Early Years 1842-1886

This period is marked by the upheaval of the Civil War, and the coming of the railroad to replace the canal as the major means of transportation. In 1862, when the county seat was moved from Piketon to Waverly much to the dismay of Piketon residents, the common Pleas Court hearings were held in the Waverly Presbyterian Church through 1865, for a rental of $117. According to some residents, school was also held in this church building for a time.

In the 1840's the divisions between Old and New School Presbyterians had reached southern Ohio. Chillicothe Presbytery, being Old School was not happy with the activities of New School Second Presbyterian Church among Waverly Presbyterians, so voted in 1847 to have Waverly separated from the Piketon Church. Waverly was for a time identified as New School, which may account for the Presbytery action in 1852 rejecting the idea of allowing Waverly to exists as a separate church. By 1870, the Old School-New School division was over and the Waverly Church was again recognized as a part of the Piketon Church. Waverly Presbyterian Church, having separated itself from Piketon in 1871, was reunited in 1873, but the separation was final in 1881.

During this period, three other Presbyterian churches were established in Pike County, but lived only a few years: Cynthiana 1846-1886, Omega 1878-1884, Buchanan which existed for a few years beginning in 1876 or 1887. The Piketon Presbyterian Church itself was dissolved in 1886, leaving Waverly as the sole survivor. Membership continued to be small. In 1876, for example, it stood at twenty eight. Elders elected on June 1, 1876 were Dr. John L. Caldwell and Prof. C. T. McCoy.

In 1881, the Waverly Presbyterian Church was reorganized by the Rev. Henry W. Biggs, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Chillicothe, with twenty four members, four elders (John L. Caldwell, Adam Gehres, S. M. Seibert and C.T. McCoy) and two deacons (William McKenzie and Robert Lowery). On February 26, 1884, the church was duly incorporated under the name of the First Presbyterian Church of Waverly, Ohio. Listed as incorporators were Adam Gehres, Eli Potts, C. B. Copple, William H. McKenzie and George Emmitt, (brother of James Emmitt who died in 1894). Gehres, Potts and Copple, as trustees of the old organization then deeded the property to the new corporation.

About this time a new church building was erected in place of the original building which was built in 1842 and lasted for 41 years until 1883. By that time changes were necessary. According to one account, the old building was torn down to its foundation and a new one built. According to another account, it was remodeled with the addition of two small rooms with the belfry and bell. A slab on the church building reads "Rebuilt in 1883," which indicates that the new or remodeled structure was at least started in that year.

Pastors 1842-1886

  • Rev. Gamaliel Beeman, SS, Piketon only, 1832 - 1842 (10 years)
  • Rev. William Burton, SS, Waverly and Piketon, 1842 - 1844 (2 years)
    • P, June 1844 - June 1849 (5 years)
  • Rev. H. W. Taylor, TS, Waverly and Piketon, 1849 - 1850 (1 year)
  • P, June 1850 - April 1851 (2 years)
  • Rev. James Hueston, P, Waverly and Piketon, 1851 - 1853 (2 years)
  • Rev. Wm. P. Eastman, Waverly and Piketon, 1853 - 1866 (Caldwell) (13 years)
  • Rev. Arthur R. Naylor TS, September 1855 - April 1856 (Townsend) (1 year)
  • George T. Crissman TS, (Some months in 1861 - 1863)(Townsend) (2 years)
  • Rev. Irvin Carson SS, Waverly and Piketon, 1866 - 1867 (Caldwell) (1 year)
    • October 1869 - October 1870 (Townsend) 1 year
  • Rev. John O. Proctor S, March 1876 - April 1877 (1 year)
  • Rev. C. B. Gillette, SS, May 1877 - April 1878 (1 year)
  • Rev. R. N. Adams, P, April 1878 - March 1881 (3 years)
  • Rev. J. P. A. Dickey, Some month between April 1882 - June 1884 (2 years)
  • Rev. J. W. Wilson, July 1884 - October 1885 (1 year)

[Note: "P" = Pastor, "S" = State Supplied, "S" = Temporary Supplied]