:::::::::=:·:·:·:·::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::··:·:·:···:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·=·:·:·······.·. ···.··:·:···.·:·.·:·.··:·.·.·.·:;:•.;.;.;.: :-:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·::::::;::::::::::::.:::;:::::::;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:;: :::;:;:::::::::::::::::::::::::;:::;::;:: .··.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.:·:·:·:·:·:···:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·=·=·.·:·: ::::::::::::=: ::::::;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;::::::::::::::::::::::::=::::::::·:::::·:·:·:·:·:········

• r s t r1a s f u By Lois Firestone

HE HORSES BEDDED in the stable stirred restlessly, roused

from their placid Sunday morning nap as the open stable door blew in gusts of unwelcome, swirling snow. The four families who hurried into the warmth of John Campbell's har­ness and wagon shop that frigid January day in 1809 were hoping that a rumor they'd heard would turn out to be true.

Far from their homes in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virgi­nia and yearning to begin a church of their own, the homesick settlers had been writing letters for weeks to Presbyterian Church officials and friends in nearby settlements - they were determined to find a minister.

Itinerant preacher Joshua Bear proved to be the answer to their prayers. A few lines from the minutes of the Beaver Presbytery that year indicate just how much the busy Bear traveled every month: "After prayer, Mr. Bean was appointed to supply one Sabbath at Salem, one at Canfield, one at Hud­son, one at Euclid, one at Harpers­fie Id, one at Austinburgh, one at Kinsman, one at Upper Salem, one at Vienna, and the remainder of his time at his discretion, until our next meeting."

But it was New Lisbon's Clement Vallandigham, the pioneer Presbyte­rian minister in Columbiana County, who .was the guiding force behind the new church which was formally enrolled by the Presbytery 23 years after that first meeting, on Novem­ber 3, 1832. Of the 20 charter mem­bers, only Rebecca Campbell lived in Salem. The others, at Vallandigham's invitation, came from churches in New Lisbon and Canfield: Hugh and Agnes Stewart, Ruel and Elizabeth Wright, George and Mary Ehrick, Terah Jones, Elizabeth and Nathanial McCracken, the Martins - John,

Martha, Ann Jane, William, Hugh and William Jr.- and the Wilsons -James, Martha, Agnes and John. In 1841 the number had grown to 40; by 1852 it was 118; in 1900, 396; and in 1929, 670.

The church's home had been built along Green Street in 1830 on lots 45 and 46 in Samuel Davis' second addition to the city of Salem - par­ishioners paid $50 for the land. Building continued for years, and services were held in the skeleton structure long before even the walls were plastered. Crude benches served as seats although doors were placed at the pews which were for rent. Completed in 1842, the build­ing was used for 18 years, until 1848.

Early families working in the young church before and after the Civil War period were the Black­burns, Boswells, Brainards, Barnes, Brooks and Kerrs. The original church was sold and moved to the east side of Rose A venue in Salem where it was remodeled and used as a dwelling. According to Alice Fitch who has researched the church's his­tory, one record indicates the church was moved to Race Street Oater, Wil­son Street). For years, Mrs. Fitch has searched, unsuccessfully, for the building.

The new $10,000 church was erected on the original site, and was three years under construction. Ale­xander B. Maxwell was the pastor during this period - sickly from the time he was 20, the congenial, gentle man devoted months to the project. The approaching Civil War hindered work, but the building was finally finished and dedicated on Dec. 22, 1861. Much of the money for the project was given by rental of pews. The five original signers to the rent receipts which made the new church possible were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph

Turn to CHURCH on page 7

c •• Ill urch 1

The Presbyterian Church when it was dedicated in 1861. The old Fourth Street School building can· be seen in left background. After lightning struck the tall steeple four times, it was torn down. Other styles followed over the years.

Yest:erqears Tuesrfay, SepteniEer 22 1992

Did Union eneral hire an a Sheridan may have chosen as a spy for Union forces

Wilkes-Booth in Civil War

By Dick Wootten

L IKE MILLIONS OF Americans, Union General Philip Sheridan

was shocked when he heard the news that President Abraham Lin­coln had been assassinated.

But Sheridan, whom historians today mention in the same breath with Grant and Sherman as a great general, was also shocked when he saw pictures of John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin.

Sheridan wrote in his memoirs (recently republished by Bantam

Books) that a man he hired to be a Union spy "certainly bore a strong resemblance to Booth's pictures."

The spy, who called himself "Renfrew," worked with another spy named Lomas, whom Lincoln's Sec­retary of War Edwin Stanton strong­ly suspected of being associated with the assassin's conspirators.

It is always tempting to say "what if" when considering historical events. Sheridan had ordered the arrest of both Lomas and Renfrew just two months before the assassi­nation. And they were arrested and

r.=:::::::;============~-·· placed under guard. But while

.. ···'· . .;.=,:~

}~J~i ·:~~\

~-~~- ')esteryearsll,~ ~--· ·1· 1~}-.-~ A weekly historical journal \~ -~ ~ L\~·-: Published each Tuesday '.1:; 1 ''~ • ·.~'it \if;# by the Salem News ::rt ~;. Founded June 8, 1991 · ~~ . . ~~1 !0;-;- 161 N. Lincoln Ave. /;. :~'".'..' Salem, Ohio 44460 ~=~~ 1~-h Phone (216) 332-4601 ':.;~ ·-~~:;.·~ . :.;;V L~~·:. Thomas E S arCTUr · ,:!~l •. ,. . p .,- .. ,ii:;

'Z~:i Cathie McCullough ~~J i,f.' managing editor -j ;~). :~. • • ··;1~·. ;f( Lots A. !trestone j_":f~

.,{~;.:_: editor :fj; ;;,;<. , Linda Huffer ·);~

~~:±~'!~

traveling through Baltimore, they escaped from their guards. Sheridan said that after that he never heard of them again.

What if they hadn't escaped? Would Lincoln have been assassi­nated? Those kinds of questions, however intriguing, are a bit mad­dening and perhaps not worth asking.

Let's back up in Sheridan's memoirs to his first references to Lomas and Renfrew. In February, 1865 while stationed in Virginia,

General Philip H. Sheridan (photo at left) believed a spy he hired in the last months of the Civil War may have been John Wilkes Booth. When Lincoln first met Sheridan, he was unimpressed. Lincoln said the general was a "brown, chunky little chap, with a long body, short legs, not enough neck to hang him, and such long arms that if his ank­les itch he can scratch them with­out stooping."

r"--~- #1 IN SERVICE t;;<f~:::;;(J \ ~ INTHEAREAI ~f!JIF· I

~r- / '·1~ '

0 {~~\/qq:~n!Juw · ' -~-~ . ·--- c?arpet

SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT

Now Open Sundays 12-5 Largest Selection In. Area

Return to The Visit The Future With Past With "Romantic Our Progressive Victorian Florals" "Designer Graphics."

We're Open Mon.· Thurs. 10:30-8; Fri. 'til 6;

Sat. 10-3; Sun. 12-5 FREE SHOP 90 DAYS SAME

AT HOME AS CASH

2347 S. Union (Rt 183) Alliance 2 blocks South of Rt 62

'i-il)l 0 21-4600 t:~ l/' I·~ 0 ,....:-Zs 'iJI>- illlmlEJ :<~,_.) ... --~·:._· ---------"=l --~--..4

Sheridan depended on a Colonel Young,· who was in charge of his scouts. Young also kept track of civi­lian spies would be hired from time to time. If spies were suspected of being double agents, Young would follow them to find out if they were actually completing their mission or passing information on to Confederates.

Sheridan wrote, "Although I had adopted the general rule of employ­ing only soldiers as scouts, there was an occasional exception to it. I can­not say that these exceptions proved wholly that an iron-dad observance of the rule would have been best, but I am sure of it in one instance.

"A man named Lomas, who

claimed to be a Marylander, offered me his services as a spy, and coming highly recommended from Mr. Stan­ton, who had made use of him in that capacity, I employed him. He made many pretensions, often appearing over-anxious to impart information seemingly intended to impress me with his importance, and yet was more than ordinarily intelligent, but :in spite of that my confidence in him was· by no means unlimited; I often found what he

Because your last wishes are so important

~. "". -~ ---'f '1

~E ·1· ~'.

Tlm lfrcrnd Book )· \ Pre-Plan your

\;.'IS you fill in ;,ti \··,l. "' et 01";~\ \ FunPral till.:' vil,11 inf11Tn1,1t11111 \ ~1t10

.. ,;1 .. t ~ ... ''>-' h1 udl.111c111

your family will m•l'.'d , i<'f\~ .... <.'_:.-..... ..- prU!l.'ll llw (o ... i...,

,1ftcr you'n• ~1•)111! !oc-i\lion\ -··":~ ~ !rni'.~~·~";:1~1(.::11rt.'s fon.•v1•r .11

of vilal pap(•rs. wills, b,1nk .xcounls, insurance pilpers, Select the funeral you wish lists of friends and rel.-1tives do'i\n to 1hc .~malks1 Uc1:ails

with phone numbers un<l Relieve your family addresses, plus your last of worry ,rnd costs .11 future requests. liml' or slrcss

DO this for the ones you love.

332-4401 RayJ.

Green is en

Your Funeral Pre-Need Specialists

Arbaugh-Pearce F ·'

G . unera,

reeni!Jen Home 1617 East State Street

rpi;°,.;., ~nd u°';: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I

I 0 The Family Persona! Record Book I I 0 Information on Inflation-Proof Funeral Pre-Plan I I D Information about funeral costs, procedures I 0 Book on Social Security & Medicare

I 1

Name1 ___________ _

I Address __________ _

I City•-------------1 I State1 _______ J.iP•----

1

'!~n! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -·

sassin?

John Wilkes Booth thought that people in the South would praise him for killing Lincoln but found out after the assµssination that few had sympathy for him. Con­federate General Robert E. Lee said ·that he had "surrendered as much to Lincoln's goodness as to Grant's artillery."

corroborated by Young's men, but generally there were discrepancies in his tales, which led me to suspect that he was employed by the enemy

rr:r;s;=_ --­Tum !ci next page. ~

JL£ .~ D GCO.

337-8727

Serving The Area Since 1927

and still serving the nicest people

with "RED CARPET TREATMENT"

229 N. Ellsworth, Salem Monday-Friday 8:30-8:00

Saturday 8:30-7:00 Sunday 10:00-1 :00

.~C.~?&. .~~~~ • v:-_~~ '·\£;"\~onnnued from page 2_/)f/Y

~) ~ ~

as well as by me. I felt, however, few dollars necessary for their that with good watching he could do expenses. They readily assented, and me little harm, and if my suspicions it was arranged that they should were incorrect he might be very use- start the following night. Meanwhile ful, so I held on to him. Young had selected his men to sha-

"Early in February Lomas was dow them, and in two days reported very solicitous for me to employ a my spies as being concealed at Stras-man who, he said, had been with burg, where they remained, without Mosby (editor's note: Mosby, called making the slightest effort to con-the 'Gray Ghost' led a band of Con- tinue on their mission, and were federate raiders in hit-and-run busy, no doubt, communicating with attacks in Maryland) but on account the enemy, though I was not able to of some quarrel in the irregular fasten this on them. On the 16th of camp had abandoned that leader. February they returned to Winches-Thinking that with two of them ter, and reported their failure, telling might destroy the railroad bridges me many lies about their hazardous east of Lynchburg (Va.), I concluded, adventure as to remove all remain-after the Mosby man had been ing doubt as to their double-dealii:ig. brought to my headquarters by Unquestionably they were spies Lomas about 12 o'clock one night, to from the enemy, and hence Habfe to give him employment, at the same the usual penalties of such service time informing Colonel Young that I (editor's note: death was the penal-suspected their fidelity, however, ty); but it struck me that through and that he must test it by shadow- them I might deceive Early (Confed-ing their every movement. erate General Jubal Early) as to the

"When Lomas's companion time of opening the spring ~am-entered my room he was completely paign, I having already received disguised, but on discarding the var- from General Grant an intimation of ious contrivances by which his iden- what was expected of me. I there-tity was concealed he proved to be a fore retained the men without even a rather slender, dark-complexioned, suggestion of my knowledge of their handsome young man, of easy true character, young meanwhi~e address and captivating manners. keeping close watch over all their He gave his name as Renfrew, doings." answered all my questions satisfac- Sheridan knew that General Ear-torily, and went into details about ly's various brigades were spread Mosby and his men which showed over a wide area aroun~ Stauntcm,_ an intimacy with them at some time. I explained to the two men the work I had laid out for them, and stated the sum of money I would give to have it done, but stipulated that in case of failure there would be no compensation whatever beyond the

rcher's Restaurant

and Antique Shop

627-9971 Open Mon.-Sat 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

· Uomemade Soups and Pies • Interesting Antiques

or the Collector

Start Afemorial Inc. 1014 E. State St., Salem, Ohio 332-5139

Russell C. Loudon

and he wanted to get the jump on Early before he could collect his scat­tered forces. Since a number of Union officers were in the habit of amusing themselves fox-hui:iting during the latter part of wmter, Sheridan· decided to put out the word that a grand fox-chase would take place Feb. 29.

As Sheridan tells it, "Knowing that Lomas and Renfrew would spread the announcement South, they were permitted to see several red foxes that had been secured, as well as a large pack of hounds which Colonel Young had collected for the sport."

Lomas and Renfrew, armed with Sheridan's disinformation about the fox hunt, left for their second attempt to burn the bridges. They were shadowed as usual, and two days later, after they had communi­cated with friends from their hiding­place in Newtown, they were arrested.

Sheridan writes that on Feb. 27 -two days before the phony fox hunt was to take place - "my cavalry entered upon the campaign which cleared the Shenandoah Valley of every remnant of organized Confederates."

Sheridan wrote about his suspi­cion that Renfrew was John Wilkes Booth in his memoirs published in

1888, the year he died. Historians since then have either missed his story or dismissed it. A new book by Gene Smith about the Booth family of actors has no mention of Sheridan.

Author and poet Carl Sandburg, who wrote extensively about Booth in his six-volume Lincoln biography, notes in volume six that "Most of the time until April 15, 1864 (the day following the assassination) Booth lived in Washington, checking in and out of his National Hotel quar­ters, taking many trips on errands whose purpose he kept secret."

Sandburg says that after Booth and his colleagues failed in an attempt to abduct Lincoln from Ford's Theater on January 18 -because Lincoln failed to attend the theater - Booth's pride was shaken and he stayed away from Washing­ton for nearly a month.

Booth was shot and killed in a burning barn in Virginia on April 26, 1865, just 12 days after he had shot Lincoln.

Was Renfrew really Booth? Per­haps a clever historian some day will answer that question. In the meantime, it still remains fascinating to think that General Sheridan could have had Booth within his grasp but then lost him.

BACK ISSUES .... Yesteryears ... a historical journal began June 8, 1991. You can order back issues and be up-to-date on what you have been missing. Call 332-4601 or send your check to Yesteryears and request the back issues you desire.

Only 50 cents per copy plus postage.

Gfimberlanes of ale

The staff and management of Ttmberlanes provide all the

professional services required to make your function an absolute success­

whether it is a business meeting, class reunion, wedding or other social

function. Attention to detail is lavished upon every attair, whatever its size. Good food, friendly service. and the

incomparable facilities at Ttmberlanes will make your function one to be

remembered. Banquets from15 to 600 Prices starting at $6.95

~~'-'-,.1'.:;::J fl

0~~~~~~~~~~~~ q ,,

Timberlanes of Salem 544 E. Pershing, Salem, Ohio 44460

Telephone: (216) 337-9572

Timberlanes Motor Inn Telephone: 337-9901

All Major Credit Cards Accepted

A i11<m-c;r1 I· ,DUi r 7--l_ll ~ -jJl_ ' : '~ ' l..J

OR Tu1 1:,-r,ou1 ~T- · CJ,' Jl ~ ' , I J_J

By Linda Rosenkrantz Copley News Service

Boys have hundreds of super her­oes to look up to, from Amazing Man to X-Men, but for girls, there is really only one lone super female standing in the imperial comic book pantheon - Wonder Woman.

Oh, sure, there have been other female figures over the years. Teen­aged Mary Marvel was part of the Marvel family. And then there was Phanton Lady, Lady Luck, Black Cat, Doll Girl, Saturn Girl, Supergirl, Miss Fury, Miss Liberty, Miss Vic­tory and Miss America, but in the great American consciousness, Won­der Woman lives on alone.

Wonder Woman made her debut in 1941, appearing in the eighth issue of DC Comics' All Star Comics,

continuing the following year in Sen­sation Comics.

After running as part of an ensem­ble, the Amazon from Paradise Island - one of the genre who gained their powers from a mytho­logical or cosmological source - got a comic book all her own in the summer of 1942.

She was actually the brainchild of · a psychologist named Dr. William Moulton Marston (writing under the pseudonym Charles Moulton) and. was drawn by Harry Peter. Accord­ing to mike Benton in The Comic Book in America, the good doctor designed the character as "an expression of the values he held asa pioneer theor­ist of the women's liberation move­ment in the 1940s."

Although that was a couple of decades before, as far as I know, women's liberation was defined or named as such, the comic was a big hit with girl comic book readers.

An Amazon princess, Wonder · Woman was the daughter of Queen Hippolyte, who lived on Paradise Island, a place inhabited by heroic, immortal females guided by Aphro­dite and Athena. When they see mankind threatened by World War Il, they designated Princess Diana (hmmm!) to journey with U.S. Army officer Steve Trevor to lick the Axis powers.

With her eagle-decorated, star­spangled costume of red, white and blue (and yellow), she was strongly

• n ettlem nt as By Cheryl Belzner

Thomson News Service

BRYAN PRINCE'S curiosity was piqued when he look at the

faded black-and-white photograph of a distant relative.

What was the story of the bearded man portrayed there? Who was he? Where did he come from? What was his life like?

Relatives told him the man was his great-great-grandfather, but they didn't know much more.

That was about 10 years ago, when he began tracing his family's roots in North Buxton, Canada.

The Princes are one of many fami­lies who ·formed the Elgin Settle-

Mark's ,Landing

ON SCENIC GUILFORD LAKE

Open Year 'Round Serving A Full Menu

222-9507

ment, which quickly grew to a population of more than 1,000. But today, only 150 descendants of the early settlers live in the area.

Many left after the Civil War to return to their homes in the U.S. -but they never forgot their roots.

Once a year, families journey to the village of North Buxton for a reunion. More than 2,000 attended the 68th Homecoming this summer.

Activities include a dinner and dance, an 1866 wedding re­enactment and fireworks display, which will be featured during the Labor Day weekend.

The settlement was formed . by Presbyterian minister William King, who owned 14 slaves w1'ile he lived

•Wall to wall • Clubhouse with game and

• Wcarpal e __

1un· n

0glose•· party room

'aJk w • Complete laundry in each building • Appliances, • Security patrol and electric air conditioning security system

• SWimming pool, • Limited number of aprts. tennis courts with balcor.ies

EVERY DAY 11 :00-5:00 Sorr : No Pets

appealing to the patriotic spirit of the time. Strangely enough, there is a strong note of bondage - Wonder Woman wasjretty heavy on whips, manacles an chains.

Her enemies tended to be evil vil­lainesses with names like Cheetah, Queen Clea, Queen Flamina, Hypno­ta the Great, as well as the "psycho­pathic madman" Dr. Psycho. Never­theless, she survived for a long time, having been continuously published for over 45 years. A major change came in 1958 when writer/editor Robert Kanigher introduced a new art team and origin for her.

In the 1960s she joined with Superman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern and the Martian Manhunter to form the Justice League of Ameri­ca in DC Comics "Brave and Bold Comics No. 28." But in 1969, sadly, she lost her superpowers to become an independent businesswoman who practiced an Oriental discipline on the side.

Wonder Woman came to life on the television screen in 1974 in the person of L Ynda Carter, seen as much as Diana Prince as the volup­tuous Amazon, providing a heroine for a new generation of young girls.

Were you ever lucky enough to own a Gilbert Mysto Magic set?

Most of us have had the urge, at one time or another in our youth or adolescence, to perform magic - to do some coin or card tricks, or turn five scarfs into one, or produce an

• n1q e e in Louisiana. But he freed them and brought them to Canada in 1848.

They became the nucleus of his Buxton mission. In six years, he bought 9,000 acres and settled 300 fugitive families.

'We really have a history to be proud of," said Dorothy Shreve. Her great-grandfather, Abraham Shadd, was part of the Underground Rail­road. Before he came to Canada, his homes in Pennsylvania and Dela­ware were stops on the route north to freedom.

Most fugitives didn't escape through the Underground Railroad - a network of safe houses leading north to Canada. But after passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, the

What a Pharmacy

Was Meant To Be! Store Hours: 9-6 M-F, 9-1 Sat. Offering Free Delivery and

Fast Friendly Service

egg out of a startled subject's ear. That would explain the desire of a

sizable group of people to collect the artifacts associated with legerdemain.

There are several different areas in which collectors have concentrated since the '70s (Before that it was almost exclusively magicians who collected magicana).

There are children's games and magic sets, professional magicians' gear and gadgets, memorabilia attached to the great magicians of the past, such as Houdini and Blackstone, as well as relevant advertising posters and handbills, programs and photographs, books and catalogs.

At the top end of the market are posters, particularly those large and colorful examples relating to the spectacular feats of the most famous American magicians of the late 19th and early 20th century - Alexander Herrmann, Howard Thurston, Harry Kellar, Harry Houdini and Harry Blackstone Sr; (Is there something particularly magical about the name Harry?) - and those depicting Hou­dini are particularly rare.

Also of interest to collectors are the strongly graphic posters of the British conjurer Henry Robinson, who performed in Chinese guise under the name Chung Ling Soo.

Among the most desirable posters are those made by Strobridge Litho. Co. of New York and Cincinnati.

p • Im nt number of slaves escaping to Cana­da ballooned.

The Elgin Settlement is one of only a few black Canadian settle­ments still in existence since the pre­Civil War era.

"Our people have been here a long time and have helped to deve­lop this country - even before it was a country," said Joyce Middle­ton, whose great-great-great grand­father fled what is now West Virgi­nia for Canada. 'When you're able to look back and see what they've gone through, you also look inside yourself. "It gives you a better sense of who you are."

(Belzner writes for the Chatham, Ont., Daily News.) ·

Now At

Salem Computer Center!

INSTANT VCR PROGRAMMER

- INSTANTLY program your VCR. -Tape any show in just one step. - No more mistakes! - Use PlusCodeTV from local TV Guide

NOWINSTOCKatonly $53e00 C'" .... 1.em 200 E. 2nd st.

e::;;a_11 Salem, Ohio

,,. .. {)Jmputer 332-2201 ~nter '4~.ft.6S:s. s 10-s

--·- -·

~JJ~~~ -----

f:r,.rttf,.rl ht tl1t" ·,,,·.-11rnN-.1!( t

/· .! ~0:r /3;.rv{~ .................... J.4.'../. .. ~:/.-.. : .. : ............... '

Tl!}; STA TR <If' Ol!fo, l'tlf.l'Jlf/1.1.\".I ('fl/' .YTl: s :<. _,,#' /J J!foremethe tttodr,.igncd •utb .. rity in nu•I r .. , _,,,;,1.,,,,""!'· P"'"'""'il." """'" 11,.. witloin """'"I..-~-:?:'? .......... ~ .... • .. tt'.( .. (~.~ ... 1! ... r:.~ .. c.; .. /.h..~rn:"-1•"'~ ,,f tin• Pr•·:'(h~t<'rinn ('lum•h t•f ~nll'm, Ohi~'. n.ncl

ncknowfodged the signing nnd ~linJZ or tht.'I ,..ithin ~)nt",..\·an•·e tu lw:- thrir vohmrn.rv n•·l n111l ,1 ...... 1.

,,,,,,,, ., .... '" _ j,,c '"''";f ':~I ~?;.~ '(::;;_'.:~/Lt A facsimile of the original deed or receipt for rent of church pew No. 69 sold to Jo~eph A. Blackburn (his heirs and assigns forever) for $125. Money derived from these went to building the new church in 1861.

~ .....------.... ,.~fJ.-r Church ~,~\ • ..o.::-::~ (;"> ... ,·\'::(:., .. ,".h •(."-""' c . d f ·).,,,'1'" ·--~-~ontinuea rrom page 1 }~fS'.Y

~?~:P

A. Blackburn, Peter H. Boswell, c:c. Brainard, Robert Amos Barnes, J. Twing Brooks and J. A. Kerr.

The Dec. 18, 1861 issue of the Salem Republican featured this notice: "Remember that the new Presbyte­rian church on Green Street will be dedicated next Sabbath, 22nd inst, by Prof. Wilson of Allegheny City. A very large attendance is anticipated, as the occasion will be one of great interest to everybody. The service will commence at 11 o'clock a.m. and either at 3 o'clock in the after­noon, or in the evening, as circum­stances may determine." In those days, families came to church in the morning, listened to a sermon at least "twice thirty minutes in length," and after a brief interval for lunch, would "enjoy another of equal length and solidity."

Music was minimal in the often dull worship services. Hymns were "lined," according to Mrs. Fitch; that is, they were sung to the congrega­tion by a leader a' line at a time and then repeated by the congregation. The tuning fork was vital to its suc­cess - Allen Boyle was skilled in the art and was the song leader for years.

Nancy Thomas, Mrs. William Koll's mother, got the idea of the Ladies Aid Society getting together a three-day loan exhibit of antiques and heirlooms to pay for an organ to replace the tuning fork. Assisted by Mrs. J. T. -Brooks, Mrs. Allen Boyle, Willamine Dorwart and others, they carted dozens of items up to the sec­ond floor of the Town Hall. Here they served dinners and suppers during the exhibit which stretched out for a week. A special entertain­ment - one evening they hosted a "living" chess game with the "chess pieces" wearing elaborate costumes - was planned for every night. Mrs. Boyle baked pies at home and others

roasted turkeys. In the church's 100th anniversary book, Mrs. W. H . Koll recalled one cooked bird in par­ticular: "It came time for the dinner and no one had called for the turkey. Of course there were no taxicabs or telephones. She solved the problem by putting the turkey in the baby buggy and wheeling it down to the Town Hall where she pressed a man into service, who was going up to dinner, to carry it up to the kitchen."

Everybody in town came to the gatherings held in 1879; the exhibit was a great success and nearly enough money was raised to pay for a new pipe organ, the first pipe organ to come to Salem. The organ was built by Carl Barckhoff in his Pittsburgh plant in 1880; later he moved his factory to Salem. Anna Cook was the organist for many years and also served as the church secretary.

Over the years, structural changes were made in the church, although the building remained basically the same. In 1889 a chapel was added and in 1906 the chapel was remod­eled to include galleries. An annex was constructed in 1919 followed by major improvements to both church and annex and their interiors in 1937.

The chapel was used during the typhoid fever epidemic as an emergency hospital in 1920 and 1921. The entire church property was turned over for use as a patient care base by action of the trustees. Worship services were held in the high school building. During World War II, the church was used by the Cleveland Mobile Blood Donor unit. During the war years, Floyd McKee promoted a news service for area servicemen and women.

By the late 1800s, church people were becoming more and more interested in foreign countries, politi­cally. The Women's Missionary Soci­ety promoted early missionary work from 1871 on. Willis and Anna Kuhn Weaver were sent by the church in 1882 to Columbia, South America.

To finance their work, Mrs. Weav-

This photo taken in March 1938 shows the style change in the church stee­ple. The parsonage is the building at the right.

A view of the church in 1944 on a postcard printed in Germany for the <;:leveland News Co. of C,leveland. N_ote still another, more ornate change m the church steeple. Nick Mager is the 21st pastor of the church, and Betty Sue Sherrod is the associate pastor.

er made religious mottoes from fern leaves and sold them to members of the local church. The business took off and soon her mottoes were being

shipped to missionary societies and Sunday schools throui?hout the

Turn to next page ~~·

Mothers and daughters don wedding gear during a mother-daughter dinner, perhaps wearing their relatives' wedding party attire, in this undated photo.

Victorian-costumed ladies pose at the entrance to the Presbyterian Church in this photo taken in the 1890s.

·i --------- • _,(.V Church ~;~--.-n ·-~ '~· ' ~ :;7~ ·.~:.b 'SS~~ontinued from page 7 ~~}-~( (~ . 0-

country. A women's Foreign Mis­sionary Society magazine of the time states: "The mottoes are exquisitely beautiful and stand forth as though carved in marble, each vein (of the fern leaf) and thread being dearly depicted by solar photography - no camera being used."

Mrs. H. B. Fry, wife of the fifth pastor of the church, was the first president of the Women's Mission­ary Society formed in 1871. Later the

Anne B. Gilbert Guild was organized to encourage younger women in missions work. The Ladies Aid Soci­ety had been an integral part of the church from its inception, cooking and serving suppers in the old Town Hall to raise money for their charities.

1938 was the year the church undertook the largest building and renovation projects in its history. Dr. Raymond Walter was minister dur­ing this period. R. S. McCulloch Sr., chairman of the building committe, hired architect Paul Boucherle to design the interior of the church in Williamsburg style. Boucherle had

The interior of the Presbyterian sanctuary shortly after the new building was built. designed McCulloch's home and three others in the city: E. S. Daw­son, James Hurlburt and Eugene Young.

The house used for a Sunday School class was removed and the present 16-room educational build­ing was constructed - the building connected with the renovated Fel­lowship Hall and kitchen at the rear of the sanctuary. The project cost $101,500, a large sum for the 1930s. Following two pledge campaigns in 1936 and ~9~7, _the p~oject was com-

pleted and dedicated in April 1939 and the mortgage burned in 1941.

The 1945 parish honor roll lists 192 men and two women in the Armed Forces. On V-E Day, May 8, 1945, four trustees and Evas Lipp rang the church bell along with other churches in the city as part of a spontaneous celebration of victory.

R. S. McCulloch had the honor of ringing the bell twice - that day and also at the end of World War I, Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1918.