Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/555

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAXD COUXTY.

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��was occupied until 1832, when a fraine was erected. This building was about 30x50 feet, and was erected near the old log building. Mr. Castetter and George Culler did the carpenter work, and the meinliers generally furnished the material. This Iniilding served the purpose until 1866, when the present fine frame building was erected at a cost of about $5,000. In January. 1880, thej^ finished the steeple and placed in it a good bell.

The ministers in this church, after Mr. Pchuh. were : Rev. Mr. Mohler. who preached in both English and German ; J. F. Ruth, who came from Frederick County, Md.; George Leiter, from Mansfield ; Rev. Hanich, William Emerson, Jesse Helsel, J. F. Ruth (a second term), Harmon L. Wiles, Isaiah J. Delo, G. H. Slaybaugh and John A. Hall. The present membership is about two hundred, and the contributions to charitable purposes very lib- eral.

The Sunday school has always been a strong- one, and now numbers about one hundred members. It was organized in 1844 by William B. Miller, though spasmodic efforts had been made before that for a Sunday school. The school has always been well sustained, and is an influential institution. From Mount Zion Church have sprung five other churches, within a radius of a few miles, viz. : The Pleasant Yal- le}^ Church, of Monroe ; the Petersburg Church ; the Emanuel Church, of Madison Township, near Goud3-'s Mill ; the St. John's and Lucas Churches, both of Monroe.

The St. John's Evangelical Lutheran is located near the southeast corner of the town- ship. It was organized in 1838, hj the Rev. George Leiter, at the residence of M. Stouffer, near the present location of the church. The first meetings were held in private houses and other places until a church could be built. The original members were as follows, the list being copied from the first record-book, now in possession of the Pastor, Rev. C. S. Ernsber-

��ger : John Smith. ^lathias Stoufter. George Rummel, Samuel Hess. John Graber and wife, Elizabeth Stouffer, Mary Rummel. Nancy Smith, Peter Rummel. Samuel and Elizabeth Dome, Catharine Crouse, Mary Shellenl)erger, Louisa Zoda, Margaret Parr, and John and Ellen Rummel. The ministers, after Rev. Leiter, w'ere ReA'S. Shaffer. Hoffman. Eastman, Smith, Emerson, Ruth, Wiles, Domblazer, Ear- hart and Ernsberger.

The first church building was a frame, erected in 1842, at an expense of about $200 ; this was occupied until 1870. when the present comfortable and substantial brick was erected. at a cost of about $4,600. The Pastor of this church serves three other Lutheran churches, the four churches emplo3"ing the minister at about $800 per annum ; dividing the expenses among them.' The present membership is 120. A Sunda;y school was organized in 1843, and is healthy and well sustained, with a member- ship of about sixty. L. Ernsberger is present Superintendent.

The Pleasant Valley English Lutheran Church w'as organized in 1863, and a church erected about the same time on Section 28, near the residence of John J. Douglas. Charles Schrack donated the ground for this church, with the understanding that it should be free to all denominations when not occupied l)y the Lutherans. The principal original members were John J. Douglas, Aurelius Tucker. Lem- uel Craig. George Swigart. John Swigart, Ben- jamin and Adam Beny, Joseph Hastings and others. The church is a neat, substantial brick, and cost about $3,000. It was erected during the war, when political matters divided the people of that, as well as other townships, and under the excitement and feeling engendered by that struggle, the regular Pastors of the other Lutheran churches in the township did not occupy its pulpit, but the feeling has now subsided, and the '• brethren dwell together in unitv."

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