:::::::::=:·:·:·:·::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::··:·:·:···:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·=·:·:·······.·. ···.··:·:···.·:·.·:·.··:·.·.·.·:;:•.;.;.;.: :-:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·::::::;::::::::::::.:::;:::::::;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:;: :::;:;:::::::::::::::::::::::::;:::;::;:: .··.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.:·:·:·:·:·:···:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·=·=·.·:·: ::::::::::::=: ::::::;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;::::::::::::::::::::::::=::::::::·:::::·:·:·:·:·:········ • •• r s t r1a s f u c urch Ill 1 By Lois Firestone Martha, Ann Jane, William, Hugh HE HORSES BEDDED in the and William Jr.- and the Wilsons - stable stirred restlessly, roused James, Martha, Agnes and John. In from their placid Sunday morning 1841 the number had grown to 40; nap as the open stable door blew in by 1852 it was 118; in 1900, 396; and gusts of unwelcome, swirling snow. in 1929, 670. The four families who hurried into The church's home had been built the warmth of John Campbell's har­ along Green Street in 1830 on lots 45 ness and wagon shop that frigid and 46 in Samuel Davis' second January day in 1809 were hoping addition to the city of Salem - par­ that a rumor they'd heard would ishioners paid $50 for the land. turn out to be true. Building continued for years, and Far from their homes in Maryland, services were held in the skeleton New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virgi­ structure long before even the walls nia and yearning to begin a church were plastered. Crude benches of their own, the homesick settlers served as seats although doors were had been writing letters for weeks to placed at the pews which were for Presbyterian Church officials and rent. Completed in 1842, the build­ friends in nearby settlements - they ing was used for 18 years, until 1848. were determined to find a minister. Early families working in the Itinerant preacher Joshua Bear young church before and after the proved to be the answer to their Civil War period were the Black­ prayers. A few lines from the burns, Boswells, Brainards, Barnes, minutes of the Beaver Presbytery Brooks and Kerrs. The original that year indicate just how much the church was sold and moved to the busy Bear traveled every month: east side of Rose A venue in Salem "After prayer, Mr. Bean was where it was remodeled and used as appointed to supply one Sabbath at a dwelling. According to Alice Fitch Salem, one at Canfield, one at Hud­ who has researched the church's his­ son, one at Euclid, one at Harpers­ tory, one record indicates the church fie Id, one at Austinburgh, one at was moved to Race Street Oater, Wil­ Kinsman, one at Upper Salem, one son Street). For years, Mrs. Fitch has at Vienna, and the remainder of his searched, unsuccessfully, for the time at his discretion, until our next building. meeting." The new $10,000 church was But it was New Lisbon's Clement erected on the original site, and was Vallandigham, the pioneer Presbyte­ three years under construction. Ale­ rian minister in Columbiana County, xander B. Maxwell was the pastor who .was the guiding force behind during this period - sickly from the the new church which was formally time he was 20, the congenial, gentle enrolled by the Presbytery 23 years man devoted months to the project. after that first meeting, on Novem­ The approaching Civil War hindered ber 3, 1832. Of the 20 charter mem­ work, but the building was finally bers, only Rebecca Campbell lived in finished and dedicated on Dec. 22, Salem. The others, at Vallandigham's 1861. Much of the money for the invitation, came from churches in project was given by rental of pews. New Lisbon and Canfield: Hugh and The five original signers to the rent Agnes Stewart, Ruel and Elizabeth receipts which made the new church The Presbyterian Church when it was dedicated in 1861. The old Fourth Wright, George and Mary Ehrick, possible were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Street School building can· be seen in left background. After lightning Terah Jones, Elizabeth and Nathanial struck the tall steeple four times, it was torn down. Other styles followed McCracken, the Martins - John, Turn to CHURCH on page 7 over the years. Yest:erqears Tuesrfay, SepteniEer 22 1992 Did Union eneral hire an a sassin? Sheridan may have chosen Wilkes-Booth as a spy for Union forces in Civil War By Dick Wootten Books) that a man he hired to be a Sheridan depended on a Colonel Union spy "certainly bore a strong Young,· who was in charge of his IKE MILLIONS OF Americans, resemblance to Booth's pictures." scouts. Young also kept track of civi­ L Union General Philip Sheridan The spy, who called himself lian spies would be hired from time was shocked when he heard the "Renfrew," worked with another spy to time. If spies were suspected of news that President Abraham Lin­ named Lomas, whom Lincoln's Sec­ being double agents, Young would coln had been assassinated. retary of War Edwin Stanton strong­ follow them to find out if they were But Sheridan, whom historians ly suspected of being associated with actually completing their mission or today mention in the same breath the assassin's conspirators. passing information on to with Grant and Sherman as a great It is always tempting to say "what Confederates. general, was also shocked when he if" when considering historical Sheridan wrote, "Although I had saw pictures of John Wilkes Booth, events. Sheridan had ordered the adopted the general rule of employ­ Lincoln's assassin. arrest of both Lomas and Renfrew ing only soldiers as scouts, there was Sheridan wrote in his memoirs just two months before the assassi­ an occasional exception to it. I can­ (recently republished by Bantam nation. And they were arrested and not say that these exceptions proved r.=:::::::;============~-·· placed under guard. But while wholly that an iron-dad observance traveling through Baltimore, they of the rule would have been best, John Wilkes Booth thought that escaped from their guards. Sheridan but I am sure of it in one instance. people in the South would praise said that after that he never heard of "A man named Lomas, who him for killing Lincoln but found them again. out after the assµssination that What if they hadn't escaped? claimed to be a Marylander, offered me his services as a spy, and coming few had sympathy for him. Con­ Would Lincoln have been assassi­ federate General Robert E. Lee said nated? Those kinds of questions, highly recommended from Mr. Stan­ ton, who had made use of him in ·that he had "surrendered as much however intriguing, are a bit mad­ that capacity, I employed him. He to Lincoln's goodness as to dening and perhaps not worth Grant's artillery." asking. made many pretensions, often Let's back up in Sheridan's appearing over-anxious to impart corroborated by Young's men, but memoirs to his first references to information seemingly intended to generally there were discrepancies in Lomas and Renfrew. In February, impress me with his importance, his tales, which led me to suspect 1865 while stationed in Virginia, and yet was more than ordinarily that he was employed by the enemy intelligent, but :in spite of that my confidence in him was· by no means Tum !ci next page. ~rr:r;s;=_--­ General Philip H. Sheridan (photo unlimited; I often found what he at left) believed a spy he hired in the last months of the Civil War may have been John Wilkes Booth. When Lincoln first met Sheridan, he was unimpressed. Lincoln said JL£ .~ the general was a "brown, chunky little chap, with a long body, short Because your last wishes legs, not enough neck to hang him, are so important D GCO. and such long arms that if his ank­ les itch he can scratch them with­ ~. out stooping." ---'f"". '1-~ 337-8727 ~E ·1· ~'. lm lfrcrnd Book )· \ Pre-Plan your 01 T\;.'IS you fill in ;,ti \··,l. "' et ";~\ \ FunPral 10 till.:' vil,11 inf11Tn1,1t11111 \ ~1t ..,; 1.. t ~... 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