Dickey History
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HIS Story at Dickey Although the Ashland Dickey Church of the Brethren was not officially organized until 1860, the Brethren began coming into the Ashland area as early as 1814, Henry Worst probably being the first. He purchased 160 acres in Perry Township, Wayne County, which changed to Ashland County in 1846. Soon he was opening his home to his neighbors for worship services. When the church transitioned from preaching in German to preaching in English, he was one of the elders who helped accomplish that.1 In the late 1830s Joseph and Susannah Roop were living in the eastern part of Montgomery Township and they also began opening their home for the Brethren to hold preaching services and observe the Love Feast. Joseph was zealous in bringing in Brethren ministers to speak, the first being James Tracy.2 It is likely that the following were present in these early meetings: Michael and Elizabeth (Myers) Thomas, William G. and Rebecca (Murray) Peters, John and Rebecca (Mohler) Studebaker, Moses and Elizabeth Weaver, Levi and Lydia (Weaver) Mohler, William Mumaw, Samuel and Elizabeth (Mohler) Foss, and Austin and Hetta (Wagner) Moherman. The first presiding elder of the Dickey Church was Elias Dickey. He was born in 1808 in Nimishillin Township, Stark County, Ohio. His father and his maternal grandfather were early ministers in the German Baptist Brethren Church and Elias was reared in that faith.3 Also living among this group of Brethren was Elder George Hoke who was the strongest and most prominent elder in the 1840s. With a good command of both English and German he was an able minister and a profound and logical thinker. He was elected a minister, ordained an elder, and selected as moderator for eleven Annual Meetings.4 He crossed the Allegheny Mountains thirteen times in the service of Jesus Christ and His Church.5 George’s daughter, Elizabeth, exhibited the same zeal in serving the Master. So in 1830 it was no surprise that she and Elias would marry. Farming provided a good living for them, but Elias knew he had a higher purpose in God’s plan. Early in life he was called to the ministry and ordained as an elder. The only 1 education he had was three months of German school and thirteen nights of English schooling. He could not read or write when he married; however Elizabeth taught him to read.6 In the 1830s Elias served as an elder and frequently ministered to a group of Brethren in Wayne County who referred to themselves as the Mohican Church, which was near the beautiful Mohican River. Elias also was mentioned as a frequent speaker for a group in Franklin Township of Richland County and was perceived as a natural-born leader. Because he had excellent organizational skills, he, along with Henry Worst, was quite involved in the formation of the churches in those locations. He also actively ministered in East Nimishillin Township serving as minister prior to coming to the Ashland area. In 1834 the annual meeting was held in Stark County in his barn. During that meeting the two main issues that were dealt with resulted in encouraging the Brethren to lend to the poor without charging interest and discouraging preaching by the Brethren Sisters. In November 1845, Elias and Elizabeth purchased land and moved to Ashland County-- probably in 1846. At this time the Dickey Church was known simply as the Ashland Church. There were at least three preaching points—those being Loudonville (Plum Run), Ashland (Dickey), and Maple Grove. The ministers made their rounds on horseback and were known as the ―horseback preachers‖. One year Elias kept a record of the miles traveled and it amounted to over 5,000 miles.7 Others of the early settlers began making their homes available for services, which would be daylong affairs, but also provided socializing as well as spiritual opportunities. Hospitality was an important facet of German Baptist doctrine. One couple that was especially noted for their hospitality was John and Rebecca Studebaker--even though their cabin was only 21 feet long, 16 feet wide and 6 feet 6 inches to the ceiling. The innkeeper down the road was quoted as saying, ―Old Studebaker lives just a mile east; he is known clear to the Allegheny Mountains; his house is always full because he don’t charge anything. If he went out of the county I would do a good business.‖8 Once when John was in Rowsburg, thirteen nuns traveling to a convent in the west arrived at nightfall. John took 2 them to his cabin where they slept on the floor for the night. The disgusted innkeeper grumbled, ―Old Studebaker‖ put up more people than he did.9 Since a few tombstones have deaths dated in the 1840s, it appears that burials occurred in the present cemetery before Elias Dickey deeded the land to the church. A booklet written in 1920, and in possession of the cemetery trustees, states, ―The said grounds were set apart about 1850 when the church purchased land for religious purposes.‖ As the years passed it was necessary to enlarge the cemetery. Additional land was purchased in the years 1886, 1903, 1920, 1930, and 1967. In 1920 its operations were separated from the church regulations by creating a board known as the Board of Trustees of Endowment Funds of the Ashland (Dickey) Cemetery.10 In 1853 for the sum of $50 Elias and Elizabeth deeded some of their land to three deacons of the German Baptist Church and a meetinghouse was built.11 These deacons were William Mumaw, Moses Weaver, and Levi Mohler. This first building was a wooden structure 40 X 60 feet with two front entrances, one for the men; the other for the women. Each group took their own side of the house sitting on backless benches. The one exception was the first Sunday after marriage when the husband was allowed to sit with his wife. The building had two large posts near the center to support the ceiling and roof; and two wood-burning stoves for heat, one on each side.12 The pulpit was a table about sixteen feet long. Here the elders and ministers sat and faced the congregation and read the Scriptures that would be used to illustrate the message. The deacons sat on the other side of the table facing the elders and ministers. A deacon or minister began the service by announcing the hymn. Because there were no hymnals he would ―line‖ the hymn. This entailed reading the first line or two, after which the congregation sang them. Then he read the next lines with song following, until the hymn was completed. There were no musical instruments, but the German singing was remarkably harmonious. Everybody knelt for the long prayer, which was always concluded by praying together the Lord’s Prayer. The preaching services were lengthy, singing was in German, and each minister from the oldest to the youngest, was expected to say something.13 3 The Love Feast was the high point of the church year. It was always preceded by the annual visit of the deacons or ―visiting brethren‖ in each home. The following questions were asked: ―Are you still in the faith of the Gospel, as you declared when you were baptized? Are you, as far as you know, in peace and union with the church? Will you still labor with the Brethren for an increase in holiness, both in yourself and others?‖14 The deacons then reported back to the council that all were at peace or, if that was not the case, they would state the problem and that family would be visited in an effort to answer their question or resolve whatever problem existed. At this time ―No salary was paid to ministers; although expenses might be reimbursed, they were seldom asked for. Church officers were chosen for life. Eldership required an extra sacrifice, for this involved much traveling to other congregations.‖ These men, who faithfully served Christ, had limited schooling, but they diligently applied themselves to Bible study. Since their salary was nonexistent, they had no reluctance to speak out on moral issues.15 Elias who was affectionately known as Father Dickey was an able defender of the plain teaching and doctrines of the Bible, and he advocated revival meetings long before the church in general approved such protracted efforts. Once a prominent elder from Indiana feared that ―wildfire‖ had gotten in among the brethren at Ashland and he came unexpectedly to Ashland to check it out. After attending several meetings, he became convinced of the propriety of Elias’ work.16 In 1854 the Annual Meeting of the Brethren was held at the Elias Dickey farm. The brick house and frame barn are still standing approximately one mile south of the church. Brother T.S.Moherman later described the meeting in his history: ―…Transportation facilities were quite primitive at that time, no railroads being closer than Mansfield, seventeen miles away, and Wooster, twenty-two miles away. Some few were met at these stations by the Brethren, some walked, and from every direction great crowds of people came on horses, in wagons and most any way that could be devised to make the trip. A ten-acre field south of the barn was reserved for the horses. The lodging was free 4 and the farmhouses and barns were taxed to the utmost. The dining tent stood between the house and barn….Services were also held in the Dickey Churchhouse, about a mile distant from the regular place of meeting.