HISTORY OF

TODDS CHURCH 1994

John Fleming owned the Todds Store, and at one time traveled for the Jewel Tea Company. On his journeys he saw a church in Cincinnati that he admired and patterned this church after it. As the results Todds Church really looks more like a city church than a country church.
Howard Peter Phipps from Cincinnati was the designer and head carpenter. Much of the labor was donated by the members as money was scarce in those days.
The church was built in 1894. Before that, church was held in an old schoolhouse, not the present Grange Hall. There was a cemetery here but the graves were moved to Lightner Ridge.

The carpenters were boarded by the Fleming’s as their share of the donations. They hired Lillie Adrian, Emmett’s sister, at two dollars a week to help cook for the men. The head carpenter had romantic ideas about the hired girl, so he designed and built the belfry to resemble a wedding cake to help his chances with her, but the hired girl did not share his romantic ideas. Some of the carpenters and members were names associated with the community The Geddes, Harkings, Woods, Milner, Chogill and Cheadle.

In 1912 the bell was bought.

In 1913 John Longsworth became the minister. The charge was Bailey, Hopewell, Pennsville, Pisgahand Todds. In March, they had a revival that lasted six weeks. Some sixty people joined the church.

In the summer time, the church would be full, with people looking in the windows.

In 1915 there were 120 names on the S.S. roll with an average attendance of 60 or 70.

In 1962 the electric organ was added from the Foster foundation through the efforts of Beryl Newtonand the WSCS.

In 1970 Chesterhill and Amesville were added to the charge. At that time both Hopewell and Baileychurches had left the charge.

In 1973 the Greathouse Family gave an endowment to the church. Judge Reicher remembered the church in his will.

In 1984 the lighted sign was erected in front of the church.

In 1987 Amesville left the charge.

In 1989 the church bought the Grange Hall and Shelter house. The Bible School and Sunday School were held in the Grange Hall. The church bought the amplifier system.

In 1992 Pennsville left the charge to go it alone. Some of the pillars of the church were RileyDaughtey, Letha Rowland and Dwight Haines. Tim VanHorn was our minister on the second Sunday of the month. Rev. Harold Jeffers fills the pulpit on the other Sundays. He also goes to the Pisgah Church. He was here 11 years. Some of the later ministers were Kenneth & Catharine Mason, Ray and Laverne Gearhart, Herbert Saxman, JohnHarra, Peter Johnston, John Kaye and Mildred Buehler.

In 2006 the roof received some new shingles, the bell tower was painted and new steps and sidewalk were made at the front of the church.

In 2007 the interior of the church was painted and plaster repaired.

There are 21 members of the church with an average attendance of 10.
Current Pastor is Fred Adkins.
Bible Study is from 9 A.M. to 9:30 A.M.
Church is from 9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. on Sunday mornings.

Written by George Newburn
Updated by Kaye Appleman (February, 2007)