First Presbyterian Church,
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In 1827, an Episcopal missionary came to Bucyrus from Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and formed a Union Sunday School. They met in a brick building approximately where Struble’s pharmacy is now located. This group included Presbyterians along with other denominations. In 1828, a Presbyterian Church was organized in Bucyrus with the Rev. Robert Lee as the first supply pastor, preaching to the small congregation in Lewis Cary’s home. Lee came ftom the Home Missionary Society and in this informal way organized the congregation. The Columbus Presbytery, however, did not approve of the arrangement.
In 1831, the Columbus Presbytery sent Rev. Cratty to assist Rev. Lee. This arrangement did not work, and after some turmoil, the church split. Tle congregation appointed a commiittee of four to investigate, who recommended that both pastors be relieved of preaching duties. The congregation agreed. Presbytery tried again in 1833 to reorganize the church, but it is impossible to tell how many members there were. In January, 1835, a group of forty-six men met and elected three elders and the Rev. William Matthews as preacher, but Matthews was not ordained. In July, 1836, the Rev. John Smith appeared as stated supply. Only in April, 1838, was there an installed pastor, the Rev. James Boggs. This was in the midst of troubles throughout the entire denomination, between New and Old School Presbyterianism. Rev. Boggs was “new school” and was here for only a year. In the summer of 1839, the congregation built a “frame meeting house” on our present location, Lot #220, and in September, the Rev. William Hutchinson was installed as pastor, at a salary of $316 per year. Hutchinson was “old school” and succeeded in bringing the new school Presbyterians back into the church. He was not only a faithful pastor but a successful one, receiving new members at nearly every communion, sometimes as many as eight or ten. In his tenure, the membership passed 200 for the first time. He stayed until 1848, then lived in Tennessee until 1859; he returned to Bucyrus with his family and passed away in 1860 at age 57. He was buried in a lot procured by the church in Oakwood Cemetery, the only Presbyterian pastor interred in Bucyrus. In 1843, Sam and Mary Norton, the founders of Bucyrus, deeded lot #220 to the church for $125.00. This is our present location and is one of only two lots in Bucyrus still being used for their original purpose and having never been re-deeded. In 1849, the Rev. George Engles became stated supply, followed by the Rev. R. C. Colinerxy as stated supply. The church was divided, some wanting one and some the other. Thus, “there were those who dwelt too long on discordant notes to produce perfect harmony.” The congregation also experienced division of opinion on the choir and on instrumental music. The pulpit was vacant until 1852, when the Rev. Silas Johnson arrived. He formed a Sunday school and became the first superintendent. In 1859, the congregation voted to incorporate and to erect a new building. The old frame church was sold to the Roman Catholics and the building moved to another location, where they used it until 1888. In 1861, the Presbyterians dedicated a new brick building, 44x72, with a second floor auditorium having 20-foot ceilings. The bell was purchased in 1864 (for $667.70), which was later transferred to the present building. The Rev. A. S. Milholland was called in 1864, serving in the closing period of the Civil War. Through his conservative and judicious acts, he held the church together. In 1867, the eleven-year pastorate of the Rev. John Sherrard began. He served eleven years, a record that has not been surpassed. In 1870, First Presbyterian Church, Bucyrus, became part of the Bellefontaine Presbytery. In 1882, a manse was erected at 402 W. Warren St. on lots donated by Major Kearsley and George Gormly. The total cost was $4,252.96. In 1885, the number of elders was increased from six to nine and, for the first time, were elected to three-year terms. The ladies of the church began making Presbyterian dolls as a money-making project for a new church (among other needs). $8,000 was raised for a fund to build the new stone church that came later. In 1886, the Rev. John Black received 62 members into the church on one day! All the new members stood in a semi-circle around the pulpit, and Mr. Black took each one by the hand and repeated from memory an appropriate verse of Scripture; in no case did he repeat the same verse. (This information is found in microfilmed records of the church.) In 1892, the Rev. Charles McCaslin began a call that lasted eleven years. In 1899, the first ladies’ circle was formed, called the King’s Daughters Circle. In 1903, with the initiative of a number of Presbyterian men, the local YMCA was started. The building was donated by Susan Kearsley, one of our members. In 1905, the last service was held in the old brick church, and in 1906, the cornerstone was laid for the new stone church—the present building. It was dedicated in 1907. Juliard Blicke, who died in 2000, was the last living member of the congregation to have witnessed the dedication of the church, when he was a child. In 1910, the congregation began construction of a manse next to the church on the west side. The Rev. Howard Wilkinson was the first pastor to occupy it, moving in in 1911. In 1912, the Marion Presbytery was formed, to which Bucyrus belonged. Over the years, the lot north of the church (now a dentist’s office) has been bought and sold three times, and the lots to the west of the parking lot were once owned by the church. The church was redecorated in 1927, 1941, 1951, 1965, and 1999. The original organ, twice renovated, was replaced in 1976. In 1945, our first board of deacons was formed. Over the years, our church has been very active in whichever Presbytery we belonged. In the past 25 years or so, we have sent a number of overtures to General Assembly by way of the Presbytery. One that I recall was our complaint that our finances were being wasted on the defense of Angela Davis. We have also, on two separate occasions, sent overtures to General Assembly regarding fidelity and chastity for those holding office in the church. We have had a number of members serve as commissioners to General Assembly. These include George Johnson in 1949, Wayne Guillerey in 1967, Russell Mase in 1971, Robert Hubble in 1978, Robert Neff in 1995, and Robert Taylor in 1999. In addition, some Presbytery committee assignments have been filled by local members. Donna Laipply was a member of the Committee on Ministry; and Robert Hubble was a member of the nominating committee and just served on the committee to nominate an associate executive Presbyter. Most of our pastors have been active at the Presbytery level, and the Rev. Russell Mase was moderator in 1995. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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