Pickaway Township, Pickaway County, OH

Church History & Records

Meade M. E. Church.--The first Methodist class organized in the township was at Salem,now known as Meade. As early as 1802 or 1803 a log meeting-house was built, in which church services were held. Rev. James Quinn, a circuit preacher, held services in this building. In the fall of 1816 another log church was built, which was subsequently weather-boarded. This church continued to be used until the present frame structure was erected, which is valued at $1,800. The pastor of the. church is Rev. Stone, of Kingston. The charge was originally in the Pickaway Circuit, then in the Circleville, and is now in the Kingston Circuit. The Sunday-school has a membership of about 50' members ; the superintendent is John W. Stump.

Emmett's Chapel.--The Methodsts organized a society on the plains in an early date and held meetings alternately with the Presbyterian Church, which was organized in 1808 by Rev. James Robinson, then of the Mount Pleasant Church. The Presbyterian society held its meetings usually at the house of Maj. John Boggs or John Rawl. In 1816 Mr. Robinson commenced preaching one-third of his time in the Rawl schoolhouse, near the present site of Emmett's Chapel. The Methodist and Presbyterian societies continued to hold their meetings alternately in this schoolhouse until about 1835, when they united in erecting a brick church on a hill just south of Congo Creek bridge. It was used by them alternately for about 10 years when, some difficulty between the t o arising, the Methodists withdrew and provided another place of worship. Elias Reed, a leading member, bought the farm of John Rawl and turned the dwelling into a. meeting-house. This was used by the society until 1852, when the present Emmett's Chapel, named in honor of the pioneer Methodist preacher, Father Emmett,. was built. The Presbyterians continued to use the brick church on the hill for a few years after the Methodists withdrew. By reason of removals and. deaths their number became so reduced that preaching could not be supported and. the house was sold and taken down.

Palestine Church, in the northeastern part of the township, was built about the year 184c by a German Reformed and Lutheran Society. The Methodists afterwards bought an interest in the building and held meetings a number of years.

Ebenezer Church of the Evangelical Association stands about half a mile east of Hayesville, near the center of the township. The class was formed by Rev. John Dreisbach in 1835, the first members being Rev. John Dreisbach and wife, Thomas Kraft and wife, Adam Boyer and wife and John Kraft and wife. Abraham Dreisbach, who subsequently became minister of the church, and Isaac E., Catherine and Sophia Dreisbach and Mrs. Eliza Steely were also early members, uniting soon after the organization was effected. The first meetings were held at the dwellings of the members and afterwards in a log schoolhouse. Subsequently the society used the frame schoolhouse, which replaced the log one, until the erection of their present church in the summer of 1850. Rev. John Dreisbach, who lived on the farm where the church is located and whose remains lie beside those of his wife in the adjoining cemetery, gave the ground for the church and cemetery, and the sum of $1,000 toward the building of the church. The church is especially historic to the members of the Evangelical Association from the fact that Mr. Dreisbach was one of the . founders of the association, which was first known as the Albright Church, being a coworker with Bishop Albright. The church building cost $903.61 to erect. It was dedicated December 22, 1850, by Bishop Joseph Long and Presiding Elder J. G. Zinser. The outside of the building has never been structurally changed, but the interior has been remodeled several times. Rev. John Dreisbach preached for the class for a few years, until the regular circuit preachers were appointed. John Heisler was class leader until 1840, when Isaac E. Dreisbach, son of Rev. John Dreisbach and father of the present Sunday-school superintendent, B. F. Dreisbach, was appointed. Isaac E. Dreisbach continued as leader until his death in 1897--a period of 57 years. The church has a present membership of 50. Rev. G. W. Miesse, of Stoutsville, is pastor. The church building, although over 50 years old, has received such good care that it is still in excellent condition, being worth about $2,000 at this time. The sexton's house adjoining the church is valued at $600. B. F. Dreisbach has served as Sunday-school superintendent for the past 31 years.

There was formerly an organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pickaway township. The church property, located near the Hitler-Ludwig Cemetery, has not been used for some 25 or 30 years. The last services held in the church were those attending the funeral of Jacob Hitler, which took place about 20 years ago.

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