maurice Jones. Mr. Morrison was a man of considerable ability and learning: He received his education in Massachusetts, his native State, where he attended an academy, having John Quincy Adams, once President of the United States, as a fellow student.

Alexander Blackburn taught school in a log school-house that stood on the land now owned by James Stewart, one of our county commissioners, then near General Spencer's residence, about the year 1810, and for several years afterward. About the same time the aforesaid Maxwell taught in a log school-house which stood on the farm of Isaac Harris, near the Clear fork.

The house was built by George Harris, Stephen Robinson, and a few others in that neighborhood.

About the year 1815, Archibald Wilson commenced teaching in Spencer's school-house. He followed teaching several years; having a collegiate education and considerable ability. He served during the War of 1812, on the staff of General Games, on the northern frontier, in which service his health was greatly impaired.

Newton township is, at present, divided into eight districts for school purposes.

About the year 1806, Mr. John Henthorn built a grist-mill on Spencer's run. It was a mere corncracker, about twelve feet square, with buhrs or millstones about the size of a large grindstone. Mr. Stephen Robinson erected a saw-mill on the North fork in 1808, and not long after a grist-mill also, on the same stream.

Judge Elliott built a saw-mill on Spencer's run in 1814. William Spencer came to Newton in 1816, and during the next year erected a grist-mill near the Elliott saw-trill on the same stream. During the War of 18I2 George Harris built a saw-mill on the Clear fork; and soon thereafter David Harris erected a grist-mill on the same stream. John Keim built a saw-mill near the mouth of Clear fork about forty years ago.

The pioneer preachers of this township were John Emmett, Michael Ellis, William Knox, James Smith, Abraham Fry, John Green, and Messrs. Cloud, Daniels, Gruver, and McClelland. these held religious meetings here before 1810. Rev. James B. Finley regularly traveled a circuit

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY. - 579

which embraced Newton township, in the years 1810 and 1811. He preached regularly at the house of Mr. Stephen Robinson while on this circuit, and, probably, at the house of Mr. Nathan Preston, who was an acquaintance and friend of his, they having previously lived near each other in the southern part of the State. Mr. Finley was a prominent preacher in Ohio nearly half a century. His father had given him a good education, which, added to more than the usual amount of intellectual power, made him a preacher of considerable force. His father had charge of the Presbyterian church at Cane Ridge, Bourbon county, Kentucky, where was held the celebrated camp-meeting in August, 1801. At this most remarkable camp-meeting originated the religious exercises known as the "jerks." Mr. Finley was, in his youth, much given to the vices prevalent in frontier communities, but he attended the Cane Ridge camp meeting, and was induced by the teachings there imparted to him, and by the inspirations he then received, to commence a Christian career which gave to the people of the west the ministerial services of an efficient pioneer preacher for more than fifty years. He was a plain, blunt, bluff, outspoken man, and wielded considerable influence in his denomination. . He spent some years as a missionary among the Wyandots, and for a long time served as chaplain in the Ohio penitentiary. He was widely known as a bold advocate of temperance. He indulged much in a pugnacious spirit; . in fact, his temperament was of the combative sort, and he devoted much of his time to fighting schismatics, errorists, distillers, Calvinsts, slave-holders, whiskey-sellers, and sinners generally, of all classes.

Mr. Finley was born in North Carolina in 1781, but his childhood and youth were spent in the canebrakes and frontier settlements of Kentucky. He grew into manhood in the midst of rough backwoodsmen and untutored, pugilistic associates. After spending many years among the half-civilized Wyandots and State prison convicts, it is not surprising that he never attained to those superior degrees of polish in manners, speech, and deportment, that belong to the higher plane of civilization; but continued somewhat pugnacious in temper, rustic in manner, and -harsh, blunt, rough-spoken in address.

Rev. E. Bowman was Mr. Finley's successor on the circuit. He was a man of considerable ability and power in the pulpit. During his term of service (1811 and 1812) he adopted the Arian sentiments and propagated then' with some success. A number of the local preachers, and many of the members on his circuit, abjured Methodism and adopted Arianism or Socianism, which culminated in a number of Christian, often called New Light, churches on this old Methodist circuit.

A society of Christians was organized in the Clear Fork valley, who subsequently erected a house of worship. at the junction of the Utica and Johnstown roads, now Chatham. This church was occupied many years, but was finally superceded by the erection of one west of it, in McKean township, and by another in St. Louisville, to which the members of the former transferred their membership.

The controversy started by Rev. Mr. Bowman raged a dozen or twenty year. Much acrimony of feeling, through this and other portions of central Ohio, was manifested by both parties to the controversy. Armenianism was the party in occupancy and possession, and Socianism contested with zeal, energy, and ability, for the supremacy. Religious disputations were the order of the day, which naturally engendered much partisanship, and, sometimes, harsh and uncharitable feeling. Some law-suits and rending of churches followed, accompanied by a harsh spirit of proselytism indulged in, probably, to an equal extent by both sides.

"Halcyon" preachers, so called because they propagated a gospel of peace, came along occasionally in early times. The earliest of these ministrations was held in 18io, at the house of a Mr. Henthorn, who lived on the North fork above the Robinson mills. Mrs. Donavan was present at this meeting, and has furnished an account of it. She says that a pet pig belonging to the family, which harbored among the bushes or green boughs that adorned the chimney hearth on this occasion (it being summer time) caused some interruption to the flow of halcyon eloquence, during the progress of the sermon, by sometimes coming out of his nest, making raids into the audience, and exciting their risibilities by his antic gambols, to the great disgust of the preacher.

580 - HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

Rev. Abner Goff was an early-time Methodist preacher of Newton township, whose home was on the North fork, near St. Louisville, many years, but he belonged to a more recent period, by a few years, than the foregoing.

Rev. Peter Schmucker, a Lutheran minister, and father of the Hon. Isaac Smucker, yet living in Newark, was among the later pioneer preachers of Newton township. He often held religious services, preaching generally in English, but sometimes in the German language, at the school-house near the residence of General John Spencer, who with Mr. John Keim and their families, with others in the neighborhood, gave those labors their countenance and encouragement. He also, in co-operation with the afore named gentlemen, organized a Sabbath-school in 1826, probably the first established in the township, or in that section of the county. Funds were raised with which a Sabbath-school library was purchased, and a good degree of success attended the school a number of years. These were the incipient steps in the work of the permanent establishment of Lutheranism in Newton township.

At present there are five churches in the township. Two of these are Methodist, two Lutheran, and one Christian or New Light. One of the Methodist churches was organized at the house of Stephen Robinson in 1810, by Rev. James B. Finley. Stephen Robinson and wife, Joseph Lair and wife, Jesse Harris and wife, Samuel Paine and wife, John Paine and Catharine Lair were the original members. This society has a membership of nearly one hundred, and has its church in Chatham. Connected with this society is a Sabbath-school of one hundred pupils.

A Baptist church was organized in the township in an early day, and Rev. John Fry was one of its early-time preachers. The society was never very large. They erected their first church edifice in St. Louisville in the earliest years of that village, and in 1849 sold it to the Christian or New Light society. Soon after, they erected a small log church on Lost run, about three miles east of St. Louisville, just over the line in Washington township, which is now occupied. Rev. John Pritchard has been nearly thirty years pastor of this church.

The Christian church was the second one organized in the township. It was first established on the Clear fork, and its original building erected there; but the society was afterward transferred to Sylvania, St. Louisville, and Mt. Hermon in McKean township. Rev. John Lee for many years occupied the pulpit of this church. The society in St. Louisville is not numerous.

The oldest of the two Lutheran organizations has a good church building in St. Louisville, with a membership of over one hundred. It was organized about the year 1839. Revs. Andrew Henkle and. Peter Schmucker were the pioneer preachers within the bounds of this congregation. The Messrs. John, William and Simon Haas and John Koontz were among the original members of this efficient organization. Its ministers were Rev. Solomon Ritz, who organized it, followed by Revs. Bishop, Joseph Wolf, Moyer, Barnes, Shaffer, William Gilbreath, J. L. Gilbreath, J. J. Miller, P. N. O'Banon, George Sinsebaugh, W. G,. Kile, T. S. Smedley and others.

Their church edifice is the best in the township, A flourishing Sabbath-school is connected with this church, which averages about one hundred pupils.

The Second Methodist church, or Newton chapel, was organized in Mary Ann township, at the house of Mr. Seth Carver, in 1834, by Rev. George Hannewalt. Services were subsequently held in Chilcoat's school-house in this township, and then in Lock's school-house. The chapel was erected during the summer of 1856, and dedicated in the spring of 1867, the land on which it stands being donated to the society by James Thrapp, who, with J. E. Thrapp and Jeremiah Stout, constituted the building committee.

The original members of this church were Seth Carver and wife, James Thrapp and wife, Isaac Harris and wife, David Moats and wife, Edward Thomas and wife, Mrs. Trippier, Joseph Evans, and perhaps a few others. The pastors have been Revs. Cunningham, Mark, Harvey, Ryland, Taylor, Lonnes, Fink, Gardner, Fleming, Ferris, Reed and others. The society is self supporting, having a membership of fifty or more. The Sunday-school was organized about 1840, the present membership being about fifty.

The second Lutheran society has a good church in Vanattaburgh. Though comparatively modern

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY. - 581

it was, in the earlier period of its existence flourishing, efficient and influential for good in the community.

The first camp meeting held in Newton township was in 1810, or possibly a year later. It was held . on the land .of. Stephen Robinson, now owned by Rev. John Lee. The place was long called Camp Hollow. The second camp meeting was held in 1815, on the Clear fork, on or near the site of the village of Chatham, and was conducted by Rev. John McMahon.

Newton township was organized in 1809. Judge Elliott, father of the late Benjamin Elliott, laid out its first village in 1805, calling it Fairfield. It was situated on the south bank of Brushy fork, about three miles north of Newark, on the Mt. Vernon road. It ultimately came to be called Cannonsburgh, in honor of Thomas Cannon, the tavern keeper of the village. It never grew, and its lots were, after a time, vacated. Judge Elliott is more fully noticed in the. chapter on the "First White Men."

Chatham, called at first Harrisburgh, was laid out by Colonel John Waggoner in 1829. It has been a post town nearly fifty years. Its inhabitants in 1850 numbered two hundred and eight. At the census of 1870 they had declined to one hundred and fifty-two, and in 1880 to one hundred and thirty-three. Should this decrease continue it is only a question of time with the existence of the place. It did not long retain the name of Harrisburgh.

St. Louisville was laid out in 1839 by John Bell and Stephen Ritter. Subsequently additions were laid out by John Evans and Wesley Coffman. It early became a post town, superceding the post office at Newton Mills, half a mile below. Some of its postmasters were: Elijah Goff, David Carver, Daniel Albaugh, Jackson Belt and Perry A. Harris. The population of the village in 1850 was one hundred and nine; in 1870, one hundred and sixty-six; in 1880, two hundred and fifteen.

Vanattaburgh is a manufacturig point which has been gradually growing into a village of artisans, who, with their families, number a hundred or more. It has a foundry and some factories; also a grocery store, post office and church. It has had its principal growth since the completion of the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark railroad. The first post office established in the township was at Newton Mills, seven miles north of Newark, at the crossing of the North fork by the Mount Vernon road. Colonel John Waggonor was the first postmaster, and was succeeded by Major John Huston. Ultimately the office was removed to St. Louisville, and Nathan Hadley appointed postmaster. The Chatham office was the second one established in the township. This was about 1831. Messrs. Gosnell and Myers . were the early postmasters. The Vanattaburgh office was the third and last one established. Messrs. Vanatta (from whom the town received its name), Boggs and S. R. Wilson have been postmasters.

Mr. Samuel Stewart, county commissioner in1814-15, was Newton township's first county officer. General John Spencer was representative in the legislature of the State from 1814 to 1817, and State senator from 1818 to 1822, inclusive. Colonel William Spencer was elected county assessor in 1827 for two years, and to the office of sheriff in 1830, and again in 1832. John Bell was elected to the legislature in 1852. Captain James Coulter held the office of coroner a number of years. John Stewart was elected county treasurer in 1839 for two years. James Stewart was county commissioner several years.

The population of the township in 1840 was one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; in 1850, one thousand three hundred and sixty-four; in 1860, one thousand three hundred and ten, in 1870, one thousand three hundred and three, and in 1880, one thousand three hundred and thirty-two.

A few of the incidents of pioneer times in Newton are worth preservation.

Rev. James B. Finley remarks, in his "autobiography:"

"That one evening. on one of his tours down the North fork of Licking, in the winter of 1810-11, he heard not far off the report of a gun, followed by screams, apparently from some person who had been shot. It was about twilight, and he proceeded to the house, near by, o