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Rev. Rogelio Canales and the Boyces My Dad didn’t like Rev. Canales. I think it was because his car was always breaking down and my mother would ask my Dad to take him back to the Circleville Bible College (now Ohio Christian University). One snowy morning his car didn’t work so he walked from Circleville to Williamsport to pastor the church. Though my Dad put on a good front, he was overheard telling someone that Rev. Canales had cared enough about the church to walk ten or eleven miles in the snow to be there. Obviously, he respected him for that. When Rev. Canales graduated from the Bible College he returned to Laredo, Texas to pastor there. His successors were Revs. Robert and Marjorie Boyce. They were both excellent ministers. Rev. Boyce was a steady and laid-back person who held everything together and his wife was probably the better preacher of the two. They were both self-sacrificing and wonderful Christians. While they were at the church, I learned a lot. I was the Sunday School secretary and ordered all of the material. One day when I was separating Sunday School papers, one of the Bible verses stood out to me. It was, “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve”. I felt that God was speaking to me about my future. Because of that, I believed that God was calling me to go to the Circleville Bible College to prepare for some kind of ministry. The fact is, I could never have gone to the Circleville Bible College without the Boyces. They were my mentors. I worked at General Electric the summer after high school and saved my money so I could go. After I applied, Mrs. Boyce took me to matriculate and even took a class there during my Freshman year. Classes were from seven o’clock to noon. I rode there with Juanita Hansen and Mrs. Akers every morning. They worked at General Electric which was next door to the Bible College. They dropped me off then went on to work. I babysat Ricky, Jackie. and Pattie Hooks in the afternoons so I would have money to pay for my ride. And as an aside, Rev. Canales and the Boyces stayed in touch with me as long as they were alive. Sometimes God rewards people here on earth for the good things they do. Years later, after Rev. Boyce died, the man he had worked for in later years passed away and left Mrs. Boyce $250,000. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! ©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2021 Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck
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Williamsport’s Churches Williamsport has always had three wonderful churches, the Methodist, the Christian and Pilgrim Holiness (all three with different names today). Though I went to the Christian Church, many of my school friends attended the Methodist Church. Consequently, I was often invited to their events. I went to Vacation Bible School (VBS) there when I was a teenager and later taught there for VBS. I liked the diversity of things. I learned the hymn, “There is a Green Hill” and loved it and do to this day. Over the years, they invited me to various activities. I was invited to speak at the World Day of Prayer when I was in college and years later was asked to present our missionary program. The Pilgrim Holiness (I don’t know their present name) hosted us for a sumptuous meal after my mother was buried in Springlawn Cemetery in 2005. If you want these small churches to stay open, it would be to yours, and the town’s advantage to attend one of them. The first photo is of Rev. Donald Humble and Sylvia Wilkey. It was taken before the church was renovated around 1960. Note the Warm Morning Stove and theater seats. The second photo is of a painting by Rev. Kiplinger after he conducted a fruitful revival in the late 1950s I found a Brief History of the Christian Church/Church of Christ in Christian Union, 213 South Water Street, Williamsport, Ohio 43164 in my mother’s papers. The information was provided by Sylvia Wilkey and compiled by Rev. Norval and Shirley Shepard for the Golden Anniversary Observance of the church building which was dedicated on September 2, 1923 and celebrated in September 1973. I had never seen it before but because the church played such an important role in my life, I want to record it here. If you have an interest, please continue reading. A Brief History of the Christian/Church of Christ in Christian Union “The Christian Church Society is one of the oldest in the State, having been organized almost 12 years before the village of Williamsport was platted. In the year 1803, according to a former writer of local history, Capt. W. B. Davis, Elder Barton, W. Stone arrived here. He had assisted in a great revival in another state and upon his arrival here began holding classes & meetings at the George Alkire residence. His following became so large that an organization was formed in 1804. It was not until 1810, that a building was erected where the society could meet. This was a small log house and was built where the Tipton residence now stands. The organization outgrew this building and another one was built in the northern part of the Christian cemetery just north of the first building. Still another building was necessary to accommodate the increasing membership and in 1848, a frame structure, 30 x 50 feet was built and was dedicated by Elder Isaac N. Walter. At this time, this church building was considered the finest in the community. At times, the seating capacity in this larger structure was insufficient for the great numbers, so large logs were placed in rows and on them were laid boards for seats; here the people would sit in the open air before the church. To protect them from the sun, a shelter of boughs was erected. Across the forked ends of poles dug in the ground other long poles were laid and over the framework were replaced cedar boughs. In 1869, there was need for more expansion, and the building was erected on land donated by E. S. Davis and located on the site of the present church in what was then the southern part of town. The church was dedicated in April 1870, by Elder N. Summerbell of Cincinnati, Ohio. On January 4, 1920, the church was destroyed by fire of an unknown origin. Three years later on Sept. 2, 1923, the present church was dedicated by Dr. J. F. Burnett of Dayton, Ohio, Rev. Henry Crampton of Mt. Sterling and Harvey Alkire of Mt. Sterling. Rev. W. L. Lundy of Anderson, Ind., former pastor, was present. Erection of the new building was due largely to the efforts of Mr. Asa Tharp, a Civil War veteran. On September 30, 1932, the church withdrew from the conference when the Congregational and Christian Churches merged and this remained the Christian Church. In 1962, the membership of the church voted to become “Church of Christ in Christian Union”, which has its headquarters in Circleville, Ohio. It was accepted in the Council August 15, under the pastorate of Rev. Donald Humble.” ©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2021 Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck My Sister Betty I haven’t written much about Betty because when we were young, we were always together. Wherever I was, she was there too. We were very much alike but when we became teenagers, we pursued our own interests. She did her thing, and I did mine. However, we were still two peas in a pod. Wherever I was, she supported me in my endeavors. She wrote to me in Brazil and sent care packages. She did a lot of cooking, sewing and crocheting. I still have articles in my home that she made. She worked at Orient Correctional Institute for many years and along with my other siblings, took care of my parents. That was no small feat. One time when I was visiting, she said, “Marilyn, sit down, I have something to tell you. I have met someone. I am going to get married to Gary Burggraf.” I was happy to know that she had someone to share her life with. She continued to look after my mother for many years. I believe that she will have a great reward in heaven for all of her sacrifices. ©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2021 Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck My Sister Jean and Cleveland Wilson Thomas I cannot write an article about my sister Jean that is better than the following obituary for her husband Cleveland “Wilson” Thomas except to say that my sister Jean knew Wilson from earlier days. Sometime after the tragic death of husband, Harry Davidson, she came into contact with Wilson again. He was in the Army in Germany at the time. I don’t know if she wrote to him but when he came home, they renewed their acquaintance and married. Wilson worked for the McFarland family of Circleville after he came home. His daughter Lisa and I were both present when he became a Christian. I had nothing but respect for Wilson and the beautiful family that he reared, five girls plus Jean’s son Jeff. He was gone too soon at the age of 51 on December 10, 1979. Jean continued to live in, and later south of Williamsport until she passed away on August 17, 2017 just five days before she would have turned 84. She is buried in Springlawn Cemetery. From the newspaper obituary for Cleveland Wilson Thomas “Born June 10, 1928 in Culloden County, West Virginia, Cleveland Wilson Thomas was the son of James Ballard and Sarah Ellen Meadows Thomas of Hurricane, West Virginia. He was a veteran of the Korean War, a Sergeant in the Army. He served as Commander of American Legion Post 618, member and chairman of the Disaster Committee of the Williamsport Fire Dept, president of the Williamsport Town Council, and served as Mayor of Williamsport. He was a construction worker and crane operator and a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers. As a crane operator, he worked in the construction of the Alum Creek Dam and the Deer Creek Dam. Wilson was husband to Evelyn Jean (Francis) Thomas for 25 years. He raised a stepson Jeffery Alan Davidson, and five daughters, Sue Ann, Wilma Jean, Ellen Maria, Bonita Joann, and Lisa Ann Thomas. He is also survived by son Georg Thomas Marcum.” ©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2021 Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck |
Marilyn Francis FergusonGrowing up in Williamsport, Ohio is a blog by Marilyn Francis Ferguson which describes small town life in the 1940s and 1950s. Blog Categories
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