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HAMILTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
This society was organized, at an early date , by
Rev. Dr. Hoge, of Columbus. They aided the
Methodists in the erection of the church building at
Walnut Hill, and held their meetings therein until the
erection of the brick church south of Mr.
Shoaf's. This church was built about 1841 or 1842.
The organization has run down, and no meetings have been
held for several years. The church is now used by the
grange.
The United Brethren had a church organization at
Lockbourne for many years until within the last few
years. The class was formed at the former dwelling of
Samuel Ranck, about the year 1842, by
William K. McCabe, the first circuit preacher. There
has been prior to this time, local preaching in the
neighborhood by Rev. Louis Kramer and others of
the denomination, for several years. Preaching was held
at Mr. Ranck's on the Dresbach
place, in Madison township, this county, as early as
1837. The earliest members of the class were Samuel
Ranck and wife, Daniel Dresbach and
wife, Henry Hammond and wife, and H. P.
Jeffers and wife. Meetings were held
regularly at Mr. Ranck's every two weeks,
until the building of the frame meeting house in
Lockbourne, which was commenced in 1843, and completed
and occupied in 1844. Local preaching had been held
before this in the school house in Lockbourne. The
society in its infancy met with opposition, and even
persecution, from a class of individuals who had no
regard for religious teaching, and the school house was
finally locked against them. The church of the society
was open to all orthodox denominations, and the
Methodists and the Lutherans also occupied it for a
time. The church numbered at one time about fifty
members, but it was substantially broken up a number of
years ago, and on meetings have been held at the church
for three years; and a year ago it was sold to the
village of Lockbourne for a town hall.
Mr. Ranck was the
leader of the class, and the leading member of the
church many years. |
