Belpre, Ohio
There was no regular Methodist preaching in the Belpre area until 1820. Sparked by Daniel Goss and his wife, Lydia, a class was organized in the Little Hocking circuit and a log church built at the forks of the Little Hocking River. Methodism grew and in 1832, a church was built at Cedarville (now Rockland) and was included in a circuit called Belpre with several Sunday Schools and Mission Stations. Continued growth and the desire of the Belpre Village Methodists to have a church in their village 2-1/2 miles east of Cedarville brought about the formation of a new circuit composed of Cedarville, Belpre, and Centenary. Belpre Village and Centenary both built churches in 1867. A stained glass window in our present St. Mark's honors Rev. W. S. Benner who was instrumental in bringing about this change. A group of dedicated workers organized in 1865 calling themselves the "Mite Society". They planned many entertainments, socials, and a grand festival all producing funds for the desired church in the village:
A lot, corner of Main and Second Streets (now Washington Boulevard) was donated by the Hamilton Browning family for the site of the church The original donor list was not kept but pledges were generous. Fred and Mary Lewis gave $1,000 and in their honor the church was called Lewis Chapel. Many volunteered help. The stones for the foundation were cut and laid by L. J. Finch, Leander Cunningham, and Colbert O'Neal. The building of the church was largely the work of Calvin LeSeur, E. E. Cunningham and Colbert O'Neal. Carver Brown did the inside plastering.
Captain Josiah Henderson gave a bell costing $440, saying that no one need be ashamed of that bell. The hanging of the bell in the narrow steeple at the front of the church was quite an event. One small boy had heard the preacher say that the bell
when hung would call "Come to Church, Come to Church". The boy's patience was almost exhausted as he watched the heavy bell slowly lifted up and finally swung into place. To his great surprise, it rang just like any other bell. He was utterly disgusted with the whole event and especially with the preacher.