Blog: The Remarkable Allens

By Bill Ward, SNUC Trustee

Blog:  A Revolutionary Heritage!

by Bari Oyler Stith, SNUC trustee

We at South Newbury Union Chapel National Register Historic Site salute the Revolutionary War veterans who migrated to Newbury Township and now rest in South Newbury Cemetery.  The community of South Newbury continued to support revolutionary ideas throughout the 19th and early 20th century through the myriad social reform movements headquartered at South Newbury Union Chapel

Andrew Burnett. Born September 17, 1749.  Died 1 October 1831.  Private in Colonel Leonard’s Massachusetts.  Buried in section 3, lot 14.  

Nathan Ganson.  Born in 1755. Died 2 May 1827. Sergeant in  Colonel Putnam’s Massachusetts.  Buried in section 3, lot 22.

Solomon Johnson, Sr.  Born in 1763.   Died in 1842.  Service on the Connecticut.  Buried in section 2, lot 36.

James Moor.  Born 24 May 1756. Died October 1, 1834.  Private in Colonel Sprouts Massachusetts. Buried in section 3, lot 33.

John Smith.  Born ca. 1752.  Died at age 67 on November 1, 1819. Private in Colonel Jackson's Massachusetts. Buried in section 3, lot 30.

Joseph Wilbur.  Born 26 Dec 1759.  Died September 26, 1830. Private in Colonel Daggetts Massachusetts. Buried in section 3, lot 18.

Photo courtesy of Charles Mintz Photography.

What’s in a name?

By Bari Oyler Stith, Trustee

If South Newbury Union Chapel was never a church, why is it called a “chapel”?  We trustees get that question a lot and have asked it ourselves.

Its architecture is certainly reminiscent of so many small 19th century churches and schoolhouses constructed by community members with craftsman skills and a variety of materials close at hand. And there is a hush that surrounds our Chapel, even with its proximity to now-busy Rt. 44.

While the structure was sporadically referred to by a variety of names over the past 166 plus years,  the population clearly started referring to it as a “chapel” very early in its history and has continued to do so consistently so that, by the time of nominating it to the National Register of Historic Places, the term “chapel” was clearly more prominent than meeting house or hall, even though that was how the structure was used.

A sampling of references for nomenclature:

“house, Public Hall, or Meeting House” in the 1865 lease from Anson Mathews to first trustees Darius Allen, Eleazer Punderson, and Calvin Phelps.

“The Northern Ohio Health and Dress Reform Association will hold a public meeting at the Chapel, South Newbury, Friday evening, Oct. 20th."  The Geauga Democrat 22, no. 42, October 18, 1871.  On microfilm at Chardon Public Library.  110 East Park Street.  Chardon, Ohio, 44024 Roll #12.

“Record Book of the South Newbury Union Chapel Association, Jan. 26,1874” frontispiece and also listed this way in the Feb. 9 [1874] Constitution, article 1.

“The object of this society shall be to take charge of the building known as Union Chapel.” Feb. 9 [1874], Constitution, article 2.

"We were highly entertained recently by a lecture by Susan B. Anthony on woman suffrage.  On Sabbath evening, she gave us a strong lecture on temperance, in which tobacco came in for its share of rebuke.  Union Hall was crowded both evenings by intelligent audiences, who listened for two hours each evening with close attention.  The work she has done here must make a lasting impression, and we fondly hope will awaken many to serious action in the reforms, which are so much needed.”- Geauga Leader, 14 March 1879.  On microfilm at Anderson Allyn Room, Chardon Public Library.  110 East Park Street.  Chardon, Ohio, 44024.

Referred to as Union chapel in "Equal Rights in Newbury," as reported by D.M. Allen and Ellen Munn in Pioneer and General History of Geauga County, 1880, pp. 89-90.

Two day “summit” to be held at The Chapel, August 23 & 24, 1919 as reported on August 8, 1919, Geauga County Record.  On microfilm at Anderson Allyn room, Chardon Public Library.  110 East Park Street.  Chardon, Ohio, 44024 Roll #12.

Reference to Union Chapel in "Here's Story of Planting of Noted Centennial Oak," as reported on August 8, 1919, Geauga County Record.  On microfilm at Anderson Allyn Room, Chardon Public Library.  110 East Park Street.  Chardon, Ohio, 44024, Roll #12.

"Services in Commemoration of Union Chapel and The Centennial Oak Tree," as listed in the program for Saturday Oct. 3, 1931 (boulder marker day).

And the Ladies Aid Society renamed themselves the Chapel Belles in 1955, according to their minutes.

At Trustee Beverly Ash's insistence, the structure was formally named the South Newbury Union Chapel on the Ohio Historical Marker (2010) and the National Register of Historic Places (2012).  And it's labelled that way on the National Votes for Women Trail and our newest marker to be dedicated to our Centennial Oak in 2026.

​So, even though our structure is and was clearly a meeting hall and it can be perplexing to new visitors that it is not and never has been a church, we embrace our name and the feeling that it invokes that this is an important place that brought people together to confront the most puzzling and complex issues of their day.  The first issue they addressed was freedom of speech, leading to Union Chapel’s nickname as Geauga’s “Free Speech Chapel.”  166 plus years later, the issue of free speech and so many of the other social reforms that were nurtured in South Newbury continue to resonate with us as we grapple with 21st century challenges.  Where better to reflect than in the hush of a small country “chapel” infused with the spirits of those courageous people who have confronted these issues before?