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The first. Methodist Society in Orrville was organized in the year 1852 by the Rev. Joseph Hayes.Services were first held in a log school house thatwas located at what is now, 248 East Church Street.Thirteen families made up thefirst group and by the end of the first year there were 29 members and 40 Sunday School members. Conscious of the need for a building of their own in which the growing congregation might worship, Eliza Anderson and her mother started the firstbuilding fund by contributing $50 earned from raising flax,spinning it and selling the fin* ished product.In August of 1866, . masons began work on the foundation of the new brick church located at the back of the North Main Street Church. The land was purchased from the Seas family by Michael Kimberlin, greatgrandfather of Howard Kimberlin, and donated to the Methodist Church. On February 7, 1869 the first church building was dedicated by Rev. AllredHyde.The last service held in thisfirst red brick building was September 10, 1905. Those in the present congregation who attended this first church are: Verda Harter, Mrs. Ruth Bur-doin King, Ellis Baker, Emmett Steiner, Mrs. Chloe Mowrer, Mrs. Lois Weaver Hall, Mrs, Hazel Douglas Snyder, Mrs. Marie Overton Cunningham, Mrs. Ethel Davis Tracy and Mrs. Marie Davis Myers.New BuildingIn 1905 a new building was erected on the site Of the eld. Worship continued in the old building for as long as possible while to the front the new building was being built. Then for a time, services were held at the town hall until the new building was completed. The contractorWheeler, President of Baldwin- for the old stone church was W,Wallace College. Rev. George W. Ball was then pastor.Other early pastors were: Chilton Craven, N. J. Close, A.E. Thomas/ Philip Kelser, J. L. Sanfordr. J_-F_. JlcCmlney,....M,W Reece, J. F. Brant, K M.Freshwater, O. M. Ashbaugh,F. S. Wolfe, E. J. Booth, C. F. Johnson, F. I. Dunbar, E. D. Barnett, S. H. Slutz and W. J.J. Smith of Toledo, the stonecutter was from Cleveland. The» ■total construction cost for the old stone church was $11,437. This did not pay for the equipping ofthe building, _________________________The cornerstone laying ceremony for this church was held November 19, 1905 with the principle speaker being Dr. M. J. Keyes of Cleveland who was the ——%-METHODIST CHURCH, finished and first occupied in 1964, Is newest church in Orrville, A sprawling one-floor layout includes sanctuary, chapel, Sunday School and social rooma addition to offices. The church Is located on Rex Drive, in Ellendale where its sharp spire can be seen from many locations throughout Orrville. .j-s_ ; Incorporation Was Start Of Government*City Government in Orrville began with incorporation of .the village in 1864.First Mayor was William Gailey and he was apparently a “favorite” of voters of that era, because he was elected to the office in 1864-66, again in 1874-75 and a third time in 1884-89.Going over the list of mayorswe find William Orr, A. S. Mon-crief, Dr. A. C. Miller, M. C. Rauch, J. F. Seas, S. D. Tanner, G. W. Barret, N. L. Royer, Levi Neiswanger, Warren Ramsey, J. M. Fiscus, Dr. W. Faber, George Starn, D. F. Griffith, A. J. Heller, E. P. Willaman, G. D. McIntyre, E. L. Kinney G. R. Klop-fenstein, A. U. Weygandt, WilUs Horn, C. M. Kieffer, C. W. Willa* xnan, Earl Wear, William Ferguson, William Evans, Herbert Sollenberger, Donald Meihls, and presently, Nelson Douglas.Marshal Prior to the election of Gailey as mayor, law and order was maintained by Marshal Lewt Hall. An office for the marshal was set up in the building now occupied by Larry’s Bar-B-Q.The building was constructed in 1859 by I. W. Steele, who immediately set up a blacksmithpresiding elder_jof _the Wooster ________district. land for Andrew Carucgte.No two stones in this building Dedicationare the same size, and they Dr. .Mitchell of Cleveland, were all cut by hand. The stone- gave the dedication sermon on cutters who did the work, also | September 23, 1906. The ReV.R.F» Mayer was pastor: Mr. Scbantz was building an Organ for the church at a cost of $1,-800. During the Conference year 1907 - 08 the new organ was placed in the church and Al-rebuill Skybolt Castle in Scot-ipie4 the pulpit in the gray stonehutliadding:R. F. Mayer 1904-1908 H. D. Fleming 1908-1910 B. J. Mills 1910-1913 .R. J. Beard 1913-1916 W. H. Oswalt 1916*1926 W. R. Taylor 1926*1927 A. D. Mink 1927-Died 1928 F. H. Hill 1928*1931 A. L. Baker 1931*1934 L. R. Akerfc 1934*1936 P. L. Carter 1936-1940 E. M. Lewis 1940*1943 W. G. Milter 1943*1947 R. M. Harris 1947-1958 P. C. Bailey 1958*,. VETERAN 57 YEARS Of service to Orrville Methodists, this church, located pn N, Main St. is used by members of the Church of Christ, a small congregation which had been'meeting in a converted home on Orrvllle’s S. Main St. Stones in this building are varying slses^no two being the same.rN\A new Schantz Organ wasshop in the. rear of the building and outfitted the front section for the marshal.Since that time, the job of operating the city of Orrville has been placed in the hands of City Council and the mayor. Safety-service director for the city is Robert Lacy.List of councilmen at present includes Gordon Hostetler, presi-geants. John Grubb and Charles bert; Reimenschneider of BereaYehl are patrolmen. Mrs. Wil- gave the opening concert. An-liam Evans is meter maid. Dur- (jrew Carnegie had given $750 to-ing special events and in cases ward this organ — a fund was of emergency, the department established for helping to build can call on several part-time of- organs in our country at this fieers to fill in or help the reg- time. This gray stone church purchased in July of 1949 for ular law enforcers. cost a total, of $18,000. At that $9,116 and the choir loft wasThe hub of Orrville’s city gov- time the church membership made in the space occupied by ernment is City Hall, located at was 250. 0ld Organ. The church wasWater and North Main Streets. During the early 1900’s Camp re . decorated in June of 1951. This brick building* which also Meetings were held at the old a new gas furnace was installed houses the Orrville Fire Depart- Fair Grounds On what is now for $1,000 in September of 1952.shippers. A week later the came the busiest church in Orr- tendance as the featured speak-Quarterly Conference confirmed ville with three congregations er.the decision by a vote of 27*2. using its facilities. Moving DayLand Gift The contract for the new On Wednesday, June -S, 1984,uOn September 23, 1959 at a church to be built on Rex Drive a group of the men of the Quarterly Conference, it was was awarded to BoegU and church gathered at the gray voted to accept the generous Kauffman, local construction stone church to perform the gift of the C. V. Hostetler fam- firm. The amount of their bid chores of moving to the new Uy of over 7 acres in the Ellen- was $331,565. An estimated 14 church. Most of this waanccom-dale allotment1. The firm of Con* months was given fOr comple- plished in one afternoon and rad and Fleischman was hired tion. evening. The first service in theas architects in January of On March 10, 1963 the ground new church was held on June* 1960. breaking service was held on 7, 1964. Dr. Charles HamiltonThe gift of a chapel, btiilt and the new church site. Construe- preached the first sermop in the furnished by the Welker Smuck- tion began on April 1, 1963. The new .Sanctuary. Assisting in thement was constructed in 1928 |the Royer Farm on the north improvements were made to the I er family was announced on footers were poured the middle service were Rev. Paul C. Bai* The site of City Hall was also side °r the Burton Cit* Road* basement in the summer of 1954 September 13, 1961. of April, arches ii* place and ley and former pastor Dr. Paulthe location for “the old town 0n these 40 acres» hu*e fents cement floors with tile cover-) _ During the summer of 1960 the| roof decking completed by early j Carter, All three choirs- partici-hall, built In 1888 and finally were, erected and from 200-300 i„g new ceilings and folding ac- St.Luke's Methodist Churchb^ Mypated in this operazed In 1928*. Former'MayorC. Peopl? attended the nightly | cordion doors separating the I Ban sharing facilities for their | The Scbantz Organ at a cost | The Chancel (adult) Choir walitTciservice.W. Willaman recalls it was neceseetingg held for several weeks prjmary and Junior Depart- worship service on Sunday af- Of $26^12 was, ordered in June directed by Mrs. Robert Reyn*at a time. Imeots. |ternoon. 11963 and will be finished in 1965. | olds, The Chapel (yoyth) Choir..... Mra. Gordon^nt; ®Kk’n ^ Horst, I sary to, use dynamite to crumble I jn 1888 a brick parsonage was I The Leickheim property di- On January 10, 1962, plans for! The drawings for the new was directed by Stanley Mathey, Ben Horst, LJ jthe walls of °ld two-story buut at 702 North Main Street. rectly behind the gray stone the new church were accepted church were accepted for show- Hostetler and the Wesleyanw N 'ing at the exhibit of selected (Children) Choir was directed _ purchased for $10 - by the congregation.Marion Brennetnan. Council's tended farther east toward of'North'Maih and High Mo7n’September,^1955 for use Busiest Church work of Cleveland architects at by Mrs. Jack Wagner,clerk is Robert Myers and Rich- North Main Street, than its pres- lt;SE corner) wgs purchased as as an Annex. In November of 1962 the the Cleveland Museum of Art. Paul Seckel was the Organist,aid Wagner is solicitor. ent-day counterpart. a parsonftge. In 1947 the location At a congregational meeting Church of Christ (Sputh Main They were displayed during Ju- One day in April the oldEnforcement A subject of recent heated dis- 0f 345 North Elm was pur- on May 6, 1959 it was voted St. group) began using the old ly 1963 and Were rated high as church bell was removed fromIt. ^ X...am ~ I 1 .. .. « « m « I 11 w * ll. . j • t. 11 1 it 1 . « it . ’rl . . . iEnforcing laws approved by cussion, the town clock, was chased as a parsonage. The solons falls into hands of the Orr- housed atop the old town hall. I new parsonage on Rex Drive (a ville Pollee Department* headed The clock was installed in 1913 gift to the fchureh from Mr. and by Chief Irvin Eshelman. Rob- and was removed before the old Mrs. C. V. Hostetler) was ded-ert Johns is police captain, and] building was razed. Since that heated on July 8, 1965},William Stocker, Paul Drage and Richard “Red” Gray are ser-time, the huge timepiece has not been used. .MinistersThe following, ministers occu*124 - 53 in favor of building a church for worship on Sunday one of the finest in architectur- the tower of the /gray stone new church on a new site. This afternoons and Tuesday eve* al designing. . church and sent to Cincinnatiwas a 70 per cent affirmative nlngs, The St. Luke’s congrega* The laying of the corner- where It will be sand. - Blasted, vote. Membership had grown tion decided on a morning wor* stone was held Sunday afternoon arid re-tuned. Upon it* return to the point where two services ship service which was held in November 3, 1963 with Dr. it will be placed in a hell tow-we held each SiirwP % ; the N. Walnut St., Annex. With Charles Hamilton the Canton er outside the new church on ing to accommodate the wo#* this, the church officially be- District Superintendent in at- Rex Drive.
Newspaper Details
Orrville Courier Crescent
Orrville, Ohio, US
Thu, Aug 06, 1964
Page 71
Full Page
Clipped by
Akron S.
OH, USA 12 Apr 2021
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