Going to Church in Brunswick

Early religious services in Brunswick/Liverpool were non-sectarian and took place in a settler's home. There were Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and Methodists living in the two towns. When meeting was held in Liverpool it was often at the Warner's home. William Warner was Episcopalian and led the meetings there. When meeting was held in Brunswick it might be led by a Congregationalist or Methodist. These early meetings were described by an early settler who attended them.

Generally the small family dwelling was filled with those who revered the Sabbath and church duties. The exercises commenced with singing, in which all took part and were able to keep time and sing in unison without the aid of organ or other musical instrument. After singing, a devout and fervent prayer was offered and then the sermon was read, one or more exhorted and the meeting closed by singing. Many of those who witnessed those religious exercises in the then wilderness cannot have forgotten the zeal, the good feeling and the unaffected solemnity that was apparent. (Upton, 380)

A Methodist Church was established in 1817 as part of a circuit. The first minister was the Reverend Jacob Ward who moved out to Brunswick from Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The thirteen founders of the Methodist Church included Samuel and Sarah Tillotson. In his early years in Ohio Rev. Ward rode a wide circuit and often had to sleep in the woods on his long journeys. He said of these journeys, "The roads were blazed paths and the streams without bridges. This was when the wolves, bears and rattlesnakes were dangerous." The first church building was the old log school house located about a quarter of a mile west of Brunswick center. About 1826 a white clapboard church building was constructed. This building had a cupola on the sloped roof which housed a church bell and was topped by a spire and weathervance. This was probably the church in which Jane Tillotson was baptized and which she attended when she mentions going to meeting at the center. The first trustees of this church building included several Hulets, a Stowe, a Bennett, Correll Deming - mentioned in Jane's diary, and Darius Francis - probably the father of her first husband, Daniel Francis.

Jane also mentions going to meeting at Beebetown. This was a Baptist Church which was organized in 1826 and in 1834 a committee was appointed to provide a meetinghouse. The first building was a two story log structure which began use in 1834, the year Jane was born. It was replaced in 1852 by a frame building which was used for 54 years and was undoubtedly the church mentioned by Jane. Why Jane sometimes attended the Methodist Church and other times attended the Baptist Church is not known. She seems to have enjoyed the singing at Beebetown. Was Beebetown named after the Rev. Beebe?

Jane did not attend church every week. During the nine months covered in the 1858 diary she only attended church on sixteen Sundays and did not go on twenty-five Sundays. In 1861 she attended church on nineteen Sundays and did not go on 24 Sundays. There were various reasons why she didn't go many Sundays. Sometimes she was visiting and away from home. Sometimes life was busy with visitors or taking care of sick relatives. Sometimes the weather was bad, either too rainy, snowy, or just too hot. Jane does not give any direct indication in her diary of her feelings about religion. She does not seem to be anti-church and on one occasion while visiting family in Nelson, Ohio laments, "Oh, how I wish I could go to church." She did not get to church often when visiting in Nelson although she does a couple of times in 1858. Jane is rather eclectic in her religious experiences, attending on different occasions both a Methodist and Baptist church, attending camp meetings, and attending Wednesday evening programs at Shiloh. Other members of her circle of family and friends seem to be just as eclectic. She seems to have particularly enjoyed singing in church.

In addition to morning services there were early evening services at 4 or 7 o'clock. On occasion Jane went to both. Sometimes she went to the later service when she couldn't get to the morning service.

Church was just one part of Sunday activities. Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest and Jane's diary shows she and her family conformed with this practice. Visiting or having visitors were by far the most frequent activities and occured virtually every Sunday. She would often attend a sing somewhere. Less often she would attend a lecture or other program at a school. Sometimes she would write a letter or read if things were quiet.

What were the Wednesday evening meetings at Shiloh?

August was camp meeting time. In both 1858 and 1861 she mentions the camp meetings but does not say much about the religious aspects of them. On August 29, 1858 she simply remarks, "Have been to camp meeting. See lots of folks. Lottie Stow came home with us. Nellie and Miles was here to tea. Rains yet." Two days later she reported, "Father and I have been to camp meeting to carry Lottie back. Left Lib at home to cook for Pete. Sadie has been here." The camp meeting seems to be more of a social event for her. In 1861 she had not been feeling well and apparently missed the camp meeting. On Friday, August 23 she helped her friend Nett get ready to go to the meeting and the next day Nett and William went to the meeting while Jane stayed home with Mrs. Goodrich visiting, perhaps helping her since she had not been well. On Sunday, Jane noted that everyone but her went to the camp meeting. She was not able to go, perhaps not feeling well enough.

The diary evidence would seem to indicate that Jane was not an especially religious person but one who attended church several times a month, usually, for the social contact it offered and perhaps as another opportunity to sing.

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