Belpre, Ohio
The first settlers of Belpre were nearly all from New England and most of the men were Revolutionary soldiers building of homes, preparing the fields for planting, while ever guarding against Indian attacks. The majority of the pioneers were not church members, but all had positive religious convictions and favored the establishment of churches.
A stockade built for protecting the settlers from the Indians was called Farmers' Castle. In the plan of this enclosure, Colonel Battelle's family lived in a large blockhouse in the northeast corner. In the lower room of this building, Col. Battelle held church services each Sunday. The young son of the family would march the length of the garrison, beating his drum, calling the people to worship. Col. Battelle would officiate as chaplain, either delivering a sermon of his own or reading a published one and sometimes calling on the settlers present. Thus was the Sabbath honored and respected by the settlers.
When the Greenville Treaty ended the bitter fighting and settlers could plant their crops and move about in more safety, a group of men formed a committee to collect subscriptions toward the building of a church. They were so successful that they obtained enough to build the church and maintain it for some time. Though these men were Congregationalists, all faiths attended the services. A descendant described a typical Sunday: "An oxcart brought the family to the log building located on a bluff by the Ohio River, surrounded by cedar trees, where Cedarville Cemetery had already been located. Aboard the cart could be found a keg of water, basket of lunch, hay for the oxen, and the mother and children. The father walked alongside, musket over his shoulder, ready to protect his family. Singing, prayer, and a long sermon filled the morning. After lunch the program was repeated with the addition of catechism recitation. The log church and now many of the graves have been lost to erosion and floods.
Bishop Asbury in 1810 preached at a camp meeting near Parkersburg and came across the Ohio River for a service which was held in a school house on the bluff across from Blennerhassett Island. For the next few years, until 1820 itinerant
preachers and circuit riders provided services held
in different locations.