Ada, Ohio

Presbyterian Church of Ada. - This is the oldest church organization in this part of the county, and is, in one sense, a mother to many of the other churches, they being formed and organized within the walls of her church edifice. This society was organized August 21, 1841, in Huntersville, by Bev. Thomas B. Clark, with the following constituent members: Isaac Mathews, Nancy Mathews, James M. Nelson, Susanna Nelson and James Hamilton, who were received upon certificates from the Kenton Church, and Thomas Irwin, John McClure, Bobert Hyndman and Jackson Mathews by examination, with Isaac Mathews and James M. Nelson chosen Elders. The society continued to hold its services at Huntersville for about fourteen years, when it was removed to the town of Ada - then called Johntown - where its services were held in the schoolhouse, but was still known as the Huntersville Church. On April 11, 18G0, at a meeting of the Findlay Presbytery, held at Mount Blanchard, it was changed to the Johnstown Church, and was thus known and recognized until, on April 22, 1868, its name was changed to the Ada Church, by which name it has since been known. On January 7, 1801, the following persons were chosen as a Building Committee, to take charge of the work of erecting a church edifice, viz., James M. Nelson, Bobert Hyndman, Thomas Irwin, John H. Mustard and

Passage source: The History of Hardin County, Ohio, published 1883.

J. A. Meeks, Mr. Edgar, John Kelly, C. K. Lehman and Z. B. Campbell, who is the present pastor, and is serving in his third year as such. The | Elders have been Isaac Mathews, James M. Nelson, Robert Hyndman, | Elihu Mathews, John W. Nelson, John Dobbins, Alexander Sanderson, | Alvin S. Nelson, Dr. I. C. McGinnis and D. G. Kemp. In February, 1883, the church was duly made an incc>rporate body, according to the laws of I Ohio. The present membership is 150. Present Trustees, D. G. Kemp, j I. C. McGinnis, A. C. Dobbins, George Epley and P. W. Ream. A union Sabbath school was early established in the schoolhouse, and was carried on for some time by non-church members. After the building of the abovementioned church, its meetings were removed frdm the schoolhouse to the church, and became a large and interesting Sabbath school. After the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ada, they established a Sabbath school, after which the union school continued for a short time and was disbanded. Then this church organized a Sabbath school of their own, which has since continued, and is now a very flourishing and interesting school, with an average attendance of about a hundred and fifty, with D. G. Kemp as Superintendent.

Passage source: The History of Hardin County, Ohio, published 1883.

The Christian Church of Ada. - This society was organized in the fall of 1866. Elder Dana Call held a meeting in the old schoolhouse and organized a society of seventeen persons, viz., H. S. Lehr, George Sutton, William Kingsburry, Samuel Dickinson, Elizabeth Sutton, Harry Sutton, Charles Sutton, Queen Sutton, Robert Morrison, Rosetta Morrison, Marshall Carman, Deborah Carman, Lydia Scott, Lucinda Cochran, Malinda Dickens, Evan Jackson and Delilah Jackson, with H, S. Lehr and George Sutton chosen Elders, and William Kingsbury and Samuel Dickinson as Deacons. About one year after the organization, the old schoolhouse was sold to the Methodist Episcopal Church and the society was left without a place for holding meetings; but subsequently the Presbyterian society kindly offered the use of their church, which was duly accepted, but after a short time, everything not working harmoniously, the society was again withi)ut a place of meeting. The use of the town hall was then obtained at a nominal rent, where the society worshiped until, in the fall of 1877, the chm'ch had erected their present frame house, into which they moved and have since worshiped. The lot upon which the church is built was purchased by A. Ream in the fail of 1868. The house was not built till 1877, and cost about $1,800. To Elder Orrin Gates belongs the honor of forming the present organization and of working up an interest by which the present j house of worship was erected. Elder O. A. Burgess dedicated the house in ; the fall of 1877. The ministers who have served the church as its pastors are as follows: Elders O. Gates, Maxwell Thurman and Z. O. Shepherd, various ; other ministers having been employed to hold revival meetings. The pres- i; ent membership is about one hundred. Present officers are: Elders, H. S.

Passage source: The History of Hardin County, Ohio, published 1883.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Liberty Township - it names this place 98 more 98 times.