The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-12-19
HISTORIC SKETCH.
OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
OF NEW PLYMOUTH,
OHIO.
A Thanksgiving Day Discourse Deliv.
cred Nov. 20, 1894.
[ BY REV. cHAs. b. TAYLOR, PHI. D. ]

are heirs to q rich Inheritance In the
lab0rs Of the pioneers who settled the
place, cleared the forests and found
ed the church. They labored and we
are today entered into their labors.
We are enjoying the fruits of their
eelf-sacriflce and toll, and It Is proper
that we should recall, today, their
history with loving memory Of them,
and with gratitude to God for them.
SO Tar as 1 can ascertain, the first
settler In this community was John
Wright, who settled in the forest
near the present residence of Samuel
Bay. He was followed by Isaac
Lash and the Bartletts and the Fin
neys, who were Of new England
In the year 1899, Rev. Geo. w.
terian church visited this field. Some
idea Of the labors of this devoted man
may be gained by the fact that his
field extended from Belpre on the
Ohio River northward to GAINESVILLE
and westward probably to the Scioto
River. Through the forests and by
bride paths on horseback he carried
the gospel Of Christ. New Plymouth
was then part of Starr township
Hooking county.
On the 1st day of September, 1929,
Mr.. Warner organized the first Pres
byterian church of Hooking county.
It comprised all the members of that
denomination in the county who
could be gathered together. As some
OF them lived near Logan and some
at New Plymouth, they met at point
half way between the two places in q
grove across the road from the pres
ent residence of r. B. Longstreth.
The following named persons were
the original members of the church
John A. Butin. Anna Butin, Solo,
mon Finney, Sylvanus Finney, Har-
vey Finney, Jesse Bartlett, Marcia
Bartlett, Martha Bartlett, Myra
Washburn, Betsy Stone, Mary Rom
ley, Eleanor Wallace, Asenath Corn
well, and Nancy Cushing, Solomon
Finney, Sylyanus Finney and John
Butin were elected elders.
The church grew, other members
moved in and were added by letter
and upon profession of their faith.
The most Of the records of that epoch
have been lost, but among other val
liable papers furnished me by VIM.
i. Bartlett I flnd the following:
This is to certify that Sylvanus
Bartlett and Amanda his wife are
members of the Presbyterian church
In Athens in good standing; and are
hereby cordially lyrecommended to the
fellowship Of the Church of Christ in
Hooking county.
J. SPAULDING, Pastor.
& Starr, March 10, 1884,"
In 1888 under the ministry Of Rev.
r. G.. Wilson, ID. D., of Athens, the
churcl ROC d;,yidod ond for,,,nd al =
First Presbyterian church, of Logan,
and the Presbyterian church Of New
Plymouth.
The members Of the New Plymouth
organization were:
Sylvanus Bartlett, Mrs. Amanda
Bartlett, Solomon Finney, Mrs. .Myra
Finney, Thomas Hardin, Mrs. Mar
garet Hardin, Robert Sanderson, Mrs.
Martha Sanderson, Cephas Bartlett,
Mrs. Mary Pugh, VIM. 6anderson,
Mrs. Maria Finney, Mrs. A. Sander
son, Mrs. Nancy Bray, Mrs. Anna
Seymour, Mrs. Anna Bartlett, Mrs.
Patience Finney, Miss Ann Lee.
In these days our young people
make up . large part Of the. church
membership. It ID worthy Of notice
as showing the difference In the
times, that Of the eighteen persons
who compromised the New Plymouth
church at its organization, but one
WAS distinctively young person. ALI
Of them seem to have been staid men
and NATIONS except Miss Ann Lee,
who afterward became Mrs. Payne.
The records for the succeeding few
years are not accessible. Numbers
of members were added, Mrs. Phoebe
Cornwell and Lucinda Cornwell and
others whose names I am not able to
give.
The few "reminiscences which have
spome down to us from those early
'vHays are Of great interest as showing
.rthe character Of the pioneers and the
time in which they lived.
The first meetings were held In Q
cabin back Of the spot now occupied
by VIM. Bartlett's peach orchard, on
the ground now owned by P. M. Save.
ly. Afterward for Q number OF years
services were held In the the Ground
log school house, west of town neal
the present residence Of Mrs. Sarah
Finney.
The preaching was only occasional
by Mrs. Warner, Re =. John Spalding
son and others. For the most part
VAAV A4A0VVAb48o " "a Q 0OAAAAOV0A w Wax
members OF the church.
Solomon Finney, the elder opened
the meetings with prayer and scrip
ture reading, In the language of one
who remembers those days, he was
"a blessed old man" whose serious
yet kindly weYag gave s0lemntty tS
the sery1ce. The parable Of Onr Sav.
tour concerning tho sower and thu
seed seemed to tmpfessi itself upor
passage Of scripture With him, anG
50 frequently did he read Il In the
pupltc service that : quiet s,aile anc
4 9 twinkle Of t9e eye Was soInetimel
y seen among the young people whel
In innocent Observation-Disclosures the ole
man began fsadipg the za'ntltsl
Ia the absence Of : pssacher. GIy
vapIs Rertlett read q selected ser
mon from some book a. from the pc
riodical khown - TIE Nationa
Thus did your fathere GOV the sees
that sbt9ss e thN AZ ~ ~
~ Il .,t1 ~ ~. M t.. u tl ..af. AZ