The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-10-16
Historical Sketch of the n E. Church at
Jackson C. H, Ohio.

! AT meeting of the official members o.
the Methodist Episcopal Church of the
town of Jackson, held in the month OF
January, a. D. 1872 l. A Atkinson, j
Wa Longbon and Adam w. Long, were
appointed committee to prepare briet
history of Methodism in said town, from
/ its beginning, and report the same to a
general meeting of the Church to be
called for that purpose.
In pursuance of said appointment, and
after a careful examination of all books
and papers that can be found on the sub
ject and after consulting with several OF
The oldest inhabitants of the place, and
acquiring such information as could be
obtained in relation thereto, the said
committee respectfully report the follow
ing as the. result of their labors;
The FIRST. ,i0ritten evidence of the exist
ence of Methodism in this community
that we have been able to find, is an en-
try on the journal of the Court of Com
mon Pleas of this County, under date of
October 28th, A. D. 1917, by which it ap-
pears that Boroughs Westlake, an or
dained deacon of said Church, was au-
thorized to solemnize marriages. With
this single exception, everything per-
tanning to Church matters of this place or
vicinity prior TO 1880, rests in tradition,
and in the failing memory of few of the
| Oldest survivors, the remaining represen-
tatives of former generation.
We feel satisfied that there were Meth
odist families, in what is now the town
of Jackson, as early as 1905, and probably
before that time. Laidley, Tevis, West
lake, Strother and others, are remem-
bered as some of the earliest preachers,
and occasional outdoor preaching was
held and continued more or less for sew
eral years before any house was erected
for that purpose. Truly has it been said
that "The groves were Gods first tenn
Piles"
We cannot fix the date of organizing
the first class We find that it was Or
ganized at the house of John James, near
Salt Creek, in what is now called James
town Addition to the town of Jackson, so
called in perpetuation of the name of one
of the noble pioneers who seems to have
assisted in organizing Christian COM
munity. Probably this class was organ
lied about the year 1911, and the follow
ing persons, with others not remembered,
were members: John James, Nancy
James, David Mitchell, Eleanor Mitchell,
Samuel Hall, Mrs. Hall, John Martin,
Margaret Martin, John Ogg, Philip
Strother, Hannah McKinsey, Jacob
Schellenger, Mrs. Schellenger
We have no information as to when
Jackson Circuit was formed. Preaching
was held at an early day at the houses of
John James and Samuel Hall in Jackson,
and also at a place then called "Jerusa-
lem,' situate some two or three miles
East of Jackson. and probably held at
other places within the present limits of
Jackson county. 1t is also said that for'
a long time, log school house in Jack
son was occupied for preaching place
until about 1885.
The earliest scrap of writing that we
find among the Church Records is an
old class book, tolerably we'll preserved,
and dated April 10th, 1890 On the fly
leaf, we find the following words: Jack
son Glass Book, made April l6, 1890"
REV. j. c. Hunter P. E. Rev Jacob
Delay c. P" Forget not the assembling
of yourselves together as the manner of
some is" "Strive to enter in at the
straight gate
This book contains the names of the
following members, in the following or
der, to-wit: John James, Nancy James,
John M. Rathburn, Roanna Rathburn,
Daniel Hoffman, Julia Hoffman, Eliza
beth Burnside, Eleanor Southland, Barba-
ra Long, Andrew Long, Sarah Weeks,
Nancy Noel, George Crookham, Sarah
Crookham, Horatio Crookham, Euclid
Crookham, Horace Crookham, Elizabeth
Inequality, John D. James, Harmon
Miller, Polly Rook, Jane Bears, Sarah
Moore, Elizabeth Higgenbotham, Will
lam Flowers, Thomas Dougherty Miner
va Dougherty, Nancy Higgenbotham, Es-
ther Gillespie, Robert Douthett, Emily
Douthett, Benjamin L. Jefferson, Henry
McNinch, Mary McNinch, Nancy Law
son, Margaret Martin, Nancy Quimby,
Joseph Westlake, Margaret Westlake,
Nancy Rook, Mary Delay, Eliza James,
Elizabeth Rook, Jane Kirby, Julia John
ston, Alice Barton-46 in all. This book
contains a record of class-meetings, and
the inevitable "a" fearfully predomi-
mates. Out of the 46 members, only Is
attended more than half of the time.
Only l member, (Andrew Long,) was
present at every meeting. John James
was absent but once. Eliza James began
with the Sd meeting and was never ab-
sent. Nancy James, Julia Hoffman,
Robert Douthett, Henry McNinch, Nam
cy Lawson and Nancy Rook, were absent
twice The number of times that the
other members were absent, is not a
| cause for congratulation. From this, it
would seem, that attendance at class
meeting was no better then than now,
even though it was then made a test of
membership, while now it is not.
The next document that we find, is a
written contract dated January %, 1885,
entered into by Samuel NJ Burt of the
first part, and Elias Long, John James,
John D. James, Isaac Brown, William
Flowers, Philip Noel and Daniel Hoff-
man (all of whom except John D. James
| !. 4