Geauga record. [volume] (Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio) 1952-1962, 1954-07-29

social hour and the cutting of
the birthday cake. Mrs. Harry
Ditto is in charge of this part
of the program.
Other chairmen for the event
include: Mrs. Stanley H. Mapes,
historical information; Mrs
Tom Butz, historical program
(to be printed; Mrs. R. o.
Stone, historical exhibit; Mr..
William Knight, communicating
with former pastors and Mrs.
Lawrence Roseum, invitations
to former members and friends.
The Baptist church of CheS-
terland was organized August
4, 1919, with seven members,
three males and four females.
The same day five others unit
ed with the church, a total of
twelve members
No records exist of the first
few years and all that is known
of its struggles, joys and sor-
rows has come down in story
and tradition, but we can say
that in June, 1872, James Gil,
more and family came fr o m
Chester, Hampshire county
Mass. A portion of Gilmore s
family were BaptiStS, and, as
far as we know, were the first
of the denomination to settle in
Chester township.
The first sermon preached in
CheSterland by Baptist was
delivered by Rev. Root, W h o
passed through the town in 1912,
but it was not until 1919 that
an organization was effected.
Soon after they secured the
services of Rev. Warren Good
ale of Mentor for a portion of
the time and from time to
time he visited this little band
advising and guiding them the
best he could. Meanwhile dis
SenSions arose in the church
and it seemed from a human
standpoint that it's flickering
light would be extinguiShed. In
this condition Elder Jacob
Bailey found them in the fall
of 1928. Their troubles were
settled and in 1929 Elder T.
B. Stephenson became t h e r
pastor.
On August IL, 1881, tn e
church held a meeting lasting
four days in the barn of Elder
T. 3. Stephenson. At this meet
ing many of the ministers OF
northeastern Ohio were present.
The people flocked to tn e
m citing and ABOUT 20 were ad-
ded to the Chester B pits
chDIcn and to other denomina-
tionS.
In July 1881 Deacon BE n
Rouse of Cleveland visited the
church and established a Sab
bath school and from that day
the church has maintained a
Sunday school.
The church was originally
connected with the Grand Riv.
er association, but when h e
Geauga association was organic
ed in 1884, the Chester Bap-
tiSt church was one of it's con-
Stituent parts and SO continued
until 1855. At that time and at
her own request, CheSterland
was dismissed to unite in 1856
with the Cleveland association.
In 1885 quite a number sew
cred their connection wi t h
the church in order to unite
in forming a church in Mum
son. A little later church
was formed in Kirkland wi h
which several united for h e
convenience of attending h G
meetings Oh worship.
AT this time the membership
was fifty-two. At no previous
time had the membership ex-
ceeded 100. Their place of wor-
ship had been in the old town
house which was a log block
house standing a short distance
west Of the center of town
Sometime during the year of
1884 they changed their place
of meeting to the schoolhouse
which they occupied until 1843.
That year they erected a meet
inghouse at the center of the
town and occupied it until 1870.
Among the early ministers
were Rev. Lyman Wilder, Rev.
A. Woodward, Rev. LuciuS
Andrus, Rev. j. R. Dibble and
Rev. J. M. Smith. 1860 Rev.