York Street Congregational United Church of Christ
History 1877-1993
Condensed from an article by Wilbur H Otting and William
Roth in October 1952 from the files at the Campbell County Historical Society
York Street Church at Ringgold and York became the York Street Congregational United Church of Christ on November 5, 1877. Sixty-six signatures signed the minute book after approving the new church. The church building and especially parsonage are historical landmarks because of the tunnels under the parsonage that were used for slaves during the Civil War times.
This church was organized by an Ecclesiastical Council of
Churches of the Miami Conference held at Newport on Sunday afternoon at 2:30,
December 9, 1877, and the following churches were represented by pastor and
delegate:
Vine Street Congregational Church
Seventh Street Congregational Church
Lawrence Street Congregational Church
Storrs Street Congregational Church
The Columbia Congregational Church and the First Congregational Church of
Ironton, Ohio were not present. This council then listened to the
statement from Brother Lippincott giving the reason which seemed under the
proposed step, expedient, and advisable and presenting letters of demission of
forty-four persons who were unanimous in their desire to unit in the
formation of a Congregational Church. The Council then retired for
consultation and announced that the steps taken by these brethren were deemed
satisfactory and advised them to proceed to the organization of a church.
On Wednesday evening, December 26, 1877, the following
persons were declared elected Deacons,
J A Lippincott, E W Ayer, A H Meyers, F H Alden; Trustees, F C Ayer, A H Newton,
R H Lyman, John Clark; Clerk, Chas S Lippincott; Treasurer John A Clark.
On February 11, 1878, the congregation voted to extend a call to Rev Samuel
Eastman, of Swamscott, Mass. who became the first pastor of our church on April
7, 1878. We then made application for admission to the Miami Conference on
April 17, 1878.
For four years the congregation occupied a building at the southeast corner, Eighth and York Streets, owned by the late Hon. A S Berry, who in May 1881, sold this property to the First Baptist Church. He then asked the York congregation to vacate by July 1st of that year. The Trustees then made arrangements with the officers of Odd Fellow's Hall for use of said hall for worship at the following terms: $5 per week for summer months and $7 per week for winter months. The first services were held in this hall on July 3, 1881. In 1884 a new building was built. A Sunday school was added in 1887; a parsonage was purchased in 1895 and a pipe organ installed in September 1924. The organ was rebuilt in 1936. From 1936 to 1942 the sanctuary, the school and the parsonage were upgraded.
Pastors include to the time of this writing: Rev Samuel
Eastman, Apr 7, 1878-Jan 1, 1880
Rev Samuel Lane Loomis-Oct 14, 1880-Nov 18, 1885
Rev E S Ralston-Apr 12, 1886-Nov 23, 1886
Rev John D Nutting-Nov 15, 1888 to Sep 17, 1890
Rev Ralph J Smith-Nov 1, 1890-May 15, 1895
Rev Gervaise A Voits-Oct 1, 1895-Jan 20, 1897
Rev William Johnston-Jan 6, 1898-Apr 1, 1899
Rev Sam G Heckman-Oct 11, 1899-Feb 27, 1901
Rev Frank E Bigelow-May 19, 1901 to Nov 30, 1909
Rev James Hyslop-Apr 1910-June 10, 1912
Rev Frank H Condit-Sep 7, 1912-May 16, 1915
Rev L C Grant-Aug 1, 1915-Sep 30, 1917
Rev D W MacMillan-Oct 7, 1917-Aug 29, 1920
Rev T H Corson-Sep 1, 1920-July 8, 1921
Rev Raymond Steiner-July 15, 1921-Sep 1926
Rev Dwight Tallman-Sep 26, 1926-March, 1931
Rev Chas J Schaufuss-Nov 1931 to date of this article Oct 19, 1952
The Church ceased to hold religious services in 1993. There were 10 living members who transferred their memberships to St. Johns Church in Newport.