First Universalist Church

First Universalist Church  The first preachers were Rev. B. F. Hitchcock and Rev. L. Shipman of Girard, who preached without organization from 1870 to 1875. In January 1875 an organization was effected with 28 members. Services were held in Park Hall with Rev. Shipman in charge. The beautiful brick structure on Mercer Avenue was built in 1882-83-84, being dedicated February 10, 1884. The building is of pressed brick stone trimmings, costing $16,000, the larger part of which was donated by Mrs. Chloe Pierce. Mrs. Pierce also placed a fine pipe organ in the church as a memorial to her sister, Mrs. Abida H. Boles.

In 1887-88 the sons of Mrs. Chloe Pierce built a beautiful and substantial parsonage costing  $4,000 and presented it to the church as a memorial to their mother.

After about 22 years without any services the church was sold by the Universalist Conference in 1945 to the Seventh Day Adventist.  

Sharpsville Centennial Commemorative Booklet, 1974, page 41. --

First Universalist Church, now the Chloe Pierce Memorial Chapel, 131 N. Mercer Ave. Chloe Pierce funded the construction of the church between 1882 and 1884. Some of its special features include lavish woodwork in red oak, black walnut and cherry; the opalescent glass and quatrefoil panes of flashed ruby glass windows; and the organ, the oldest in Mercer County, which is dedicated to Chloe Pierce's sister, Abida Boles.

The Herald, Sharon, PA, 16 Nov 2001 

The First Universalist Church, Sharpsville 

photographed May 2000

First Universalist Church from the History of Mercer County 1888

First Universalist Church from the Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, 1909

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How the First Universalist church looked in the early 1900s. Click here

Churches in Sharpsville