North Lewisburg in Champaign County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Friends Church
⎯⎯⎯
Friends Cemetery
Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, July 26, 2015
1. Friends Church Marker
close up, showing text; Side A
Among the earliest settlers to Rush Township were members of the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers, who emigrated from the eastern states, mostly Pennsylvania and North Carolina. At first religious services were held in the homes of devout Quakers who in turn built a small-framed meeting house on this site in 1842. The present Friends Church replaced the original structure in the 1870s at a cost of $4,245. Although not a stop on the Underground Railroad, the church supported local ardent Abolitionists who helped runaway slaves reach freedom in Canada. An epidemic during the winter of 1850-1851 reduced the Friends' membership and led to several Quaker families relocating to Iowa. The final religious service was held here on October 26, 1997, after which the church was donated to the village of North Lewisburg.
this page online
Erected 2005 by Village of North Lewisburg Friends of North Lewisburg Branch of Champaign County Library Champaign County Bicentennial Historical Marker Committee The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 20-11.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection, and the Quakerism series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1749.
Location. 40° 13.663′ N, 83° 33.535′ W. Marker is in North Lewisburg, Ohio, in Champaign County. It is on W, Elm Street (County Route 111) near Winder St, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 191 W Elm St, North Lewisburg OH 43060, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Till Plains. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: North Lewisburg (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Roll of Honor
Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, July 26, 2015
2. Friends Church Marker
close up, showing text; Side B
Additional commentary.
1. The Friends Cemetery
I wanted to add that my 3rd great-grandfather, Harmon Limes, is buried at the Friends Cemetery.
— Submitted August 23, 2017, by Linda Ellis of Lyndhurst, Ohio.
Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, July 26, 2015
3. Friends Church Marker
full view of marker
Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, July 26, 2015
4. Friends Church Marker
marker can be seen at a distance
Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, July 26, 2015
5. Friends Church Marker
the Church building, now used as the village library
Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, July 26, 2015
6. Friends Church Marker
the cemetery, now well kept, by the Village
Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, July 26, 2015
7. Friends Church Marker
sign designating the old Church as the Village Library
Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2015, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,029 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 26, 2015, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
