Chronological History

• 1800 - The population of Ohio was over 45,000.
• 1803 - Ohio was admitted to the Union.
• 1806 - Pastor Johannes Stauch made his first visits to Stark Conty.
• 1810 - The population of Ohio was 200,000.
• 1814 - The cornerstone of Zion was laid and a constitution adopted on June 14. The War of 1812 with Great Britain ended. Rev. Anthony Wayer, our first pastor, served for the next twelve years.
• 1820 - The population of Ohio was 581,434.
• 1821 - The first known records of Zion were made and are still in our files.
• 1825 - The Erie Canal opened.
• 1829 - The first railway was constructed.
• 1838 - The first log church was destroyed by fire.
• 1840 - A new church was built at the same location and dedicated. The 6th census recorded a U. S. population of 7,069,453. The population of Ohio was 1,500,000.
• 1857 - Zion, Hartville, Mudbrook and Canal Fulton joined to be served by the same pastor. The first Sunday School was organized by the Lutherans and the Reformed.
• 1860 - Abraham Lincoln was elected President.
• 1865 - President Lincoln died.
• 1870 - Goodrich began the manufacture of rubber goods.
• 1873 - George Harter graduated from Capital Seminary.
• 1881 - The Reformed congregation built a new church in the village.
• 1887 - During the pastorate of B. F. Schillinger, the use of the German language was curtailed, especially during hymn singing. This situation became a serious problem which was settled after ten years of dispute with the English usage finally prevailing.
• 1888 - Pastor's salary was raised to $225.00 for each of the four charges, totaling $900.00. yearly. Coal, wood, hay, grain and other necessities were to be furnished as needed.
• 1891 - The first Missionary Society organized.
• 1895 - The parish of four churches divided. Mudbrook and Canal Fulton joined, leaving Hartville and Zion to function together. Communion services changed from semi- annually to quarterly. During this period a parsonage was purchased in Hartville, where the pastors made their home until 1915.
• 1896 - William McKinley was elected President.
• 1900 - For the consideration of $1.00, a lot on West Maple Street in the village of New Berlin, now the city of North Canton, was deeded to the congregation by Mrs. Barbara Reemsnyder.
• 1904 - The cornerstone was laid and the new Zion Lutheran Church was dedicated.
• 1905 - Neighboring pastors and visitors participated in the dedicatory service on February 12.
• 1907 - Pastor William F. Wolfe brought new life and inspiration to the congregation and organized the Young People's Society.
• 1916 - Hartville affiliated with the United Lutheran Synod and by this move separated itself from the existing parish. Now Zion stood alone, with the debt of a new parsonage to shoulder as well as obligations incurred by the separation. This time proved to be one of the most difficult periods the congregation had ever experienced. Prohibition gained ground as 24 states vote against alcoholic beverages.
• 1917 - A new constitution was framed and adopted. Council agreed to permit our pastors to serve the church in Zoarville as a temporary arrangement.
• 1920 - A celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the Dedication of West Maple Street church was held on February 15. A reunion of all confirmation classed dating from 1905 was held. Electric lights replaced the gas lights. An organ fund was established. The Sunday School was re-organized and a governing board named. A Missionary society was organized according to Joint Synod plans.
• 1922 - The Loyal Daughters class was organized.
• 1929 - A new Schantz pipe organ was purchased. The choir loft was rebuilt and other improvements made.
• 1930 - The 25th Anniversary of the Dedication of the church was observed.
• 1935 - Sister Viola Newbauer entered deaconess training. President Roosevelt signed the U. S. Social Security Act.
• 1936 - The organ debt retired. This item is worthy of mention as the congregation, along with its individual members, was experiencing the results of the national depression. A building program was proposed, but was tabled because of poor financial conditions prevalent everywhere. The Luther League placed directional signs throughout town. Hymnals of the American Lutheran Church were purchased.
• 1937 - The first Mother-Daughter banquet was held.
• 1942 - First steps were taken to launch a building fund drive.
• 1945 - The first Vacation Bible School was conducted. V.E. day was observed with a service of thanksgiving at our church. Building plans were considered and another fund drive conducted. Three men of Zion lost their lives in World War II. The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and Japan surrendered shortly thereafter.
• 1946 - Pastor's salary was raised to $2,100.00. $12,700.00 flowed through the church treasury.
• 1948 - The budget was increased by $1,069.00 and the parsonage debt was retired.
• 1949 - The Constitution was revised. A house at 210 North Wise Street was purchased for the pastor and the former parsonage was adapted for Sunday School use. The nursery opened in the annex (former parsonage).
• 1950 - The Lutheran Women's League was formed. Mrs. Florence Carlson Shuck was commissioned a parish worker.
• 1952 - Acolyte service was instituted, the Alter Guild was organized, and Boy and Girl Scout troops were sponsored. The first Evangelism Committee was appointed. The Lutheran Standard was mailed to each home, with the cost covered by the budget. Two worship services were begun. The church was valued at $96,000, and insurance was $369.99 per year, a far cry from the $1.05 paid a century earlier.
• 1954 - The Leisters, our church sponsored refugee family, arrived. We purchased a new building site of 9+ acres on Lindy Lane and Portage for $30,000.00. Rollin, Richard and Robert Reiss were ordained on June 13.
• 1958 - New service books were in use following Synodical merger. A new parsonage was dedicated.
• 1959 - The groundbreaking ceremony for the new building was June 28th. The Wise Street parsonage was sold for $11,000.00.
• 1960 - The church and annex were sold to the United Presbyterians for $35,000.00. A weekly publications, containing congregational news and schedules of coming events was sent to each home in the parish. At the time the membership was 600 baptized, 395 confirmed, 3,209 families.
• 1961 - A new outdoor bulletin board was erected. The constitution was revised. Junior Lutherans (formerly Junior Mission Bank) was organized.
• 1964 - Pastor Ruth broadcast on WHBC each noonday. A three-year plan of confirmation was adopted.
• 1965 - An open house for the new St. Luke's Home was held on May 16. Groundbreaking for Youth Hall was on July 18.
• 1966 - Beginning September 25, Pastor's Sunday sermons were taped and broadcast over WTOF-FM. After 44 ½ years the Loyal Daughters' class disbanded.
• 1967 - A Parish Education committee formed. Assistant Pastor Hasselbach was installed August 27 at St. Luke's Home. Over the 10 years of Pastor Ruth's ministry the baptized membership increased from 486 to 857.
• 1969 - Feb. 23 marked the first reenactment of the Passover Meal by the Luther League. The first Easter breakfast was served following a 6:30 a.m. service. The 7th Street parsonage was sold. High School graduates were honored at the early church service. A youth choir, grades 1-3, was started. Kenneth Roberts was ordained June 29.
• 1970 - Feb. 22, Missionary Freyberg and family came to meet us. We burned the church mortgage. The population of Ohio was 10,652,017.
• 1971 - We supported a second missionary couple, Mr. and Mrs. William Brown, who served in Ethiopia. A couples organization formed. We loaned Redeemer Lutheran Church of Brookpart $45,000. Membership was 696 confirmed, 567 voting, and 328 families.
• 1976 - Services for the shut-ins were taped. North Canton celebrated its Bicentennial Year. A community religious service was held on July 4th at the stadium. Vicar David Stickly arrived as our new intern. Dane Meuschke was ordained on July 11.
• 1977 - On Jan. 30 services were cancelled due to weather conditions for the first time ever.
• 1979 - May 27 was the groundbreaking for the addition of Memorial Hall, a new kitchen, and the following structural improvements: air conditioning in the sanctuary, office remodeling, new entrances from the west side and Portage street and enlarged parking lots.
• 1980 - The congregation decided to call an assistant Pastor. Zion's Blood Bank was established. November 23 marked the dedication of the flag pole in memory of Mark Peterson (Vietnam MIA). Tom Gopp, son of Christine and Earl, was ordained on June 29.
• 1981 - Membership was 1603 baptized, 867 confirmed, 668 voting and 387 families.
• 1982 - A new youth group was organized for 5-7th graders. A Sunday School recognition dinner was served on March 28. Missionaries Michael and Joanne Shelley visited Zion. When John and Faye Jaeger retired their mission post, Zion assumed the missionary sponsorship of Donald and Charlotte Brink.
• 1894 - Zion won the first Annual conference bible Bowl.
• 1986 - Missionaries Mike and Joanne Shelley were quests at both services. We burned the mortgage in September.