Also known as
St. Paul's Protestant
Episcopal Church
St. Clements Protestant Episcopal Church
was organized by Bishop John B.
Kerfoot, of Pittsburgh, Penn., in November, 1866. He was
assisted by the Rev. M. Bilbsby,
who held occasional services for the new congregation. The first
regular minister was Rev. Henry
Fitch, at one time residing in New Haven, Conn., who
removed to Meadville, Penn., and was placed in charge of the
congregations of Townville and Greenville. During his ministry worship
was held in Packard’s Hall, but during the pastorate of his successor, Rev. Samuel B. Moore, in 1866
and 1867, one of the rooms of the new public school building was fitted
up and used. Subsequent to Rev. Moore’s departure a lapse of several
years occurred, during which no services were held. The next pastor in
charge was Rev. D. F. Hutchinson,
of Canada, who conducted services in Bond’s Hall, on Canal street, in
the room now [1888] occupied by the Shenango Valley News. "The
name was changed to St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church, about 1867" By him the
name of the church was changed to “St. Paul’s Protestant Episcopal
Church,” an alteration which was never legalized, however. Succeeding
him came Rev. Alonzo Diller,
who remained but a few months, and the Rev. Rogers, who continued for a
few Sundays only. Under these two services were held in the old
Reformed Church building on
Clinton Street, which had been secured by the
congregation in February, 1883. Since that time only occasional
services have been held, by Rev.
Charles A. Bragdon, of Pittsburgh, Penn. The first vestry
of the church was composed of John
R. Packard, James R. Burchfield, George G. Stage, S. L. Hendrickson,
Dr. D. B. Packard and W. B. Fessler.
History of Mercer County,
1888, pages 429-430.
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