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Stokes Township Churches

From History of Madison County, W. H. Beers & Co, Chicago, 1883

There are but two church edifices in Stokes Township, and only one denominational. About 1835, a number of persons of the Protestant Methodist faith met and organized as a church, and soon after purchased a hewed-log house, located on the place now owned by Alexander Simmerman, which had been built for a dwelling. This they fitted up for church purposes, and in which they held services under Rev. Dolby, Rev. Harvey and others for about four or five years, when they disbanded. From this time forward, there was no regularly organized church, but there were services and preaching had quite often in the schoolhouse, by both the Methodist and Christian denominations, till, in 1860, the present frame church at South Solon was erected, and in 1861 was dedicated to service. At the present time, Rev. Ewing, of Springfield, a minister of the Protestant Methodist Church, and Rev. Yeoman, a Baptist minister, hold services here regularly.

Grassy Point Christian Church was organized in 1832, by Rev. Joseph Thomas, better known as "White Pilgrim," with thirty charter members, some of whom were as follows: Joseph Thomas, Jr., Samuel Hornbeck; Thomas Green, Margaret Green, James Hornbeck, Catharine Messmore, Samuel Messmore, Sarah Thomas, Maria Hornbeck and Polly Carr, now a resident of Fayette County, Ohio; John Lohr, of London, Ohio; and Sophronia Carr, a daughter of the White Pilgrim, who resides at Yellow Springs, Greene Co., Ohio. Preaching and services were held for several years at the house of Rev. Thomas. Finally, under the preaching of Joseph Thomas, Jr., about 1845, a hewed-log house was erected for church purposes, in which services were held for a period of about fifteen years. The church grew in strength, numbers and usefulness, and about 1860 the present frame house was erected, and was dedicated to the service of God in 1861.

Joseph Thomas, who organized the church, was its first minister. He was succeeded by the following: Rev. Enoch Harvey, James McInturf, Joseph Thomas, Jr., John Greene, Benjamin Seaver, Louis Greene, James Hornbeck, Daniel Griffin, Caleb Morse, W. N. Overturf, Jonathan Pugh and W. B. Fuller. Since the organization of this church, there have been enrolled nearly six hundred members. The church is situated in a fine country, and in a neighborhood of church-going people, adn they usually have good congregations, and on special occasions, as their yearly meetings, have immense gatherings. At the present time, the church numbers 100 members, with Rev. W. N. Overturf as pastor.

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