First Unitarian Church (Dayton, Ohio)

The First Unitarian Church of Dayton held its inception meeting March of 1910. Through advertisements in local newspapers, all persons of liberal faith interested in the formation of a Unitarian were invited. The meeting was held in the old Y.M.C.A Hall, and conducted by Rev. Ernest C. Smith, Secretary of the Western Unitarian Conference in Chicago, Illinois. On May 21, the Articles of Incorporation were signed by Francis K. Fassett, N.R. Stanley, Frank C. Moody, H.L Orrman, H. Elliot Dodd, Elizabeth D. Elliott, Grace B. Heathman, Sarah Howard Pierce, and Alice Kile Neibel. Two days later the Articles were filed in the Office of the Secretary of the State of Ohio.

Dr. Troward H. Marshall was installed as the first minister of the church in November of 1910. He was successful in building a strong and influential congregation. He was also influential in civic affairs and was interested in social welfare issues. For two years he was also an advocate of the city commissioner system for Dayton. During the crisis of the 1913 flood, the congregation and Marshall were involved with the relief efforts. The American Unitarian Association sent several of thousands of dollars to be distributed.

Because of the flood the Church was unable to use its meeting place in the Young Women's League Hall on West Fourth Street. Mrs. Pierce and her daughters offered the use of their home in the Five Oaks neighborhood to the congregation.

It was not until November of 1914 in which the congregation dedicated the final site of the Church at 665 Salem Ave. in Dayton. The Sunday Morning dedication sermon was given by Dr. Minot Simons of the "Church of Unity" in Cleveland. Dr. George Thayer of Cincinnati, Rev. John Davidson of Xenia, and Dr. Marshal assisted in this service. Some famous local church members of this early period include John Patterson of the NCR Corporation, Marie Kumler, and Arthur Morgan, president of Antioch College.

In 1928, Edwin Wilson became the sixth minister of the Church. One of the activities during his four-year tenure in Dayton was to publish the national Unitarian newsletter, Dawn. At his next church, the Third Unitarian Church of Chicago, he continued to publish this newsletter until 1941. During the 1980s he returned to Dayton to serve as the First Unitarian Church's Minister Emeritus until 1988.

In 1943 a fire caused over eight thousand dollars worth of property in the Church. Fire insurance on the property allowed the congregation to repair or replace the losses. Some of the damaged materials included hymnals, furniture, rugs and an organ.

Besides Edwin Wilson, two other ministers with long tenures at t First Unitarian are Harold Levesconte and Rev. Gene Reeves. Levesconte served from 1960-1969 and Reeves succeeded him until 1979.

The First Unitarian Church of Dayton was forced to join with the Miami Valley Unitarian Fellowship in 1997, due to low attendance and fiscal problems. Included in the Correspondence section much of the debate over the Church's closing.

Throughout its history, the church has been interested in local and world issues. Some of these include the Vietnam War, racism, civil rights, poverty, human rights, and religious freedom.

From the guide to the First Unitarian Church of Dayton Records, 1910-1998, (Wright State University, Special Collections and Archives)