Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-08
PIoneer Celebration.

Yesterday the seventy-third anniversary
Of the settlement Of Ohio was celebrated with
religious exercises, at Wesley Chapel. The
attendance of pioneers was large, and the
proceedings interesting.
The FIRST address of the occasion was de-
livered by Rev. ]. F. Wright.
He said that the stream of time had well
nigh borne from among us that hardy race
of pioneers who endured the privations
dangers and lsbors consequent upon the
settlement ofthe Western country. He was
| glad to see a disposition to rescue from
oblivion knowledge of the distinguished
persons of those early times, and TO preserve
a record of their events in the form of au-
thentic history. The object of this associa-
ton could not be better carried out than by
furnishing brief narratives Of the introduc-
ton of our common Christianity into the
Northwestern Territory. Leaving other
parts of this work to members of other de-
nominations, he would confne himself to the
early history of the Methodist Episcopal
Church within these bounds.
AS early as the year 1853, it was known
that local preacher by the name of Clarke
had preached in Fort Washington, within
the present bounds of this city. He was re-
garded as an exemplary and useful man, and
the people heard him gladly. This man, we
have reason to believe, was the same Francis
Clarke who was the first pioneer of Method
ism in Kentucky. He, together with John
Inv al haI r..
Virginia in 1884, and organized the first
class in the State, near where Danville now
stands. These men, about the year l786,
succeeded in securing the appointment of
additional laborers by the Virginia Confer
ence, and the establishment of circuit, en-
bracing the forts and stations in all the
country from the Falls of the Ohio (Louis-
ville) to the present site Of Maysville. From
this portion of Kentucky, many of the early
preachers of Ohio had been received.
Francis Mccormick, a distinguished and
eminent local preacher, was the first oi
whom we have any account who perma-
nently settled here. He was born in Fred
erick County, Virginia, June 3, l764. He
had served in the Revolution, and witnessed
the triumph of American arms over Corn.
wallis at Yorktown. Prosecuted by his
father and relatives for becoming Method
list, he removed to Bourbon County, Ken,
lucky, in 1885, and seon after, from his dis
like of the institution of slavery and Other
causes, he removed to this Territory and
settled on the Little Miami, near the present
i at4 rf - no
His first society consisted of ten members
including the members of his own family
and three others. Soon afterward addi
tional classes were formed, one at Mr.. Ram
sey's, near where the village of Lovelanc
now stands, and the other at Mr.. Nuts, a
Columbia, the site first selected for the grea
city.
The first circuit in this Territory was es
tablished in the year 1913, by McCormicl
and Mr.. Cobler, who had been commissioned
to take charge of the work. 1t included tn
route indicated at present by the towns O
Lebanon, Waynesville, Xenia, Springfield
Urbana, and up Mad River on the west eide
touching at Dayton and Hamilton, thence +
Columbia, thence to the place Of ofbeginnine
Many other facts connected with the late
history of Methodism were given by tn
speaker, which our space will not permit u
to publish.
The speaker said, in conclusion: "Wher
we look at the small beginnings of ou
Church in the Northwestern Territory, ant
in this city, and then see its progress AM
spread throughout Ohio and the entire West
and also in this city, may we not well ex
claim; What hath God wrought2' Again
shall we not say This is the Lords doing
and it is marvellous in our eyes p"
Very Observation-Disclosures were afterwarC
delivered by Elders D. s. Burnet and W. P
Stratton.