Evangelical United Brethren Church
9th and Ann St-Newport
The following is a condensed version of the original article was written in 1964 by Albert J Sensel, and can be found in the Church files at the Campbell County Historical & Genealogical Society in Alexandria.
DIRECTORY 70TH ANNIVERSARY 1894-1964
PASTORS
1894-Isaiah M Walker
1895-J W Flory
1898-F H Bohn
1905-M F Hawley
1908-W L Duncan
1909-M T Hobson
1910-C W Snyder
1912 G A Wahl
1916-S F Wenger
1917-J H Mayne
1918-Calvin McNelly
1919-J A Robinson
1921-W C Andreas
1926-M B Klepinger
1931-M W Mumma
1934-S L Britt
1936-J L Armstrong
1943-Henry Snapp
1945-Paul Jefferis
1947-A S Wolfe
1948-Dana Heaton
1956-Donald Baker
1963-Ronald R Hill
In the summer of 1894, there worshipped on West 10th St. between Isabella and Patterson, a small non-denominational group led by Rev I M Walker. On August 1st of that year this Pastor met in conference with L D Poock, a Newport shoe merchant and a member of the United Brethren at Dayton Ohio, and discussed the admission of this group into the United Brethren Church. With the approval of Bishop Jonathan Weaver and Dr. W J Shuey, a copy of the Discipline was sent to Pastor Walker, who read it to his people.
Rev G M Mathews, the Presiding Elder, preached to the congregation on the evening of August 19th, using the test John 15:9, "Continue ye in love" and of the nearly 200 present, sixty people including Pastor Walker were received into the United Brethren Council and their names entered on the charter roll. Early in 1895 the congregation moved into its new place of worship at Ninth & Ann Sts. It was a frame structure where Divine Services were held on the main floor and the Pastor lived on the second floor.
In 1898 Rev F H Bohn was appointed pastor and through his guidance and fervent zeal of the membership, the hope of a new church building was born. Additional property was bought in 1899, ground was broken and the corner stone laying took place in the spring of 19000. Hundreds of calls were made, long hours were endured, but with implicit faith in God, the present structure in which we worship today was built a cost of $10,000. When formerly dedicated on November 25, 1900, only a debt of $3650 remained.
Rev Bohn served our church seven years and during his pastorate, the membership grew from 72 to 154. Four of our young men have answered the call to the Ministry. Wm K Messmer, who is now Superintendent of the Ohio Miami Conference of our Church (formerly called Presiding Elder); Charles Messmer, who is Director of Program of Camp Miami; Walter Racke, who after serving several pastorates and later after recovering from a long illness, is now teaching school at Dayton, Ohio and Harold Messmer, who is now serving Abbotsville-Caylor Chapel at Greenville, Ohio.
In the year 1912 a new reed (imitation) pipe organ was purchased and provided music until the year 1954 when it was replaced by our present electronic pipe organ at a cost of $3500. Gas light fixtures were replaced by electric fixtures and a new grand piano purchased in 1925. During the flood of 1913, our church provided a relief program; furnished their own boat, carried people to and from hot soup and other foods to the stricken, as well as housing their belongings. During the great 1937 flood, we again lent a helping hand. However, the church itself suffered greatly at this time. The stage was nearly 80 feet, causing 5 feet 10 inches of water on our first floor.
In 1927 the house and lot behind the church was
purchased and served as the janitor's quarters until 1946, when it was razed
because of its poor condition. On November 24, 1929, our new parsonage was
dedicated at a cost of $6600. In 1946 the United Brethren Church united with the
Evangelical Church. In 1961 we had a modern heating plant installed.
The church owes much to some of our laymen: Chas T Hughes, John T Edwards, who
were among the builders, along with Conrad Teichmeoller and Mrs. Mary S Lanham,
then later, H L Williams, Wm Muir, Rance Greer and a host of others whose
devoted lives have left behind their keep imprint.
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Membership Roll in 1864
Baker, James
Ballman, Mrs. Louise
Bass, Robert
Bell, Joseph
Bell, Robert
Bell, Thomas
Bennett, Mrs. Thomas
Berger, Everett
Berger, Mrs. Lucille
Berkley, Arthur
Berkley, Mrs. Helen
Berkley, Arthur Jr.
Berkley, Gary
Berkley, Mrs. Mollie
Boots, Mrs. Mary
Brooks, Mrs. Addie
Comins, Mrs. Charles
Conley, Kenneth
Conley, Mrs. Kenneth
Conway, Mrs. Ray
Craft, Thomas
Craft, Mrs. Vivian
Crank, Mrs. Grace
Creutz, Mrs. Bruce
Crowder, Mrs. Russel
Dailey, Charles Sr.
Daniel, Paul O
Deaver, Mrs. Katherine
Deitsch, Ray
Deitsch, Mrs. Dorothy
Dobson, Mrs. Dennis
Dryer, Mrs. William
First, Charles
Fitterer, Mrs. Joseph
Fronk, Miss Joanne
Fronk, Miss Gail
Goepper, Elmer
Goepper, William T
Goepper, Mrs. Irma
Graber, Mrs. William
Gray, William T
Gray, Mrs. Bessie
Greer, Mrs. Nora
Harvey, Herman E
Harvey, Mrs. Grace
Hauss, Mrs. Wilbur
Hill, Ronald R
Hillgardner, Wesley W
Hillgardner, Mrs. Ruth
Hillgardner, Miss Miriam
Hoop, James
Hoop, Mrs. Mamie
Htchison, William C
Hutchison, Mrs. William
Jackson, Miss Shirley
Jones, Edward C
Jones, Mrs. Edward
Klennert, Mrs. Ella Nora
Kramer, Mrs. Newell
Kramer, Miss Roberta
Lanter, Jack
Lanter, Mrs. Jack
Law, O W
LeForce, Vernon
LeForce, Mrs. Esther
Leonard, Earl L
Lyman, Joseph T
Lyman, Mrs. Pearl
Lyman, Lloy
McIntosh, Don
McMillan, Mrs. Loretta
Maegly, Gene
Maegly, Mrs. Joyce
Maegly, Quintin
Maegly, Mrs. Gladys
Mann, James
Mann, Mrs. James
Manning, Mrs. Clarence
Manning, Richard H
Manning, Miss Wanda
Manning, Curtis Ray
Manning, Mrs. Verna Lee
Manning, Miss Sandra Rae
Manning, Miss Kathy
Marksberry, Mrs. Chester
Martin, Mrs. William
Martin, Miss Donna
Mell, William
Messmer, Lawrence
Messmer, Victor C
Messmer, Mrs. Lucille
Messmer, William Sr.
Messmer, Mrs. Elizabeth
Meyer, Jack Wilbur
Meyer, Clyde Richard
Miller, Fred Sr.
Miller, Mrs. Helen
Miller, Fred Jr.
Moloney, Mrs. Florence
Moore, Mrs. Harold
Moose, Mrs. Bessie
Moose, Wayne
Morgan, Mrs. Clarence
Norris, Ladeen
Norris, Mrs. Mary
O'Neal, Mrs. Laura
Pearson, Mrs. Robert
Poe, George
Poe, Mrs. Katherine
Poe, Miss Ollie
Prather, Roscoe
Racke, Fred
Racke, Mrs. Hazel
Racke, Mathias
Racke, Mrs. Katherine
Racke, George
Richards, Mrs.
Roark, Paul
Rogers, Mrs. Donald
Russel, Mrs. Buddy
Scharber, Mrs. James
Scheibly, Robert L
Schwerman, Mrs. George
Scott, Joseph M
Scott, Mrs. Lillian
Sensel, Albert I
Sensel, Mrs. Vergie
Sensel, Mark E
Sensel, Charles Sr.
Sensel, Mrs.Daisy
Sensel, Charles Jr.
Sensel, Robert N
Sensel, Mrs. Virginia
Smith, Mrs. Esther
Smith, Henry J
Smith, Mrs. Harry J
Smith, Harry Thomas
Smith, Louis
Stith, Miss Ann
Stratman, Mrs. Edward Jr.
Taylor, Granville
Taylor, Mrs. Etta
Taylor, Miss Eleanor
Thompson, William
Thompson, Mrs. Maggie (Wm)
Turner, Miss Ruth E
Utz, Kenneth
Utz, Mrs. Kenneth
Weber, Arthur F
Weber, Mrs. Hazel
Westphal, Mrs. Mae
Williams, Mrs. H L
Worthington, Mrs. Edith
Youtsey, Jack
Youtsey, Mrs. Jack
Zorn, Mrs. Augie