USA > Indiana > Historical data and life sketches of the deceased ministers of the Indiana Conference of the Evangelical Association, 1835 to 1915, Volume I > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
L
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 02551 7209
2.50
Gc 977.2 Ev142H V. 1 EVANGELICAL CHURCH. INDIANA CONFERENCE. HISTORICAL DATA AND LIFE SKETCHES OF THE DECEASED
-
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/historicaldatali01evan
Historical Data
AND
LIFE SKETCHES OF THE DECEASED MINISTERS
OF THE
Indiana Conference of the Evangelical Association
1835 to 1915
Compiled by S. H. BAUMGARTNER, Conf. Historian Edited by E. W. PRAETORIUS Published by the Indiana Conference, 1915
Volume I
PUBLISHING HOUSE OF THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION CLEVELAND, OHIO C. HAUSER, PUBLISHER
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
.
Table of Contents. 845020
PAGE
1. Authentic History Prior to the Organization of the Indiana Conference. 9
2. Organization of the Indiana Conference and Territorial Extent. 21
3. Map of the Indiana Conference in 1902. Insert 24-25
4. Photo of the Original Indiana Conference in 1852 Photo of the Conference of 1865, with Brief History 25
5. Missionary Operations and Expansion 27
6. New Missions, Stations and Circuits 32
7. Conference Church Debt. Photo of Conference of 1901. 37
8. Semi-Centennial Anniversary 44
9. Presiding Elders and Their Districts 50
10. Presiding Elder Districts and the Elders That Have Served Them 51
11. Ministers of the Conference and the Fields They Have Served 56
12. Fields of Labor in the Conference and the Ministers That Served Them. 72
13. Tablet of Our Living Ministers 96 99
14.
Experiences of Our Pioneer Preachers' Wives
Tablet of Our Deceased Ministers 104
16. 17. Life Sketches of Our Deceased Ministers 106
18. Articles of Incorporation of the Indiana Conference 319
19. Business Rules of the Indiana Conference 321
20. Miscellaneous Rules and Regulations adopted by the Indiana Conference. 322
21. Actions of the Indiana Conference Relative to the College, Seminary and Endowment Fund 325
22. Orphans' Home and the Indiana Conference 329
23.
Church Extension and the Indiana Conference 331
24. Camp-Meeting and Oakwood Park 332
25. Conference Branch Young People's Alliance 333
26. District Meetings 334
27. Conference Committees 335
28. Preachers' Salaries in Evolution
337
29. Donations and Bequests 340
30. Miscellany 344
31. Reminiscences 350
32. General Conference Resolutions 354
33. Lay Delegation to Annual Conference 356
34. Regulations and Course of Study for Junior Preachers 359
35. Board of Examiners 363
36. Student Aid 363
3
-
101
15. Chronological List of Our Deceased Ministers
INDIANA CONFERENCE
PAGE
37. Formation of the Michigan Conference 368
38. Formation of the South Indiana Conference, with Brief History 369
39. Bishops that Presided at the Annual Conferences 377-378
40. Tablet of the Annual Conferences 379
41. Conference Officers 380
42. General Conference Delegates 381
43. Officers of the Indiana Conference Missionary Society and Delegates .. 383
44. Societies from which Our Preachers Came 384
45. Preachers Licensed by the Indiana Conference 387
46. Preachers Received from Other Conferences, and Churches. 390
47. Preachers Ordained as Deacons 391
48. Preachers Ordained as Elders 392
49. Credentials Voted to Ministers by the Indiana Conference 394
50. Errata 395
-
4
FOREWORD
The writing of a history, such as this, is a vast and tedious undertaking. To portray accurately and impartially the begin- nings and progress of our Conference, in the face of meagerly- kept records, is surely a herculean task. Many and diverse have been the sources of our information, long and tedious the examina- tion of records and periodicals. Most of our data was extracted from the "History of the Evangelical Association," the Christliche Botschafter, the "Proceedings of the Various Sessions of the In- diana Conference," and the "Brief History and Life Sketches of the Indiana Conference by D. S. Oakes."
The material for the life-sketches of our deceased brethren had to be gathered from friends and relatives, for, with very few exceptions, none of them left any diary. And those who did leave a full record of their lives, abbreviation was necessary.
The task was greatly augmented by much translation that was necessary-all of the early records, both periodicals and Con- ference minutes, having been written in the German language.
Your historian has deemed the writing of this work a great and sacred trust, and highly appreciates the confidence reposed in him. He has earnestly striven to be true to that trust.
Special recognition is due those who have helped in any way to make this history possible. Especially would I mention my colleagues and the editor, who have greatly assisted in gathering, arranging and correcting the materials herein found. May this volume be a source of blessing and inspiration to all who read these pages ! Yours in the Master's service,
S. H. BAUMGARTNER.
5
*
-
AN APPRECIATION
A great service has been rendered the Indiana Conference by our compiler in the preparation of this book. Invaluable data of the Conference has been brought together and so arranged as to be easily accessible. Amid the abounding duties of a presiding elder, our compiler has bestowed a super-amount of tedious labor upon this book, and has given us the best that time and strength would allow. It is, indeed, a "labor of love."
To edit such a work is no small task, involving the assembling and condensing of some parts, the correcting of the whole, and the recopying of the major part. More time has been spent upon this work than a very busy and large pastorate will allow, and special thanks is due Elkhart First Church for their patience and leniency during these days.
The perusal of these pages cannot but be beneficial to the laity and, especially, to the ministry of the Indiana Conference. It could, with profit, be inserted in the Course of Studies for Jun- ior Preachers of the Indiana Conference.
Absolute accuracy is not claimed, nor even hoped for, in this. work, but an honest attempt has been made to attain it.
E. W. PRAETORIUS, Editor.
6
٠
Authentic History Prior to the Organization of the Indiana Conference
In reading the history of the Indiana Conference, we must trace the workings of the pioneers of the Evangelical Association, who labored within our bounds prior to our organization. We must also get some conception of the early condition of the coun- try and of the climate.
The land was mostly low and marshy in the northern part, and somewhat undulating. In the central and southern portions lowlands were to be found, especially along the rivers and creeks. Treacherous quicksand marshes abounded, while the roads were nothing more than Indian trails. Dense forests, infested with wolves and bears, spread over the country, and often the thickets were impassable. Railroads were almost unheard of, the canals useless for circuiting, and the horse alone furnished means of travel. Bridges were very few, and fording was a necessary but exceeding dangerous procedure. The points that had to be reached were from twenty to forty miles apart. In the summer-time the air was laden with malarial fevers, to which our pioneers were not immune, but suffered with others untold chills and burnings.
The settlements were far apart, the houses of the people very small and hardly fit to live in. The summer burnt itself through the poorly-constructed shacks, and the winter froze itself in. Min- isters were too often unwelcome guests, simply because the people had no accommodations for entertaining them, and foodstuffs and provender were scarce. The "parson" was seldom invited.
Moreover, cleanliness and godliness were not yet synonymous terms with the people, and everything was in a crude state of affairs. It took more than the "lure of the wild" to enable one to endure all this, and to follow the watchword, "Outward, Forward, Upward." Nothing less than a passion for souls, and a seeing Him, who is invisible, could give them such enduring faith and glorious victory. The hardships, privations, sufferings, distresses and dangers that were the daily companions of our pioneer preach- ers and of their families, are almost beyond the comprehension of modern affluence, ease of travel and days of better things.
9
1835
INDIANA CONFERENCE
The earliest bit of information concerning the foundation of the Indiana Conference is contained in a report of A. B. Shafer, which he sent in to the Christliche Botschafter on May 1, 1848. Here he writes: "In taking a retrospective view of the Lord's work, I recall that in October, 1835, I helped hold the first 'big meeting' that was ever held in the State of Indiana, namely, at Abington, Wayne County. According to my best recollection, we had at that time three members in this state." Mr. Shafer was at that time a local preacher of the Western Conference, and serving on the Miami Circuit in Ohio, made a trip to these parts in In- diana. From this small beginning sprang forth one of the largest of the Conferences in our Church.
1836
In the year 1836, the work of our Church began in and about Mt. Carmel, Ill., some Pennsylvanians from Lehigh County hav- ing moved there during this year. The Evangelical Church His- tory says, "Here, the first conversions by means of our ministry took place in Illinois." John Butz, who seems to have been class- leader, was one of the active and valuable members.
In the same year, work was begun near Greenville, Ohio, which was a part of the Miami Circuit of the Western Conference. This circuit extended into Indiana as far as East Germantown, which latter place was visited by Rev. Jacob Boas. A. B. Shafer reports that he assisted in holding the second "big meeting" in Indiana, near East Germantown, in 1836. Here there were twelve members. It may be that he was with Boas, and that they held this meeting together.
The Christliche Botschafter also reports that a camp-meeting was held during this year on this same circuit near Greenville, with good results.
Those tender vines thus planted amid the briars of deepest corruption, grew, nevertheless, and brought forth fruit unto ever- lasting life.
1837
From a letter to the Christliche Botschafter, dated January, 1837, it is learned that Brother John Lutz and A. B. Shafer held a "big meeting" on Saturday, Dec. 31, 1836, and Sunday. Jan. 1, 1837, near Ft. Brier in Darke County, Ohio, at D. Wolf's, Jacob Freyberger's and Jacob Winget's places. They report a glorious
10
1838
AUTHENTIC HISTORY PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION
time, especially during the celebration of the Lord's Supper, on Sunday morning. When the Communion service was almost over, some "old church" people came forward to participate in the serv- ice of the Supper, and great blessings fell down upon them. At the evening service, the newly converted received a special and gra- cious enduement with Divine power. Eighteen united with the Evangelical Association, and the fire began to burn in that com- munity. Nor was opposition wanting, for soon the enemies be- gan to call Brothers Lutz and Shafer, "Deceivers! Deceivers!"
At the same time they wrote, "We have received word from the inner part of Indiana, and also from the western part, along the Wabash River, that there are many there who want the Bread of Life." And if at all possible, they would have gladly entered this open door. But, alas! their circuit was too large already !
Brother Butz wrote in June, 1837, "I am like a solitary bird upon the roof, and meet with sore opposition; but the Lord has thus far been with us. Three souls have been converted to God, who were awakened through our humble service, two of whom have obtained peace in our prayer services. The Lord alone be praised !"
At the Conference session in May, Mt. Carmel was taken up as a mission.
1838
Rev. Peter Wiest was appointed to this large field this year, but none of the happenings of the Conference year have been re- corded.
1839
From a report in the Botschafter, dated December, 1839, Bishop John Seybert, but recently elected as bishop, made a visit to the Miami Circuit, and over into Indiana, evidently to inspect the work, and do some missionary service. This was his first visit as bishop to our parts.
At this time the Evangelical Association began operations in the northern part of Indiana, in the efficient labors of Sol. Alti- mos. Brother Altimos lived in Monroe County, Michigan, where he preached also. His field extended south to Yellow River. He also made a trip to Fuhrman's and Kern's, near Decatur, Ind., and to Bethlehem, near Ossian, Wells County, and Five Points, in Allen County, south-west of Ft. Wayne, Ind. He was cordially received
11
1840
INDIANA CONFERENCE
in Ft. Wayne, by Brother Stetzel, and preached in the vicinity with success.
1840
This year A. B. Shafer and Levi Heiss were assigned to Miami Circuit, with instructions to give special attention to Day- ton, Ohio. There were many Germans residing there, and already Henry Longbrake had preached a sermon here with good success. This Miami Circuit extended into 15 counties of Ohio and Indiana. Brother Shafer was so successful in Dayton that in the spring of the year 1841, before Conference, he could organize a class of 21 members. On October 11, 1840, he wrote to the Botschafter that they had held a camp-meeting on John Dill's farm, near East Germantown. Camp-meetings were something new, this being the first one held in the state, but the people came in the Spirit, and many were saved and united with the Church. The season was called "a time of the Son of man."
1841
Miami Circuit, having become so greatly enlarged by the ad- dition of new appointments, the Conference in 1841 found it nec- essary to detach the Indiana section of this field, and called it Whitewater Mission. The Ft. Wayne Mission was also estab- lished at this session. It extended into Adams, Wells, Huntington, Wabash, Allen, DeKalb and Noble Counties. Rev. John Hall was assigned as missionary to this field, and labored hard amidst many difficulties and discouragements. There were but few Germans in this section, the most of these being very poor, while the roads were almost impassable, rivers flooded and unbridged. He suc- ceeded, however, in forming several small classes, which formed the foundation for our future work.
1842
At the session of 1842, all the appointments in Southern Illi- nois and Indiana, along the Wabash River, were formed into Mt. Carmel Mission, with C. Augenstine as missionary. This field was a part of the Ohio District, with J. G. Zinser as presiding elder. Whitewater Mission, in charge of Adam Stroh, and Tobias; and Ft. Wayne Mission, which now extended from Elkhart County, south to Wabash, thence east to Willshire, Ohio, thence north through Defiance and Williams Counties, and then west again to
12
1843
AUTHENTIC HISTORY PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION
Elkhart County, Indiana, and over into Michigan, also belonged to the Ohio District. Mt. Carmel Mission flourished under the efficient leadership and labors of its missionary. A camp-meet- ing was begun on Aug. 29th, in Lawrence County, on the farm of Philip Dundor, who had been a member of our Church before he came to Indiana. His home became a nucleus for our work in this vicinity, nearly 100 persons joining our Church in one year. Whitewater Mission had 91 members in its classes, and the work was prospering.
In Dayton, Ohio, Brother Zinser began a meeting, October 15th, in a Methodist Episcopal Church. On Monday evening, the 17th, God's power was so great that the altar was filled with peni- tent souls, and many were soundly converted. The need of a church-building was keenly felt, and Brother Zinser appealed to the Church at large for financial aid. He headed the list with $5.00 of his own, which, in those days, was an enormous sum for a preacher to give out of his insignificant salary. The response was meager, and a second appeal had to be made, which met with better results.
Ft. Wayne Mission had 32 members, and one appointment with regular and stated services. On June 28, Bishop Seybert preached in Ft. Wayne in a Methodist Episcopal Church to an attentive audience, which was without doubt the first sermon preached in Ft. Wayne by an Evangelical minister. From Ft. Wayne the bishop went to Elkhart County, and formed the first class having stated services on the district. This was probably at Canada, Union Township, south of Harrison Center. Mission- aries Hall and Nicolai toiled hard with apparently little success, encountering bitter opposition from preachers of formal and dead churches.
1843
The Conference session was held in the new stone church near Flat Rock, Ohio, May 10th. J. Kopf was elected presiding elder and stationed on the Ohio District. The fields were sup- plied as follows: Miami Circuit, Aaron Jambert and F. Meyer ; Whitewater, John Nicolai and Peter Hahn; Dayton Mission, A. B. Shafer; Ft. Wayne Circuit, D. Kern and Geo. A. Blank; Mt. Carmel, Chr. Lintner and A. Nicolai.
The Dayton society was exceedingly glad to have a preacher by themselves, who could devote all his time to the work in Day-
13
1844 INDIANA CONFERENCE
ton. At the close of the first service, Shafer called a meeting of the men members, who decided to look for a room in the city sem- inary for a place of worship. It was granted them rent-free for several months. They again met on Friday evening, and planned the building of a church, electing a board of trustees and a builder. On Oct. 3 the church was dedicated. It was a time of great re- joicing, and many were saved and united with the Church.
Ft. Wayne Circuit had 26 appointments, and the work looked very promising. The people gladly received their pastors, and even sought for them and urged them to preach the Gospel in their homes. Between 60-70 were, during the year, added to the Church.
1844
At the Conference session, held in the Lafayette Church, Wayne County, Ohio, May, 1844, the Illinois Conference was or- ganized. It had about 50 appointments, 60-80 miles apart, ex- tending through dense forests and over trackless prairies. The Indiana District of the Ohio Conference became a part of the Illi- nois Conference. Dayton Mission and Miami Circuit were added to the Indiana Conference later on. This new Conference was divided into two districts, named Indiana and Illinois, respectively. Mt. Carmel Mission, however, belonged to the Indiana District.
The Conference covered a territory 500 miles long and 400 miles wide, spreading itself over North-western Ohio, the whole of Indiana, Southern Michigan, all of Illinois, and into Wisconsin and Iowa. It was the largest district in the whole Church. The statistics of that time reveal that there were 763 members, 14 preachers, 3 circuits, 6 missions, and 5 church buildings. The Indiana District could boast of one of these church buildings, located at East Germantown. Two Sunday-schools were to be found, one at Young's, near Wabash, and the other at East Ger- mantown. These were organized in 1840 and 1843, respectively.
A. B. Shafer was presiding elder of the Indiana District, and was assisted by Fr. Mayer on the Whitewater Circuit, Geo. A. Blank and Simon Tobias on Ft. Wayne Circuit, A. Nicolai and G. Platz on Mt. Carmel Mission. Mt. Carmel Mission enjoyed great prosperity, especially around Huntingburg, where Jacob Trome- ter, a local preacher, lived and labored with great success. On Christmas morning God's power was greatly manifested in Hunt- ingburg under the preaching of Trometer. Children from 10-12
14
-
1845
AUTHENTIC HISTORY PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION
years of age were mightily gripped by God's Word and converted. There were in all some 66 accessions on this mission during the year, and one new Sunday-school organized.
Ft. Wayne Circuit also prospered. Bishop Seybert visited these parts this year and was greatly encouraged by the progress made. However, there would have been greater results had Bro. Tobias been able to remain on the field with Brother Blank. As it was, Brother Blank could reach the appointments but once in 5 or 6 weeks. This made progress very slow, and the impressions few and far between. But in spite of it all the work went for- ward.
1845
This Conference year was filled with trying experiences and some successes. Shafer was again appointed as presiding elder on the Indiana District, with C. Augenstein on Whitewater Cir- cuit, G. G. Platz and Wm. Kolb on Elkhart Circuit, Chr. Glaus on St. Mary's Mission (these latter two formerly constituted Ft. Wayne Circuit), S. Tobias and Ph. Bretsch on Mt. Carmel Cir- cuit, Jacob Trometer on Dubois Mission.
For 5 months Chr. Glaus was unable to do any work on his field on account of illness. His enemies made good use of the time, filling the minds of the people with suspicion towards the Evan- gelical preachers, and hindered the work in every way possible. Great injury was done to the work on the St. Mary's Mission. Mt. Carmel Circuit enjoyed blessed meetings, and many conversions and accessions. On Dubois Mission, the Maple Grove Church, near Huntingburg, was dedicated Sept. 14, 1845. Brother G. G. Platz reported a glorious camp-meeting on Dill's farm, Wayne County, Ind., beginning Aug. 15, 1845. Many conversions and accessions came with great persecutions. Platz says: "There was good be- havior on the part of the outsiders until Tuesday night, when the hordes of Satan gathered without, armed with clubs and knives, presaging evil. During the preaching, a sham-battle was played, hoping to lure us out, and when they failed in this, they rushed in upon us, as we surrounded the altar and were praying with the many penitents. For an hour or more, we had a serious and rough time. God's people fell upon their knees and prayed earnestly, sinners cried mightily to God for pardon, while these hoodlums mocked and filled the air with their profanity. The ringleader called himself a Lutheran, and orthodox, and put us down as deceivers."
15
1846
INDIANA CONFERENCE
While the preachers were mostly young and inexperienced, yet they labored incessantly and with great zeal and earnestness, and not without blessing.
1846
The Conference met on June 10th of this year, in East Ger- mantown, Ind., and the appointments were made as follows: In- diana District, A. B. Schafer, P. E .; Elkhart Circuit, Chr. Glaus and Wm. Ficht; Whitewater Circuit, G. G. Platz; Dubois, Phil. Bretsch; Mt. Carmel Circuit, John G. Miller and Jacob Trometer ; St. Mary's Mission, Wm. Kolb.
Some of their labors and hardships can be gathered from the following: A. B. Shafer left his home in East Germantown, July 24th, for Vandalia, Ill., 240 miles distant, where J. G. Miller had taken up several new appointments, which lay from 80 to 150 miles from his headquarters in Mt. Carmel. Finding some Ger- mans, Schafer held a two days' meeting here in a Presbyterian Church, and paved the way for a new field, which was taken up the next year. On August the 6th, Schafer arrived at Marshall, Ill., where he assisted H. Tobias in a camp-meeting, which re- sulted in many conversions and accessions. He thence set out and came to Mt. Carmel. Ill., where he conducted a camp-meeting on Adam Stolz's farm. With Brother Bretsch, Schafer proceeded east to Princeton, where he preached, and then on to Evansville, Rockport and Huntingburg, holding a 2 or 3 days' meeting in each place. After seven days of continuous travel, he arrived home safely, mounted on his trusted horse, Sept. 7th. J. G. Miller, reporting from Mt. Carmel Circuit, said: "It required 600 miles of travel to make one round on my field." He added to his field, Vandalia and vicinity, Springfield, Pulaski, Decatur, all in Illi- nois. He investigated the conditions in Southern Illinois, in a town called "Hochland," a German settlement, where rationalism prevailed, and then went to St. Louis, Mo., where half the popula- tion was German. (It is to be regretted that St. Louis, Decatur, and Springfield were not occupied at this time, instead of so many country places, where the work soon died out because of the lack of people.)
Wm. Kolb, of St. Mary's Circuit, reports great opposition and spiritual apathy. About Willshire, Ohio, he found 5 preachers who were teaching baptismal regeneration, who greatly withstood his words. His meetings were greatly hindered by chill-fever,
16
-
1847
AUTHENTIC HISTORY PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION
which was raging everywhere. His field was large and beset with many hindrances. High water, swamps, bridges gone, and other things to make his work difficult. But once in three weeks could he make his appointments. He reports success in Defiance and Williams Counties, especially in Brunnersberg, near Defiance. In DeKalb County he organized five classes, of which 2 were near Auburn, Indiana. Elkhart Circuit showed good success, especially around Bremen, Ind., and along the Yellow River. The district made progress in general, but the scarcity of competent workers to man the field was greatly deplored by the presiding elder. Schafer sent out a strong appeal to the East for vigorous young men to come and enter this promising and needy West.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.