^ 
 
tihravy of €he t:heolo0ical ^emmar;p 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 Rev. B. J. Brinkema 
 BX 9211 .M535 M5 1919 ) 
 Middletown, 0. First 
 
 Presbyterian Church. I 
 A history of the life and 
 
 work of the First 
 
A HISTORY 
 
 OF THE LIFE AND WORK OF 
 
 The First Presbyterian Church 
 
 Of'mIDDLETOWN, OHIO 
 
 (DAYTON PRESBYTERY) 
 
 From Its Foundation in 1819 to 1919 
 
 Prepared Under the Direction of the Boards of the Church 
 
 in connection with the 
 
 Centennial Celebration held in the Church 
 
 October 19th to 26th, 1919 
 
 Middletown, Ohio, November 1, 1919 
 
"I was glad when they said unto 
 
 me, 
 Let us go into the house of the 
 
 Lord." 
 
 —Psalm 122:1 
 
Rev. Francis Monfort, born 1782, died 1855, the first pastor of our 
 Church, serving from 1819 to 1824. Mr. Monfort was the grand- 
 father of Rev. Joseph G. Monfort, D. D., the venerable editor of the 
 Herald and Presbyter. 
 
 This illustration vi^as made from a copy of an oil painting by an 
 artist who had known Mr. Monfort for several years. As an aid in 
 his work the artist used two daguerreotypes of Mr. Monfort, taken 
 when he was seventy years old. 
 
The Story of a Hundred Tears. 
 
 Can you imagine now for' just a few minutes that you 
 are living one hundred years ago? In other words, can you 
 put yourself in the position of the few men and women who 
 came from the New Jersey Church, at Carlisle, and Dick's 
 Creek Church, 7iear Blue Ball, to organize the First Preshy- 
 te7'ian Church of Middletoivn — our church? Can you think 
 of our beautiful, prosperous, happy city being a little ham- 
 let, with not over three hundred citizens, ivith one small 
 school house and two struggling churches ? You must know 
 nothing of the good roads, of the railroads, or even of the 
 canal. You will have to make your journeys on foot or on 
 horseback. You must know nothing of the daily newspaper. 
 Only occasionally you ivill see a netv pamphlet or a new 
 book. You must think differently, dress differeyitly, work 
 differently, be entertained differently, than is your preseyit 
 custom. But you have at least one thing in common with 
 those men and women of one hundred years ago — you can 
 love God. and worship Him, the same as did they, and so may 
 have the same interest in His Church. 
 
 The first part of our story was written fifty years ago by 
 Rev. Joshua L. Russell, who was the pastor of our Church 
 at that time, and was read by him at the semi-centennial of 
 the Church in 1870. He, no doubt, had talked with some of 
 the founders of the Church and those who had labored for 
 its welfare for years. This "History of the First Fifty 
 Years of the First Presbyterian Church of Middletown, 
 Ohio," as Mr. Russell entitles it, is printed here just as it 
 appears in the manusciipt from which he read except that 
 a feiv paragraphs have been added so as not to cause a break 
 in the account of the ministry of Mr. Russell tvho served in 
 the Church for about two years after the semi-centennial 
 celebration. His mayiuscript is still in the possession of the 
 Church. The turiting is notably neat and legible. The ink 
 scenes to have faded little, if any, and the paper is only 
 slightly discolored. The story as told by Mr. Russell fol- 
 lows. 
 
FIRST PERIOD, 1820—1840 A. D. 
 
 AT the spring meeting of the Miami Presbytery, held at 
 Lebanon, April 6th and 7th, 1819, a petition was pre- 
 sented from Middletown, Ohio, supplicating, first, occasional 
 preaching; second, liberty to form a Presbyterian Church 
 at that place. The petition was granted, and Rev. Francis 
 Monfort was appointed to preach one Sabbath at Middle- 
 town. 
 
 A little later in the month (14th), a number of persons 
 residing in and near Middletown met, according to agree- 
 ment and notice before given, for the purpose of being or- 
 ganized into a Presbyterian congregation. From the records 
 of that meeting it would appear that it was simply prelim- 
 inary, no organization proper being effected, although M. 
 W. Karr, was elected clerk ; A. Campbell, collector ; and 
 Ezek. Ball, treasurer. 
 
 During the following year, their plans and efforts hav- 
 ing so far matured as to warrant further steps, another 
 congregational meeting was held on Saturday, the 29th of 
 July, 1820, the specified purpose of which was the organiza- 
 tion of a church. The Rev. Francis Monfort, pastor, and the 
 elders of the New Jersey Church (an older sister in the 
 numerous and well-grown Presbyterian family making its 
 home in this highly favored valley), were present by invita- 
 tion to assist in the organization of the church. 
 
 After a sermon by Mr. Monfort, he, with the elders of 
 New Jersey Church present, viz. : Zebulon Baird, Tunis D. 
 Vanderveer, Hendrick Lane, Peter Covenhovin and Ankey 
 Wyckoff (some of whom are yet alive) , constituted by prayer 
 a sessional meeting. An invitation was then given for the 
 reception of members. After deliberation and conversa- 
 tion with persons making application for membership, ses- 
 sion adjourned, to meet in the same place on the 6th of Au- 
 gust. On Sabbath, the 6th of August, Rev. Francis Monfort 
 and three of the elders, viz.: Zebulon Baird, Peter Coven- 
 liovin and Ankey Wyckoff, met pursuant to adjournment, 
 and received applicants for membership. The total num- 
 ber of those who thus, in the good providence of God, be- 
 came associated together in the organization of this church 
 
 5 
 
was but twelve. Five of these, Mr. Archibald Campbell and 
 his wife, Mrs. Sarah Campbell; Moses W. Karr and Mrs. 
 Ann Karr, and Miss Jane Robinson, came by certificate from 
 the Presbyterian Church of Dick's Creek; four, Nathan 
 Peppard and Mrs. Peppard, David Potter and Miss Jane 
 Malery, by certificate from the Presbyterian Church at Mt. 
 Pleasant, Kentucky; three, Mr. John M. Barnett and Mrs. 
 Jane Barnett, his wife, and Ruth Fisher, by examination, 
 A little band, indeed! A mere handful! But these few 
 humble Christians were the nucleus about which future 
 forces and influences were to be gathered and grouped. That 
 early church was like a little vine. But God had planted it. 
 He watched and watered it, and it has grown and borne 
 much fruit. And already many Eschol-like clusters have 
 been gathered for the heavenly vintage. 
 
 The building in which these Christians gathered for wor- 
 ship, and where this organization was effected, and wherein 
 they worshipped for ten succeeding years, was probably a 
 schoolhouse that formerly occupied a part of the present 
 site of the public school building on the corner of Main and 
 Second streets. An interesting fact associated with the his- 
 tory of that old and almost forgotten school room is worthy 
 of mention. In it the first Sabbath School established in this 
 town was organized and for some time conducted. It was 
 on a kind of union basis. The Baptist Sabbath School was 
 an offshoot or outgrowth of it, a number of persons who held 
 to the distinctive tenets of that denomination having with- 
 drawn some two years after its organization and established 
 a school of their own. Of that first school, the one now a 
 part of this church, is the legal and legitimate successor, and 
 until a very recent date the records of that early school had 
 been transmitted in the keeping of this church. It appears 
 from the Presbyterial Records, that about this time a peti- 
 tion was presented from the Middletown Church for the 
 ministerial labors of Rev. Francis Monfort one-half his time, 
 which petition was granted, provided he concur. That this 
 arrangement was agreeable to Mr. Monfort, and that he 
 labored here, we learn from statistics and historical notes 
 gathered in 1842 at the demand of the Presbytery. Rev. 
 Francis Monfort supplied the pulpit of this church one-half 
 
 6 
 
his time for two years, commencing soon after its organ- 
 ization. 
 
 At a communion season in June, 1821, fifteen more were 
 added to the church, ten of whom united by certificate and 
 five by profession of their faith in Christ. On Friday, June 
 21st, preceding communion, a congregational meeting was 
 held for the purpose of electing elders. Three were chosen, 
 viz. : Wm. McClain, Nathaniel Peppard and Moses W. Karr ; 
 and on the next day, Saturday, they were solemnly ordained 
 to the holy and Scriptural office. In July, 1822, Rev. John 
 Ross visited Middletown as a missionary and administered 
 the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. From this date until 
 1828, a space of six years, we find no recorded data from 
 which to judge of the condition of the church. That it still 
 lived and struggled on we judge from occasional hints in the 
 records of the Presbytery. Such, for instance, as the re- 
 ceipt of a collection on behalf of some benevolent object, or 
 the appointment of some neighboring minister to preach 
 for a Sabbath, or to hold a series of meetings. That the 
 church was destitute of regular ministrations of the Word is 
 evident. In those days the facilities of worship and church 
 privileges were not as abundant and easy of access as now. 
 But perhaps the Christians of those days, if they had fewer 
 helps and advantages, sought light and strength more ear- 
 nestly of God. We may well make honorable mention of 
 these fathers and mothers of our church, and hold them in 
 sacred remembrance for their earnest faith and patient 
 works. We must remember that the church was still feeble. 
 It was an infant yet, and one rocked in the cradle of adver- 
 sity. Its members were in moderate circumstances and few 
 in numbers and could not sustain the regular means of grace. 
 Besides, the Presbytery had a very large missionary terri- 
 tory to occupy, bounded on the south by the Ohio River, on 
 the north by the lakes, east, by what was known as "Wash- 
 ington Presbytery," west, ad infinitum. 
 
 In August, 1828, previous notice having been given, the 
 congregation met for the purpose of electing two additional 
 elders. Choice was made of Archibald Campbell and 
 Ephraim Gray, who were ordained at the earliest opportun- 
 ity. In the following month this church, in connection with 
 
 7 
 
the Franklin Church, made application to the Board of Do- 
 mestic Missions that it might be supplied with regular 
 preaching for one year. 
 
 Rev. Samuel Smith was sent in answer to this request to 
 occupy the field, and was received by this church, but not by 
 Franklin. Mr. Smith was a man of more than ordinary 
 ability and attainment, so estimated by those who knew him 
 best. His labors seem to have been much blessed of God, 
 judging by the results, for in the course of a few months, at 
 a communion in which he was assisted by Rev. John Hud- 
 son, eleven were received on profession of faith in Christ, 
 among whom were Ann Lefferson, long useful and now la- 
 mented in this church, Mary Galbreath, now living in 
 Franklin, and Margaret Yeager; also three on certificate. 
 This was succeeded by an ingathering of nine on profession 
 of faith in the following August. And just here let a note 
 be made of the fact that of those who were thus gathered in, 
 but one received the ordinance of baptism, showing that 
 they were the children of faith, dedicated by their parents 
 to God. Thus does God seal as His own the children of His 
 people, and cause His blessing to rest on the fulfillment of 
 the Scripture taught and enjoined ordinance of infant bap- 
 tism. 
 
 Early in 1829, the church, feeling the necessity of i 
 building in which to worship God, began to move in the mat- 
 ter. In January a subscription was circulated for the pur- 
 pose of securing funds requisite to such an enterprise. 
 About nine hundred dollars ($900) was pledged, one-half 
 of which was to be paid in by the 10th of May, the remaining 
 one-half by the 10th of September. It seemed a great un- 
 dertaking, yet the hearts of the people were in it. "They 
 had a mind to work," as had the builders of the wall in the 
 days of Nehemiah. And some gave money, and some gave 
 work, and some gave money and work, and some prayed. 
 And so the work went on. An incident illustrative of the 
 spirit which characterized the people at that time should be 
 known. The solicitor of subscriptions came into the shop 
 where an apprentice lad, not a church member, but one 
 earnestly anxious for the welfare of the church, was at 
 work, and asked him to subscribe. He had no money and 
 
 8 
 
-:^ 
 
 ■*y$--. 
 
 
 ^-^^^^-^^ • 
 
 IOur first church building, erected on Broadway, in 1832, near where 
 the Lutheran Church parsonage now stands. Some of the brick in this 
 I building were used in the construction of the building now standing 
 Idirectly back of the Lutheran Church. 
 
 Rev. John B. Morton, 
 
 Pastor, 1840-47, 1853-65. Mr. 
 Morton was a tower of strength 
 in Middletown during his long 
 pastorate in this church. He 
 founded and taught a private 
 school for young women while 
 here. He is buried in the Mid- 
 dletown Cemetery. 
 
could not see his way clear to obtain any. It was suggested 
 to him that he put down some definite amount and endeavor 
 to obtain it. This he did. The amount was ten dollars. He 
 obtained it by working after his regular day's work was 
 done in odd ends of time. He experienced the blessedness 
 of giving. 
 
 Upon this financial basis the church began to operate. 
 Nine hundred dollars ($900) certainly seems to us in these 
 days of enlarged ecclesiastical enterprises and splendid tem- 
 ples a very paltry sum with which to begin a church build- 
 ing. But we must remember those days were, in some re- 
 spects, simpler than our own, and prices of labor and ma- 
 terial were vastly different from the high rates of the pres- 
 ent. The first step was to secure a suitable place. A beauti- 
 ful site was purchased of Daniel Doty, in the southern part 
 of the town, shaded and retired, the stately trees of whicli 
 suggest God's first temples. Nothing further seems to have 
 been done in this matter for two or three years, although 
 doubtless it occupied much of the thought and feeling of the 
 people. This period of time (1829-1831) seems to have been 
 a time of spiritual prosperity and enjoyment. The church 
 bad now what it had never before experienced, viz. : the ben- 
 efit of constant ministration. Mr. Smith, who during the 
 year preceding had been laboring with it but one-half his 
 time, now gave all his time and labors. But he was prob- 
 ably not yet ordained to the full work of the ministry, for 
 the Sessional Records make mention of the fact at every 
 regular communion of some neighboring minister being 
 present to administer the Sacrament. Yet his labors were 
 blessed to the edification and growth of the church. Cover- 
 ing this time we find such minutes as the following: 
 
 February 29th, 1830. Rev. Adrian Aken administered 
 the Lord's Supper. Seven were received on examination 
 into church membership at this time, among whom were Mr. 
 Patterson Mitchell, Mrs. Elizabeth Bonnell and Isaac Vad- 
 der. 
 
 July 3rd, 1830. Rev. J. W. Frazier administered the 
 Lord's Supper. Two added on profession. 
 
 October 2nd, 1830. Rev. J. W. Frazier again adminis- 
 tered communion. One was added to the church. 
 
 10 
 
April 30th, 1831. Communion season. Five added by 
 profession, two on certificate. Of these, one, Mary Fish, 
 now Mrs. Denny, is still a member of the church. Minis- 
 ters present. Revs. Dr. Thomas, Gaines, Weaver and Smith. 
 It must have been about this time or soon after that Mr. 
 Smith's labors ceased in this church. 
 
 In April, 1832, a meeting of the church members was 
 held at the house of Mr. Wm. McClain to consider plans of 
 church building, at which it was resolved, first, that the 
 building should be built of brick and its dimensions should 
 be forty-five (45) feet in length and thirty-five (35) feet in 
 width ; also resolved : That said house shall have three doors 
 in it, one large double door in front and one small door on 
 each side, and nine large windows and three small ones. 
 
 Mr. Wm. McClain, Wm. Judd and Moses W. Karr were 
 appointed a building committee and instructed with "full 
 powers" to erect the building. A contract was made with 
 Meeker S. Morton to build the house, which was fulfilled at 
 the specified time, and for which he received the sum of 
 seven hundred and eighty-nine dollars and fifty-three cents 
 « $789,53). The work of plastering was let to Eli Green for 
 forty-five ($45) dollars; the making of shutters, cornicing 
 and staircase to David Potter for eighty-four ($84) dollars ; 
 the furnishing the church with pews to David L. Murray. 
 The total cost of the building was about eleven hundred 
 ($1,100) dollars. The seats were sold to defray the expense 
 of building them. Three hundred ($300) dollars were real- 
 ized from the sale. The unoccupied seats were offered for 
 rent at the rates of one, one and one-half and two dollars per 
 year, as we learn from plats of the seats drafted for the con- 
 venience of the trustees and still preserved. 
 
 A peculiar and somewhat unusual disposition, how- 
 ever, was made of four pews, as we learn from a resolution 
 unanimously adopted at a congregational meeting held Feb- 
 ruary 11th, 1833. "Resolved, That the four pews on the south 
 of the pulpit, numbered thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two and 
 thirty-three, be reserved for the use of those persons who 
 have paid liberally toward the building of this house, and 
 who have since moved away." What particular benefit these 
 absent persons were expected to reap from their pews it is 
 
 11 
 
difficult to imagine. However, the church, as we find in a 
 subsequent item, very sensibly concluded to rent out these 
 four seats already specified until such time as these persons 
 to whom the church had thus shown its grateful good will, 
 t^hould return and claim them. 
 
 And thus the church became possessed of its first build- 
 ing, which still stands and now is owned and occupied by the 
 German Lutheran Church, From the time of the occupation 
 of this building for a number of years nothing unusual oc- 
 curred. During this period Rev, John Hudson supplied the 
 pulpit of the church one-fourth of the time for one year. 
 Succeeding him Rev. Alexander Guy preached for one year. 
 Then in the spring of 1837 application was made to the 
 Presbytery for the services of Rev. J. S. Belleville, This 
 was granted and Mr, Belleville labored here for a year or 
 more. And so earnest were his labors in word and doc- 
 trine that he became known throughout this section of the 
 country, far and near, as "Boanerges," the Son of Thunder. 
 During this period one member was added to the Session, 
 viz, : G, B. Crawford, ordained elder April 15th, 1837, and 
 some twenty to twenty-five were added to the membership 
 of the church, making a total of ninety-two members r'3- 
 ceived during the twenty-years which we have now re- 
 viewed, the greatest number at any one time in connection 
 with the church being between sixty and seventy. It was a 
 time of trial and struggle ; and often its condition seemed 
 hopeless, dying, and, behold, it lived. It was sustained and 
 fostered by the Presbytery and many appropriations were 
 made on its behalf. Of the men of God who ministered here 
 during this first twenty years of its life we add the follow- 
 ing notes : 
 
 Rev, Francis Monfort, who organized the church, died 
 June 18th, 1855, aged seventy-two and one-half years. After 
 a long and useful life in the ministry, embracing about for- 
 ty-two years, the greatest part of which was spent in the 
 Miami Valley, he came to his grave like a shock of corn fully 
 ripe. Let him be and in honor for his work's sake ! All the 
 rest are yet living. 
 
 Rev. S. B. Smith, in infirm health and advanced age, re- 
 sides somewhere in the East. 
 
 12 
 
Rev. John Hudson, also infirm, is living at West Liberty, 
 Iowa. 
 
 Rev. Alexander Guy, who retired from the ministry some 
 years since, resides in the town of Oxford, in this county, 
 and Father Belleville, whose failing health has not per- 
 mitted him to labor in the ministry actively for years, re- 
 sides in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. 
 
 SECOND PERIOD, 1840—1867. 
 
 THIS period embraces thirty years, the earlier portion oi 
 which is characterized by gradual growth. It begins 
 with darkness and closes with light. At the opening of the 
 year eighteen hundred and forty the affairs of the church 
 were in a very discouraging condition. Even with the help 
 received from the Board of Domestic Missions, it was impos- 
 sible to sustain regular preaching. The people very eagerly 
 and gratefully availed themselves of the means of grace 
 occasionally afforded, but they had lost heart. And so al- 
 most in despair they besought the Presbytery at its spring 
 meeting in April to devise some means by which the church 
 might be kept alive. It seemed that this candlestick was 
 about to be removed out of its place. The Presbytery, deem- 
 ing the church located in too important a place to be neg- 
 lected, gave attention to the request and instructed their 
 Commissioner to the Assembly, Rev. John Belleville, to se- 
 cure a minister, sent out under the auspices of the Domestic 
 Missionary Board, to labor in this place. In the meantime 
 Rev. M. Russell, the father of a later pastor, who had not 
 been licensed, was appointed at that same Presbyterial meet- 
 ing to preach during the month of May in this church. 
 
 On application of Mr. Belleville, Dr. Wm. McDowell, Sec- 
 retary of the Board of Domestic Missions, recommended a 
 young man, licentiate of the First Presbytery, New York, 
 whom he described as well fitted for the field and its work, 
 and whom we need not name as the pastor, so many years 
 of whose life were given to this church. 
 
 Rev. John B. Morton came to Middletown in June and 
 began his work. In October of the same year the church 
 requested leave of the Presbytery to employ him six months, 
 which request was granted. Mr. Morton served the church 
 
 13 
 
thus as stated supply until the fall of 1842, when the church 
 of Franklin requested his labors one-half the time for six 
 months. He then preached during that winter in the two 
 churches on alternate Sabbaths. In the fall of 1841 Mr. Na- 
 thaniel Furman, since deceased, and Mr. Patterson Mitchell, 
 a brother beloved, to whose fidelity and earnestness this 
 church owes much, now a resident of Dayton, were elected 
 and ordained Ruling Elders. During the period in which 
 Mr. Morton served the church as stated supply, a space of 
 almost three years, thirty-four members were added to the 
 church. 
 
 There seems to have been a more than usual manifesta- 
 tion of the Divine Power accompanying and applying the 
 preaching of the truth in the early part of the year 1843. 
 Many careless ones were awakened, and sought and found 
 peace in the atoning blood of Jesus. Daily meetings were 
 held a part of January and through the entire month of Feb- 
 ruary. In this work Mr. Morton was assisted principally by 
 Rev. Thomas E. Thomas, occasionally by Rev. Samuel New- 
 all, then of Lebanon, since called to Paris, Illinois, Rev. Sam- 
 uel B. Smith and Rev. John S. Weaver, Some twenty-five 
 were added to the church on profession of their faith in 
 Christ, among whom of the living were Miss Elizabeth Glas- 
 coe and Mrs. Sarah Hilt, yet residing here and abiding fast 
 in the faith of the Son of God ; also Mr. Wm. Mitchell, now 
 a Ruling Elder. Of those gone to the upper Sanctuary were 
 Dr. Peter Vanderveer, elected elder February, 1856, died 
 January 16th, 1861 ; Miss Margaret Vanderveer, afterward 
 Mrs. Morton, died July, 1865, and Mrs. Eliza Wampler, 
 called to her reward in Heaven February, 1866, but the 
 memory of whose earnest life is sweetly fragrant in the 
 hearts of those who knew her; also Miss Elizabeth Leffer- 
 son (Mrs. Thomas Wilson), died August 8th, 1872. These 
 all are blessed for they died in the Lord. These do rest from 
 their labors and their works do follow them. Immediately 
 succeeding this revival the church extended a call to Mr. 
 Morton to become its pastor. The following record bears 
 date of Thursday, March 14th, 1843. 
 
 "The members and supporters of the Middletown church 
 met for the purpose of electing a pastor. Rev. James Coe 
 
 14 
 
moderated the meeting which resulted in the choice of Rev. 
 John B. Morton by a unanimous vote." 
 
 Patterson Mitchell, Elder, was instructed to prosecute 
 the call at the ensuing meeting of the Presbytery. At the 
 meeting of the Presbytery, April 4th, the call was presented, 
 found in order, put into the hands of Mr. Morton, and ac- 
 cepted by him. 
 
 Tuesday, 25th of April, was appointed as the day of his 
 ordination and installation to the pastorate of the church. 
 
 Rev. James C, Barnes, of Dayton, was appointed to 
 preach the ordination sermon; Rev. James Coe to preside 
 and deliver the charge to the pastor; and Rev. John S. Gallo- 
 way to deliver the charge to the people. Those brethren and 
 fathers in the ministry have all yielded up their earthly 
 stewardship and joined the general assembly and church oi 
 the first born who are enrolled in heaven. Mr. Morton con- 
 tinued pastor of the church for four years, during which 
 time eighteen more were added to its membership, and one 
 elder, Wm. Cassady, elected at what precise date it can not 
 be ascertained, no minute having been made of the fact. Yet 
 as his name first appeared in sessional meetings held during 
 the spring of 1847, it must have been about this time he was 
 inducted into office. Rev. Mr. Morton labored but one-half 
 his time here during the last two years of his pastorate. 
 
 In April ,1845, by mutual agreement, the Presbytery 
 sanctioning, he was released from labor one-half his time 
 and engaged by the Franklin church for this unoccupied 
 portion of time. 
 
 In 1846 the same arrangement was effected. And in 
 1847 the pastoral relation between Mr. Morton and this 
 church was dissolved by Presbytery. At the same time per- 
 mission was asked and obtained, on the part of the church, 
 to employ Rev. S. M. Templeton, who had just attached him- 
 self to this Presbytery, by a regular dismission from the 
 Presbytery of Coshocton. We do not know and "have not 
 been able to ascertain the age of Mr. Templeton, nor the 
 length of time he had been preaching, or whether this was 
 his first settlement, although we infer that he was young 
 in the ministry if not in years from this fact, that a little 
 memorandum book, which has fallen into our hands, in which 
 
 15 
 
he kept the roll of his Sabbath School class while he was a 
 student in the Seminary at Allegheny, bears date of the year 
 1839, but seven years prior to his coming here. 
 
 Mr. Templeton served the church as a stated supply for 
 eighteen months. Then in the fall of 1848 he received a call 
 to the pastorate of the church, but was never installed pas- 
 tor. For what reason it does not appear. He obtained per- 
 mission of the Presbytery to retain the call for six months 
 in his hands without positively deciding upon it, and at the 
 expiration of the six months renewed the request, which 
 was again granted. 
 
 During the latter part of 1850, Mr. Morton, who, in the 
 meantime, had been pastor of the Franklin Church, resigned 
 his pastoral office and removed to Middletown and supplied 
 jointly with Mr. Templeton the pulpit here for about a year. 
 
 During those years the church moved along quietly, noth- 
 ing remarkable or unusual transpiring to distinguish them. 
 Some twenty-five persons in all, upon profession of faith 
 and by certificate, were added to the church. Mr. Templeton 
 died at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, some time between 1860 and 
 1865. 
 
 In 1853 Mr. Morton was invited to supply the pulpit of 
 this church for six months. It was about this time that the 
 church became entirely self-sustaining. For at this date we 
 find the last appropriation ordered by Presbytery for the 
 assistance of the church. About this time, too, the church 
 began to lay plans for a new building, but of this proposal no 
 minutes or records of any kind seem to have been kept, or if 
 made they were long since lost, excepting a faded subscrip- 
 tion list recently unearthed, and in which may be found 
 names of many living members of this community. The re- 
 sult of those plans is seen in the building which the church 
 now occupies. It was begun in 1854 and finished in 1856, 
 its probable cost being from ten to twelve thousand dollars. 
 The building committee was Dr. G. E. Wampler, Thomas 
 Wilson, John L. Martin and Wm. S. Young. The dedication 
 sermon was preached by Rev. J. S. Kemper, of Dayton, in 
 the summer of 1856. 
 
 About this time Mrs. James Brookfield, a member of this 
 church died and left by will the sum of five hundred dollars 
 
 16 
 
Pastor 1867-72. 
 Rev. Joshua L. Russell, 
 
 Rev. Joseph W. Clokey, 
 Pastor 1873-78. 
 Mr. Ciokey was a leader in the 
 early temperance crusades. 
 
 17 
 
to the church, which bequest was appropriated in the build- 
 ing of the church. Mrs. Brookfield presented to the church 
 the silver baptismal bowl yet in use. This bowl is itself an 
 object of some interest. It is at least one hundred and twen- 
 ty-five years old and bears these inscriptions : 
 
 "The Gift of Thomas Villett 
 
 to Cornelius Van Scis, 
 
 August, 1747 A. D. 
 
 Success to the Brig Fanny." 
 
 "Presented to the Presbyterian Church at 
 
 Middletown, Ohio, 
 
 by Mrs. Brookfield, 
 
 August 1st, 1845." 
 
 And thus this which was once a wine bowl for revelry upon 
 the high seas, is now a quiet vessel in the Sanctuary of the 
 Lord, unlike the old time vessels of the Lord which were 
 taken from the Temple to grace the Babylon Bacchanals. 
 Sometime history, instead of repeating, reverses itself. 
 
 Rev. Morton continued to supply the church until April, 
 1856, when he was a second time called to be its pastor. He 
 accepted the call and Thursday, April 29th, was appointed 
 as the day of installation. Rev. J. S. Kemper was appointed 
 to preside and preach the sermon, Rev. J. H. Brooks to de- 
 liver the charge to the pastor and Rev. J. Coe to the people. 
 Unavoidable circumstances prevented the installation at the 
 appointed time and the service was held October 3rd. 
 
 During these three years (1853-1856) five elders were 
 added to the session — Wm. Mitchell and Dr. Samuel R. 
 Evans were elected February 19th, 1854 — Dr. P. Vander- 
 veer, Wm. M. Mills and Stephen E. Giffin (the latter after- 
 ward removed to Hamilton, served efficiently in the Session 
 of that church for years and died in 1869) , were elected and 
 ordained in February, 1856. At the same time Messrs. J. 
 S. Clark, Peter Butler and Solomon Brock were elected and 
 ordained deacons. This period seems to have been charac- 
 terized by great spiritual activity, and may almost be de- 
 scribed a continuous revival. Ninety two were added to the 
 church, sixty-two of them on profession of faith in Jesus 
 Christ. From this time until the spring of 1865, a little 
 
 18 
 
Our Second Church Building. 
 Erected on the site of the present building, northeast corner of 
 Fourth and Main Streets. Dedicated, 1856. The material in this build- 
 ing was used in the construction of the Oakland Church in 1892. 
 
 19 
 
more than seven years, Mr. Morton continued to be pastor 
 of the church. During this time seventy-seven were added 
 to the church. Death having made inroads upon the Session 
 and some members having removed, in November, 1861, 
 David Mumma and Horace P. Clough vv^ere elected and or- 
 dained elders. Also in March, 1864, P. P. LaTourrette and 
 David E. Taylor v^ere elected, but Dr. Taylor declined to 
 serve. 
 
 On March 26th, 1865, Mr. Morton resigned the pastor- 
 ate. For the next two years, from June, 1865, to 1867, Rev. 
 G. I. Taylor served the church as stated supply. Nine mem- 
 bers w^ere added to the church. Four elders and five dea- 
 cons were also elected in April, 1866, viz. : Alexander Ure, 
 Thomas Wilson, J. G. Clarke and R. K. Mcllhenny, elders ; 
 John Blair, John Kemp, C. B. Johnson, James C. King and 
 Langdon Sheaff, deacons. 
 
 The two last named have since removed from the bounds 
 of this church, Langdon Sheaff to occupy the position of su- 
 perintendent of the Y. M. C. Association, first in Cincinnati, 
 and afterward in Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 THIRD PERIOD 1867—1872. 
 
 DURING the spring of 1867 the church building was re- 
 modeled and greatly improved in its internal arrange- 
 ments. A pipe organ was purchased and set up in a recess 
 constructed for it, in the rear of the pulpit. 
 
 In June, 1867, a unanimous call was extended to Rev. 
 Joshua L. Russell, a recent graduate of Princeton Theolog- 
 ical Seminary and a licentiate of the Presbytery of Miami. 
 The call was accepted by him, and on the 16th of August 
 following he was ordained and installed pastor of this 
 church by the appointment of Presbytery. Rev. T. E. 
 Thomas, D. D., of Dayton, preached the sermon. Rev. John 
 B. Morton, of Middletown, presided and proposed the con- 
 stitutional questions. Rev. E. R. Bower, of Springfield, de- 
 livered the charge to the pastor. Rev. H. W. Taylor, of 
 Franklin, the charge to the people. 
 
 The church about this time seems to have received a 
 baptism of the spirit of zeal and energy and its growth in 
 every respect was constant and marked. This condition 
 
 20 
 
continued until the fall of 1869 when the signs of earnest 
 Christian life and work became still more abundant. The 
 prayer meeting began rapidly to increase in numbers. The 
 Sabbath services were characterized by an almost painful 
 solemnity. The attendance on the preaching of the word in- 
 creased till every available spot in the church was occupied. 
 The people seemed to be hungry for the truth, and the more 
 purely Jesus Christ and Him crucified was preached, the bet- 
 ter did they appear to be satisfied. Daily meetings werr- 
 appointed and largely attended for weeks. The power of 
 God's spirit was manifest. The members of the church 
 were revived. Impenitent men and women began to inquire 
 into their personal duties and obligations. Deep convictions 
 succeeded; sins were confessed, pardon was sought, peace 
 was found. The old and the young alike felt the need of 
 Jesus Christ. Sabbath after Sabbath newly pardoned souls 
 confessed Christ in the presence of His people until in the 
 three months succeeding the "Week of Prayer" more than 
 one hundred had been, as in Pentecostal days, added to the 
 Lord and to His Church. In nine cases both heads of fami- 
 lies came together to profess their faith in Jesus and to walk 
 as heirs together of the grace of Christ. Verily of this sea- 
 son it may be written that **He brought us into His banquet- 
 ing house and His banner over us was love. There was our 
 mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing." 
 The influence of this remarkable revival upon the life and 
 history of the church can not well be exaggerated. It estab- 
 lished the church strongly. It inspired it with hope and 
 courage. It infused fresh life blood into it. It gave the peo- 
 ple a sense of the divine favor and implanted a spirit which 
 has never departed since, as may be seen in the continued 
 accessions that marked the remainder of this pastorate and 
 the succeeding one. And in the character of the majority of 
 those who united with the church at this time the church 
 was especially blessed. They were chiefly mature men and 
 women, and their incoming gave the church a sense of 
 strength which has made her like a strong man rejoicing to 
 run a race. 
 
 In April, 1869, Charles S. Barnitz and John Breeding 
 were elected and ordained deacons. 
 
 21 
 
On the 29th of July, 1870, this church celebrated its 
 "Semi-Centennial" anniversary. A history of the church 
 was read by the pastor, Rev. J. L. Russell. Addresses were 
 delivered by Rev. J. L. Belleville and J. B. Morton, also by 
 Rev. T. E. Thomas, D. D., then pastor of the First Presby- 
 terian Church of Dayton, Ohio. Letters were read from 
 Rev. George I. Taylor, Alexander Guy, Wm. Cassidy and 
 others associated with the church as ministers or members 
 in years past. Withal it was a most profitable occasion, re- 
 viving old and blessed memories of divine grace and provi- 
 dence, stimulating the faith of God's people in the Covenant 
 promises of God and implanting hope and courage for the 
 future. 
 
 In the spring of 1871 the church at a congregational 
 meeting by a full and fair vote adopted the plan of electing 
 elders and deacons for the limited terms. 
 
 During the summer of 1871 a preaching post was estab- 
 lished at Jacksonburg, a village six miles west of Middle- 
 town. A number of persons having been converted under 
 the preaching of the word, and others who in former years 
 had been in connection with some evangelical denomination, 
 but who had long been deprived of the regular means of 
 grace, being quickened and revived spiritually, it was felt de- 
 sirable that a church should be organized at this place. Hence 
 the Presbytery of Dayton was petitioned by a number of 
 persons, who pledged themselves to become members of such 
 an organization, to establish a Presbyterian church at Jack- 
 sonburg. The petition was granted, and the church was 
 organized. The church at Jacksonburg was very justly re- 
 garded as the offspring of the Middletown church. It orig- 
 inated in the labors and preaching of the pastor of the Mid- 
 dletown church, assisted by the earnest efforts of a zealous 
 and faithful Christian band. 
 
 In the month of September, 1872, Rev. J. L. Russell was 
 called to the pastorate of the Park Presbyterian Church, of 
 Dayton, and at its meeting Presbytery, in the same month, 
 translated him to take charge of the Park church. 
 
 During these five years from 1867 to 1872 the church was 
 greatly strengthened. It grew from a membership of one 
 hundred to almost three hundred, and such was its strength 
 
 22 
 
not only numerically, but spiritually and socially, that it 
 passed easily to the first place among the churches in the 
 town. 
 
 During the pastorate about seventy members were re- 
 ceived by certificate, one hundred and thirty-one on exam- 
 ination, thirty-six infants were baptized and fifty-nine 
 adults. There were also sixty funerals and thirty-four wed- 
 dings at which the pastor officiated. 
 
 FOURTH PERIOD— 1870 TO 1919. 
 We have in our church today as one of our most active 
 workers and faithful attendants a distant relative of our 
 fir'st pastor, Rev. Francis Monfort. Her father was an elder 
 in the Presbyterian Church for forty-two years and clerk of 
 the Session in our Church for about thirty-six years of the 
 last half century. No doubt very frequently the work of the 
 church and its interests were the subject of the meal-time 
 and fireside convei'sations in her home. For these reasons, 
 as well as because of her ability and interest in the work, it 
 is only fitting and proper that the story as told by Mr. Rus- 
 sell should be continued by this member, Miss Josephinf 
 LaTourrette. This she has done most acceptably. 
 
 FOR a period of seven months after the close of Rev. J. L. 
 Russell's labors the church was without a pastor. At the 
 end of that time, on April 22, 1873, a call was made out to 
 Rev. Joseph W. Clokey to become its pastor. This call was 
 immediately accepted by him and his labors began on the 
 first Sabbath of May of that year. The installation services 
 took place June 5, 1873. Rev. J. H. Montgomery, of the 
 Third Street Presbyterian Church, of Dayton, Ohio, 
 preached the sermon. Rev. J. R. Hughes, of the Memorial 
 Church, of Dayton, presided and proposed the constitutional 
 questions and delivered the charge to the people. Rev. Sam- 
 uel Findlay, D. D., of the New Jersey Church, delivered the 
 charge to the pastor. 
 
 This pastorate, so happily begun, continued for five years 
 when Mr. Clokey was released July 3, 1878, to accept a call 
 to the First Church of New Albany, Indiana. During his 
 ministry here our church was blessed by two gracious out- 
 pourings of the Holy Spirit, the one occurring at the begin - 
 
 23 
 
ring of the year 1875 and lasting nearly two months; the 
 other in the spring of 1877 and continuing over one month. 
 The first of these awakenings was remarkable for its results 
 among the adults ; the second, for its results among the chil- 
 dren. 
 
 The attendance, both at the services on the Sabbath and 
 at prayer meeting, was very large, averaging on Wednesday 
 evening no less than 100 the year round, often running up 
 to 140 and 150 persons. 
 
 The Young People's Association grew out of these same 
 awakenings, having a membership of nearly 100 and an 
 average attendance of 50 and often running up to 70 and 80. 
 
 The statistics of this pastorate are: Two hundred and 
 twenty-seven added to the church, 156 being admitted by 
 profession ; of these, 67 were baptized ; of the 156, 79 were 
 over twenty years of age, 29 were over forty years of age, 
 14 were over fifty years of age, 3 between seventy and eighty 
 years, 1 was over eighty years, and 1 over ninety years. At 
 the close of this remarkable pastorate the church roll num- 
 bered 487 members. 
 
 Mr. Clokey was a faithful pastor, popular among the 
 young people and well liked by the citizens of the town. He 
 was a man of ability and of strong convictions, prominent 
 in every movement for the betterment of Middletown and 
 very active in the Temperance Crusade which occurred dur- 
 ing his pastorate here. Mr. Clokey passed away August 
 17, 1919. He had been busily engaged in writing reminis- 
 cences for this centennial celebration when he was suddenly 
 stricken with the illness which resulted in his death. 
 
 There was an interim of a few months after Mr. Clokey's 
 labors closed during which all the services of the church 
 were held regularly. Then on November 12, 1878, a con- 
 gregational meeting was held and a unanimous call was ten- 
 dered to Rev. Thomas H. Hench to become pastor. Mr. 
 Hench accepted the call, and on December 8, 1878, entered 
 upon his work here as pastor-elect. 
 
 The rotary system of electing the Ruling Elders and 
 Deacons had been adopted by the church in 1871 during Mr. 
 Russell's pastorate. This system had not proved satisfac- 
 tory to the congregation, neither had it been conducive to 
 
 24 
 
Rev. Thomas H. Hench, Pastor 1878-83. 
 
 harmony in the church, so at a congregational meeting held 
 May, 1879, it was almost unanimously resolved that the 
 church abolish the rotary system and return to the perma- 
 nent system of office bearers, and this system has continued 
 to the present time. The elders elected at this time were 
 J. W. Hill, Montgomery Patton, John Blair, Alexander Ure, 
 Alexander Hill and P. P. LaTourrette. The deacons elected 
 were James B. Hartley, Dr. C. S. Barnitz, Wm. Caldwell, 
 James McClellan and Dr. I. N. Foote. 
 
 This period of unrest and dissatisfaction greatly embar- 
 rassed the pastor-elect and interfered with the growth and 
 progress of the work, but from this time the church in- 
 creased in peace and harmony during his stay with us. His 
 installation having been deferred, now took place in Octo- 
 ber, 1879. Rev. W. J. McKnight, of Springfield, preached 
 the sermon and presided ; Dr. W. W. Colmery, of Oxford, de- 
 livered the charge to the pastor, and Rev. J. H. Montgomery, 
 of Dayton, the charge to the people. 
 
 Mr. Hench has himself testified to the very pleasant and 
 cordial relations existing between the pastor and people dur- 
 
 25 
 
ing the settlement of the matter mentioned above, and that 
 every one respected his independent and impartial position. 
 
 After the restoration of harmony in the church there 
 were not wanting tokens of the divine blessing on the church, 
 especially in 1882. After the week of prayer the church en- 
 joyed a season of awakening which resulted in the addition 
 of more than 36 persons by letter and on confession of faith. 
 
 During the summer of 1881 the congregation expended 
 over $3,000 in repairing and remodeling the church. The 
 pews were repainted in walnut, walls and ceiling were fres- 
 coed, stained glass windows were put in, new carpets were 
 placed on the floor, a walnut pulpit and handsome chairs 
 were placed on the platform and the organ was thoroughly 
 repaired and the pastor's study was renovated and refur- 
 nished. 
 
 An efi'ort made to organize a missionary society during 
 Mr. Hench's first year failed because of opposition and lack 
 of a general missionary spirit. After a year or two the pas- 
 tor's wife succeeded in organizing a society. She also or- 
 ganized a Mission Band in her Sabbath School class, into 
 which one or two other classes were received. 
 
 During the first two years of this pastorate there was an 
 unusually large number of deaths among the members of 
 the church and congregation, some of them leading persons 
 in the church and community, such as Mr. George Jacoby. 
 Mr. Thomas Wilson, Mr. David Mumma, a much beloved 
 elder at that time, Mrs. Alexander Hill and others. 
 
 Mr. Hench was a man of pleasing personality, well liked 
 in the church and community, a spiritual and Godly man, a 
 faithful pastor, who felt he was not successful in doing the 
 Lord's work here, and so at his own request the pastoral re- 
 lation was dissolved by Presbytery, and he closed his pastor- 
 ate here on Sabbath, May 27, 1883. 
 
 Rev. John Ballard Morton, for twenty-one years stated 
 supply and pastor of this church, died on the 31st of March, 
 1882, during this pastorate. 
 
 After the termination of the pastorate of Rev. Thomas 
 H. Hench, the pulpit was supplied by different ministers 
 until August 4, 1883, when at a congregational meeting 
 called for the purpose a unanimous call was tendered Rev. 
 
 26 
 
Heber A. Ketchum, of Portsmouth, Ohio, to become pastor. 
 The church in this instance departed from the usual custom 
 in calling a pastor, as Mr. Ketchum was called without ever 
 having visited the church and without even being personally 
 known except to a very few of the members. A short time 
 after receiving the call he visited the church, spent several 
 days here and occupied the pulpit on the Sabbath to the gen- 
 eral satisfaction of the congregation. Being well satisfied 
 himself, he in due time accepted the call and made prepara- 
 tions for moving here. When he made application to Ports- 
 mouth Presbytery to dissolve his pastorate with the Second 
 I*resbyterian Church at Portsmouth, that church protested 
 so strongly against it that Presbytery declined to sever the 
 pastoral relation. This was a sore disappointment to our 
 people. 
 
 After this several candidates were heard without satis- 
 factory results, when on November 15, 1883, the Session act- 
 ing upon the expressed wishes of a number of the members 
 employed Rev. Henry B. Elliott, D. D,, to supply the pulpit 
 until the spring meeting of Presbytery, and at the annual 
 meeting of the congregation on the last Saturday in March, 
 1884, the Session was authorized to employ Dr. Henry B. El- 
 liott for six months longer which was done. 
 
 Mr. Elliott was an evangelical, scholarly and able minis- 
 ter of the Gospel, and faithful in the discharge of pastoral 
 work and much beloved by the older members of the church. 
 
 From the Sessional Record the following is taken : At a 
 congregational meeting September 18, 1884, the following 
 paper was presented and unanimously adopted and ordered 
 to be spread on the Sessional Records : "The Rev. H. B. Elli- 
 ott, D. D., having signified his intention of retiring from 
 the supply of our pulpit at the expiration of his present en- 
 gagement with us, we take this occasion as a congregation 
 to express our entire confidence in him as a man and as a 
 Christian minister and most cordially bear testimony to the 
 zeal and fidelity with which he has served our church for the 
 past year, as well as to his rare ability as an expounder of 
 the Word, being a workman, indeed, that needeth not to be 
 ashamed. Our prayers and good wishes will follow him into 
 whatever field his future lot may be cast." 
 
 27 
 
Rev. Scott F. Hershey, 
 Pastor 1884-87. 
 
 Rev. George M. McCampbell, 
 Pastor 1890-95. 
 
 28 
 
Dr. Elliott was called higher just about a year ago, dur- 
 ing the summer of 1918, in New York City. 
 
 Dr. Elliott's pastorate closed about the middle of October, 
 1884, after which several candidates were heard, but no one 
 was tendered a call. 
 
 In November Rev. Scott F. Hershey, Ph.D., was invited 
 to supply us for a Sabbath or two, and his ministrations 
 proving so acceptable to the congregation, he was, on the 
 17th day of December, 1884, employed as stated supply to 
 the 1st of April, 1885. Mr. Hershey was at that time a 
 member of the Lancaster (Ohio) Classis of the Reformed 
 German Church. 
 
 Mr. Hershey was employed with the understanding that 
 ihe privilege of hearing other candidates during the time be 
 reserved. April 1st, the Session being satisfied it was the 
 desire of the congregation that the labors of Mr. Hershey 
 be continued as stated supply of the church, entered into an 
 agreement with him to supply us for six months more or 
 until the fall meeting of Presbytery, with the understanding 
 that it be continued for one year from that time with ap- 
 proval of Presbytery. 
 
 From the beginning Mr. Hershey's ministrations were 
 well received. The attendance at both the Sabbath services 
 largely increased and continued to increase, as did the 
 Wednesday evening prayer meetings. While there was no 
 great religious awakening there were steady accessions to 
 the church. No communion season passed without additions 
 to the church. There were more than one hundred and five 
 new members received, most of them being young people, as 
 Mr. Hershey and his wife were both very popular among the 
 young people, and as a result they steadily increased in num- 
 bers at all the church services. 
 
 Mrs. Hershey organized a class of young men, beginning 
 v/ith one member, and increasing to thirty or more, most of 
 whom were from outside the church. She also took great in- 
 terest in the Mission Band of Willing Workers which, quot- 
 ing from the church narrative, raised $115.00 in one year, 
 $25.00 of which was contributed toward a scholarship in 
 Alaska. The Woman's Society and the Home and Foreign 
 
 29' 
 
Missionary Societies also became more active. In fact, all 
 branches of church work showed renewed activity. 
 
 The church built and equipped a substantial manse ad- 
 joining the church at a cost of about $5,041, which was pro- 
 vided for, and our church was entirely free from debt at the 
 close of Mr. Hershey's labors, and seemed in a prosperous 
 condition. On September 25, 1887, Mr. Hershey's work 
 among us ceased, he having accepted a call to the Sixth Pres- 
 byterian Church at Washington, D. C. 
 
 Mr. Alexander Hill, an honored member of the Session, 
 and Mrs. Caroline Corson, wife of Dr. John Corson, died 
 during this pastorate. 
 
 The regular services of the church continued after Mr. 
 Hershey closed his work here, different ministers preaching 
 for us, until on March 20, 1888, a hearty and unanimous call 
 was given to the Rev. W. J. McConkey, of Grove City, Pa., 
 to become pastor. After due deliberation, Mr. McConkey 
 declined to accept the call. 
 
 At a congregational meeting held on June 18, 1888, Rev. 
 J. M. Simonton, of Danville, Pa., was voted a unanimous call 
 to become pastor of this church. Mr. Simonton accepted the 
 call and entered upon his work as pastor-elect September 2, 
 1888. On October 16, 1888, he was duly installed as pastor 
 of the church. Rev. W. A. Hutchison preached the sermon, 
 presided and propounded the constitutional questions. Rev. 
 G. W. Gowdy, of the New Jersey Church, delivered the 
 charge to the people, and Rev. S. S. Cryer, of the Cincinnati 
 Presbytery, gave the charge to the pastor. 
 
 There was no marked spiritual awakening during Mr. Si- 
 monton's pastorate, yet there was a steady increase in the 
 membership. At nearly every meeting of the Session and at 
 every communion there were accessions to the church, both 
 on confession of faith and by letter. 
 
 The church services both on the Sabbath and on Wednes- 
 day evenings were well attended. The statement is made 
 that at this time one-fifth of the membership attended 
 prayer meeting. The Sabbath School, although it did not 
 increase in members, did not materially decrease. 
 
 A committee of six ladies was appointed at this time to 
 look after and show due attention to any Presbyterian fam- 
 
 30 
 
ilies who might move into this city. This committee was to 
 serve for six months and consisted of the following ladies : 
 Mrs. Montgomery Patton, Mrs. C. S. Barnitz, Mrs. Dr. Mc- 
 Clellan, Mrs. C. B. Oglesby, Miss Lou Hilt and Mrs. Joseph 
 Shafor. 
 
 Mr. J. K. Thomas, who for many years had been the effi- 
 cient chorister of the church and Sabbath School, tendered 
 his resignation to the Session March 6, 1889. In accepting 
 his resignation the Session unanimously adopted the follow- 
 ing resolutions : 
 
 "Whereas, Mr. J. K. Thomas has tendered his resigna- 
 tion as chorister of this church ; and, whereas, his services 
 for these many years in this capacity have been most faith- 
 ful, his management wise and efficient, 
 
 "Resolved, That the resignation of Brother Thomas be 
 accepted and that in its acceptance we would accord to him 
 our due appreciation for his valuable and gratuitous serv- 
 ices ; and, 
 
 "Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be entered on 
 the records of the church and that it be read at the next an- 
 nual meeting of the congregation." 
 
 On February 11, 1890, Mr. Montgomery Patton, an hon- 
 ored member of the Session, passed away. 
 
 Mr. Simonton, having previously resigned on November 
 12, 1890, at his request a meeting of the congregation was 
 called. Having received a call to the Third Presbyterian 
 Church of Cincinnati, Ohio, which he had decided to accept, 
 he wished the congregation to join with him in asking the 
 Presbytery of Dayton to dissolve the existing pastoral rela- 
 tion. With regret his request was complied with. 
 
 The pastoral relation between Rev. J. M. Simonton and 
 this church was dissolved November 17, 1890, and his minis- 
 try closed on Sabbath, November 23, 1890, and we were 
 again without a pastor. 
 
 Mr. Simonton was a kind, genial man, a faithful pastor, 
 a man of spotless and consistent Christian character. 
 
 After an interim of a little over two months, on Febru- 
 ary 7, 1891, Rev. George M. McCampbell, of the First Pres- 
 byterian Church of Stapleton, Long Island, was tendered a 
 call to the pastorate of this church. The call was accepted, 
 
 31 
 
and on February 22, 1891, he entered upon his duties here 
 as pastor-elect. 
 
 On May 22, 1891, Rev. G. M. McCampbell was duly in- 
 stalled as pastor of this church. Rev. George E. Gowdy, 
 Moderator of Dayton Presbytery, presided and propounded 
 the constitutional questions. Dr. J. H. Hutchinson, of Jef- 
 fersonville, Indiana, preached the sermon, Rev. Edgar W. 
 Work, D. D., gave the charge to the pastor, and Rev. Mr. 
 Willetts the charge to the people. 
 
 When Mr. McCampbell began his work the outlook was 
 very encouraging. The congregation at the Sabbath serv- 
 ices steadily increased in numbers, and there was a marked 
 improvement in the attendance of the young people at those 
 services. A large increase in the enrollment and average 
 attendance of the Sabbath School was noticed, much beyond 
 that of any former year. The same increase was noted in 
 the Wednesday evening prayer meeting. 
 
 The Women's Societies were reorganized and were now 
 working under the same plan as they had several years pre- 
 vious, when they had done such efficient work. 
 
 Mr. McCampbell adopted a systematic plan of house-to- 
 house visiting, and so kept in touch with his people. A spirit 
 of harmony prevailed and the church seemed in a prosperous 
 condition. 
 
 At the annual business meeting of the congregation, 
 April 4, 1891, it was decided to proceed in the erection of a 
 new church edifice. This was a dream of years and was 
 now about to become a reality. Over $25,000 was reported 
 to have been subscribed at that time for that purpose. A 
 building committee of fifteen was appointed, consisting of 
 the following persons : Theodore Marston, Wm. Caldwell, C. 
 
 B. Oglesby, J. B. Hartley, Jos. Iseminger, C. B. Johnson, J. 
 K. Thomas, Dr. C. S. Barnitz, Charles E. Margerum, George 
 
 C. Jacoby, Murray Schenck, E. McCallay, H. P. Leibee, Dr. 
 Samuel McClellan and P. P. LaTourrette. Full powers were 
 delegated to this committee to select a site, adopt a plan of 
 building and to secure further subscriptions. 
 
 On July 29, 1891, a congregational meeting was held to 
 authorize this building committee, if the way be clear, to dis- 
 pose of the present church site, excepting the parsonage. 
 
 32 
 
After a free discussion of the matter the congregation de- 
 cided by a large majority to authorize the trustees and build- 
 ing committee to dispose of the present site. They were also 
 given the power and authorized to procure another site for 
 the erection of a new church building. 
 
 In July of this year (1891) a meeting of the officers of 
 the church was held to consider the advisability of holding 
 outdoor religious services in Oakland Place, at that time a 
 suburb of Middletown, as well as to conduct a weekly prayer 
 meeting at private houses in that locality. It was decided 
 that the pastor hold such out-door services during the time 
 the weather would permit and also conduct the weekly 
 prayer meetings. A committee consisting of Wm. Caldwell, 
 C. S. Barnitz and J. W. Hill was authorized to erect the nec- 
 essary seats and platform, as well as to obtain the permis- 
 sion of the owner of the ground to use the same for this pur- 
 pose. This movement resulted eventually in the organiza- 
 tion of the Oakland Presbyterian Church. 
 
 In August, 1891, it is recorded that Messrs. C. B. John- 
 son, William Caldwell, Theodore Marston, George C. Bar- 
 nitz, James K. Thomas and Mrs. Rachel Magee, the last- 
 named being a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 had contributed six hundred dollars and purchased two lots 
 on the corner of Woodlawn and Garfield Avenues, in Oak- 
 land Subdivision, of the City of Middletown, Ohio, and that 
 these persons had donated the same to the First Presbyte- 
 rian Church of Middletown for the purpose of erecting 
 thereon a chapel, or church, to be under the control of the 
 trustees of the First Church until such time as the said 
 church and congregation to be organized shall become self- 
 sustaining. When the same shall be self-sustaining the 
 donors desired that the lots be transferred by the trustees 
 of the First Church to the trustees of the new church. The 
 records state that this enterprise has had the support of 
 many other persons, among whom were John L. Blair, Wil- 
 liam McLean, Charles B. Oglesby, Dr. Samuel McClellan, 
 Mr. John W. Hill, Mrs. Jeanette Crawford, Mrs. Joseph 
 Thum, Mrs. George Swainey, Sarah Beard and, at a later 
 date, Mr. A. L. Foster. 
 
 At the annual congregational meeting of the First 
 
 34 
 
Church, April 6, 1892, a resolution was introduced asking- 
 the congregation to donate the material in the old church 
 building, or so much of the same as could be utilized for that 
 purpose, together with all the furniture in it except the mu- 
 sical instruments and the chairs, for the purpose of build- 
 ing and furnishing a church or chapel on the lots above re- 
 ferred to. After discussion the congregation voted in the 
 affirmative. 
 
 During this year the Oakland Church was completed and 
 regular services were held with large congregations, espe- 
 cially on Sabbath evenings. A weekly prayer meeting was 
 held. A committee from the First Church, consisting of 
 Elders Marston, Evans and LaTourrette, was appointed to 
 organize a Sabbath School, which was done February 19, 
 1893, with a very promising outlook for its future growth 
 and prosperity as 86 names were enrolled as members of the 
 school. Mr. John L. Blair was elected Superintendent. A 
 Society of Christian Endeavor was also organized. The ex- 
 penses of this church were borne by members of the First 
 Church. These were busy times for the First Church with 
 the building of two churches on at the same time. 
 
 It was finally decided by the building committee of fifteen 
 to erect the new church on the old site. There was some ob- 
 jection to a new site, and many were in favor of using the 
 old one, largely through sentiment. So the work was begun, 
 and on Saturday, November 5, 1892, at 3:00 P. M., the cor- 
 ner-stone was laid with impressive ceremonies, in the pres- 
 ence of a large gathering of people. The program on this 
 occasion was as follows : 
 
 Hymn "With Joy We Lift Our Eyes" 
 
 Scripture Lesson Psalm 87 
 
 Hymn "I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord" 
 
 Responsive Reading. 
 
 Repetition of the Creed. 
 
 Placing of the Box. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Laying of the Corner-Stone. 
 
 Hymn "Christ Is Our Corner-Stone" 
 
 Doxology. 
 Benediction. 
 
 35 
 
Mr. Alexander Ure, another of our honored elders, died 
 November 21, 1892. Because of the death of three of the 
 elders in a short time, it was deemed necessary to elect three 
 others. At the annual meeting, April 5, 1893, this election 
 was held and resulted in the choice of J. K. Thomas, George 
 N. Clapp and Joseph W. Shafor. The last two mentioned 
 are members of the Session today. On April 16 Mr. Thomas 
 and Mr. Shafor were ordained and installed as Ruling 
 Elders. Mr. Clapp, having been ordained in another church, 
 was duly installed in this church. At this service the pastor 
 preached a sermon on the office and duties of Ruling Elders 
 in the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 The Session also decided to abolish the choir for reasons 
 deemed wise, and Mr. C. S. Stanage who had been the 
 leader of the choir was asked to act as precentor. He con- 
 sented and acted in this capacity for some time. 
 
 On suggestion of Mr. McCampbell, the Session unani- 
 mously decided to adopt the systematic plan of benevolence 
 for raising money for the different boards of the church by 
 the distribution of envelopes, and the pastor was appointed a 
 committee to carry the same into effect. Also a general visita- 
 tion of the families of the church by the pastor and one of 
 the elders was arranged for. A short time after this the 
 names of the members of the church were apportioned 
 among the elders, and they were expected to visit the mem- 
 bers on their list at least twice each year and give a verbal 
 report at the monthly meetings of the Session and a written 
 report at the end of every six months. 
 
 When the old church was being dismantled and torn 
 down the Methodists, having built a new church between 
 Fourth and Fifth streets, on Broadway, offered us the use 
 of their old church on Broadway, a few doors north of Third 
 street, for a stated sum, and all services of the First Church 
 were held there for some time. The work on the new build- 
 ing was progressing favorably, and when it was nearing 
 completion it became necessary to determine who should 
 have the authority to decide what decorations and furni- 
 ture should be permitted in the new church edifice. A meet- 
 ing of all the officers of the church was called to decide this 
 question. Mr. J. K. Thomas was made chairman and P. P. 
 
 36 
 
Rev. Thomas M. Scott, 
 Pastor 1896-1900. 
 
 Rev. W. Hamill Shields, 
 Pastor 1900-10. 
 
 37 
 
LaTourrette clerk. On motion it was resolved that hereafter 
 the Woman's Society of the church be given the authority to 
 decide what decorations and furniture should be allowed, 
 and said Society was further given full control of the parlor 
 and kitchen furniture. 
 
 In the summer of 1893 we began to use the lecture room 
 of the new church, and hoped to have the main audience 
 room completed in the near future. 
 
 In the meantime the spiritual growth of the church was 
 encouraging. The regular services were held as usual, at 
 times with many discomforts. As a result of the extreme? 
 depression in business matters, there had been a falling off 
 in giving. Our mission school in the Oakland Church con- 
 tinued to grow. The Woman's Society was very active in 
 furnishing the new church and deserved great praise. The 
 membership of the church was 423 and of the Sabbath 
 School 410. 
 
 In December, 1894, several members of the church en- 
 tered into an agreement with Rev. Henry E. Neff to supply 
 the Oakland Church at their own expense. This met with 
 the approval of Session. 
 
 Rev. Mr. Neff's pastorate began in January, 1895, and 
 proved so successful that a petition was presented to the 
 Dayton Presbytery at its April meeting of that year pray- 
 ing for the organization of a church in the Oakland field. 
 This prayer was granted and the organization was com- 
 pleted on April 18, 1895. At this time forty persons pre- 
 sented themselves for membership and were received. Mr. 
 John W. Hill and Mr. John L. Blair were elected elders and 
 were duly inducted into office. 
 
 In the church narrative for the year ending March 31, 
 1895, we find much praise given the diff'erent societies of the 
 church. The Woman's Missionary Society was commended 
 for the noble work done. The Senior and Junior Endeavor 
 Societies had been very active, as had also the King's Daugh- 
 ters, and each of these organizations had done much good. 
 The Woman's Society deserved special praise for the grand 
 work accomplished. It had raised more money than in any 
 former year, had managed its affairs with signal ability and 
 the building committee was greatly indebted, not only to this 
 
 38 
 
Society, but also to the Senior and Junior Christian Endeav- 
 ors, and to several classes in the Sabbath School for the ma- 
 terial financial aid afforded toward lifting the debt on the 
 new church building. 
 
 In May, 1895, is recorded the death of James Crawford, 
 who for many years had been a faithful worker in the church 
 and especially in the Sunday School. 
 
 The new church building was entirely completed and it 
 was expected to begin to occupy the auditorium permanently 
 on Easter Sabbath, 1895. The session appointed Dr. C. S. 
 Barnitz chief usher, with a corps of assistants. 
 
 Articles of Incorporation for the First Presbyterian 
 Church were taken out in October, 1895. 
 
 The pastoral relations existing between Rev. G. M. Mc- 
 Campbell and this church were dissolved by Presbytery Oc- 
 tober 14, 1895. 
 
 In the Sessional Records of April 26, 1891, during this 
 pastorate, mention is made of the death of Mrs. Susan Pat- 
 ton, a devoted, faithful and most conscientious member of 
 this church, never absent from a service unless unavoidably 
 detained. The session wished to place on record their sense 
 of loss and bereavement, not only as representatives of the 
 church and congregation of which she was so long a faithful 
 member, but also of her large circle of friends among whom 
 she was a recognized example of "whatsoever things are 
 lovely and of good report," and to express their apprecia- 
 tion for her liberal gifts to the church. 
 
 For nearly a year after the close of Mr, McCampbell's 
 pastorate the pulpit was vacant. Several times meetings 
 of the congregation were called for the purpose of calling a 
 pastor, but the way did not seem to be clear until on August 
 16, 1896, a meeting was held which resulted in a unanimous 
 call being made out to Rev. Thomas Smith Scott, D. D., to 
 become the pastor. 
 
 Mr. Scott accepted, and on October 4, 1896, entered upon 
 his duties here as pastor-elect. On November 16, 1896, he 
 was installed as pastor. Rev. T. M. Hillman, Moderator of 
 Presbytery, presided and propounded the constitutional 
 questions ; Dr. Maurice E. Wilson, of Dayton, preached the 
 sermon ; Dr. E. W. Work charged the pastor ; and Dr. W. 0. 
 
 39 
 
Thompson, President of Miami University, charged the con- 
 gregation. 
 
 When Mr. Scott took charge of the church it was not 
 very prosperous spiritually, although the pulpit had been 
 regularly supplied while we were without a pastor, but his 
 first year among us was marked by increasing peace and 
 harmony, also by an encouraging advance in all lines of 
 Christian work. Five services were regularly held on the 
 Sabbath — preaching morning and evening. Sabbath School 
 and Senior and Junior Endeavor. New life and vigor seem 
 to have been infused in them as shown by the increased 
 number in attendance at these services, as well as at the 
 Wednesday evening meeting, so that the outlook at the end 
 of that year had much of encouragement in it. The King's 
 Daughters, the Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary So- 
 ciety and the Woman's Society were deserving of much 
 praise for their zeal and for the good they accomplished. 
 The financial obligations of the church were met with 
 promptness. The number of communicants was 358. The 
 Senior Christian Endeavor paid $500 toward the church 
 debt this year, 1896-7. 
 
 On January 16, 1898, Dr. S. R. Evans, senior elder, the 
 oldest male member of the church, and a man highly es- 
 teemed by all, was suddenly called to his reward. 
 
 During the year ending April 6, 1898, besides Dr. S. R. 
 Evans, a number of the older members died, among them 
 being Jacob Banker, Mrs, Mary Puis, Mrs. Christian Cald- 
 well, Mrs. Elizabeth Breeding and Mrs. Elizabeth La Tour- 
 rette. 
 
 At the annual congregational meeting of the congrega- 
 tion, April 4, 1900, after the reports of the Treasurer and 
 of the different societies were read, we find that a hearty 
 vote of thanks was tendered Wm. Caldwell, Treasurer of the 
 Church, as well as to the Women's Societies for their effi- 
 ciency and their fidelity to their respective duties during the 
 year. 
 
 In the narrative for the year ending April 1, 1900, it is 
 recorded that the pastor had been faithful in performing 
 his duties, preaching the Word in season; that the Gospel 
 had been the theme which had been constantly set forth; 
 
 40 
 
■m 
 
 Our present Church Home, Erected 1891-2. 
 
that earnest work had been done, and that it would bring 
 its harvest, for God had so promised. 
 
 Mr. Scott having previously announced his intention 
 to resign as pastor, requested at the annual meeting that the 
 congregation unite with him in his application to Presbytery 
 to release him. By a rising vote the congregation resolved to 
 concur with him in his request. 
 
 At a meeting of the Presbytery of Dayton, held April 
 10, 1900, the pastoral relation existing between Dr. T. S. 
 Scott and this church was dissolved by mutual consent and 
 his labors ceased here May 13, 1900. For nearly four months 
 thereafter we were without a pastor, but we had occasional 
 preaching by different ministers. 
 
 Dr. Scott was a faithful pastor, a true friend and an hon- 
 ored and respected citizen. His pastorate labors here closed 
 May 13, 1900. 
 
 On Sabbath, September 2, 1900, Rev. W. Hamill Shields, 
 of Detroit, Michigan, began his ministry here as stated sup- 
 ply under very favorable auspices. When Mr. Shields en- 
 tered upon his pastorate there was a debt of between seven 
 and eight thousand dollars on the church property. This 
 debt was paid during his first year here and the mortgage 
 cancelled, for which Mr. Shields and the contributors to that 
 fund deserve great credit and praise for their liberality. 
 
 March 9, 1901, the Session resolved to hold the annual 
 meeting April 3, 1901, and that if the way be clear to elect a 
 pastor, and at the same meeting, the mortgage upon the 
 church property having been satisfied, it was resolved that 
 the dedication of the church be held on the second Sabbath 
 of May, the 12th. A committee of five was appointed, con- 
 sisting of three elders, Marston, Thomas and Clapp, and two 
 deacons, Caldwell and Barnitz, to prepare a program for 
 that event. Mr. Shields was to act with these gentlemen. 
 
 On April 3, 1901, Mr. Shields was given a hearty and 
 unanimous call to become pastor of this church. He ac- 
 cepted this call and on April 18, 1901, was installed as pas- 
 tor. Rev. J. G. Black preached the sermon. Rev. G. E. 
 Thompson delivered the charge to the pastor and Rev. Ed- 
 gar W. Work, D. D., of Dayton, delivered the charge to the 
 people. The services throughout were very interesting. 
 
 42 
 
On April 1, 1901, the report for the year gave the follow- 
 ing statistics : 
 
 Whole number of communicants 363 
 
 Sabbath School enrollment 197 
 
 Contributed to Home Missions $161.16 
 
 Contributed to Foreign Missions 93 . 85 
 
 It must be remembered that throughout this part of our 
 story the items of expenses and benevolences given are only 
 those which were paid directly through the Church treas- 
 ury and not through the societies and organizations of the 
 Church. From time to time within the last few years dif- 
 ferent methods have been followed for meeting the obliga- 
 tions of the Church and its organizations and consequently 
 the statistics are not always comparable. 
 
 On May 12, 1901, the First Presbyterian Church was 
 dedicated to the service of Almighty God, free from debt, 
 with intensely interesting services. Rev. W. O. Thompson, 
 D. D., President of Ohio State University, preached the ser- 
 mon, and an appropriate program of responsive readings 
 and music was given. The prayer of dedication was made 
 by the pastor. Rev. W. H. Shields. The ministers of the 
 ether churches were present and took part in the services. 
 A very large and interested congregation was present. 
 
 During the year ending April 1, 1902, we find reported 
 as items of interest that the pastor made 600 pastoral calls ; 
 during this year the membership was 404 ; that 61 members 
 were received, 31 on confession of faith, 24 of whom were 
 from the Sabbath School ; that Mrs. Margaret Suydam, one 
 of the oldest members, was called home after but a brief ill- 
 ness. Her love for the church has been shown in her be- 
 queathing her estate to it, to be used for the glory of God. 
 We find it reported also "that the passing away of Mr. James 
 B. Hartley, one of the oldest members and a deacon for many 
 years, leaves many with a sense of personal loss. He was a 
 good man, full of faith and the Holy Ghost. His works will 
 follow him and his memory will remain fragrant so long as 
 we ourselves shall endure." Also Mr. Charles Barnitz, son 
 of Dr. C. S. Barnitz, one of our members who served in the 
 Spanish-American war, died on the very eve of his return 
 
 43 
 
home from the Philippines. It is a glorious thing to die at 
 the post of honor and duty. 
 
 On April 20, 1902, W. H. Johnson and A. L. Foster were 
 ordained and installed as deacons. 
 
 On April 1, 1903, at a meeting of the Session a committee 
 was appointed to solicit funds for the Foreign Missionary 
 Board to increase the amount already contributed to enable 
 our church to have its own Missionary in the foreign field. 
 This was a great movement for our church to take, and one 
 that not only blessed ourselves, but was an example and in- 
 spiration for others to follow. It was a forward step in the 
 Kingdom of God. The year ending March 31, 1903, had 
 been a year of blessing in spiritual things. The church, gave 
 to all the benevolent interests at home and abroad a total of 
 $1,126.00, and now the new church year was to begin by 
 the adoption of this new movement which was a success. 
 All of the societies of the church received the same spiritual 
 blessing. Thirty-six members were added to the church this 
 year. 
 
 When the church year closed March 31, 1904, 163 new 
 members had been added to the church since Mr. Shields had 
 become our pastor. The church was still prospering spir- 
 itually and financially. To the Boards of the Church and 
 other benevolences $1,234.00 had been contributed. This 
 includes the paying of $450.00 in salary to our foreign pas- 
 tor. Rev. A. E. Street, of Hainan, China. This was the re- 
 sult of the movement begun in 1903. The Sabbath School 
 gave $50.00 that year toward the support of a Home Mis- 
 sionary in the South. During this year Mr. John D. Breed- 
 ing, one of the oldest members, passed away. 
 
 On March 3, 1904, Mr. W. K. Rhonemous was elected 
 elder, and on December 4, 1904, he was ordained and in- 
 stalled by the pastor in the presence of a very large congre- 
 gation. On September 1, 1904, the Sabbath School was 
 changed to the morning, being held just before the church 
 services. This made a marked increase in the morning con- 
 gregation. The evening services were largely attended, and 
 at some of the special services the auditorium was filled. 
 This year of 1904-05 was a happy and successful one. The 
 Sabbath School was in a most flourishing condition, with 
 
 44 
 
efficient officers and teachers. Many of tlie young people 
 attended the church services. The Woman's Society was 
 prosperous, too. The ladies refrescoed the Sunday School 
 room and also recarpeted it. The Woman's Home and For- 
 eign Missionary Society had done its usual good work. The 
 total number of communicants was 470. 
 
 April 6, 1905, the following was placed in the records of 
 the church : 
 
 Middletown, Ohio, April 6, 1905. 
 Mr. P. P. LaTourrette, 
 Middletown, Ohio. 
 Dear Brother : — 
 
 At a meeting of the congregation of the First Presbyte- 
 rian Church held last evening a vote of thanks was extended 
 you for your faithful and long continued services in its be- 
 half, and as Secretary thereof, I was instructed to forward 
 you notice of our action. Trusting you may receive your re- 
 ward and that we may receive for many years the benefit of 
 your counsels and advice, I am. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 W. H. JOHNSON. 
 
 On October 21, 1905, the name of P. P. LaTourrette ap- 
 pears for the last time signed to the minutes as Clerk of the 
 Session. He had held this position and had missed very few 
 meetings since March 31, 1872, a period of 34 years. His 
 name, however, was signed to the church narrative of April, 
 1906. Some of the members who passed away this year 
 were Mrs. Elizabeth Lefferson, Mrs. Elizabeth Shafor and 
 Mrs. Mary G. Foote. 
 
 During the year ending March 31, 1906, the Oakland 
 Church was dissolved and its 30 members absorbed into the 
 membership of the First Church. The Sunday School at the 
 Oakland Church was continued, however, under the direc- 
 tion of the First Church. The session appointed Mr. Frank 
 Otter, Superintendent, and William McLean, Assistant Su- 
 perintendent, and they, with the assistance of faithful teach- 
 ers, did a splendid work. 
 
 In the minutes of the Congregational Meeting held April 
 2, 1906, are the following statements : 
 
 45 
 
The Oakland Presbyterian Church. 
 
 The Oakland Presbyterian Church Manse. 
 
"The Woman's Society of the Church cannot be too 
 highly praised for its work done this period. The Woman's 
 Missionary Society must be equally praised for its faithful 
 work. 
 
 The Forward Movement pledged itself to give $300.00 to 
 Rev. D. J. Flemming, of Lahore, India. 
 
 The Christian Endeavor Societies, Senior and Junior, 
 are steadily moving forward. 
 
 The Sunday School under the efficient leadership of Mr. 
 W, K. Rhonemus has gone steadily on, the average attend- 
 ance being higher and more faithfully sustained than in 
 years. 
 
 There were 62 additions to the church this year, the mem- 
 bership now being 447, and the spiritual condition of the 
 church is very encouraging." 
 
 Among the members who passed away this year was Mr. 
 John Ross, for many years the faithful and devoted sexton 
 of the church. 
 
 Peace and the utmost harmony prevailed and the suc- 
 cess of the future seemed limited only by our faith. This 
 was the best year financially for a long time. December 19, 
 1906, at a congregational meeting J. L. Blair, Murray 
 Schenck, Frank J. Otter, R. C. Vanderveer, William McLean 
 and A. T. Wilson were elected elders, and 0. F. Kendle and 
 Carl F. Williamson were elected deacons. 
 
 For the year closing April 1, 1907, the narrative says, 
 'The loss by death has been a sad one, as many old and val- 
 ued members were taken. The three faithful elders, John 
 Blair, James K. Thomas and P. P. LaTourrette are sorely 
 missed, as are also William Caldwell, our faithful Treas- 
 urer, and Dr. J. L. Thornton, the Bible teacher, and Dr. C. S. 
 Barnitz, the oldest deacon." Theodore Marston, another old 
 elder, died the following year. These old and faithful friends 
 so long associated in the work of this church, who loved it 
 and were devoted to its interests above all other earthly 
 things, in death were not long separated. "They have en- 
 tered into that rest which remaineth for the people of God. 
 This familiar hymn which they have so often helped to sing 
 expresses their feeling for the church : 
 
 47 
 
'I love Thy kingdom, Lord, 
 
 The house of Thine abode ; 
 The church our blest Redeemer saved 
 
 With His own precious blood. 
 
 I love Thy church, O God, 
 
 Her walls before Thee stand 
 Dear as the apple of Thine eye. 
 
 And graven on Thy hand. 
 
 Beyond my highest joys, 
 
 I prize her heavenly ways ; 
 Her sweet communion, solemn vows, 
 
 Her hymns of love and praise'." 
 
 Others who passed away this year were William Ling, Mrs. 
 Lucy Hinkle, Mrs. Mary Smith, Mrs. Maria Margerum, Mrs. 
 Rhoda Lucas and William McClellan. 
 
 On January 24, 1907, the Presbyterian Brotherhood was 
 organized with R. C. Phillips, President; R. C. Vanderveer, 
 Vice President; G. H. Stahl, Secretary, and E. L. McCallay, 
 Treasurer. This organization was doing great good with a 
 Senior membership of 50 and a Junior membership of 35. 
 Because of its efforts the spiritual condition of the church 
 was greatly improved. 
 
 At this time the Home Department of the Sunday School 
 reported 121 members. Lack of funds, however, hindered 
 the work. No one can estimate the value of the work done 
 by this department under the supervision of Mrs. A. T. Wil- 
 son. It was largely a personal work. Mrs. Wilson was 
 President of the King's Daughters. She also taught a La- 
 dies' Bible Class in the Sabbath School for many years, and 
 only gave it up when failing health compelled her to do so. 
 
 On January 23, 1907, Mr. W. K. Rhonemus was elected 
 clerk of the Session for one year. On October 23, of the 
 same year, he was elected permanent clerk. 
 
 During this year Elder Theodore Marston passed to his 
 reward. 
 
 Mr. Otter being about to move away, resigned as Super- 
 intendent of the Oakland Sabbath School. Mr. R. C. Van- 
 
 48 
 
derveer was appointed in his place and G. N. Clapp was 
 chosen Assistant Superintendent. 
 
 April 1, 1908, we find that, counting the 30 from the 
 Oakland Church, there had been added to the church since 
 September 21, 1900, when Mr. Shields came, 280 members. 
 No communion had passed without additions. 
 
 The spiritual prospects were brighter than ever before. 
 The Sabbath School and Brotherhood were well organized 
 and doing good and efficient work. The membership of the 
 Senior Brotherhood had increased from 54 to 117 members, 
 and the whole church and Sabbath School felt the quicken- 
 ing power of the Brotherhood and all was harmonious and 
 hopeful. The membership of the Junior Brotherhood was 
 about 50, and the boys were very enthusiastic and looking 
 forward to a better home. From 20 to 25 of them were in 
 the Sabbath School. The interest in the Young People's So- 
 ciety and The Workers' Mission Band was greatly increased 
 and they were doing fine work. Much of this interest was 
 attributed to the Brotherhood. 
 
 The Forward Movement Committee sent $209.00 this 
 year to our own Foreign Missionary. 
 
 All the societies of the church shared in the progress 
 made and the prospects for the new year were such that we 
 were led to believe it was to be one of the best in the history 
 of the church. 
 
 This year many more of our faithful members were called 
 home, among them Mrs. Alexander Blackie, Mrs. J. B. Hart- 
 ley, Mrs. Sarah Gruver, Mrs. Rolla Crawford, Mr. George 
 Jacoby, Mrs. James Blair, Sr., Mrs. Sarah Smoyer and Mrs. 
 M. E. Stonebreaker. 
 
 The year ending April 6, 1909, was also one of great ad- 
 vancement along all lines of Christian work and contribu- 
 tions had materially increased. 
 
 The Senior Brotherhood numbered 127 members, and 
 they were striving for 200. It had pledged $15,625.50 for 
 the Brotherhood Home, which if attained would make our 
 church the most powerful institution for good in our city. 
 The Brotherhood Bible Class was well attended. The Junior 
 Brotherhood gave that year $100.00 toward the $1,000 they 
 had pledged toward the Home. The Sunday School had an 
 
 49 
 
average attendance of 207 and the services of the church 
 were well attended. 
 
 It was during this year that the Duplex Envelope System 
 of support to the church was introduced. 
 
 The Forward Movement this year sent $163.50 to our 
 Foreign Missionary, Rev. D. J. Flemming, of Lahore, India, 
 in addition to the other missionary giving. 
 
 On March 9, 1910, the congregation met at the call of the 
 pastor and session to consider the resignation of our pastor. 
 By his request a motion was made that we accept his resig- 
 nation and join with him in his request to Presbytery that 
 the pastoral relation between him and this church be dis- 
 solved. This motion was carried. 
 
 A resolution of regret was then unanimously adopted, a 
 copy of which was ordered given to Mr. Shields. 
 
 Mr. Shields was a very sympathetic, faithful pastor, and 
 very much interested in the work of the young people, and 
 consequently very popular among them and their attend- 
 ance at church services was good. 
 
 In the narrative for the year ending April 6, 1910, it was 
 reported that the Boards of the Church were working in 
 perfect harmony and that the church was in good condition 
 both financially and spiritually, that all the societies and 
 departments were active and doing good work and the 
 church was prosperous. 
 
 After Mr. Shields left us Rev. Henry J. Becker, of Day- 
 ton, Ohio, acted very acceptably as supply for the church. 
 
 On July 24, 1910, a congregational meeting was held, 
 the purpose of which was to call a pastor. A call was ten- 
 dered Rev. David Garrett Smith, of the Emanuel Presby- 
 terian Church, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. Smith accepted the 
 call and on November 1, 1910, the installation took place. 
 Rev. M. E. Wilson delivered the installation prayer. Rev. 
 Daniel Myers, of Dayton, Ohio, acted as Moderator, Rev. 
 John Grant Newman, of Oxford, Ohio, preached the sermon. 
 Rev. Charles Frederick Goss, D. D., of Cincinnati, Ohio, 
 charged Mr. Smith, and Rev. Henry J. Becker, of Dayton, 
 charged the people. 
 
 When Mr. Smith became our pastor the different socie- 
 ties of the church were working harmoniously. The Sab- 
 
 50 
 
Rev. David Garrett Smith, 
 Pastor 1910-18. 
 
 Mr. Smith resigned as pastor to 
 enter the Army Y. M. C. A. Over- 
 seas Service. He served in the A. 
 E. F. as Director of Religious 
 Work, with Headquarters at Gran- 
 tham, England. 
 
 Rev. Bernard J. Brinkema, 
 
 Our Present Pastor. Mr. Brinke- 
 ma began his pastorate here 
 Nov. 1, 1918. 
 
 51 
 
bath services and Wednesday evening meetings were well at- 
 tended. Much interest was shown in the Sabbath School. 
 The outlook was very encouraging and the indications were 
 for a happy and successful pastorate and we were not to be 
 disappointed. 
 
 On December 13, 1910, Mr. A. T. Wilson, a devoted and 
 faithful member of the session, passed away. 
 
 The report for the year ending April 1, 1911, showed the 
 total number of communicants as 426, and the Sabbath 
 School enrollment as 270. 
 
 On April 5, 1911, Mr. R. C. Phillips was elected deacon 
 and Mr. Carl F. Williamson was elected elder. 
 
 During this church year on September 12, 1911, Mr. S. 
 Davis Long died. He was a faithful member of the church 
 and always present at all the services. 
 
 In September, 1911, at a joint meeting of the Boards 
 of the Church it was thought best that the Oakland Church 
 building be repaired and services resumed there. A com- 
 mittee was appointed to investigate the cost of the repairs 
 necessary. However, it was not until the following year 
 pfter the Lyon meetings that the Church was reopened. On 
 July 17, 1912, the Superintendent of our Sunday School, sev- 
 eral of the teachers and some of the officers of the Church, 
 effected a permanent organization with H. G. Gaige, Secre- 
 tary of the Brotherhood, as Superintendent. 
 
 The work grew and flourished to such an extent that our 
 Church officers decided to engage a pastor and begin holding 
 church services. J. M. Murchison, a student at Lane Sem- 
 inary, in Cincinnati, was persuaded to undertake the work 
 at Oakland in connection with the position of Assistant Pas- 
 tor of our Church. He began his duties at the close of the 
 Seminary in June, 1913, holding one regular preaching serv- 
 ice at Oakland every Sunday evening. 
 
 The interest in the Bible School continued to grow and 
 the church services were well attended. The following year, 
 1914, upon the graduation of Mr, Murchison from Lane 
 Seminary in May, he was engaged as minister at Oakland 
 with the plan of effecting a church organization as soon as 
 possible. Upon his return from his vacation in October, 
 1914, morning services were begun, and on December 14th 
 
 52 
 
a petition containing sixty-two names was presented to Day- 
 ton Presbytery asking that the Oakland Presbyterian 
 Church be organized. 
 
 The Presbytery promptly granted the request and ap- 
 pointed suitable committees to proceed with the organiza- 
 tion. 
 
 This work was completed December 18th, when fifty-two 
 members of the new organization were received. They 
 elected officers and fixed the date for a congregational meet- 
 ing for the purpose of electing a pastor. Rev. J. M. Murchi- 
 son was unanimously chosen. 
 
 At the regular congregational meeting of our Church 
 held in April, 1917, it was decided that the work at Oakland 
 had reached the point where the title to the Oakland Church 
 property could safely and properly be transferred from the 
 Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church to the Trustees 
 of the Oakland Presbyterian Church, and a motion to this 
 effect was duly carried. This action was taken at that time 
 because of the desire of Oakland Church to build a manse on 
 part of the church lot. 
 
 Our Church may well be proud of the success of its ef- 
 forts in organizing and watching over Oakland Church till 
 it became self-sustaining. This success was due in large 
 measure to the encouragement given the officers of the new 
 organization in enlisting the interest of all mmbers of our 
 church living in the eastern and southeastern parts of our 
 city, and the securing of the transfer of their membership 
 to that church by our pastor, Rev. David Garrett Smith. 
 
 In 1912 the Boards of the Church sold the Suydam prop- 
 erty, which has been referred to herein before, and the 
 proceeds afterward used in the extension and improvement 
 program of the church, which resulted in the purchase of a 
 new manse and the transforming of the old manse into the 
 Westminster House. 
 
 During the church year ending March 31, 1912, one hun- 
 dred and forty-six new members were added to the church. 
 Of this number, eighty-nine were received on confession of 
 faith. This increased membership was due largely to a se- 
 ries of meetings held in Middletown during February and 
 March, 1912, and known as the Lyon Tabernacle meetings. 
 
 53 
 
Practically all the Protestant churches of the city united in 
 this movement which resulted in much good being done in 
 our city, and many members being added to the rolls of the 
 church. On Park street, near the Caldwell and Iseminger 
 plant, a large tabernacle was built in which services were 
 held two or three times a day for a period of six weeks. Rev. 
 Milford H. Lyon was the evangelist in charge. 
 
 With the additions stated above, the membership of the 
 church was increased to 548 communicants. The spiritual 
 condition and life of the church was reported much better 
 and deeper than during the previous year. Church unity 
 prevailed and all the societies were in flourishing condition. 
 The Sabbath School reported an enrollment of 300 scholars. 
 Fifty-eight members of the Sabbath School were taken into 
 the Church during this church year. 
 
 During the summer of 1912, Mr. R. E. Mitchell, who as 
 musical director had done such efficient work at the taber- 
 nacle meetings, was employed to take charge of the singing 
 in the church services and to assist the pastor in the Oak- 
 land church field. While here Mr. Mitchell also taught the 
 Men's Bible class. In July and August of this year the Sun- 
 day evening services were held in a tabernacle which had 
 been constructed on the Brotherhood lot at the corner of 
 Fourth and Main streets. This innovation in the manner 
 of holding these services proved quite successful. Minis- 
 ters from nearby cities conducted the meetings and the sing- 
 ing was in charge of Mr. Mitchell. The attendance was good 
 and no doubt many were influenced who otherwise would 
 not have attended divine service. 
 
 It was during this church year, on June 1, 1912, that Mrs. 
 Irene Thomas Dickey passed away. She was for many 
 years an active worker in the Church and Sabbath School, 
 assisting with the music, both instrumental and vocal. She 
 was a faithful teacher in the Sabbath School as long as her 
 health permitted. 
 
 In the latter part of March, 1913, our city was visited by 
 the terrible flood which devastated the Miami Valley. The 
 homes of many of the members of this church were ruined, 
 or partially so, and the church suffered with the members. 
 The pews and carpets in the auditorium were ruined and 
 
 54 
 
m 
 
 H <u 
 
 ra 
 
the loss was quite heavy. The services during the following 
 summer were held in the Sunday School room. 
 
 At the annual congregational meeting held April 16, 
 1913, the church membership was given as 588, the Sunday 
 School enrollment as 438 and the average attendance at Sun- 
 day school as 255. At this time the Board of Elders was in- 
 creased from 7 to 12 members, and the Board of Deacons 
 from 5 to 14 members. The following men were elected to 
 complete these boards: Elders, E. G. Barkley, C. E. Burke, 
 A. L. Foster, Dr. D. F. Gerber and R. C. Phillips ; Deacons, 
 William Bevenger, F. 0. Diver, W. S. LaTourrette, D. D. 
 Lefferson, W. H. Minton, John C. Phillips, Dr. J. C. Stratton, 
 John X. Smith, H. A. Thompson, H. S. Wise and E. C. Wood- 
 ward. All these men were ordained and installed at the Sun- 
 day morning service June 15, 1913. 
 
 On October 13, 1913, the congregation decided to buy a 
 new manse, the Sebald residence, 609 Yankee Road, and to 
 convert the present manse into Sabbath School class rooms. 
 This was made advisable because of the growth and interest 
 that had lately been manifest in the Sunday School 
 
 Record is made of the death of Mrs. Phoebe J. Wikoff on 
 January 3, 1915. She was at the time of her death the oldest 
 member of the church and one of the most faithful in attend- 
 ance even until very near the end of her pilgrimage. 
 
 When the Oakland Church was organized on December 
 18, 1914, twenty-one members of the First Church were dis- 
 missed to be taken into that church. This number was later 
 increased to about forty. Consequently the report of the 
 P'irst Church for the year ending March 31, 1915, shows that 
 the membership of our Church had been decreased to 582. 
 It was reported at the annual meeting at this time that the 
 Friendly Helpers' Class of the Sabbath School, had given 
 One Thousand Dollars during the year toward the payment 
 of the church debt. This class of ladies was organized shortly 
 after the Lyon tabernacle meeting and has steadily in- 
 creased in members until now it has an enrollment of sixty- 
 three. 
 
 The years of 1915 and 1916 in our Church history were 
 marked by much spiritual work being done. All societies 
 of the Church were well organized and were faithfully per- 
 
 56 
 
forming their varied duties. Some reorganization was 
 made necessary because of the withdrawal of quite a num- 
 ber of our members and officers to unite with the Oakland 
 Church, and because of the change that had lately been 
 made in the Brotherhood Association, a change which later 
 terminated in the organization of a Y. M. C. A, in Middle- 
 town. The use of the Westminster House for class rooms re- 
 sulted in a renewed interest in the Sunday School and more 
 efficient work was done in all classes. So the work of this 
 period resulted not only in strengthening our own organiza- 
 tion, but also in helping to provide for others opportunities 
 for service and worship. 
 
 Mrs. May McCallay Renick, an earnest Christian worker, 
 devoted to her church and faithful in her attendance at its 
 services, passed away on January 8, 1916. In July of the 
 same year Mr. E. L. McCallay, a faithful member for many 
 years, died. 
 
 At the congregational meeting held on April 4, 1917, the 
 following statistics were given : Members on active church 
 roll, 595 ; Sabbath School enrollment, 334 ; given to Home 
 Missions, $511.00; to Foreign Missions, $490.00; total of ail 
 expenses, $8,460.30. The spiritual condition of the church 
 and its various societies was reported as being good and the 
 general condition of all affairs of the church as very favor- 
 able. 
 
 Mrs, Mary Thornton, one of our oldest members, died on 
 November 16, 1917. For many years she was teacher of the 
 Women's Bible Class in the Sabbath School. 
 
 In the spring of 1918 a special effort was made to reclaim 
 for the Church those of our members who had moved to 
 other places or, for some reason or other, had become delin- 
 quent in their church relations. A letter was sent by the 
 pastor to all these members urging them either to renew 
 their relations with this Church or to take letters to some 
 other Church in which they could worship. As a result of 
 this action several of our members were dismissed to other 
 Churches, some were dropped from the roll, and others were 
 placed on the "Reserve Roll." This accounts for the de- 
 crease in the membership as reported for the year 1918-19. 
 
 57 
 
The Church roll had not been revised for several years pre- 
 vious to this time. 
 
 An "Every Member Canvas" of the church was held 
 March 17, 1918, and "Go To Church Sunday" was observed 
 the following Sabbath. Great praise must be given to the 
 Boards of the Church for their efforts to raise the money for 
 the work of the church and to create an increased attend- 
 ance of the membership at the church services. Both of 
 these efforts were crowned with success. Early in this church 
 year it was with regret that we were called upon to accept 
 the resignation of Rev. David Garrett Smith, who planned to 
 enter the War Y. M. C. A. work. He served in England and 
 France for one year and has just recently returned to the 
 States. He resigned on April 5, 1918. It was our high priv- 
 ilege to give Mr. Smith and son Knowlton to the service of 
 our country. 
 
 During this year death with his relentless hand took a 
 number of earnest, faithful members who were among the 
 regular attendants of the church and Sabbath School : Mrs. 
 Margaret Ross, Daniel McCallay, Frank Sutphin, Mrs. John 
 Nein, Clifford S. Todd, C. B. Johnson and W. K. Rhonemus. 
 Mr. Johnson was one of our oldest members, a faithful, con- 
 scientious man, always actively interested in the work of 
 the church. He had looked forward for some years to the 
 celebration of this one hundredth anniversary and was anx- 
 ious that it be a success, and was perhaps the first one to 
 suggest that we celebrate the event. Mr. Rhonemus was a 
 much-beloved elder and had been Clerk of the Session since 
 January 9, 1907. He was a devoted Christian, a lover of his 
 church and all her institutions, especially of the Sunday 
 School of which he was the faithful Superintendent for a 
 number of years. 
 
 C. E. Burke was nominated and elected Clerk of Session 
 September 25, 1918. 
 
 We were without a pastor for about seven months after 
 Mr. Smith resigned. Then, on September 25, 1918, a unan- 
 imous call was tendered Rev. Bernard J. Brinkema, of Mil- 
 ton, Pa. Rev. Mr. Brinkema accepted this call and began his 
 labors here November 1st, 1918, and was installed Decem- 
 ber 18, 1918. At the installation services Rev. Harris G. 
 
 58 
 
Rice presided, Rev. Rolland E. Crist preached the sermon, 
 Rev. Wendell Foster delivered the charge to the pastor and 
 Rev. William J. Thistle the charge to the people. Miss Lou- 
 ise Todhunter sang two solos and led the congregational sing- 
 ing. Miss Margaret Gebhart presided at the organ. The 
 services were very interesting and helpful. 
 
 The influenza epidemic during the fall and winter of 
 1918-19 very greatly interfered with all kinds of church 
 work. During this time, however, plans were made for 
 renewed efforts when the services could be resumed. At a 
 joint meeting of the elders and deacons the pastor presented 
 some plans for the future work of the church. After a gen- 
 eral discussion of these plans action was taken which has re- 
 sulted in the organization of the Westminster Men's Club 
 which is to have supervision over all the men's work of the 
 church. Plans were also made at this time to carry out the 
 program of the "New Era Movement." We are glad to be 
 able to say that our efforts along this line so far have been 
 successful. 
 
 At the close of the church year, March 31, 1919, the num- 
 ber of members on the active church roll was reported to be 
 538, the Sabbath School enrollment to be 326 and the total 
 church expenditures for the year to have been $13,461.75. 
 
 Since Mr. Brinkema became our pastor, November 1, 
 1918, sixty members have been added to the church roll. 
 
 Early in the year 1919 plans were begun to celebrate the 
 centennial of our Church. A committee was appointed by 
 the Boards of the Church to have general charge of the cele- 
 bration. The work done by this committee and other com- 
 mittees appointed by it will be given more in detail in other 
 parts of this book. 
 
 A few years previous to this time and before the Presby- 
 terian Brotherhood Association had grown into the Middle- 
 town Brotherhood Association, several of the men and 
 women of our church purchased the large lot at the north- 
 west corner of Fourth and Main Streets. At the time of the 
 purchase it was planed to build on this lot a Brotherhood 
 Building, or a Parish House, where many of the church ac- 
 tivities could be carried on. However, as the city has grown 
 so rapidly and a Y. M. C. A. has been organized and is doing 
 
 60 
 
for the whole city a great deal of the work that it was orig- 
 inally planned should be done in the proposed Brotherhood 
 Building, the owners of this lot abandoned their plan to 
 build and decided to sell the lot. This was done in the sum- 
 mer of 1919 and the proceeds of the sale were most gener- 
 ously given to the Church. Consequently we were able to 
 ])ay the debt which had resulted from the heavy loss in the 
 flood of 1913 and from the purchase of the new manse, and 
 we will celebrate our Centennial with our Church entirely 
 free from debt. 
 
 During the World War forty-seven of our men and boys 
 were enrolled in the service of our country. We were more 
 fortunate than most churches and communities, as all but 
 one came back to us. Raymond Alvin Pinkerton was called 
 upon to make the supreme sacrifice. He died in France in 
 July, 1918, as a result of wounds received in battle in Sois- 
 sons. Nine of our younger boys were enrolled in the Stu- 
 dents' Auxiliary Training Corps and were ready for the call 
 had it been necessary. The members of our Church share 
 with the other citizens of Middletown a most gratifying war 
 record in all the activities of those trying times. 
 
 The close of the first century of its history finds our 
 Church in all its various branches well organized and with 
 bright prospects for a most successful future. Our heritage 
 is a noble one. May we not fail it. 
 
 We have endeavored in this story to show the growth of 
 our church during the years that have passed. There are 
 many things that we would like to say but they cannot be 
 said. A book would not hold the mere mention of the deeds 
 of sacrifice and love that have been done and are still being 
 done in this church in the service of the Master. Time, ef- 
 fort and money have been given freely to the church and its 
 different organizations. Some have taken a special interest 
 in the Sunday School work, others in the Christian En- 
 deavor Society, others in making the church and Sunday 
 School rooms pleasing in appearance, comfortable and invit- 
 ing. Time and space forbid further enumeration. That 
 the words that have been written will increase our love for 
 our church and our devotion to His cause and will encourage 
 us to go forward to meet the new responsibilities that will 
 arise, is the prayer of the writer. 
 
THE SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS OF THE 
 CHURCH. 
 
 The following account of the orgayiization ayid work of 
 the Woman's Missionary Society ivas prepared by Mrs. Car- 
 rie Thomas Woodivard, Presidefit of the Society. 
 
 AND on the Sabbath day we went forth without the gate 
 by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of 
 prayer, and we sat down and spake unto the women that 
 were come together. 
 
 "And a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple,, 
 of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us 
 whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things 
 that were spoken by Paul." 
 
 This meeting of Paul with the women of Philippi by the 
 river side occurred almost two thousand years ago, and yet 
 in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-nine the desire to 
 spread the Gospel was deep in the hearts of the women of 
 the Presbyterian Church of Middletown. The command of 
 Christ, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to 
 every living creature," had not been heard in vain, and had 
 influenced our women to take an active stand for missions. 
 
 Previous to 1879 the church had been developing its own 
 organization, yet missionary offerings had been collected by 
 the women, the contributions passing through the channels 
 of the church into its missionary work. About this time a 
 new pastor, Rev. Thomas H. Hench, was called to the Pres- 
 byterian Church. Mrs. Hench, being interested in mission- 
 ary work, spoke to Mrs. Charles Margerum and drew her at- 
 tention to the fact that she was interested in the missionary 
 cause. Mrs. Margerum was somewhat surprised, as it was 
 a latent interest of which she was not aware ; and let it be 
 said here, Mrs. Hench showed wisdom, as Mrs. Margerum 
 has proved to be a worker along this line from then until 
 the present time. 
 
 Mrs. Hench drew together Mrs. Charles Margerum, Mrs. 
 William Reed, Mrs. John Hill, Mrs. Montgomery Patton, 
 Mrs. Irene Dickey and Miss Jennie Marston, and the first 
 Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church of Middle- 
 town was organized by these women. Mrs. Hench was the 
 
 62 
 
first President. The meetings of this new society were held 
 in the evenings four times a year and called Missionary 
 Teas. 
 
 Almost all of the original members of that first organiza- 
 tion have passed on before, and a record of the early church 
 work done for missions is not extant in this world. Let us 
 hope that a work humbly begun in His name has been far 
 more reaching in its results than we can realize and that the 
 words "Well done, good and faithful servant" may be spoken 
 to those early organizers of our Missionary Society. 
 
 It is to be regretted that there are not early records to 
 assist the historian in giving definite detail of the mission- 
 ary work. It would be interesting could the work done un- 
 der each pastorate be recorded, but there being no data 
 from which to draw, we have depended on the memory of 
 some of the women of the church. 
 
 In eighteen hundred and eighty-two, while Mrs. Hench 
 was still President, our society, although but three years old, 
 had grown to such strength that the Dayton Presbyterial 
 was entertained by it at the annual meeting held in Middle- 
 town. 
 
 About eighteen hundred and eighty-five Miss Jennie 
 Marston became President and served in that capacity until 
 her marriage to Mr. W. C. Beale, of Westerville. She was 
 an excellent worker, doing a great deal for the missionary 
 cause and working actively up to the very day of her mar- 
 riage. 
 
 Dr. S. F. Hershey was at this time pastor of the church. 
 After Miss Jennie Marston's marriage Mrs. Charles Mar- 
 gerum, being Vice President, succeeded to the presidency. 
 
 About this time Rev. J. S. Simonton was called to the 
 pastorate and he advised a change in all the organizations of 
 the church. The Missionary Society, the Ladies' Aid So- 
 ciety and other societies were made merely departments, 
 each department having its own chairman, while over all the 
 departments was a General President, Secretary and Treas- 
 urer. The societies thus merged did not prove to be a suc- 
 cess, and between the time that Mr. Simonton left and Rev. 
 G. W. McCampbell took up his pastorate the societies of the 
 church resumed their former plan of organization. 
 
 63 
 
The numbers attending the Missionary Society at this 
 time were very small, and after the arrival of Mr. McCamp- 
 bell two of our ladies, Mrs. Charles Margerum, President, 
 and Mrs, Morris Renick, Secretary-Treasurer, having the 
 interest of the society at heart, and feeling greatly discour- 
 aged over the lack of interest shown, carried their burden to 
 the new pastor. Mr. McCampbell suggested that they adopt 
 the envelope system, thus securing both members and means 
 to support the cause. He also advised monthly instead of 
 quarterly meetings, 
 
 Mrs, Margerum and Mrs, Renick stood at the top of the 
 high flight of stone steps that led into the old church and as 
 the ladies entered Sunday morning they were handed en- 
 velopes for the Missionary Society. All our ladies accepted 
 them, thus establishing their membership in the Missionary 
 Society, 
 
 Miss Letitia McCampbell, daughter of our pastor, hav- 
 ing been accepted by the Foreign Missionary Board of New 
 York, was making her home here with her father until de- 
 parture for her work in the foreign fields. The interest in 
 our society had increased with our membership and more 
 frequent meetings. Miss McCampbell's arrival added a new 
 interest, and since she was soon starting to assume her mis- 
 sionary work in Teheran, Persia, it was suggested that the 
 Missionary Society furnish her wardrobe. Money was so- 
 licited, material purchased, and the time was set for sewing, 
 at which gathered old and young in large numbers. This 
 was the beginning of the annual sewing days which still 
 continue. Mrs. Thornton was President at this time. 
 
 During Dr. Scott's ministry, Mrs. Scott being deeply in- 
 terested in missionary work, our society prospered and 
 large numbers attended the meetings. 
 
 Mrs, Thornton at this time was honored by being ap- 
 pointed District President. Her daughter, Nellie, was ap- 
 pointed Secretary of Literature of the Dayton Presbyterial. 
 In 1909 Miss Thornton resigned from this position and a 
 tribute was paid to her fine work by the Dayton Presbyterial. 
 Both Mrs. Thornton and Nellie were workers faithfully help- 
 ing spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
 
 About this time we began holding the meetings in the 
 
 64 
 
homes, Mrs. Geo. Jacoby was President. An editor was ap- 
 pointed who prepared a budget of news for each meeting. 
 An increased interest and attendance were noticeable, so 
 much so that both Dayton and Hamilton sent a delegation to 
 investigate the cause of such marked interest that they 
 might profit by our experience. At the Troy Presbyterial 
 meeting in 1908 our society was mentioned as ranking sec- 
 end in increased membership. 
 
 During the ten years that Mr. and Mrs. Shields were 
 with us they were actively interested in the work and the 
 progress of the society, and it was through the efforts of Mr. 
 hhields that the church helped support Mr. Street, a mission- 
 ary in China, and later Mr. J. D. Flemming, a missionary in 
 India. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shields attended the society, both 
 being well qualified to help advance the interest in the meet- 
 ings. 
 
 Alfred Moore, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Mars- 
 ton, through the influence of Mr. Shields, entered Wooster 
 College. He became interested in missionary work and for 
 a short time went into the West as a Home Missionary. 
 After his graduation in 1911 he went to India as an Evan- 
 gelistic Missionary. While he did not take up this work in 
 the Middletown Church, but under our Presbyterian Board, 
 we feel a personal interest in him and have remembered him 
 in some of our missionary work. 
 
 On May 30, 1910, it is recorded that a committee was 
 appointed to write a letter of appreciation of Mrs. Shields 
 from our society to the ladies of the Hillsboro Church with 
 which Mr. and Mrs. Shields were then identified. 
 
 In the closing year of Mr. Shields' pastorate we were ap- 
 portioned as follows : 
 
 General Home Fund $25.00 
 
 Cortland, Ky 5.00 
 
 Puria and Papago Indians 25.00 
 
 Sitka Equipment 2.00 
 
 Foreigners in United States 19.00 
 
 Laura Sunderland School 50.00 
 
 General Freedmen 2.00 
 
 Mrs. Carr (colored) 15.00 
 
 Danville Industrial TeaCher 1.00 
 
 Freedmen Special 15.00 
 
 65 
 
General Foreign 17.00 
 
 Mrs. Carleton 30.00 
 
 Lahore Station 10.00 
 
 Lodiana 10.00 
 
 Contingent Tax 5.00 
 
 Rev. David Garrett Smith and his wife became identified 
 with our church in 1910 and Mrs. Smith at once took her 
 place in the Missionary Society as an earnest, efficient 
 worker. 
 
 In 1913 the great flood swept down over the Miami Val- 
 ley doing damage to our church and manse and leaving death 
 and destruction in its wake. It was after the church was re- 
 paired and the manse had been converted into the Westmin- 
 ster House that the Missionary meetings were held in the 
 parlors of the Westminster House in place of the homes. 
 
 Mrs. Smith often added to the interest of the meeting by 
 lending her soprano voice in a devotional solo. Although 
 coming from the East, she soon so closely identified herself 
 with the interests of this locality that she had conferred on 
 her the great honor of being appointed President of the Day- 
 ton Presbyterial, where she was held in such high esteem 
 that others hesitated to accept the appointment after her 
 resignation, made necessary by Mr. Smith's war work with 
 the Y. M. C. A. Mrs. Smith's efficient work in our local so- 
 ciety and as President of the Dayton Presbyterial proved 
 that she was equal to a business position during the war, 
 when efficient women were so much needed, and such a posi- 
 tion was offered to her at the Presbyterian Headquarters, 
 New York City, which place she faithfully filled until Mr. 
 Smith's return some months after the armistice. 
 
 In the fall of 1915 at the Executive Meeting of the Day- 
 ton Presbyterial, Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkpatrick was appointed 
 Synodical Promoter of the School of Missions of Wooster, 
 Ohio. 
 
 Mrs. Homer Long, of this Society, has for the last two 
 years been Secretary of Educational Work in the Dayton 
 Presbyterial and has filled this office with much credit. 
 
 In the year 1918 and 1919, the first year of Mr. Brinke- 
 ma's pastorate and Mrs. Brinkema's identification with the 
 Missionary Society, the terrible scourge of influenza swept 
 the country. Schools and churches were closed and the Mis- 
 sionary Society felt the depressing influence. 
 
 66 
 
The missionary circles in different parts of the town, 
 which were introduced into the working program of the 
 Missionary Society by Mrs. David Garrett Smith and Mrs. 
 Homer Long, proved helpful, and this year, 1919, Mrs. D. D. 
 Lefferson, our competent and faithful treasurer, who has 
 filled this office for fifteen years, was assisted by the circles 
 in collecting our apportionment, which had been increased 
 by the war, the urgent need of our Missionaries and the 
 greater work to be undertaken here in our own country, 
 known as the New Era Movement and the Golden Jubilee. 
 
 The work of our society has followed the lines laid down 
 by our Missionary Board to a great extent, the society feel- 
 ing that it is quite important to meet its obligations in every 
 way. We have sometimes added to that work when interest 
 or sympathy drew us toward some special object. 
 
 We have shown some civic as well as charitable interest 
 in sewing for the needy of our town and the children in the 
 Home at Hamilton. 
 
 Boxes and barrels have been sent long distances and these 
 gifts were often the means of establishing an interest be- 
 tween people who were not acquainted but were friends in 
 the household of faith. 
 
 The following report of the Treasurer, accepted in Jan- 
 uary, 1919, shows a marked increase over that of 1910: 
 Amount of money received for year : 
 
 By envelopes $263.00 
 
 Mite boxes 105.00 
 
 Special campaign 119.00 
 
 Total amount received 487.00 
 
 Dispersed as follows : 
 
 Paid to Board of Home Missions 275.00 
 
 Home War Special 42.00 
 
 Paid to Board for Foreign Missions. . 111.00 
 
 War Emergency 34.00 
 
 Total for Missions 462.00 
 
 Contingent Tax 7.00 
 
 Thank offering 10.00 
 
 Grand Total 479.00 
 
 Balance in Treasury $ 8.00 
 
 67 
 
We had 102 contributing- members, 17 more than last 
 year. We also gave to Rev. Alfred Moore, $10.00. 
 
 The gifts to the Lord's work seem small indeed, espe- 
 cially when we compare them with money spent lavishly in 
 other directions. But since faith as a mustard seed may 
 grow to huge proportions, so may seed humbly sown for 
 Our Father in heaven be increased by His loving care until 
 the seed becomes a sheaf, and the words to His faithful fol- 
 lowers, down through the one hundred years and even unto 
 the end of time, may be, "Well done, good and faithful ser- 
 vant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make 
 thee ruler over many." 
 
 M7's. H. H. Goldman and Mrs. E. W. Gunckel prepared 
 the following accomit of the organization and work of The 
 Woman's Society of the Church. Mrs. Goldman is President 
 and Mrs. Gunckel is Secretary of this Society at the present 
 time. 
 
 THE first records we have of any organization among the 
 women of the First Presbyterian Church of Middletown 
 date back in the annals of the Church when the church 
 building was located on South Broadway about where the 
 Lutheran parsonage now stands. It was then the aim of 
 The Woman's Society, as it is now, to devise ways and means 
 for promoting the mission activities of the Church, to attend 
 the poor, to provide for any social entertainment to be held 
 and to help in the upkeep of the church, Sunday School and 
 manse, whenever duty made the call. In those early days 
 it was, to be sure, only a small band of women who met to- 
 gether to perform these many duties, but they were always 
 found faithful to the work before them. 
 
 In 1875, while the late Rev. Joseph W. Clokey was the 
 pastor, the society as then existing was reorganized and 
 was named "The Ladies' Guild." The organization was 
 known by this name until during the pastorate of Rev. 
 George M. McCampbell, when a motion was carried to the 
 effect "that the society change the name to a more digni- 
 fied one," and from that time it has been known as "The 
 Woman's Society." 
 
 Through all the years the ladies of this society have 
 
 68 
 
worked diligently, in summer and in winter, giving fairs, 
 art loans, festivals, dinners, socials and various forms of 
 entertainments in order to make money to carry on the im- 
 portant work before them and to maintain a social atmos- 
 phere in the Church. Several ladies have made liberal dona- 
 tions to the society and have in this way aided very mate- 
 rially. As each year came around the demands were greater. 
 The ladies of the church from an early date have been in 
 charge of the interior decorations of the church and the Sun- 
 day School rooms and have provided all linen, silver and 
 china and have equipped the kitchen with all furnishings 
 and necessary articles. The Woman's Society now has the 
 above matters of business to look after, not only in the 
 church itself, but also in the Westminster House, which was 
 formerly the manse, and in the new manse on Yankee Road. 
 After the flood of 1913 it became necessary to refurnish the 
 church and manse and the burdens were heavy for a time. 
 The late war also made great demands, but the ladies were 
 never found wanting, and during these trying times the so- 
 ciety did much work for the Red Cross as well as kept up its 
 usual work for the Middletown Hospital, the County Chil- 
 dren's Home and for the sick and needy in our own town. 
 
 It seems only fitting that we should mention that Mrs. 
 Charles S. Barnitz was the first President of The Woman's 
 Society after it was regularly organized and that she held 
 that office for many years. From some records kept by Mrs. 
 Barnitz, together with the minutes of the society, it is possi- 
 ble to make up almost a complete list of the ladies who have 
 served as President of the Society since 1860. Following 
 is the list of names of those who have been honored by bein^^ 
 given the privilege of serving in this capacity since that 
 date : 
 
 Mrs. David Mumma, Mrs. Mary Furman, Mrs. Peter 
 Butler, Mrs. Stephan Brown, Mrs. J. B. Morton, Mrs. Joseph 
 Hilt, Mrs. Eliza Wampler, Mrs. Thos. Wilson, Mrs. Mary 
 Hilt, Mrs. Alonzo Brown, Mrs. David Heaton, Mrs. Geo. Ja- 
 coby, Sr., Mrs. Thomas A. Hench, Mrs. Thos. Wilson, Mrs. 
 Chas. B. Oglesby, Mrs. Geo. C. Jacoby, Mrs. E. L. McCallay, 
 Mrs. J. M. Iseminger, Mrs. W. H. Todhunter, Mrs. May 
 Renick, Mrs. Myrtle Stahl, Mrs. J. L. Roney, Mrs. C. E. 
 Margerum, Mrs. R. L. McCoy, Mrs. O. F. Kendle, Mrs. Chas. 
 
 69 
 
Shartle, Mrs. Albert Pardonner, Mrs. F. W. Becker, Mrs. 
 H. H. Goldman. 
 
 Mr. R. C. Phillips, who has been closely conyiected with 
 the work of the men of the Church for several years, pre- 
 pared the folloiving paper on the Men's Organizatioyis of the 
 Church. 
 
 There are no records showing men's separate organiza- 
 tions in the church prior to 1905, but it is a matter of history 
 that there has always been a Men's Bible Class in the Sunday 
 School. Many of the older members will recall Dr. J. L. 
 Thornton's class, taught by him for many years preceding 
 1905. He was a very able, scholarly gentleman and knew 
 the Bible thoroughly. 
 
 During the winter of 1905 the Men's Bible Class was re- 
 organized with a very devoted and efficient corps of officers 
 that soon built the class up to an attendance of between forty 
 and fifty members regularly attending. 
 
 Bi-monthly meetings of a social character were held, but 
 the main reason for the success of the class at that time was 
 the splendid spiritual teaching of the leader of the class, 
 Prof. Geo. G. Stahl — who knew his Bible and loved it, and 
 who had a strong desire at all times to spread the Gospel of 
 Jesus Christ among men. For three years Prof. Stahl taught 
 the class up until the time he left his position as Principal 
 of the Middletown High School to go to the Chicago Univer- 
 sity, where, after a service of one year, he passed on to the 
 Higher Life. His memory remains with the members of 
 the class as a delightful reminder of what one man can ac- 
 complish by consecration and what all may do by co-opera- 
 tion. 
 
 Among the members who always were in attendance 
 was Samuel Davis Long, a dear old man of near eighty years, 
 who never missed a meeting, who became so infirm that he 
 neither saw nor heard much of what was going on, but 
 whose regular attendance and presence alone was an in- 
 spiration. 
 
 The Men's Class grew in numbers until some definite plan 
 of men's work in the Church outside of the Bible Class at- 
 tendance was called into action by the organization of the 
 
 70 
 
Presbyterian Brotherhood on January 24, 1907, following 
 the National Convention at Indianapolis. At a meeting held 
 in the dining rooms of the Church on that date, with sixty 
 charter members present, Mr. R. C. Phillips was elected 
 President. Following very soon after the Junior Brother- 
 hood was organized with R. C. Todd as leader. 
 
 These two organizations grew until in 1909 the united 
 membership was about two hundred and fifty, and the de- 
 mand came for something more definite in the way of boys' 
 work, and, through the generosity of some of the men in the 
 class, the lower floor of the old Y. M. C. A. building, at Sec- 
 ond and Broadway, was secured and a very successful year's 
 work was inaugurated. It was a pretentious thing for a sin- 
 gle church to attempt, but success crowned our eff'orts. 
 
 The Junior Brotherhood had as its President at this time 
 Homer Edson, now of Washington, D. C. Other boys promi- 
 nent in the work at this time were Harry Elwood, Wm. 
 Hoover, Paul Ford, Paul Banker, Percival Johnson and 
 about all the boys of the Sunday School between the ages of 
 twelve and eighteen years. 
 
 During the year 1911 the boys published a very creditable 
 monthly magazine, "The Fellow/' 
 
 The Presbyterian Brotherhood about this time began to 
 attract the attention of the other Protestant churches of 
 Middletown, and in 1912 we turned over to the churches of 
 Middletown the fruit of our five years of denominational 
 work and opened the doors of the association to all the men 
 and youth of our city of the Protestant faith, and the Pres- 
 byterian Brotherhood Association became the Brotherhood 
 Association of Middletown, 
 
 The purpose of the organization was at all times to be as 
 helpful and as useful as possible to men and the youth of our 
 city and all matters pertaining to the proper upbuilding, 
 moral, social and educational, of the city. 
 
 The motto of the old organization was as follows : "I ex- 
 pect to pass through this life but once. If, therefore, there 
 be any kindness that I can show or any good thing that I can 
 do, let me do it now. Let me not neglect it or defer it for I 
 shall not pass this way again." 
 
 In February, 1917, the Brotherhood Association was 
 
 71 
 
merged in the present Y. M. C. A., with the first President 
 of the old Presbyterian Brotherhood Association as Chair- 
 man of the Board. 
 
 The men of our church may always look back on the years 
 intervening between 1907 and 1912 as very profitable, fruit- 
 ful years. 
 
 During the spring of 1919 The Westminster Club, a sep- 
 arate men's organization in our Church, was eff'ected, with 
 the co-operation of the present pastor. Rev. Bernard J. 
 Brinkema. Calvin W. Verity was chosen President, John 
 T. Williamson, Secretary ,and Paul D. Silveus, Treasurer. 
 The Westminster Club hopes to continue and extend the 
 works of the old Presbyterian Brotherhood, and cordially 
 invites every man in the Church to become a member of this 
 organization and do his part in spreading the Gospel of Jesus 
 Christ among the men of Middletown. 
 
 The following brief account of the Sunday School is sub- 
 mitted by the History Committee. 
 
 The Sunday School has very properly been called the 
 "Church in action." It is the source from which comes the 
 inspiration for much of our Church work and the recruit- 
 ing field for ''Soldiers of the Cross." Since this is true we re- 
 gret that we cannot give a connected history of our Sunday 
 School from its foundation to the present day, showing its 
 growth and naming those who in years gone by have labored 
 and sacrificed for its welfare. The records kept by the Sun- 
 day School in the past consist only of the attendance, collec- 
 tion and like statistical information. Although these num- 
 bers are interesting, yet they do not indicate the real work 
 of the Sunday School, for figures are, after all, so meaning- 
 less, especially when applied to spiritual work. There has 
 been given in the story of our Church those facts concerning 
 the Sunday School of which note was made in the records of 
 the Session and of the Congregational meetings. In the 
 Church Organization has been printed the present oflfiicers 
 and teachers of the various departments and classes of the 
 Sunday School. 
 
 However, it seems fitting that something more be said of 
 those men and women who labored so zealously and consci- 
 
 72 
 
entiously in our Sunday School in past years, even if we must 
 rely on memory alone and cannot name all who deserve 
 recognition. 
 
 Among the Superintendents of the School of an earlier 
 day were Horace P. Clough, Alexander Hill, Sr,, and James 
 Hill, all of whom were men of firm religious convictions and 
 whose lives had a permanent influence on the boys and girls 
 of their day. Their efforts in behalf of the School were very 
 successful. At a later date Mr. Murray Schenck was for 
 several years the Superintendent. He put into the work the 
 vigor of his young manhood and succeeded in building up 
 the School. Mr. Schenck is now living at Artesia, New Mex- 
 ico. In his work in our School some of his able assistants 
 were Miss Jennie Marston, Assistant Superintendent, Mr. 
 J. K. Thomas, Musical Director, and Mrs. Irene Dickey, Or- 
 ganist. In a Church Bulletin, published at that time, 1887, 
 mention is made of the death of Miss Nellie Gardner, and it 
 was said of her that in the eleven years during which she 
 had been a teacher in the Sunday School, she had never re- 
 mained away from the School without providing a teacher 
 for her class or sending a note explaining her absence, and 
 that when one of her class was absent for two successive 
 Sundays she never failed to visit that member to find out the 
 reason for the absence and to endeavor to get him back into 
 the class. 
 
 At a somewhat later date Mr. W. K. Rhonemus was 
 elected Superintendent. He loved the work and the School 
 and took a special interest in the Primary and Intermediate 
 Departments. He spent much time and effort in the work 
 and when he felt that he should give up the Superintendency 
 he continued to attend and to assist in many ways until fail- 
 ing health compelled him to desist. 
 
 Mr. R. C. Phillips, the present Superintendent, is untir- 
 ing in his efforts not only to maintain the high standard 
 gained by the School, but also to advance it in every way. 
 The School is well organized and we have every reason to be 
 encouraged and to go forward hopefully. 
 
 Mention should be made of two Sabbath Schools organ- 
 ized by members of this School and Pastors of our Church. 
 About 1870 our Pastor and some members from our School 
 
 73 
 
conducted a School at Jacksonburg for quite a while and 
 until it was able to support itself. The School met in the 
 afte.noon and was followed by preaching by the Pastor of 
 our Church. Somewhat later a School was organized at 
 Poasttown. Here, as at Jacksonburg, the Pastor held 
 preaching service after the Sunday School. 
 
 The follotving accou7it of the work of the young people in 
 our Church ivas prepared by Miss Margaret Johnso7i, one of 
 our members who is active in the work of the yourig people 
 of our Church and city. 
 
 Active work among the young people of the First Pres- 
 byterian Church was one of the outgrowths of a revival 
 which occurred during the ministry of Mr. Clokey. A letter 
 written by him to the congregation at the time of his de- 
 parture contains this passage: "Can we ever forget in the 
 spring of '77 that beautiful sight of children from the ages 
 of 7 to 14 crowding the study for special prayer? Out of 
 this same awakening came our Young People's Association. 
 This association has indeed been a phenomenon. Ninety- 
 seven of our youth and children have signed its constitution. 
 Its meetings have been continued for more than a year and a 
 half with an attendance seldom below 50 and often rising 
 to 70 or 80." 
 
 An accurate history of the work is not possible as there 
 are no available records. This account has been gleaned 
 from some Church Bulletins of 1885 to 1887, published under 
 Dr. Hershey's ministry, and from the recollections of some 
 of our church members. The Y. F. M., Young Folks' Meet- 
 ing, as it is spoken of in these old monthly bulletins, was held 
 at 6 :30 on Sunday evening. The names of the two leaders 
 for the month and the topics and references were published 
 each month in the bulletin just below the sermon topics. 
 The Y. F. M. was not the only organization among the youth 
 of the church. Soon after her arrival here Mrs. Hershey 
 formed a mission band for girls which was quite active for a 
 number of years. We find the name of the President of 
 this band of "Willing Workers" always printed in the Offi- 
 cial Register. In the bulletin for October, 1885, is this no- 
 tice : "The Pauline Band, composed of about a dozen young 
 
 75 
 
men, has been formed for exercise in prayer and religious 
 conversation. It meets every other Sabbath after Sunday 
 School in the study. It is hoped much good may be done by 
 this Band this winter." 
 
 It may have been that the enthusiasm for Y. F. M. had 
 been growing somewhat less with the passing of the years. 
 At any rate, in November, 1886, a Young Folks' Union was 
 organized. Its constitution together with the following edi- 
 torial appears in the bulletin for that month: "A Young 
 Folks' Union of this Church has been formed. The Pauline 
 Band has been merged into it. It is simply the young folks 
 of the Church organized for religious improvement and 
 church work. It started out with fifteen members, which is 
 promising. The idea is that every young Christian should 
 be actively engaged in some kind of work looking to the ad- 
 vancement of the interests of the church." 
 
 This organization grew in activity and numbers. It had 
 frequent visitors from young people of the other churches 
 in the town. They considered it a treat to be present at the 
 inspirational meetings. A scholarship for an Alaskan boy 
 was begun and the Union contributed $30.00 annually for 
 his support. The money was raised largely from the weekly 
 pledges of the members. It was from the members of this 
 Union that the Society of Christian Endeavor was formed in 
 1891 under Mr. McCampbell's influence. About 25 young 
 people took the pledge which was the same as the present 
 day Christian Endeavor pledge. 
 
 During the first years of its life the Christian Endeavor 
 was a notable factor in the life of the Church. Its Sunday 
 evening meetings were interesting and well attended. Those 
 who did not care to sign the pledge were made very welcome 
 and the attendance grew. The monthly socials at the homes 
 of the members were very much enjoyed. The missionary 
 spirit developed in various ways. The Society continued 
 the support of the native Alaskan boy at the Sitka Mission, 
 which was begun by the Y. F. U. In the churches of neigh- 
 boring towns and villages societies were organized through 
 the influence of delegates sent from our church. The fra- 
 ternal spirit was fostered by local conventions. Memorable 
 were the occasions on which large bus loads drove to Mon- 
 
 76 
 
roe, Springboro, Franklin and Trenton to attend such gath- 
 erings. In 1892 a delegate was sent to the National conven- 
 tion in New York City. Later delegates were sent to state 
 conventions, always with enthusiastic results, for the Chris- 
 tian Endeavor was at its height through the whole country 
 during those years. One of the delegates to a state conven- 
 tion at Springfield tells of the interest and enthusiasm 
 which sent thirteen coaches of young folks from the state 
 convention to attend in a body the national convention at 
 Cleveland immediately following, 
 
 A Junior C. E. was organized in the winter of 1893 and 
 existed for several years. It died for lack of leadership. It 
 may have been for this same cause that the Senior C. E. lost 
 its spirit. The early members assumed other places in the 
 life of the church and many of the young people moved away 
 from town. Perhaps the younger generation failed to as- 
 sume the responsibility which descended to them and no 
 doubt the most thrilling part of the work had already been 
 accomplished with the organization of other Endeavor So- 
 cieties. During the past twenty years the Society has had 
 many periods of flourishing growth and an equal number of 
 depressions. The Young People's work is at this time in a 
 transitional period. It is hoped the New Era Movement will 
 be attended by a new development and an awakening to the 
 end that the young people may again assume their proper 
 place in the activities of the Church. 
 
 There have been other phases of young people's work 
 since 1900 which should be mentioned. The Y. M. C. A. in 
 Middletown had its foundation in the Presbyterian Brother- 
 hood, an active and earnest organization of the men and 
 boys of our church. There was a wide awake Mission Band 
 for young High School girls during 1908 and 1909 under the 
 direction of Mrs. W. H. Johnson. Just after the Lyon meet- 
 ings in 1912, which were followed in our church by Mr. 
 Mitchell's choir work, there was a girls' choir which later 
 was organized into the Busy Bees by Mrs. D. G. Smith. It 
 was the last active mission work in our church for children. 
 
 77 
 
5r 
 
THE CENTENNIAL AND HOME COMING 
 CELEBRATION. 
 
 Many of the members of our Church had been looking 
 forward for several years to the time when the Centennial 
 Anniversary would be celebrated. No definite steps of prep- 
 aration for this event were taken, however, until April 23, 
 1919, at which time the Session appointed a Committee con- 
 sisting of H. S. Wise, Chairman, C. E. Margerum, G. N. 
 Clapp, R. C. Phillips, Mrs. Anna Barnitz, Mrs. Kate A. 
 Oglesby and Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, "to have charge 
 of planning and carrying out a program in celebration of 
 £ind commemorating the One Hundredth Anniversary of the 
 founding of our Church." At a meeting of the committee 
 held soon afterward, the v/eek of October 19th to 26th, inclu- 
 sive, 1919, was selected as the date for the celebration. 
 About the same time the following sub-committees were ap- 
 pointed : Committee to design, purchase and erect upon the 
 walls of the Church a bronze tablet bearing the names of the 
 pastors who have served in our Church from its organiza- 
 tion and the dates of the pastorates, C. E. Margerum, Chair- 
 man , G. N. Clapp and W. H. Johnson ; Committee to estab- 
 lish in the church an endowment fund for Missions, R. C. 
 Phillips, Chairman, R. C. Vanderveer and F. O. Diver; 
 Committee to prepare and have printed a History of the 
 Church, C. E. Burke, Chairman, Miss Josephine LaTourrette 
 and Bennett Chappie. 
 
 Many meetings were held by these various committees 
 and with the co-operation of the Pastor and the members of 
 the church the work moved along smoothly and when the 
 time for the celebration arrived a program had been pre- 
 pared which was to prove interesting and inspiring. Prof. 
 J. Raymond Hemminger, of Carlisle, Pa., was secured to 
 have charge of the music for the week. A large chorus prac- 
 ticed so faithfully for several days before the opening of the 
 celebration that the chorus selections, solos, duets and quar- 
 tets added much to the success of the program. Miss Lulu 
 McClellan presided at the piano with Mrs. Margaret Geb- 
 hart Clapp and Miss Thelma Murphy at the organ. 
 
 On Sunday morning, October 19, the first services of the 
 
 79 
 
Centennial were held. The sermon was preached by Dr. W. 
 0. Thompson, D. D., LL. D., President of Ohio State Univer- 
 sity, who eighteen years before at the dedication of the pres- 
 ent church building had preached the dedicatory sermon. 
 The topic of the sermon was, "A Century of Christian Prog- 
 ress." Dr. Thompson reviewed the great achievements of 
 the past century in all lines of human endeavor tending to 
 elevate mankind. His message was one of optimism for the 
 future of the world and especially of our own America. "The 
 supremacy of righteousness will be recognized and the wel- 
 fare of all will be definitely defined." At this service Rev. 
 Bernard J. Brinkema presided. Rev. W. Hamill Shields, 
 D. D., read the Scripture lesson, and Rev. David Garrett 
 Smith offered the prayer. The service was an inspiration to 
 the large congregation in attendance. 
 
 At the evening service on this day Mr. Harry S. Wise, 
 Chairman of the Centennial Committee, presided. After a 
 song service lasting one-half hour. Rev. W. Hamill Shields, 
 D. D., a former pastor of this Church, preached on the sub- 
 ject, "Elijah under the Juniper Tree — Spiritual Reaction." 
 Dr. Shields brought a message of encouragement, yet one oi 
 warning. He pleaded for an awakening of and a new real- 
 ization of the individual responsibility of the church mem- 
 ber. 
 
 On Monday evening the services were in charge of The 
 Woman's Society of the Church. Mrs. H. H. Goldman, Pres- 
 ident of the Society, presided. Rev. J. King Gibson, D. D., 
 who has been a member of the Dayton Presbytery for forty 
 years, and Stated Clerk for twenty-one years, brought to us 
 greetings from the Dayton Presbytery. Rev. S. Hall Young, 
 D. D., delivered an illustrated lecture on Alaska. This mes- 
 sage proved most interesting and emphasized one great de- 
 partment of church work, Home Missions. 
 
 The services on Tuesday evening were in charge of the 
 Westminster Men's Club. Mr. Calvin W. Verity, President 
 of the Club, presided. The congregation of the Oakland 
 Presbyterian Church attended this service in a body and a 
 salutation for that Church was given by its pastor, Rev. 
 Wendel F. Foster. Rev. C. W. Sullivan, pastor of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church of Middletown, brought greetings 
 
 80 
 
from the churches of the city. A pleasing feature of this 
 service was a quartette sung by Prof. Hemminger, two for- 
 mer pastors, Mr. Shields and Mr. Smith, and the present 
 pastor, Mr. Brinkema. The address of the evening was de- 
 livered by Rev. C. F. Wishart, D. D., President of Wooster 
 College. Dr. Wishart pleaded for a rededication of the 
 spirit of self-sacrifice. He said that in peace we must find 
 the moral equivalent of war. "Are we going to carry the 
 sacrificial ideals of war over into the constructive ideals of 
 peace, and are we going to carry on the wonderful ideals of 
 the war?" the speaker asked. All present were urged to 
 make every effort to do his part in meeting the duties and 
 obligations lately given to the Church and to the Nation. 
 
 A dinner was served by the women of the Church to the 
 Congregation and visiting friends on Wednesday evening 
 at 6 o'clock. After a social half hour services were held in 
 the auditorium of the Church. The program of the evening 
 was in charge of the Woman's Missionary Society. Mrs. E. 
 C. Woodward, President of this Society, presided. Quite a 
 number of the Congregation of the Blue Ball Presbyterian 
 Church attended this service and greetings were brought by 
 them through Rev. James E. Harris, their pastor. Homer 
 Edson, who a few years ago accomplished so much good 
 work with the boys in Middletown, and who had lately re- 
 turned from war work with the Red Cross, reviewed briefly 
 the home mission work that had been done in Middletown 
 and spoke of the work yet to be done. The address of the 
 evening was delivered by Rev. Scott F. Hershey, Ph.D., 
 LL. D., a former pastor of this Church, Dr. Hershey took 
 as his subject, "The Outlook and the Forelook." He spoke 
 of the great responsibility that our country has been called 
 upon to face. "It is as if God has thrown open the door to 
 the United States and said, 'Go ye into all the world and 
 teach,' " said the speaker. "We have our heritage and we 
 must and will live up to our responsibilities in it." 
 
 During the service of this evening the electric lights 
 went off and could not be turned on again for several min- 
 utes. Candles used on the dinner tables a short time before 
 were brought into the auditorium and we were given a vivid 
 
 81 
 
illustration of how the Churches were lighted one hundred 
 years ago. 
 
 Thursday night was known as "Sunday School Night." 
 The services on this occasion were presided over by Mr. R. 
 C. Phillips, Superintendent of the Sunday School, A dele- 
 gation from the "New Jersey" church, of Carlisle, was pres- 
 ent and a short address was made by Rev. John L. Robin- 
 son, pastor of that Church. The elders from the "New Jer- 
 sey" Church presided at the organization of our Church 
 One Hundred years ago. The speaker of the evening was 
 Rev. George N. Luccock, D. D., pastor of the College Church, 
 Wooster, Ohio. Dr. Luccock spoke on the subject, "The 
 Church at School." He dwelt upon four things required to 
 make a school — teachers, learners, ideals and the home. "AJl 
 the equipment in the world cannot make a good school. Only 
 the personality of the teacher can do that." The speaker 
 declared that various influences are working to disrupt the 
 home ; that, in fact, the only institution that does not disrupt 
 the home is the Christian Church. 
 
 The address on Friday evening was delivered by Rev. 
 Joseph A. Vance, D. D., LL. D., pastor of the First Pres- 
 byterian Church, Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Vance took as his 
 subject, "The Call of the Church to the Youth." The speaker 
 emphasized the part the younger generation will take in the 
 rebuilding of the nations. He said that it has been the am- 
 bition of each department of the church to maintain its own 
 existence, but now we are realizing that all departments 
 must be united in order to progress. "Christians are com- 
 ing to have a greater appreciation of what it means to be a 
 Christian and the passion for Christ and humanity is becom- 
 ing stronger in the life of the Christian," said Dr. Vance. 
 This service was in charge of the young people of the 
 Church. Miss Margaret Johnson, who has been active for 
 the last few years in promoting the welfare of the young peo- 
 ple of our church and city, presided at this meeting. Two 
 features of the service were a solo by Mr. Hemminger, "I 
 Know He Cares," and a whistling solo by Miss Lulu Mc- 
 Clellan. 
 
 Sunday was the closing day of the Centennial celebration. 
 At the morning service Rev. David Garrett Smith, a former 
 
 82 
 
pastor, preached the sermon on the subject, "The Genera- 
 tions and the Perfecting of Life." Mr. Smith told of the heri- 
 tage of the Church through its long generations of service 
 and emphasized how the perfecting of life was connected 
 both with the past and the future. He said that we do not 
 live to ourselves, but that ''through the ages one incessant 
 purpose runs," and that the call is stronger today than ever 
 before for the individual Christian to do his full part in 
 bringing about the "one divine event toward which the whole 
 creation moves." Mr. G. N. Clapp, an elder in this Church 
 since 1892, presided at the morning service. 
 
 Rev. John B. Ferguson, pastor of the Hopewell Presby- 
 terian Church, Franklin, Indiana, preached in the evening. 
 Mr. Ferguson was a former member of our Church and a 
 teacher in the local High School and was warmly welcomed 
 on his return for this occasion. He took as the subject for 
 his sermon, "The Heart of the Church." He made a strong 
 plea for the worship of God in spirit and in truth. Mr. Carl 
 F. Williamson, an elder in our Church, presided at this serv- 
 ice. A feature of the program for the evening was a piano 
 solo by Miss Lulu McClellan, an arrangement of "Savior, 
 Like a Shepherd Lead Us." 
 
 Within the week on different occasions the Endowment 
 Fund Committee made reports as to the plans it had formu- 
 lated. On Sunday the following announcement was read : 
 
 "The Hundredth Anniversary of our Church calls to our 
 minds the many years of blessing God has bestowed upon us, 
 and it seems fitting at this time that some permanent foun- 
 dation should be constructed that would in a way reflect our 
 thanks. 
 
 "Since the basis of our present day Christian life is 
 service, unselfish service, we feel that we should lay aside the 
 thought of doing something as a church for ourselves, some- 
 thing that might in a way be a memorial to this Centennial 
 Anniversary and perhaps add to our own comfort and pleas- 
 ure, and should support some project or movement that 
 means service to others not so fortunate as we. 
 
 "It has been proposed that we create at this time the 
 First Presbyterian Church Missionary Endowment Fund 
 for Home and Foreign Missions, and that this fund be es- 
 tablished now, by contributions from our membership. The 
 
 83 
 
joy of giving while living is much more satisfactory than 
 waiting till life's end and then giving. Some prefer the lat- 
 ter, however, and if you do, we urgently request you to pro- 
 vide in a will some substantial remembrance for this fund. 
 The money is to be carefully invested by the proper church 
 authorities and the interest on the investment to go toward 
 the support solely of Home and Foreign Missions. You will 
 thus help to create and institute a fund that will be a lasting 
 memorial to yourself and to your beloved Church. 
 
 "This action has the approval of the General Assembly 
 and many churches are becoming interested along the same 
 lines. 
 
 "Our Church has no debt and we should have no difficulty 
 in starting at this time a substantial endowment fund that 
 will in a few years support in a substantial way the cause of 
 Missions, Home and Foreign." 
 
 It was stated that subscription cards would soon be sent 
 to all members of the Congregation and a liberal response 
 was requested. Prospects are most promising that this plan 
 will be very successful and that our church will soon have a 
 large missionary endowment fund as a "Centennial Me- 
 morial." 
 
 The Memorial Tablet Committee reported that the tablet 
 containing the names of all the ministers who had served in 
 the Church since its organization had been purchased but de- 
 livery had been delayed and the tablet could not be erected 
 during Centennial week as had been hoped. 
 
 The History Committee announced that the history was 
 practically completed and would be ready for the printer as 
 soon as a brief account of the Centennial Week program 
 could be prepared, and that it was hoped that "The Story of 
 a Hundred Years" would be ready for distribution in about 
 three weeks. 
 
 Centennial Week was all that had been expected and even 
 more. It was a week of real enjoyment and blessing, not 
 only for members of our own church, but also for many 
 others who regularly attended the services. The attendance 
 at all the meetings was good. The music was inspiring and 
 all the messages helpful and encouraging. Because ;of the 
 activities of this Great Week, we are looking ahead with 
 greater hope and courage. 
 
 84 
 
MEMORABILIA. 
 
 Under this heading are given several items of interest in 
 our Church life which for different reaso7is have 7iot been 
 woven into other parts of our Sto7'y. 
 
 On July 26, 1900, the Dicks Creek-Blue Ball Presbyte- 
 rian Church Centennial celebration was held. At that serv- 
 ice Rev. Charles E. Walker, Ph. D., Hartwell, Ohio, deliv- 
 ered a very interesting address on the history of that church, 
 hi that address the statement was made that up to that time 
 about thirty-five members had bee7i dismissed from that 
 Church to the Middletoivfi Presbyterian Church. For this 
 reason and in vieiv of the fact that the early history of the 
 Dicks Ci'eek Church is also the history of our Church it was 
 decided to reprint the folloiviyig paragraphs from Mr. 
 Walker's address. 
 
 "Presbyterianism came into Ohio with the first settlers. 
 
 A majority in that party of twenty-six men who landed 
 near what is now the foot of Sycamore Street, Cincinnati, 
 December 28, 1788, were Presbyterians, Almost immedi- 
 ately they took steps to secure a meeting place for worship, 
 Town lots were donated and in due time a house of worship 
 was erected — the first Presbyterian Church in Ohio. These 
 lots are still owned and occupied by the First Presbyterian 
 Church of Cincinnati. This is the Mother Church of the 
 Dicks Creek-Blue Ball Church, and no one had more to do 
 with its organization and maintenance than the two men 
 who first served this pioneer church as pastors. 
 
 Because of trouble with the Indians, the settlers on the 
 river did not venture very far into the interior. They kept 
 as close to Fort Washington as possible. When going to the 
 fields to work, or even to church to worship, it was neces- 
 sary to carry their guns for protection. 
 
 In 1794 Gen. Wayne, who had been appointed to the com- 
 mand of the army, succeeded in doing what Gen. St. Clair 
 had failed to accomplish. He gained a complete victory over 
 the Indians, destroyed their power and compelled them to 
 cede to the United States all claims to territory lying east 
 of the Great Miami River. 
 
 The danger from the Indians now being almost entirely 
 
 85 
 
removed, the tide of immigration set in with great activity. 
 Abandoned settlements were reclaimed and many new ones 
 were made on the fertile plains of the Miamis and the 
 streams feeding these rivers. 
 
 This beautiful Dicks Creek Valley was soon sighted and 
 chosen. In 1795 a man named Dick, or Dicks, entered the 
 section of land in Warren County known as Section 33. This 
 gentleman gave his name to the stream that runs through 
 this section, though he himself never lived in this neighbor- 
 hood. 
 
 During the years immediately following a number of 
 families came from Dauphin and Washington Counties in 
 Pennsylvania and settled in the neighborhood of Dicks 
 Creek. Others came from Kentucky, by way of Fort Wash- 
 ington, and still others, like Thomas Hunter and his young 
 bride, came directly from the "Old Country." 
 
 Some of these families were from the old Hanover Pres- 
 byterian Church in Pennsylvania, and when they came into 
 the "Far West" they did not forget their allegiance to God 
 and the church. 
 
 These hardy pioneers were God-fearing men, and while 
 they labored to subdue the forests they planned for the wor- 
 ship and service of God. 
 
 At this early date there were few houses in this neigh- 
 borhood. Choppers' cabins, however, were giving way to 
 log houses. Some of the foot-paths or "trails" were being 
 widened and dignified with the name "road." The travel 
 was almost wholly on foot or horseback. Preachers rode 
 from ten to fifty miles to fill their appointments, and from 
 fifty to one hundred miles to attend Presbytery, and across 
 the mountains to Philadelphia to attend the meetings of the 
 General Assembly. Those were the days of magnificent dis- 
 tances, and the people thought nothing of riding, or even 
 walking, from five to ten miles to attend preaching services. 
 They carried their dinners with them and stayed all day. 
 
 In 1803 Joseph Parks built the first brick house in War- 
 ren County. It stood near where the house on Joseph W. 
 Culbertson's farm now stands, and was destroyed by fire in 
 1876. In this house, and in the large log barn near by, which 
 is still standing, Dicks Creek Church found a home until 
 
 86 
 
the erection of the first church edifice. Robert Parks, a son 
 of Joseph Parks, lived on the farm now owned and occupied 
 by James Eberhart. In 1810 these gentlemen, father and 
 son, donated an acre of ground lying on Dicks Creek, about 
 one mile east of the present village of Blue Ball, for a bury- 
 ing-place. Another acre joining was leased for a church 
 site. Thus the burying-place became literally the church- 
 yard. Another acre on the west side of the road was leased 
 by Capt. Wm. Humphrey, to be used for hitching purposes. 
 In our day this location seems an inconvenient one, and some 
 may have wondered why it was chosen as a suitable place 
 for a house of worship. It must be remembered that there 
 was then no village where Blue Ball now stands. It was ten 
 years later when a tavern and the few houses at the new 
 cross-roads was called Guilford. Springs of living water 
 frequently determined the location of a house in those days. 
 When people came long distances to church and remained 
 all day, it was the part of wisdom to have their churches 
 near to a never-failing spring of water if possible. The 
 good spring at this point, together with the good-will and 
 generosity of the Parks family, determined the site of the 
 church. Here, in 1810, our first building was erected." 
 
 OUR Church very early in its history began to give to 
 missions. On July 21, 1822, a special missionary col- 
 lection amounted to $5.41 1/>. This amount seems small but 
 when we compare it with the items of expense even for a 
 date twenty years later as given elsewhere herein, we see 
 that it would enable some mission church to hold several 
 services. 
 
 IN a "Trustees' Record" which has been preserved we find 
 that the pledges made in 1828 "for the purpose of erect- 
 ing a Presbyterian Meetinghouse on a lot of ground on the 
 lower or south end of the town of Middletown, purchased 
 from Daniel Doty for that purpose, between Main and Broad 
 streets," amounted to $868.37yo. There were forty-nine 
 contributors. Several persons pledged fifty dollars, this 
 amount being the largest sum subscribed. One subscription 
 of fifty dollars was "to be paid for in work." There was one 
 pledge for seven dollars and twelve and one half cents. 
 
 87 
 
Among the list of subscribers are found several names which 
 from that day have been prominent in Middletov^n history 
 and progress : Lefferson, Dubois, Barcalow, Caldwell, 
 Dickey, Wycoff, Banker and Doty. 
 
 WHEN the first church building was nearly completed, 
 in 1833, "it was agreed upon that the pews be sold 
 upon draft for the purpose of paying the expense of erect- 
 ing them, and that John M. Barnett, Peter Vanderveer and 
 Moses W. Karr be a committee to draw a draft of the pews 
 and number them." This was done and the sale made at 
 once. William Bates called the sale. Two hundred and six- 
 teen dollars was realized from this sale and twenty pews 
 were sold. The highest price paid for a pew was twenty-five 
 dollars and the lowest was three dollars. 
 
 AT a meeting of the Congregation of the Church, Febru- 
 ary 16, 1833, "it was agreed upon to enter into a con- 
 tract with David L. Murry and James A. Walker for the 
 erection of the pews in the Presbyterian Church and that 
 an article of agreement be entered into immediately for the 
 faithful performance of the same." This article of agree- 
 ment has been preserved and is considered of sufficient in- 
 terest and historical value to justify its reproduction herein. 
 A fac-simile of a part of this contract is shown on another 
 page. The contract in full follows ; 
 
 Articles of agreement made, concluded upon and en- 
 tered into on the twenty-sixth day of February one thou- 
 sand eight hundred and thirty-three, between David L. 
 Murry and James A. Walker, of the town of Middletown, 
 County of Butler, and State of Ohio, of the one part, and 
 the trustees of the Presbyterian Meetinghouse in Middle- 
 town, Butler County, of the other part, in the words follow- 
 ing, that is to say : The said David L. Murry and James A. 
 Walker, for and in consideration of the promises, provi- 
 sions and conditions hereinafter contained and stipulated 
 to be done and performed on the part and behalf of the said 
 trustees aforesaid, have and do hereby for themselves, their 
 heirs, executors, and administrators jointly and severally 
 covenant and grant unto and with the said trustees of the 
 Presbyterian Meetinghouse that the said David L. Murry 
 
and James A. Walker shall find and provide all manner of 
 suitable materials and build and erect, or cause to be 
 erected, a good and sufficient set of pews and box seats in the 
 Presbyterian Meetinghouse in Middletown, in manner and 
 form hereinafter specified and within the time herein lim- 
 ited, that is to say, the whole work is to be completed on or 
 before the first day of June next ensuing this date. There 
 is to be eighteen pews in front of the pulpit occupying the 
 center of the house. Each pew is to be eight feet six inches 
 in length, two feet six inches in width, three feet one inch 
 in hight. A partition is to be made between the center 
 block of pews. Each pew is to have a door to open into the 
 aisles running on each side of said block of pews. The doors 
 are to be made with panneled work, also the front next the 
 pulpit to be panneled work and the rear side next the front 
 door to be panneled. The seats, heel board and back part 
 of said pews are to be of the best of yellow poplar. The 
 caps, book shelf end of the pews, doors, moldings around 
 the doors and anything else than the seats, heel board and 
 back part of the pews are to be of white pine of a good qual- 
 ity. In the pews of this block fronting and next to the pul- 
 pit one foot of the front part of the pew is to be made and 
 hung on hinges to let down for the purpose of forming a 
 table to accommodate in time of communion. On each side 
 of the pulpit there is to be four pews of eight feet in length 
 and as wide as the space will admit, to be of the same kind 
 of materials and made in the same manner of the other 
 pews except that they join the wall at the back end. On the 
 north side of the house there is to be five box pews between 
 the side door and stairway to the gallery, each to be five feet 
 and about five inches long at the side next the wall and ex- 
 tending five feet from the wall, seats and back of the box 
 pews of poplar as in the other pews, the balance compris- 
 ing the front to be of suitable white pine, the front of the 
 boxes to be panneled work of the best approved kind. On 
 the south side of the house there is to be six box pews be- 
 tween the side door and east end of the house extending five 
 feet from the wall to be of the same kind of materials and 
 the same kind of work of the other box pews, the doors to be 
 set in the center of the front of the box pews and finished off 
 
 89 
 

 ■^•^"7^ 
 
 ; ■'^"^- .':. ..^/.^./rT ^;;;7'^''^^^'" 
 
 - '^'-. -^1... 
 
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 /t>»^,..'. /, 
 
 
 y^ ->. --^ 
 
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 Fac-simile of the first page of the contract to erect the pews in our 
 first Church Building. 
 
 90 
 
round the doors of the whole of the pews as the trustees 
 shall approve, the doors to be hung on good substantial 
 hinges made for that purpose and approved by the trustees. 
 The doors of the box pews are also to be panneled work. 
 There is to be a loose bench made to sit in front of the center 
 block of pews and one in the center space. The wall pews on 
 each side of the pulpit, Nos, 30 and 37, are to be raised 
 eight inches higher from the floor than the other pews. 
 And the said trustees of the said Presbyterian Meeting- 
 house in Middletown do covenant and grant unto and with 
 the said David L. Murry and James A. Walker that they will 
 pay or cause to be paid to the said David L. Murry, his heirs 
 or assigns for finding the materials and erecting said pews 
 in the manner hereinbefore specified the sum of fifty dollars 
 about the 10th day of March next ensuing this date for the 
 purpose of furnishing the materials with, and fifty dollars 
 on the first day of May provided the work shall be progress- 
 ing to the satisfaction of the trustees, and forty-three dollars 
 on the first day of June if the work shall be completed ac- 
 cording to contract and the balance which is forty-three dol- 
 lars in two months from the time the work is entirely com- 
 pleted and accepted by the trustees. The words (in two 
 months) are interlined before signing. 
 
 In testimony whereof the said David L. Murry and 
 James Walker, of the first part, and Arthur Lefferson, Wil- 
 liam Bates and George Yager trustees of said Presbyterian 
 Meetinghouse in behalf of the congregation of Presbyte- 
 rians of the other part, do hereby agree to bind themselves, 
 their heirs executors or administrators, in the penal sum of 
 {.wo hundred and fifty dollars, lawful money, for the true 
 and faithful performance of said articles of agreement, 
 whereof we have hereunto interchangeably set our hands 
 and seals at Middletown the day and year first above written. 
 
 Signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence of us, 
 
 MOSES W. KARR, 
 
 JOHN M. BARNETT, clerk for the trustees. 
 DAVID L. MURRY 
 JAMES A. WALKER, 
 ARTHUR LEFFERSON (Seal) 
 WILLIAM BATES 
 GEORGE YAGER 
 
THERE has come into the hands of the Committee a small 
 book marked as follows: ''Middletown, 1841. Receipts 
 and expenditures of The Presbyterian Church," Following 
 are some of the items of expense noted : Candles, 50 cents ; 
 wood, 871/2 cents; splitting and cutting wood, 621/2 cents; 
 oil pot, 18% cents ; two brooms, STi/o cents ; wicking for 
 lamp, 614 cents ; "sexton's salary from August 1st. up to the 
 20th. of December", $9.00 ; candles for school house meeting, 
 121/^ cents ; pair of lamp snuffers, 45 cents ; ''cash paid to 
 preacher", $1.00. It would seem from this record that one 
 of the collections taken amounted to 25 cents and another 
 to $2.06i/t. 
 
 THE Church has always had its problems some of which 
 are ''always new but ever old." 
 
 We find the following record in the minutes of the Con- 
 gregational Meeting held April 2, 1883 : "Some of our peo- 
 ple are too much absorbed in business for their spiritual 
 good and growth in grace." Was it ever thus ? 
 
 In the minutes of the meeting held on April 1, 1890, the 
 following is recorded : "Perhaps the greatest clog at this 
 time to Christian consecration and growth is what has been 
 fitly termed the dancing craze. And we fear that some of 
 our people have been beguiled by its supposed seductive 
 charms into a forgetfulness or neglect of the vows volun- 
 tarily assumed by them when they covenanted to be the 
 Lord's and to labor for the growth and upbuilding of His 
 Kingdom in the world, but we have reason to hope and be- 
 lieve that this form of worldliness has reached its acme and 
 that the sober second thought of those engaged in it will 
 prevail." 
 
 M7's. Anna L. Barnitz, who bears the distinction not only 
 of being one of the oldest membef^s of our congregation at 
 this time, but also of being one of the most regular in attend- 
 ance at the services of our Church, and who for many years 
 has been actively iyiterested in the ivork of the Church, at 
 the request of the Committee prepared the following remi- 
 niscences ivhich ive are much pleased to be able to present. 
 THE writer has been a member of The First Presbyterian 
 Church since 1853. She was baptized in that year by 
 Rev. John B. Morton, who was then nearing the end of his 
 
 92 
 
long pastorate in this Church, The Church, which was the 
 first Presbyterian Church building to be erected in Middle- 
 town, at that time was situated near where the present Lu- 
 theran Church stands, on South Broadway, near the junc- 
 tion with Vanderveer Street. This building was a small 
 brick structure with but a single story and was erected in 
 1833. Later, in 1846, a bell was purchased and a cupola 
 added to the building. This bell was afterward moved to 
 the church erected in 1854 at Main and Fourth Streets and 
 still later moved to the Oakland Church where it is now in 
 use. 
 
 In 1853 the church owned a large tract of land surround- 
 ing the church edifice and extending from Broad Street to 
 Yankee Road and almost to Fifth Street. All this tract wa.^ 
 sold to the Lutheran Church Association and the greater 
 part of it has long since been divided up into building lots 
 and sold. Had this tract been held until the present time 
 and sold, the Church could have had a large endowment 
 fund for some worthy cause. 
 
 When the writer was quite young Mr. Morton was mar- 
 ried, the wedding taking place in the house that is now my 
 home but at that time the home of Dr. Peter Vanderveer, 
 whose daughter Mr. Morton married. The ceremony took 
 place in the northwest room and was witnessed by a goodly 
 number of the Presbyterian congregation of that day. 
 
 After the death of Dr. Vanderveer, this house, now 
 known as number 505 South Broad street, became the Pres- 
 byterian manse and served for this purpose until in 1864 
 when it came into the hands of the writer's family. It is one 
 of the oldest homes of Middletown and is said to be of pure 
 colonial design patterned after some of the houses in the 
 town of Salem, Massachusetts, This house has known 
 many a gay and many a sad scene. When I was a small girl, 
 the son of Dr, Peter Vanderveer, Ferdinand, later in the 
 civil war to become the great General Vanderveer who led 
 the 35th. Ohio Infantry all through the rebellion, came home 
 from his campaign in Mexico. How well I remember that 
 day. At that time there was not a house between our home 
 and the canal. Each afternoon the passenger packet from 
 Cincinnati arrived about four o'clock. As the packet ap- 
 
 93 
 
preached the town the buglers on board would sound a fan- 
 fare and the whole town would turn out to the docks to see 
 the boat come in and meet the passengers. This day the 
 bugles played very sadly. Ferd Vanderveer was on board 
 and with him a comrade dead. The cortege formed at the 
 wharves and slowly wound its way to this hill. The young 
 man was buried out near West Elkton. 
 
 The next time Ferdinand Vanderveer came home he was 
 a General promoted on the field for gallantry in action. 
 
 During the Reverend Mr. Morton's pastorate the minis- 
 ter's salary was very meagre. Four hundred dollars was all 
 that he was paid. Of course four hundred dollars in 1850 
 was a great deal more money than it is in 1919, but still had 
 it not been for the donation parties given in the parsonage 
 to which the members of the church brought an abundance 
 of supplies such as wagon loads of wood, apples and potatoes 
 sufficient to last the whole winter, and groceries to stock the 
 pantry, the pastor would have found it difficult with his sal- 
 ary to make both ends meet. 
 
 Our new church, erected in 1854, was then the finest in 
 the city. It was a two story building and could accommo- 
 date in its audience room about five hundred people. In 
 1866 a pipe organ was purchased and set up. At that time 
 the choir gave two concerts and Professor Gale, of Christ 
 Church, Cincinnati, played the organ. An admittance fee 
 of twenty-five cents was charged and the auditorium was 
 crowded for both programs. 
 
 For several years after the church was erected on the 
 Main Street site, the house now used by Dr. T. E. Reed as an 
 ofl?ice was the Presbyterian manse. Our church once owned 
 this property but sold it. 
 
 In connection with the pastorate of the Reverend Mr. 
 Russell, I have a vivid recollection of his marriage to Miss 
 Wilson. Mr. Russell invited Dr. Barnitz and myself to go to 
 Cincinnati to witness the ceremony. The General Assem- 
 bly of the Presbyterian church was sitting in the First 
 Church of Cincinnati, and at the close of one session, at five 
 o'clock in the afternoon, there was a double wedding cere- 
 mony. The Reverend Joshua L. Russell and Miss Wilson, 
 and Moses Wilson, brother of the bride, and a Miss Thorpe 
 
 94 
 
were married. The great edifice was packed with witnesses 
 and the ceremony itself was most impressive. As the newly 
 wedded couples passed clown the aisle, some one loosed a 
 dove which hovered over the bridal party as a delightful 
 symbol until it reached the vestry door. Mrs. Russell still is 
 living at Lansdowne, Pa,, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. 
 Edward Symonds, and Judge Moses Wilson is a prominent 
 barrister and now resides in Mt. Auburn, Cincinnati. 
 
 During the writer's membership in the First Presbyte- 
 rian Church thirteen ministers have presided over the pas- 
 torate of the First Church. The Reverend Mr. Morton, who 
 was the pastor when I united with the Church, is buried in 
 Middletown. With his first and second wives, he lies buried 
 in Middletown cemetery. The other ministers all left Mid- 
 dletown for other fields before their death. 
 
 For eighteen years it was the writer's precious privilege 
 to teach the primary class in the Sunday School. At that 
 time it was the custom to hold an annual picnic on our lawn. 
 The children and all the mothers were invited. 
 
 Another part of the Church work in which the writer 
 has taken a special interest and which she has enjoyed so 
 much is the work of the Woman's Society. It would not be 
 possible to give the names of the many fine co-workers in 
 this Society. Good officers have always been in charge and 
 the Society has always kept a bank account. Reports of the 
 work have been read at annual congregational meetings and 
 the balance sheet has always showed the balance on the 
 proper side. 
 
 That our church may continue to grow in power and in- 
 fluence and good deeds and more and more be blessed of God 
 is the prayer of the writer. 
 
 95 
 
Fac-simile of the First Page of the First Minute Book of the Ses- 
 sion of our Church. This book is today in a well preserved condition. 
 
 96 
 
Mr. Charles E, Margerum, a member of the Board of 
 Deacons since 1887, who has kept in close touch with all the 
 Church activities since that time, at the request of the Com- 
 mittee prepared the folloiving account of the building of our 
 present Church home. 
 
 IN a review of the history of the Church for the last three 
 decades the one outstanding event that has left its im- 
 pression on my memory is that of the erection of our present 
 church 'building, not only because of the fact that this was 
 done but also because of the conditions existing at that time, 
 the persons who were identified with the undertaking and 
 the spirit actuating them, and the generous support that 
 carried the work to completion. 
 
 The majority of the older members then active in church 
 work have since passed to their reward, but many who took 
 a part in the work are still with us and can remember with 
 what indomitable courage every obstacle was overcome by 
 the noble men and women who gave to it their generous co- 
 operation and support. We are prone to look upon this 
 building with its appointments and furnishings as common- 
 place or as a matter of sequence or sometimes with criticism, 
 forgetful of the sacrifices made and without knowledge to 
 whom we are indebted for that which we now enjoy in this 
 beautiful temple. 
 
 To have a proper conception of the magnitude of the ac- 
 complishment we should not judge by present day standards 
 of "frenzied finance" for it was carried out under very dif- 
 ferent conditions. 
 
 Let us, then, as we erect the tablet in the Church to the 
 memory of the Pastors during the century, also cherish the 
 memory of those to whom we are indebted for the building 
 which enshrines it. 
 
 For a long time prior to 1891 there was manifest a grow- 
 ing desire and fond hope to have a larger building better 
 suited to accommodate the increasing activities of the 
 church and Sabbath School. At the regular congregational 
 meeting of the Church, Saturday afternoon, April 4th. of 
 that year, a committee of fifteen was appointed from the 
 congregation to be called the Presbyterian Church Building 
 
 97 
 
Committee whose duty it was to select a site for the new 
 Church, to increase the subscription list that had already 
 been started, to select plans and specifications, and to secure 
 a proper building for church services during the erection of 
 the new church edifice. The committee of fifteen as ap- 
 pointed was : 
 
 Theo. Marston, Wm. Caldwell, P. P. LaTourrette, J. B. 
 Hartley, C. S. Barnitz, J. K. Thomas, C. B. Johnson, C. B. 
 Oglesby, Murray Schenck, H. P. Leibee, E. L. McCallay, Dr. 
 Samuel McClellan, Geo. Jacoby, J. M. Iseminger, Chas. E. 
 Margerum. 
 
 On the evening of the same day, April 4, 1891, the com- 
 mittee of fifteen met and organized by the election of P. P. 
 LaTourrette Permanent President and E. L. McCallay Per- 
 manent Secretary, and adopted as a rule of order that eight 
 members should constitute a quorum for the transaction of 
 business. A Finance Committee was elected consisting of 
 C. B. Oglesby, Wm. Caldwell, Theo. Marston and J. B. Hart- 
 ley. C. B. Johnson was chosen Treasurer and a Sub-Com- 
 mittee of three consisting of C. B. Johnson, Joseph Isemin- 
 ger and Chas. E. Margerum was selected whose duty it was 
 to invite plans and submit same to the general committee, 
 and to have full charge of superintending the construction 
 of the proposed new building. This committee of fifteen 
 also selected the first and third Friday evenings of each 
 month at 7 :30 for regular meetings and resolved to build 
 the new Church of stone. Thus was launched the greatest 
 movement of that character that the Church has ever under- 
 taken and one which was to call for the earnest and united 
 effort of the whole membership and a work that was to try 
 to the fullest extent the financial ability of the Church. 
 
 Differing views upon the question of location immedi- 
 ately prompted resolutions to build on the old site followed 
 by resolutions to secure a new site and options were secured 
 on other locations but it remained an open question until at 
 a meeting on November 24, 1891, at which time Wm. Cald- 
 well and C. B. Oglesby were appointed a committee to select 
 plans and specifications and it was decided to build on the 
 old site. May 25, 1892, bids were presented for the building 
 as follows : Wm. Caldwell, $30,675.00 ; Chas. E. Margerum, 
 
 98 
 
$33,727.00 ; Jacoby & Denny, $34,859.00. The bid of Wm. 
 Caldwell being the lowest was accepted and a contract was 
 closed with him to build the church. 
 
 An estimate including the items not in Mr. Caldwell's 
 contract was submitted consisting of heating, plumbing, 
 stone carving, frescoing, art glass, pulpit furniture, pews, 
 carpets, architect's services and other items amounting in 
 all to $9,325.00, making the estimated total cost of the build- 
 ing $40,000.00. 
 
 A committee of two was appointed to tear down and take 
 care of all material of the old church except that part that 
 would be needed for building a new church in Oakland. At 
 this meeting the resignation of C. B. Johnson was accepted 
 and on motion Theo. Marston was unanimously elected 
 Treasurer of the Building Committee. 
 
 The removal of the old and building of the new church 
 progressed. Providing funds to satisfy the claims of the 
 contractor now engaged our attention. 
 
 At a called meeting January 17, 1895, the new Church 
 building was received from the contractor as complete ac- 
 cording to agreement, and a vote of thanks was extended for 
 faithful performance of the contract. The cost of the build- 
 ing had exceeded the amount first estimated and the total 
 cost was reported by the committee to be $45,000.00, leaving 
 a balance of about $18,000.00 unprovided for. 
 
 Various plans were suggested to meet this deficit but all 
 to no purpose until a call was issued "To the Individual Mem- 
 bers" for a meeting February 13, 1895, from which I take 
 the following : 
 
 "We have been worshiping for eighteen months past in 
 the Lecture or Sabbath School Department. The main audi- 
 ence room is now completed, but our new church can not be 
 dedicated and occupied with the existing debt unprovided 
 for. . . . Something must be done by which our cred- 
 itors can obtain their dues. . . . Your committee has 
 thought best to make one final and united effort to pay the 
 debt and be done with it at once and forever. We know our 
 indebtedness is considerably larger than we anticipated it 
 would be when our church was finished. We could not fore- 
 see the depression of the times that has occurred since we 
 
 100 
 
commenced to build. Yet we believe there is enough wealth, 
 combined with enough love for God and His church, existing 
 among the members of the Presbyterian Church in Middle- 
 town, with some additional aid we hope to obtain from 
 others than members, to lift the debt which now hangs over 
 us like a pall. But it will take a united effort. The gift of 
 the wealthy, the middle class, the poor and even down to the 
 widow's mite, will all be required to lift the $18,000.00 debt. 
 . . . Come out to the meeting. . . . It is for the mem- 
 bers and congregation that will be there assembled to say 
 whether the debt now resting upon the church shall be paid, 
 the church dedicated and we continue to worship in our new 
 and beautiful audience room. The subscriptions to clear the 
 church building from debt, as shall be made upon that even- 
 ing, will be conditioned that the whole amount of indebted- 
 ness is raised, then the whole of the subscription must be 
 paid." 
 
 This meeting was under the management of Dr. W. O. 
 Thompson, Oxford, Ohio, but failed to raise the amount de- 
 sired. Another meeting was called for February 27th, at 
 which greater success was obtained as the debt was reduced 
 to $5,000.00 which was afterward provided for. 
 
 An attempt to recall the activities of the church in those 
 bygone days would go far amiss if it did not include the 
 prominent mention of the fine spirit of cheerful and effi- 
 cient participation by the women, a characteristic then as 
 now that we delight to honor and respect, but while this is 
 a dependable quality at all times I now am recalling fond 
 recollections of the building of the church only and not of 
 anything added since of which there are many evidences 
 that the women of our church today worthily maintain the 
 same spirit as then exemplified. 
 
 The Ladies' Aid Society, or what is now known as the 
 Woman's Society, was composed of every woman in the 
 church, and while giving more than $500.00 in cash to the 
 Building Committee, it also gave $700.00 for furniture, car- 
 peted the entire building, except the Ladies' parlor, at an ex- 
 pense of $1,200.00, and furnished all the hangings in the 
 church. The Sabbath School classes of Mrs. A. T. Wilson, 
 Miss Lou Hartley, Mrs. Irene Dickey, Miss Jennie Blair, and 
 
 101 
 
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others gave through this society. The Sabbath School classes 
 were all organized in a system to raise money and to work 
 for the building of the new church and succeeded in raising 
 a considerable amount. The King's Daughters Society, 
 which was then affiliated with the Church, gave the bap- 
 tismal font. 
 
 The assistance of the women of the Church was invalu- 
 able in the selection of the pews and decorations and in 
 many other details. 
 
 On Monday everiing of Centennial Week, Rev. J. King 
 Gibson, D. D., brought to our Church greetings from the 
 Presbytery of Dayton. Dr. Gibson has been a member of 
 this Presbytery for forty years and its Stated Clerk for 
 twenty-one years. He has preached in our Church on many 
 occasio7is and so his greetings came from frieyid to frierid 
 as well as from Presbytery to Church. Dr. Gibson spoke as 
 follows. 
 
 THE history of the Presbyterian Church is one of deep 
 interest. Including its various branches it is the larg- 
 est Protestant body in the world as the alliance of the Re- 
 formed Churches holding the Presbyterian system includes 
 twenty-five million members. 
 
 This would be nothing to our credit if something more 
 could not be said. But more can be said in all fairness. Our 
 Church has borne a distinguished part in the history of the 
 Christian religion. It has told for the betterment of man- 
 kind. In works of philanthropy, in popular education, in 
 the ends of Civil Government, as well as in things distinctly 
 religious, it has had a conspicuous part. So competent an 
 authority as George Bancroft has traced our greatness as a 
 nation, in no small part to the principles of the English Pur- 
 itans, the Scotch Covenanters, the French Huguenots, the 
 Dutch Calvinists and the Presbyterians of Ulster. 
 
 Francis Mackemie builded better than he knew when he 
 planted the Presbyterian Church on the eastern shore of 
 Maryland. No more truly Catholic body is found on the 
 face of the earth. It has no doctrinal test for those who 
 would enjoy its privileges other than a credible faith in the 
 common Savior of the world. It receives without re-ex- 
 
 103 
 
amination or rebaptism, those who are members in good 
 standing in other Christian churches and its catechisms con- 
 taining its doctrinal basis are so broad and generous that in 
 some instances other communions have used them for the 
 instruction of their children. We would not boast, but the 
 rather, on bended knee, confess our shortcomings. But, 
 after all, is there not good reason to thank God that such a 
 history is our heritage? 
 
 But the efficient fellowship of our form of government is 
 the basis of my errand tonight. We are a representative 
 body in character, from the Session, through the Presbytery 
 and Synod, to the General Assembly. The Presbytery cov- 
 ering this region organized this particular church one hun- 
 dred years ago, and from then until now has watched over it 
 with religious care. We have heard with unfeigned interest 
 of this anniversary week and our Presbytery has gladly 
 sent a representative to convey its greetings of affection. 
 Your joy is our joy. It is not in place that I should speak at 
 length. I am but a messenger, I bring you greetings from 
 the venerable Presbytery of Dayton covering hereabout 
 seven counties, embracing fifty-four ministers, forty-four 
 churches, and twelve thousand communicants. We are glad 
 to number in this body the First Church of Middletown with 
 its fine history and bright hopes. We are not ignorant of 
 your labors of faith and patience and love, and, as Paul for 
 the Philippians, we "thank God at every remembrance of 
 you." And with our congratulations we bring the prayer 
 that the fellowships and accomplishments of the past may be 
 surpassed in the days to come; that your devotion to mis- 
 sions at home and abroad may increase ; that your place in 
 the hearts of the people among whom you are planted may 
 be deepened and strengthened ; and that your force for 
 righteousness may gather a sacred momentum as the years 
 go by. And so we bid you "God-speed." 
 
 That it may he preserved for future refererice and com- 
 parisons more than for any other reason, the budget of our 
 Church for the year ending March 31, 1920, is here given. 
 This budget includes only items of expenses and benevolences 
 that are paid directly through the Church treasury, and does 
 
 104 
 
7iot include the budgets of The Woman's Society, The Mis- 
 sionai-y Society, The Westminster- Men's Club, The Sunday 
 School and The Christian Endeavor Society. 
 
 CURRENT EXPENSES. 
 
 Pastor's Salary $3,000.00 
 
 Pulpit Supply 100.00 
 
 Financial Secretary 150.00 
 
 Janitor & Extra Labor 1,000.00 
 
 Music 1,000.00 
 
 Relief Fund 100.00 
 
 General Assembly 75.00 
 
 Telephone & Light 300.00 
 
 Fuel and Water 350.00 
 
 General Improvements & Repairs. 500.00 
 
 Printing & Supplies 250.00 
 
 Contributors Envelopes 60.00 
 
 Taxes & Insurance 750.00 
 
 Loan & Interest 2,000.00 
 
 New Era Magazine 135.00 
 
 Session Fund 200.00 
 
 Miscellaneous 100.00 
 
 Total Current Expenses $10,070.00 
 
 BENEVOLENCES. 
 
 Home Missions $ 721.00 
 
 Foreign Missions 721.00 
 
 General Education 200.00 
 
 Publication & S. S. Work 100.00 
 
 Relief & Sustentation 101.00 
 
 Church Erection 100.00 
 
 Freedmen 100.00 
 
 Temperance 100.00 
 
 Evangelism 10.00 
 
 Men's Work 10.00 
 
 Total Benevolences $ 2,163.00 
 
 Grand Total $12,233.00 
 
 105 
 
It seemed appropriate to the Committee that "Middle- 
 town's War Record" he included herein. The Churches of 
 Middletown very actively supported all the various cam- 
 paigns and aided very much in making them so successful. 
 The Middletow7i Chamber of Commerce furnished the fol- 
 loiving information. 
 
 Movement Quota. Result. 
 
 1st Liberty Loan $350,000.00 $1,067,800.00 
 
 2nd Liberty Loan 454,000.00 1,182,250.00 
 
 3d Liberty Loan 418,500.00 981,300.00 
 
 4th Liberty Loan 955,950.00 1,424,150.00 
 
 5th Victory Loan 833,450.00 1,112,850.00 
 
 1st Red Cross War Fund 20,000.00 113,630.70 
 
 2nd Red Cross War Fund 40,000.00 129,638.00 
 
 *lst Red Cross Membership 3,200 11,484 
 
 2nd Red Cross Membership, ex- 
 clusive of 3,509 Juniors 7,286 
 
 Salvation Army 1918 $ 2,000.00 $ 2,000.00 
 
 Soldiers' Library 1918 1,000.00 1,320.00 
 
 War Savings Stamps 1918 450,000.00 536,520.00 
 
 Y. M. C. A. Red Triangle War 
 
 Fund 25,000.00 33,989.44 
 
 U. W. W. Fund, including Ar- 
 menian and Syrian Relief. . . . 48,000.00 83,684.60 
 *Honor Chapter of the Lake Division (Ohio, Indiana, 
 Kentucky) . 
 
 95.6 7( of all housewives signed Food Conservancy 
 Pledge. 
 
 1236 Boys in Service. 
 
 106 
 
PASTORS AND SUPPLIES OF THE FIRST PRESBY- 
 TERIAN CHURCH, MIDDLETOWN, OHIO. 
 
 1819—1919. 
 
 Francis Monfort, 1819-24. 
 Samuel B. Smith, 1828-32. 
 John Hudson, 1832-33. 
 Alexander Guy, 1833-35. 
 John S. Belleville, 1837-39. 
 Moses Russell, 1839-40. 
 John B. Morton, 1840-47. 
 Simon M. Templeton, 1847-53. 
 John B. Morton, 1853-65. 
 Gideon I. Taylor, 1865-67. 
 Joshua L. Russell, 1867-72. 
 Joseph W. Clokey, 1873-78. 
 Thomas W. Hench, 1878-83. 
 Henry B. Elliott, 1883-84. 
 Scott F. Hershey, 1884-87. 
 James M. Simonton, 1888-90. 
 George M. McCampbell, 1890-95. 
 Thomas S. Scott, 1896-1900. 
 W. Hamill Shields, 1900-1910. 
 David Garrett Smith, 1910-18. 
 Bernard J. Brinkema, 1918- 
 
 107 
 
RESPONSES FROM PASTORS. 
 
 Ou7' present pastor and our former pastors who are lin- 
 ing were asked to send a few words of greeting or some rem.- 
 iniscences for our story. The respoyise was most cordial and 
 v:e are glad to present these messages. 
 
 From Rev. Thomas H. Hench, Carthage, Missouri. 
 
 The kind invitation to your approaching Church Centen- 
 nial Anniversary is very much appreciated. I fear it will be 
 impossible for me to be present personally, but I rejoice with 
 you in the joy of the occasion. 
 
 I fear it would be more an occasion of sadness to me in 
 missing the old friends of my day so long ago and with all 
 things so changed from the days of yore. 
 
 My pastorate of some five years was not especially event- 
 ful in any way except for its perfect harmony and general 
 good feeling. This was all the more remarkable because in 
 the days of the previous pastorate there had been some divi- 
 sion and bitterness of feeling caused by the rising Temper- 
 ance agitation and crusade which was spreading over the 
 land, beginning in Ohio, the storm center, and starting a 
 campaign which in the forty-one years progress was des- 
 tined to ultimate, as we see today, in the final temperance 
 victory and the triumph of National Prohibition and in the 
 National Constitutional Amendment making it the perma- 
 nent policy of this great country and government. 
 
 But the people of the Church in the beginning of my pas- 
 torate, good naturedly, kindly, and in the true spirit of 
 Christian unity and fellowship, suddenly concluded to drop 
 all differences, and from that time on I never knew a more 
 harmonious congregation. 
 
 Universal good feeling prevailed and I had a very quiet, 
 peaceable and altogether delightful pastorate and I revert 
 to it with a great deal of pleasure. 
 
 From Middletown I went to Connersville, Ind., where I 
 remained for twelve years and did, I might say, the best and 
 greatest work of my life and the most successful. 
 
 I wish all of you a most pleasant and helpful time at your 
 celebration. 
 
 108 
 
From Rev. Scott F. Hershey, Angola, Indiana. 
 
 I recall with all the force of a pleasant memory of the 
 far away days my short ministry in the Middletown Church. 
 
 There were some wonderfully fine people in those days as 
 now. Some of them, as always, were trying to serve the 
 Lord by guarding the Church confessions rather more than 
 serving the world in the spirit of the Christ. Some of thera 
 were among the very choice ones I have ever known. Some 
 with whom I had years of happy fellowship were not even 
 members of the Church. Possibly they were more Christian 
 than they thought. 
 
 I remember with most comfort the large number of 
 young people who connected with the Church shortly after I 
 began my temporary ministry. In the days since I have met. 
 here and there, in different parts of the land, quite a few of 
 them. The most worth while comment I can make on this is 
 that those most Christian were the most happily situated in 
 life. 
 
 As I think back over the people I have known in Middle- 
 town, Washington, Boston, Wooster, New Castle, the most 
 lingering thought I have is, that the life that serves best and 
 loves most is the life of largest vision, richest comfort and 
 brightest hope. So, "Let me live in my home by the side of 
 the road. Where the race of men go by. And be a friend to 
 man." 
 
 From Rev. W. Hamill Shields, Mt. Vernon, Ohio. 
 
 In the long fight for righteousness the Church leads the 
 way and it is a joy to a Pastor to note that passing years do 
 iiot lessen the zeal of his co-workers of other days. 
 
 In a ministry of nearly ten years — September. 1900, to 
 April, 1910 — I was permitted to see The First Presbyterian 
 Church, Middletown, Ohio, grow in power and influence, 
 getting ready for the increasing demands of an expanding 
 community life. The years saw a steady substantial growth 
 in numbers and influence. 
 
 As a young Pastor, surrounded by a most loyal Session 
 of devoted men of age and experience, I was encouraged in 
 every way. For a number of years a heavy debt, heavy for 
 those days, rested upon the Church after the completion of 
 
 109 
 
the present building. With the loyal support of the Sessioji 
 and Board of Deacons a Ten Thousand Dollar debt was 
 raised with the effort of but a few days and the handsome 
 edifice was dedicated with reverence and thanksgiving after 
 an inspiring dedicatory sermon by Rev. W. O. Thompson, 
 D. D., President of Miami University, now President of the 
 Ohio State University. 
 
 Another outstanding event in this ministry was the or- 
 ganization of a Presbyterian Brotherhood and, a little later, 
 a Junior Brotherhood. These organizations have played a 
 notable part in the development and spiritual life of the 
 Church. 
 
 During these years the missionary zeal of the Church 
 was developed by a most loyal band of women working 
 through the Missionary Society. The women were helped 
 and encouraged by the new interest manifested by the men 
 and a delightful atmosphere of spiritual earnestness was 
 created. The passing of the years has sanctified and deep- 
 ened the bonds of former years. 
 
 Middletown, with its growing power and population, 
 will appeal to the Presbyterian Church to carry on the work 
 with ever increasing usefulness. As Pastor and Friend of 
 former years, I bid you *'Go Forward, Always Forward, 
 helped and inspired by holy memories and friendships from 
 the past and beckoned by the glory-light of a golden future." 
 
 From Rev. David Garrett Smith, Middletown, Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Smith closed his ministry in Middletown so recently 
 that he can not indulge in reminiscences. He mentions as a 
 few of the most interesting features of his work here the 
 great Lyon evangelistic meetings which included most of 
 the Protestant churches of the city and resulted in a consid- 
 erable revival of religious interest, as well as large acces- 
 sions to the churches; the transfer of the Presbyterian 
 Brotherhood to the city — placing it on an interdenomina- 
 tional basis, so that all the churches could contribute propor- 
 tionate support, and have equal privileges — the name being 
 changed to the Middletown Brotherhood; the destructive 
 flood of 1913, demoralizing all the interests of the city, and 
 causing a financial loss to the First Church of about $5,000. 
 
 110 
 
One of the compensations of the flood was the new civic pride 
 awakened in the work of restoration and reconstruction. It 
 was also the occasion of the conversion of the Presbyterian 
 manse into a parish house, and the purchase of the beau- 
 tiful new manse on Yankee Road at a cost of $13,000. About 
 this time the Oakland Church which had been out of use for 
 several years was put in repair at considerable expense, re- 
 opened for services, and a pastor was called to take charge 
 of the work. The entire property was soon turned over to 
 the congregation free of debt. 
 
 Mr. Smith's greatest satisfaction in review of his work 
 in Middletown is the steady growth that the church main- 
 tained and the broadening scope of its work, so that under 
 most favorable auspices it now enters upon a new and most 
 promising era of Christian service. 
 
 Added to this are the ever enriching memories of faith- 
 ful co-laborers and loyal friends, not a few, who are the 
 most prized fruitage of his ministry. 
 
 From Rev. Bernard J. Brinkema, present pastor. 
 To All the Members of My Household of Faith. 
 
 Less than one year ago I came to be the Minister of Jesus 
 Christ to the First Presbyterian Church of Middletown, 
 Ohio, and to be your pastor. The days of my pastorate have 
 been few, but they have been days of ever expanding joy. 
 The vision of the possibilities has brightened the horizon of 
 what is, without a doubt, our share in ushering in the great- 
 est age in the Kingdom of God. The path that lies before us 
 may be unmarked, as was the path of our pioneer fathers, 
 but we have the same promises and a greater experience. 
 The stars that guided them are with us still, and are only 
 paling before the dawning light. Soon midnight shall be as 
 the noon-day sun. We stand on an unbeaten path, yet One 
 has gone before, and, though the path is marked with His 
 blood. His foot-prints are traveling toward the dawning. 
 He is our greater experience, tested and tried anew in the 
 heart ache of the Twentieth Century's travail. We are com- 
 rades of all who have gone before ; we lean on our fathers, 
 mothers, saints and ministers who once stood in our place ; 
 we appreciate what they have done; we shall register our 
 
 111 
 
appreciation, not in words, but in deeds of devotion to the 
 institution that they held dear. 
 
 The Story of A Hundred Years has been told. We cannot 
 alter it and would not if we could. The story of the second 
 hundred years is unwritten and it is our blessed privilege to 
 make the future. The Church of God marches on. The First 
 Presbyterian Church of Middletown shall move with it. 
 "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to 
 you have I given it." Our Lord and Master is possessing the 
 land. We will step forward with Him. 
 
 Sincerely, your pastor, 
 
 BERNARD J. BRINKEMA. 
 
 Rev. Joseph W. Clokey sent the History Committee sow.e 
 facts relating to his ministry in our Church and stated that 
 he had many pleasant remembrances of his pastorate here 
 which he ivould be very glad to give us. This was prevented 
 by his death which occurred a few days later, early Sunday 
 7'ii07'ning, August 17, 1919, at his home in Oxford, Ohio. 
 Many of our members luere looking forward with pleasure 
 to see a7id hear Mr. Clokey during our Centennial. We do 
 not want to miss having a m-essage from him arid so ive are 
 submitting here a letter written to the Church by Mr. Clokey 
 at the close of his ministry, July 3, 1878. 
 
 For the members of my congregation and for their his- 
 torical archives, I have prepared the following sketch of my 
 ministerial labors in the church of Middletown. It is sub- 
 mitted humbly and with the hope that future readers may 
 deem my labors not altogether vain. 
 
 As I look back over the years intervening between my 
 installation and my release, my mind recalls a multitude 
 of scenes and incidents that have awakened and always will 
 awaken in my heart thankfulness to the kind Father who 
 directed my footsteps to Middletown as my home. As I look 
 back my mind also recalls a multitude of scenes and inci- 
 dents of a different character, which for more than four 
 years have kept my heart under a burden of anxiety and 
 have often caused me to ask the question, ''Why did the 
 Lord send me here?" Our congregation has passed through 
 the severest trial in all its history. It is not proper for me 
 
 112 
 
to sit in judgment as to who have been responsible for that 
 trial. It is proper for us all to humiliate ourselves before 
 God and pray him that the dark shadows of the past may 
 not be prolonged into the future. I am, in making my re- 
 view, exceedingly grateful to the Kind Providence that 
 has kept His grace in our hearts and preserved us from ab- 
 solute coldness and death in the midst of our dissensions. 
 We have not been a dead church. To a stranger looking in 
 on our work we have given every evidence of thrift. The at- 
 tendance both on the services of the Sabbath and at prayer 
 meeting has continued unbroken to the end, our Wednes- 
 day evening gatherings averaging no less than 100 the year 
 round, and often running up to 140 and 150 persons. Dur- 
 ing my ministry here our congregation has been blessed of 
 Heaven with two gracious outpourings of the Holy Spirit, 
 the one occurring at the beginning of the year 1875 and con- 
 tinuing for nearly two months, the other in the spring of 
 1877 and continuing over one month. The first of these 
 awakenings was remarkable for its results among our 
 adults, and the second for its results among our children. 
 Can we ever forget in the spring of '77 that beautiful sight 
 of the children from seven years to fourteen crowding the 
 study for special prayer? Out of this same awakening came 
 our Young People's Association. This Association has been 
 indeed a phenomenon. Ninety-seven of our youth and chil- 
 dren have signed its constitution. Its meetings have now 
 continued for nearly one year and a half, the attendance 
 seldom falling below fifty, and often running up to 70 and 80. 
 The splendid socials of the Young People, the facility they 
 have displayed in doing all kinds of church work and espe- 
 cially the advance they have made in all the exercises of 
 public worship have caused many particularly amon.q: 
 parents to consider the last as the best of the five years of 
 the pastorate just closed. 
 
 The statistics of my pastorate make the following ex- 
 hibit. Two hundred and twenty-seven have been admitted 
 to membership in the church. Of these, one hundred and 
 fifty-six (156) have been admitted on profession of their 
 faith in Christ; and of these latter sixty-four (64) have 
 been baptized. Among those admitted on profession, I find 
 
 113 
 
at the time of reception 53 married persons, 26 of these be- 
 ing the couplets of 13 families, who came as couplets into 
 the church. In looking over the list of all these 227 new ad~ 
 ditions, I have asked myself the question, "Where are they? 
 And how do they now appear in their relation to the 
 Church?" I hope I will be excused for expressing myself 
 as most highly gratified as I begin at No. 261 in your church 
 roll and pass along over the names to No. 487. Here is ac- 
 cording to my best judgment the result of the review. Thir- 
 ty-five have been dismissed upon certificate to other 
 churches ; fourteen of them have died, and I trust are in 
 Heaven ; eleven are absent without certificate. This leaves 
 one hundred and sixty-seven (167) on the ground to be ac- 
 counted for. Of these, I regard not more than ten (10) as 
 being now lost to the church, and not all of them are so living 
 that they would disgrace the church if they were still in 
 regular membership. Looking over the entire roll of our 
 present membership, and leaving out those, who have lost 
 membership by long neglect, I find among the balance more 
 than fifty persons who, though they are not lost to the 
 church, yet are now and have been for months in very irreg- 
 ular attendance on the ordinances of divine worship. I have 
 called these the unreliables. It is with something of pride 
 that I can say that not more than fifteen of this number 
 come in the list of those who have come into the church 
 within the last five years. Deducting the lost and the unre- 
 liables, you have at this moment as the result of our com- 
 mon toil during this last pastorate, a clear gain of more 
 than 140 good substantial members of the church, persons 
 who may be found with great regularity at their posts of 
 duty. Surely we have reason to praise the Lord for His 
 goodness to us. The church of Middletown has now all the 
 elements needed for future success, and if the members pre- 
 serve the peace and secure the utmost fellowship in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, this success will be assured by the grace of the 
 Holy Spirit. As your retiring pastor, I wish you the most 
 abundant harvest under the new shepherd the Lord may 
 send you. Compose your differences, confess each his own 
 sins to the Lord, humble yourselves at the mercy seat and 
 Heaven will grant you its benediction. 
 
 114 
 

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OUR HONOR ROLL. 
 The World War. 
 
 ^Raymond Alvin Pinkerton. 
 
 Rev. David Garrett Smith Nerval E. Diver 
 
 James Bryan Paul J. Banker 
 
 Thomas C. Woodward James Saunders 
 
 Southard P. Mayer Ray Hahs 
 
 John S. Roney John 0. Dearth 
 
 Clyde Hackney Chauncey McCoy 
 
 Edwin Mills Thomas K. Calder 
 
 Tom Schraffenberger Frank L. Pinkerton 
 
 Victor Collord Edward G. Lamme 
 
 William Ross Crane Ronald Griest 
 
 R. Colfax Phillips Percival Johnson 
 
 George Cline Harley A. Bate 
 
 Knowlton H. Smith Paul E. Buss 
 
 Earl K. Mantz Leroy Newlin 
 
 Stanley Gibbs M. Standish Phillips 
 
 Paul M. Foster Robert A. Solborg 
 
 Paul A. Diver Graydon Schenck 
 
 Harold Shugg Earl Beatty 
 
 Mark Denny Adam E. Bridge 
 
 Herbert C. Boykin Harold Albert Roney 
 
 George Edmund Denny Robert B. Edson 
 
 Calvin W. Verity Dr. W. T. Shipe 
 
 Charles Wells Shartle Moxie George 
 
 The following were enrolled in The Students' Auxiliary 
 Training Corps : 
 
 Glenn Hoover Harry Newlin 
 
 Charles Shyrock Sam McAdow 
 
 Ohmer Steward Milton Blair 
 
 Charles Schaerges Charles Johnson 
 
 Jacob Jackson Blair 
 
 Raymond Alvin Pinkerton, Co. G, 6th. Marines, was 
 wounded in Soissons, July 19, 1918, and died soon after- 
 ward, the exact date not being known. 
 
 The following is from a letter sent by General John J. 
 Pershing to Mr. Pinkerton's parents : 
 
 "He bravely laid down his life for the cause of his coun- 
 try. His name will ever remain fresh in the hearts of his 
 friends and comrades. The record of his honorable service 
 will be preserved in the archives of the American Expedi- 
 tionary Forces." 
 
 116 
 
THE CHURCH ORGANIZATION. 
 
 Rev. Bernard J. Brinkema, Pastor. 
 
 THE SESSION. 
 
 G. N. Clapp, J. W. Shafor, J. L. Blair, William McLean, R. C. Van- 
 derveer, C. F. Williamson, R. C. Phillips, E. G. Barkley, D. F. Gerber, 
 M. D., C. E. Burke, Clerk. 
 
 THE BOARD OF DEACONS. 
 
 C. E. Margerum, Chairman; W. H. Johnson, O. F. Kendle, D. D. 
 Lefferson, W. S. LaTourrette, J. C. Stratton, M. D., J. C. Phillips, W. 
 H. Bevenger, E. C. Woodward, H. S. Wise, F. 0. Diver, W. H. Minton, 
 Secretary. 
 
 TRUSTEES. 
 
 W. O. Barnitz, Z. W. Ranck, M. A. Thomas, G. M. Verity, Howard 
 A. Wilson. 
 
 F. O. Diver, Church Treasurer; W. H. Minton, Financial Secretary. 
 
 THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. 
 
 R. C. Phillips, Superintendent; H. S. Wise, R. C. Vanderveer, Wil- 
 liam McLean, Assistant Superintendents; Mrs. C. E. Burke, Superinten- 
 dent of Junior Department; Mrs. W. H. Johnson, Temperance Super- 
 intendent; Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, Superintendent of Home De- 
 partment; Norval Diver, Secretary; Edmond L. Phillips, Assistant Sec- 
 retary; P. D. Silveus, Treasurer. 
 
 PRIMARY DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Mrs. Carl Williamson, Superintendent; Mrs. A. P. Huffman, As- 
 sistant Superintendent; Miss Roberta Leasure, Secretary; Mrs. R. C. 
 Phillips and Mrs. H. S. Wise, Cradle Roll Superintendents; Mrs. D. W. 
 Lloyd, Helen Barkley, Dorothy Margerum and Margaret Thompson, 
 Teachers; Edna Blair, Leader of Music. 
 
 ORGANIZED CLASSES. 
 
 The Friendly Helpers' Class — Mrs. A. L. Foster, President; Mrs. 
 C. A. Pardonner, First Vice-President; Mrs. Alice VanSickle, Second 
 Vice-President; Mrs. B. E. Leeds, Secretary; Mrs. J. M. Iseminger, 
 Treasurer; Wade E. Miller, Teacher. 
 
 Miss LaTourrette's Class — President, Mrs. R. J. Todd; Secretary, 
 Mrs. William McLean; Treasurer, Mrs. Grace Beatel; Teacher, Miss 
 Josephine LoTourrette. 
 
 The Westminster Men's Class — President, J. T. Williamson; Sec- 
 retary, J. S. Todd; Treasurer, F. O. Diver; Teacher, G. E. Roudebush. 
 
 Teachers of Classes Not Organized — R. C. Vanderveer, Mrs. Eliz- 
 abeth Kirkpatrick, Mrs. W. H. Johnson, C. W. Shartle, H. E. Brooks, 
 Mrs. C. W. Shartle, Mrs. R. H. Long, Mrs. G. M. Verity, L. J. Gossard, 
 Elizabeth Schenck, E. R. Kontner, Mrs. E. C. Woodward, Miss Mary 
 Corson. 
 
 OTHER CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
 THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR. 
 Edmond L. Phillips, President; Thelma Murphy, Vice-President; 
 Elizabeth Schenck, Secretary; Karl Pauly, Treasurer; Edna Mantz, 
 Chairman Prayer Meeting Committee; Dick Greathouse, Chairman 
 Lookout Committee; Helen Boyd, Chairman Social Committee. 
 
 117 
 
THE WOMAN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
 
 President, Mrs. E. C. Woodward; First Vice-President, Mrs. C. E. 
 Burke; Second Vice-President, Mrs. D. M. Gebhart; Recording Secre- 
 tary, Mrs. E. T. Storer; Treasurer, Mrs. D. D. Lefferson; Correspond- 
 ing Secretary, Mrs. H. A. Wilson; Secretary of Literature, Mrs. R. C. 
 Vanderveer. 
 
 THE WOMAN'S SOCIETY. 
 
 President, Mrs. H. H. Goldman; First Vice-President, Mrs. C. B. 
 Oglesby; Second Vice-President, Mrs. A. L. Foster; Secretary, Mrs. E. 
 W. Gunckel; Treasurer, Mrs. E. L. McCallay. 
 
 THE WESTMINSTER MEN'S CLUB. 
 
 President, Calvin W. Verity; Vice-President, C. E. Burke; Secre- 
 tary, W. H. Minton; Treasurer, Paul D. Silveus. 
 
 118 
 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PASTORS. 
 
 FRANCIS MONFORT.— Born, York County, Pa., Dec. 15, 1782. 
 Descendant of the Huguenots. Moved to Warren County, Ohio, 1799. 
 Studied for the ministry under the supervision of his Pastor for two 
 years. Licensed to preach, July 31, 1807. Then preached in Kentucky 
 and Tennessee and later at Dick's Creek, Carlisle, Seven Mile, Hamil- 
 ton, Middletown, Ohio, and Mt. Carmel and Greensburg, Ind. Pastor 
 of the First Church at Middletown, 1819-24. Was a strong and fer- 
 vent preacher. Spent 48 years in the ministry. Mr. Monfort was a 
 great student and began the study of Hebrew when he was 61 years of 
 age and kept it up until his death, June 18, 1855. He had four sons 
 all of whom were Presbyterian ministers. 
 
 SAMUEL BUCHANAN SMITH.— Born, Gettysburg, Pa., March 
 22, 1806. Graduated Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., 1824, at Prince- 
 ton Theological Seminary, 1826-28; supplied First Presbyterian 
 Church, Middletown, Ohio, 1828-32; ordained an evangelist by the Pres- 
 bytery of Oxford, Oct. 4, 1832. He was the stated supply of the fol- 
 lowing churches: Venice, Ohio, Mt. Carmel, Ind., Camden, Ohio, St. 
 Charles, Mo., and a missionary in the State of Ililinois from 1854 to 
 1865. Died in Gettysburg, Pa., May 23, 1846. 
 
 JOHN P. HUDSON.— Served the following churches in West Lex- 
 ington, Ky., Presbytery: Beard Creek, Woodford and Winchester; the 
 following in Miami Presbytery: Franklin and Middletown, in 1824-32. 
 Later he served in the New Jersey Church of Carlisle, Ohio, and then 
 moved to Keota, Iowa. 
 
 ALEXANDER GUY.— Supplied the First Presbyterian Church, 
 Middletown 1833-35. Also Pastor of the following Churches: Mt. 
 Pleasant, Mt. Carmel, Bethel, Cheviot and Reading. 
 
 JOHN S. BELLEVILLE. — Served in Washington and Miamis- 
 burg, 1829-30; Missionary appointment to Dayton and Union Congre- 
 gations and other vacant churches in Montgomery Co., Ohio. Pastor 
 Washington, Miami Presbytery, 1831-40, Middletown First Presbyte- 
 rian, 1837-39. 
 
 JOHN BALLARD MORTON.— Born in New York City, August 3, 
 1815. Graduated University of New York, 1835, and Princeton Sem- 
 inary, 1838. Supplied church at Portsmouth, Va., in 1839, Middletown, 
 O., 1840-43. Ordained by the Presbytery of Miami, April 25, 1843. Pas- 
 tor at Franklin, O., and again Pastor at Middletown, O., after which 
 he supplied the following churches: Monroe and Dick's Creek, Second 
 Presbyterian, Springfield, Venice, Highland, Kansas, and First Church, 
 St. Charles, Mo., where he died, March 31, 1882. 
 
 SAMUEL McCLAIN TEMPLETON.— Born at West Alexander, 
 Pa., December 11, 1816. Graduated Washington College, Pa., 1836, and 
 studied theology at Western Seminary, Allegheny. Ordained by the 
 Presbytery of Coshocton. Pastor of the following churches: Middle- 
 town First Presbyterian, 1847-53, and Delavan, 111. He died May 13, 
 1867. 
 
 JOSHUA LACY RUSSELL.— Born, Clifton, Ohio, September 29, 
 1845. Graduated Wittenberg College, 1864, and Princeton Seminary, 
 1867. Ordained by Presbytery of Miami, August 17, 1867. Pastor of 
 the following churches: First Presbyterian, Middletown, 1867-72; Park 
 Church, Dayton; Spring Garden Church, Philadelphia; Second Church, 
 Altoona, Pa.; First Church, Los Angeles, Cal. Resided in Germantown, 
 Pa., and Princeton, N. J. Again Pastor at Darby, Pa., and Cowin, Pa., 
 where he died November 22, 1906. 
 
 119 
 
JOSEPH WADDELL CLOKEY. — Born in Jefferson Co., Ohio, in 
 
 1839. Graduated Wittenberg College in 1860 and Xenia Theological 
 Seminary in 1864. Ordained in 1864 by the United Presbyterian Pres- 
 bytery of Xenia. Pastor of the following churches: U. P. Church, Stu- 
 benville, U. P. Church, Richmond, Indiana, First Presbyterian Church, 
 Middletown, Ohio, 1873-78, New Albany, Indiana, Troy, Ohio, and re- 
 tired to Oxford, Ohio, where he died August 17, 1919. 
 
 THOMAS HACKETT HENCH.— Bom at Centre, Pa., April 5, 
 
 1840. Graduate of Princeton University, 1861. He was a teacher in 
 Harvard University, 1861-62; attended Princeton Theological Semin- 
 ary, 1863-66, graduating in 1866. He was ordained to the Presbyte- 
 rian ministry by the Presbytery of Iowa City, December 20, 1871. Sup- 
 plied several churches in Illinois before he was ordained and after or- 
 dination was pastor of the following churches: Walcot, Iowa, 1871-75; 
 Rock Island, 111., 1875-78; Middletown, Ohio, 1878-83; Connersville, 
 Ind., 1884-96. He was stated supply at Georgetown, Ohio, 1896-1904, 
 and from 1904, with his residence at Georgetown, Ohio, he supplied 
 four churches: Cedron, Feesburg, Felicity and Higginsport. In 1916 
 he left Georgetown, Ohio, and went as Stated Supply to Wentworth, 
 Mo. He is now honorably retired from the active service and lives in 
 Carthage, Mo. Mr. Hench received the degree of Doctor of Divinity 
 from Hanover College in 1893. 
 
 SCOTT F. HERSHEY.— Educated in the institutions of the Re- 
 formed Church. Ordained, May, 1876, by the Synod of Indiana of the 
 Reformed Church. Served the following churches: Reformed Church 
 of Rochester, Ind., Reformed Church of Lancaster, Ohio, First Presby- 
 terian Church of Middletown, Ohio, Sixth Presbyterian Church of 
 Washington, D. C., First Presbyterian Church, Boston, Mass., Wooster, 
 Ohio, Presbyterian and First Presbyterian Church of New Castle, Pa. 
 Now associated with the International Sunday School Educational 
 Work. He resides at present at Angola, Indiana. 
 
 JAMES MATTHEW SIMONTON.— Born in Alexandria, Pa. 
 Graduate of Wooster University, 1876, and Union Theological Semin- 
 ary in 1879. Ordained by the Presbytery of Long Island, 1879. Pas- 
 tor of the following churches: First Congregational Church, Orient, 
 N. Y., Grove Church, Danville, Pa., First Presbyterian Church, Mid- 
 dletown, Ohio, 1888-90, Third Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, O. Re- 
 sided at Ross, Ohio, in ill health, and at Jamesport, N. Y., and New 
 York City, where he died in 1915. 
 
 GEORGE MERIWITHER McCAMPBELL.— Born Jeffersonville, 
 Indiana, September 9, 1841. Graduated, Hanover College, 1862. Served 
 in the U. S. Army, 1862-63; Princeton Seminary graduate, 1866. Or- 
 dained by the Presbytery of Potomac, September 13, 1866. Pastor of 
 the following churches: First Presbyterian Church, Alexandria, Va., 
 Brick Church Chapel, N. Y., Maysville, Ky., Spring St. Church, N. Y. 
 City, Reformed Church, Brooklyn, L. I., Presbyterian Church, Salem, 
 L. I., and Stapleton, L. I., and Milleville, Pa. He was pastor of the 
 First Presbyterian Church of Middletown, 1891-95. Pastor Emeritus, 
 Milleville, Pa. He died December 15, 1918, in New York City, as result 
 of an automobile accident. 
 
 THOMAS SMITH SCOTT.— Bom in Enon Vail, Pa. Graduated 
 Adelbert College, Western Reserve University, 1874, Union Seminary, 
 1877. Ordained, September, 1877, by Presbytery of Mahoning. Pastor 
 of the following churches: East Cleveland, Ohio, Westminster, Rock- 
 ford, 111., Second Presbyterian, Knoxville, Tenn., Vincennes, Ind., First 
 Presbyterian, Middletown, 1896-1900, New Albany, Ind., and Maringo, 
 111., where he died March 5, 1914. 
 
 120 
 
WILLIAM HAMILL SHIELDS.— Born Daretown, N. J., January 
 30, 1870. Graduated Wooster University 1892, Princeton Theological 
 Seminary, 1895. Ordained by the Presbytery of Detroit, December 13, 
 1895. Pastor of the Calvary Church, Detroit, Michigan, 1895-1900, 
 First Presbyterian Church, Middletown, 1900-10, Hillsboro, Ohio, 1910- 
 17, and since that time pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Mt. 
 Vernon, Ohio. 
 
 DAVID GARRETT SMITH.— Born Harrington, N. J. Graduated 
 Hamilton College, 1889. Graduated in class of 1892 at Union Theo- 
 logical Seminary. Ordained by the Presbytery of New York, 1892. He 
 was pastor of the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pa., 
 for 18 years and was then called to the First Presbyterian Church of 
 Middletown, Ohio, in 1910, and resigned the pastorate in 1918 to engage 
 in Y. M. C. A. oversea war work. Returned to this country in June, 
 1919, and is now residing at Westminster Park, Thousand Islands, 
 New York. 
 
 BERNARD J. BRINKEMA.— Born Webster City, Iowa, March 29, 
 1879. Graduated Hastings College 1904 and Princeton Seminary 1907. 
 Ordained by Presbytery of New Castle, June 27, 1907. Pastor of the 
 Rock and Zion Presbyterian Churches, North East Maryland, 1907-14, 
 editor of the Peninsula Presbyterian, 1913-14. Pastor of First Pres- 
 bj^erian Church, Milton, Pa., 1914-18. Called to the pastorate of the 
 First Presbyterian Church, Middletown, O., September 25, 1918. 
 
 121 
 
THE MEMBERSHIP ROLL. 
 
 OCTOBER 1, 1919. 
 
 The Church Roll contains the names of the active members. Mem- 
 bers who are habitually absent from the communion table and non- 
 attendants who continue to sustain no active relation to the Church 
 are, by act of the Session, carried on the Reserve Roll and are so re- 
 ported to the Presbytery. 
 
 Blair, John C. 
 Blair, Mrs. Katherine 
 Blair, John L. 
 Blair, Mrs. Bertha R. 
 Blair, John Milton 
 Blair, Vincent Paul 
 Blair, Mrs. Edna Zellers 
 Blair, James 
 Blair, Mrs. Aug'usta 
 Blair, Jacob Jackson 
 Blair, Isabelle Edna 
 Blair, Jos. E. 
 Blair, Mrs. Olive 
 Booth, Edwin C. 
 Boyd, John W. 
 Boyd, Mrs. Cora H. 
 Boyd, Helen Hilt 
 Boykin, Herbert C. 
 Breeding, Josephine 
 Brinkema, Mrs. Margaret M. 
 Brinkema, Robert J. 
 Brooks, Howard E. 
 Brooks, Mrs. Helen Marjorie 
 Brosius, Dr. F. W. 
 Brosius, Mrs. Winifred Evans 
 Bryan, James E. 
 Buffington, Mrs. Dora 
 Burke, C. E. 
 Burke, Mrs. Blanche R. 
 Burcky, Mrs. M. E. 
 Buss, Paul E. 
 Butler, Mrs. Anna 
 C 
 Calder, Arthur Thompson 
 Calder, William 
 Calder, James 
 Calder, Mrs. Kathryn 
 Calder, Thomas K. 
 Calder, Bertha Elizabeth S. K. 
 Carnahan, Mrs. Frances P. M. 
 Carr, Edwin D. 
 Carr, Mrs. Helen M. 
 Carr. Mildred Eloise 
 Cassidy, Mrs. Anna B. 
 Chamberlain, Wallace I. 
 Chamberlain, Mrs. Ada Weiser 
 Chappie, Bennett 
 Chappie, Mrs. Charlotte 
 Chappie, De Witte 
 Chappie, Bennett S. 
 Charls, George H. 
 
 Adair, Raymond G. 
 
 AUspaw, Mrs. Hazel Montgomery 
 
 Arbuckle, Wesley M. 
 
 Ash, Mrs. Rose L. 
 
 Ash, James L. 
 
 Augspurger, B. K. 
 
 Augspurger, Mrs. Margaret E. 
 
 Augspurger, Esther Margaret 
 
 Augspurger, Barbara Irene 
 
 B 
 Badger, Rose 
 Bailey, Mrs. Alice A. 
 Bailey, Martha E. 
 Banker, Paul Jacob 
 Banker, Kathleen 
 Banker, Mary Elizabeth 
 Banker, Emma J. 
 Banker, Lida P. 
 Banker, Carrie 
 Banker, Dorothy Virginia 
 Banker, Fred E. 
 Banker, Mrs. Lucille M. 
 Barkley, E. G. 
 Barkley, Helen Laren 
 Barkley, Mrs. Laura M. B. 
 Barnett, Catherine 
 Barnitz, Mrs. Anna L. 
 Barnitz, Ella K. 
 Barnitz, William O. 
 Barnitz, Mrs. Mabel 
 Barrackman, Jesse H. 
 Barrackman, Pearl 
 Barton, Dr. Chas. G. 
 Barton, Mrs. Norina 
 Bate, Harley A. 
 Beachler, Mrs. Kathryn Lorenz 
 Beachler, Robert H. 
 Bell, Howard 
 Bell, Mrs. Ada Snyder 
 Bennett, Harold F. 
 Bevenger, Mrs. Rebecca 
 Bevenger, Iva M. 
 Bevenger, Mary Elizabeth 
 Bevenger, William H. 
 Bevenger, Mrs. Mary J. 
 Bevis, R. E. 
 Bevis, Mrs. Ruth M. 
 Blackford, Ralph E. 
 Blackford, Mrs. Nellie Blair 
 Blackie, Alexander 
 
 122 
 
Charls, Mrs. Alice M. 
 
 Charls, Elizabeth 
 
 Chestnut, Mrs. Blanch 
 
 Clapp, G. N. 
 
 Clapp, Mrs. Marie M. 
 
 Clapp, Elmer 
 
 Clapp, Mrs. Margaret Gebhart 
 
 Clark, Carl C. 
 
 Clark, Mrs. Alice Climer 
 
 Clark, Mrs. Ruth Grant 
 
 Collord, Mrs. Martha H. 
 
 Comestock, Mrs. Harriet E. 
 
 Compton, Mrs. Verna 
 
 Corson, Luella 
 
 Corson, Mary 
 
 Cox, Mary Alice 
 
 Crane, William Ross 
 
 Crane, Mrs. Mary Holloway 
 
 Crider, Mrs. Armilda 
 
 Crider, Mrs. Dorcas 
 
 Crider, Mrs. Edith 
 
 Curliss, Mrs. Emma 
 
 D 
 
 Daley, Charles Edward 
 Daley, Mrs. Myrtle 
 Davis, Herbert Allen 
 Dearth, Mrs. Mary 
 Dearth, John Oliver 
 Dell, Mrs. Ethel 
 Denny, Mrs. Augusta 
 Denny, George Edmond 
 Denny, Wampler 
 Denny, Mrs. Jessie B. 
 Diver, Frank O. 
 Diver, Mrs. Emma K. Yearion 
 Diver, Norval Edward 
 Diver, Paul Albert 
 Diver, Franklyn Arnold 
 Diver, Donald A. 
 Diver, Jacob 
 Downey, Charles M. 
 Downey, Mrs. Lillie M. 
 Downey, Mrs. Julia 
 Downey, Julia 
 Drayer, Edward L. 
 Drayer, Mrs. Olive G. 
 DuChemin, Wm. Glenn 
 
 E 
 
 Eck, Cornelius G. 
 Eck, Mrs. Ida May 
 Eck, Mary E. 
 Edson, Charles E. 
 Edson, Robert B. 
 Edwards, J. A. 
 Eggleston, Lafayette 
 Eggleston, Mrs. Carrie B. 
 Eggleston, Amy B. 
 Eggleston, Dora F. 
 Elliott, Wm. Patton 
 
 123 
 
 Elliott, Chas. Templeton 
 
 Ely, Mrs. Barbara Ann 
 
 Erk, Orel E. 
 
 Erk, Mrs. Mary Hinkle 
 
 Evans, Mrs. Corinne Woodmansee 
 
 Evans, Mary B. 
 
 F ; 
 
 Fisher, Adam 
 
 Folks, Selby C. 
 
 Folks, Mrs. Lola Worth 
 
 Ford, Mrs. Amanda 
 
 Ford, Paul Raymond 
 
 Forkner, Alvin Marvin 
 
 Foster, Mrs. Myrtie A. 
 
 Foster, Paul M. 
 
 Fuhr, William John 
 
 Fuhr, Jacob Stanley 
 
 Fuhr, Emma Leota 
 
 Fulmer, Mrs. Emma 
 
 Fulmer, Russell 
 
 Fulmer, Mrs. Nellie Margaret 
 
 G 
 
 Gebhart, Mrs. Mary 
 Gebhart, David M. 
 Gebhart, Willard 
 Gebhart, Mrs. Phona 
 Gebhart, Mrs. Clara L. 
 Geran, Jennie K. 
 Gerber, Dr. David F. 
 Goldman, Mrs. Nettie B. 
 Goldsmith, Mrs. Mary Boyd 
 Gossard, Leslie James 
 Gossard, Mrs. Lorma 
 Graham, Mrs. Laura 
 Grant, Mrs. Jessie Russell 
 Grant, Louise Russell 
 Greathouse, Mrs. Kate 
 Greathouse, Chas. Richard 
 Greathouse, Fred B. 
 Greathouse, Raymond Vail 
 Griest, Ronald 
 Griffith, Floyd 
 Gruver, Emiline 
 Gunckel, Ernest W. 
 Gunckel, Mrs. Clara 
 Gunckel, Genevieve T. 
 
 H 
 
 Harkrader, Isabelle Dorothy 
 Harkrader, Mrs. Wilhelmina 
 Hartley, Harriet A. 
 Hartley, Rachel Tibbals 
 Hatfield, Mrs. Elizabeth C. 
 Hedding, Wesley B. 
 Heffner, Mrs. Jeannette 
 Heffner, Joseph G. 
 Heffner, Mrs. Matilda Dorothy 
 Henderson, Raymond A. 
 Hensey, Ruth A. 
 
Hester, Lucy May- 
 Hicks, T. C. 
 Hicks, Mrs. Nancy A. 
 Hilt, Luella 
 Holstein, S. R. 
 
 Holstein, Mrs. Florence Priest 
 Hook, Mrs. Leah V. 
 Hoover, Mrs. Louise A. 
 Hoover, Glenn 
 Hoover, William 
 
 I 
 Iseminger, Joseph M. 
 Iseminger, Mrs. Laura C. 
 
 J 
 Jackson, Lucille 
 Jacoby, Mrs. Carrie K. 
 Jacoby, Mrs. Mary E. 
 Jacoby, Ethel 
 Jasbring, Elizabeth Jane 
 Jasbring, Benjamin Ellis 
 Johnson, William H. 
 Johnson, Mrs. Ida Mabel 
 Johnson, Edna Margaret 
 Johnson, Percival F. 
 Johnson, Charles F. 
 Jones, Harold Haley 
 
 K 
 
 Kappeller, Frances 
 Kaser, Mrs. Mary C. 
 Keller, Anthony 
 Keller, Mrs. Florence Jasbring 
 Kendle, Oliver F. 
 Kendle, Mrs. Mary L. 
 Keppler, Earl 
 Keppler, Alexander 
 Keppler, Mrs. Nancy Jane 
 Keppler, Mary Elizabeth 
 Kimball, Fannie S. 
 Kimball, Laura E. 
 Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Elizabeth M. 
 Kraft, Mrs. Chas. L. 
 Kramer, Mrs. Bessie 
 Krauss, Leonard Eugene 
 
 Lamme, Edward G. 
 Lamme, Herbert Leroy 
 La Tourrette, William S. 
 La Tourrette, Mrs. Myrtle P. 
 La Tourrette, Josephine Glenna 
 La Tourrette, Josephine 
 T,awrerce. Mrs. Grace R. 
 Laycock, Nannie 
 Leasure, I. N. 
 Leasure, Mrs. Alice O. 
 Leasure, William Newton 
 Leasure, Roberta 
 Lepsure. Charles C. 
 Lefferscn, Dubois D. 
 
 Lefferson, Mrs. Margaret E. 
 Lefferson, Mary E. 
 Leibee, Henry P. 
 Leibee, Mrs. Marion Frances 
 Linkins, Helen Margaret 
 Lloyd, Donald W. 
 Lloyd, Mrs. Emily 
 Lloyd, Norman R. 
 Lloyd, Donald William 
 Long, Robert Homer 
 Long, Mrs. Grace B. 
 Long Mrs. Lavina S. 
 Long, Mrs. Hazel Swink 
 Lukens, Mrs. Ora M. 
 Lukens, Robert M. 
 Lukey, Mrs. Jane 
 M 
 McAdams, John B. 
 McAdams, Mrs. Jennie D. 
 McAdow, R. Ocsar 
 McAdow, Mrs. Carrie 
 McAdow, Edna M. 
 McAdow, John Samuel 
 McArthur, William 
 McCallay, Mrs. Mary E. 
 McCallay, Mrs. Henrietta 
 McCoy, Chauncey E. 
 McCoy, Mrs. Elizabeth Crane 
 McCoy, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth 
 McCray, Mrs. Marietta 
 McCray, Beulah 
 McLean, Alexander 
 McLean, Mrs. Mary 
 McLean, Emma Louise 
 McLean, William 
 McLean, Mrs. Lulu 
 McLean. Douglas Clark 
 Mantz, Earl K. 
 Mantz, Edna M. 
 Margerum, Charles E. 
 Margerum, Mrs. Julia W. 
 Margerum, Dorothy Elizabeth 
 Marston, Mrs. Theodore 
 Martz, Mrs. Thusnelda H. 
 Marts, Clara S. 
 Matson, Green W. 
 Mayer, Southard P. 
 Medaris, Mrs. Ella R. 
 Mendler, Mrs. Pauline 
 Menger. Phillip 
 Miller, Horace O. 
 Miller, Mrs. Ada B. 
 Miller, John Arthur 
 Miller, Wade 
 Miller, Mrs. Dora 
 Miller, Mrs. Mvrtle Franier 
 Millner. Mrs. Helen Sargent 
 MUls. Edmond S. 
 Minnick, Frank J. 
 Minnick, Mrs. Hattie 
 
 124 
 
Minton, W. H. 
 Minton, Mrs. Nellie R. 
 Minton, Margaret Adelaide 
 Minton, Sarah Elizabeth 
 Mitchell, Mrs. Jennie M. 
 Mitchell, Diltz 
 Mitchell, Edwin 
 Mitchell, Mary E. 
 Mitchell, Thomas H. 
 Moon, Emil T. 
 Moon, Vernon 
 Morris, Frank Ellis 
 Morris, Mrs. Edith V. 
 Murphy, Mrs. Elizabeth 
 Murphy, Eleanor Henrietta 
 Murphy, Thelma Elizabeth 
 
 N 
 Nein, Edward H. 
 Nein, Mrs. Elizabeth M. 
 Nein, John F. 
 Nein, Velma Beatrice 
 Nein, Louis T. 
 Nein, Mrs. Ethel S. 
 Nein, Lyman Randolph 
 Nein, Gordon Russel 
 Nein, Floyd Henry 
 Newhall, Wm. Townsend 
 Newhall, Mrs. Winn Jean 
 Newlin, Leroy 
 
 O 
 
 Oglesby, Mrs. Kate A. 
 
 Oglesby, W. Dickey 
 
 Oglesby, Ralph C. 
 
 Olinger, Berton E. 
 
 Olinger, Mrs. Jessie Eggleston 
 
 Owsley, Mrs. Sarah 
 
 Pardonner, Mrs. Mary E. 
 Parker, Mrs. Helen Porter 
 Paullin, Mrs. Carrie Elizabeth 
 Paullin, Raymond Summit 
 Pauly, Frank B. 
 Perry, Arlington C. 
 Perry, Mrs. Bessie J. 
 Philbin, Mrs. Harriet Woodward 
 Phillips, Rufus C. 
 Phillips, Mrs. Frances L. 
 Phillips, Dorothy Frances 
 Phillips, George Verity 
 Phillips, M. Standish 
 Phillips, Flavins Joseph 
 Phillips, Mrs. Rhea 
 Phillips, Edmund L. 
 Phillips, John Cramer 
 Phillips, Mrs. Eugenia Margaret 
 Phillips, Leland Arthur 
 Phillips. John Cramer, Jr. 
 Pinkerton, R. W. 
 
 Pinkerton, Mrs. Margaret 
 Pinkerton, Lela Alice 
 Pinkerton, Frank Leslie 
 Porter, Mrs. Clara A. 
 Porter, Harry K. 
 Porter, Mrs. Elsie Emma 
 
 R 
 
 Ranck, Zeiber W. 
 
 Ranck, Mrs. Zora B. 
 
 Reed, Mrs. Elizabeth 
 
 Reed, Mrs. Emma B. 
 
 Reed, George B. 
 
 Reed, Thomas David 
 
 Reed, Sophronia 
 
 Robbins, Mrs. Ruth 
 
 Robbins, Sara Elizabeth 
 
 Robbins, Sabin 
 
 Robbins, Douglas R. 
 
 Robbins, Mrs. Pauline Phillips 
 
 Roller, John L. 
 
 Roller, Mrs. Anna 
 
 Roney, James L. 
 
 Roney, Mrs. Jessie 
 
 Roney, John S. 
 
 Roney, William Harold 
 
 Roney, Mrs. Sarah R. 
 
 Ronsheim, Mrs. Anna P. 
 
 Ross, John R. 
 
 Rucker, Mrs. Hazel Bunnel 
 
 S 
 Schaeffer, Mrs. Mary 
 Schaerges, Charles Edward 
 Schenck, Mrs. Elizabeth L. 
 Schenck, Charles Graydon 
 Schenck, Emma Elizabeth 
 Schirtzinger, Mrs. A. Bessie 
 Scott, John Percy 
 Scott, Mrs. Blanche Glendine 
 Scott, Gordon Winfield 
 Seagraves, John F. 
 Sebald, Mrs. Lillian Drayer 
 Selby, Martha Ester 
 Shafor, Lee 
 Shafor, Joseph W. 
 Shafor, Lucille 
 Shafor, Nellie 
 Shartle, Charles W. 
 Shartle, Mrs. Lucy C. 
 Shartle, Ina Louise 
 Shartle, Welthea J. 
 Shartle, John Adam 
 Shartle. Charles Wells, Jr. 
 Shaw, Reed A. 
 Sheets, Dr. Arthur C. 
 Shipe, Dr. W. T. 
 Shipe, Mrs. Ella H. 
 Shirey, Roy 
 Shirev, Mrs. Daisey T. 
 Shough, E. Tyler 
 
 125 
 
Shough, Mrs. Mabel Wade 
 Shugg, Harold 
 Signom, Wesley Lockard 
 Signom, Chas. 0. 
 Signom, Mrs. Florence E. 
 Silveus, Paul D. 
 Silveus, Mrs. Mabel 
 Simpson, Bertha A. 
 Sizemore, Roy Esten 
 Small, Mrs. Mary J. 
 Small, Irene Mary 
 Small, Mildred Elizabeth 
 Smith, Dr. Eva C. 
 Smith, Mrs. Blanche 
 Smith, Fae Elizabeth 
 Snyder, Kate S. 
 Solborg, Mrs. Virginia V. 
 Solborg, Robert A. 
 Souers, Mrs. Mabel Minnick 
 Speck, David C. 
 Sprowl, Clarence Irvin 
 Sprowl, Mrs. Ruth 
 Stahl, Mrs. Myrtle H. 
 Steed, Arthur 
 Steed, Mrs. Helen V. 
 Stevens, E. J. 
 Stevens, Mrs. Ella R. 
 Storer, Dr. E. T. 
 Storer, Mrs. Catherine 
 Stratton, Dr. John C. 
 Stratton, Mrs. Anna C. 
 Strodtbeck, Mrs. Carrie Long 
 Stultz, Norman Robert 
 Sutphen, Mrs. Hattie 
 Swink, Mrs. Jennie 
 
 T 
 Tanzey, Audrey E. 
 Thomas, Mrs. Harriet E. 
 Thomas, Marcus A. 
 Thompson, Mrs. Florence 
 Thompson, Florence E. 
 Thompson, Margaret E. 
 Thompson, Emma B. 
 Thornton, Louise Cornelia 
 Tilton, Mrs. Mary Emley 
 Tobitt, Mrs. Alice Hazel 
 Todd, James S. 
 Todd, Mrs. Sarah E. 
 Todd, R. J. 
 Todd, Mrs. Alma K. 
 Todhunter, Luella 
 Trowbridge, Mrs. Ruby Maud 
 Tyson, Mrs. Anna R. 
 Tytus, Mrs. Marjorie Denny 
 
 V 
 Vanderveer, Robert C. 
 Vanderveer, Mrs. M. Elma 
 Vanderveer, Robert W. 
 Vanderveer, Esther M. 
 Vanderveer, Dorothy L. 
 Van Gorder, Roland L. 
 
 Van Gorder, John J. 
 Van Gorder, Mrs. Minnie B. 
 Van Sickle, Mrs. Alice 
 Van Sickle, Fred H. 
 Van Sickle, Mrs. May F. 
 Verity, George M. 
 Verity, Mrs. Jennie M. 
 Verity, Sarah G. 
 Verity, Calvin W. 
 Verity, Mrs. Elizabeth 
 Vigor, Mrs. Mabel G. 
 Voorhis, Joseph C. 
 Voorhis, Mrs. Viola May 
 
 W 
 Waite, Jackson Leroy 
 Warner, Louise A. 
 Weir, Jennie E. 
 Weir, Mrs. Jane 
 Wentz, Charles 
 Wentz, Mrs. Lona May 
 Wentz, John Edward 
 Wentz, Karl Raymond 
 Wertz, Mrs. Carrie E. 
 Wertz, Richard Adam 
 Weyman, Mrs. Marie Elizabeth 
 Whittle, Mrs. Amie Blackie 
 Whitlaw, Mrs. Marie Foster 
 Williams, Louise C. 
 Williams, Nellie 
 Williams, Dr. Walton H. 
 Williams, Mrs. Mayo E. 
 Williamson, Carl F. 
 Williamson, Mrs. Emma E. 
 Williamson, John T. 
 Wilson, Mrs. Jennie H. 
 Wilson, Howard A. 
 Wilson, Alvin Shields 
 Wilson, George Arthur 
 Wilson, Howard A., Jr. 
 Wilson, Mrs. Mary E. 
 Wilson, Chauncey 
 Wilson, Mrs. Marion M. 
 Wilson. Mrs. Emma J. 
 Wise, Harry Scott 
 Wise, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth 
 Wise, Jessie Pauline 
 Wise, Frances Irene 
 Wolfe, Cora E. 
 Woodmansee, W. A. 
 Woodmansee, Mrs. Hattie 
 Woodmansee, Martha 
 Woodward, Edwin C. 
 Woodward, Mrs. Carrie 
 Woodward, Thomas C. 
 Wooley, Mrs. Fanny 
 Wright, Martha Ellen 
 
 Y 
 Yearion, James M. 
 Yearion, Mrs. Barbara E. 
 
 Z 
 Zellers, Mrs. Sadie E. 
 
 126 
 
We, the members of the Official Boards of 
 The First Presbyterian Church of Middletovm , Ohio, 
 appreciating the efforts and sacrifices of the good 
 nen and women of our Church who have gone on Defore, 
 and realizing more fully in the light of this day v/hat 
 they have done for the Church in which we worship and 
 for the cornnunity in which we live, do pledge to this, 
 our Church, a fuller devotion and a more earnest service 
 with the prayer that its glory nay not be dimmed and 
 that it ever may move, in His name, onward and upward, 
 and "become more and more a light that cannot be hid. 
 
 
 
 
 
 (TUl^i^'^ ^' \iiyLlytA/ 
 
 Jj^jLnui/^ 
 
 
 127 
 
MIDDLETOWN, OHIO: 
 
 The Naegele-Auer Printing Co. 
 
 1919 
 
Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries 
 
 1 1012 
 
 218 
 
 56 
 
iilfil 
 
: