USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 33
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The Plum Creek Christian Church-The Plum Creek Christian Church, in the northeast corner of Union township, was organized in December, 1833, at a little neighborhood meeting of the settlers holding this faith, among these being included the families of Martin Hood, Baldwin Coppage, William Scruggs, William Gor- don, William Davis, Davis Rich, William Cult, Aaron Mock and Ellis Fox. For ten or twelve years after the organization of this society of Christians meetings were held for praise and worship in the homes of the respective members, but in the year 1844 or 1845, a church building was erected near Shawnee creek at a point a little less than two miles northeast of the present church. This building sufficed the congregation until about the year 1874, when a desire for a new location arose, the leading spirits in the movement being John T. McMillin, John E. Smith, Charles Ertle, Philip Ertle, Henry Hall, Jesse Kirkpatrick, James H. Hays and John T. Hinchman, and this movement resulted in the purchase of the old Meth- odist Episcopal church frame building which stood on the site of the present Plum Creek church, and this building continued to answer the needs of the congregation until about 1909, when it was felt that a new and modern edi- fice was required. This feeling developed until at a meet- ing of the congregation, on August 8, 1911, a committee, consisting of Willet L. Hall, W. H. MeMillin and D. T. Kirkpatrick, was appointed to let the contract and super- intend the erection of a new building. John A. Gordon and E. A. Billing constituted the committee to solicit
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funds for the building and George H. Myer was ap- pointed treasurer of the fund. Early in the fall of 1912. the new edifice was completed, and the dedicatory serv- ices were held on December 8, 1912, Brother Rains offi- ciating. This new church is a modern brick edifice, the ground floor consisting of assembly room, baptistry, choir space and gallery, the basement containing hot air furnace, well and pump, kitchen and toilet rooms. The edifice is lighted by electricity, and its decorations are in keeping with the other modern appointments. Upon the erection of the little pioneer church on Shawnee creek back in the '40s, there was some trouble in securing the services of a settled pastor, and for a time the Methodists occupied the church, conducting services there for about three years. Some of the pioneer ministers of the Plum Creek congregation were Butler K. Smith, Gabriel Mc- Duffie. Samuel Hendricks, Jacob Daubenspeck, Drury Holt, John B. New, Henry R. Pritchard, George Camp- bell, Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Franklin, Samuel Har- shour and Charles Blackman. Some of the later minis- ters are Aaron Walker, Noah Walker, J. B. Blount, Joseph Franklin, A. W. Conner, James Parsons. Elder Treat, E. B. Schofield, A. L. Crim, JJ. Walter Carpenter, L. E. Murray, A. Burns, Albert Brown, I. N. Grisso and the present pastor, the Rev. F. P. Smith. The Plum Creek Christian Church has a membership of 175, and a Sunday school enrollment of 200. The trustees of the church are E. A. Billing, D. T. Kirkpatrick and W. H. MeMillin ; elders, Willet L. Hall, Inther Nixon and W. HI. McMillin: deacons. Elbert Gordon, Eddie Myer, Aaron Kennedy and Thomas Logan; treasurer, Will Whitton ; usher, W. H. MeMillin, and secretary and clerk, W. H. Fry. The church has two auxiliaries: the Chris- tian Woman's Board of Missions and the Aid Society, both of which are doing an active and useful work. Omer Hall is the superintendent of the Sunday school; assist- ant, Jesse Brooks; chorister, Charles Hires; secretary,
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Russell Rees; assistant, Stella Carson; second assistant. W. H. McMillin, and all departments of the work of the church are reported in flourishing condition.
The Ben Davis Christian Church in Union township is one of the historic old churches of the county, having rendered more than ninety years of active and continuous service in the neighborhood of which it long has been the social center. This was one of the early church organ- izations in this part of the state, having been organized on June 20, 1829, as the Union Baptist Church, with the following charter members: Martin Hood, Rhoda Hood, George Hittle, Michael Furry, Hiram Westover, Mary Morgan, Ann Ging, Susan Watson, Barbara Watson, McCormack Zion, Mary Zion, Andrew Gilson, Susanna Hittle, Susanna McMillin, Polly Newhouse, James Hinchman, Moab Matthews, Jacob Daubenspeck, Francis Wright, John Furry, John Miller, Minerva Westover, Elizabeth Daubenspeck, William Watson, Rosanna Wat- son, Mary Hittle, Margaret Hinchman, Jane Gilson, Mary Gray and Nancy Hinchman. In 1832, this congre- gation reorganized as the Church of Christ and the pio- neer congregation enjoyed the ministration of several of the pioneer ministers of the Christian church whose serv- ice was extended into this section of the state, but a con- fusion or loss of the early minutes of the congregation make it impossible to supply a complete list of these. Beginning in the '60s there was a succession of the strong ministers of this time and place, including such men as the Rev. Benjamin Reeve, the Rev. George Campbell, the Rev. Henry R. Prichard and the Rev. Mr. Shaw. The present pastor of the church is the Rev. H. R. Hosier, under whose ministrations the work of the congregation is reported to be flourishing, the membership numbering 150, with a Sunday school having an average attendance of about thirty-five. The missionary society has forty- four members and other auxiliaries to the work of the church are the Mission Band Society and the Light Bear-
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ers Society. The current officers of the church are as fol- lows: Elders, Oscar Rees and Charles Foster: deacons, John W. Mauzy, Walter Gray. J. E. Wyn and Guy Bus- sell : clerk. Jesse W. Peters: treasurer, Elwood Kirk- wood. The little log building which served as a meeting house for this congregation following its organization presently gave way to one of a bit more pretentious char- acter, and this was succeeded by the present church build- ing, which was dedicated by the Rev. JJ. K. Frame on June 8, 1853.
The Fairview Christian Church was organized in the year 1843, with a membership of forty, including such prominent residents of the Fairview neighborhood as William Shawhan and family, John Thrasher, Sr., and family, W. W. Thrasher and family. Josiah Piper and family, Jacob Parish and family, John Bates and family, Samuel Shortridge and family, Donovan Groves and Ephraim Clifford. Prior to the formal organization of this congregation William Shawhan had, in 1842, given a plot of ground near Fairview on the Rush county side of the dividing line between Rush and Fayette coun- ties with the understanding that a building to be used for church purposes should be erected thereon and in the fol- lowing year, upon the formal organization of the congre- gation, these terms were complied with, the first board of trustees of the church being Ephraim Clifford, John Thrasher, Sr., and Jacob Parish, with the following el- ders: Donovan Groves, William Shawhan and John Thrasher. The frame building erected at that time sup- plied the needs of the congregation until 1872, in which year it was replaced by a substantial brick building of one room, which was dedicated by the Rev. Daniel Franklin, the elders of the congregation at that time having been W. W. Thrasher, Henry Lucas and Ezekiel Parish. In 1906 this building was remodeled, a vestibule, belfry and other improvements being added, and it was rededicated on September 26, of that year by the Rev. Mr. Burkhart.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS AT OLD CHRISTIAN CHURCHI, ARLINGTON
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of Connersville, the trustees at that time having been Harley Wikoff, James Rees and Robert Saxon. Of these Messrs. Wikoff and Rees are still serving, Erban B. Vickery being the third member. The first pastor of the Fairview Christian Church was the Rev. Arthur Miller, the successors in this pastoral relation including Bird Byfield, John O'Kane, John Longley, Samuel K. Hous- hour, John P. Thompson, Benjamin Reeves, Peter Wiles, Jacob Daubenspeck, George Campbell, Benjamin Frank- lin, Daniel V. VanBuskirk, A. R. Benton, John A. Campbell, Eugene Schofield, I. S. Hughes, Barzilla Blount, J. B. Blount, Henry R. Pritchard, Walter Ting- ley, John Thomas, S. W. Pearcy, A. W. Conner, M. V. Yokum, G. C. Waggoner, William Gard, J. L. Parsons, J. H. O. Smith (1882), W. A. Hopkins, James Connor, S. M. Hawthorne (1906), Charles Schultz (1910), Emery Kuhn (1911), N. D. Webber (1912), Elmer Oldham (1913-14), and the Rev. G. F. Powers, who was installed in 1915, and is still serving as resident pastor, preaching half time for the Fairview congregation. The congrega- tion numbers 250, and maintains a Sunday school with an enrollment of eighty or more, Glen Smelser, superintend- ent, and Erban Vickery, assistant. The attendance so frequently exceeds the capacity of the present edifice that the congregation is planning for additional room.
The Christian Church at Arlington was organized in September, 1835, by Elder Gabriel McDuffie, at a meet- ing held at the dwelling of John Six, in the vicinity of the village then called Burlington, those subscribing their names to the articles of association being Thomas Collins, who was chosen deacon ; Delilah Collins, Gabriel McDuf- fie, Priscilla McDuffie, John Six, Polly Six, Thomas Brent (a minister), Mrs. Thomas Brent, Obediah Mere- dith, Nancy Meredith, Jeremiah Gard, Mrs. Jeremiah Gard, Elizabeth Allender, Mahala Jackson, Elizabeth Williams, Christina Beckner, Elizabeth Collins and Polly Collins. For seven years or until the first meeting house 27
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was erected, this little congregation held meetings in the houses of its members, in barns or in the grove, according to occasion "and as permitted by the weather." Then in 1842, a church building was erected on the site now occu- pied by the grade school in Arlington. This little church building was of undressed material and was used by the congregation for ten years, or until the growth of the membership necessitated a larger chapel, and in 1852 a new building was erected. This building was erected al- most entirely without the expenditure of money, logs hav- ing been subscribed by some ; hauling by some, and sawing and other services by others. The building was 25x30 feet in dimension, and in it there was visible no dressed timber save the pulpit and the seats. It was voted a great improvement over the old building, "solid, handsome and roomy." The first minute book of this congregation has been lost, but on page 1 of the book used from 1835 to 1890, there is a copy of the old articles of association, and a roster of those who subscribed to the same. Apparent lapses in the record leave some points in doubt, but what is thought to be a practically complete list of those who have served the Arlington congregation in a ministerial capacity has been made out, including Daniel Franklin. J .. B. Blount, Walter S. Tingley, J. P. Finley, J. M. Land, A. I. Hobbs, Knowles Shaw. Henry R. Pritchard, Ben- jamin F. Reeve, Butler K. Smith, Walter S. Campbell, Drury Holt, Lafayette Thomas, Elder Murdock. Benja- min Franklin, Joseph Franklin, Jacob Daubenspeck. James Matthews, Willis Storms, George Campbell, D. R. Van Buskirk, Milton B. Hopkins, Elder Blackman. James Smith, B. M. Blount and others whose names are not recorded, the new book opening in 1890, when Walter S. Smith was pastor. his successors being William A. Gard. C. A. Riley, W. F. Folks, C. A. Johnson, J. C. Hall, A. W. Conner, B. L. Allen, Harvey W. McKane, W. H. Willoughby, Alfonso Burns, Erastus W. Conner, John B. Bare, David L. Milligan, Mrs. J. A. Bennett, A. M.
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Hootman, C. C. Perrin, G. I. Hoover (district evan- gelist,) W. T. Crawley, G. H. Lawton and the present pas- tor, the Rev. O. Ross Keran. The present handsome church edifice was begun under the pastorate of the Rev. Alfonso Burns, the corner stone having been laid on July 4, 1909, and was dedicated on May 1, 1910, the Rev. Erastus W. Conner then being pastor. This building cost, exclusive of the site. which the church owned, and also exclusive of the bell and certain other furnishings and equipment, $16,000, and is one of the county's most substantial church buildings. In 1920 the church elected to erect a parsonage on a lot adjacent to the church, and a committee consisting of Frank Offutt, John A. Nelson and Arthur C. Lee raised about $5,000 to this end, the parsonage thus being paid for when completed. The Arlington Christian Church has a membership of about 350, with a Sunday school of about 125, and the Chris- tian Woman's Board of Missions and the Helping Hand Society are valuable auxiliaries to the work of the church, all departments of which are making progress.
The East Street Christian Church of Carthage was organized in May, 1895, with the following charter mem- bers: John Siler and wife, D. W. Kirkwood and wife, James Souder and wife. Oren Souder and wife, Jefferson Kennedy and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Sebrest, D. M. Michael. Mrs. Mary C. Hinton, Mrs. Conrad Kiser, Mrs. M. T. Lovett, Mrs. T. Benton Henley and Mrs. William Dill, William Gard was the first pastor, and until a church building was erected in the fall of that year services were held in the old Newsom hall. The church on East street was dedicated on October 13, 1895. The successive pas- tors of this church, following Mr. Gard, have been F. J. Hall, W. L. Willoughby, Jacob Hall, Omar Hufford. M. V. Foster, Carl Berry, William Evans, Ira P. Har- baugh, D. E. Hanna and the present pastor, the Rev. Frank W. Sumner. The church has a growing Bible school, and all departments of work are reported to be in flourishing condition.
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The Sexton Christian Church has had an effective organization since the spring of 1914, when the old Anti- Means Baptist church building was moved from its his- toric site about two miles distant and placed on a new foundation at Sexton. Trustees were elected and during that summer a Sunday school was held in the building. In September of that year the Rev. G. I. Hoover, evan- gelist of the Eastern Indiana district, held a series of meetings in the church, which resulted in the accession of sixty members, and on the final day of the series the house of worship was dedicated to the uses of the congre- gation, which was organized by the election of a full com- plement of officers, O. C. Thompson and J. L. Lewkirk being the first elders. This church has had in round numbers one hundred members, and is well supported by its Sunday school, its Ladies' Aid Society and its Wo- man's Missionary Society. Four pastors have served the church, namely: The Rev. G. I. Hoover, of Indianapolis, for three years; Moody Edwards, now a missionary in Mexico, two years; Lyman Hoover, a student of Butler College, one year, and Walter Crawley, of Laurel, the present pastor. Following are the officers of the church : Elders-J. L. Newkirk, O. C. Thompson and Carl Grubbs; deacons, S. D. Kirkpatrick, Ode Winkler, Will Wright, George Kindell and Harry Land ; trustees, S. D. Kirkpatrick, George Kindell and E. W. Kiser ; treasurer, Carl Grubbs; clerk, O. C. Thompson ; superintendent of the Sunday school, O. C. Thompson ; president of the La- dies' Aid Society, Mrs. V. T. Longfellow: president of the Woman's Missionary Society. Mys. M. L. Pratt.
Center Christian Church was originally organized as a Free Will Baptist church, at a meeting held in 1837, in John Walker's barn on the farm now (1921) owned by John Kirkpatrick, the leaders being a little colony of set- tlers in that vicinity who had come here from Wilkes county, North Carolina. The first minister of this pio- neer congregation was John Walker and among the other
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charter members were Iley Reeves, William Walker, Thomas Stanley, John Felty, Hiram Bitner and wife, Rebecca Hamilton, Claracy Mock, John Clark, Rebecca Clark, James Clark, Betsey Death, Deser Hall, Dan Bailis. Liddy Bailis, John Death, Sarah Bowles, Polly Hill, Harrison Hall and wife. About the year 1840, the congregation divided over differences in views regarding foreordination, and Alexander Campbell's followers con- tinued to worship at the Walker barn for twelve years, at the end of which time Stephen Wandle donated a tract of ground upon which to erect what is known as the old Center church, about a mile and a quarter south of the present edifice in section 30, township 15, range 10. The next building was erected in 1861, on the site of the pres- ent building. It was under course of erection when the Civil war was declared, and J. R. Henry, who was work- ing on the building, is still living to tell how he climbed down from the roof to enlist his services in behalf of the Union. In 1920 the church was completely remodeled and is now one of the best rural churches in the county. The present membership of Center Christian Church is about 250. Able ministers have served this congregation and good work is being done in all departments.
The Church of Christ at Little Blue River in Center township was organized on March 1, 1830, by Elders James Smith, Jacob Daubenspeck, McCormick Zion, James Conner and George Hittle, the charter membership of the congregation including George W. Leisure, Drury Holt, Nathan Leisure, Sarah Leisure, Henry Haywood, Winifred Haywood, Lucinda Leisure, Maria Porter, Catherine Porter, Sarah Holt, James Hinton, Elizabeth Hinton, Benjamin Kendall, Julia Kendall and others who came in from time to time until a considerable congrega- tion had been organized. This congregation continued to worship in a house erected for the purpose on the east line of Posey township, until 1869, in which year a parcel of ground was secured by George W.
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Leisure and Benjamin Kendall from Alfred T. Morris, the same being deeded to Messrs. Leisure and Kendall as trustees of the Church of Christ at Little Blue River. The church building, erected there in 1869. was maintained as a house of worship by the congrega- tion until the fall of 1907, when certain members of the congregation, desirous of introducing innovations into the ancient form of service, organized themselves into what has since been known as the Hannegan Christian Church, and denied the use of the house to those who still persisted in recognizing no name than that of the Church of Christ at Little Blue River, which had been the official name of the church since the time of its organization in 1830. Those who objected to the innovations met for a time in the homes of members and in the neighborhood school house until in the spring of 1908, when they caused to be erected a house of worship about one mile north of the old church in Center township, and there have since worshiped, continuing to bear the name of the Church of Christ at Little Blue River. The early minutes of the Hannegan congregation seem to have been lost, the first record of officers of the church being in 1862, when Will- iam M. Downey, George W. Leisure and Jacob Cross were elders and Thomas Ayers and Benjamin Kendall, deacons. In 1879, there is a minute of the resignation of George W. Leisure and Benjamin Kendall as trustees. and of the election as their successors of John Leisure, James Gray and Henry Leisure. The present officers of the Church of Christ at Little Blue River are as fol- lows: Elders, Jesse A. Leisure and John P. Downey ; deacons, Harry R. Leisure and P. F. Linville ; trustees, Harry R. Leisure and P. F. Linville. The present pastor of the church is the Rev. J. L. Hatfield, of Owensburg, who has been ministering to the congregation on the third Sabbath of each month since in January, 1918. Among the early ministers of this historic old church were Dan- iel Franklin, Jacob Daubenspeck, Drury Holt, Jacob B.
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Blount, B. M. Blount, J. C. Hall, William Gard, E. B. Schofield, A. W. Harvey and S. D. Baker. The church has a membership of thirty and a Bible school is main- tained with an enrollment of twenty-five or more, John P. Downey, leader.
The Hannegan Christian Church, above referred to, maintains itself as the parent organization, with a pres- ent membership of about 140, and a Sunday school enroll- ment of about seventy-five. The Rev. Eugene Lewis, of Clarksburg, is the present pastor, preaching on alterna- tive Sundays. The elders of the church are George Ad- ams, Henry Addison, Scott Ward and Chester Addison; deacons, O. C. Leisure, Dayton Stewart, Oliver Haywood, Gilbert Cooley; trustees, William Leisure and Orville Stewart; Sunday school superintendent, Chester Addi- son. This church bears its present name from the fact that many years ago there was a postoffice at that point. called Hannegan and the church at that place became pop- ularly known as the Hannegan church instead of the Little Blue River church, and has since maintained that name.
The Christian Church at Milroy dates practically from about the year 1840, when a number of persons in the village and vicinity who professed that faith began to hold household meetings from time to time, but it was not until about ten years later that a formal organization was effected with a charter membership of twenty-four per- sons, including Mrs. Samuel Barber, Hugh C. Smith and wife, Austin K. Smith, Eli Elstun and wife, Abbie Rar- din, William Benton, William Mount and wife, Nathan Tompkins and wife, Nathan Ballinger and wife and Senaca and Nancy Smith. The first pastor of this flock was the Rev. John B. New, who was succeeded in turn by Jacob Wright, Benjamin Reeve, Benjamin Franklin, Joseph Franklin, George Campbell, Robert Sellers, Henry Pritchard, Love H. Jameson, George Hicks, Sam- uel K. Hoshour, H. H. McKane, A. J. Hobbs, A. W. Con-
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ner. O. F. Hargue, Jacob Blount, John A. Roberts, James Grant, T. E. Andrews, B. F. Treat, G. W. Campbell. D. R. VanBuskirk, Jacob Vincent, Joseph Taylor, C. A. Brady, W. F. Folks, W. B. Bartle, R. B. Givens, D. H. Patterson, M. O. Foster, W. H. Oldham, H. F. Phillippe, Thomas H. Adams, W. R. Cady and the Rev. Dr. Renbelt Pearcy, the present pastor. The congregation erected their first church building in 1851, a substantial structure, which endured the tests of time and the needs of the congrega- tion until 1916. when the present handsome modern edifice was erected, one of the most attractive church buildings in the county. The various departments of the work of this church are well organized and progress is reported along all lines.
The Christian Church at Manilla was organized on "the Saturday before the fourth Lord's day, " September, 1859, under the ministerial direction of the Rev. Daniel Franklin, who served the congregation as their first pas- tor. the following names being attached to the articles of association : Mrs. Zach Westerfield, Mrs. Alexander, James Hill and wife, Mrs. Frances Hill. J. J. Inlow and wife. Japhet Thomas. Alonzo Swain and wife. John A. Spurrier and wife, Isaac Inlow, Mrs. Louisiana Inlow and Mrs. Catherine Trees. The congregation, in 1860, erected a church building which was dedicated by the Rev. Butler K. Smith. This church was extensively re- modeled in 1900, and in 1915 a baptistry was erected. In 1917 the church building underwent another remodeling. which amounted practically to a rebuilding of the edifice along somewhat more modern lines, and is now a hand- some and commodious edifice. The membership of the Manilla Christian Church is stated to be 181, and all de- partments of the work of the church are reported to be in a flourishing condition, excellent progress being made under the present pastorate of the Rev. J. W. Mars. Among others who have served this congregation, besides those mentioned, are James Lucas, A. I. Hobbs. T. J.
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY 425
Murdock, Samuel and David Mathews, J. W. Farrell, H. R. Pritchard, John Brazelton, J. M. Canfield, Chester Bartholomew, J. L. Parsons, W. S. Campbell, W. S. Smith, J. A. Roberts and H. H. Neslage.
The Christian Church at Raleigh was organized about 1870 under the leadership of Rev. Charles Black- man. The church was reorganized in 1885 and the fol- lowing members of the old organization became the charter members of the new: Margaret Burgess, Rachel Black, J. P. Bales, Sarah Bales, Rhoda Bunker, Caroline Brown, Permelia Blount, Sarah Canady, Elizabeth Canady, David Canady and wife, Elizabeth, Eliza Canady, Editha Crawford, Mary A. Dyer, Sarah Edgar, Grace Fink, Clarissa Gay, John Herron, Retta Helms, Savannah Loder, Jennie Miles, Minerva Price, John and Mary Redding, William and Amanda Rich and Ellen Prine. Meetings were held in the township hall at Raleigh until the present church building was erected in 1887. The Rev. J. B. Blount was the first regular pastor of the new organization and the succeeding pastors have been J. A. Thomas, O. P. Snodgrass, Rev. Bartell, Bra- zilla Blount, Rev. Sheritt, Rev. Stevens, R. B. Givens. T. H. Kuhn, Carl Berry, H. J. Buchanan, E. H. Clifford, G. E. Scott, B. L. Allen, E. S. Lewis and the present pastor, the Rev. G. F. Powers. The church has a membership of 110 and the Sunday school an enrollment of 175.
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