Religion

Ohioans have always been a very religious people. In the prehistoric period, Ohio's native people constructed earthworks. Both modern-day scholars and American Indians contend that these mounds, in all likelihood, held some religious meaning to their builders. Among the first whites in what would become Ohio were Moravian missionaries, who sought to convert the Delaware Indians to Christianity. As white settlers moved into the area in the late eighteenth and the early nineteenth centuries, they quickly established churches. Most early Ohioans favored the Presbyterian Church and the Methodist Church, but soon every major Christian denomination existed in the state. During the twentieth century, Ohio's religious pluralism only increased, as numerous non-Christian faiths arrived in Ohio. Ohioans' religious beliefs also have influenced politics, including in the early twenty-first century, when Ohio voters amended the state constitution to make marriage only between a man and a woman.

To learn more about religion throughout Ohio's history, please browse these entries at your leisure.

There are 254 entries matching this topic. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

Abolitionists: Abolitionists were people who sought to end the institution of slavery. . . .
Adelaide, Mary: Mother Mary Adelaide was born Anne Sandusky on October 10, 1874, in Cincinnati, Ohio. A devout Catholic, Sandusky entered the Convent of the Sisters of St. Francis, Rochester, Minnesota, on June 6, 1893. She formally became a nun on July 16, 1902. At this time, Sandusky became Mother Mary Adelaide. . . .
Adelbert College: Western Reserve College opened in 1826. It was the predecessor to Adelbert College. The Western Reserve College was the first institution of higher education in what had been the Connecticut Western Reserve. . . .
African Methodist Episcopal Church: Richard Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816. Allen and his followers broke away from the Methodist Church because they believed that white Methodists were interfering with the practice of their religion. . . .
Allen, Richard: Richard Allen was the principal founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was born on February 14, 1760, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Born a slave, Allen purchased his freedom from his master in 1785. . . .
Alma College: Alma College and its successor, Franklin College, were important educational institutions in Ohio during the nineteenth century. . . .
Amish
Annunciation Church School: Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Annunciation Church School was founded in the mid 1920s to preserve the Greek language and customs among Greek immigrants. . . .
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church: The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church was the first Greek Orthodox Church founded in Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
Anti-Saloon League of America: The Anti-Saloon League of America was one of the most prominent prohibition organizations in the United States of America in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Antioch College: The Christian Church founded Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1852. The college admitted its first students the following year. . . .
Ashland College: The United Brethren Church opened Ashland College, the predecessor of Ashland University, in 1879, in Ashland, Ohio. . . .
Ashland Theological Seminary: The United Brethren Church opened Ashland College, the predecessor of Ashland Theological Seminary and of Ashland University, in 1879, in Ashland, Ohio. . . .
Ashland University: The United Brethren Church opened Ashland College, the predecessor of Ashland University, in 1879, in Ashland, Ohio. . . .
Awl, William
B'nai B'rith-Hillel Foundation: In 1925, the B'nai B'rith-Hillel Foundation formed. A Jewish organization, also known as just the Hillel Foundation, this group sponsors social, religious, and cultural activities for college students. . . .
Bacon, David: David Bacon was a prominent Congregationalist missionary in early nineteenth-century Ohio. . . .
Badger, Joseph
Baptist Church: Baptists are a Christian religious group. Many Baptists belong to the Protestant movement of Christianity. They believe that a person can attain salvation through faith in God and Jesus Christ. Baptists also believe in the sanctity of the Bible. . . .
Beecher, Henry W.: Henry Ward Beecher was a political and social reformer and a prominent clergyman in nineteenth century America. . . .
Beecher, Lyman: Lyman Beecher was a prominent theologian, educator and reformer in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Bigelow, Herbert S.
Bimeler, Joseph
Blue Laws: Blue laws are laws that prohibit certain types of activities on Sundays. While these laws have existed throughout American history, most people associate them with the late 1800s and the early 1900s, when the Progressives were a powerful group, seeking to reform the United States socially, politically, and economically. . . .
Bluffton University: In 1899, Mennonites established Central Mennonite College, the predecessor of Bluffton University, in Bluffton, Ohio. . . .
Bonebrake Theological Seminary: In 1869, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ authorized the creation of a seminary. Reverend Milton Wright called for the seminary's creation and served as the institution's first chairman of the executive committee. . . .
Borromeo College of Ohio: In 1886, the Society of Jesus established St. Ignatius College in Cleveland, Ohio. Saint Ignatius was the founder of the Society of Jesus, an order within the Roman Catholic Church. . . .
Brethren Church
Brothers of Christian Instruction: On June 16, 1819, Gabriel Deshayes and Jean Marie de la Mennais, two Catholic priests in France, established the Brothers of Christian Instruction. . . .
Brown, Olympia: Olympia Brown was a woman's rights advocate during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Buchanan-Clark Bible Bill: In 1925 the Ohio General Assembly passed the Buchanan-Clark Bible Bill, whic required Ohio's public school teachers to read ten verses from the Bible to their students every school day. . . .
Burton, Harold H.: Harold Hitz Burton was born on June 22, 1888, in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. In 1909, he received his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College, where he had quarterbacked the football team. He then pursued a doctorate in law from Harvard University, graduating in 1912. He began to practice law in Cleveland, Ohio, that same year. . . .
Campbellites: Campbellites were religious followers of ministers Thomas Campbell and his son Alexander Campbell in the early nineteenth century. . . .
Campus Martius: Campus Martius was the name the settlers of Marietta gave to the fortifications they built to protect their new settlement. . . .
Canadian Ohioans: Numerous Ohioans are descended from both French and English Canadian ancestors. Today, Canadian Ohioans continue to enhance Ohio's cultural and social landscape. . . .
Capital University: In 1830, the Lutheran Church established Capital University in Bexley, Ohio. Capital University is the oldest college in central Ohio. . . .
Carruthers, George N.: Ohioan George North Carruthers was a missionary during the American Civil War. He helped African Americans in the South to gain their freedom from slavery and to begin their lives as free people. . . .
Cedarville College: Cincinnati, Ohio, resident William Gibson left twenty-five thousand dollars in his will to the Presbyterian Church to endow a college at Cedarville, Ohio. . . .
Cedarville University: Cincinnati, Ohio, resident William Gibson left twenty-five thousand dollars in his will to the Presbyterian Church to endow a college at Cedarville, Ohio. . . .
Centenary Exhibition of American Methodist Missions: The Centenary Celebration of American Methodist Missions was a Protestant missionary exposition held in Columbus, Ohio at the State Fairgrounds, in June and July 1919. . . .
Central Mennonite College: In 1899, Mennonites established Central Mennonite College, the predecessor of Bluffton College, in Bluffton, Ohio. . . .
Chapman, John: John Chapman was born on September 26, 1774, in Leominster, Massachusetts. Chapman is better known as Johnny Appleseed. . . .
Chase, Philander
Chatfield College: In 1958, the Ursulines of Brown County established the Ursuline Teacher Training Institute. This Catholic institution was the predecessor of Chatfield College, a private, three-year college that offers Associate of Arts degrees. . . .
Cherrington, Ernest: Ernest Cherrington was an educator, journalist and leader in the temperance and prohibition movement in America. . . .
Chinese Ohioans: Numerous Ohioans are descended from Chinese ancestors. Today, Chinese Ohioans continue to enhance Ohio's cultural and social landscape. . . .
Churches of Christ in Christian Union
Churches of God, General Conference
Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary: In 1924, the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ established the Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary, the predecessor of Cincinnati Christian University, in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is one of the oldest Christian Churches and Churches of Christ colleges in the United States. . . .
Cincinnati Christian University: In 1924, the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ established the Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary, the predecessor of Cincinnati Christian University, in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is one of the oldest Christian Churches and Churches of Christ colleges in the United States. . . .
Cincinnati Women's Christian Association: The Cincinnati Women's Christian Association was a precursor to the Young Women's Christian Association. Founded in 1868, the Women's Christian Association hoped to instruct young, single women in "temporal, moral, and religious welfare." . . .
Circleville Bible College: In 1948, the predecessor of the Circleville Bible College, the Mount of Praise Bible College, formed in Circleville, Ohio. . . .
Cleveland Bible College: In 1892, Walter and Emma Malone, members of the Society of Friends, established the Cleveland Bible College, the predecessor of Malone College, in Cleveland, Ohio. Dedicated to promoting Christianity among its students, the college grew slowly, initially attracting primarily students from the surrounding area. . . .
Cleveland College of Jewish Studies: The Cleveland College of Jewish Studies, now known as the Laura and Alvin Siegal College of Jewish Studies, is located in Beachwood, Ohio. . . .
Cohon, Angie I.: Angie Cohon was a twentieth-century American author. . . .
College of Mount St. Joseph: In 1920, the Sisters of Charity established the College of Mount St. Joseph, a women's Catholic college, in Cincinnati, Ohio. T . . .
College of Saint Mary of the Springs: In 1911, the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs implemented plans to establish the College of Saint Mary of the Springs, the predecessor to Ohio Dominican University. The College of Saint Mary of the Springs formally opened in 1924, as a Catholic women's college in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
College of Wooster: On December 18, 1866, the Presbyterian Church authorized the creation of the Wooster University, the predecessor of the College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio. . . .
Community of the Transfiguration: The Community of the Transfiguration was a religious order of the Episcopal Church, founded to assist children. . . .
Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: The Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is an order of Roman Catholic women dedicated to educating others. . . .
Congregationalist Church
Conscientious Objectors: Throughout American history, there have always been Americans who refused to serve in the military during wartime. These Americans are commonly known as conscientious objectors. . . .
Cox, Jacob D.: Jacob Dolson Cox served as Ohio governor from 1866 to 1868. . . .
Cutler, Manasseh: Although he did not spend that much time in the state, Manasseh Cutler was a major figure in the settling of Ohio in the years after the American Revolution. . . .
Defiance College: Modern-day Defiance College began as the Defiance Female Seminary in 1850. The United Church of Christ created this institution to provide schooling for young women. . . .
Denison University: Originally called the Granville Literary and Theological Institution, Denison University was founded by the Ohio Baptist Education Society in 1831. . . .
Disciples of Christ: In 1809, Thomas Campbell, a former member of the Presbyterian Church, established “The Christian Association of Washington” in Washington, Pennsylvania. . . .
English Ohioans: Numerous Ohioans are descended from English ancestors. Today, English Ohioans continue to enhance Ohio's cultural and social landscape. . . .
Episcopal Church: The Episcopal Church was founded in 1789 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. . . .
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Today, Lutheranism is one of the largest Protestant denominations in the world, with approximately eighty million members. In the United States, there are several different Lutheran denominations. The largest is known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. . . .
Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary: In 1830, the German Theological Seminary opened in Canton, Ohio. This institution, a predecessor of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, was established to train ministers for the Lutheran Church. The seminary soon moved to Columbus, Ohio. It eventually became known as the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary. . . .
Findlay College: On January 28, 1882, the Church of God and the city of Findlay, Ohio, established Findlay College. . . .
Finley, James
Finney, Charles
First Presbyterian Church of West Union: The First Presbyterian Church is the oldest church building in Ohio that, as of this writing, is still used as a house of worship. . . .
Franciscan College of Steubenville: In 1946, the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular established the Franciscan College of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio. . . .
Franciscan University of Steubenville: In 1946, the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular established the Franciscan College of Steubenville, the predecessor of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, in Steubenville, Ohio. . . .
Franklin College: In 1870, the Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, established Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio. The institution was an outgrowth of Franklin College, an institution of higher education initially proposed for Tuppers Plains, Ohio. . . .
Franklin College (New Athens): Alma College and its successor, Franklin College, were important educational institutions in Ohio during the nineteenth century. . . .
Franklin Museum of New Athens, Inc.: The Franklin Museum of New Athens, Inc., is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of Franklin College. . . .
Fulton, Mary: Mary Fulton was a missionary for the Presbyterian Church. She was born in Ashland, Ohio. . . .
Gee, John: John Gee moved to Gallipolis, Ohio, as a young man. He eventually became one of the community's largest landowners. . . .
Geghan Bill: The Gehan Bill was an early effort by the Ohio government to overcome nativist sentiment by many of the state's residents. . . .
General Eldership of the Church of God
German Reformed Church: During the 1500s, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli established the German Reformed Church in Switzerland. The church was formed in the midst of the Protestant Reformation. It was one of several denominations created in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church. . . .
Gist, Samuel: Samuel Gist was a resident of Great Britain and Virginia. In his will, Gist freed all slaves that he owned in Virginia. Many of these newly freed people moved to Ohio, hoping to live a better life. . . .
Gladden, Washington: Washington Gladden was a prominent minister, local politician and social reformer in late-nineteenth-century and early-twentieth-century Ohio. . . .
Glenville: Glenville, Ohio is a neighborhood area of Cleveland. It is located to the northeast of Cleveland. Historically, this neighborhood has been home to various ethnic groups. . . .
Gnadenhutten: In 1772, Moravian missionaries founded a mission for Native Americans in the Ohio Country at Schoenbrunn ("Beautiful Spring" in German). Because of its success, Rev. David Zeisberger founded a second village in the same year at Gnadenhutten ("Tents of Grace" in German). Life at Gnadenhutten was similar to life at Schoenbrunn. . . .
Gnadenhutten Grant: Following the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, the federal government opened the Northwest Territory to settlement by white Americans. Numerous white Americans either purchased or received land from the Confederation Congress and then, beginning in 1789, the United States government. One such group to receive land was the Moravians. . . .
Gnadenhutten Massacre: On March 8 and 9, 1782, a group of Pennsylvania militiamen under the command of Captain David Williamson attacked the Moravian Church mission founded by David Zeisberger at Gnadenhutten. . . .
God's Bible School and College: In 1900, Martin Wells Knapp established God's Bible School and College in Cincinnati, Ohio. The institution is interdenominational. . . .
Goodrich House: Settlement houses were located in most major cities. Ohio had numerous settlement houses, including the Goodrich House in Cleveland. Mrs. Samuel Mather and several of her women friends established the Goodrich House to improve living conditions for immigrants and other people living in the inner cities. . . .
Graham, John: Ohioan John Graham was an important social reformer during the first part of the nineteenth century. . . .
Greek Town, Ohio: Greek Town was an ethnic neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio from the late nineteenth century to the mid twentieth century. . . .
Hamma School of Theology: In 1830, the German Theological Seminary opened in Canton, Ohio. This institution, a predecessor of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, was established to train ministers for the Lutheran Church. The seminary soon moved to Columbus, Ohio. It eventually became known as the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary. . . .
Hanby, Benjamin: Benjamin Hanby was a minister, abolitionist and American musician in mid-nineteenth century Ohio. He was born in 1833 in Rushville, Ohio. In 1847, his father, William Hanby, helped establish Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio. He moved his family to Westerville in 1853. . . .
Hanna, Marcus A.: Marcus Alonzo Hanna was a prominent politician and United States Senator from Ohio during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Harvey, Elizabeth B.: Elizabeth Burgess Harvey was a Quaker and an abolitionist in Warren County, Ohio during the 1830s and 1840s. Along with her husband, Jesse Harvey, Elizabeth was also responsible for founding the community of Harveysburg, Ohio. . . .
Harveysburg Free Black School: Established in 1831 in Harveysburg, the Harveysburg Free Black School was the first free school for African-American children in Ohio. . . .
Hebrew Union College: In 1875, Isaac Mayer Wise, a rabbi in Cincinnati, Ohio, established Hebrew Union College. This institution was the first Jewish seminary in the United States and trained rabbis in the Reformed Jewish tradition. . . .
Heckewelder, John G.: John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder was a Moravian Missionary in the Ohio Country in the American Revolution and the early years of the new nation. He was born in Bedford, England in 1743. . . .
Heidelberg College: The German Reformed Church founded Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, in 1850. . . .
Hillel Foundation: In 1925, the B'nai B'rith-Hillel Foundation formed. A Jewish organization, also known as just the Hillel Foundation, this group sponsors social, religious, and cultural activities for college students. . . .
Hiram College: The Disciples of Christ founded the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute in Hiram, Ohio, in 1850. Originally, the institute served as a preparatory school for students seeking advanced education. In 1867, the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute changed its name to Hiram College and received a new state charter that reflected the school's new focus. . . .
Holmes County: On January 20, 1824, the Ohio government authorized the creation of Holmes County. Residents named the county in honor of a hero from the War of 1812. Among the county's earliest residents were Amish people. . . .
Jessing, John J.: John Joseph Jessing was born on November 17, 1836, in Germany. His father died while Jessing was still a boy. Jessing worked in a print shop to support his mother and two siblings. Upon reaching adulthood, he joined the Prussian Army, where he performed admirably. . . .
Jesuit Relations: During the early 1600s, Jesuit missionaries arrived in New France (modern-day eastern North America) to convert Indians to the Roman Catholic faith. . . .
Jesuits: The Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, is a significant religious order of the Roman Catholic Church. At the start of the twenty-first century, there were approximately twenty thousand Jesuits. . . .
Jewish Ohioans: Numerous Ohioans are descended from Jewish ancestors. Today, Jewish Ohioans continue to enhance Ohio's cultural and social landscape. . . .
John Carroll University: In 1886, the Society of Jesus established St. Ignatius College in Cleveland, Ohio. Saint Ignatius was the founder of the Society of Jesus, an order within the Roman Catholic Church. For the first eighty-two years of this institution’s existence, only men could enroll. In 1923, St. Ignatius College became John Carroll University. . . .
Kazel, Dorothy L.: Dorothy L. Kazel was an Ursuline Sister from Ohio who was abducted and killed by El Salvadoran National Guardsmen during a civil war in El Salvador in 1980, . . .
Kenyon College: Kenyon College is a liberal arts institute of higher education located in Gambier, Ohio, near Mount Vernon. . . .
Kilbourne, James: James Kilbourne was the founder of Worthington, Ohio and a surveyor, merchant and political leader in the early years of Ohio statehood. . . .
Know-Nothing Party: The Know-Nothing Party, also known as the American Party, was a prominent United States political party during the late 1840s and the early 1850s. . . .
Korean Association of Greater Cleveland: Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Korean Association of Greater Cleveland is an important Korean social and cultural institution. . . .
Korean Ohioans: Numerous Ohioans are descended from Korean ancestors. Today, Korean Ohioans continue to enhance Ohio's cultural and social landscape. . . .
Lane Theological Seminary: Lane Theological Seminary was founded in Cincinnati in 1830. The seminary was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Between 1832 and 1850, Reverend Lyman Beecher served as the head of the school. . . .
Laura and Alvin Siegal College of Jewish Studies: The Laura and Alvin Siegal College of Jewish Studies, formerly known as the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies, is located in Beachwood, Ohio. . . .
Lichtenau: In 1776, missionaries of the Moravian Church founded the settlement of Lichtenau. The purpose of the village was to convert the Delaware Indians of Ohio to Christianity. This was the third Moravian village built in the 1770s in the Ohio Country. . . .
Lilienthal, Max: Max Lilienthal was born on November 6, 1815, in Munich, Germany. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Munich in 1837, and he accepted an appointment as principal of a Jewish school in Riga, Russia, in 1839. . . .
Lourdes College: On December 18, 1916, Mother Mary Adelaide Sandusky and a group of Franciscan sisters arrived in Sylvania, Ohio, at the request of Bishop Joseph Schrembs of the Toledo, Ohio diocese. These Catholic nuns would establish the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio. This order dedicated itself to charity and educational activities in northwestern Ohio, including establishing Lourdes College. . . .
Lundy, Benjamin: Benjamin Lundy was an abolitionist opponent of slavery in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Lutheran Church: Martin Luther founded Lutheranism, a Protestant religious denomination, during the 1500s. . . .
Mahan, Asa: Asa Mahan was an educator, reformer and the first President of Oberlin College. . . .
Malone College: In 1892, Walter and Emma Malone, members of the Society of Friends, established the Cleveland Bible College, the predecessor of Malone College, in Cleveland, Ohio. Dedicated to promoting Christianity among its students, the college grew slowly, initially attracting primarily students from the surrounding area. . . .
Manifest Destiny: In 1845, John L. O'Sullivan, a newspaper reporter in New York City, coined the phrase "manifest destiny." O'Sullivan claimed that it was the God-given destiny of the United States of America to spread over North America. . . .
Marietta College: In 1835, the Congregationalist Church established Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. At first, the college included both a preparatory school as well as a traditional college. . . .
Matthews, Eva L.: Eva Lee Matthews and Beatrice Henderson founded an Episcopal religious order in Ohio known as the Community of the Transfiguration. . . .
McKendree, William: William McKendree was born in King William County, Virginia, on July 6, 1757. As a young man, he fought in the American Revolution against the British. Once the war was over, he became more and more interested in religious matters. . . .
Medicine Men: American Indian men and women who acted as doctors or healers consisted of two groups. The first type was the shaman or medicine man (or woman), who sought cures through spiritual means. The second type included herbalists, who relied on more practical methods of treatment . . .
Mennonite Church: Mennonites are a Christian religious group. They originated in the Netherlands and Switzerland during the early 1500s. Mennonites originally came together in opposition to certain actions and policies of the Roman Catholic Church. Their name is derived from the founder of the Mennonite Church in the Netherlands. His name was Menno Simons. . . .
Methodist Church: The Methodist Church is a Christian religious organization. The Methodist Church began in 1729, at the University of Oxford in England. A group of students met to study Christian religious subjects. They followed a very methodical approach to celebrate their faith, and critics referred to them as Methodists as a result. . . .
Methodist Episcopal Church: The Methodist Church is a Christian religious organization. The Methodist Church originated in 1729, at the University of Oxford in England. A group of students met to study Christian religious subjects. They followed a very methodical manner to celebrate their faith, and critics referred to them as Methodists as a result. . . .
Methodist Theological School in Ohio: In 1956, the General Conference of the Methodist Church authorized the creation of two theological schools. Eventually, it was agreed that one of these schools would be located in Ohio. In 1960, the Methodist Theological School in Ohio opened. . . .
Miller, William: William Miller founded Millerism. Miller, a farmer from New York, claimed to have discovered when Jesus Christ would return to Earth as stated in the Bible. Miller formed this belief in the 1820s but did not begin to share it with other people until the 1830s. . . .
Millerites: Millerites were disciples of William Miller. Miller, a farmer from New York, claimed to have discovered when Jesus Christ would return to Earth as stated in the Bible. . . .
Moravian Church: The Unity of the Brethren Church, often referred to as the Moravian Church, was founded during the 1400s in Moravia in central Europe. Several principles guided the members' beliefs. . . .
Moravian Grant: Following the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, the federal government opened the Northwest Territory to settlement by white Americans. Numerous white Americans either purchased or received land from the Confederation Congress and then, beginning in 1789, the United States government. One such group to receive land was the Moravians. . . .
Morgan, Arthur E.: Arthur Ernest Morgan was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1878. Soon after his birth, the Morgan family moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota, where Morgan grew up. . . .
Mormon Church: Joseph Smith, Jr., established the Mormon Church, also known as The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, on April 6, 1830, in Seneca County, New York. . . .
Mount Union College: Mount Union College obtained its charter from the state of Ohio in 1858, although the school had functioned as a private academy before that date. O.N. Hartshorn founded the college and served as its first president. . . .
Mount Vernon Nazarene College: During the early 1960s, the Church of the Nazarene authorized the creation of a two-year college to serve principally people residing in Appalachia. The Church of the Nazarene decided to establish this institution at Mount Vernon, Ohio, and named the college Mount Vernon Nazarene College. . . .
Mount Vernon Nazarene University: During the early 1960s, the Church of the Nazarene authorized the creation of a two-year college to serve principally people residing in Appalachia. The Church of the Nazarene decided to establish this institution at Mount Vernon, Ohio, and named the college Mount Vernon Nazarene College. . . .
Muskingum College: In 1837, the Presbyterian Church founded Muskingum College at New Concord. It was one of the first coeducational institutions of higher education in the United States. . . .
Myers, David N.
Nast, Wilhelm: Wilhelm Nast was born in Germany in 1807. He immigrated to the United States in 1828, eventually settling in Ohio. He became a professor at Kenyon College and served as a circuit rider, seeking converts to the Methodist faith. . . .
Neolin: During the early 1760s, Neolin, a spiritual leader of the Delaware Indians, gained favor among many native societies in the Ohio Country. Dismayed by the Indians' reliance on English and French manufactured goods, Neolin called for the natives to adopt more traditional Indian practices. . . .
Netawatwees: Newcomer was born around 1686. His Indian name was Netawatwees. He eventually became the leader of the turtle clan of the Delaware Indians in the Ohio Country. . . .
New Market College: In 1857, the predecessor of New Market College, the Rural Seminary, formed in Harlem Springs, Ohio. . . .
Notre Dame College of Ohio: In 1922, the Sisters of Notre Dame established Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio. Notre Dame College began operation as a Catholic women's college. . . .
Oberlin: John Shipherd, a Presbyterian minister, and Philo Stewart founded Oberlin, Ohio, in 1833. The town was named after Reverend John Frederic Oberlin, a famous minister in Alsace who had died in 1826. . . .
Oberlin College: In 1832, Presbyterian minister John L. Shipherd began planning to establish an institution of higher education in Oberlin, Ohio. The school opened in December 1833 and became known as Oberlin College. . . .
Ohio Anti-Saloon League: The Ohio Anti-Saloon League was an important prohibition organization in the United States of America in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Ohio Anti-Slavery Society: Abolitionists established the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society in Zanesville at a meeting held in April 1835. Among the organizations founders were prominent abolitionists like Asa Mahan, John Rankin, Theodore Dwight Weld, and Charles Finney. . . .
Ohio Christian University: In 1948, the predecessor of the Circleville Bible College, the Mount of Praise Bible College, formed in Circleville, Ohio. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1802: The Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1802 drafted Ohio's first state constitution. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1873 - 1874: In 1871, some Ohio government officials felt the need to redraft Ohio's state constitution. The constitution currently in effect was the Constitution of 1851. During the twenty years since this document's ratification, the United States had experienced great change. . . .
Ohio Dominican College: In 1911, the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs implemented plans to establish the College of Saint Mary of the Springs, the predecessor to Ohio Dominican College. The College of Saint Mary of the Springs formally opened in 1924, as a Catholic women's college in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Ohio Dominican University: In 1911, the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs implemented plans to establish the College of Saint Mary of the Springs, the predecessor to Ohio Dominican University. The College of Saint Mary of the Springs formally opened in 1924, as a Catholic women's college in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Ohio Orphan's Friend: In 1874, Reverend John Joseph Jessing began publishing a newspaper called The Ohio. He eventually renamed the publication Ohio Waisenfreund, which meant Ohio Orphan's Friend. . . .
Ohio Waisenfreund: In 1874, Reverend John Joseph Jessing began publishing a newspaper called The Ohio. He eventually renamed the publication Ohio Waisenfreund, which meant Ohio Orphan's Friend. . . .
Ohio Wesleyan University: Ohio Wesleyan University received its charter from the state of Ohio in 1842. The first college classes were offered in 1844. The school was associated with the Methodist Church from the beginning. . . .
Ohio Women's Temperance Society: Established in 1853, the Ohio Women's Temperance Society was an early temperance organization in Ohio. . . .
Ohio's State Motto: During the early 1950s, the Ohio legislature sponsored a contest for selecting a state motto. "With God All Things Are Possible" became Ohio's state motto on October 1, 1959. James Mastronardo, a twelve-year-old boy recommended this quotation from the Bible. . . .
Osborn, Charles: Charles Osborn was a journalist and outspoken opponent of slavery in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Otis, George K.: Ohioan George K. Otis was a famous businessman and Christian evangelist. . . .
Otterbein College: The Church of the United Brethren in Christ founded Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, in 1847. The college was originally known as the Otterbein University of Ohio and received its charter from the state in 1849. . . .
Oxford Female Institute: In 1849, Herman B. Mayo, Alfred Luce, Robert H. Bishop, Jr., Peter D. Matson, Samuel R. Mollyneaux, Peter Sutton, William H. Smith, William A. Irwin, and Francis H. Peyton established the Oxford Female Institute. . . .
Payne Theological Seminary: In 1844, Payne Theological Seminary opened in Wilberforce, Ohio. This institution was and remains affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. . . .
Peale, Norman V.: Norman Vincent Peale was born on May 31, 1898, in Bowersville, Ohio. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University and became one of the most influential ministers of the twentieth century. . . .
Pontifical College Josephinum: In 1888, Reverend John Joseph Jessing established a theology school, which eventually became known as the Pontifical College Josephinum, in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Powell Sr., Adam C.: Adam Clayton Powell, Sr., was an important African-American clergyman in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Presbyterian Church: The Presbyterian Church is a Protestant Christian religious denomination that was founded in the 1500s. Control of the Church is divided between the clergy and the congregants. Many of the religious movements that originated during the Protestant Reformation were more democratic in organization. . . .
Protestantism: Protestantism is one of the three branches of the Christian faith. The other two Christian traditions are Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. . . .
Purcell, John: John Purcell was a prominent leader in the Roman Catholic Church in Ohio for much of the nineteenth century. . . .
Quakers: The Society of Friends, more commonly known as the Quakers, came to Ohio in the late 1700s and the early 1800s. The first Quaker to arrive in Ohio was George Harlan in 1795. By 1800, approximately eight hundred Quaker families were living in Ohio. . . .
Rabbinical College of Telshe: The Rabbinical College of Telshe is a Jewish institution for studying the Talmud and the Torah. . . .
Reform Judaism: Reform Judaism emerged by the late 1700s in Europe. Historically, Christians and other faiths around the world had discriminated against Jewish people. Beginning in the late eighteenth century, some nations began to relax restrictions on Jews and provided them with more economic, social, and political opportunities. . . .
Rio Grande Community College: During the 1960s, the University of Rio Grande implemented plans to create a state-supported community college. The intention was to increase access to higher education for local residents. . . .
Roman Catholic Church: Roman Catholics are the largest single Christian body in the world. They consist of those Christians who follow the dictates of the bishop of Rome, the Pope. . . .
Salem Bible Institute: For more than one century, Salem, Ohio, has been the home of a religious-centered institution of higher education. The modern institution traces its history to 1956, with the creation of Salem Bible Institute. . . .
Salem Grant: Following the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, the federal government opened the Northwest Territory to settlement by white Americans. Numerous white Americans either purchased or received land from the Confederation Congress and then, beginning in 1789, the United States government. One such group to receive land was the Moravians. . . .
Schoenbrunn: In 1772, David Zeisberger, a missionary of the Moravian Church, established the village of Schoenbrunn on the Tuscarawas River, near present-day New Philadelphia. The word Schoenbrunn means "beautiful spring" in German. The purpose of this community was to provide Moravian missionaries a place to teach Christianity to Native Americans residing in Ohio. . . .
Schoenbrunn Grant: Following the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, the federal government opened the Northwest Territory to settlement by white Americans. Numerous white Americans either purchased or received land from the Confederation Congress and then, beginning in 1789, the United States government. One such group to receive land was the Moravians. . . .
Scio College: Scio College originated as the Rural Seminary in 1857, in Harlem Springs, Ohio. . . .
Scopes Monkey Trial: The Scopes Monkey Trial was a nationally famous Tennessee court case that upheld a state law banning the teaching of evolution in public schools in that state in 1925. . . .
Second Great Awakening: The Second Great Awakening was a religious revival that occurred in the United States beginning in the late eighteenth century and lasted until the middle of the nineteenth century. While it occurred in all parts of the United States, it was especially strong in the Northeast and the Midwest. . . .
Settlement Houses: Settlement houses were institutions where immigrants especially could go to seek assistance. Settlement house organizers sought to teach immigrants how to survive and prosper in the United States. . . .
Seventh-Day Adventists: Many Seventh-Day Adventists originally were disciples of William Miller. Miller, a farmer from New York, claimed to have discovered when Jesus Christ would return to Earth as stated in the Bible. Miller reached this belief in the 1820s but did not begin to share it with other people until the 1830s. . . .
Shakers: The Shakers are a Christian religious group that originated in Great Britain circa 1750. The official name of the denomination is the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Coming. The founders of the Shakers were James and Jane Wardley. . . .
Shipherd, John: John Shipherd is the founder of Obelin College. . . .
Silver, Abba H.: Abba Hillel Silver was a prominent Jewish and Lithuanian-American resident of Cleveland, Ohio during the twentieth century. . . .
Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio: On December 18, 1916, Mother Mary Adelaide Sandusky and a group of Franciscan sisters arrived in Sylvania, Ohio, at the request of Bishop Joseph Schrembs of the Toledo, Ohio, diocese. . . .
Sisters of the Incarnate Word
Smither, Ethel L.: Ethel Lyle Smither was a well-known twentieth-century author of children's religious books. . . .
Social Darwinism: The concept of Social Darwinism originated with English philosopher Herbert Spencer during the late 1800s. He based his ideas on the findings of scientist Charles Darwin, who developed the theory of evolution-that species improved over time with the strongest triumphing over the weak. . . .
Social Gospel Movement: The Social Gospel Movement was a religious movement that arose during the second half of the nineteenth century. Ministers, especially ones belonging to the Protestant branch of Christianity, began to tie salvation and good works together. . . .
Society of Friends: The Society of Friends, more commonly known as the Quakers, came to Ohio in the late 1700s and the early 1800s. The first Quaker to arrive in Ohio was George Harlan in 1795. By 1800, approximately eight hundred Quaker families were living in Ohio. . . .
Society of Jesus: The Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, is a significant religious order of the Roman Catholic Church. At the start of the twenty-first century, there were approximately twenty thousand Jesuits. . . .
Somali Community Association of Ohio: The Somali Community Association of Ohio provides assistance to Somali migrants in Central Ohio. . . .
St. Ignatius College: In 1886, the Society of Jesus established St. Ignatius College in Cleveland, Ohio. Saint Ignatius was the founder of the Society of Jesus, an order within the Roman Catholic Church. . . .
St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology: In 1848, the first Roman Catholic Bishop of the Cleveland Diocese, Louis Amadeus Rappe, founded St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
St. Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church: Located in Cleveland, Ohio, St. Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church was the first Romanian Orthodox church in the United States of America. . . .
St. Peter in Chains Cathedral: St. Peter in Chains Cathedral has been located in Cincinnati since the early years of Ohio statehood. . . .
Sunday, William A. "Billy": William Ashley “Billy” Sunday was an evangelist and religious fundamentalist who was nationally know for his fire and brimstone style of sermons, particularly against the consumption of alcohol. . . .
Swedenborgian Church: Swedenborgians, also known as members of the Church of the New Jerusalem, are followers of eighteenth-century Swedish scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. . . .
Tallmadge: In 1804, the Congregationalist Church authorized Reverend David Bacon to establish the town of Tallmadge, Ohio. . . .
Tallmadge Church: In 1804, the Congregationalist Church authorized Reverend David Bacon to establish the town of Tallmadge, Ohio. Tallmadge was to be the center of the Congregationalist Church and its missionary efforts in the Connecticut Western Reserve. . . .
Temple Baptist College: In 1972, members of the Temple Baptist Church created Temple Baptist College in Springdale, Ohio. . . .
Temple-Tifereth Israel (Tifereth Israel): The Temple-Tifereth Israel, which is also known as Tifereth Israel, is Cleveland, Ohio's second oldest Jewish congregation. . . .
Tenskwatawa: Tenskwatawa (also known as The Prophet ), a member of the Shawnee Indians, was born in 1775. . . .
Terrell, Melissa G.: Melissa Garrett was born in Adams County, Ohio in 1834. She eventually married W.H. Timmons, and upon his death, she wed William Terrell. . . .
The One Study University: In 1857, the predecessor of "The One Study University," the Rural Seminary, formed in Harlem Springs, Ohio. . . .
The Rural Seminary: In 1857, the Rural Seminary formed in Harlem Springs, Ohio. . . .
Thoburn, Isabella: Isabella Thoburn was the first woman Methodist Episcopal Church missionary to India. She was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1840. . . .
Thomas, Norman: Norman Thomas was an American social worker, minister, author and longtime presidential candidate of the Socialist Party of America. . . .
Trinity Lutheran Seminary: In 1830, the German Theological Seminary opened in Canton, Ohio. This institution, a predecessor of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, was established to train ministers for the Lutheran Church. . . .
Union Biblical Seminary: In 1871, the Union Biblical Seminary opened in Dayton, Ohio. . . .
Unitarian Church: Unitarianism is a Christian religious denomination. Unitarians believe that God is only one person. Unitarians reject the Trinity and do not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Followers of Unitarianism also do not accept the concepts of original sin and of eternal punishment for sins committed on earth. . . .
United Church of Christ: On June 25, 1957, the United Church of Christ (UCC) formed in Cleveland, Ohio. On that date, the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united together to create the United Church of Christ. . . .
United Methodist Church: The Methodist Church began in 1729, at the University of Oxford in England. A group of students met to study Christian religious subjects. They followed a very methodical manner to celebrate their faith, and critics referred to them as Methodists as a result. . . .
United States Christian Commission: The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) founded the United States Christian Commission on November 16, 1861. The commission hoped to provide spiritual support to men serving in the Union military during the American Civil War. . . .
United Theological Seminary: In 1869, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ authorized the creation of a seminary. Reverend Milton Wright called for the seminary's creation and served as the institution's first chairman of the executive committee. . . .
Universalist Church: Universalism is a religious denomination that shares many of the same beliefs as Christianity, but it does not accept all Christian teachings. Its followers believe that all persons can find salvation and that the souls of all people are in a constant search for improvement. . . .
University of Dayton: In 1850, the Society of Mary, an order within the Roman Catholic Church, founded the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. . . .
University of Findlay: On January 28, 1882, the Church of God and the city of Findlay, Ohio, established Findlay College, the predecessor of the University of Findlay. . . .
University of Rio Grande: In 1876, Permelia Atwood established the University of Rio Grande. . . .
Urbana University: On March 7, 1850, the Swedenborgian Church founded Urbana University in Urbana, Ohio. . . .
Ursuline College: In 1871, Mother Mary of the Annunciation Beaumont established Ursuline College for Women in Cleveland, Ohio. Mother Mary was a member of the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland, who continue to sponsor the college. . . .
Ursuline College for Women: In 1871, Mother Mary of the Annunciation Beaumont established Ursuline College for Women in Cleveland, Ohio. Mother Mary was a member of the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland, who continue to sponsor the college. . . .
Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland: In 1850, four members of the Sisters of Ursula arrived in Cleveland, Ohio. They came at the invitation of Amadeus Rappe, the first Catholic bishop in Cleveland. The Ursuline Sisters immediately founded a school for younger children. . . .
Ursuline Teacher Training Institute: In 1958, the Ursulines of Brown County established the Ursuline Teacher Training Institute. . . .
Walsh College: In 1960, the Brothers of Christian Instruction established Walsh College, a Catholic institution of higher education, in North Canton, Ohio. . . .
Walsh University: In 1960, the Brothers of Christian Instruction established Walsh College, a Catholic institution of higher education, in North Canton, Ohio. . . .
Webb, Lucy W.: Lucy Ware Webb was an advocate for the abolition of slavery and the rights of women in nineteenth century America. She was the wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes. . . .
Weiss, Isaac M.: Cincinnati resident, Isaac Mayer Weiss was a nationally prominent Jewish leader in the late-nineteenth century. . . .
Weld, Theodore D.: Theodore Dwight Weld was a prominent nineteenth century American reformer and educator. . . .
Wesleyan Church of America: In 1843, some members of the Methodist Episcopal Church left to establish the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the predecessor of the Wesleyan Church of America. . . .
Wesleyan Methodist Church: In 1843, some members of the Methodist Episcopal Church left to establish the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The principal reason for this separation was the strong opposition to slavery and wide support for women's rights among the people who came to call themselves Wesleyan Methodists. . . .
Western Reserve College: Western Reserve College opened in 1826. It was the first institution of higher education in what had been the Connecticut Western Reserve in northeast Ohio. Western Reserve College was closely affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. . . .
Williams, Alice M.: Alice Moon Williams was a missionary for the Congregationalist Church. She was born on May 22, 1860, in Reedsburg, Ohio. . . .
Williams, George L.: George Louis Williams was a missionary for the Congregational Church. He was born on October 4, 1858, in Stonington, Connecticut. . . .
Wilmington College: In 1870, the Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, established Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio. . . .
Winebrenner Theological Seminary: In 1942, Findlay College (modern-day University of Findlay) established a graduate program in theology. This program became the Winebrenner Theological Seminary in 1961 . . .
Wittenberg University: Associated with the Lutheran Church, Wittenberg University was founded in Springfield, Ohio, in 1845. . . .
Women Watch: Women Watch is an event hosted by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland each March at the Public Square in Cleveland, Ohio. The purpose of the event is to honor women and children harmed or killed in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, during the previous year. . . .
Wooster University: On December 18, 1866, the Presbyterian Church authorized the creation of the Wooster University, the predecessor of the College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio. . . .
Worthington, Sarah: Sarah Worthington King Peter was a nineteenth-century American philanthropist and patron of the arts. . . .
Xavier University: In 1831, Bishop Edward Fenick established a college called the Athenaeum in Cincinnati. This school was the first Roman Catholic college founded in Ohio. . . .
Yellow Springs: The first white residents of what is now Yellow Springs, Ohio arrived in the area during the first decade of the nineteenth century. . . .
Zeisberger, David: David Zeisberger was a Moravian missionary in the Ohio Country during the American Revolution and the early years of the new nation. . . .
Zoar: Zoar, a small community in Tuscarawas County, was founded by a group of German separatists in 1817. . . .
Zoarites: A group of separatists, eventually known as Zoarites, established the small community of Zoar in Tuscarawas County. . . .