By Martha Jacob –

Members of the Ripley First Presbyterian Church are excited to announce the arrival of two unique small wooden replicas of the First Presbyterian Church building and a replica of the 200 year old pipe organ located inside the church.
Lay-Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Wayne Reveal said that the 3/4 inch wooden replicas were created to help celebrate the 200th anniversary of the church building.
“We are excited to have these beautiful replicas of our beautiful church,” Pastor Reveal said. “The replica of the church is 61/2 inches tall by 4 5/8 inches wide. The replica of the old organ is 4 1/2 inches high by 3 inches wide.
“They are exact replicas of the original building an organ. On the back of each of the wooden replicas is the history and information on what’s pictured. They are real keepsakes for not only our members but anyone who is familiar with the rich history in Ripley.”
The wooden prints were made by ‘The Cat’s Meow Village out of Wooster Ohio, famous for the many wooden handcrafted pieces they make.
On the back of the replica of the Ripley First Presbyterian Church, the following is some of the information provided on it:
….It was formed in 1816, commissioned in April 1817. Built at the corner of Third and Mulberry Street, the lot was donated by Col. Poague. Cost of the current building was $26,270, consists of 660,000 bricks and built by Wilson Dunn. Reverend John Rankin served as pastor from 1822 to 1844 and in 2017 the congregation celebrates 200 years.
The information located on the back of the picture of the old pipe organ includes the following information:
This pipe organ, Opus 472 of the A.B.Felgemaker Company of Erie, PA was built in 1885 and installed in the church in the autumn of 1886. It was originally built for First Scots Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC which was unable to accept the organ because of damage to its church from a severe earthquake in August of 1886. The organ was purchased by the church for $1,500.
To learn more about how to purchase one of the replicas, please call the church at (937) 392- 4478.