Book: Wintersville Citizen

              VOI. Ilf NO. 41                                  THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, .1963--TE LVE      PAG.ES                         $.0pryo


TWO RIDGES







                           CHURCH


                    By EVE SEITER

  George Washington once said that
were he to be defeated by the Bri-
tish in the region along the sea-
board, he would move over the
mountains into the Valley of Vir-
ginia---which at that time compri-
sed Virginia, West Virginia, Penn-
sylvania and the Carolinas---where
lived a people who would not be de-
feated ever! If you< are Scotch-Irish,
Presbyterian Church has brought its
nation and live in the Tri-State
Area some of these doughty people
Washington respected so much may
be your ancestors. Gradually they
infiltrated the rugged area along the
Ohio river carrying with them only  drAven in
the simplest tools of life---an axe,  A year rc
a plow, a rifle and very often the  erected in
the Bible.                              first. It wc
  By 1800 the adventurous sons and   hewn logs
daughters of these early pioneers    The lan
began to crop up in the area  be-   these first
                                        of the Coe
tween   two   well known    local       land was
streams, Cross Creek and Island     from the IP
Creek, known, as Two Ridges.        complete t
These stout souls created a pat-      Apparent
tern of life reflected today in the  took a C
Church life of their descendents at  social edu
the   Two   Ridges   Presbyterian       day. Old
Church. For 160 years Two Ridges    Elder reqi
Presbyterian Church has brought it  where war
influence to bear on the rural and  permitting
suburban area west of Wintersville  by certain
Ohio. Once located within the con-  home.
fines of its dooryard cemetery it    Affairs o
now stands on route *43 where it    glected ei
has graced the hilltop since 1886.  sent its r
  Delving into the church history   for the we
one discovers that the Ohio Pres-   centennial
bytery was organized in October,    Declaratio
1793, and that one Joseph Coe was  this time t
present at that historic meeting in  ship of 11'
Buffalo Creek. Joseph Coe was      this numbc
probably related to Benjamin Coe,  irregular
who was one of the first settlers in  support. Is
the Two Ridges community and the   tenanced.
ancestor of a' long line of Presby-  By 1886


terian Coes!                           longer rep
No list of Charter members of the  of the Far
Two Ridges Church is extant and     situated v
for good reason. Early settlers met  began! Hei
in cabins for services. Preachers   looked to
on horseback with Hymnal and Bible  church wa
in their saddlebags, preached the   of $3.427
Word of God to these gatherings. By  of buildin
1802 Two Ridges had a regular       church  b(
minister, the  Reverend  James     i-ncient m
Snodgrass, who also served at other  "This chui
preaching points,                      dedicated
  It wasn't until 1810 that a build-   of God bi
ing was erected. It was crude and   Patterson.
fashioned by hand and was used      and approt
mostly in the winter. Fashioned of  miah 10:39
unhewn logs -it had neither floor   house of G
nor ceiling out it did have three    Now hav
windows. The summer shelter was    Ridges Ch
covered with clapboards and seats  its 160th a
were of hewn logs. A Communion     congregati
table was made of a log hewn flat  neer co-op
on one side and supported by legs  the sanct


ioles- bored beneath.
)und second building was
1816 near the site of the
as practically modern, with
and a real corduroy floor!
d for the cemetery and
two buildings was a gift
family. Later, when more
needed a gift of an acre
Norton farm was made to
he parcel.
ly these early churchmen
hristian interest in the
cation and action of their
records reveal that an
testing a transfer else-
s severly chastised for
  "promiscuous dancing
i young people" in his

f the nation were not ne-
ther. In 1876 Two Ridge
ninister to Philadelphia
ekend celebration of the
of the signing of the
n of Independence! At
he church had a member-
7 but, Please note, 12 of
r were under censure for
attendance and church
lo backsliding was coun-

  Two Ridge Church no
resented the outer point
West of her day but was
,here the Mid-west now
r roots were down and she
the future. The present
s built for a grand total
2T. which included costs
g. furnishings, and the
ell! .According  to. the
inutes  of the meeting:
*ch building was formally
(this day) to the worship
\y the Reverend Samuel
who preached an able
)riate sermon from Nehe-
)---We will not forsake the
;od."
'e they. Today as Two
urch plans celebration of
anniversary one finds the
on still fused with pio-
eration and spirit. Within
uary all is fresh and


clean, accomplished by the women
of the church. There is no custodian
at Two Ridges Presbyterian Church
Two acres of grass and woods are
mowed and groomed by the men of
the church-- on a volunteer basis.
Elder Nelson Spinks, a member of
the church for 40 years, and oldest
Elder in point of service is avail-
able for any special need. Mr.
Spinks is retired. It was he who
played  thoughtful host to this
writer.
  The beautiful old black walnut
ceiling of the sanctuary and match-
ing dado are sources of great ad-
miration. Once upon a time oil
lanterns hung from the three hand-
turned medallions in the handsome


ceiling. The original pews are of
cherry   maple   with  handturned
scrolls.
  The windows of the church are
now frosted glass but may soon be
converted to the original leaded
stained  glass. Handsome organ
chimes adorn one pale green wall---
the  generous gift of Katherine.
Myers of Lovers Lane. From the
vestry one may look out over the
rolling  hills contemplating the
future of this house of worship
dedicated over a century and a half
ago. It has weathered panic, war
and spiritual lethargy. It has known
periods of inspired spiritual .leader-
        Two Ridge contd. page 2


Friday, Sept..13 -8:00 pm


~1,


No.
S7
73
64
65
;62
75
83
12
23
41
32


Wintersville
C( ll 101 N
Ste wart
Schramm
Dettore
Davis
Kucer
Sargeant
Scal ise
HarDis
Downing
Titus


Wt.
155
171
165
192
160
223
168
180
175
135
185


Pos
,LE
LT
LG

RG
RT
RE
QB
LH
RH
F


Wt.
175
190
160
165
170
195
185
160
180
175
175


Jeff. Union
Burkey, J.
Lattin, L.
Haight, C.
Auch, R4
Weaver, C.
Hoobler
Nelsonk B.
Scholl, T.
Marcino, F.
Glazier, E.
Wells, C.


No.
85
72
62
.51
61
73
  83
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per copy


   ATTENTION DRIVERS
 The traffic light at Main St.
and Leonard Ave. is now a
full time light. Violators will
be issued warnings for one
week only. After September 15
citations for court appearance
will be given to violators.
  Thomas Albaugh. Mayor


Po  BE~~B~a


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