Deercreek Township, Pickaway County, OH

Church History & Records

The Williamsport Christian Church.--This is the oldest church in Deer Creek township. As early as 1803 Rev. Barton W. Stone came here and conducted services in the house of George Alkire. In the following year a church was formed, which was first known as the New Light Church and later as the Christian Church. From this small and unpretentious beginning grew the large and important church of to-day. A hewed-log meeting-house built in 1810 was disposed of in 1816, when a small frame church was erected, located upon the site of what became the Christian Cemetery. A few years later, owing to the growth of the society, a larger church building was erected and this was occupied until 1869, when a brick church edifice, 40 by 56 feet in dimensions and costing $4,000, was completed. The church has a flourishing Sunday-school. Rev. Charles A. Tracy is pastor of the church and also conducts services at the Christian Church at Five Points. Among the early ministers of this church were: Revs. Barton W. Stone, Joseph Badger, George Zimmerman, William Kincade, James Hays, Matthew Gardner, James Marom, George Alkire, James Burbridge, Isaac N. Walter, S. Bradford, Joseph Thomas, Daniel Long, John L. Green, Isaac Cade, Benjamin Seevers, John L. Perkins, Enoch Harvey, Thomas Hand, N. Dawson, C. A. Morse, T. A. Brandon, Peter McCullough, William Overterf, B. H. Chrisman, Joel Osgood, A. C.. Hanger, and E. W. Humphries.

Williamsport M. E. Church.--At an early period in the life of the settlement, Samuel Parrott, who lived a half mile east of Williams-port, collected a few people of the Methodist faith together and held meetings at his home. The class was formed in 1826 and consisted of Samuel Parrott and wife Mary, Samuel Manley and wife Ann, George Frame and E. Hunsicker. In 1831 Rev. Adam Poe, who was in charge of what was then called the Deer Creek Circuit, held meetings at the Parrott home, at which an effort to build a meeting-house was made. Owing to the death of Mr. Parrott, however, the building was never completed. Eight years later another effort was made to build a church. In due time a frame building, some 35 by 50 feet in size, was completed at a cost of about $3,000. In 1864 some land was added to the church site and a brick church edifice was erected during the same season at a cost of $4,000. This was in use until 1889, when the present church structure, also a brick, was erected at a cost of about $10,000. In 1872 a frame parsonage was built at a cost of $2,200. There have been a number of changes in the circuit to which the Williamsport church belongs. Deer Creek Circuit was formed in 1808 from a part of Scioto Circuit, which had been established in 1799. New Holland Circuit was detached from Deer Creek Circuit in 1854. Williamsport was separated from New Holland Circuit in 1866. The following pastors have been in charge of Williamsport Circuit since its formation : Rev. David Smith, Dr. W. F. Hughey (during whose pastorate extensive revivals occurred), Rev. B. F. Thomas, Rev. F. S. Davis, Rev. David Mann, Dr. T. G. Ross, Rev. H. L. Whitehead, Rev. George W. Lott, Rev. F. S. Davis, Rev. Frank Gillilan, Rev. C. A. Naylor, Rev. I. M. Brashares, Rev. A. F. Hixson, Rev. S. A. Crosby, Rev. W. B. Warren and Rev. J. W. Blair, the present incumbent, who is now entering upon the fifth year of his pastorate.


The official board of the Williamsport M. E. Church is as follows : Trustees--Samuel W. Dunlap, G. W. Gephart, N. L. Schein, Dr. T. C. Tipton, L. O. Morgan, Ezra Shaeffer, Wesley Tarbill, W. S. Sands and George P. Hunsicker; stewards--Samuel W. Dunlap, C. H. McDonald, S. M. Ulm, Rezin W. Phebus, Miss Carrie Rector and Miss Nellie Grabill; class leaders--Jesse Jones and C. H. McDonald. The church now has a membership of about 300. The Sunday-school, which is under the superintendency of C. W. Gephart, has a membership of about 200.

From the establishment of Deer Creek Circuit, in 1808, to the formation of Williamsport Circuit in 1866, the following pastors served in their work here: Revs. Benjamin Lakin, John Crain, John Collins, Wood Lloyd, Francis Travis, Ralph Lotspeich, J. Harris, R. Cloud, Charles Waddle, Samuel Parks, Alexander Cummins, H. B. Bascom, Isaac Quinn, Ledosa Baker, Walter Griffith, Isaac Pavly, Samuel Glaze, Shadrach Ruark, R. W. Finley, William Swayze, John Brown, William Stephens, Andrew McClain, I. C. Hunter, William Simmons, Zach Connell, J. F. Wells, James Collard, Nathan Walker, Jacob Delay, W. Young, John Stewart, John Ferrell, A. Sellers, Francis Wilson, J. T. Donahow, John Power, J. Gurley, David Lewis, Joseph A. Reader, C. C. Lybrand, Edward Estel, James Armstrong, Henry Wharton, W. L. Morrow, F. H. Jennings, Wesley Roe, Robert Chaney, J. F. Conroy, Elijah H. Field, W. M. D. Ryon, B. A.. Cassett, David Reed, Philip Nation, Zach Wharton, J. D. Webb, Alexander Mehany, B. L. Jefferson, J. W. Lock, J. G. Dimmitt, William Sutton, Alexander Nelson, J. Laws, D. H. Sargent, Samuel Middleton, David Smith, H. F. Green, W. A. Prettyman, J. F. Williams, L. F. Drake, T. H. Phillips, H. T. Magill, W. C. Holleday, William Morris, J. Q. Lakin, J. W. Clark, T. G. Ross, Nath Westerman, I. B. Brodesick and E. H. Dixon.

Mount Pleasant M. E. Church, at Kinderhook, dates back to 1826, when a class was formed under the ministry of Rev. Jacob Delay. Thomas Emery was the first class leader. In 1838 a small frame Meeting-house was built on the site of the present brick church, which was erected in 1859, at a cost of $5,000. This church is in the Williamsport Circuit and the names of the pastors are therefore included in the sketch of the latter church. The Mount Pleasant church has a present membership of about T00. The Sunday-school, which was established in the early days of the church, has a membership of about 175 and C. F. Puffinbarger is superintendent.

Many years ago there was a Protestant Methodist society in the township, but services were long since discontinued.

Source: HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY, OHIO AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS, EDITED AND COMPILED BY HON. AARON R. VAN CLEAF.  CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO