Dudley & Universalist Church (ca 1910)

Dudley Universalist Church

Dudley, Ohio
(Olive Township | Noble County)

The belief in the ultimate harmony with God for all (Universalism) arrived in Southeastern Ohio at the turn of the 19th century with the arrival of settlers, many of whom migrated from New England, the stronghold of Universalism. The first Universalist Church in Ohio was organized at Belpre in 1823; however, Universalist had been worshipping together in Marietta from at least 2017. Universalism spread fairly quickly after that into the region that was to become Noble County.

By the 1850 Universalism was being preached throughout the Olive Township. Robinson in The Universalist in Ohio mentions a society in Olive that became part of the Washington Association) in 1846.¹ In 1840, Joseph Clark, a converted Baptist began preaching regularly at a brush arbor on Daniel Tuttle’s farm. Robinson might be referencing that gathering of Universalist.² Three of the earliest Universalist in Olive Township were Captain Simeon Blake (1812), Sherebiah Clark (1818) and David Radcliff (1813). It is claimed that by the time the railroad arrived in the township (1871), a goodly number of residents in the southern half of the township were Universalists.

In 1877 it was deemed that there were a sufficient number of Universalist to organize a Society, which happened in 1877 (the same year Dudley was platted) The following year a church was erected, one of the earliest buildings in Dudley. The 30 x 40 frame church was dedicated on August 25 of the same year (Washington Association). The church remained active through the turn of the century, but in a few years, with a significantly declined membership, by 1905 or so, the church had become a community church with irregular services.

After owning the building for several years, the Olive Township Trustees sold the church to the Crum andDoudna families whose forbearers were closely connected with Duck Creek Valley and the Universalist Church. While owned by the township, the building served as a polling place.

One of those first members was James S. Warren, Jr., the compiler of Warren’s Minstrel, a book of several worship songs that reflected a Universalist coloring. Although several of the folk-hymns included made their way into hymnbooks of other denominations, those who were not of Universalist persuasion shunned using the minstrel. It did however, appear to been widely used among Universalist Churches in southeastern Ohio.³ As a side note, James and his brother, who also contributed songs to the minstrel, physically assisted with the construction of the church.

The only recorded long-time Dudley minister is the Rev. J. W. McMasters, a prominent Universalist minister who was noted for his defense of Christian Universalism, who served the church in the late 50s and early 60s.

According to a listing of Olive Township churches, it appears that the Universalist Church was the first, and for a significant time, the only church in Dudley. Many of the early settlers of Olive Township were Universalists notably Gilman Dudley, John Allen, Israel Blake, Aurelius Clark, Joseph Clark, Daniel Tuttle and David Radcliff. The Radcliff and Tuttle families was instrumental in the establishment of the church. William Cunningham, Alden Tilton, William Spear, Moses Blake, J.L. Rowlands, Ansel Blake, James Ogle, James Warren, and David H. Radcliff.

Early members were Early prominent members and contributors included William Cunningham, Alden Tilton, William Spear, Moses Blake, J.L. Rowlands, Ansel Blake, James Ogle, James Warren, and David H. Radcliff.

In addition to Clark and McMasters, the only other minister that appears in the records is John D. McCord. McCord began preaching in 1892, although no date is given for when he preached at Dudley.

One of the earliest Universalist ministers in the area was Joel Tuttle, Daniel Tuttle’s brother and uncle of James Warren. There is however, no record of him preaching in his brother’s arbor. Joel was ordained by the Washington Association in 1933, and seems have spent most of his time preaching in nearby Fearing Township (Washington County).

The Universalist Church building as it is today.
Just to the east of Ohio 821, 18305 Dudley Rd.
Image courtesy of Karl Scheich

Notes:

1. Robinson, p.156.
2. Watkins. p.333.
3. Brasher. P. 32.

Resources & Bibliography:

- Brasher, J. Lawrence, “James Sullivan Warren Jr. 1829-1905: The Flowering of A Northern Folk Hymn Tradition,” (1980). A monograph included in the Warren Family History. Download.
- Martin, Frank A. (ed), The County of Noble (1904)Download.
- Robinson, Elmo Arnold, The Universalism in Ohio (1923), Ohio Universalist Association Download.
- Scheich, Karl. Provided information about building use. - (Watkins) History of Noble County Ohio (1887). [Olive Township p. 314 ff] Extract.
- Wells, Scott, “Universalism in Shape Notes” (2005), Blog.

Images
Background & Feature ca. 1910 Postcard photo, courtesy of Kimbolton Ohio History | Facebook.
Contemporary Photo: Courtesy of Karl Scheich, Caldwell, Ohio. Karl also supplied additional info about the building.

Posted: 08.01.26
Frank A. Mills
Sheffield Lake, OH

[Church history may be updated as new information comes to light.]

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