"Lower
Liberty Presbyterian Church" was organized about the
year 1807 near Plain City. Services were first
held in private houses, then in a schoolhouse on the
lot where the first church building was erected.
Among the first members were the Ewings,
Mitchells, Chapmans, Taylors, Gills, Wingets,
Currys, Robinsons and Bucks.
Rev. Samuel Wood was the first pastor, from 1808 to
1815. He was succeeded by the following named
ministers: Rev. Wm. Dickey, Archibald Steele,
James Hodge, D. D., Elder Hughes and Cable,
until 1821, and Rev. James Robinson from that
date until 1828, followed by Rev. James Robinson
from that date until 1828, followed by Rev. Davis
C. Allen until 1831. Rev. James Dolbear
served from 1831 to 1838 and Rev. Wm. Galbreath
from 1839 to 1848.
In 1837 the denomination was divided into the old
school and new school. Rev. Benjamin D.
Evans, Rev. Henry Shedd, Rev. Kuhn. Rev.
Uhlfelder afterward supplied the pulpit until
1853, when the society was disorganized and church
building abandoned.
The first church building of this society was erected
about 1815 - 1816 on a plat of ground of about four
acres, donated by Walter Dun, one mile west
from Plain City on the Post Road, in the forks of
the road running through the Ricard farm from
the east and just across that road from the
southeast corner of the old Ewing farm now
owned by Harlan Wood. It was a large
frame building, not plastered, no chimney, and no
way of heating. Therefore, it would not be
occupied in the winter season. There were two
aisles, one running through the center lengthwise of
the building and the other from side to side,
crossing the main aisle.
As in the old days the men sat on one side of the
church and the women on the other. The seats
were ordinary rough benches, supported by legs
inserted through inch and a half auger holes.
In the year 1836 a large red brick building was
erected on the same site, in which services were
held until about 1850.
The pulpit was in front of the church and as a person
entered they faced the congregation. the
platform of the pulpit was at least six feet high,
and only the head and shoulders of the minister
could be seen, as the front wall of the pulpit was
so high. The seats all had high-board backs
and a door next to the aisle had a button to it
which was turned as soon as the children were all
counted in. In those days families all sat in
the same seat and the seat of each family was well
known.. Strangers and transients were seated
in the rear part of the church, unless invited to
sit with some family. Sunday school in the
morning at 9:30, church at 11, two prayers and
sermon an hour in length, then half hour
"intermission for dinner, carried in baskets, and it
was a good diner, cold biscuits, cold pork or
sausage, doughnuts, "pound cake," and mother's juicy
gooseberry or currant pie an inch and a half thick.
And what appetites we had! Then up to Uncle
Jimmie Ewings, well for a drink out of
the real "old oaken bucket," and a little visit,
then back to the church for another long sermon.
The music was not classical but there were many good
voices and it was a real praise service. The
singing was usually led by two of the Elders of the
church. As there were not a sufficient number
of hymn books for the congregation, the two leaders
would stand up in front of the pulpit and "line out"
two lines of the hymn, then leading the singing.
Jesse Gill and James Robinson were the
two leaders for many years, finally Benjamin Fay,
who played the flute and was quite a musician,
organized a choir of the young people and I recall
he would stand up and give the key with his flute.
The music was greatly improved and enjoyed for the
ministry and was a fine scholar, would frequently
read sermons to the congregation when they had no
minister. The "Old Red Brick Church" drew
great congregations and in the summer time the
church would often be filled to overflowing, as the
people would come for many miles, even as far as
Milford Center and Fairview, now Ostrander, in
wagons, horseback and on foot. When the young
people would start home on their prancing horses it
would look like a troop of cavalry. The
services usually last until 2:00 o'clock. Not
one of the members of that old congregation survives
and of the young girls who sang in the choir I
recall but two who are living, Jane Curry Randall,
of Plain City, and Susannah Robinson
McKitrick, residing near New California, and of
the young men not one. Of the ruling elders I
recall the names of James Ewing, T. M. Ewing,
John Taylor, Jessie Gill, James Robinson, Stephenson
Curry, David Chapman, Abner Chapman. The
old church building, after the congregation was
disorganized, was abandoned to the birds and bats,
the windows knocked out, the yard grown up in weeds
and bushes, and so it remained until after the close
of the Civil War. In the year 1870 it was torn
down and the brick was hauled to Plain City and used
in the erection of a Presbyterian church soon the
site now occupied by the Commodious Church, to which
it gave way a few years ago. When that church
was erected I was secretary of the building
committee and Rev. Wm. H. Galbreath, who was
pastor in the old church in 1839, preached the
dedicatory sermon. The organizers of the old
church were a God-fearing people and while the good
old fathers and mothers have gone to their rewards,
their seed was sown on fertile ground and has borne
good fruit, as evidenced by the fact that many of
the descendants of this congregation became
ministers of the Presbyterian Church, among whom may
be named David G. Robinson, son of James
Robinson, and James Curry, son of
Stephenson Curry, who has been a prominent
minster in the state of California for thirty-seven
years and is now located in Newark in the state.
David G. Robinson died about the year
1872-73.THE OLD SECEDER CHURCH,
NEW CALIFORNIA.
The Seceder
Church, now the United Presbyterian Church, was
organized at New California between the years 1835
and 1840. The society was organized by the
McCampbells and the Beards, who emigrated
from Rockbridge County, Virginia, in 1835, and soon
after came the Liggetts. The
McCampbells and Beards were connected
with the Associate Church of Ebenezer and Timber
Ridge congregation, Virginia, before coming to Ohio.
Services were first held at the residence of Wm.
McCampbell, Sr., and then in teh
cooper shop of John McCampbell.
Rev. James Wallace organized the
congregation and the first rulings elders ordained
and installed were Wm. Bigger and
David Beard, with about thirty members.
Rev. Robert Forester, who resided
at Reynoldsburg, Ohio, supplied the church the first
two years.
Rev. I. N. Laughead was the first pastor
installed. He became pastor in April, 1843,
and so continued until 'April, 1864. He was
also pastor of the U. P. church at Unionville Center
for the same period. He stated in a letter at
one time that his salary at first was $300 per year
and never was above 400. Rev.
Laughead was also a farmer during his pastorate
here and had one of the best improved farms in the
neighborhood. He was quite successful as a
manager and accumulated considerable property,
although it was not by reason of the meager salary
he received as a minister.
He also taught school in the winter season and some of
the older persons residing now in the community were
his pupils. He was a devoted Christian and
enterprising citizen, and have the best of his life
ministering to his congregation, composed of
earnest, God-fearing people.
Mr. Laughead was a man of intelligence,
devoted to the interest of the congregation, and
reared an interesting family. The oldest son,
William Bradford, died in the army
during the Civil War and the only daughter,
Elizabeth, now Mrs. J. H. Young, resides
in Pasadena, California, and two sons, James
and Leander, reside in Iowa.
In the spring of 1865 Rev. Laughead and family
removed to Washington, Iowa, where he and his good
wife were laid to rest several years ago. The
first church building erected by the congregation
was of logs about the year 1841. The ceiling
was very low and some of the benches used as seats
did not have any backs. When the minister was
in the pulpit his head reached almost to the joists,
which were heavy enough for a railroad bridge.
The congregation worshiped in this building until
1852, when the old frame building now used as a
township house was erected on the same site now
occupied by the church building erected in 1904.
Of the old families who were members of this great
congregation may be named McCampbells, Liggetts,
Beards, Robinsons, Mitchells, Woodburns, Gowans,
McDowells, Biggers, McCrorys, Taylors, McCulloughs,
and Bains.
I do not recall but one
of that old generation who organized the church
seventy-eight years ago who survives - Martha
Robinson Beard, widow of Andrew Beard,
now living with her daughter, Martha Williams,
in Cleveland, Ohio. But few of the younger
generation reside in Jerome Township, and of the
McCampbells, Amanda Comstock and Dell
McCampbell, and of the McDowells, Porter
and Leander; the Liggetts, Mrs.
Clement Evans; the Taylors, Mrs. S. H.
Carson.
Rev. James A. Taylor succeeded Rev. Laughead
in April, 1865, to November 19th, 1867. From
that date until Rev. John Gilmore was
installed September 12th, 1871, there was no regular
pastor. He was followed by Rev. D. M.
Gordon in January, 1875, and Rev. Ebenezer E.
Cleland succeeded in April, 1878, to September,
1895. Rev. B. E. Dobbins, September,
1897, to April, 1902. Rev. R. C. Finney,
July, 1903, to August, 1909. Rev. E. H.
Thompson, the present pastor, July, 1911.
The good influence of this congregation in the
community for three-quarters of a century has not
only been for the spiritual welfare of its
membership, but for the spiritual and moral welfare
of all the people. While at this time the
membership is greatly reduced as compared with that
of fifty years ago, yet their influence for all that
is good in society and the high regard and reverence
that still obtains for the Sabbath day and the
ceremonies of the church is all in the interest of
good citizenship. If we had more such churches
in our country there would not be need for so many
prisons.
In the early days, soon after the select schoolhouse
was erected, a class was organized by the Methodist
denomination. Rev. Merrill, who
afterward became a distinguished Bishop in that
church and an eloquent speaker, was the first
minister. Nelson Cone, Judah Dodge (who
was an exhorter in the church for many years),
James B. Dort, John Ruehlen, John Nonnemaker, James
Ketch, and a number of the other old families
were active members of the church. Services
were held in the Select School building or township
house, at California.
A Sunday School was organized and flourished with a
good attendance for a number of years. In time
some of the active members died and others
affiliated with churches at Plain City or Jerome,
and the organization was abandoned.
About the year 1854 a number of German families,
including the Kimberlies, Ruehlens, Housers,
Myers, Masts and others, came direct from the
Fatherland and settled in the vicinity. They
held services frequently in the township house, but
did not have any regular minister. Many of the
young people of the neighborhood attended these
meetings, and while they could not understand the
sermon, they enjoyed the singing, as there were some
splendid voices among these good German people.
When the U. P. church was at the zenith of its
prosperity they had great congregations. they
came in wagons, buggies, on horseback and a foot,
and from the number of horses hitched to the trees
in the woods near the church it resembled a Camp
Meeting or County Fair. Like the services in
the old Red Brick Presbyterian Church near Plain
city, they continued al day, with two sermons and a
half hour for lunch. the singing was usually
led by Moderwell and Hunter
Robinson, by reading two lines of the Psalm,
then leading in the singing. |
