Congregational Church

The Congregational Church was organized in 1840. On the 5th of October, 1841, a meeting was held “in the school-house near Mr. Townsend’s, and, after prayer by Rev. William Bliss, voted and chose George W. Hunstable clerk pro tem. After due deliberation, on account of their former clerk having left this section of country, and not being able to find any records of the church, the members were reorganized.” So reads the old minute book of a congregation that was once vigorous with active Christian endeavor. The dust of years has almost blotted its quill-traced characters. Of the original congregation organized by Rev. Barras the following is a list, comprising those who afterward joined the organized body: Timothy Dumars, William Dumars, Isaac R. Bearce, Owen N. Rice, John Keck and John Babbit. The first deacons were G. W. Hunstable and Timothy Dumars. The first regular pastor was Rev. J. J. Bliss, who continued until July 1, 1843. In the early records mention is made of a meeting held in the Presbyterian Church January 20, 1842, at which time a building committee, “consisting of William Waugh, U. W. Hunstable, James Kendall, Owen N. Rice and A. A. Heath, was appointed to take measures toward the erection of a house of worship. No report is recorded, but notice is made of regular church meetings having been held in the public school-house, in the Presbyterian and in the Methodist Episcopal Churches. But the committee, it seems, was not idle, as it is chronicled in the minute book that “on the 16th of February, 1843, the new frame church on Clinton Street (now [1888] used by the Protestant Episcopal congregation) was dedicated by Rev. Keep, of Hartford, Ohio. James M. Power was one of the principal contributors toward its erection. The records are now quite fragmentary. In April, 1843, the congregation was removed from connection with the Ashtabula Association, and attached to the Western Pennsylvania Association. On the 8th of July, the same year, Rev. L. B. Beach was chosen pastor of the congregation, but was evidently unsatisfactory, as he remained no longer than October 7, 1843. He was succeeded by Rev. D. C. Sterry, who continued in charge one year. An intermission then occurred for nearly three years, during which none but occasional services, usually presided over by Rev. Penfleld, were held. On May 23 Rev. L. L. Radcliffe was placed in charge, and was succeeded by Rev. D. B. Barker, who began his ministry September 30, 1848. For thirteen years thereafter no minutes were kept. The last record of the Greenville Congregational Church states that a “meeting was held May 21, 1863, at the house of J. K. Hamblin, at which time it was determined to dispose of the property of the congregation,” which was done May 30, 1863, to Rev. H. F. Eartman, who purchased the building in behalf of the Reformed Church.

History of Mercer County, 1888, page 425