Trinity United Church of Christ (Elliston, Ohio) records

The Trinity United Church of Christ traces its origins to the 1860s. During this decade a number of German immigrants purchased land in what is now Benton Township, Ottawa County, Ohio. Most of these immigrants were members of Lutheran and Evangelical churches in Germany, and they felt a need to establish a place of worship in their new home. In 1862 they began holding religious services in a local schoolhouse. Six years later they erected their first church building on land donated by Lorenzo Ellis, and in February 1870 the congregation accepted a constitution.

The first resident pastor of the Trinity Church, as it was then known, was Reverend Franz Wolff. He assumed this position on May 28, 1870, and served the church until his death in April 1874. During his pastorate, a parsonage was built across the street from the church. From 1874 to 1877 Reverend Gottlieb Kuenzler served as the church's minister. His ministry was marked by a large increase in church membership due to an influx of new settlers. Shortly after the arrival of Reverend Christian Fetzer in 1877, it was decided that an addition was needed in order to accommodate the larger congregation. In 1880 the addition was completed, and a few years later a pipe organ was installed.

In 1885 Reverend August Stange became minister, serving in that capacity for twenty-three years. During his ministry the Parochial School he established grew, but the overall membership of the church declined. This was due, in part, to the formation of other churches in the community. Reverend Stange's successor, Reverend Albert Dietze, served from 1909 to 1914. Reverend Dietze began phasing out the use of the German language, and Reverend Carl Bizer, who served from 1915 to 1918, continued this trend. By 1918 English was used in all of the church services and meetings.

From 1918 to 1933 Adolph Abele, Herman Schoettle, and Hilbert Peters served as ministers. During this period the Trinity Church affiliated with the Evangelical Synod of North America. In 1922 a new parsonage was built at a cost of $7,833 and in 1930 the church was extensively remodeled. The expenses involved with renovating the church totaled $31,913.

Since 1933 Herbert Schowe, Leonard Weigel, Walter Vonderohe, and William Homeister have held the position of minister. In 1957 Reverend Homeister attended the convention at which the Evangelical and Reformed Church merged with the Congregational Christian Churches. After the merger, the Trinity Church was renamed the Trinity United Church of Christ.