First Baptist Church, Greenville

Greenville

First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church. --In the winter of 1847-48 Rev. Jeremiah Hazen, of Sheakleyville, began preaching in the old academy building in Greenville to a few adherents of the Baptist faith residing in Greenville and immediate vicinity, among whom were Ransallear Heath and wife, George Hubbard, wife and mother, Mrs. Turner, Miss Porter and the Leet family. During the summer of 1848 Rev. Hazen took preliminary steps toward the erection of a house of worship, and succeeded so far as to secure a subscription of several hundred dollars and considerable building material. The building committee were Rev. Hazen, George Hubbard and Ransallear Heath, who let the contract for the erection of the frame work to a Mr. Dumars. Before the erection of the frame Mr. Heath returned to Sheakleyville, and the work was abandoned.

No further effort was made toward erecting the building till the winter of 1851, when, at the urgent solicitation of contributors, Rev. Nimrod Burwell, of West Salem Township, took an active interest in the project, organized a conference in Greenville, and invited Rev. Hazen to return. That gentleman consented, and in the summer of 1852 work on the structure was resumed, and the frame put up. The following autumn Mr. Hazen found it necessary to confine his efforts to the Sheakleyville charge, and suggested to the conference the desirability of their obtaining Elder Burwell’s services. The conference, acting on this advice, extended a call to Mr. Burwell, which he accepted. In December, 1852, Rev. Burwell took up his residence in Greenville, and began the prosecution of his labors. In the three years that he had charge of this church Mr. Burwell completed the building, except plastering the interior, and by vigorous and judicious management he paid for the work as it progressed, leaving no debt for his successor to pay, but considerable material to finish the interior. During the erection of the church, outside of the members of the conference, the following persons assisted Mr. Burwell by contributing labor and material: Col. Andrew Christy, David Loutzenhiser, John Speir, Dr. D. B. Packard, Samuel Goodwin and others. In November, 1855, Mr. Burwell resigned the pastorate, and for some time there was no resident minister till the coming of Rev. Demas L. Clouse in 1857.

The church was reorganized June 24, 1857. The first members of the new society were: Joseph Partridge, Bethany Partridge, Friend Cook, Emeline Cook, F. H. Leet (M. D.), Mary Leet, Susannah Leet, Elizabeth Pyatt, Miranda Hardy, Catherine Tunison, A. B. Heath, Marilla Heath, Robert Everett, Mary Ann Everett, William Emery, Lyda Emery, Samuel Godshall, Sidney Godshall, Mary Ann Godshall, Esther Ann Godshall.

The first officers were: Trustees, Joseph Partridge, Friend Cook and Robert Everett; treasurer, Joseph Partridge; church clerk, Sidney Godshall; deacons, Friend Cook and William Emery. The dedication of the church edifice occurred February 17, 1858, the program consisting, so the records say, of the following exercises Elder H. Steedman preached the sermon; Elder Godshall read the Scriptures and Elders M. C. Hendrew and Jacob Morris offered prayer. The building is a neat frame structure, and, with the lot on which it stands, cost over $3,000. On January 12, 1878, a schism occurred which threatened, for a time, the integrity of the church. A portion of the congregation withdrew, crossed the Shenango, and organized the Tabernacle Baptist Church. This society was kept up until July 9, 1881, when it decided to abandon the idea of maintaining a separate organization, and returned to the parent church in a body. Following is a complete list of its pastors, with time of service: Revs. Demas L. Clouse, January, 1858, to March, 1863; Winham Kidder, December, 1863, to November, 1865; R. L. Fuller; April, 1866, to December, 1866; J. M. Perry, May, 1867, to December, 1870; John Owens, November, 1871, to March, 1873; J. T. Griffith, June, 1876, to September, 1877; W. W. Wilgus, September, 1878, to May, 1879; E. F. Crane, January, 1880, to August, 1880, and C. S. Tinker, the present [1888] pastor, who began his labors in October, 1880. The total, number of members who have joined since the church’s reorganization is 465; present [1888] membership, 233. Connected with the church is a Sunday-school, of which the pastor is superintendent, with an enrollment of 225 pupils and teachers.

(Source: History of Mercer County, 1888, pages 427-428)

The Baptist Church—In the years 1852 or ‘53, a few friends of the Baptist faith conceived the idea’ of forming a Baptist Church in Greenville; purchased a lot in the central part of the town, and, aided by Baptists in adjoining counties, succeeded in building a commodious and respectable house of worship. In 1857, Rev. D. L. Clouse was ordained pastor of the three constituted churches, receiving a part of his support from the Home Mission Society, and continued in the capacity until 1863. The church was then without a pastor, but was supplied by Revs. Kidder, Jones, and others, until 1867, when Rev. S. M. Perry was ordained. He received part of his support from the Pennsylvania State Association, and continued four years. Since then, Rev. J. Owen and others, have supplied the pulpit for short periods. The membership has increased from twenty to eighty, at different times. It is now about forty-seven. The society has no debt hanging over it. Rev. J. T. Griffiths was ordained May 1st, 1876. There is a Sabbath-school with four teachers and thirty scholars. The library contains about 120 volumes. (Source: History of Mercer County, 1877, page 101)

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