USA > Indiana > Historical data and life sketches of the deceased ministers of the Indiana Conference of the Evangelical Association, 1835 to 1915, Volume II > Part 11
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In 1856, M. Hoehn was pastor. He found Evansville a veritable malaria center. Swamps close to the parsonage were covered in the summer with a thick green scum infested with malarial germs. There was only one good well in this section of the city, and it was quite far from the parsonage. "But," said he, "I could only get water when I had no fever." He and his wife both suffered much, he with a six-week's headache and she, "had her health so im- paired that she never fully recovered". An old German doctor recommended for them, "good, old lager-heer," but they would not imbibe. Bishop Seybert visited Evansville at this time and found H. down with a fever. Members doubted whether he would recover. One brother said, "If he dies for us, we
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are not worthy of a good preacher". Such experiences occurred throughout the Conference territory. It was no wonder that Indiana bore the stigma, "Fever- nest". This fact greatly hindered ministers from doing their best work.
In 1857 J. Trometer was missionary. He had nine accessions, but eleven expulsions. '58, H. Kramer. Due to immoral conduct he was tried, found guilty and deposed. His act almost wrecked the society and greatly hurt the Christian influence it exerted in the city. J. M. Kronmiller and C. Wessling on separate fields now preached here alternately every two weeks until Con- ference session, thus the society received meagre pastoral care. In 1859-60 A. B. Schafer rallied the scattered flock. Geo. Burrucker, about the only real loyal member, died March 17, '60. At the time of his death he held all the church offices. But by discreet management S. restored order, elected officers and regained the public's confidence, and built up the society. In his second ycar the debt of $250.00 was paid. The church and parsonage were improved. S. did all this work. In December, 1860, he held a quarterly meeting of great power. On Monday many came to the altar for a deeper work of grace. The future was now promising. 1861-62, J. Fuchs. He had a large increase of members. During the Civil War he had opportunity here for doing Samaritan work in the camp among the returned wounded soldiers, both bodily and spir- itually. He also preached three miles away from the city where he organized a class. The location is not found. In 1863-64, M. Mayer. The membership was raised to 96. In 1865, H. L. Fisher. The membership decreased but the strength increased. 1867, Chr. Matthias. M. Hoehn, P. E., reported that "the society was now entirely free from the use of tobacco and beer". 1868-69, Fr. Wiethaup; '70-71, Jos. A. Maier. On December 23, '70, he began a five-week's cvangelistic meeting which resulted in a glorious victory and 26 accessions. The offering for the Orphan's Home was $128.00; for benevolences and missionary work, $290.00. The society had over 100 members. 1872-73, J. L. Fisher was pastor again. The last year the church was enlarged to its present capacity (1922), and was rededicated August 3, '73, by M. Mayer, P. E. The society this year became a station. In '74-75, M. Hoehn was pastor. From want of room some of the personal effects of the pastor's family had to be stored in the woodshed, and were stolen. This led to a second story being added to the parsonage to accommodate larger families with their house furnishings. On a Monday morning, while the family was yet sleeping, the carpenters were on hand and began tearing off the roof. In two months the work was done at a cost of $800.00. In '75 this society again became a mission and remained so for many years except in 1884 when it was self supporting. In 1876 Evans- ville naturally became a field of the newly formed South Indiana Conference. During the existence of the South Indiana Conference it was served by M. Mayer, '76-78. Many S. S. scholar's were converted and united with the church. '79, H. Haas. He served only until September when he withdrew from the
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church under serious charges. J. Mode finished the year, and served the next year with 20 conversions. '81-83, W. G. Braeckly. In these years he had 41 accessions. He repaired the church at a cost of $245.00
In 1883 the Conference session was held here. 1884-86, C. Stier. Spiritualism invaded the flock. Stier lost 41 members and gained 26. 1887, E. Bohlander. In '88, under N. F. Platz, the church was re-roofed with slate. '89-90, Fr. Schweitzer. His labors resulted in marked progress; '91-92, W. G. Braeckly was again pastor. Street improvement, costing $502.00, was made. '93, L. J. Ehrhardt; '94-96, B. Schuermeier, under whose supervision the church was re- paired at a cost of $1,000.00. '97-00, WV. L. Luehring, who made minor church repairs, costing $300.00. A former debt of $350.00 was paid. L. had 58 acces- sions. 1901-03, C. Harms; '04-07, W. L. Luehring. During one week's revival in 1907, 44 were saved and 15 found perfect love. 1908-12, M. W. Sunderman. All services on Sunday now became English. A $1,500.00 pipe organ was in- stalled. A considerable number were saved and joined church. The society again became a station in '12. In '13-17, M. L. Scheidler. In May, 1916, another parsonage was bought at 21 Mary Street, for $3,800.00. . Dave Hill held a meet- ing here in 1916 which closed December 19. Ninety were at the altar during the meeting, most of whom had never before been converted. 1918-19, B. Schuer- meier again, and '20-23, A. B. Aegerter. The society bought two church lots in 1920 and paid for them; but they were again sold in 1922 and the proceeds were applied to the enlarging and modernizing of the old church. In 1916 the old parsonage was converted into a janitor's home and class rooms. This society has maintained a good Sunday School, a Ladies' Aid Society, and a Y. P. A.
EVANSVILLE, LINNWOOD
In 1911 pastor of the Salem Church of this city, M. W. Sunderman, started a Sunday School in "Villa Sites" Schoolhouse on the Green River Road, skirting the city to the southeast. This S. S. was supported by the Salem Society. Un- friendly hands tried to hinder the undertaking but failed. Prior to this the pastor and his P. E. made inspection tours in prospective localities of this rapid- l; growing city, and then recommended to Conference in 1911 that a new mis- sion be established somewhere in this city. The location to be selected by the Conference Committee on Location of Churches and Missions with the Dis - trict P. E. and the Salem Pastor. They also recommended that this committee should endeavor to obtain two lots gratis from the "Vulcan Steam Shovel Co.", or its "Booster Agency", or in the Green River Road section and to buy an additional one, the P. E. to collect the money for payment of the same. In 1914 the Conference established a mission under the supervision of the pastor of Salem Charge. Prior to this the quarterly conference of the Salem Society on August 1, 1913, took the location of a mission under consideration. L. M. Sun- derman, G. Alpers, Chas. Small, W. L. Luehring, and M. L. Scheidler were ap-
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pointed to investigate and then report. They did and reported November 7, '13, to the quarterly conference session that negotiations had been entered into with the "American Trust and Savings Bank" for three lots at the corner of Evans and Wagner Streets for $900.00. This was then reported to the annual conference, April, 1914, with action as above stated. On May 25, '14, the above named conference committee met in Evansville, and adopted plans for a mission church and authorized the erection of the church. J. J. Wise and M. L. Scheid- ler were appointed to collect the funds. Bonds were issued to the amount of $5,000.00. On August 12, '14, the name "Linnwood Bible School Building" was adopted for the mission. The building contract called for $7,800.00 not including glass, wiring, lights, furnitures and fixtures. The excavation began September 18th. The corner-stone was laid the 25th. The total cost of the building was $11,000.00. It was dedicated February 14, '15, by Bishop S. P. Spreng. Wise and Scheidler deserve much credit for this achievement. The building is of brick, 34 x 58 feet, with basement under the entire structure. It has a S. S. auditorium with class-rooms and gallery on three sides. Seating capacity is 300. It is heated with steam, lighted with electric brascelites, and has art-glass windows. The Conference Branch Y. P. A. paid $3,000.00 to this project and over $500.00 was received from the sale of the New Harmony Church. $1,109.55 was secured on dedication day.
M. L. Scheidler was the first missionary in 1915, with I. G. Roederer, as- sistant. On July 4th, the S. S. was changed from a. m. to p. m. with 40 in at- tendance. The pastor was made superintendent when the Bible School was organized, February 21, '15. Regular morning and evening preaching began July 4, 1915. On August 8, '15, the first Lord's Supper was held by M. L. Scheidler. The society was organized with 17 charter-members: L. M. Sunder- man and wife, Nellie, and Eugene; Mrs. A. Schwitz and son Otto and daugh- ters Nellie and Ada; Mrs. Emma and Miss Amelia Hodson; Mrs. Edna Adams; Mrs. Sarah Geil; Mrs. Mary Huck; Flora Linweiler; Bert Martin; May Stans- berry and Pastor Roederer, who was first class-leader. Eleven of these were transferred from Salem. A Ladies' Aid Society was organized November 17, '16, with 13 members. First president was Mrs. . E. K. Scherer. The Loyal Worker's was organized, composed of young ladies to promote community social life. The first revival was conducted by E. M. Kerlin of West Salem, Illinois, and the second by 1. G. Roederer, who almost doubled the membership the second year. 1917-'19, W. R. Kimmel. This society received one-half of the Conference Mission Building Fund in 1918-19, and in 1920 the S. S. Mission money of the Indianapolis District. 1920-23, B. Schuermeier. There is a big field here, though progress has been rather slow.
FREMONT, STEUBEN CO., INDIANA
The society here first belonged to Indiana Conference in 1861 but was ceded to the Michigan Conference in 1865 by action of General Conference. Also
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Pleasant Lake, Michigan, and Lima, Indiana, Classes originally belonged to DeKalb Circuit of the Indiana Conference.
FIESTER APPOINTMENT
This class belonged to Bremen Circuit in 1875 and to Warsaw Mission in 1876. The exact location is not found.
FLORENCE, OHIO
In 1875 this society with Edgerton, Buffalo, Schotts, Edon or Salem, Bryan or Oak Grove, and Hicksville, constituted Edgerton Charge. A church was built here by A. B. Shafer in 1879 and dedicated by Bishop T. Bowman. Loca- tion not found, nor when it ceased to function.
FIVE POINTS, ALLEN CO., INDIANA
This Society, twelve miles southwest of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was organ- ized about 1850. Jacob Voltz, a pious man, was the father of this society. He held prayer-meetings in his house with his neighbors when he was yet a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church. In 1851, Peter Burgener, pastor of St. Mary's Circuit, held a very precions meeting here. December 24, 1852, A. Nicolai and Fr. Schuerman, from St. Mary's Circuit, held an evangelistic meeting here last- ing to January 6, 1853. The power of God wrought such intense contrition of heart that preaching had to be abandoned twice, and instead they were neces- sitated to labor with penitents. About twenty adults were converted and nine- teen joined the Evangelical Association. Services were conducted in private homes. This society was mostly served by pastors from St. Mary's Circuit until it was abandoned. For pastors see under St. Mary's Circuit.
In 1882 a brick church was built here by I. B. Fisher and was dedicated March 18, 1883, by Bishop R. Dubs, as "Emmanuel" Church. The name "Five Points" was derived from the fact that five public roads meet here which gave it prominence. Near this junction stood our church, and also a Lutheran Church. Due to local trouble in the society, this once strong society underwent a rupture. G. G. Platz, after futile efforts to effect a reconciliation by disciplin- ary methods, on a certain Sunday morning publicly expelled the entire member- ship, and immediately thereafter reopened the church door and invited all who would hereafter live peaceably together, to rejoin the church. Some came back and the rest became a nucleus for a U. B. Society at this same point.
FORT WAYNE MISSION
This mission was established by the Ohio Conference in 1841. It extended into Adams, Wells, Huntington, Wabash, Allen, DeKalb, Noble, Elkhart, and probably Kosciusko and Whitley Counties. Previous to this, in 1839, Solomon Altimos, from Monroe County, Mich., made a trip over northern Indiana, com-
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ing as far south as Ossian, Wells County, and Five Points in Allen County, Indiana, inspecting the country and establishing preaching places. In Fort Wayne he was cordially received by one Mr. Stetzel. He met with encouraging success. No report found for 1840. In 1841 John Hall was assigned to this mission. He labored hard amidst many difficulties and deprivations. There were only a few Germans in this territory, and were very poor. The roads were almost impassable, swamps abounded and, for most of the year, were flooded. Streams were unbridged, the atmosphere full of malarial germs. Hall, however, succeeded hetter in resisting malarial troubles than did some of his successors. He formed a number of small classes. In 1842 this mission was extended south to the Wabash River, east to Willshire, Ohio, thence north through to Michigan and had thirty-two members, and one regular appointment with a fixed service.
On June 24, 1842, Bishop John Seybert and John G. Zinser, presiding elder, ( Chr. Bot. 1842, p. 144), made a missionary tour to Illinois. They arrived on the castern hem of Ft. Wayne Mission, (Waynesworth), Van Wert County, Ohio, where they held a several days' meeting with good attention. There was pres- ent a Lutheran missionary from Germany who preached once and showed a very brotherly spirit. Seybert and Zinser traveled hither and thither on this mission and arrived in Fort Wayne Tuesday, June 28. On this day the Bishop preached in the Methodist Church to an attentive audience. This no doubt was the first sermon preached in Fort Wayne by a preacher of the Evangelical As- sociation. A. Nicolai was added to this mission this year. The missionaries toiled hard with meager results. They encountered bitter opposition from min- isters of other denominations. In 1843 this mission became a circuit and was assigned to Daniel Kern and Geo. A. Blank, with J. J. Klopp as presiding elder. These missionaries arrived May 30, and by July 28 had made two rounds. Four new appointments were taken up by them, bringing them up to twenty-six. The field looked promising. The people were glad to receive them. Others sought them and urged them to come and preach for them. Between sixty and seventy were added to the Church this year. They reported (Chr. Bot., '43, page 134), "We still hear of other German settlements. The harvest is great, but the reapers are few." Under date, December 11, '43, D. Kern re- ported, "That they held a meeting over Sunday, November 1, near Willshire, Ohio. At first the offort to win souls went hard; but Sunday forenoon, with the celebration of the Lord's Supper we obtained a great victory, 'Durchbruch', and in the evening there were some seekers for salvation." Some of their ap- pointments were Willshire, Ohio; Young's in Wabash County, Ind .; Zion (Fuhr- man's), seven miles northwest of Decatur; Five Points, twelve miles southwest of Fort Wayne; Leibradt's, in Allen County; Bethlehem or Glock's, Wells County; Ott's, near Benton; Canada and Waterford, in Elkhart County, and other points in Ohio and Michigan. At Leibradt's, after the close of a meet-
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ing over Christmas, 1843, a class was formed and prayer meetings were now instituted. January 1, 1844, a meeting was held in Whitley County, near Colum- hia City, or Silver Lake. They reported, "Nearly everybody in this community, with tears streaming down their faces, began to pray earnestly for pardon of their sins." On April 22, 1844, they reported, "That many were converted and some sixty united with the Church."
At the Ohio Conference session, in May, 1844, the Illinois and Indiana Dis- tricts were detached and formed into the Illinois Conference, as ordered by the General Conference in October, 1843. This year Fort Wayne Mission was as- signed to Geo. A. Blank and Simon Tobias with A. B. Schafer, presiding elder of the Indiana District, of this new Conference. Brother Blank reported, "That this year seven big meetings were held, and all were erowned with conversions but one." Many of their appointments could only be served once in five or six weeks. Blank was alone from Septeniber on, as his colleague, due to sick- ness and business affairs at home, quit the field. In 1845. Fort Wayne Circuit was divided into Elkhart Circuit, and St. Mary's Mission which included Fort Wayne and contiguous appointment. The name "St. Mary's". was derived from the appointments in the St. Mary's River valley in Indiana and Ohio. For further developments of this field see under St. Mary's Circuit.
FORT WAYNE, BETHEL
In 1867 there were in Fort Wayne 12,000 Germans. The German M. E. Church had a mission in this city, but did not prosper. So it was thought by many, if they could not succeed neither could the Evangelical Association. Steffey, however, was determined to try. So in May, 1867, he held a protracted meeting. He promised God if He would give him converts that this should be the sign that God had a work for our church in this city. Arrangements were made for a meeting. One brother was to look for a place to hold the meeting. At the appointed time S. came from South Bend by way of Plymouth, Indiana, but because of a breakdown of the R. R. engine he did not arrive in Ft. Wayne until 11 p. m. He at once went to C. H. and learned that no place had been found to hold a meeting. Not even the M. E. Church was willing to open her church building for a meeting. S. told C. H. next morning, "You cannot go to work until we have a place to hold a meeting." They started out and saw Dr. Lowry, pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church, corner Calhoun and Holman Streets, who granted them the use of his chapel which up to that time had never been opened for preaching, being used only for S. S. As there were no lamps, S. borrowed some on Saturday and had the chapel ready for preaching Satur- day night. Brother Oakes then came from St. Mary's Circuit, but exhibited lack of faith. But S. prayed for victory. On Sunday night a few seekers came to the altar. On Monday eame a few more. By Wednesday there were four con- verts. This was the sign that God had a work for the Evangelical Association
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in Fort Wayne. Oakes left for the Leininger Society while S. stayed in Ft. Wayne. He said he would not leave until he had a place for Oakes to preach in this city. O. was to set a Sunday afternoon to preach here. S. searched and after many futile efforts, obtained permission to hold services in the reading room of the Y. M. C. A. building opposite the court house on Calhoun Street.
Fort Wayne, First, Fort Wayne, Ind.
A more suitable place could not have been found. Truly the Lord's hand was in this. From this time the brethren Oakes and Jos. Maier preached here reg- ularly until Conference time. At the Conference session of September, 1867. Ft. Wayne with the Furthmiller Class, one mile east of New Haven, Indiana, was taken up as a mission and M. W. Steffey became the first missionary in this
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city. Previous to the aforesaid meeting, which S. held, D. S. Oakes had preach- ed some in private homes in this city in 1866. A class of 16 was organized May 18, 1867, with the following charter-members: Daniel and Henrietta Renschler. Peter and Sophia Gabel, Jacob and Melvina Lehman, Catherine Hettler, Doro- thy Imbody, Margaretha Hilt, Dorothy Baierlein, Henrietta Hettler, Mary Rabers, Esther Bieker, Helena Wibge, Christian Roehm and Dorothea Seibold (Engel). Daniel Renschler was the first class leader.
The Sunday School was organized in 1868 with M. W. Steffey as super- intendent, enrollment fifty scholars. Membership in March, 1868, was 46.
First Church Built
At the Conference session of 1867, a building committee was appointed con- sisting of M. W. Steffey, missionary; M. Krueger, presiding elder of Elkhart District, to which Fort Wayne then belonged, and T. F. Furthmiller. They were empowered to lease a lot and build a temporary church thereon, the cost of it not to exceed $1,500.00. This committee was authorized to borrow the money for this purpose. Steffey was to collect funds in and out of the city for the erection of a church. The first board of trustees consisted of David Renschler, John Rabus, and A. F. Schock. In September, 1868, this committee reported to Conference that a lot was leased on the corner of Clinton and Hol- man Streets (northeast), for eight years at $40.00 per annum. That a frame church was built at a cost of $1,503.99. Collected and applied on debt, $1,079.50. Unpaid pledges, $191.15, leaving an unpaid debt of $352.14. This church was dedicated December, 1867, by Bishop J. Long as the Bethel Church of the Evangelical Association in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
First Parsonage
At the session of 1867, the Conference ordered that a parsonage should be built on the north end of the leased lot not to cost over $800.00. The money for its construction was ordered to be borrowed. The church building committee was reappointed to build the parsonage. 1869 the indebtedness on the church was more than covered, and the parsonage cost $876.93, and was occupied De- cember, 1868. Debt on parsonage was $861.64.
In September, 1872, the debt on church and parsonage increased to $1,027.24. In 1874 the money was borrowed to pay off this and other church property debts. In 1883 the original church was enlarged by Jos. Fisher at a cost of $600.00, about twelve feet was added to the front of the church with a belfry.
Second Church
The old church site having become a very undesirable location, and the last lease on the lot expiring August, 1899, it was resolved in May, 1895, not to cease missionary operation in this growing city as some lay members suggested, and as some ministers of the Conference believed was the inevitable, but to re- locate to a more hopeful locality. This required much urging in private and public by the pastor, S. H. Baumgartner Some said, "We cannot build such a
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church as the age and city morally demauds, and that would appeal to the pub- lic." The majority, however, were reluctant to take such a gloomy look at the situation and utterly abandon the mission. The pastor's predecessor gave a very pessimistic outlook of the future here, and said to his successor, "If you build a new church in Fort Wayne you are the biggest preacher this mission ever had," and chuckling, turned away from the preacher of only seven years' experience who had never even built a house. And a few of the laity said, "If the big preachers we had were afraid to undertake a relocation (as was now advocated by the pastor) what will you do?" Indeed this situation was gloomy and disheartening to a young man. His presiding elder when he was asked to encourage the membership to take new courage, answered, "I have lost faith in this mission, and have not the courage to urge them on." The society was rapidly retrogressing.
The incentives to work here were gloomy; but all this aroused the pastor's determination that this work shall not die on his hands. If a future is to be obtained for this society it must begin now or never. The first year passed by with four accessions and two soon withdrew. The Sunday School had au en- rollment of 74, average about 40, church membership, 83; with about half in attendance mornings, and less than 20 evenings. The Sunday evening services were now made English, which gradually increased the attendance. Morning services remained exclusively German. At the Conference session of 1895 a presiding elder said to the pastor here, Sunday afternoon before the stationing report was read, "Would you like to move?" After a moment's reflection he answered, "No, I believe the Lord has a mission for me in Fort Wayne." Noth- ing further was said. The pastor was returned, thank God; though an ominous cloud still hovered over the society. Soon after his return he called a special congregational meeting, laid the matter of relocating before them. The matter was voted down for the present. Final action was yet to come. He said he would not call another meeting for this purpose unless asked to do so by one or more trustees, and dismissed the meeting. Prayer was made for more light. About half were ready for immediate relocation. Others feared the effort would be disastrous.
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