SAINT PAUL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Ashville, OH

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church:  A landmark of the Gospel since 1834​

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In the early years of the settlement of Madison township, the members of the Lutheran denomination who wished to attend religious services had to go to the adjoining county of Fairfield. They therefore in 1834, petitioned the Synod of Ohio at Miamisburg for a minister and separate organization. Their pettion was granted and Rev. Joseph A. Roof was licensed as their first minister. On June 29, 1834, the first service was held at the house of Mrs. Mary Magdalene Hoover. The church was formally organized on August 3rd, with Soloman Teegardin and John Brintlinger being chosen as elders and Elias Hoover and Jacob Lily, as deacons. They were installed into the duties of their respective offices the same day. For some months services were held in schoolhouses. Finally, at a meeting held on December 3, 1834, the question of purchasing a lot and building a church edifice was considered. A subscription was raised and a lot purchased on section 23, where a church building was erected the following year. By terms of this subscription, the church was to be the joint property of the Evangelical Lutheran and German Reformed churches. The building was not completed until 1838, though services were held in it from 1835. Mr. Roof continued as pastor until 1855, when he resigned; he was again called to the pastorate in 1860. The present brick church was built in 1864 at a cost of $4,000, being erected and wholly owned by St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. It has a seating capacity of 300. In 1872 a seven-room brick parsonage was erected at a cost of $1,500. In 1869, Rev. E. L. S. Tressel was called to the pastorate; he was succeeded in turn by the following:  Revs. W.H. Brown, B.S. Schillinger, D.E. Snapp, G.T. Cooperrider, and F. B. Hax [and others].

 

In addition to the church property, consisting of the church and parsonage and various improvements, the church aslo owns a farm of 80 acres, that was wllled to it by Solomon Teegardin about 1875.

 

There [was] also a cemetery established in connection with St. Paul's Church.

 

 

About the First Pastor:  Rev.  Joseph A. Roof

 

Rev. Joseph A. Roof was born in Switzerland and his wife [Sarah] in Maryland. He was a well-known pioneer preacher of the Lutheran faith in Pickaway County, and for 21 years served the Lutheran Church at Circleville, and also was pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madison township, which was founded through his zeal. Later he went to Iowa and preached there for several years, but subsequently returned to the pastorate of St. Paul's in Madison township. He was twice married and the children of his first wife are:  Annie M., widow of Adam Snyder, of Fairfield County, Ohio; William H., of Iowa; Martin L., of Ashville; and Deborah, wife of Nathan Noecker, of Madison township.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source:  History of Pickaway County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Unigraphic, 1906; edited and compiled by Aaron R. Van Cleaf.