A Brief History of the New Lebanon United Methodist Church
--by Scott Coon
According to early records, our church had its beginnings in the year 1841. For several years, meetings were held in a frame building less than one block from its current location. In 1860, lot number 1 of Becker’s plat on the corner of what is now St. Rt. 35 and Johnsville Brookville Road was purchased by the Church Trustees; Jesse Keppler, Samuel Shank, David Zerhing, William Clemmer, and James Thompson. The lot was purchased from Elias Hendrickson for sum of $60.00.
Upon this site a one-room brick church was built. Two wood burning stoves heated the church and kerosene lamps were used for lights. The first organ was an old fashioned pedal organ. For time, as was the custom, the church had two entry doors; one for the men and one for the women. The church was called the Johnsville United Brethren Church.
As the church membership increased and more space was needed, the 1860 church was torn down. In 1907 the corner stone for the current church was laid. Horse and wagon brought in the foundation stone for the new structure from Lewisburg, Ohio by William Shank, William Comer, Isaac Kepler, Theodore and Harry Dechant, Frank and John Riegel, and Charles Minderman. The church was completed on November 1, 1908 at a total cost of $9384.00. Bishop H.H. Fout dedicated the church.
When this new church was built, members of the congregation donated large stained glass windows. The names of the donors are inscribed on the bottom of the window. The following are the stories of the people whose names are inscribed on the windows as told to an unidentified author by the donor’s family or friends:
My Great, Great Grand parents, Jesse and Marie Kepler donated the large window on the north side of the church in 1907. Jesse Kepler, one of the trustees named in the original deed, passed away in 1907 at the age of 75. Jesse and Marie’s son, Isaac, was an active member in the church after returning home from the civil war where served as a drummer boy. Isaac’s son, Charles, was the music director and his daughter played the piano and organ for the church until her passing in 1965. Jesse Kepler’s home was south of the church where the Earl Dillon family lived.
--Told by Beverly Shank, daughter of Margaret and Ira Shank
I am able to tell you something about the window with the inscription Mary Flory and Son. Mary was my Grandmother and her son was my Father Vernon. Mary (1841-1930) was the daughter of Jesse and Maria Kepler. She was married to Michael Flory in 1865 and they lived just north of the church where Burley McCroskey’s live. My father, Vernon (1877-1950), was born there as well as his two sisters, Edna and Florence. Florence played the organ in the original 1860 church but passed away before the new church was built. My grandmother Mary attended faithfully until she moved to Dayton.
--Told by Barbara Flory Ulrich
Dr. and Mrs. J. B. Shank donated the large window to the west. They were faithful members of the church. Mrs. Shank was the young ladies Sunday school teacher. She would often entertain the young people of the church in her home along Eaton pike between Johnsville and West Alexandria.
--Told by Lulu Priser Dillon
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The window of the Rohrer sisters reminds me of my grandmother Elizabeth Rohrer Yound and her sister Catherine Rohrer Neibert.
My grandmother lived west of town on the old Rohrer farm. It is the second farmhouse, a red brick bearing the date 1834. Grandmother used to walk to church every Sunday; the weather had to be very bad for her to stay at home. She always sat in the second pew on the right side of the church with Lulu Dillon’s mother, Mrs. Priser. She was born April 24, 1847 and died July 24, 1929.
--Told by Lulu Fogle
As we gaze at the large stained glass window on the East Side of the church, we see the names John and Rebecca Riegel. John came here from Burk Co. Pa. with his three brothers because the young ladies they were courting had joined the witchcraft sects. After John married Rebecca Leis, they homesteaded on a 160-acre farm on Zerhing Rd. This farm was later divided and now belongs to Mrs. Hubert Leis and the Justus Shephard family. John and Rebecca had several children and many of their descendants are members of the church today.
--Told by Catherine Riegel Berry
Since the 1907 church was built there have been a couple of remodels done and an addition done. The church has also gone through several name changes. The original name was Johnsville United Brethren In Christ Church. In 1946, a national merger occurred between the United Brethren and Evangelical Brethren Churches, thus the name changed to Johnsville Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968, a union of the EUB churches and the United Methodist Churches forced a new name change. By this time, Johnsville had been annexed by New Lebanon thereby giving us our current name New Lebanon United Methodist Church.
AUTHORS NOTE: Much of this history was taken from a previous written history, the author of which is unknown. Much of this was oral history that was passed down, so I cannot verify the facts and dates. In the window stories, I copied them as they were written with little editing. I don’t know when these stories were written so references to who is living at the old homestead now are most likely inaccurate.
In our library, we have some church membership records dating back to the 1800’s. If anyone is interested in doing family history research, please contact the church librarian and historian to make an appointment to look at these records. THEY DO NOT DO THE RESEARCH FOR YOU, but will assist you in finding the proper information. Email the Church Librarian and please be sure to include your email address and home phone number so he can contact you to set up an appointment.