BAPTIST
There were two major groups of Baptists in Cleveland. The white Baptists in Cleveland derived from English tradition. The African American Baptists derived from the Baptist faith in the South. The first Baptist Church in Cleveland was the "First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland" founded in 1833. Second was Erie Street Baptist (founded in 1853 and also known as Second Baptist Church) and First Baptist Church, Ohio City, founded in 1853 (also known as Third Baptist Church). The first African American Baptist Church was Shiloh Baptist Church. In 1893, approximately half of the members of Shiloh left to form Antioch Baptist Church.
"The Baptist Church in Early Cleveland" article written by Dr. H.C. Applegarth in 1896:
The Rev. Joseph Badger was the earliest missionary to the Western Reserve and preached the first sermon there in 1800. He was born in Wilbraham, MA in 1757 and graduated at Yale College in 1786. Prior to this time in the Western Reserve, public sentiment and morals were very low. In 1816, when population was about 150, there were only two professing Christians in the place: Judge Daniel Kelly and Mrs. Noble H. Merwin. Moses White, who because a useful citizen and who died in Cleveland at an advanced age in September 1881, hesitated about settling here because the place was so godless, but Judge Kelly prevailed upon him to bring his Christian wife and strive with him to secure the town from the ascendancy of sin.
With growth in Cleveland, the influence of Christianity also grew and church organizations were formed. The first was Trinity Episcopal in 1816; the First Presbyterian in 1824; the First Methodist in 1827, and the First Baptist in 1833. By this date the population was about 1,300, but only six or seven Baptists among them. In Nov. 1832 a Baptist minister named Richard Taggart, stopped at Cleveland. he was invited to hold a preaching service the following Sunday. On the 19th of November, a meeting of all Baptists was called for the purpose of forming a society to be known as the First Baptist Society of Cleveland and an invitation was given to Mr. Taggart to conduct these services. Soon, four persons, namely, Thomas Goodman, Caleb Wroton, Mrs. Eliza Taylor and Mrs. S.M. Cutler were baptized on Sunday, Jan. 13, 1833, when the congregation and others repaired to the bank of Lake Erie. An opening was cut in the ice and they went into the water and were baptized.
One week later preliminary steps toward the formation of a Baptist Church were taken as a committee was appointed to draft a summary of scripture doctrine and the unity of which the new fellowship should consist. Their report was accepted and on the 3rd Saturday in February, 1833, a council convened and reorganized the body as the First Baptist Church of Cleveland, Ohio. Eighteen persons signed the articles of Faith. A Sunday school was organized with Thomas Whelpley, a lawyer, as superintendent and the first attendance was 28. By April, it had increased to 40; and soon after Mr. Benjamin Rouse wrote, "We have now 7 schools in and about the village, 4 connected with our churches and 3 mission schools. Our infidel friends are much alarmed, and are exerting themselves to bring our schools into disrepute, but they cannot prevail. The truth of the matter is this: A spirit of religious inquiry has gotten on the hearts of the people, and infidelity may well tremble."
In April, 1834, the population of the town had increased to about 5,000 and congregations were crowding the audience room of the Court House, then on the Public Square, about opposite to the present (in 1896) Forest City House. Pledges and sacrifices were made in order to be able to build their own church. Deacon Pelton of Euclid mortgaged his farm for $2,000; John Seaman said to his partner, Mr. William T. Smith, "Put me down for a thousand, you put down a thousand and go to Sylvester Ranney and tell him to put down a thousand." This structure was built at Seneca and Champlain, a brick structure of 55 x 80 feet, and cost about $14,000 with a bell and clock. In 1896 the value of the property is about $750,000; the one Sunday-school of 28 has grown to 27 schools with 5,700 scholars; the number of Baptist Churches has grown to 19, with eight flourishing missions.
The denomination has given the world many noble men and women. Let it suffice to mention only a few: Alexander Sked, the good man; Benjamin Rouse, who organized 200 Sunday schools; Stillman Witt, the humanitarian; J.M. Hoyt, the publicist; Henry Chisholm, the beloved industrial king; John Seaman, the cheerful giver; Sylvester Ranney, the exemplary Christian; and John D. Rockefeller, the philanthropist.
ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Today this church is located at 8869 Cedar Avenue
216-421-1516 http://www.antiochcleveland.org/
In 1934 this church bought the church at 8869 Cedar from Cedar Avenue Baptist Church. Prior to that Cedar Avenue Baptist Church bought the church from Bolton Bolton Avenue Presbyterian Church. A history of the church can be seen here: http://www.antiochcleveland.org/downloads/2007-09%20Church%20History%20wPictures%20-%20Long.pdf
1893 – Antioch Church (COLORED) – 447 Central, Rev. D.D. Minor
1898 – Antioch Church – 447 Central, Rev. Alexander Moore
1902 – Antioch Church – 446 Central, Rev. Frank Brookins
1903 - 1905 – Antioch Church – 447 Central, Rev. Horace C. Bailey
1905 - 1923 – Antioch Church – 2409 Central, Rev. Horace C. Bailey
1924 - 1928 - Antioch Church - 2409 Central, Rev. Mack Williams
1928 - 1934 - Antioch Church - 2409 Central, Rev. Wade McKinney
1934 - 1962 - Antioch Church - 8869 Cedar, Rev. Wade McKinney
1963 - Antioch Church - 8869 Cedar, Rev. Kelly Miller Smith
1964 - 1983 - Antioch Church - 8869 Cedar, Rev. Emanuel Sylvestre Branch
1983 - Antioch Church - 8869 Cedar, Rev. Jeremiah Price
1987 - 2008 - Antioch Church - 8869 Cedar, Rev. Marvin McMickle
1934 - Antioch Church - 8869 Cedar Avenue
BLEEKER STREET MISSION
1898 - 1902 – Bleeker Street Mission of Olivet Church – Bleeker near Storer
1918 - 1921 – Bleeker St. Mission (GERMAN) 3430 W. 56th
1928 – Bleeker Mission – 3432 W. 56th
BRIDGE STREET CHURCH (AKA OLIVET BAPTIST) – W. 52nd AND BRIDGE
1887 - 1894 – Bridge Street Church, Bridge and Dare, Rev. Benjamin H. Thomas
1898 – Olivet Church – Bridge and Dare, Rev. Benjamin H. Thomas
1902 - 1906 – Olivet Church – Bridge and Dare, Rev. George L. Hart
1908 – Olivet Church – Bridge at W. 52nd, Rev. W.H. Reynon
1913 – Olivet Church – Bridge at W. 52nd, Rev. Franklin Johnson
1918 - 1928 – Olivet Church – Bridge at W. 52nd, Rev. C.H. Irving
CALVARY CHURCH
1898 – Calvary Church – Pearl at Library, Rev. Alfred W. Stone
1902 - 1908 – Calvary Church – Pearl at Library, Rev. John C. Ford
1913 - 1918 – Calvary Church – W. 25th at Library, Rev. Wm. Pilot
1921 – Calvary Church – W. 25th at Library, Rev. H. Lee McLendon
1928 – Calvary Church – W. 25th at Library, Rev. Earl Bloomquist
CEDAR AVENUE CHURCH
1894 - 1898 – Cedar Avenue Church – Cedar at Halsey, Rev. Frank S. Lyon
1902 – Cedar Avenue Church – Cedar at Halsey, Rev. Alfred W. Stone
1906 - 1908 – Cedar Avenue Church – Cedar at Halsey, Rev. Albert Ehrgott
1913 - 1918 – Cedar Avenue Church – Cedar at E. 103rd, Rev. Otis Green
1921 – Cedar Avenue Church – Cedar at E. 103rd, Rev. M.M. Bales
1928 – Cedar Avenue Church – Cedar at E. 89th, Rev. T.W. Callaway
CLEVELAND BAPTIST TEMPLE
2536 W. 14th (now El Calvario)
From: Jubilee Edition of Waechter und Anzeiger Newspaper 1902
On July 16, 1968, the Germans of Emmanuel Church signed over the deed to Cleveland Baptist Temple. The Cleveland Baptist Temple was formed before the congregation decided to occupy the church. The congregation formed ten years before and was led into their new place of worship by their founder Reverend Cecil Simmons. The Cleveland Baptist Temple remained here for a short 26 years before abandoning the site. Like Emmanuel, there was no new location for the Cleveland Baptist Temple. The Rev. Cecil Simmons was unreachable also. In this case, it can be assumed that like Emmanuel, the congregation of the Cleveland Baptist Temple also dissolved. The treasurer of El Calvario, Sol Rivera, remembers the Cleveland Baptist Temple when they had sold the site: "I think that all the members had left. They only had a couple of members and they couldn't take on the bills. And that's why it was for sale."
EAST END CHURCH
1887 - 1891 – Logan Avenue Church – Logan and Euclid, Rev. G.O. King
1894 – East End Church – Euclid at Logan, Rev. W. Spafney
1898 - 1902 – East End Church – Euclid at Logan, Rev. George Crafts
1906 - 1908 – East End Church – Euclid at Logan, Rev. E.A. Hanley
1913 – East End Church – Euclid at E. 97th, Rev. Avery Shaw
1918 – East End Church – Euclid at E. 97th, Rev. R.E. Bailey
EAST MOUNT ZION
Today this church is located at 9990 Euclid Avenue
216-231-0408
1908 – 1910 – East Mt. Zion (COLORED) – Rev. Holly
1910 – 1911 – East Mt. Zion – Rev. Hill
1911 – 1914 – East Mt. Zion (COLORED) 10816 Frank Ave., Rev. Jas. Thompson
1914 – 1916 – East Mt. Zion – 10816 Frank Ave., Rev. Washington Paige
1918 - 1921 – East Mt. Zion – 10820 Frank Ave., Rev. B.K. Smith
ERIN AVENUE CHURCH (GERMAN)
From: Jubilee Edition of Waechter und Anzeiger Newspaper 1902
It was a rainy day in Summer, 1875, as some children sought shelter from the rain in front of the house of Colonel Reeder at the corner of Wade Avenue and Pearl Street. Mrs. Reeder called the children into her home and spoke with them about religion. After the storm had passed, she invited the children to come back next Sunday. They did and they brought friends. In this way a Sunday School arose. The Reeder family were compelled to move it to an adequate location. They found it in the one-story building at the corner of Erin Avenue and Hitchcock Street which had once served as a parochial school. The work of the Reeder’s expanded and they soon found themselves compelled to seek help. They turned to the missionary society, Cleveland Baptist Union. Since the majority of the children were German, the society turned to the First German Baptist Church. In 1881 it took over the Sunday School. In early 1883 the First German Baptist Church called Mr. H. Schwendener. He accepted the call and came here in the end of May. On June 29, 1885 there followed the organization of the present Erin Avenue Baptist congregation with 54 members who were released from the First Church for this purpose. In the same year the present practical church was built. Pastor Schwendener left after five years. He was followed by Pastor G. Fetzer. He was preacher for 1 ½ years, then Pastor N. Streike arrived. He served for about 6 years. Then came Pastor F.G. Wolter of Detroit who led for three years. On September 1, 1900 Pastor Jakob H. Merkel arrived.
1883 – 1888 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at Hitchcock, Rev. H. Schwendener
1888 - 1890 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at Hitchcock, Rev. G. Fetzer
1890 - 1896 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at Hitchcock, Rev. Robert Streike
1896 - 1899 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at Hitchcock, Rev. Ferdinand Wolter
1900 - 1906 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at Hitchcock, Rev. Jacob H. Merkel
1908 - 1913 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at W. 32nd, Rev. J.F. Olthoff
1918 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at W. 32nd, Rev. Wm. Appel
1921 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at W. 32nd, Rev. T.W. Dons
1928 – Erin Avenue Church – Erin at W. 32nd, Rev. Samuel Blum
FIDELITY
1921 – Fidelity – Wade Park at E. 84th, Rev. J.T. Raymond
1928 – Fidelity – Wade Park at E. 84th, Rev. J.A. MacRae
Today this church is located at 8402 Wade Park Avenue
216-231-0184
Church records are located at Western Reserve Historical Society. They have baptisms and death records for 1892-1912, call number MS3648.
FIRST GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH
From: Jubilee Edition of Waechter und Anzeiger Newspaper 1902
On a cold, raw day, the first Sunday in September, 1860, Maria Agnes Fetzer nee Schempp was baptized in her faith by Preacher Watson of what was then Erie Street Baptist Church (now the Euclid Avenue Church), in the Canal. This was the first baptism of a German Baptist in Cleveland. Some other German Baptists had settled here and joined that congregation. They participated in the meetings, but now and then they would gather in homes and hold German meetings. Through loyal work, gradually other Germans were won for the Baptist cause. Some German Baptist preachers passing through paused before going further as soon as they heard of these groups. Among these was the preacher G. Koopmann, who after repeated petitioning, was made a missionary to local Germans. He began his activities on October 18, 1862 with the help of seven members who had been meeting in the back of the Erie Street Church. Six months later they were combined with the English mission at the corner of Scovill and Sterling Avenue. Here the work began to have great results. The congregation soon had a Sunday School. The hatred and envy of strangers was of course not lacking, but it only helped to solidify and spread the congregation. Now the thought developed of organizing a German Baptist community, and on November 3, 1866, the First German Baptist Congregation was organized with 46 members. The first preacher was G. Koopmann. At once the new congregation began having difficulties in that the English Baptists occupying the Tabernacle at the corner of Scovill and Sterling organized their own congregation and desired to keep the church for themselves alone. Now where to go? James M. Hoyt, a member of the English congregation, gave the Germans a building lot located at the southwestern corner of Forest Street and Scovill upon which to build a German Church. Until it was ready, the congregation used a place at the corner of Orange and Wadsworth Avenue. A day of joy was October 10, 1868, the day on which the congregation got a home, even if it was only the temporary home of the lower floor of the church. The Cleveland Baptist Union helped the congregation out of its monetary problems. Until June 1870, Pastor Koopmann worked hard. He was followed by Pastor E. Gruetzner. New help arrived in the form of the publication house of German Baptists, which was being moved from Cincinnati to Cleveland. Pastor Philipp Bickel, who headed that institution, soon began helping. On September 28, 1873, the upper space in the church was occupied.
The state of health of Pastor Gruetzner soon obliged him to lay down his office. J.C. Haselhuhn, Bickel’s successor in the publishing house, then served for 18 months, followed by various other preachers. J.H. Merckel finally arrived. In 1884 the congregation was on Case Avenue, and in 1885 the congregation on Erin Avenue, where J.H. Merkel is now preacher, arose from First Church. The property of the church on Scovill was sold. After nine years of service, J.H. Merkel laid down his position. He was followed in 1890 by F. Friedrich. A new mission was begun on Starkweather Avenue. The seven years of missionary activity of Preacher Friedrich was beneficial. He was followed by the present preacher, W.J. Zirbes in 1898. With the aid of the missionary society in the city, the building for the Starkweather Mission was built at the corner of Fremont and College and consecrated in February 1899. F.P. Kruse resigned as missionary in November, 1900. He was followed by the preacher F. Buermann.
1866-1870 – First German Baptist Church – Scovill and Forest, Rev. G. Koopman
1870 – 1879 – First German Baptist – Scovill and Forest, Rev. Edward Greutzner
1879 – 1881 – First German Baptist – Scovill and Forest, Rev. J.C. Haselhuhn
1881- 1890 – First German Church – Scovill and Forest, Rev. Jacob H. Merkel
1890 - 1898 – First German Church – Scovill and Forest, Rev. Franz Friedrich
1898 - 1906 – First German Church – Scovill and Forest, Rev. W.J. Zirbes
1908 – First German Church – Scovill at E. 37th, Rev. William Zirbes
1913 – First German Church – Kinsman at Griswold, Rev. Wm. Zirbes
1918 - 1921 – First German Chruch – Kinsman at Griswold, Rev. H.C. Baum
1928 – First German Church – Kinsman at Griswold, Rev. Frederick Lehr
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
From: “History of Cuyahoga County” by Crisfield Johnson (1879):
The First Baptist Church of Cleveland was organized February 16, 1833 under Rev. Richmond Taggart. Church meetings were held in the old academy on St. Clair Street and the old red courthouse, until the removal to their new house of worship on the corner of Seneca and Champlain Streets. This church was built in 1834 and dedicated in 1836. In 1855 the society purchased of the Plymouth Congregational Church their new brick building, at Euclid and Erie Streets, where services were first held April 8, 1855.
History of the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland 1833-1933:
January 13, 1833, was a memorable Sunday in the history of Cleveland Baptists. The occasion was the first baptism administered in Cleveland. A little band of Baptists on a bright unclouded day in midwinter went down to the lake, where in later years stood an old frame building known as the Pittsburgh and Wellsville Depot. On the left was the old pier. An opening was cut in the ice. Here four candidates were baptized. A month later the First Baptist Church was organized, February 16, 1833, with 17 members. Their first services were held in a building known as the “Old Academy”, located at the corner of the “North Highway”, now called St. Clair Avenue and West 6th Street, where they paid a rent of sixty dollars per year.
The schoolhouse was situated in the heart of the small village which at that time was confined to a square mile, bounded by the lake, the river, and what we now know as Huron Road and E. 9th Street.
How quaint and austere they appear to the eye today, the names of those kindly ministers who served the church during those first three years in the little “Old Academy”: “Elder” Richmond Taggart, Reverend Judah L. Richmond and Reverend Elijah F. Wiley!
As the village grew, the little church prospered and began to plan for the erection of a house of worship. They prepared a subscription paper, solicited pledges, as we do today, selected a suitable location, and drew up plans in 1834; in 1836, the new church was completed. The house was built of brick; with a spire furnished with bell and town clock, all at a cost of no more than $14,000. It was situated on the southeast corner of West Third Street and Champlain, facing West Third; this would be, today, not far from the rear of “The Hotel Cleveland”, toward the southwest. The building was used until 1855. The ministers who served here were Rev. Levi Tucker, Rev. John H. Walden and Dr. S.W. Adams.
We cannot speak in particular of the 17 constituent members of the early church, but we should do injustice to the church they honored, should we fail to call to mind those four deacons who served from the outset: Moses White, Benjamin Rouse, Alexander Sked, and William T. Smith. During the early years of the village church, they made their first outreach in City Missions in organizing the mission Sunday School on Erie Street. Later this culminated in the Second Baptist Church for many years at the southwest corner of 18th and Euclid Avenue, known as the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church. Its present edifice is on E. 18th Street, just north of Euclid on the west side of the street.
This chapter on the village church would be incomplete without a special tribute to the long periods of service rendered by Deacons White, Rouse and Smith. Some in the old church still living will remember “Grandpa White”, father of Mrs. J.P. Bishop whose home down on E. 14th Street and Prospect Avenue was for so many years a refuge to those in distress. “Grandpa” lived to be over 90. He was blind for at least ten years; as children we used to lead him back and forth around the corner while he quoted and interpreted many a passage of Scripture in mysterious language that we could not understand.
Benjamin Rouse was a beautiful singer; the name of his wife, Rebecca Rouse, is inscribed on the inner wall of the Soldiers’ Monument on the Public Square, commemorating her work in the city at the time of the Civil War. She was the mother of Mrs. Loren Prentiss, mother of Mrs. Adelle Prentiss Hughes, to whom we owe the beginnings of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. Frank and Edwin Rouse were brothers of Mrs. Loren Prentiss; Frank Rouse supervised one of our Mission schools that grew into the Cottage Baptist Church; Edwin rouse and his wife led the choir free of charge for 25 years.
William T. Smith left to us his son Charles A. Smith, teacher of the Smith Memorial Class; Charles, deacon for 33 years, left us Sherwin who still lives to carry on the work of his father and grandfather, in the church on Shaker Heights.
The spirit of pioneer days in the lives of our early church fathers, is, we think, aptly suggested in Mr. Klinger’s historical sketch of our first church edifice. Going to church in winter, in those times, was not a comfortable ride in a heated limousine, and for all that, life in those days was not exactly humdrum.
List of Constituent Members of the First Baptist Church in Clevleand, Ohio, at the time it was constituted, February 16th, 1833:
Moses White
Benjamin Rouse
Rebecca E. Rouse
Thomas Whelpley
Jeduthan Adams
John Seaman
Horatio Ranney
Leonard Stockwell
Sophia Stockwell
Thomas Goodman
John Malvin
Mary Belden
Harriet P. Hickox
Letha Griffith
Elizabeth Taylor
S.M. Cutler
From: Cleveland Past by Robert Liederbach:
In 1850 a small group of radical abolitionists withdrew from the First Presbyterian Church and established the Free or Third Presbyterian Church. After two years, the dissidents merged with Congregationalists of similar views and formed Plymouth Congregational Church. They built a brick church on the northwest corner of Euclid and E. 9th (Erie St.) in 1853. Their finances were weak, and in 1855, they sold the incomplete church to the First Baptist Church. The new owners added the tower clock and spire. In 1889 the church was demolished for the Hickox Building. The congregation then merged with that of Idaka Chapel, which had worshiped at Prospect and Kennard St. (E. 46th) since 1881. In 1889 the church was completed and served until 1929 when the congregation dedicated its present sanctuary at Fairmount Boulevard and Eaton.
1833 – First Baptist - Rev. Richmond Taggart
1834 – First Baptist – Seneca and Champlain, Rev. Judah Richmond
1835 – First Baptist – Seneca and Champlain, Rev. E.F. Willey and Rev. Crane
1836 – 1842 – First Baptist – Seneca and Champlain, Rev. Levi Tucker
1843 – 1846 – First Baptist – Seneca and Champlain, Rev. H.J. Walden
1846 – 1864 – First Baptist - Rev. S.W. Adams
1865 - 1872 – First Baptist – Euclid Ave. and Erie St., Rev. A.H. Strong
1873 – 1876 – First Baptist – Euclid and Erie, Rev. A.J.F. Behrends
1876 – 1878 – Rev. George Gardner
1878 - 1883 – First Church – Euclid and Erie, Rev. P.S. Moxom
1887 – First Church – Euclid and Erie, Rev. E.A. Woods
1891 – First Church – Prospect and Kennard, Rev. E.A. Woods
1894 - 1898 – First Church – Prospect and Kennard, Rev. A.G. Upham
1902 – First Church – Prospect and Kennard, Rev. W. L. Pickard
1903 - 1906 – First Church – Prospect and Kennard, Rev. Herbert Stillwell
1908 - 1916 – First Church – Prospect at E. 46th, Rev. Herbert Stilwell
1918 - 1921 – First Church – Prospect at E. 46th, Rev. David Bovington
1928 – 1933 – First Church – Prospect at E. 46th, Rev. Harold Cooke Phillips
FIRST SWEDISH CHURCH
1902 – First Swedish Church – White at Dent, Rev. Swaney Nelson
1906 – First Swedish Church – White at Dent, Rev. John Ekstrom
1908 - 1913 – First Swedish Church – White at E. 57th
1918 – First Swedish Church – Addison near Redell, Rev. Karl Westerdall
1921 – First Swedish – Addison near Wade Park, Rev. E.E. Ekloff
1928 – First Swedish – Addision near Wade Park, Rev. Oscar Schuleen
FIRST HUNGARIAN CHURCH
1913 – First Hungarian Church – 2804 E. 79th, Rev. Stephen Orosz
1918 – First Hungarian Chruch – 8007 Holton, Rev. Stephen Orosz
1921 - 1928 – First Hungarian Church – 8005 Holton, Rev. Michael Biro
FIRST SLOVAK CHURCH
1913 - 1921 – First Slovak Church – Tremont at College, Rev. Paul Bednar
FIRST POLISH CHURCH
1918 – First Polish Church – Broadway at Fullerton, Rev. Emil Zipser
1928 – First Polish Church – 7440 Broadway, Rev. Carl Strzelec
FRIENDSHIP CHURCH
1926 - Friendship – E. 33rd near Woodland, Rev. A. Hawkins
1928 – Friendship – Scovill at E. 37th, Rev. Anderson Hawkins
GETHSEMANE
1921 - 1928 – Gethsemane – 2212 Scovill, Rev. Washington Page
GLENVILLE CHURCH
1913 – Glenville Church – E. 105th near Elgin, Rev. R.W. Pearse
1918 - 1921 – Glenville Church – E. 105th, Rev. Alonzo Stark
1924 – Glenville Church – E. 105th, Rev. Roy Wood
1928 – Glenville Church – 737 E. 105th, Rev. Martin Storgaard
HUNGARIAN WEST
1921 – Hungarian West – Chatham at Fulton, Rev. Jos. Matuskovits
1924 - 1928 – Hungarian West – Chatham at Fulton, Rev. Gabriel Petre
HUNGARIAN CHURCH
1921 - 1928 – Hungarian – Buckeye at E. 118th, Rev. Wm. Dauda
IMMANUEL CHURCH
1902 – Immanuel Church – Parkwood Blvd. at Superior, Rev. C.B. Powell
1906 – Immanuel Church – Parkwood at Superior, Rev. W.B. Hartzog
1908 - 1913 – Immanuel Church – Parkwood at Superior, Rev. H.V. Tanner
1918 – Immanuel Church – Parkwood at Superior, Rev. James McAllister
LIBERTY HILL BAPTIST CHURCH
1921 – Little Rock – 2212 Scovill, Rev. W.H. Evans
1924 -1928 – Little Rock – 3329 Orange Ave., Rev. B.J. Baldwin
MADISON AVENUE CHURCH – W. 95th and MADISON
1898 – 1901 - West Cleveland Church – W. Madison at Bazetta, Rev. Milford Foshay
1906 – West Cleveland Church – W. Madison at Bazetta, Rev. Thomas Edwards
1908 – West Cleveland Church – Madison near W. 95th, Rev. Milford Foshay
1913 – Madison Avenue Church – Madison at W. 95th, Rev. W.G. James
1918 - Madison Avenue Church - Madison at W. 95th, Rev. J.W. Gaylord
1921 - 1928 – Madison Avenue Church – Madison at W. 95th, Rev. John Cuthriell
MONUMENTAL
1921 - 1924 – Monumental – 2495 E. 35th, Rev. WM. Robinson
MORNING STAR
1921 – Morning Star – 2410 Superior, Rev. I.C. Oliver
1924 – Morning Star – 2410 Superior, Rev. Horace Smith
1928 – Morning Star – 2423 Mulberry, Rev. Charles Stewart
MT. CALVARY
1921 – Mt. Calvary – 2482 E. 43rd, Rev. J.M. Crawford
1924 – Mt. Calvary – 1963 Central, Rev. E.U. Mitchell
MT. HAVEN CHURCH
1908 – Mt. Haven Church (COLORED) – 2380 E. 33rd, Rev. E. Dandridge
1913 – Mt. Haven Church – 3725 Cedar, Rev. Jas. Burr
1918 - 1928 – Mt. Haven Church – 3725 Cedar, Rev. Charles H. Crable
MT. OLIVE CHURCH
1918 – Mt. Olive Church (COLORED) – Kinsman at E. 126th, Rev. W.E. Stine
1921 – Mt. Olive Church – Kinsman at E. 126th, Rev. James Kent
1928 – Mt. Olive Church – E. 126th near Luke, Rev. Bernard Tyrrell
NEW BETHEL
1924 - 1928 – New Bethel (COLORED) – 1200 Webster, Rev. Nathan Shaw
NOTTINGHAM CHURCH
1918 - 1921 – Nottingham Church (GERMAN) – E. 167th at Arcade, Rev. J.H. Merkel
1924 – Nottingham – E. 167th at Arcade, Rev. John Ansberg
1928 – Nottingham – E. 167th at Arcade, Rev. A.R. Woodworth
PLEASANT GROVE
1924 – Pleasant Grove – 3400 Broadway, Rev. John Hill
1928 – Pleasant Grove – 7805 Woodland, Rev. G.W. Carter
POLISH CHURCH
1924 – Polish Church – E. 71st at Gertrude, Rev. K.W. Strzelec
RUSSELL AVENUE MISSION - SWEDISH
1894 – Russell Avenue Mission – Russell at Zoeter, Rev. Axel Bester
1898 - 1906 – Russell Avenue Chapel – Russell at Zoeter
RUSSIAN MISSION
1924 – Russian Mission – Tremont at College, Rev. Peter Pleshko
ST. PAULS
1921 - 1924 – St. Paul’s – 2564 E. 38th, Rev. Eugene Pillow
SCRANTON ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
3095 Scranton Road at the corner of Clark
216-861-7539
The Scranton Avenue Free Baptist Church was founded in 1874. It later became the Scranton Road Baptist Church and the original building was expanded in 1893. This Romanesque church has an active multicultural congregation. In 1916 a Czechoslovak minister from Chicago came to Cleveland and with a group of 40 believers started a small church. In 1917 the church was received into the Cleveland Baptist Assn. as a mission church and was known as the West Side Czechoslovak Baptist Church. In 1920 the present church building was purchased. Shortly after 1925 a Slovak church of the South Side merged with this congregation. In 1926 a group from the Slovak Congregational Church united with the West Side Church, which is now known as Scranton Road Baptist Church. The architect of this church was Sidney Badgley.
1877 - 1879 – Scranton Avenue Free Baptist Church – Scranton and Clark, Rev. O.D. Patch
1883 – Scranton Avenue Church – Scranton and Clark, Rev. T.H. Drake
1887 - 1891 – Scranton Avenue Church – Scranton and Clark, Rev. O.D. Patch
1921 – Scranton Road Baptist Church, - Scranton at Clark, Rev. E.H. Bancroft
SECOND (EUCLID AVENUE) BAPTIST CHURCH
From: “History of Cuyahoga County” by Crisfield Johnson (1879):
In 1851, meetings were held by members of First Baptist Church to be dismissed from that body in order to organize a new society, to be known as the Erie Street Baptist Church. The request was granted. On April 30, 1867, land was purchased on Euclid Avenue at the corner of Huntington Street. The dedication of this church was on March 5, 1871 under the name of the “Second Baptist Church of Cleveland”.
1851 – 1855 – Rev. J. Hyatt Smith
1855 – 1856 – Rev. Alfred Pinney
1857 – 1860 – Rev. D.S. Watson
1861 – 1866 – Rev. S.B. Page
1867 - 1875 – Second Baptist – Euclid Ave. and Huntington St., Rev. S.W. Duncan
1876 - 1877 – Second Baptist Church – Euclid and Huntington, Rev. G.O. King
1877 - 1879 – Second Baptist Church – Euclid and Huntington, Rev. George Dowling
1883 - 1887 – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid and Huntington, Rev. George Dowling
1889 - 1892 – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid and Huntington, Rev. L.A. Crandall
1893 - 1900 – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid and Huntington, Rev. Henry Applegarth
1900 – 1901 – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid at Huntington, Rev. John T. Beckley
1901 - 1908 – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid at Huntington, Rev. Charles Eaton
1908 – 1909 – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid at Huntington, Rev. Henry Applegarth
1909 - 1925 – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid at E. 18th, Rev. W.W. Bustard
1925 – 1926 – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid at E. 18th, Rev. J.D. Freeman
1926 - ???? – Euclid Avenue Church – Euclid at E. 18th, Rev. John Snape
SECOND GERMAN CHURCH
From: Jubilee Edition of Waechter und Anzeiger Newspaper 1902
Exactly 25 years ago it was that a German Sunday School was established in the building of the publishing house of the German Baptists at the corner of Payne and Dayton Street. H. Schulte was one of the deacons and first Superintendent. Pastor E. Gruetzner, then preacher of the First Church, let the preaching, and after his departure so did his successor, Pastor J.H. Merkel, now preacher of the Erin Avenue Baptist congregation. Soon, Pastor Dr. J.C. Haselhuhn, then editor of the “Sendbote”, took over the leadership of the entire business. On December 9, 1883 a church was consecrated and stands at Case Avenue near Kelly Street. On June 17, 1884 the mission was organized as an autonomous congregation. Pastor D.C. Haselhuhn was elected preacher. He remained a member there until his death in May, 1893. In 1885 the congregation invited A.J. Ramacker to spend his summer at the church. Before the next summer the congregation had elected him as its preacher. He served from 1886 to 1889. He resigned to accept a call to the theological seminary of the German Baptists in Rochester, New York. Professor F.A. Licht was his successor and he served from December, 1889 to January 1894. He was followed by Pastor H. Hitzinger from June 1, 1894 to November 1, 1900. On April 1, 1901, the current preacher, Pastor Herm. von Berge, took office.
1884 - 1886 – Second German Church – Case and Kelley, Rev. J.C. Haselhuhn
1886 – 1889 – Second German Church – Case and Kelley, Rev. A.J. Ramacker
1889 - 1894 – Second German Church – Case and Kelley, Rev. F.A. Licht
1894 - 1900 – Second German Church – Case near Kelley, Rev. Henry Hitzinger
1900 - 1908 – Second German Church – E. 55th at White, Rev. Herman VonBerge
1913 - 1918 – Second German Church – E. 55th at White, Rev. David Hamel
1921 - 1924 – Second German Church – E. 55th at White, Rev. Otto Schroeder
1928 – Second German Church – E. 55th at White, Rev. Otto Krueger
SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH - Cleveland's first black Baptist church which was founded in 1851. Today this church is still located at 5500 Scovill.
1869- 1872 – Shiloh Baptist, Sterling Ave. near Scovill, Rev. A. Cunningham
1874 – Shiloh Baptist, Sterling and Scovill, Rev. G.A. Farrand
1877 -1879 – Shiloh Baptist, Sterling and Scovill, Rev. Alexander Cunningham
1883 – Shiloh Church, 409 Sterling Ave., Rev. Henry H. Williams
1887 – Shiloh Church, 409 Sterling Ave., Rev. J. P. Brown
1891 - 1894 – Shiloh Church – 409 Sterling Ave. Rev. W.R. Wilson
1898 - 1906 – Shiloh Church – 692 Sterling Ave., Rev. Edward Dandridge
1908 – Shiloh Church – 2314 E. 30th, Rev. B.J. Prince
1913 – Shiloh Church – 2344 E. 30th, Rev. Edw. Smith
1918 - 1921 – Shiloh Church – 2340 E. 30th, Rev. Charles G. Fishback
1924 – Shiloh Church – E. 55th at Scovill, Rev. Boston Prince
1928 – Shiloh Church – E. 55th at Scovill, Rev. A.L. Boone
ST. TIMOTHY BAPTIST CHURCH
7101 Carnegie
SUPERIOR STREET BAPTIST CHURCH
From: “History of Cuyahoga County” by Crisfield Johnson (1879):
This church grew out of what was known as the “Cottage Baptist Mission Sunday School.” The school was organized in 1852. In 1859, a chapel was erected and dedicated. From this time services were held there until September, 1869, when the chapel building was removed to the corner of Superior and Minnesota Streets. The church was organized on September 15, 1870 as “Cottage Baptist Church”. The name was changed to Superior Street Baptist Church in May, 1878.
1869 – Cottage Mission Chapel – Dodge and St. Clair Streets.
1870-1871 – Cottage Mission Chapel – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. E.A. Taft
1872 – Cottage Baptist Church – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. E.A. Taft
1874 - 1877 – Cottage Baptist – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. Gilbert H. Fredericks
1879 – Superior St. Baptist Church – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. G.H. Frederick
1883 – Superior St. Church – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. G.L. Stevens
1887 – Superior St. Church – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. George E. Stokes
1891 - 1894 – Superior St. Church – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. George L. Hart
1898 – Superior St. Church – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. Otheman Smith
1902 – Superior St. Church – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. Daniel Dunkin
1906 – Superior St. Church – Superior and Minnesota, Rev. William Lemon
1908 - 1921 – Superior Avenue Church – Superior at E. 25th, Rev. William Lemon
TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH
1869-1870 – Tabernacle Baptist Church – Scovill and Sterling Aves., Rev. T.L. Rogers
1871 – 1872 – Tabernacle Baptist Church – Scovill and Sterling Aves., Rev. A.H. State
1872 – 1874 – Tabernacle Baptist Church – Scovill and Sterling Ave., Rev. Frank Remington
1874 – 1878 – Tabernacle Baptist Church – Scovill and Sterling, Rev. B.F. Ashley
1878 – 1879 – Tabernacle Baptist Church – Scovill and Sterling, Rev. G.O. King
THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH
From: “History of Cuyahoga County” by Crisfield Johnson (1879):
On December 14, 1852, the Third Baptist Church was organized. Ground was broken for the church on August 28, 1855. The cornerstone was laid on September 24, 1855. In June, 1856, the church occupied the basement of the new structure and continued there until 1866, when the auditorium was completed. The building stands on the northeast corner of Clinton and State Streets.
1853 – 1854 – Third Baptist Church - Rev. N.S. Burton
1854 – 1859 – Third Baptist Church – Clinton and State Streets, Rev. S.B. Page
1859 – 1859 – Third Baptist Church – Clinton and State Streets, Rev. George Gates
1860 – 1863 – Third Baptist Church – Clinton and State Streets, Rev. William Cormac
1864 – 1868 – Third Baptist Church – Clinton and State Streets, Rev. A. Darrow
1868 - 1870 – Third Baptist Church – Clinton and State Streets, Rev. Marcus E. Hayne
1870 - 1874 – Third Baptist Church – Clinton and State Streets, Rev. W.F. Basten
1874 - 1879 – Third Baptist Church – Clinton and State Streets, Rev. J.H. Scott
1883 - 1887 – Third Church – Clinton and State, Rev. H. Brotherton
1891 - 1894 – Third Church – Clinton and State, Rev. Francis W. Cramer
1898 – Third Church – Clinton and State, Rev. Henry Madtes
1872 – 1874 – Third Baptist Mission – Dare and Bridge – Rev. W.F. Basten
1877 – Third Baptist Mission – Dare and Bridge, Supt. Andrew Cant
TREMONT CHURCH
1902 – Tremont Church – Tremont and College, Rev. Frederick Buermann
1906 – Tremont Church – Tremont and College, Rev. J.F. Gasser
1908 - 1913 – Tremont Church – Tremont and College, Rev. John Monsche
TRIEDSTONE CHURCH
1906 – Triedstone Church – 448 Broadway, Rev. William Wilson
1908 – Triedstone Church – 2200 Broadway, Rev. John Davison
1913 – Triedstone Church – 2618 E. 29th, Rev. J.R. Yewell
1918 – Triedstone Church – 2648 E. 29th, Rev. J.R. Watkins
1921 - 1928 – Triedstone Church – Scovill at E. 38th, Rev. J.R. Yewell
Triedstone Church is located at 3782 Community College Dr. today.
TRINITY
1877 – Trinity Baptist Church – 4th Ave. and Centre, Rev. F. Tolhurst
1879 - 1883 – Trinity Baptist Church – Fullerton near Broadway, Rev. F. Tolhurst
1887 - 1902 – Trinity Baptist Church – Fullerton near Broadway, Rev. H. Brotherton
1906 - 1908 – Trinity Baptist Church – Fullerton near Broadway, Rev. Llewellyn Brown
1913 - 1918 – Trinity Baptist Church – Fullerton near Broadway, Rev. Frank Houser
1921 – Trinity Baptist Church – Broadway at Fullerton, Rev. W.G. Evans
1924 – Trinity Baptist Church – Broadway at Fullerton, Rev. George Cole
UNION CHURCH
1921 - 1924 – Union Church – 2347 E. 36th, Rev. Edward Williams
WILLSON AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
1883 – Willson Avenue Church – Willson and Quincy, Rev. G.O. King
1887 – Willson Avenue Church – Willson and Quincy, Rev. George Craft
1891 - 1894 – Willson Avenue Church – Willson at Quincy, Rev. J.H. Hartman
1898 - 1906 – Willson Avenue Church – Willson at Quincy, Rev. James Cheney
1908 – Willson Avenue Church – E. 55th at Quincy, Rev. William Waldo
1913 - 1918 – Willson Avenue Church – E. 55th at Quincy, Rev. J.R. Lemon
ZION HILL
1921 - 1928 – Zion Hill – 2541 E. 37th, Rev. Charles Ailer
FREE WILL BAPTIST
1871 - 1872 – Free Will Baptist Church – Putnam and Scovill, Rev. A.K. Moulton
1874 – Free Will Baptist Church – Putnam and Scovill, Rev. O.D. Patch
DIVINE FREE WILL BAPTIST – W. 42ND AND ORCHARD
