Vermilion Views

THE FIRST 100: This is the second portion of the text of the Lucy Morgan book about Vermilion's First Congregational Church published in 1918. This is a document well worth reading. While it will appear in "VV" in parts the entire text will eventually be on a web page by itself. Again - this is a historical document.

History of the Church - PART 3

There is no accurate record when the Sunday School was first started, but there is one reference to the Sunday School meeting between the morning and afternoon services sometime between 1860 and 1867. The names of all superintendents since are preserved in the Sunday School roster.

Churches, like individuals, experience times of testing and discouragements; times when brave hearts almost give up in despair because the forces of evil are' so strong; but they renew their strength and go forward to battle with fresh courage, About the time of the Civil War, when high prices, general unrest and anxiety made it hard to carry on the work of the church, some of the time there was no pastor, but in 1866 Rev. N. D. Porter came for two years, followed by Rev. M. K. Pasco during whose one year of service seventeen were received into membership. To Rev. Sydney Bryant belongs the honor of drawing up plans for the present parsonage which was built while he was pastor here from 1870 to 1875.

It was during the pastorate of Rev. O. C. Clark, 1876 to 1880, that the Sunday School reached its high water mark, when there were over two hundred in attendance during the winter. At this time various lines of church activities such as cottage prayer meetings in the country homes were started, when the unseen presence of the Holy Spirit was deeply felt and the people were prepared to sign cards whereby they. pledged themselves to do some form of service for the Master. He was a beloved pastor and his labors bore much fruit. He was followed by Rev. John Mitchell who had charge of the church two years, after which Rev. Humphrey preached here for one year while studying in Oberlin.

With the coming of Rev. A. Streimer in the fall of 1885 a new era of Christian work began. A paper in the interest of the church appeared. A few months later the young people of the church were interested to form a Christian Endeavor Society of over twenty charter members, little thinking that at the One Hundredth Anniversary of the church it would celebrate its thirty-second birthday on the 22nd of February. We are proud to have the honor of being recognized as one of the oldest Christian Endeavor Societies in the state, having a continuous record. It has been the right hand helper of the church and its meetings have been an inspiration to every pastor. May its influence be felt with increasing power in the coming years.

Almost before the society was fairly started a meeting was called to plan for the building of a new church as the brick walls in the brick church were cracking and seemed in a dangerous condition.

Some time in February 1886 a large committee was appointed to solicit funds to build a new church. During June the walls were pulled down, the. bricks cleaned .and ready for use. August 19, 1886 the corner stone was laid with appropriate services. Through the courtesy of the Reformed church; preaching and Sunday School were held there until such time as the new building was ready so that the Sunday School room could be used for services. The entire church however, was not finished and furnished ready for the dedication until January 15, 1888, when all bills were paid through a loan of the last $500, from the Church Building Society. The entire cost was $7,000. The ,following was the program for the dedication:

Organ Voluntary Doxology
Invocation
Anthem
Scripture Responsive Reading Solo and Quartettee Offering Hymn
Poem written by Mrs. C: B. Summers, read by Mrs. Wells
Announcements
Sermon by Prof. Currier of Oberlin Solo and Duet
Financial Statement
Delivery of the Keys
Dedicatory Prayer
Hymn
Benediction

Then the people went to their homes with joyful hearts because the Lord's House for which they had given so freely and watched the building thereof with so much interest was completed, from the basement with its kitchen, dining room and parlor to the steeple with the old bell. calling to worship.

Almost immediately after this, Rev. Streimer closed his work. During his stay twenty-nine were received into the church, nineteen at one time. After his departure Prof. Chamberlain of Oberlin supplied until Rev. C. L. Hamlen accepted a call September 1, 1888. He was a faithful pastor, full of thoughtful deeds for the church, a deeply spiritual man, who sought to lead his people to a higher plane of Christian living. While preaching here he found his second wife in the person of Mrs. Ella Sherod. His successor was Rev. L. H. Royce. During his two years pastorate seventeen were received into the church.

June 1, 1895 Rev. J. A. Kaley came, to whom belongs the distinction of having the longest pastorate in the history of the church, being wiht us eight and a half years....

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THE VERMILIONITES OF WAKEFIELD BRASS: Many Vermilionites who came of age during the 1940's and 50's will undoubtedly remember a few of the men in the photograph accompanying this article. All were a strategic part of the workforce at Vermilion's F.W. Wakefield Brass / Lighting Company. Once upon a merry old time - which was, namely, the better part of the last century - Wakefield built and occupied the office and factory buildings on the west side of West River Road just south of the railroad tracks.

While there was, unfortunately, no date on the photo from which this photo-sketch was extracted a reasonable “guesstimate” might be that it was likely taken about 1950.

Back Row L-R: Fred Friday, Art Copeland, Nelson Becker, Jim Friday, Frank Mayer, Carl Schroeder, Harvey "Buck" Rodgers, and Leonard Osberg (who was once known as "Vermilion's Singing Mayor").

While each of these persons is deserving of some comment - because each definitely had some role in the development of our community - in this particular forum it is only possible to briefly touch upon a few.

For my part I knew all these faces. However, the only men in the photo that I knew beyond just passing were Jim Friday and "Buck" Rodgers. This was due to the fact that their sons, Rich Friday and Tom Rodgers, were among my school chums. Years later I would eventually come to know Adam Grisel rather well. Adam was, for a long time, the sexton at Maple Grove Cemetery. His tales of that experience (however tame) amused me.

And although I didn’t really know Art Copeland very well I knew that his family was related to the Wakefield family, and that they were instrumental in helping build the lighting business in Vermilion. To my knowledge his son, Rick, still lives in town. A daughter, Melissa, died at a rather early age. She was a delicate child. But, conversely, one with a very robust personality. So much so that few who knew her ever forgot her.

Among all these fellows, however, Leonard Osberg was perhaps best known. After graduating from high school in Sandusky he served as Regimental Sergeant Major in the 83rd Division Headquarters in Le Mans, France during World War I. He was responsible for all their personnel files and records While serving in France he met a lady named Anne Marie Decamp. Her father was Chief of Music for the French Army’s Fourth Corps. Leonard and Ann Marie were married in Detroit in 1921. Their daughter Nadine (Furgason), who still lives in Vermilion, was born in Le Mans during a return visit.

Prior to joining the Wakefield Company he worked in Industrial Relations at the Plum Brook Ordinance Works in Sandusky. At the Wakefield Company he held the position of Personnel Director.

Outside the company he was a nationally recognized archer / bowman, was song leader and a past-president of the Vermilion Rotary Club, and had served three terms as the Mayor of the Village (1940-1946). It was during his first term of office that Vermilion’s landmark water tower was built. Residents referred to him as the “singing Mayor” because of his love for music and singing. During his years in office he had also been a member of Vermilion’s well known Rube Quartette.

As previously mentioned, many local persons who came of age during the middle years of the last century will no doubt recall the faces of those in this photo. Some were leaders. Some were followers. Some were friends. Some were not. But all were, indispensable. All were Vermilionites.

Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live