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CHAPTER VI.
IRONTON CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES.
Pg. 328
BAPTISTS THE RELIGIOUS PIONEERS - THE 1854
CHURCH BUILT - THE METHODISTS ORGANIZE - SPENCER CHAPTER - THE
NEW CHURCH - WESLEY CHURCH FORMED - CHAPEL DEDICATED -
COMMENCEMENT OF ENGLISH SERVICES - WESTERN CHARGE BECOMES WESLEY
CHAPEL - THE CONSOLIDATED FIRST M. E. CHURCH - THE FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - A SEASON OF TRIAL - ST. LAWRENCE CATHOLIC
CHURCH - CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH - IMMANUEL M. E. CHURCH - ST.
JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH - FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH - THE
GERMAN LUTHERANS - OTHER RELIGIOUS BODIES - HOSPITALS - LAWRENCE
LODGE NO. 198, F. AND A. M. - LAGRANGE CHAPTER NO. 68, R. A. M.
- OHIO COUNCIL NO. 92, R. AND S. M. - IRONTON COMMANDERY NO. 45,
K. T. - MASONIC TEMPLE - I. O. O. F. LODGES - THE REBEKAHS -
GRAND UNITED ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS - THE I. O. O. F. TEMPLE -
PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES - KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS - OTHER SECRET AND
BENEVOLENT BODIES.
The City
of Ironton, in its social, benevolent and religious activities,
has always fixed a high standard and, in the essentials, not
deviated from it. Ohio, as a state, is noteworthy for its
morality and high-mindedness; southern Ohio is not exceeded in
these respects by any other section of the commonwealth, and
Ironton by no other community in the region under survey.
BAPTISTS THE RELIGIOUS
PIONEERS -
The Baptists were the
pioneers in church matters, holding services at and near the
mouth of Storms Creek nearly forty years before the Town of
Ironton was platted and over twenty years before the
Presbyterians organized near Pine Grove Furnace. They so
long held the local field as a denomination that an extended
account of the First Baptist Church is presented from the pen of
Mrs. K. V. Henry, representing one of the oldest and most
prominent of the families which have so long supported the
organization which now stands for a membership of over four
hundred and many good works.
"In the year 1811," she says, "Rev. John Lee,
relative of the famous General Robert Lee, came from
Virginia with his family, a wife and five daughters, and bought
a farm near the mouth of Storms creek. He, with other
Baptists who had settled on farms along the river in the
community, cut logs and built a large log church house on the
river side of the road near the present Storms creek bridge.
Rev. Lee, assisted by Rev. Eli Bennett and Rev.
John Kelley, organized a church in this log house in 1812,
calling it the Storms Creek Baptist Church. They chose
Rev. Lee for pastor, who served until his death, 1839.
The following is a partial list of the charter members:
Rev. John Lee and wife, Peter Lionbarger and wife,
John K. Smith and wife, Brice Henry and wife,
Morris Henry and wife, Joseph Brammer and wife,
ISaac Henry, Sarah Henry, Jesse Sherman, Mary Kelley, James
Henry, Jr., John Lionbarger, Pehmie Golden, James Kelley and
wife, George Neff and wife, James Henry and wife,
Martha Yingling.
"At the first meeting of the Ohio
Association; held at Tigert's Creek, Ky., Aug. 18, 1821, the
church numbered 36 members. In the early history of the
church, Revs. Felix Ellison and Wm. Fuston
rendered excellent service in many ways, especially along
missionary lines.
Just one hundred years ago this Sept. 7th (1914),
Luther Rice, who had accompanied Adoniram Judson to
the foreign field, returned and preached in this church in his
effort to raise funds for the support of Judson. He found
a ready response, many of the members giving liberally, Rev.
John Lee alone giving $100, which in that day was a princely
sum.
"About 1820, the banks of the river washed away to such
an extent that the log church had to be abandoned, and a frame
church was built just across the road and the church reorganized
with about 33 members. Around the old church was a grave
yard, which also washed away, and many of the bodies were
removed to Woodland. In 1839, Rev. J. M. Kelley was
licensed to preach and in 1840 he was ordained and chosen pastor
of the church. He was married the same year by Rev.
John Kelley to Sarah Ann Baccus, who still survives
him at the age of ninety-two. In the early days of the
church they were very strict in discipline. They brought
members before the church who failed to contribute to the
support of the church, and if any two members had the slightest
trouble or the smallest offense or grievance, or the slightest
intoxication of a member, they were brought before the church
and required to make it right, before they could sit at the
Lord's table.
THE 1854 CHURCH BUILT -
THE METHODISTS ORGANIZE -
SPENCER CHAPTER -
THE NEW CHURCH -
WESLEY CHURCH FORMED -
CHAPEL DEDICATED -
COMMENCEMENT OF ENGLISH SERVICES -
WESTERN CHARGE BECOMES WESLEY CHAPEL -
THE CONSOLIDATED FIRST M. E. CHURCH -
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH -
A SEASON OF TRIAL -
ST. LAWRENCE CATHOLIC CHURCH -
CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH -
IMMANUEL M. E. CHURCH -
ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH -
FIRST
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH -
THE GERMAN LUTHERANS -
OTHER RELIGIOUS BODIES -
HOSPITALS -
LAWRENCE LODGE NO. 198, F. AND A. M. -
LAGRANGE CHAPTER NO. 68, R. A. M. -
OHIO COUNCIL NO. 92, R. AND S. M. -
IRONTON
COMMANDERY NO. 45, K. T. -
MASONIC TEMPLE -
I. O. O. F. LODGES -
THE REBEKAHS -
GRAND UNITED ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS -
THE I. O. O. F. TEMPLE - PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES -
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS -
OTHER SECRET AND BENEVOLENT BODIES.
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