Historical photos are bringing glimpses of Bluffton Presbyterian Church’s past as the church celebrates its 175th anniversary.
This 1960 photo shows the church’s sanctuary at Christmastime. The simple decorations took nothing away from the impressive 1919 pipe organ. It was said that church organist Edgar S. Hauenstein went from playing a small pump organ to mastering the new pipe organ without missing a note. When not in front of the organ, Mr. Hauenstein could be found at his pharmacy located in the storefront now occupied by the Twisted Whisk Café.
M & R stands for Bill McKibben and Harold Rau who originally began a partnership as McKibben and Rau at 118 Cherry St., Bluffton, working out of the garage at Bill McKibben’s home. This was 1958. The two men were brothers-in-law – Harold’s wife Ada is a sister to Bill’s wife Faye. According to Ada, they first did sheet metal work, roofing and plumbing and heating installation and repair. The two couples were originally from the Continental, Ohio, area. McKibben had been working in the Findlay area and talked Harold into opening a shop in Bluffton.
In 1960 they opened a showroom in the former Dr. Munson Bixel office which was attached to the McKibben residence. This piece of real estate is now the Bluffton location of First National Bank of Pandora.
In 1962 the partners incorporated as M & R Plumbing and Heating. In 1973 Rau purchased McKibben’s half of the business and McKibben left to work for the Allen County Health Department as plumbing inspector. The following year, 1974, the business was moved to 212 Cherry St. As part of the move, Rau installed an awning on the front of the building. CONTINUES ▶︎
From Scott Little
Bluffton Ohio Historical Society Secretary
The December meeting of the Bluffton Ohio Historical Society will be on Wednesday, December 11 at the Bluffton Public Library at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Shannon (History) Room on the main floor of the library.
Committee reports and planning for 2025 will be on the agenda. Additionally, details will be ironed out for upcoming "Bluffton Show & Tell, Part 1" scheduled for Wednesday, January 15 in the basement community room in the library.
The public is invited. Bring a story and a friend.
Bluffton Presbyterian Church is celebrating its 175th anniversary (1849-2024) this year.
By Diane Winebar Have you noticed the cornerstone to the left of the front steps of the Presbyterian church building? What happened to the name "The Brice Presbyterian Church"? In 1887, fundraising efforts to construct the present church building were falling short. The wife of one of the church’s early supply pastors, the Rev. W. K. Brice, assured the congregation that her son, soon-to-be U.S. senator Calvin S. Brice, would fund the completion as a memorial to his late father. With a large donation expected, the church ordered and laid a cornerstone engraved with the Brice name. But it turns out that all the Brice money that is in this building is the $10.00 Mrs. Brice herself contributed. ▶︎
PHOTOS from Travis family archive: LEFT) Betsey Travis Angus and Phyllis Diller. RIGHT) Eloise and Boyd Travis with Phyllis Diller.
Story provided by Rev. Tom Castlen, former Bluffton Presbyterian Church minister
Church celebrates 175 Years, provides anecdote from the 1940s
After World War II, there was a scramble to call pastors. Bluffton Presbyterian had not had a pastor during the war and they wanted to call Ernest Bigelow who was graduating from Yale Divinity School.
