A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 65

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273

USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana > Part 65

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a membership perhaps of a thousand families. Could the society of LaPorte county do without those churches ?

As we are now making reference to the ritual- istic churches it may be well to mention the Pro- testant Episcopal church. This is another church which claims unbroken succession with the apos- tles. A third is the Greek church or church of Russia, not represented in this county. The first building exclusively for church services erected in Michigan City was put up by the Episcopalians. It was built in 1835 or '36 and stood on Pine street between Fourth and Market streets. The state of Indiana was then one dio- cese, under the Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper, D. D., missionary bishop. Rt. Rev. George Upfold, D. D., LL. D., was consecrated bishop on Decem- ber 16, 1849. He was succeeded by Rt. Rev. Joseph Cruikshank Talbot, D. D. LL. D., who was consecrated February 15, 1860. Then came Rt. Rev. David Buel Knickerbacker, D. D., who was consecrated October 14, 1883, who was suc- ceeded by the Rt. Rev. John Hazen White, D. D., who was consecrated bishop of Indiana, then all one diocese, on May 1, 1895. The site of the church property consists of a quarter block at the corner of Franklin and Sixth streets. It was once occupied as a lumber yard. The corner stone of the former church building was laid in 1858. It was a neat wooden structure on a brick and stone foundation in "Rustic Gothic" style, with rectory on the same lot. But in later years this gave place to the present stone structure. The first rector of this church was Rev. D. V. M. Johnson. Some of those who have suc- ceeded him are Revs. G. B. Engle, Henry Saf- ford, C. A. Bruce, William H. Stoy. E. E. Wright, R. L. Ganter, T.L. Bellam, J. F. Wink- ley, Dr. Reeves, R. Brass, S. S. French, Walter S. Howard, and A. A. Ewing. Barker Hall, a large brick structure for parish purposes, stands on the same lot, at the rear and to the side of the church. In 1899 the oversight of the Indiana diocese became so arduous that Bishop White divided it into two dioceses, the northern one comprising that part of the state lying north of and including the counties of Benton, White, Car- roll, Howard, Grant, Blackford. and Jay. It was Bishop White's privilege to elect which should be his field of labor, and he chose the northern

diocese. Then came the question, where should be the bishop's residence and the cathedral city. For a time the choice lay between Fort Wayne and Michigan City. But Fort Wayne was already the cathedral city of the Catholic diocese, and one bishop of Fort Wayne was enough. Bishop White therefore chose Michigan City, and there he made his residence. In this he was ably assisted financially by Mrs. John H. Bar- ker and others. The result is a fine stone struc- ture as the bishop's palace, just south and a little to the rear of Trinity church, and Michigan City has the distinction of being a cathedral city.

St. Paul's church of LaPorte was organized July 25, 1839. At the meeting for organization Rev. D. V. M. Johnson, rector of Trinity church at Michigan City, presided and Franklin Thwing acted as secretary. John Hobson and Franklin Thwing were elected wardens, James Whittem, J. R. Traver, Samuel` Stewart, Thomas H. Phil- lips, Hiram Wheeler, T. B. Bell, Jacob Early and T. H. Holbrook were elected vestrymen. For some months after the organization the rector of Trinity church in Michigan City preached for the new church at each alternate Sunday. Early in 1840 Rev. Solon W. Manney was settled as rector. Some of his successors have been the following: Revs. H. W. Roberts, F. R. Half. W. E. Franklin, A. Gregory, A. E. Bishop, J. H. Lee, F. M. Gregg, G. J. Magill, Charles T. Coer. Walter Scott, A. A. Abbott, Thomas B. Barlow, E. L. Roland. and A. A. Ewing. Rev. W. E. Franklin died while rector at LaPorte. He was greatly beloved and mourned by his parishoners. For several years this church had no house of worship, but in 1845 an edifice was erected at the corner of Michigan avenue and Harrison street. It was afterwards much enlarged and improved. But along in the nineties it became sadly out of repair and the question of building a new house of worship was agitated, first by Rev. Mr. Abbott and then by Rev. Mr. Barlow, his successor. Under the latter's supervision the present artistic stone structure was built, and dedicated in 1897 or '98. South of it is the rec- tory and south of that the parish home, both facing Michigan avenue.

The pioneers of LaPorte county did not leave their religion behind when they settled here but brought it with them. In the first settlements

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which were formed there were not a sufficient number of any one sect to form a church by themselves, and so they worshipped together. The points of doctrine or practice which divided them were held in abeyance, persons of each sect yielded a little for the good of the whole, and in a spirit of unity and Christian toleration they came together and each one tried to derive all the good he could from the meetings, exer- cises and discourses. For a time there were no church buildings, but school houses were soon erected, rude log structures, and there in the winter, or in the open air in the summer, the peo- ple assembled for worship. The first school house in Michigan City, built in 1834, was used for worship. As yet there were no churches organized and no settled pastors, but ministers passing through were asked to preach and did so. The ritualist could not have his prayerbook service, the Presbyterian or old school Baptist could not have his sermons on divine sovereignty and the decrees, the Methodist could not make a hobby of free will, and so on. If they persisted in these things there would be few to hear them. An appointment was made at some dwelling house or school house, and at the time appointed a true pioneer community gathered. Some came on foot, some on horseback, and some in ox teams. If in the summer time, not only the children but some of the men came barefooted, bringing their dogs with them; and all, even some of the dogs, gave earnest attention to the services. There were no organ and no choir, but some one would lead in the singing, and as hymn-books were scarce the reader would give out two lines of a stanza and the people would sing them, then another two, and so on. This was called "lining off" the hymn, and a variety of voices would join in the singing. There were not as much harmony and beautiful melody as now, but there may have been as much devotion. Some among the pioneers were accomplished singers and when these met there was rich music. As a rule the pioneer preachers who came to this county were well instructed men who had not been brought up in the backwoods. Some of them have been mentioned in Chapter XXVI.

At a little later day, when the population became more numerous, the churches began to divide up and each sect to have its own services.

But even then there was in many places a spirit of fraternity and union. This was especially the case in Michigan City. Everyone attended his own church but no sectarianism entered into the the social relations, which were enjoyed regard- less of creeds. A new-comer in the harbor city asked a friend, "What church do such and such families attend?" The answer was, "The Episcopal" "And what place of worship do so and so attend?" "The Congregationalist ?" "Yes," replied the recent arrival, "but they seem so very intimate, so much of the time at each other's homes, that I fancied they must be of the same church." "Oh," said the friend, "that does not follow here! We are too small a band to have any barrier of that kind come between us." And so the new-comer found it.

Here the very interesting and important ques- tion arises-too large and not proper for dis- cussion here-whether after all, the church was ever designed to be a social institution. Does the fact that people of different tastes and cir- cuinstances in life worship in the same church necessitate that they mingle together in the same social circles? Because a person finds his re- ligious home in a certain church, does that in any way prevent him from finding his social affinities out of it? As a matter of fact all grades and classes of society kneel together in the ser- vice of the Catholic church, but their social segregations outside of their religion are very different. May not society be one thing and re- ligion quite another? We merely raise the ques- tion.

It is difficult to determine when and where the first religious services were held in LaPorte county. There are many claims of priority. But from what has been written in the foregoing chapters it would appear that the Baptists con- ducted the first worship in the county. Of course this is leaving the Catholics out of con- sideration. The Carey mission was established at Niles, Michigan, in 1822 by the Rev. Isaac McCoy, a Baptist minister, and an uncle of Mrs. John B. Niles. There was a branch of that mission at Hudson Lake. There were operations going on at that branch in 1829, which warrant the belief that they must have begun before that time. Then came the widow Benedict with her family, led by Henly Clyburn, to New Durham

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township, March 15, 1829, and at a very early day the Methodists held services at her house.

The Baptists held services in Springfield township as early as 1832, under the leader- ship of a Mr. Marks, but it does not appear that there was any Baptist church organized until 1834, when a society was gathered on Stillwell prairie under the labors of Rev. Phineas Colver, of Washington county, New York. Mr. Colver came to the county in 1833 to visit relatives and began preaching in the neighborhood, and the result was the organization of a church. He went home intending to return, but died before he reached his eastern home. This religious society was known for some years as the La- Porte Baptist church, and was so recorded in the minutes of the association. A Baptist church was organized at Rolling Prairie in 1836, one at Michigan City in 1837, which soon ceased to exist, and one in LaPorte probably in 1838; the records are lost. In that year Rev. G. Sarwin came to LaPorte and opened his home for prayer meetings. It was the "sickly season" and many were induced to seek the consolations of religion. The result was that a Baptist church was organ- ized in the brick church then owned by the Meth- odists, which stood on the lot since occupied by the house of Dr. Teegarden, now the residence of Dr. Mack. This church was admitted into the association at the meeting in Rolling Prairie, in June, 1839. After this the church on Stillwell Prairie took the name of the Kingsbury Baptist church. Mr. Sarwin became pastor of the Kings- bury church, and Rev. Charles Harding was selected as the pastor of the LaPorte church. In two years he resigned, to become home mis- sionary. He died in 1843, highly esteemed. Rev. Silas Tucker was the next pastor, in 1840. Soon after his arrival a small building which stood on the northwest corner of Jackson and State streets, belonging to the Disciple society, was purchased and enlarged and used for many years as the house of worship. E. W. Hamlin was the next pastor, 1846. In 1849 Rev. Mor- gan Edwards, "the sailor preacher," was pas- tor for five months, then Rev. R. H. Cook was pastor, and in February Rev. Morgan Edwards again, but only for a short time. Rev. S. C. Edwards became pastor in 1852, who insinuated the doctrines of the Adventists into the church

and caused an unhappy division not only in the church but to some extent in the association. But in all the troubles through which this church passed, "Good Father Sarwin" and Rev. Alex- ander Hastings of Rolling Prairie were their mainstay. In 1854 Rev. Gibbon Williams became pastor. In 1855 W. D. Wright, in 1857 J. L. McCloud. In 1858 the church built an edifice on the west side of Jackson street, between Jef- ferson and Maple avenues. In 1861 Rev. Henry Smith became pastor, who resigned in August, 1863, to become chaplain of the Ninth Regiment. Subsequent pastors have been Revs. J. P. Ash, C. T. Chaffee, D. D., Addison Parker, C. H. Wheeler, George C. Moor, and at present C. R. Parker. The present house of worship is a mod- ern and commodious brick structure on the south- west corner of Indiana and Jefferson avenues. The church has passed through many troubles. The Baptist church at Kingsbury has had many pastors, and still holds on its way. It has a gem of a church building. The Baptist church at Rolling Prairie had for its first pastor the Rev. Alexander Hastings, who was followed by sev- eral others. The church at Door Village united with the association in 1840 and was once flour- ishing but has ceased to exist. The Baptist church in Westville was gathered and organized chiefly by the labors of Rev. J. M. Whitehead, who resigned its pastorate to become chaplain of the Fifteenth Indiana Volunteers. There were great religious revivals in the county in 1857. Mr. Whitehead, who is still living and engaged in active work in Topeka, Kansas, has recently written a letter in which he says :-

"I have always remembered Door Village and Kingsbury because of the work I helped to do there in church matters. That great revival in Kingsbury was a marvelous work ; equally so were the great revivals in Door Village, West- ville, Black Oak, Beatty's Corners, Valparaiso and Rolling Prairie and many other places in northern Indiana. I meet many of those con- verts of that period out here in this western country, among whom are Eliza Craft. John A. Rolins and Jerome Lathrop. In some places I have found almost whole churches formed out of members from northern Indiana associations. At Delaware and Perry, Iowa, Nebraska City, Nebraska, and other places they have helped

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organize churches, build meeting houses, and are active in other church work and Sunday-school progress. They are a loss to you in your asso- ciation, but a wonderful gain in the broader field in the unbounded west. The Lord has led them out into this fair land, doubtless into more needy fields."

And of Mr. Whitehead Colonel I. C. B. Su- man says: "I was severely wounded at the bat- tle of Stone river. When Chaplain Whitehead gave me his assistance he was all besmeared with the blood of the wounded he had cared for. He seemed to be an angel among the wounded, Yankees and Johnnies alike. He thought nothing of the danger he was in, caring for the wounded, looking after the dead, directing and assisting their burial. I came in contact with many chap- lains during my long service in the army and can truthfully say that the Rev. John M. Whitehead was the most worthy one that ever came under my notice. In camp, on the march and on the field of battle, especially that of Stone River, his services were performed admirably and with- out the hope of reward or promotion."

It appear also that a Baptist church of some kind was organized in Wills township on June 13, 1836, by Revs. T. Price, of Edwards- burg, Michigan, and T. Spaulding, of LaPorte, at the house of James Hunt. The members were James Hunt, John Salisbury, Matthias Dawson, Nancy Hunt, Martha Hunt, Catharine White- head, Sarah Mason, Phoebe Hunt, Clarissa Canada, Sabrina Salisbury, Alsie Dawson, and Martha Whitehead. In 1837 a Baptist log chapel, succeeded by a frame church, was built on the grounds of George Belshaw, on the southeast quarter of section thirteen in Wills township.

In 1836 an Antinomian, often called "hard shell" Baptist church was organized in the log school house in the Webster District, in Noble township. It was known as the "Spring Creek Old School Baptist church." Elder A. Neal of Porter county perfected the organization. The members were Asaph Webster, E. S. Harding, John Harding, A. A. Cole, Ariel Wakefield, Ameluna Webster, Mary Harding and Polly Harding. A. A. Cole and E. S. Harding were the first resident elders. It has long ceased to exist.

There was an African Baptist church in La- Porte, which joined the. association is 1871 with about twenty members. There was also a col- ored Methodist society, and the two sects quar- reled about a certain church building which had been erected by the citizens for the use of the colored people. One sect wanted to keep the other out of the chapel. About 1870 Mrs. C. T. McClure and others gave a supper in Hunts- man's Hall for the purpose of raising funds to build this chapel, and succeeded so well that they repeated it. Others contributed and a neat chapel was erected in the west end of the city. For a time all went well; but in 1877 the quarrel occurred, and Mrs. McClure made a public protest against any colored people being excluded from the building which had been provided for all.

There are many interesting incidents, sad and joyful, connected with the history of the Baptist churches of this county, but want of space neces- sitates the giving of almost nothing but the dry facts. Considerably over twenty Baptist churches have been organized in LaPorte county but only three, or at most four, are living now.

But the Methodists were the real pioneers. In 1832 there came into the county, with the soldiers of the Black Hawk war, Jeremiah Sher- wood, a local preacher of the Methodists, who was eagerly welcomed and who formed a class at the home of Mr. Eahart, in the New Dur- ham settlement. This was perhaps the first Pro- testant organization in the county. In the autumn of that year the Methodist Episcopal conference sent Rev. James Armstrong as pre- siding elder of the district, who soon organized a class in Door Village. Here during the next year the infant church built a small chapel on the site where the present church stands, in which they worshipped for several years. This is said to have been the first church building erected north of the Wabash river. This year, 1833, several new societies or classes were organized, of which probably LaPorte was one. The mem- bers returned at conference that year were five hundred and twenty. But the circuit was a large one, extending from South Bend to Michi- gan City and from Niles to Door Prairie, and not all of that number were from this county. At the close of the year Mr. Armstrong died, and his remains were buried in the Door Village

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cemetery. His loss was universally felt. In the fall of 1834 the district was called the LaPorte district, with R. Hargrave as presiding elder, and S. R. Ball and T. P. McCool preachers. In 1835 it was called the LaPorte circuit with C. Meek as preacher and Elijah Burns as supply. This year for the second time a campmeeting was held near Springville, which was largely attended and of great interest. In 1836 G. M. Boyd was appointed to the circuit, with Stephen R. Jones as assistant, and a class was formed in the Galena woods at the house of Whitman Goit. The preaching places were LaPorte, Door Village, Robinson's, Warnock's, Henly Cly- burn's, Van Meter's, on the road from LaPorte to Michigan City; Michigan City, Springville, Goit's, Wright's, near Rolling Prairie station ; Griffin's schoolhouse, Silas Hale's, Kingsbury, Admiral Burch's and five other places out of the county-nineteen places, widely scattered, which those two men had to cover in all seasons and weathers. In this year a Sunday-school was organized in LaPorte. This was the one in which A. and J. B. Fravel were so deeply interested. This year also the Methodists erected a small, neat brick church on the lot where Dr. Mack now lives, in which they worshipped for several years. Every year witnessed a change of preach- ers. In 1838 Union chapel was built, southeast of Westville, deriving its name from the fact that the Robinson and Warnock classes united there. This chapel used to be full of people when services were held, but it has been gone for years. The first Methodist church in Michigan City was built probably in this year. In 1840 the circuit for the first time was confined to the limits of the county. In 1841 Wade Posey and G. W. Ames, brother of Bishop Ames, were the preachers. In this year the people of Goit's neighborhood were induced to build a chapel. A day was assigned for all to turn out, far and near, and at the appointed time they came from a radius of ten miles and worked steadily for a week, when a comfortable and commodious log chapel had been completed, which was named Posey chapel in honor of the preacher. In a few years this was superceded by a better house called by the same name. Mount Pleasant chapel was built at about this time, also Lamb's chapel.

The great LaPorte circuit now began to be divided. In 1843 Union circuit was formed, including LaPorte, Byron, and McCasky's, and the west half of the county; the east half was attached to other circuits. It seems that in 1844 Michigan City was made a station, for J. W. Parrett was appointed thereto; but in 1846 it was attached to Union circuit. In 1846 confer- ence was held in LaPorte, presided over by Bishop Morris. In 1847 LaPorte was made a station, Union circuit still including Michigan City, and the New Durham church was built. In 1848 Rev. H. C. Benson was returned the sec- ond year to LaPorte, the first instance of the kind in the county. F. Taylor was also re- turned to Union circuit. In 1849 a new church was built at Door Village. In 1850 the present Methodist Episcopal church on Monroe street, remodeled in 1902, was built, and Union circuit and Michigan City were again separated. In 1851 J. Daniel was pastor at LaPorte, and J. G. Osborn served Union and Kingsbury. In 1852 Salem chapel was built. In 1853 conference was again held in LaPorte, presided over by the eloquent Bishop Simpson, and it was a memora- ble occasion. From this time the county was divided into stations and several circuits. La- Porte station has been served by some able preachers and has enjoyed several remarkable religious awakenings.

The Rolling Prairie circuit was organized in 1856, comprising the north and east parts of the county outside of LaPorte. In 1858 it was divided so that the second LaPorte circuit could be formed. At one time it was called the Port- land circuit. In 1864 the church at Rolling Prairie was built, which a few years ago was succeeded by a fine modern church building. This circuit still exists, though contracted from its original dimensions.

The second LaPorte circuit, embracing Salem, Bald Hill, Summit and Coolspring, was formed in 1859. It still exists, though there has been some change in the appointments. Bald Hill has been abandoned and the church is going to decay. A fine new church was built and dedicated at Waterford, in Coolspring, in 1898. The circuit owns a parsonage in LaPorte, where the preacher resides. The church in Salem was built during the pastorate of M. Stolz, 1866-68.

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Union circuit was probably divided again in 1856, and the east end of it was called Dormain circuit, including Stillwell, Roselle, Marshall, Grove, Dormain, and "South America" classes. It was soon called Door Village circuit. It still exists, though contracted. In 1869-70 the church was refitted and beautified, and again more re- cently.

Methodist services were held in Michigan City from the commencement of the town. Major I. C. Elston, the founder of the city, reserved and donated two lots for the use of the church. In 1838 the Methodists there, under the lead of Mr. Porterfield Harrison, erected a small frame church on the site donated. But the sand threatened to bnry it and rendered it unfit for a place of worship and the members aided by their friends purchased the lot where the present house of worship stands and built a church there. In the list of preachers who have served this church are the names of many able men.

Union Mills circuit was formed in 1873, em- bracing Union Mills, Hanna Station, and Clin- ton chapel but at the end of the year Union Mills was reconnected with Door Village cir- cuit and Clinton chapel with Westville circuit. In 1875 the brethren at Union Mills erected a neat chapel and a new circuit was formed.

In 1843 the first house of worship was built in Westville by the Methodists. It was served for several years by the preachers from Union circuit, but in 1857 it was organized as a district circuit. In 1860, by the will of Mr. Daniel West, the church received a bequest of five thou- sand dollars and a church was erected.

The German Methodists have a society in LaPorte, composed of some of the best German people of the community. They occupy a lot on the southwest corner of Harrison avenue and Clay street. In the seventies they worshiped in a neat frame building, but it has since given place to the present well proportioned brick church. This people also have a church in Michigan City, on the corner of Eighth and Buffalo streets. It has a pastor and regular services. There is also a German Methodist church not far from Wan- . atah.

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A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 65

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1273

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273