Mercer County, Ohio - Chapter 8: Early History of the Methodist Episcopal Chvr.ch, 1907

In 1828, Robert Finley, after having* served the Presbyterian Church 25 years, and the Methodist Church about the same length of time, came to St. Marys (then in Mercer County), he being then on the superannuated list. It does not appear that he came by the authority of the church or voluntarily, but he was seeking "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Here he found a few who had not lost their religion by emigrating, among whom were the families of Cuthbert Vinson and that of H. Major. In the year 1829 a camp-meeting was held at St. Marys, at which there were a number of conversions, and the little society was greatly encouraged and built up. Brother Finley was assisted at this camp-meeting by William H. Raper and John P. Wright. He then extended his mission westward to Twelve-Mile Creek, Shane's Prairie and Willshire.

In 1830 Abraham Millice was sent to do missionary work. He was succeeded by James B. Austin and John Wood. Then another camp-meeting was held, which was conducted by Robert Finley, James B. Finley and James W. Finley, after which the work was greatly extended. St. Marys mission included Shane's Prairie, Mercer County; Willshire and Sugar Ridge, Van Wert County; Kalida, Putnam County, and contained all there was of Methodism in the territories of Mercer, Van Wert, Putnam, Allen and Auglaize counties.

In the fall of 1831 Joseph Hill and a Mr. Frey came as missionaries. The work then began to assume a more systematic form. A four weeks' circuit was formed, which included all the counties above named. Some of the appointments were a day's journey distant, and the minister was compelled to carry subsistence for himself and horse with him.

siding elder. Up to this date no record of the missions has been found, and the report, thus far, is made up from the statements of those yet living. The work was then called "St. Marys Mission, Maumee District, Ohio Conference." That year a society was formed at or near the mouth of Twelve- Mile Creek, in a log schoolnouse, consisting of Israel Forbes and wife, Samuel Hanson and wife, Joseph Rider and wife, and George Parrott, who was the leader. Mother Rider still lives in the same vicinity, and George Parrott has removed to Iowa. This, it is believed, was the first class formed in what is now Mercer County. t But this earnest and faithful man, Pryor, was zealous in his labors, and the first year formed a class in the vicinity of what is now called Bethel. This society consisted of 2 2 members, namely : Abel Wright, Nancy Wright, James Wright, Sarah Wright, Wealthy Wright, Lawrence Wright, George Shepherd, Elmer Shepherd, Margaret Shepherd, James Watts, Charity Watts, Jonathan E. Dutton, Elizabeth Dutton, James Smith, Sarah Smith, Christena Smith, George Parrott, Nancy Parrott, Samuel Parrott, Jemima Parrott, George Wilson and Sarah Wilson. Of this number, all but one or two are now dead. Abel Wright was the first leader and James Wright, exhorter.

In 1833 James Finley and John Alexander were the missionaries. The first quarterly conference for that year was held on the 19th and 20th of October, William H. Raper, presiding elder. The years in this history mean the conference year and not the calendar year, hence 1833 commenced in the fall of 1833 and continued until the fall of 1834, and so of all the years in this history.

In 1834 Philip Wareham was the missionary and L. B. Gurley was the presiding elder ; but whether the work covered all the territory and preachingplaces it did at the beginning, does not appear from any records, and there is no certain report of the finances of those times; but, judging from the times a few years later, of which the writer has personal knowledge, the support of the missionary mostly came from the missionary society of the church.

In 1835 John O. Conway came as a missionary, and L. B. Gurley was yet the presiding elder. Mr. Gurley was a good man, and died in full hope of a future reward.

In 1836 Isaac Bennett and Joseph Santby were sent on the work, and John- Jones was the presiding elder. At this time there was a division of the work, the northern part being assigned elsewhere, for the mission was in a different district, with a different elder than formerly.

In the year 1837 Jonathan Hudson and John F. Langman came as missionaries. Mr. Langman was an Englishman. At the close of that year a camp-meeting was held at Twelve-Mile Creek, near Benjamin Roebuck's. At this meeting there were a number of conversions and accessions to the church. There was a large amount of rowdyism shown, such as hooting, gobbling like turkeys, etc. But this noise came from a class to whom Christianity is an eye-sore, and which conduct would not be tolerated at this day and age.

Mercer, Shanesville, Harper's, Willshire, Van Wert, Sugar Ridge, Tomlinson's, Pring's, Goefford's, Duck Creek, Mendon, Eight-Mile (now Bethel) and Roebuck's, and was called "St. Marys Mission, Michigan Conference." Greenbury Vinson was placed by Elmer Locum to assist Mr. Armstrong in the work. The class at Celina was organized in that year, or at the beginning of the year 1839, by Messrs. Armstrong and Vinson and consisted of the following members, viz. : Eben Foster and wife, Jane Foster, William Allen and wife, Mrs. McMahon, Christian Maurer and wife, Levi Dibble and wife, and Ira Foster and wife, with Ira Foster as class leader.

In 1839 Martin Welch and Liberty Prentice were the missionaries, with Elmer Yocum as presiding- elder. The work was then called "St. Marysi Mission, Mount Vernon District, Michigan Conference." That year another camp-meeting was held at Twelve-Mile Creek, near the residence of Benjamin Roebuck, at which the disturbers were again present in force ; but the Lord's people had now become a power, and would not tolerate rowdyism. But this species of annoyance was more or less rampant for years after.

In that year the old Bethel Church was built, which was, I believe, the first Methodist Episcopal Church built in what is now Mercer County. The first church building in Celina was commenced the same year, under the labors of George Armstrong. It appears that at this time there was q division in. the work, and Celina was included in what was called the "Recovery Mission, Bellefontaine District, Northern Ohio Conference." W. S. Morrow was the presiding elder.*.

In 1840 A. B. Wambaugh preached in this locality, which was then called St. Marys circuit ; but I cannot now tell who preached on Recovery mission during the years of 1840 and 1841.

In 1841 Jacob A. Brown was assigned to the St. Marys circuit, which included Bethel, Mercer, Mendon, Tomlinson's, Roebuck's and other places, and was then a three-weeks' circuit. This year there was a wonderful revival of religion all over this part of the country, especially at St. Marys and Mendon. The Holy Spirit was manifest among the people, and it was not uncommon to hear shouting. Prayer-meetings and class-meetings were well attended, and many were added to the church. The protracted meeting at Mendon that year was truly a success. Many united with the Lord's people.

In 1842 Edward Williams and James J. McNab were the ministers, and William S. Morrow was the presiding elder. The work was then called "St. Marys Circuit, Recovery Mission."

In 1843 Samuel Beatty and Amos Wilson were the ministers, but it appears Mr. Wilson only remained two quarters, for at the second quarterly meeting Fort Recovery was again struck off, and the Celina mission was formed; but we find no record after this for several years, or until 1846, but know that Samuel Beatty and Amos Wilson were on the work when the Celina circuit was formed. S. P. Shane was at that time presiding elder. This was then known as "Celina Circuit, Sidney District." After Wilson was removed, Alexander Harmount was placed in his stead, with Mr. Beatty, the remainder of the year.

In 1844 C. H. Owens and James M. Barr were sent to the Celina circuit, which then included all the northern part of Mercer County. But I have found no records of these times, and it may be there are mistakes in names and dates, for it seems from the foregoing that many changes were made.

During the conference year of 1847, the work was called "St. Marys Circuit and Willshire Mission," and Charles Brandebery and Elisha Hook were the preachers. The work then included all the north part of Mercer County; St. Marys in Auglaize County; and Willshire in Van Wert County, and was a four-weeks' circuit, with 10 appointments, as follows: Celina, St. Marys, Neptune, Bethel, Mendon, Tomlinson's, Twelve-Mile Creek, Mercer, Shanesville and Willshire.

In 1848 Samuel L. Yourtee was sent to the circuit, with Willshire, Shanesville, Mercer and Tomlinson's appointments cut off and attached to the Van Wert circuit. Yourtee did not fill all the appointments, for Neptune was entirely without a minister, and the north part of the county was only partly supplied, the preacher putting in most of his time in St. Marys and Celina. Wesley Brock was then the presiding elder.

In 1849 Samuel B. Guiberson was the preacher, and was returned in 1850, in which year the parsonage in St. Marys was built, and a gracious revival of religion was general all over the work.

In 1851 the work was still a mission, and Ralph Wilcox was the missionary. He was a faithful and devout preacher, but failed to build up the waste places of Zion. Wesley Brock was presiding elder.

In 1853 St. Marys was made a station and the Celina circuit was formed. Gersham Lease was sent as minister. And here it may be proper to define the difference between a mission and a circuit. A mission means a work where the minister receives a part of his support from the missionary society of the church, which was raised in the older and more wealthy portion of the country. At first it amounted to $200, and then less and less from time to time, as seemed necessary, until the work was considered able to support its preacher, and then it was called a circuit. So we see that at this time the missionary fund ceased, and the Celina circuit was expected to support its own minister. But in 1854 we find that Rev. Wesley Brock was the minister, and the amount paid being insufficient, Mr. Brock, aside from his pastoral duties, taught school and worked at farming. Hiram M. Shaffer was then the presiding elder.

In 1855 George O. McPherson was sent to the Celina circuit. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, and there was a general awakening on the subject of religion, although the good people of Celina had to worship in the Court House. A camp-meeting was held that year near the Bethel Church. H. M. Shaffer was then presiding elder.

In 1856 Rev. George O. McPherson was returned, a second church was built in Celina, and a second camp-meeting was held near Bethel, although enemies of the church tried to burn down the tents a few days before the time appointed for holding the meeting. Elnathan C. Gavitt was at that time presiding elder.

It appears that in 1848 the work was divided, and the northwest part of Mercer County, including Mercer, Shanesville, Willshire, and some other appointments was formed into a mission, with Rev. Elisha Hook as minister. In 1849 Lafayette Ward and Reuben D. Oldfield were the preachers on this mission. In 1850 Reuben D. Oldfield was returned as minister in charge, and J. K. Ward as junior. Wesley Brock was the presiding elder. In 1851 Samuel B. Guiberson and Jacob F. Burkholder were the ministers. In 1852, Nathan Taylor and Gersham Lease were the ministers, and Hiram Shaffer was the presiding elder. In 1853 Nathan Taylor was returned, and Francis Duvall was the junior minister. This part of the work was attached to the Willshire circuit, part of the time to Van Wert, and finally to what was called the Black Creek mission, and in 1858 was again included in the Celina circuit, as we shall see further on. In 1854 the ministers on this part of the work were J. Fribley and N. B. C. Love. In 1855 N. B. C. Love was the minister, and John Priddy, junior. In 1856 John Price and D. P. Darling were the ministers ; Elnathan C. Gavitt, presiding elder.

In 1857 George 0. McPherson and E. G. Longsworth were on this mission. That year a society was formed at Black Creek, or what is now known as Fountain Chapel. The first society numbered 14, to-wit : Charles Ward and wife, A. Cole and wife, Moses Stover and wife, Robert McKissick and wife, Samuel Loree and wife, Anna Allison, Basil Durango, Peter Martz and Charles Ward, Sr. Samuel Loree was the leader.

There was a Methodist society organized at Skeel's Cross Roads in 1854, by J. Wykes, consisting of seven members, namely: Joshua Lee and wife, C. Skeels and wife, Calista Way, Amos Lee and Samantha Lee. Brother Amos Lee was licensed to exhort in February, 1856, and licensed to preach in July, 1857, and afterwards traveled the Celina circuit for two years as the junior preacher under the elder.

In 1859 James F. Mounts and Amos Lee were on the Celina dircuit ; and in i860, Lemuel Herbert and James F. Mounts were the ministers, and H. M. Shaffer was presiding elder. In 1861 and 1862 Philip A. Brown and Caleb Hill were tbe ministers. I11 1863 David Bull and A. J. Frisbee were on the work; and in 1864, David Bull and Amos Lee were the ministers, and Franklin Merritt was the presiding elder. In 1865 Enos G. Longsworth and Harrison Maltbie were preachers on the Celina circuit, and Franklin Merritt was presiding elder.

It may be proper here to give the date and names of the first society in Mendon. The society was formed in 1836, under the labors of Isaac Bennett and Joseph Santley, and was composed of the following persons : Jacob Panabaker and wife, Mary Panabaker, Amos Barber and wife, a Mr. Bailey and wife, Mr. Porter and wife, Barney Forbes and daughter, Jonathan E. Dutton and wife, Joseph Rider and wife, Elizabeth Parrott, Adam Panabaker, the local preacher, Louisa Rider and Lucinda Baker. Jacob Panabaker was the leader. These, it is believed, are all dead now, excepting Mother Panabaker, Mother Rider and Lucinda Baker (now Lucinda Protzman).

In regard to the south part of the county I have said but little, because I have found no record as yet from which to draw the necessary information. It has not been connected with Celina, as the north part of the county has been, in reference to this matter, being a part of the time in another district, as well as in another mission or circuit.

And now I wish to say that I have found it very difficult to get the proper dates for this history, on account of the manner in which the changes have been made from time to time. Consequently I may have made some mistakes in names and dates, as there are but few of the old residents living now from whom accurate information can be obtained. But I have done my best under existing circumstances.