A View of the past...

Gail Minerd, Dean & Evelyn King

as told to Ryan Sechler, Harry & Mary Ellen Hoover

Several months ago, I had the privilege to tag along with the Hoovers to interview Mrs. Hoover’s mother, aunt and uncle. We were able to meet with Gail Minerd and Dean and Evelyn King at the King’s lovely home.  For those interested in local history, this is the ultimate dream team. When one of them would start into a memory but couldn’t remember all of the details, one or both of the other two would be able to fill in the gaps. That made the interview so much more complete as compared to interviewing them separately.
We started out by asking what their earliest memory of getting to church was. Evelyn could remember riding with her dad and sisters to church, while her mother stayed home to fix Sunday dinner. She also recalled that because of her big family only her sisters got to ride in the car and her brothers walked to church. Dean and Gail both remembered their parents must have been Ford people. Dean could recall riding in one of the last Model “T” cars sold in Somerset. They both could remember a ’30 or’31 model “A” and later a 1936 black Ford. All reminisced over how men and women sat separately in church and that Gladys and Pete Henry were one of the few couples who did sit together in the old church. They also discussed how when the new church was built, Ed McMillin's daughters insisted that the tradition of sitting separately be stopped. Then they talked about how in the old church, although space was limited, almost everyone that came to church would stay for Sunday school. After Sunday school people would stay long after just to visit with everyone. No one seemed in a hurry to leave.

Next we asked what preacher they remembered from the old church. Although they couldn’t remember many names or details from their childhood, they filled in each other’s gaps on later preachers. They could remember the last names of Pastor Earhart and Pastor Trimpey but not much else. Next came Mrs. Thompson, who was a lay speaker, who ministered to the church. She was brought in because World War II had greatly affected the amount of available pastors. Then came Peter Shultzabarger and Pastor Derby. The “Dream Team” remembered Pastor Derby as a “roly poly” kind of guy who would excitedly pound the pulpit while preaching. He was also remembered as a very helpful pastor who would come and help husk corn, fill silo and loved to eat those farmer meals. Pastor Derby was a bachelor, and it was noted that the pastor never entered a house without a man present. He was later killed in a car accident in Scottdale. The next two in the old church were Pastor Rhodes and Pastor Doyle.

We asked them who were some of their early Sunday school teachers. It was no surprise that Ada King’s name came up first. Many people in our church over many years had Ada as their childhood teacher. Edna Shelley was remembered for teaching the women, and Smith Cramer, Ernest Henry and Elmer Pletcher at various times taught the men.

Some others who participated in the church service were the piano players. All could remember Zelma Pletcher, Loretta Sechler, Linda Younkin and Patsy Pletcher helping in that capacity.

We then began to discuss a variety of differences between their childhood days and today. When Dean was a baby, Wesley Chapel didn’t hold many services in the winter. When snow blew in and filled up the old sunken dirt roads, travel became a challenge. Local families found it difficult to leave their homes and preachers found it impossible to get anywhere. Another difference from yester-year was an old coal stove that sat in the center of the church. The dream team could remember that Smith Cramer and Teve King fired the furnace. Teve’s sons assisted when they became old enough. They also could remember smoke coming out of the furnace when it would take a spell. We also talked about how babies weren’t baptized in the old church. Teen-agers were baptized about the time they were taken into the church.

December 2013

Sis (Henry) Wright

As told to Cindy Miller

Last spring, Forrest Stark told me of an old friend of his and Barb’s from Addison who attended Wesley chapel as a child. Her name is Sis (Henry) Wright, and she wanted to talk to someone about her time spent here.

Sis was born in 1924 to Jess and Iva Henry at New Lexington. Her grandfather Charles Henry began and operated the present New Lexington Market, which her parents eventually took over. Sis remembered coming to Wesley Chapel until she was 7 in 1931. In 1931 her father passed away in tragic accident. After that she remembered she and her four brothers walking to the bottom of the Gross Hill and from there one of the school teachers that lived there would drive them to New Centerville to church.

I asked Sis if she had any memories of Wesley Chapel. She said her dad drove them there every Sunday in what she believed was an old Chevy car. She also remembered the men using one door and the women using another door to come into church. She knew Lottie King played the piano and there were also regular evening services. She recalled  Rev. Koosier was the pastor at that time. He also held the funeral for her father. She said that little church was packed full of people and the field at the church was full of cars. Rev. Koosier had a lot of sons, and Sis’s mom would sometimes cook a Sunday meal for his family. Sis laughed because she said that with all of the Rev.’s sons and her four brothers her mother had to cook A LOT of food.

We ended our conversation with Sis telling me she was Pete and Gladys Henry’s niece. Many of us remember them as faithful members of Wesley Chapel. In fact, Sis and her husband built the home that Pete and Gladys lived in. She said that even though they didn’t have children of their own, Pete and Gladys were her favorite aunt and uncle. She said Pete really took over as her father-figure after her dad died.

Unfortunately, with conflicting schedules, I couldn’t go meet with Sis, so we talked over the phone. It was a nice conversation, and I’m glad I got to know her.

November 2013

Leon & Karen "Cook" Ohler

As told to Kim & Craig Smith

Leon and Karen (Cook) Ohler are two members of the Wesley Chapel congregation that we had the privilege of sitting with to reflect on the history of Wesley Chapel.  We listened to many memories and selected several to share with you.                            
Leon recalls one of his earliest memories of Wesley Chapel being that the church was separated, men on one side and women on the other.  Leon sat with his dad while his mom sat on the other side.  Another Sunday, his family went to church and there was such a bad snow storm that they couldn’t get home afterwards. 

As a small child, Leon’s family attended Wesley Chapel up until the end of second grade.   While at Wesley Chapel, he remembers on Sundays all the cars being parked under the big maple trees that were around where the current pavilion sits.  In the early 1950’s, when someone got a new car it was a big deal.  Certain families always drove the same make of cars. When asked how many people attended church at that time, he said it was easier for him to get a head count by counting cars.  He believes maybe eight or ten cars were parked under those trees but back then people had larger families and brought other people with them.  Cars were definitely something that caught his attention.  Then at the beginning of third grade Leon’s family moved to Ursina. 

Leon and Cook moved to the farm in 1972.  The current church was in the process of being built.  Both of them have always been very active with the church.  Leon helped Harold Henry work on the parking lot at the church, helped with work days, was on the trustees when the parsonage was being built, and many other church projects.  Leon also talked about when the church became a one point charge (which means when the church got their own pastor).  Leon remembers one time for a special service in the old church, on a Sunday which he believes to be Mother’s Day, he had to get up with a group of six or eight men and they all sang as a part of the service. 

They both fondly remember many of the activities that were done with the youth group in the 1980’s.  They recall there being quite a big youth group then.  They mentioned various activities that were done with the youth, to include spaghetti dinners, Halloween parties, making hoagies, hay rides, hikes, many unique games including climbing a ladder with marshmallows and pie football, outdoor picnics, and sled riding to name just a few.  They both said that back then they didn’t do anything spectacular or high dollar for entertainment.  The most expensive event they remember doing was going to see the Smurfs skate.  The many stories we heard while sitting on their porch created a lot of laughter.  Their time spent with the youth seemed to be a very big highlight of their time at Wesley Chapel and created many priceless memories.

Leon also talked about some of our older members of the church.  Both of them always enjoyed hearing the old timer’s stories and had many laughs with them.  We talked about when Wesley Chapel was a two charge church (the pastor was shared between two churches) and how the Superintendent had a very important role in the service.  If the pastor was running late, the Superintendent had to start the service until the pastor got there.  Leon was told, although he never heard for himself, that when Ed King was Superintendent and he came to a word he didn’t know in scripture, he would say “wheelbarrow.”

Leon reflected on the various pastors that served Wesley Chapel over the years.  He talked about how Arnold Kastner sat with them and asked him and Cook to come join Wesley Chapel and so they joined.  When Leon spoke of Steve Cordle, he told how Steve was very good at visiting people in the community to get them to come to church and how attendance picked up.  He associates John Hodge as helping tremendously with the youth.  He recalled moving a few of the pastors into the parsonage.  One time the moving truck broke down and many congregation members used their pickup trucks to get belongings to the parsonage.  Leon said that he has enjoyed all of the pastors through his many years at Wesley Chapel, even though each has been different.  He stated, “the one thing that each of them had in common is they all stuck to the Bible.  They didn’t try to force something that wasn’t biblical.”

October 2013

Norma Jean Phillippi

As told to Linda Henry

            Many of us remember Norma Jean (Gary) Phillippi as a secretary at Kingwood Elementary School for many years.  Her pleasant voice and gentle manner was always recognizable as you entered or called the school.  Norma Jean, her sisters Doris and Lena as well as her two brothers, attended Wesley Chapel in the old church building.  One of her first memories is of her grandfather John Faidley.  Although he didn’t attend church very often, she remembers sitting with her mother and siblings singing a hymn and hearing a beautiful high tenor voice coming from the back of the church. When Norma Jean asked her mother who belonged to that wonderful voice, her mother replied that it was her grandfather John. 

Sunday school classes were often in the sanctuary of the old church since space was so limited.  Norma Jean remembers Ada King (Ross King’s wife and Mary Ellen Hoover’s great-grandmother) as one of her teachers when Ada had the younger 9-10 year olds in two pews within the church. She said that Ada had taught Sunday school for many years. Meanwhile, the men’s class was up near the pulpit with chairs in a semi-circle around it.  Norma Jean remembers watching from her class as the men pulled a curtain to separate their class from the rest of the room.

Finally, Norma Jean spoke about when the worship service ended, the women would leave by the right hand door and men from the left hand door of the church.  She remembers the women stood in clusters chatting after the service while the men did the same in their group.  Meanwhile, the children were all running around the two groups.  Norma Jean commented that there were two big trees outside the church building and she remembers that Teve (Samuel Cleveland) and his brother Ross King always seemed to park under those trees with their big cars.  In fact, she commented that unlike today, people seemed to park in the same spot around the church every Sunday.

July 2013

Ethel Pletcher

-as told to Cindy Miller

Last Tuesday I got to interview my Grandma Ethel (Betty) Pletcher for the newsletter. Now obviously I have known my grandma for 39 years so I figured that I knew all there was to know about her. Well, it didn't take me long to realize that there are A LOT of things I didn't know. Let's go back 91 years to 1922. Grandma was born at home on Chicken Bone Road about a half a mile past Eldon and Loretta Sechler's home. In 1940 she married a VERY handsome young man, Harrold Pletcher. At that point is when she moved to our side of Laurel Hill Creek. My grandfather built their home on Kanaul Road where she lives to this day. She started attending Wesley Chapel right around the time their firstborn daughter Myrna came along in 1941.

One of Grandma's earliest memories was walking to church with her neighbor Mrs. Lottie Pletcher (Ralph's mom) who lived in Brad and Lori's former home. When Grandma told me that they walked to church, I must have had a look of shock because I was picturing the two of them walking down 653, but Grandma told me they walked down Green King Road (past Cook and Leon's) to church. The winters in those days were much worse than they are now so Grandma remembered staying home during the winter months.

She also remembered that of all of her six kids Myrna was the only one who sang in the choir, and, of course, the old church didn't have much room. In fact, it must have been much smaller than our church now. So there was no choir loft, and the choir just stood up front between the pews and the pulpit.

Another funny memory Grandma had involved her brother-in-law Earl Pletcher. Now most of us remember Earl Pletcher as the Sunday School Superintendent. One Sunday morning after the church service he stood up front to begin Sunday school at which time everyone noticed he had one black shoe and one white shoe on. I'm figuring Zelma, his wife, must have been home sick that day.

Lastly, Grandma told me about the Cradle Roll program Wesley Chapel had. I learned that when families had a child they got a certificate with a gift. The certificate had the baby's name written on it with the Pastor's name, the Sunday school superintendent and the superintendent of the Cradle Roll.

I'm very thankful I went to interview my grandma. Not only was it a nice visit but what I learned about Wesley Chapel I'll always remember.

June 2013

Leora King

-as told to Maxine Temple

I visited Leora at Patriot Manor last week and she was resting in bed. I asked her when she started attending Wesley Chapel. She stated that she and William were married in Cumberland, Maryland and they attended Kingwood Church of God until they started their family. As the boys grew older, they started to attend Wesley Chapel. She thought the family should attend church together, so she and William started to attend Wesley Chapel approximately fifty years ago. She thought that Rev. Shultzabarger was the first pastor she could recall. Leora also taught Sunday school for many years.

May 2013

Eldon & Loretta Sechler

-as told to Ryan Sechler

Since this is Wesley Chapel's 150th year in existence, the Anniversary Committee has encouraged members to conduct interviews of some of the more seasoned members of our church. I was only too happy to volunteer to interview my grandmother, Loretta (King) Sechler.

Like many members of our church, she has attended Wesley Chapel her entire life. In fact, she is at least the fourth and possibly the fifth generation of her family to attend Wesley Chapel since our church's founding.

Her attendance began shortly after her birth at a farm west of Scullton near the county line on July 14, 1940. One of her early modes of transportation to and from church was a 1941 Ford Coupe. She recalls, with a smile, one Sunday parking in her grandparents' driveway, which is Diane Smith's driveway today. Later, some from the church witnessed the car drifting all the way down the driveway and somehow missing the original house that sat below the driveway.

One of the earliest pastors that she remembered was Mrs. Thompson. She couldn't remember any controversy over a woman minister but remembered that she seemed to have lengthy sermons.

One of Loretta's early memories of church was in Sunday school. Sunday school in those days consisted of going to a corner of the sanctuary and trying to block out the noise from the other classes. Her earliest class was held on the left side, all the way in the front, in front of the men and straight across from the choir. Aunt Ade was her first teacher. Aunt Ade was Ade King, Loretta's grandfather's sister-in-law.

In talking to my grandmother, I got the impression that sound traveled very well in the old church. First, during my grandparents' wedding in the old church, grandmother told me that when her dad went to enter the church the door made a loud "Boom!". Then part way down the aisle young Terry King fell out of his seat with a big "Boom!".

Some years later she recalled Jill Heiple, while singing with the choir, fainted and slumped to the floor with a "Boom!"

Loretta also remembered that, because the church did not own very much ground, whoever arrived first at church would leave last. This was because the cars were parked four rows deep.

When recalling the transition between the old and new church, she was reminded of an observation that her husband Eldon made. Upon moving into the new church, he noticed people leaving to use the restroom during the service. He remarked that that never occurred in the old church, especially on a cold winter day. With the hour growing late, I needed to end the interview. But I was struck by the fact that all of her memories were good ones, as I'm sure that is true for many in our church.

April 2013

Ida Mae Schmuck

-as told to Linda Henry

When told of the upcoming 150 year anniversary of the church, Ida Mae Schmuck stated that she couldn't believe it had happened so quickly. Mae Schmuck, Roy Schmuck's mother, would tell stories of the starting of the Wesley Chapel Church with the donation of the land by Reverend Lichlighter. Mae seemed to think a lot of the reverend. She often mentioned that when the roads were especially bad from Scullton to the church that as many as ten people would walk Sunday morning to get to church.

You see, it seems only yesterday that in 1942 Ida Mae Moore married Roy Schmuck. She remembers that when she was younger, she was baptized with five of her sisters, all at once, at the Rockwood Brethren Church. And after she married Roy, she attended Wesley Chapel at the old church building. She sat with her five children on one side of the church with the ladies and their children, while the men sat at the other side. Teenagers sat toward the back. After one unruly Sunday worship service, Ida Mae remembers that her children were especially rowdy. Upon returning home, Ida Mae told Roy that from now on he would help her with the children or she would not be going to church with him! Ida Mae was a faithful attendant to Wesley Chapel and has 15 years of perfect attendance to her credit. In fact, she loved the old church building so much that she didn't want them to tear it down. She said it was a fine old building and should be kept up. She was sorry to see it go with all its memories.

Another memory of the church was the tornado that came through Scullton. Her son Terry called from Normalville telling Ida Mae that the tornado was coming across the mountain and for her and Roy to get in the basement. She remembers the loud rush of the wind and how the storm went past Ken Schmuck's house with his wife Dorothy hiding in the basement. After the tornado went through, they were in awe of the devastation from the damage to Herb Shelley's timber and to the bricks torn off of Dorothy's house. All were amazed that no damage had been done to Wesley Chapel. The storm seemed to have jumped right over the church.

April 2013

The following is taken from the 1988 church pictorial directory.

Wesley Chapel’s Heritage
1863-1988

Wesley Chapel's beginning was the gathering of a few families led by circuit riders, who held services every two weeks. Records reveal a deed dated November 9, 1863, conveying the land, where a church and cemetery were to begin. This was to be a Methodist Episcopal Church from the estate of Rev. Levi Lichliter, who is buried in the existing cemetery. The trustees at that time were John Lanning, Messimer Cramer, John Phillippi, Norman Lichliter, Jeremiah Pile and Joseph Critchfield. Prior to this, a class had been functioning with David Lichliter as leader. Records indicated there were about thirty-five members. The church was built for approximately 41,000.00 and much free labor. The first ministers were Revs. Wilkson and Williams.

Around 1915, there occurred a renovation program, this included the raising of the roof of the church, raising the floor of the chancel section of the sanctuary, and the basement was excavated for a furnace, which replaced the old heating stove in the sanctuary. It has been noted that the old records of Wesley Chapel were destroyed in a fire at the home of David Henry, where the records were stored. Wesley Chapel, Berlin and Hopewell were a three point charge from 1937-1948, with the parsonage being located in Berlin. Wesley Chapel was served by a Mrs. Thompson, a lay person, from 1948-1950 when it became a two point charge with Calvary and the parsonage was in Somerset. During the pastorate of Rev. George Shultzabarger (1950-1953), an education wing was built onto the church at a cost of $5,000.00 and much donated time. It housed five classrooms. Rev. Clark Derby was the pastor from 1953 until 1958. he was followed by Rev. Milton Rhodes (1958-1961). Rev. Robert Doyle began his ministry in 1961 and was instrumental in the 100th anniversary of the church. A week of special services was held from September 8 through the 13th, 1963 to commemorate this occasion. At this time the chairperson of the official board was earl Pletcher, and the church treasurer was William King.

In 1968, Wesley Chapel became Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church due to the merging of the Methodist and EUB churches at a national conference in Dallas, TX.

Nineteen sixty-nine found the congregation establishing a building fund in excess of $37,000.00. the building and land site committee members were earl Pletcher, chairman; Harold Henry, Mrs. Delbert Minerd, William King, Arthur Henry, Roy King, James Pletcher, Roy Schmuck, Dean King, Eldon Sechler and Mrs. Gladys Henry who served as secretary. Edward King was the building fund treasurer. The first of September 1970, four adjoining acres of land were purchased from Oak Enos at the cost of $1,250.00 per acre. Plans were drawn to break ground for a new church in the spring of 1973 at a coast of $5,000.00. the trustees at that time were Delbert Minerd, Harold Henry, Ernest Henry, Elmer Pletcher, Edgar McMillen, Edward King, William King and Arthur Henry. The church treasurer was William King.

The present church was completed in 1974 at the cost of $183,00.00. Rev. Robert Doyle was pastor when the new church was built. A mortgage burning service for the new church was held September 9, 1979. rev. Arnold Kastner was minister at that time. Rev. Kastner served as minister from 1975-1980. a parsonage was completed by 1980 at the cost of $60, 100.00 under the pastorate of Arnold Kastner. In 1980, Wesley Chapel became a station church and Rev. John Hodge began his ministry here.

The old church was torn down in 1977 because of the poor condition of the structure. In it's place a pavilion was erected and picnic tables were built by 1982. this project was funded by the youth fellowship.

Wesley Chapel had a church membership of 147 as of April 1983. our church school consisted of 10 classes for all ages.

March 2013

Our first comes from Ruth Pletcher.

My experience with Wesley Chapel has been a good one. When we came over from Normalville we were happy thinking we had reached the Promised Land. Elmer Pletcher married my mother and a new family was born. Mother had four kids and Elmer had four. The blessing of a little girl was added to that. On Sunday was family time. He had a General Store and across the road was a store. I can still see it. He closed his store and took us all to church. It was a quaint little church, faded white with two steps going into the church. One side of the steps was for the women and the other side for the men to enter. I can remember turn buckles holding the door together. I loved that church. It stood where the pavilion now stands. Elmer Pletcher never thought we could build a new church but time changed things.

February 2013