Rev. A. C. Crist
Rev. A. C. Crist. From the Herald and Presbyter, a denominational organ of the Presbyterian Church, we quote the following: "Prominent among the forces of Presbyterianism in Delaware is Rev. A. C Crist, who resides here, and who is a sort of pastor-at-large in Marion Presbytery. By reason of his long and successful pastorates at Iberia and Ostrander, he is well, widely, and most favorably known. As a teacher he has gained great prominence. The lives of hundreds of students have been powerfully impressed by his noble individuality."
The Crist family traces hack through five generations in this country to three brothers; Johannas, Henricus and Stephanus Christus, natives of Alsace, Germany, who were among the large number of Huguenot refugees who came to America during the latter part of the 17th century as a result of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. They settled in Orange County, New York, and in course of time, the name became Anglicized, the "h" and the "us" being dropped. Henricus married Anne Bodine, a full-blooded French woman who came to America with him. The families led the agricultural life of those times, and continued in the locality where they settled until Henry Crist, the grandfather of A. C, moved to the adjoining county of Sullivan. In religious belief they were German Lutherans. Here our subject's father, the third Henry in lineal descent from the original Henricus, was born January. 8, 1811. He was a carpenter and followed his trade most of his life. He moved to Hocking County Ohio, in 1838, and resided there until 1848, when he took up his residence in Union County. He cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson, but was a stanch Abolitionist, and upon the organization of the Republican Party he identified himself with it.
He married Miss Marian Hollister of Sullivan County, New York, whose father was a native of England. This union was blessed by a family of eleven children. Two sons, Abner B. and James Alfred, lost their lives in the Union cause during the Rebellion, and one son, Alexander, lost a leg and died from the results of the injury, a few years after his return home. Henry Crist and his wife were for many years consistent members of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Crist died January 30. 1891, aged seventy-six. He died January 29, 1902, having only twenty-two days previously celebrated his ninety-first birthday.
Rev. Asahel Clark Crist, the immediate subject of this sketch, was born in Hocking County, Ohio. April 19, 1845. tne fifth child of his parents. He remained at home, helping to clear up the farm, until he was nineteen years of age, having only the advantages of the district school for three or four months in the winter season.
During the summer of 1864. young Crist served in Co. D,. 1364th Reg. O. V. I.. and entered the high school at Marysville, in the fall of that year. He taught a district school for three months during the winter. Our subject united with the Presbyterian Church of Marysville, in the fall of 1805. and was taken under the care of the Marion Presbytery (old school) at Cardington, at the spring meeting in 1806. That summer he was employed as a colporteur for the Presbytery, and canvassed all that part of the Presbytery west of the Big Four Railroad. The following winter he taught a district school for three months and attended the high school at Marysville the remainder of the time. In July, 1867, he entered Vermillion Institute at Haysville, Ohio, and was graduated there in October, 1870. He was tutor of mathematics for two years of the time at Vermillion Institute, and by that means helped to defray his expenses. Immediately after graduating, he entered the Western Theological Seminary. During the junior vacation, he taught a select school at Worthington, Pennsylvania, for five months. Mr. Crist was licensed to preach at Liberty Church, Marion Presbytery, at the spring meeting, 1872, and supplied Brown, Kingston, and Porter churches that summer.
Mr. Crist was graduated at Western Theological Seminary, April, 1873, and immediately took charge of Brown, Kingston and Porter churches, living at Eden. He was ordained at Trenton Church, April 23, 1874. In 1875 he dropped Kingston and Porter, and supplied Berlin and Brown until June, 1876. During this time the church at Berlin was rebuilt. He also supplied Ashley, in the evening, for three months in the winter of 1875. He taught a select school much of the time, during his residence at Eden, thus supplementing his salary.
In the spring of 1876 he was elected as Professor of Languages in the Ohio Central College, at Iberia, Ohio, and removed there the 13th of August. In the spring of 1877, Mr. Crist took charge of the Presbyterian Church at Iberia in addition to his work of instruction at the college. This pastoral relation continued for twelve years. For about five years of this time, he supplied the pulpit at Caledonia, Ohio, in the afternoons. In March. 1889, he took charge of the church at Ostrander, being installed there in the first week in March, and in connection with the work of this pastorate supplied Providence and Jerome. This relation continued until September 13, 1897. when it was dissolved.
On August 21, 1872, Mr. Prist was married to Lovina H., daughter of James Pocock. While living at Eden, two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Crist—Bessie and Henry Mickliff. Bessie, a bright, lovely girl, died December 10, 1894, in the twenty-first year of her age. Henry Wickliff, born November 19. 1873, was a graduate from Wooster University in 1897, after which he studied law with James R. Lytle. Esq., of Delaware, and was admitted to the bar on December 7, 1900. He is one of the able and prominent young attorneys of Delaware, and is now (1908) completing a term of three years as a member of the General Assembly. It may be said that he has done more and better work as a representative than any man of this county who has had the office in recent years.
The only fraternal order with which the subject of this sketch is connected is the George B. Torrence Post, No. 60, G. A. R., of Delaware. When he was located at Ostrander, he served as commander of the Joseph Tanner Post of that town.
Probably no clergyman of any denomination in Delaware has such a wide personal acquaintance with the citizens of this county. To quote again from the Herald and Presbyter, "Every Sabbath finds him actively engaged in the Master's service, filling some vacancy, encouraging some weak church, or starting some new enterprise. Mr. Crist is a man of high intellectual attainments, and is possessed of rare social qualities."
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens by James R. Lytle