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First Universalist Church
The
first preachers were Rev. B. F.
Hitchcock and Rev.
L. Shipman of Girard, who preached without organization
from 1870 to 1875. In January 1875 an organization was effected with 28
members. Services were held in Park Hall with Rev. Shipman in charge.
The beautiful brick structure on Mercer Avenue was built in 1882-83-84,
being dedicated February 10, 1884. The building is of pressed brick
stone trimmings, costing $16,000, the larger part of which was donated
by Mrs. Chloe Pierce.
Mrs. Pierce also placed a fine pipe organ in the church as a memorial
to her sister, Mrs. Abida H. Boles.
In
1887-88 the sons of Mrs. Chloe
Pierce built a beautiful and substantial parsonage costing $4,000 and presented it to
the church as a memorial to their mother.
After
about 22 years without any services the church was sold by the
Universalist Conference in 1945 to the Seventh Day Adventist.
Sharpsville Centennial Commemorative
Booklet, 1974, page 41.
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First Universalist Church,
now the Chloe Pierce Memorial Chapel, 131 N. Mercer
Ave. Chloe Pierce funded the construction of the church between 1882
and 1884. Some of its special features include lavish woodwork in red
oak, black walnut and cherry; the opalescent glass and quatrefoil panes
of flashed ruby glass windows; and the organ, the oldest in Mercer
County, which is dedicated to Chloe
Pierce's sister, Abida
Boles.
The Herald, Sharon, PA,
16 Nov 2001
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The
First Universalist Church, Sharpsville
photographed May 2000
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