First Friends Church has a long history in the Salem area which began
during the summer of 1804 with the first public worship meeting. It
was held in the cabin of Samuel Davis. About a dozen persons assembled
and held a silent meeting. Soon after this a log meeting house was
built on the south side of East State Street, near South Ellsworth.
Numbers grew and the request for monthly meeting recognition was granted
on September 17, 1805 under the direction of Redstone Quarterly Meeting,
a part of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting. In 1813, following the formation
of Ohio Yearly Meeting from Baltimore Yearly Meeting, Salem was "set
off" as a Quarterly Meeting.
Records show that in early 1807 plans were being made to erect
a new building large enough to accommodate the quarterly meeting
sessions. The agreed size was 40 x 70 feet and reportedly constructed
of brick.
The Friends property consisted of three acres with boundaries of
Ellsworth, Second Street, Pershing, and Broadway. The first of two
major separations among Friends occurred in 1828 with the result
of Hicksites and Orthodox branches. The Hicksites received most
of the land north of State Street where they erected a meetinghouse.
The Orthodox branch (First Friends Church) retained the original
section with buildings.
Salem historian, George Hunt, in 1830 described the property as
being boarded on three sides by horse sheds, three gates, 'venerable
meetinghouse' (first brick building erected in the town), and burial
grounds (abandoned officially in 1871). It was also reported that
a school was on the site to serve the educational needs of the youth.
The Orthodox Friends grew in spite of the division and by 1838
were feeling the need for larger quarters. The minutes of September
19, 1838 includes the information that "meetings were sometimes
interrupted by the noise of the publick road of State Street."
It
was not until 1845 that a new meetinghouse was ready for occupancy.
It was located on Pershing Avenue, then known as Dry Street. One
minister, when writing in 1945 on the centennial of the Dry Street
Meeting House, added "On first thought we are somewhat amused
to read that Main Street traffic in 1838 was disturbing Friends'
worship; but that is no longer surprising when we learn that this
street was on the wagon freight route between Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
We are now deeply grateful that they saw fit to build on this location,
right in the heart of the city, yet sufficiently instant from State
Street that we are not disturbed by the roaring of trucks and the
noises which are to be heard along a street which bars the traffic
of three important highways. We also appreciate the fact that our
forefathers laid such strong foundations and built of such durable
materials that after a century of service the building is still
in good condition."
In
1854, the second division among Friends resulted in the Gurney (First
Friends Church) and Wilbur branches, known as Gurneyites and Wilburites.
At that time both branches were using the same meetinghouse, at
separate times. This continued for 18 years until the Wilburites,
in 1872, erected a meetinghouse on Sixth Street, now referred to
the as Sixth Street Meetinghouse.
About 1875 there was a great Revival, many converts were brought
into the meeting, and in order that they might be taught and properly
cared for it seemed necessary for some person to give his entire
time to that work. Thus was introduced our present pastoral system.
The first pastor was Joseph H. Peele, who came from Cleveland in
the fall of 1892.
In 1909, during the pastorate of George Kent, the church purchased
its first parsonage on East Third Street near North Lincoln Avenue.
Also the Sunday School room was remodeled.
During
the pastorate of Charles E. Haworth, the meetinghouse was remodeled
giving a radically different appearance when a sanctuary was added.
This was dedicated January 25, 1925. The mortgage was burned in
1938.
Under the leadership of Harold Winn, the church and Sunday School
had a growth spurt and in 1951 a 13-room addition was added and
dedicated. On Easter, 1956, the mortgage was burned for the $40,000
project.
We have the distinction, under direction of Harold Winn of being
the first church in Salem to broadcast live its Sunday morning worship
service. This was done for several years over WFAH-Alliance. A very
successful Dial-A-Prayer ministry met the needs of the community
and congregation. Reverend Winn also wrote a weekly column for several
years in the FARM AND DAIRY, which has been reprinted in book form.
Due
to additional growth and increased membership, church elders felt
led to seek property for new and larger facilities. In 1959, 6½
acres on Jennings Avenue were secured. Ground for the new church
was dedicated in 1961. The former church on Pershing Avenue was
sold in September 1962. Ground was broken for construction on October
14, 1962 with the corner stone being laid August 18, 1963. The mortgage
service for the indebtedness was held August 22, 1971.
Additional land was purchased north of the church for future expansion
and utilization to meet the needs of the congregation following
the leading of the Lord.
