Logo

 

Clay Chapel

Next Page

Previous Page

Home

Churches

Resources
Page

 

 

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

ChapterXII

Index

 

 

 

 

Parsonage

The Parsonage

CHAPTER VI

   A very important question for every Methodist charge, whether in city, village, or country, has always been and will continue to be, a proper home for the Pastor, well located.
    Some charges seems to think it of but little consequence to the charge where the minister lives, or in what kind of home he dwells, only asking that he be ready for duty, and in every time when called upon be in a first-class condition to per- form the work demanded of hire.
    They seem to overlook the fact that a preacher is like all other human creatures’ better able to do good work in his line, if properly fed and cared for, and his family supplied with the necessaries of life and safely housed in a comfortable home. At least these things should be a fair average with the people whom he serves. There is much need of a general shaping up on this line in many places. There comes to mind now, a beautiful parsonage house located on a very desirable corner in one of the snug villages of Southern Ohio, but the well of water should cause the mosquitoes, which would be silly enough to use it, to have an early attack of malaria. Another lacks a coal shed and

-18-

a small building for a lumber-room. Another is on an out-of-way street with no suitable walk leading from it. And in all of these charges there are several persons, any one of whom could make the necessary improvements and hardly fill the loss of money expended.
    In the year 1860, Albert Gallatin Byers was pastor, and under his administration the work of building the parsonage was begun and completed.
    Mr. Samuel Wise was the boss carpenter, and was assisted by the Gillingham boys. They did good work, for the building stands as solid today as when first erected, and unless torn down to give place to a new one, or destroyed by storm or fire, it will furnish a home for successive preachers and their families for many generations to come.
    The trustees were James H. Guthrie, Truman Guthrie, Grasson Davis, Jacob Riggs and Thomas Roberts. D. L. Guthrie and Jacob Riggs were chosen to superintend the work, and it is largely to their careful oversight that a substantial and commodious building was erected at a cost of only about $800.
    The building was planned by D. L. Guthrie. The cut at the head of this chapter gives a fair view of the parsonage as seen from a point about 200 feet southeast of the building. The size of the main building is 30x32 feet. There are four rooms above and three below.
    Underneath the room diagonally opposite the porches is a small cellar. This room was used for kitchen and dining room until Rev. J. D. Hathaway became pastor. A festival held at the parsonage netted about $50. With this sum he put up a small kitchen in the rear of the room preciously used as such. But it was neither ceiled nor plastered it could not be used in cold weather. However, this continued to be used until 1898. Then under the pastorate of the writer a new one was erected at a cost of $100. It was designed by Mr. E. A. Riggs and is 12x14 feet, with a porch 7x9 feet and a pantry 5x7 feet on the south side.
    The cistern is under the porch, and is reached from a door leading directly from the kitchen. The outside of the new building is weather boarded while the inside is ceiled. The roof is of slate.
    A short time previous to the erection of the new kitchen a slate roof was put on the main building and new spouting took place of the old. The cost was upwards of $55.
    The money to erect the new building and to put on the slate roof was raised in part by subscription and in part by the proceeds of two sale stands at a Fourth of July gathering held in the grove of Bro. J, L. McDaniel, just above Raccoon Bridge, in the same year.
    A good stable and a moderately fair garden add to the conveniences and advantages of the preacher’s home.
    The present pastor and his good wife, Mr. And Mrs. J. F. Smith, have given the interior a much needed and thorough renovation, repapering etc., making it one of the most comfortable parsonages in Southern Ohio. And they now have the pleasure of enjoying it for another year, having just been returned to Eureka circuit for a second year of service.

-19-


Top of Page

Next Page

Previous Page