(Editor’s note: The history of Tontogany Presbyterian Church was compiled in celebration of the 150th
anniversary of the church’s founding. This story features some of the highlights.)
TONTOGANY – What is now known as Tontogany Presbyterian Church was originally commissioned as First
Presbyterian Church of Tontogany. It began as a mission church after some members petitioned Plain
Congregational Church in Bowling Green to begin a new Presbyterian Church in Tontogany.
The new church was established on Sept. 4, 1861. The sanctuary was built in 1861 at a cost of $1,600.
Plain Church has been known locally as the "Mother of Churches." The "mother church"
was founded in 1835 and organized as a Congregational Church. It joined the Maumee Presbytery under a
plan of union that filled the needs of the times.
Under the plan, each church chose its own government. Settlers from Connecticut, descendents of the
Pilgrims were likely to be Congregationalists. Settlers from Pennsylvania and Virginia, of Puritan
stock, were likely to be Presbyterians. This explains why the Tontogany Church, being Presbyterian,
could be founded by a Congregational group. Six Presbyterian churches in Wood County were founded by
members of Plain Congregational church.
In July 1861, the original 15-20 founders petitioned and were granted dismissal from Plain to form the
church in or nearer to their place of residence, Tontogany.
The founders began this as then president Abraham Lincoln was dealing with the outbreak of the Civil War.
In August the notice was made public, they would meet in Tontogany on Sept.4 as Presbyterians.
Though likely many occurred prior, the first record of baptisms was made in 1928. A baptismal font was
dedicated in 1952 as 28 were baptized that day. Since the 1928 records began, more than 280 babies,
children and adults have been baptized in Tontogany Presbyterian Church.
Since the first pastor, Perry C. Baldwin who served from 1861-66, a total of 34 pastors have served the
church.
In an effort to provide for housing for the pastors, a manse was built in 1894 at a cost of $900. Some
pastors were known as "supply" pastors, meaning they likely did not live in the manse, and
were either part-time, or yoked with another congregation. Of those pastors, the longest serving was
Rick A. Hoff, who served for more than 34 years, beginning in 1975 until his retirement in 2010. Until
Hoff’s term, 32 pastors had served in the first 114 years with an average service of 3.5 years.
The records indicate there have been 129 elders who have served the congregation over the years, with
many of them serving several terms. Frank Sutton had the distinction of serving as an elder for 50
years, the longest term to date, though some current members are approaching the milestone.
A long list of people have taught Sunday School, Bible School and other church classes. Others have
provided service with music over the years.
The sanctuary of the church has always carried the heart of congregational life. In the early days, it
took two stoves to heat the church, one on the east side and the other on the west. After the big
"push up" in 1914, stairways had to be put in and the chimneys had to go. A new, large chimney
was built in the center of the front wall and a furnace installed. The same wainscoting is on the walls
now that was there then. Kerosene lamps were once fastened to the walls to light the church.
In 1914, the "push up" involved putting a basement under the building, no small undertaking for
modern technology, let alone to be done with limited equipment and true "horse" power.
In 1963 the current educational wing was completed and dedicated at a cost of $32,000. This addition
provided the church with its first indoor restrooms.
On May 10, 2000, a violent hail storm swept through Tontogany, causing damage to all the siding and
windows on the west side of buildings. The stained glass windows were badly damaged. The congregation
just showed up that evening to board up the windows, and later picking up scraps of the stained glass,
and the carpet and seats were swept and swept again. The missing parts of the stained glass windows were
repaired and redone. From the broken scraps of glass, glass artist, Amy Jeffers designed and created the
lighted stained glass transom window above the vestibule doorway.
From the beginning the congregation of both men and women have taken an active role alongside the
pastors, in providing leadership and guidance for the church.
Many memorial gifts have been given to the church in memory or in honor of past members.
It is the efforts of all these men and women in their gifts, material, spiritual and of their time and
energies which have carried this Presbyterian church forward for 150 years.
