PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Presbyterians of
Redstone (1781) and Ohio (1798) were the first organized west of
the Allegheny mountains. The First Presbyterian Church of
Youngstown belonged originally to the Presbytery of Ohio, but
became a part of the Presbytery of Erie when the latter was
erected by the Synod of West Virginia, Oct. 2, 1801.
This embraced all the churches and settlements north
and northwest of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers, extending from
Beaver, Pennsylvania, on the south, to Lake Erie on the north,
and from the Allegheny river on the east to Canfield, Ohio, on
the west. The population was mainly Presbyterian.
The Youngstown Church remained in this connection until 1808,
when it was included in the newly organized Presbytery of
Hartford. In 1839 it was received under the care of
Trumbull Presbytery, of which it was a member until the
formation of Mahoning Presbytery, of which it was a member until
the formation of Mahoning Presbytery in 1870.
The exact date of the organization of the Youngstown
church is not known, the early records being lost.
William Wick and Joseph Badger were the first regular
preachers on the Reserve. The latter was sent west by the
Connecticut Missionary Society, and held the first Presbyterian
service at Warren in the fall of 1800. Baptist services
had previously been held at that point, but no church society
was organized. Mr. Badger says in his journal that
he reached Youngstown in the latter part of Rev. Dr. Wick
about dark. I was received by his bother and sister as a
familiar friend. William Wick was settled in charge
of three small settlements, Hopewell, Neshannock and Youngstown
a few weeks before I reached the Reserve." Mr. Badger
preached at Youngstown on the last Sabbath of the year 1800.
It is possible that the church had not then been formally
organized. The late Calvin C. Wick, youngest son of
Rev. Mr. Wick, stated that he had been informed that the
organization took place in May, 1800; that his father had
preached in Youngstown early in 1799, and that an occasional
sermon had been given by a pioneer minister of Western
Pennsylvania as early as 1798, in Youngstown or vicinity, at a
private house.
At any rate, in 1801, Mr. Wick was released from
the pastorate at Neshannock and installed over the congregation
at Youngstown for half his time.
At that is known as to the date of the erection of the
first meeting-house is that it was prior to 1805. It was
built of logs and stood about at the present intersection of
Wood and Market streets. This house was occasionally used
for public meetings, and also for the village school. It
served a useful purpose until 1832, when a new structure was
built on East Federal street, between Champion and Walnut
streets. The first elders were Caleb Baldwin and
William Stewart, the former of whom died in 1813, the
latter, Oct. 28, 1831. Other elders elected during the
pastorate of Mr. Wick were William McClelland,
elected 1805, withdrew 1839; Samuel Bryson, elected 1806,
died 8132; John Duncan, elected 1806, resigned 1813;
John Nelson, elected 1811, dismissed 1832.
The church prospered under the faithful ministry of
Mr. Wick, though, owing to the country being new and
sparsely settled, its increase in membership was slow.
William Wick was of Puritan descent, and was
born on Long Island, New York, June 29, 1768, son of Lemuel
and Deborah Wick. In 1790 he removed to Washington
county, Pennsylvania, and about 1794 married Miss Elizabeth
McFarland, youngest daughter of Colonel Daniel McFarland,
an officer in the Revolutionary army. He had settled down
to farming, but an acquaintance with Dr. McMillan, an
earnest Presbyterian divine, changed his course of life, and he
was prevailed upon to enter upon a course of study, preparatory
to the work of the Christian ministry, for which his talents and
piety designated him. He completed an academical course at
Cannonsburg in 1797, and read the theology in Dr. McMillan's
log cabin. Licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Ohio,
Aug. 28, 1799, he soon after became pastor at Neshannock and
Hopewell, and subsequently at Youngstown. After receiving
aid from the Connecticut Missionary Society for about two years,
his charge became self-sustaining. "He took a warm
interest in missionary work and associated with Revs.
McCurdy, Marquis, Badger, Hughes, and other early divines in
devising means for religious service in border settlements.
About 1803 there was an awakening of religious interest, which
greatly strengthened the church at Youngstown."
The period of Mr. Wick's ministry was brief.
Before leaving the farm he had experienced delicate health, and
on that account hesitated to enter the ministry. There was
no cause for alarm, however, until 1814, when, in October, a
severe cold affected his lungs. He continued to preach
during the winter, but his strength rapidly failed, and he died
at Hopewell, Pennsylvania, Mar. 29, 1815, in the forty-seventh
year of his age, and the sixteenth of his ministry. At his
own request he was buried at Youngstown. His family
consisted of eight sons and three daughters, "most of whom have
been among the most prominent citizens of Youngstown."
It is not known who served the church during the year
succeeding Mr. Wick's death. Rev. John Core,
licensed to preach in 1816, was ordained pastor at Youngstown,
June 25, 1817, at which time he was thirty-two years old.
He was a successful pastor and served in this field six years,
during which time more than one hundred were added to the church
at Youngstown. A Sunday-school was formed in 1820,
Elder Samuel Bryson being superintendent, but it is probable
that it had not a continuous existence, as a union Sunday-school
of all denominations was organized in the "Academy" in 1827, by
the Rev. Mr. Harned, which the Presbyterian children
attended until the completion of the church on East Federal
street in 1832.
In April, 1823, Mr. Core resigned and from that
time until 1830 the church was dependent upon stated supplies.
The Rev. Enoch Bouton served as stated supply form 1824
till 1826; and from 1826 till 1829 Rev. Nathan Harned
acted in that capacity. Mr. Harned was born in
Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1789. His name first
appears upon the records of the Erie Presbytery in 1824.
After serving as pastor of several small congregations in
Pennsylvania, he joined the Hartford Presbytery in 1826
and was called to Youngstown as stated supply. Failing
health compelled him to resign this charge in 1829. His
ministerial labors really ceased here, although he subsequently
acted as a supply whenever his health would permit. He died in
New York in 1854- In 1827 Abraham Nelson and John
McMurray were chosen to the eldership. Both were
dismissed in 1832.
Rev. Ward Stafford .....................MORE TO
COME.....
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Memorial Presbyterian
Church was organized Nov. 16, 1903, with 95 members. The
church building on the corner of Wick avenue and McGuffey
street, was dedicated Dec. 4, 1904, and Rev. Daniel H. Evans,
D. D., was installed as pastor, Dec. 6, 1904.
EVERGREEN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
HUNGARIAN EVANGELICAL REFORMED CHURCH.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
RICHARD BROWN MEMORIAL SUNDAY-SCHOOL CHAPEL.
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL.
CHURCH EDIFICE IN BOARDMAN
BUILDING THE FIRST CHURCH.
REV. SAMUEL MAXWELL, RECTOR.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH.
ST. ANNE'S CHURCH
ST. ANTHONY'S (ITALIAN) CHURCH.
Prior to 1898 the
Italians in Youngstown attended divine service at St. Anne's and
St. Columba's churches. They were occasionally visited by
Rev. P. Capitani of St. Anthony's Church, Cleveland, and
by other priests of their own nationality. In May, 1898,
Rev. Anthony Petillo was appointed their resident pastor.
In June of that year he bought for the sum of $2,500 the former
church of St. Anne's Parish, in which he made various
improvements. The present pastor is the Rev. Charles
Doria.
ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH
[Pictures of:
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, YOUNGSTOWN;
HELEN CHAPEL, YOUNGSTOWN;
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, YOUNGSTOWN; and
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, YOUNGSTOWN]
SACRED HEART OF JESUS CHURCH.
STS. CYRIL AND METHODIUS (SLOVAK) CHURCH.
METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
WELSH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
WALNUT STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
MARTIN LUTHER GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN
CHURCH.
GRACE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
TRINITY ENGLISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH,
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
THE SALVATION ARMY.
JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS.
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