SPENCER CHAPEL – Clippings about
Methodist Church was built in 1851 and Demolished in 1892
New Church built – Renamed First M. E. Church
Submitted by Sharon M. Kouns
The Methodist Church was the 2nd church established in Ironton. Spencer Chapel was built in 1851 near Fifth and Center. Named for Rev. Spencer.
IR Sept. 5, 1867 – Re-Opening. – Spencer Chapel will be re-opened Sunday, September 22d. Dr. Reid, Editor of the Western Christian Advocate, will conduct the services.
IJ Sept. 18, 1867 – Spencer Chapel will be re-opened on Sabbath next, on which occasion Dr. Reid, of the Western Christian Advocate, will preach the opening sermon. The building is thoroughly repaired and much good taste is displayed in decorating and painting. The services commence at 10 1/2 A.M.
IR Mar. 16, 1871 – Spencer Chapel sends a committee, every Sabbath, to hold religious services at the County Infirmary. The meetings are very interesting.
IR Feb. 8, 1872 – The Court of Common Pleas for Lawrence county was first held in the basement of Spencer chapel, after the removal of the County Seat to Ironton, in 1851.
IR Feb. 15, 1872 – The lots on which Spencer Chapel now stands were first set apart for the erection of a Catholic Church, but afterward exchanged for those on the corner of Seventh and Centre.
IR Nov. 7, 1872 – There was a fire at Spencer Chapel last Sunday morning, originating from the furnace, which go so hot because the registers weren’t turned off, that the ceiling and floor of the audience room got to blazing. A serious conflagration was threatened. Seventeen men and a dull axe chopped it out. If it had lasted fine minutes longer, Spencer Chapel would have been chopped down as level as the walls of Jericho.
IR June 5, 1873 – The Spencer chapel people propose tearing down their old church and erecting a new one.
IR Nov. 27, 1873 – Rev. C. A. Vananda has been transferred by the Bishop from Ohio to Missouri Conference, and will remove to St. Louis, in January. He has a loud call from there.
IR Nov. 19, 1874 – The ladies of Spencer Chapel will give a mush and milk mite at the residence of T. N. Davey this evening.
IR Mar. 5, 1891 -This Thursday evening at C. H. Moore’s residence, the ladies of Spencer Chapel will give a Missionary Tea, to which the public is cordially invited.
IR June 25, 1891 – All the members of Spencer church are requested to be present at the meeting this Wednesday night, to consult upon a matter of importance in connection with the church.
IR July 5, 1891 – The last quarterly conference of Spencer Chapel, which was held last Monday night, passed with unanimity a resolution asking for the return of Rev. Dick as pastor of the church next year. In his first year’s work at Spencer, Mr. Dick has given the church a successful administration and has won the high regard of the whole community. The resolution is the friendly expression of his entire congregation.
IR Dec. 24, 1891 – Mr. H. S. Lindsay, the Zanesville architect who has been selected to make plans for the new Spencer M. E. Church, was in town last Monday to consult with the building committee of the church… Mr. Lindsay remarks, that the Spencer people have the finest site for a church building he ever saw. The sketches he made indicate that the new church will be a handsome and attractive structure with many conveniences.
IR Feb. 18, 1892 – The finished plans for the new Spencer Chapel were received this Wednesday morning. They are very complete. A meeting of the official board will be held at 8 o’clock at the church tonight.
IR Feb. 25, 1892 – Bids for the erection of the new Spencer Chapel will be received on March 15th. See the advertisement in another column.
IR Feb. 25, 1892 – The ladies of Spencer M. E. Church will hold a reception in the church, next Monday evening, Feb. 29. Fancy and useful articles for sale as well as refreshments. Proceeds for the new church fund. No admission fee.
IR Feb. 25, 1892 – adv. – Sealed Bids. – Will be received by the Building Committee of Spencer Chapel, Ironton, Ohio, until Tuesday, March 15, 1892, at 2 o’clock p.m., for the erection and completion of a brick and stone church building according to plans and specifications on file at the office of the Building Committee in the old church, corner of 5th and Center streets. Bids will be received for the whole or any part of the work. The right is reserved to reject any or all bids. Address all bids to T. I. Murdock, Secretary, Spencer Building Committee, Ironton, Ohio.
IR Mar. 10, 1892 – Bidders are hard at work on the Spencer Chapel plans.
IR Mar. 17, 1892 – It was pretty close bidding on the Spencer Chapel job.
IR Mar. 17, 1892 – The Ladies’ Exchange for the sale of nice pastry, &c., will be re-established at Hayward’s next Saturday, by the ladies of Spencer Chapel.
IR Mar. 17, 1892 – Opening Bids. – The bids on the new Spencer Chapel were opened Tuesday at the office of the Building Committee, in the old church. About a dozen contractors were present. There were six bids for the whole work, as follows: Murray Bros. of Wheeling, $27,500; Wm. Saint, of Dayton, $36,454; M. Schriber, $26,190; Mr. McLane, the contractor on Memorial Hall, $25,000; Winebel & Evans of Zanesville, $24,893; T. R. Hall, $24,608. Mr. Hall’s is, therefore, the lowest bid, and if awarded to him, Mr. Schriber will do the brickwork. Several other bids were received for portions of the work.
IR Apr. 7, 1892 – They commenced to tear down Spencer Chapel today.
IR Apr. 7, 1892 – The Spencer Chapel people had a glorious day, last Sunday, indulging in reminiscences of their church building which is now being torn down to give place to a beautiful temple.
IR Apr. 7, 1892 – The superb floral decoration at Spencer Chapel last Sunday, was a happy surprise perpetrated by Mr. Therkeldson, of Miller’s greenhouse. A photograph was taken of the interior of the church and the flowers.
IR Apr. 7, 1892 – Another New Church. – Ironton will soon be noted for its many churches [do not have end]
IR May 5, 1892 – The Spencer Ladies’ Exchange at Hayward’s store, will be open from 9 o’clock a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
IR May 5, 1892 – More Ground. – Spencer Chapel has bought a lot of J. K. and Charles Richards, the back of the site of the new church. The purpose is to set the church back from 5th-st., about 25 feet, which will give it a much better appearance. The design is to vacate the alley between the church and Richards’ lot.
IR May 12, 1892 – T. R. Hall has contracted with a furniture manufactury at Bucyrus, for the inside finish for Spencer Church. The finish includes a large amount of panel work, and the same firm furnished the woodwork for the Bucyrus church, whose interior plan is similar to Spencer’s. The material is quartered oak.
IR May 19, 1892 – The digging for the foundation of Spencer Chapel has begun.
IR May 26, 1892 – The framework of the East Ironton M. E. church is up. It will be a commodious building.
IR June 2, 1892 – The corners of 4th and 5th and Center are the scenes of great activity now. Workmen are beginning the foundation for the Odd Fellows Temple and the Spencer church. By 1893, two of Ironton’s most elegant structures will adorn these corners.
IR June 9, 1892 – Cornerstone. – It has been decided that the cornerstone of the new Spencer church will be laid on Thursday, June 30th, probably at 2 o’clock. …
IR Aug. 4, 1892 – Part of the roof timbers are on the Sunday School end of the Spencer M. E. Church. This represents the full height of the ceiling in the Sunday School room, which will be 36 (38?) feet.
IR Aug. 11, 1892 – Bennett & Peck, of Cincinnati, will furnish the ventilating and heating apparatus at the new Spencer church.
IR Sept. 22, 1892 – Contractor Hall has pushed the building of Spencer church with commendable energy. It is now about ready for the slate roof.
IR Jan. 19, 1893 – Some time ago, David Nixon donated a lot, for the benefit of the building fund of the new Spencer church, and the Trustees of the church have sold the lot, which is out beyond the Children’s Home, for $150. The church gives legal notice in this issue of its petition for authority to sell the lot, for it is necessary to go through the courts to make the transfer. Mr. Hahn, the purchaser, has already built a house on the lot.
IR Feb. 16, 1893 – Rev. J. H. Cotter, whose artistic taste is shown in the windows and decorations of St. Lawrence church, thinks the colorings of the Spencer Church windows are the finest he has seen in this country.
IR Sept. 26, 1895 – Rev. Dick’s tribute to the women of Spencer church, in his farewell sermon, was as deserving as it was eloquent…
IR Apr. 23, 1896 – Collett’s Courier has a snow scene – a glimpse of a portion of Ironton just before the war. Old Spencer chapel and the Court House with the belfry are the principal objects. The Center House and the Ricker residence are also shown, but all between these and Second and Railroad is a dreary waste of shanties.
IR Apr. 30, 1896 – The Memorial Sunday service this year will be at Spencer church at 2 p.m. on May 25. The pastor Rev. Geo. H. Geyer will preach the sermon. The Grand Army and auxiliary societies will assemble at Memorial Hall and march there in body.
IR Aug. 26, 1897 – Spencer church will get an outside stairway to the basement social room. … Claude Hayward will be the organist of Spencer church, Miss Misner having resigned… Young ladies of Spencer will give a colonial tea at W. A. Murdock’s, this Thursday night.
IR Jan. 27, 1898 – Mrs. James Hill, wife of the former pastor of Spencer Chapel, died at her home in Chicago last week and was buried at Indianapolis. She was 61.
IR Mar. 24, 1898 – The Epworth League of Spencer church opened a mission Sunday school in a vacant house on 7th st. above Jefferson last Sunday, with John Gabler as superintendent. Thirty persons besides the workers attended the first session and there are promises of more.
IR June 1, 1899 – Paid Off. – There was a debt of $7000 having over Spencer church for some years, and for weeks past heroic efforts were made to pay it off. They were successful and last Sunday the contributions were announced, the entire amount having been raised. There was great rejoicing among the Spencer people. No debt now trammels their religious work. They are to be congratulated.
1914 picture of The First M. E. Church, one of the most beautiful churches in Ironton. Fifth and Center streets.
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