Civil War Divisions Hit Home at Bunker Hill Church (1860-1865)

Civil War Divisions Hit Home at Bunker Hill Church (1860-1865). "To Maintain the Constitution as it is, and to restore the Union as it was.". , During the American Civil War, this was the motto of the Peace Democrats, also known as "Copperheads". Butler County was home to a large Copperhead faction during the war years. The Copperheads were led by Ohio Senator Clement Vallandigham and generally opposed the Civil War, the military draft, and abolition of slavery. They preferred a negotiated settlement, even if it meant leaving slavery intact. By 1863, Vallandigham was arrested, convicted of disloyalty to the Union, and exiled to the Confederacy. The senator's support grew rapidly during this time., In July of 1863, John Cregmile, a founding member of Bunker Hill Universalist Church, formerly located here, joined a group of local Copperheads to form the Butler County Mutual Protection Company. The church did not approve of Cregmile's participation in the group. Universalists were generally progressive in their beliefs and favored causes like women's rights, abolition, and ending capital punishment. Most of the church's 134 members sided with the Union, and the resulting religious and political pressure convinced Cregmile to leave the Company., Not all church members were persuaded to join the Union cause. Copperhead John G. Agnew left the church in 1863 saying "I feel the course I am and have been pursuing does not comport with the Christian character. Nor do I think that I can be better while this war lasts. I do not wish to be a reproach against the church." At least one church member, Jonathan Bressler, fought for the Confederacy. His remains are interred here at Bunker Hill Cemetery. Jonathan's brother Mathias and family member John Bressler fought for the Union. John Bressler was killed in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in 1864., 1854 Bunker Hill Universalist Society "fellowshiped" , 1856 Church building completed , 1860 Elders questioned a member believed to be "under the influence of uncontrolled passion" after he threatened to burn a neighbor's building , 1861 John M. Bressler joins the 26th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, also known as the Groundhog Regiment , Mexican War veteran john Simpson (buried here) dies at age 31 , 1863 Jefferson E. Trembley (buried here) of the 68th Indiana Infantry dies after sustaining a wound in the battle of Chickamauga , 1864 John M. Bressler dies at the battle of Kennesaw Mountain , 1884 Assistant Sunday School Superintendent resigned because he allowed dancing in his home , 1887 Bunker Hill Sunday School was the first in the area to have a Christmas tree , 1895 Church drops out of active membership in the Universalist Society and temporarily closes , 1900 Church readmitted to active membership and reopens , 1902 First motion picture in western Butler County shown here , 1912 Church closes , 1924 Church building destroyed by fire