Salt Creek Church - Historical

R. Y. White Writes Song About Salt Creek Church

More than half a century ago the forefathers of R. Y. White of Zanesville moved from Pennsylvania and settled in the vicinity of Chandlersville. Most every one around Chandlersville knows of R. Y. White who for over twenty years was secretary of the Muskingum County Fair Board and the State Association of Fairs for a score of years and who now holds a life membership in the state association, who is a director of the State-Security Bank from its organization in 1907 and secretary-treasurer of the Standard Securities Company from its formation, he still owns his grandfather's farm on "The Guernsey Trail" (the ridge road leading from Chandlersville to Rix Mills),. When Mr. White's grandfather settled there in 1850 he helped to build this church which is still standing amidst the community cemetery almost the same as three quarters of a century ago except for marks of time. He is one of seven children who attended this church on the hill and parents are resting in the old churchyard there.

While going through this cemetery recently with his niece Miss Charline White of Denver, Colorado, she asked her uncle to write in song the story of the worship there when he was a little boy, the thought took action one day while he was seated at the typewriter and he wrote the song, "The Old Country Church" and dedicated it to his niece. The music was arranged by Prof E Francis Buckmeyer of the Zanesville School of Music. In commenting on the historical background of this song he says, "As early as the year 1770, pioneer settlers through-out the country, which afterward became Allegheny, Washington and Green Counties, Pennsylvania and the Panhandle of West Virginia came on horseback over what was then known as the Guernsey Trail to Chandler's Salt Camp, which afterwards became Chandlersville.

Early settlers organized a church congregation called Salt Creek soon after the year 1800, taking its name not from the stream, but from the community, which then was known as the Salt Creek Country, where Chandler boiled salt water and manufactured commercial salt.

The present church building was erected in 1851. The song pictures the olden customs in worship which was the foundation principles upon which the Declaration of Independence was written and which is represented in the companion piece of tribute to "Our Flag," which is printed on the back cover page, while on the front cover page is a picture of the church showing the road "The Guernsey Trail".