Читать книгу Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County - William Alexander Taylor - Страница 24

Organized 1821.

Among the earliest pioneer settlers in Columbus and Franklin county were the Heyls, consisting of Lorentz Heyl, his wife, their two sons, Christian and Conrad; Mrs. Regina Pilgrim, a widowed daughter, and her family, and a grandson. They arrived in a single party in 1813. The name is interwoven with the future history of Columbus. Being German Lutherans and devout believers in the faith, they missed their hitherto regular church services. The German Lutherans in the township, too, felt lonely without a temporal fold and shepherd, and so they all united and set about the work of procuring the shepherd and the upbuilding of the sheepfold.

In the year 1818 a meeting, headed by a missionary, Rev. Michael J. Steele, was held at the Franklin Tavern on High street, of which Christian Heyl, subsequently a leading citizen, was the proprietor, and set about the organization of the church. In 1819 this primitive Hock was taken in charge by Rev. Charles Honkel, who had come into the Ohio wilderness to do the Father's work. The hitherto shepherdless sheep were called to meet this time at the residence of the other brother, Conrad Heyl at the corner of Rich and Front streets. Here the church was fully and befittingly organized.

Among those present at this assemblage were Gottlieb Lichtenecker, William Altman, John Athan Knieriemer, Henry and Philip Borman, Simon Stahl, John and Peter Putnam and Rudolph Loeliger, and their respective families, resident of the town, and the following from the townships of Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson and Miffin, John, George and David Ridenour, Michael Meuschwender, Jesse Baughman, John Saul. Father Heltzel and his sons, Jacob, Nicholas and Philip, and Frederick Stanibaugh.

Several of these were accompanied by their families. Many came long distances to attend this and other meetings, some on foot, some on horseback or in primitive vehicles and sleds along the forest paths and roads centering in the town.

A lot was purchased in 1820 at the corner of Third and the alley north between Rich and Town, for two hundred dollars. On this a church building was erected and occupied in 1821-22. At first the services were in German. For the benefit of the English-speaking members they were given in German at one service and in English at the next. In 1831 Rev. W. Schmidt became pastor. At Canton, Ohio, he had projected a theological seminary, and this, with his consent, was removed by the Ohio synod to Columbus, where it still flourishes as the Capital University, which annually graduates young men into the clergy and is thus united by a strong bond with the church at the capital, as well as with the pastorates of the graduates by sympathetic and fraternal chords.

St. Paul's Church—In 1842 a lot was purchased by the congregation of St. Paul's at the corner of High and Mound streets, and on this a substantial and imposing church was erected, and is still St. Paul's, although once burned and rebuilt and again remodeled. Rev. Konrad Mees was installed as pastor of the church in 1843, and his pastorate extended slightly beyond a half century.

In 1844 the brick building was erected. In October, 1856, fire in a frame building adjacent in the rear communicated with the church and it was destroyed, save as to the more substantial walls. Immediate steps were taken to restore the edifice, and on the first anniversary of the fire the newly restored church was consecrated, Rev. Mees officiating. The cost of restoring the building, refurnishing and installing a new organ was approximately eighteen thousand dollars. In 1890 the interior was reconstructed, decorated and lightened into a new auditorium, at a cost of about three thousand five hundred dollars.

Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation —Forty-eight adult persons were the original founders of this congregation. They were members of St. Paul's United Lutheran Reformed church of Columbus. On January 28, 1847. they withdrew from the church and held divine services under the ministration of Rev. C. Spielman from time to time in the seminary building of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint synod. When Rev. W. F. Lehmann was called as a professor to this seminary the congregation extended him an invitation to become their pastor, which he accepted.

On January 28, 1848, these Lutherans organized as the Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran congregation of Columbus, Ohio. In February, 1849, the new society rented the building of the German Independent Protestant church on Mound street, where services were regularly held for eight years.

Meantime the congregation grew steadily in numbers. On April 6, 1856, a committee, which had been appointed to look up a suitable building lot, reported that they had purchased the lot at the corner of Third and Fulton streets.

The erection of a church building thereon was begun in June of that year, its dimensions being fifty-six by one hundred and six feet. The corner-stone was laid July 28. 1856. The church was dedicated December 20, 1857, and a steeple was built on the church in 1876. The church moved forward despite inevitable doctrinal controversies.

Grace Lutheran Church—In 1872 a majority of the members of the First English Lutheran church, so called, withdrew from the joint synod and joined the general council. Those who did not withdraw met at the German Trinity Lutheran church and in 1872 organized the Grace Evangelical church. Among the first members were Rev. M. Lay. In 1873 a lot was purchased on Mound street and a frame chapel was built and dedicated in the same year, Professor William F. Lehmann officiating. In 1889, the congregation having grown rapidly, the church was remodeled and enlarged, and the pulpit was frequently filled by the professors of the Capital University, especially when there was a pastoral vacancy for any reason.

St. Mark's English Lutheran Church—This church was organized in 1885 at the residence of Mr. James Broucher. The organizers were mostly members of Grace Evangelical Lutheran congregation residing in the northern part of the city. For a year or two services were held at the houses of the members. A church was erected at Dennison and Fifth avenues and was dedicated on the first Sunday in June, 1886, Professor A. Pfluger officiating. The church has reported steady progress from the beginning to the present.

Christ Lutheran Church—On the removal of the Capital University in 1876 from the present site of the Park or Northern Hotel to its present location in the eastern environs of the city, a neat brick church was erected in connection with it on the university grounds east of Alum Creek. This church began with approximately one hundred communicants, and has considerably more than doubled. The students of the university attend during the school year.

Location of the Churches.

Christ Evangelical: Northwest corner Main and Drexel.

Emanuel: 434 East Main street.

Emanuel Evangelical: 56 Reeb avenue.

First English: 314 Parsons avenue.

German Evangelical (Trinity): Third and Fulton streets.

Grace (English): East Fourth, between Mound and Fulton.

Immanuel: Monroe avenue, between Spring and Mt. Vernon.

Memorial English: 1243 Highland avenue.

St. John's Evangelical Protestant: South Mound, near Third.

St. Luke's Evangelical: 59 West Lane avenue.

St. Mark's (English): Southeast corner Fifth and Dennison.

St. Matthew's: Corner Broad and Martin.

St. Paul's (German): Corner High and Mound.

St. Peter's: Denmead avenue, near Leonard.

Trinity Evangelical: Fulton and Third streets.

United Evangelical: Miller avenue, between Rich and Bryden.

Wesley Avenue United Evangelical: Corner Wesley and East Eighth avenues.

Zion: Corner Mound and Third.