Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/644

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��others. Some of its early ministers were Luke Dorland, Frank Eddy and W. W. Anderson. Rev. Mr. Ferris is the present minister, and the membership is about forty. A Sunday scliool is conducted at this cliurcii during the summer, and has lieen for many 3'ears.

One of the early churches is the English Lu- theran, erected about 1832, on Section 6. The first church was a small frame, costing about $400 ; the second one, which is also frame, was erected in 1876, at a cost of $1,000. It is sometimes known as the " Harsh Church," and among its first members were the Harshes, Ber- rys, Grouses, William Harter, Daniel Teeter and others. Rev. Seidel and Greorge Leiter were the first mfnisters. The membership is at present about fifty. An active Sunday school is also connected with it, the membership aver- aging fifty pupils.

A little later, about 183-1-, the Methodist Episcopal Church of Newville was organized. The early and influential memliers of this church were James Morrison, Daniel Carpenter, Peter Keller, David Shellenberger. George Fickle, James Hazlett, and the wives of these gentlemen. The earl}" meetings of this organ- ization were held at the houses of James Mor- rison and George Fickle. Shadrick Rhuark was the first minister. Charles Reed and John Mitchell were also early ministers. Rev. Lion is pjesent minister, and the membership about forty. An active Sunday school is connected with the church, the average attendance being about fifty.

The United Brethren Church, located on Section 4, was organized about the same time, or, perhaps, a little before the Methodist of Newville. The first church was log, erected about 1840. It was afterward weatherboarded over, and thus used until the present brick was erected. The earl}- members were the Suave- leys, the Snyders, the J]asterlys, Henry Muck and wife, Peter Leyman and others. The early meetings of this organization were held at the

��residence of Lawrence Easterly. George Hiskey was among the early ministers. The present membership is about fifty, and a live Sunday school is in operation.

In an early day, the German Reformed soci- ety erected a log church on Section 22, which was used by them many 3- ears. The Baymil- lers, Cramers and others were influential in this church. It is now extinct, the church decayed and the society disbanded. A Baptist society was organized and a church erected in Inde- pendence, in 1852. The Rev. George Wilson was the founder, and called liimself an " Inde- pendent Baptist." The Halfords, Samuel Phipps, John Wise, Samuel Wilson, David Teeter and others were the first members of this church. The early ministers besides Wil- son, were Benjamin TuUoss and Revs. Jenkins and Dye. No regular services are at present held in the church.

The Methodist Protestant Church of Inde- pendence was erected in 1857, at a cost of $800, though the society was organized four years before. The earl}' meetings were held in the old log schoolhouse. located on the farm of Thomas B. Andrews, near town.

The early members of this church were Thomas B. Andrews and wife, David and Jane Spear, William and Letitia Huston, Catharine Myers, Jane and William Lamley and Richard Gatton. Rev. N. T. Brown, of Fredericktown, was the first Pastor.

The present minister is W. S. Cams, and the present membership about forty. A large and active Sunday school is connected with this church.

The Albrights are numerous and strong in this part of the count}-, having three separate and active organizations and churches near In- dependence. This church prefers to be known as the Evangelical.

The first of these churches is the Zion, or Four Corners Church, located on Section 18, on the Kanaga property. This building was erected

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