A look back at the history of First Presbyterian Church of Millersburg

In November 1815, two men from Coshocton County came up the Killbuck valley and proceeded to lay out a town on the east bank of the Killbuck Creek. The town was immediately named “Millersburg” in honor of Charles Miller, one of the proprietors. There is no record of any sale of the lots in town by the proprietors until 1819.

The first settler in this new town was a tavern keeper named Thomas Hoskins, who promptly built the first building in town in the spring of 1819. Several houses and an additional tavern were soon constructed. The town was well equipped to satisfy its thirsty citizens.

In the fall of 1820, a log cabin was built to be used as the first school in town. Joseph Edgar taught at a private school there in the winter of 1820-21. That same winter, religion first came to Millersburg. Reverend Harper was a Presbyterian minister who held the first church service in Mr. Edgar’s schoolhouse.

On Jan. 4, 1825, the Ohio legislature passed an act organizing Holmes County and directing the election of township and county officers. On April 4, 1825, the first election was held in the county. A sheriff, auditor, coroner and three county commissioners were elected. A log courthouse was constructed that summer at the northeast corner of the public square, where the current courthouse is located. A bridge was also constructed across the Killbuck Creek to increase commerce.

In July 1825, Reverend John Stockton was sent to Millersburg by the Western Missionary Society to preach to the people of Millersburg and Hopewell. Millersburg had no ecclesiastical organization, but meetings were held in the log courthouse. When it became full, the meeting was held in the public square in front of the courthouse. Reverend Stockton wrote of helping to roll logs off the main street in Millersburg and killing a rattlesnake five feet long in front of the courthouse. He preached at Millersburg and Hopewell for three to four months.

A committee was appointed by the Presbytery of Wooster, which met in Mt. Vernon Sept. 13, 1825, to affect the organization of the Church at Millersburg. It was required that two elders be elected, and according to old Session records, dating from 1830, their names were Samuel Tidball and John Kerr.

On May 11, 1834, the courthouse and much of the village were destroyed by what was called “The Great Fire.” Twenty-two houses and numerous shops and businesses were burned to the ground. Eighty residents were rendered homeless and destitute.

Two years later, in 1836, the Presbyterians bought Lot 114, where the church currently stands, for the sum of $100. A frame meeting house building 50 feet long and 30 feet wide was completed in 1842. This building, complete with bell and fence, cost about $2,000. Initially, pews were rented, and a tax was assessed on seats.

The first pastor in the new building was Reverend George Gordon, who was grouped with the Hopewell Presbyterian Church as a “charge.” The following pastor, Reverend John Boggs, also split his time with the Clark Presbyterian Church.

On Feb. 13, 1850, the paper “Worldly Amusements” was read from the pulpit. Word for word, it stated as follows:

The session of the church being aware that dancing as an amusement is practiced to a considerable extent in this community, and believing in common with the higher judicatories of our church, and most, if not all sister churches, that theatres, circuses, dancing, parties, balls, etc. are hinderances to the progress of vital piety, and especially injurious to the spiritual interests of those who participate in them. Therefore resolved (1) That as a session we affectionately warn the brethren and sisters of this church of the impropriety of engaging in such amusements. (2) That members of this church be earnestly recommended to discourage such amusements in all proper ways and to the extent of their influence.

Despite such measures by the Session, the church continued to thrive. In 1858, it was reported that the church had 76 active members.

All was well until the church meeting house was destroyed by fire March 21, 1872. The cause was thought to be a defective flue. The next day, measures were adopted for the erection of a new brick church building. The building project began in June 1874 and was dedicated Feb. 15, 1874. The cost was $11,550 and without debt. 

This quote came from an article in the local paper, appearing Feb. 19, 1874:

“The congregation tender their grateful thanks to the citizens of Millersburg and vicinity and the distant churches and individuals who have contributed so liberally toward the erection of this elegant church edifice. The ladies, foremost in nearly every good work, are deserving of great praise for their untiring energy and industry which so largely contributed to the raising of the necessary funds for the building of the church.”

In 1888, the church had a deficit caused by members having left the congregation. The ladies of the church covered the deficit, and the Ladies Aid Society also covered the salary of the church organist. The first mention of a parsonage in the church records is in 1895. The same year, the pastor’s salary was $800 with free use of a house as a parsonage.

In 1907, an addition was added to the present building. It was 45 feet by 55 feet and was fitted with a basement, a lecture room and classrooms. A new pipe organ was installed by the A.J. Schantz Organ Co. of Orrville, Ohio at a cost of $1,000. The entire construction project was completed at a cost of $5,300 and was free from debt.

In the fall of 1918, the church cancelled services for several Sundays due to influenza (otherwise known as the Spanish Flu). Many people lost their lives during this epidemic. Church membership reached a new high of 260 members in 1919.

In 1940, Reverend Darwin Haynes designed a new chancel for the church. The pipes of the organ were fronted with wood, and a new organ was given by Helen Adams. A new altar, lectern, pulpit and paneling were installed.

Major renovations were made to the church building in the early 1950s. The basement was excavated and made into a chapel and classrooms. The kitchen, dining room and sanctuary were also extensively remodeled and redecorated at a cost of $33,605.

Reverend Neil Hand was issued a call to serve as minister to the congregation in 1952. The romance and marriage of Mr. Hand to Miss Elaine Egger, a member of the choir, delighted the congregation.

The membership roll in 1954 listed 313 members. In the same year, the Board of Deacons was established. Six men and six women were ordained to “minister to the needy, the sick, the friendless or any who may be in distress.”

In 1959, the manse on North Monroe Street was constructed at a cost of $12,000 on a lot donated by a church member. In 1963, an additional lot on the north side of the church was purchased for $6,300. Two houses were torn down, and a parking lot was constructed.

In 1971, Marjorie Bird became the first woman in the history of the church to be ordained as an elder.

In 1973, the church became yoked with Clark Presbyterian Church, and Reverend Richard Stults was installed as pastor. The following year, the church received an anonymous gift — its first air conditioning unit.

In 1984, Eldon Trubee became pastor and served until his retirement in 2009.