Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Presbyterian and Congregational Ministers
in Lake County
From the Beginning to 1835

Submitted by Cynthia Turk

Thanks to Rebecca B. Hill for her transcription in "The OGS Report" 41:3 (2001) which made this work much easier.

The Plan of Union: or A History of the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches of the Western Reserve by William S. Kennedy (Hudson, Ohio: Pentagon Steam Press, 1856, now available on HeritageQuest Online or at Hudson Library) has a table of all the ministers of the Presbyterian churches in the Western Reserve to 1835. Below are those that are listed for the current Lake County. Many likely also worked elsewhere in or out of the Western Reserve and that service is not mentioned here. Some may have also worked as supplies for periods of less than six months and are not included here.

Concord Church was formed in 1834.

• Warren Swift was the stated supply preacher. Born 1800 in Connecticut, he studied under Rev. Chester Wright. Settlement was May 1, 1835. He was also serving the church in Richmond.

Kirtland Church was formed 1819.

• Joseph Badger was its first stated supply preacher. He was born 1757 in Wilbraham, Massachussets. He graduated from Yale and studied under Rev. Leavenworth. Settlement was March 1, 1822 and Dismission February 1, 1825.

• Caleb Burbank was the next stated supply. Born in 1792 in Boscawen, New Hampsire, he graduated 1821 from Dartmouth and studied at Andover Theological Seminary. Settlement was June 1, 1827 and Dismission June 1, 1829.

• Nathaniel Cobb was a regularly settled preacher born in 1800 in Rochester, Mass. A degree from Brown in 1821 and from Andover Theological Seminary led to his settlement in Kirtland Octover 28, 1830. Dismission was April 9, 1833.

• Truman Coe was a stated supply preacher born in Derby Connecticut in 1788. He went to A.M. Yale and studied the ministry privately. His settlement was July 1832.

Madison First Church formed 1814

• Alvan Hyde, Jr. was the first preacher. He was born in Lee, Mass. He graduated from Williams in 1815 and studied under Alvan Hyde, D.D. His settlement was August 31, 1819.

• Randolph Stone was a stated supply, born 1790 in Bristol, Connecticut. Graduating in 1815 from Yale, he studied theology under Timothy Dwight, D.D. His settlement was November 1, 1823 and dismission November 1, 1824.

• Jonathan Winchester was stated supply from Jan. 1, 1826 to Jan. 1, 1828. Born in 1781 in Ashburnham, Mass., he graduated from Middlebury College in 1808 and studied under Holland Weeks.

• Perry Pratt was stated supply from October 1, 1826 until October 1, 1827. He studied theology under G.H. Cowles, D.D. but did not obtain a college degree. His settlement was October 1, 1826 until his dismission October 1, 1827. He was born in East Hartford, Connecticut in 1780. He began serving Claridon in July 1835.

• Eliphalet Austin, Jr., born in Connecticut, was stated supply with settlement August 1, 1828. He also studied under G.H. Cowles, D.D. without a degree. He began in LeRoy in 1835.

• Caleb Burbank was a regular preacher settling in the Madison church January 27, 1830 until his dismission July 9, 1834. He was born in 1792 in Boscawen, New Hampshire. He graduated from Dartmouth in 1821 and studied theology at Andover Theological Seminary.

• Henry T. Kelly was a regular preacher for the First Church beginning July 9, 1834. He was born in 1794 in Hampstead, New Hampsire. He studied at Andover Theological Seminary after his 1819 graduation from Dartmouth.

Madison Second Church was formed in 1830.

• Jonathan Winchester served as stated supply, his settlement February 1, 1830 til February 1, 1831. He had previously served as stated supply at the Madison First Church.

• Jason Chapin was stated supply at Second Church. He was born 1801 in Newport, New Hampshire. He graduated in 1828 from Amherst College and studied theology at Andover Theological Seminary. Settlement was November 12, 1831 and Dismission was December 5, 1833. He also served in Montville during part of this time.

• Jonathan A. Woodruff was a regular preacher, Settling June 25, 1834. He was born in 1808 in Coventry, Connecticut. He studied at Auburn Theological Seminary after graduating from Hamilton in 1831. Dismission was July 1835. He served the same period as regular pastor of the Unionville Congregational Church.

• Alanson Saunders, born in 1798 in Warren, Connecticut, was stated supply after graduating in 1827 from Yale and studying at New Haven Theological Seminary. His settlement was September 13, 1835. He began at the same time at the Unionville Congregational Church.

• Eliphalet Austin, Jr. served as stated supply for the LeRoy church, settling in September, 1835. He had previously served at Madison First Church.

Painesville Church formed 1810.

• Nathan Derrow served the First Church, Congregational as stated supply, settlement June 17, 1810 with dismission February 26, 1816. He was born in 1773 in New London, Connecticut. He took some undergraduate work at Hamilton.

• Amasa Loomis was the first regular preacher with settlement January 7, 1818. He had graduated from Yale in 1807. Dismission was July 9, 1823.

• George Sheldon was stated supply, also graduating from Yale in 1819. He had studied theology at Andover Theological Seminary. Born in 1797 at West Suffield, Connecticut, settlement was December 17, 1823 with dismission April 10, 1825.

• Orange Lyman was stated suppply at the First Church with settlement March 30, 1827. He was born in 1780 in New Hartford, Connecticut, graduated from Williams in 1809 and studied theology under David Porter, D.D. Dismission was February 3, 1828. He later served the Montville church from November 11, 1832 until January 1, 1835 and Huntsburg from November 4, 1832 until July 7, 1833.

• William M. Adams was the second regular minister with settlement February 4, 1829. He was born in 1788 in Canterbury, Connecticut. He gradated from Union Theological Seminary in 1816 and studied theology under Drs. Yates & Nott. Dismission was July 15, 1832.

• Ferris Fitch was stated supply with settlement June 8, 1834. He was born in 1802 at Pawlet, Vermont. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1826 and the Andover Theological Seminary.

Richmond (Grand River) Church was formed 1834.

• Warren Swift was stated supply, settlment being October 1, 1834. He was born in 1800 in Connecticut and studied theology under Rev. Chester Wright. He also served in Concord beginning May 1, 1835.

Willoughby Church was formed in 1833.

• Chester Chapin preached as the stated supply. He was born 1787 in Springfield, Mass.; graduated from Brown and studied theology under Drs. Yates & Nott. Settlement was Jan. 1, 1833, Dismission July 15, 1834. He had previously served the church in Newbury from January 1, 1831 til June 25, 1832 and Russell from January 1, 1832 to June 25, 1832.