Springfield, Lockland and Landmark

We saw in our last blog that several families from Lockland Baptist Church were given their letters of dismissal March 14, 1942,  to start the Blue Ash Baptist Church. We are going to see in this section the start of the Lockland Baptist Church. The historic marker located at the intersection of Oak and Chester Road in Glendale, Ohio (pictured on the right) tells some about the history of what is now called Landmark Baptist Temple. The sign reads "In the year 1792, Henry Tucker started clearing land and erecting a station house on the old Indian Trace in what is now the village of Woodlawn. He had purchased the land from John Cleves Symmes for two dollars per acre. Fear of Indian attack drove the pioneers back to Columbia where they remained until General Anthony Wayne started his march north to engage the Indians in battle.  Henry and Mary Tucker returned to this farm in 1794. The station house was completed and was to be used as a fort in case of an Indian attack."
Worship services were conducted in the station house, in neighboring cabins and in Abraham Skillman's barn which was located not far from Tucker's Station.  The result was the organization of The Springfield Baptist Church in 1798, now known as the Landmark Baptist Temple.

Since 1798, the church has had three names. The first name, The Springfield Baptist Church was given because of its location. From 1798 until 1840 their place of worship was one mile north-west of Lockland in  Springfield, Township. In 1840 the church moved their place of worship to Lockland, Ohio. (Pictured on the right.) It was at this time the name was changed to Lockland Baptist Church. In 1962, the church once again moved to their present location and became known as the Landmark Baptist Temple.

Upon a recent trip to Scotch Plains, New Jersey we were able to locate the church from which Henry and Mary Tucker were dismissed from to come to the Miami area to join a church. The picture on the left is taken from the ledger of Scotch Plains Baptist Church and dated June 11, 1789, showing their dismissal. Records show that Henry and Mary Tucker were influential in the start of three churches. They were buried about one mile from the present day Landmark Baptist Temple in a family cemetery.

The cemetery was located about 500 feet south of by pass 50 between Route 4 and the B & O Railroad Tracks.  A large construction project had been planned for that area which included the overgrown site of the old Tucker Cemetery.  Somehow the grave stones of Mary and Henry Tucker had been thrown over the boundary fence and onto the property of the railroad in a pile of debris.  The discarded stones were accidentally discovered by some members of the Landmark Baptist Temple.  The church immediately began to make plans to rescue the head stones and to keep them in their care.  On the right is a picture of Bill Talley, Bill Ingold, and Leon Rawlings rescuing the grave stones.  

The records of the Miami Valley Association show the Tuckers had taken  their letter of dismissal from the Carpenters Run Baptist Church for the "purpose of assisting in constituting or organizing the Springfield Baptist Church." Taken from Historical Sketches and Early Hamilton County, Ohio written by J.G. Olden page 240-241.