Presbyterians, a Protestant Christian religious denomination, arrived in the Northwest Territory by the late 1700s. By 1803, they were one of the largest religious denominations in Ohio. While the Presbyterians were scattered throughout Ohio, they were strongest among New England settlers in the Connecticut Western Reserve and among Scots-Irish people who settled in southern and eastern Ohio. In the Western Reserve, the Presbyterians formed a Plan of Union with the Congregationalists. Due to the small number of church buildings, ministers, and schools in the region, these two groups shared their resources. By the 1820s, Columbus, Cincinnati, Marietta and most of the other towns in Ohio had Presbyterian churches. Beginning in the 1830s, the Presbyterian Church divided over the issue of slavery with Northern and Southern branches, both present in Ohio through the Civil War. The church established Oberlin College in 1833.
Below are lists of select archival and library materials related to the Presbyterian Church, available for research at the Ohio History Connection Archives & Library. Review the catalog links below, or explore our Online Collections Catalog using a specific church name or related search terms for more information [example search terms: "Presbyterians", "Presbyterianism", "Presbyterian Church -- Ohio", "Presbyterians in Ohio"].
Crestview Presbyterian Church, 1990. [VFM 5795]
Edward R. Tucker Papers. 1838-1865 [MSS 122]
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Collection, 1932. [VFM 3476]
Names of members of First Presbyterian Church, 1869. [VFM 2522]
Central Presbyterian Church (Columbus, Ohio) Records. 1839-1933 [MSS 701]
Church records, 1825-1867. [VOL 881-882]
Pastor's register, 1868-1889. [VOL 556]
Record book, 1830-1888. [VOL 625]
Union Meeting House (Clermont County). 1822-1855 [VOL 1459]
Unity Presbyterian Church (Perry County, Ohio) Records. 1816-1924 [MIC 159]
History of the Bethel Presbyterian Church, 1821-1921 [285.177163 C829h]
"Our creative years;" a history of the Sugar Creek United Presbyterian Church, Dayton, Ohio, 1784-1954.[285.177173 B483o]
A history of the First Presbyterian Church of Chillicothe, O. [285.1 B484]
The bicentennial history of New Lisbon Presbyterian Church [285.177163 C676b 2007]
History of Marion Presbytery : its churches, elders, ministers, missionary societies, etc. [285.1 C864h]
History of the First Presbyterian Church, Bucyrus, Ohio, 1828-1933. [285.177127 B858h]
History of the first one hundred and fifty years : First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster, Ohio [285.177158 L221h]
A sesquicentennial history of the Westminster United Presbyterian Church of Piqua, Ohio : 1812-1962 [285.1771481 H553s]
History, First United Presbyterian Church, Barberton, Ohio, 1892-1967. [285.177136 H629 1967]
History of First Presbyterian Church, Niles, Ohio : one hundredth anniversary. [977.139 H629]
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Pulpit [285.505 As78]
Central Christian herald. [PA Box 329 30]
The Christian press. [XL 285.17305 C465]
The Cincinnati observer. [XL 051 W29]
Herald and Presbyter. [285.17305 H412]
Presbyter (Cincinnati, Ohio). [285.17305 P92]
Presbyterian of the West. [XL 285.17305 P92]
The Religious examiner. [Vault 285.605 R279]
The United Presbyterian and evangelical guardian. [285.605 Un3p]
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