USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County, Indiana : From the earliest time to the present > Part 37
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
He was subsequently succeeded by Rev. Wellington E. Loucks, a gentleman of high intellectual culture and a gifted orator, who, from the beginning, has been exceedingly popular among his peo- ple, commanding the attention and interest of the large congrega- tions that greet him from Sunday to Sunday. Under his adminis- tration the prosperity of the church has equaled, if, indeed, it has not surpassed, that enjoyed in previous years.
The Sunday-school is large, well conducted and prosperous, also, under the efficient management of the excellent corps of school of- ficers and teachers, who give it their special attention.
Cumberland Presbyterian .- This branch of the Presbyterian Church of the United States, until within a few years past, had not found many advocates of its peculiar doctrines among the religious- ly inclined of our population. However, in accordance with the ex- perience of all countries whose continually increasing and changing population brought people of all phases of religious opinion togeth- er in the same community, the law of progress exerted itself here, and from the numerously diversified masses evolved the elements necessary to the introduction of the forms of worship recognized by the communicants of the church of Cumberland Presbyterians. In the course of time religious teachers of that persuasion began to do missionary work in our midst, with satisfactory results. Yet, it was not until October, 1875, that formal steps began to be taken toward the cultivation of the field thus opened. At that time the Board of Missions of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church appointed and lo- cated Rev. A. W. Hawkins as missionary in Logansport.
The labors of Mr. Hawkins were not without success, and in January, 1876, the inducements were such that the hall of the West Side Engine House was secured, in which to hold regular services. On May 14, following, the congregation was organized in accord- ance with the formularies of the church, with a membership of thirty-five persons, zealously interested in the cause and desiring to promote its prosperity and usefulness, Mr. Hawkins, at the same time, being retained as pastor.
In June, 1877, the congregation purchased a part of Lot No. 201, in the original town plat of West Logan, fronting on Broadway and Pawnee Streets, for which they paid $1,000. About the 1st of September, following, a substantial church edifice was commenced, 32x55 feet in size, and one story in height, and completed in due
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time, the structure being neat and comely in appearance, and well adapted to the purpose for which it was erected. It was dedicated to the worship of the Most High, according to the usages and forms of this branch of His church, on the third Sunday in December, 1877. Since that time the church has prospered satisfactorily, the labors of the pastor having been most efficient, and directed to the development of Christian examples worthy of imitation.
After laboring faithfully during a period of nearly ten years, and placing the society on a self-reliant basis, in the spring of 1885 Mr. Hawkins tendered his resignation as pastor in charge, which was accepted, and in April of the same year left for another field of labor. His place was immediately filled by calling Rev. James Best, of Ohio, to the pastorate, under whose administration the af- fairs of the church continued to prosper as before. In the spring of 1886, on the tenth anniversary of its organization, the society de- clared itself self-supporting, having up to that time received mis- sionary aid. At this time the church work is in healthy condition and prosperous. Bi-weekly services are held by the pastor at the brick schoolhouse on the Michigan Pike, four miles northeast of the city, for the accommodation of members living in that vicinity. Three societies, in connection with the church, are actively engaged in missionary and other auxiliary work.
Broadway Methodist Episcopal .- As the Methodist was the church of pioneer work in Indiana generally, so, especially, in the Wabash Valley. Soon after the first settlements had been made, itinerants of the Methodist persuasion began to visit this locality, delivering their messages of peace and good-will to audiences con- sisting of a few of the scattered settlers who, not infrequently, were brought together through the instrumentality and patient searching out and earnest solicitation of the messengers themselves.
In September, 1828, the Western Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was held at Madison, Ind. At this session Rev. Steven R. Beggs was appointed to the Crawfordsville Circuit, em- bracing Crawfordsville, Covington, Attica, Lafayette, Delphi, Lo- gansport and Fort Wayne. At the succeeding conference, held in 1829, Mr. Beggs was appointed especially to the Logansport mis- sion, embracing Logansport, Delphi and Lafayette. The appropria- tion for missionary purposes that year aggregated no more than $50, a stipend so small that at the end of the first quarter Mr. Beggs
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was relieved from duty here and sent to another charge. He was succeeded in this field by Rev. Hackalialı Vrendenburgh. His suc- cess does not appear to have been great, since his name is not often mentioned in the details of missionary labor along the Wabash.
On January 23, 1830, a notice was published in the Potta- trattomie Times, the only newspaper then in Logansport, that on the following Saturday evening and Sunday morning, at 11 o'clock, January 30 and 31, Rev. M. Nudenburg, Methodist, would preach in the seminary, then the only public building in Cass County adapted to such purposes. At this date, it is understood, the first class was formed, out of which the Methodist Church of Cass County to-day has grown. The first class was composed of Judge John Scott and wife, Joseph Hall and wife, Benjamin Enyart and Joel Martin.
Meetings were then held usually at the seminary, but often at private residences by this nucleus of a church until 1837, when a small class-room was built on the east side of Sixth Street, about midway between Broadway and North Streets. In this building meetings of the class were held; and here. also, the first Sunday- school was organized. Subsequently, in 1839, a brick church of fair dimensions was built on the same lot. By this time the mem- bership had so increased that a building of greater capacity than the old class-room became a necessity, and was erected accordingly. During the succeeding twelve or thirteen years this was the house of worship for the congregation. Within the last period two ses- sions of the General Conference were held there, and had ample seating room. In the course of time, however, even this building became insufficient to meet the wants of a greatly increased mem- bership, and steps were taken to supply that want by the construc- tion of a new house in which to worship. Accordingly, a lot was purchased on the northeast corner of Broadway and Eighth Streets, the old property having been sold with that object in view, and the erection of the present stately stone edifice occupying that site was commenced in 1851, and pushed forward toward completion as rapidly as the magnitude of the undertaking would permit. It was first occupied for church purposes about the year 1854, and has a seat- ing capacity of 600 or more on the upper floor and 300 on the lower. The membership in 1878 was more than 300. The Sunday- school, at the same time, had at least 200 pupils and active, zealous and efficient workers.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
Commencing with the year 1828, when itinerant work began in the circuit embracing Cass County, the following are the names of the ministers who have officiated here as circuit or as local preachers during a period of fifty years: Steven R. Beggs, Hackaliah Vren- denburgh, S. C. Cooper, Amasa Johnson, J. A. Brouse, B. Westlake, Mr. Trusler, J. Colelazer, George M. Beswick, Mr. White, S. Reid, W. L. Huffman, William Wilson, I. N. Stagg, W. Wheeler, J. Black, Thomas Sinex, H. B. Beers, R. D. Robinson, V. M. Beamer, H. N. Barnes, Nelson Green, A. Greenman, B. Webster, J. N. Campbell, J. W. T. McMullen, Safety Layton, W. J. Vigus, M. H. Mendenhall, M. Mahin, N. Gillam, R. H. Sparks, J. R. Stilwell, C. W. Lynch and Mr. Mahin. At the close of Mr. Mahin's term of serv- ice in 1879, Rev. D. M. Brown was placed in this charge, but at the end of a year and a half be was relieved, at his own request, and Rev. J. H. Ford called to supply the vacancy thus created. At the conference next succeeding Mr. Ford was again placed in charge. By other successive appointments he held the pastoral re- lation with this church until April, 1885, and, as a consequence, re- mained here for a longer period than any other minister. During his stay important and valuable improvements were placed in the auditorium. Unusual interest was manifested through the agency of his extraordinary pulpit efforts. Rev. W. H. Daniels was ap- pointed to succeed him, and is still in charge. The membership is about 350.
Market Street Methodist Episcopal Church .- This church is a branch of the Broadway Methodist Church, and had its origin in the organization of a Sunday-school in the eastern part of the city on Market Street. The organization was perfected in 1865, and was made eminently successful, chiefly through the superintending instrumentality of Sheridan Cox, of the city public schools, and T. B. Louis, an efficient co-laborer. The society, of which the Sun- day-school was the nucleus, was organized on the 9th of May, 1868, with Rev. E. Hendricks as pastor, who, proving himself unequal to the task, was relieved in less than three months. Rev. P. Carland succeeded him, and served in the pastoral relation during the bal- ance of the year. In the summer of 1868, a tabernacle was erected on the southeast corner of Market and Fifteenth Streets, and used for church purposes until the fall of 1869, when a com- fortable frame church edifice was erected near the site of the old
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
tabernacle, and subsequently dedicated according to the forms of the church. This society has been the means of promoting a healthful Christian interest in that part of the city and elsewhere. The min- isters who have officiated as pastors of this branch of the church since Mr. Carland have been James Leonard, during the year 1869; James Black, in 1870; O. S. Harrison, in 1871; C. P. Wright, dur- ing the years 1872, 1873 and 1874; C. G. Hudson, in 1875; N. G. Shackelford, during the years 1876 and 1877; C. P. Wright, again, in the years 1878, 1879 and 1880; Samuel N. Campbell, in 1881; M. S. Metts, in the years 1882 and 1883, and L. J. Naftzger, the present pastor, during the years 1884, 1885 and 1886. As shown by the report last year the church had 124 full members and 59 probationers. Since that time a goodly interest has been main- tained and an increased membership the result. The Sunday-school connected with this church is in a healthy and prosperous condi- tion, and is the instrument of much good. Its management is excel- lent. At the time of the church report in 1885 there were 270 pupils, with an average attendance of about 200.
Wheatland Street Church .- This, also, is a branch of the Broad- way Methodist Church, and the outgrowth of a Sunday-school or- ganized, in that vicinity, in the summer of 1873. The formation of a class soon followed, and a society was organized on the 7th of May, 1874, which greatly prospered. A tabernacle, as a tempo- rary place of worship, was, in the meantime, erected. Very soon after the preliminary steps were taken, the contract let, and in a comparatively short period a fine brick edifice was fully completed and ready for occupancy. It was formally dedicated to the wor- ship of God, under the auspices of the society, by Rev. Dr. Robin- son, of Fort Wayne, on the 21st of November, 1875. For a few months subsequent to the organization of the society Rev. J. R. Stilwell was the minister in charge; his work, however, did not ex- tend far into the conference year 1874. He resigned, and Rev. J. M. Chaffin was called to supply the vacancy until May, 1875. Succeeding him, Rev. C. P. Wright came to the pastorate, and such was the interest accompanying his work that twice he was re-called and placed in charge of the spiritual and other interests of the con- gregation. At the end of the first year of his labors the society numbered 113 full members.
After the expiration of Father Wright's term of service, Rev.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
W. C. McKaig became the pastor, remaining in charge until May, 1879. His labors were successful in this field, keeping alive and renewing the interest of earlier years. Rev. A. S. Wootten was
his successor. and remained two years. At the end of that term the membership had diminished somewhat, the number shown be- ing only 106, as against 113, in 1876-the interest, however, was unabated. Rev. Frank G. Brown followed Mr. Wootten, but stayed only one year, the membership being then ninety. Rev. M. S. Metts was his successor and remained with the society during the next two years, the church maintaining a healthy interest in the meantime.
The present pastor, Rev. E. E. Neal, began to labor in the in- terest of this branch of the church in 1883. During his pastor- ate the membership has largely increased, the number now being 120. The Sunday-school under the supervision of the church dur- ing the past two years, has especially prospered, and the number of pupils has largely increased.
Trinity Episcopal .- Of the earliest efforts to establish this branch of the Christian church in Logansport no record now re- mains, the families of that faith who resided here in the first years of the city's history having moved away or passed to the life be- yond. It is manifested, however, that there were such, and that they felt the want of church association.
The family of Dr. Graham N. Fitch, who came to Logansport in 1834, was the first of which we have now any satisfactory ac- count who were members of this church. They still remain here, and their connection with the parish is unchanged, except that Mrs. Fitch and Henry S., the son, have departed this life within a few years. Of those who held services here in early days, were the Rev. Mr. Todd and Dr. C. R. Johnson, who became rector of St. John's Church, of Lafayette, and Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper, Missionary Bishop of the Northwest, and afterward Bishop of Wisconsin, when it became a separate diocese. Of these we have no record of any official acts, except in the case of the latter.
It is said that an organization antecedent to the present one ex- isted here, but when it was consummated, or how long it continued to exist, and under what name, we are left now wholly to conjecture.
The first record of any official act was on Sunday evening, August 2, 1840, at the house of John S. Patterson, the baptism
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
of Emily, daughter of J. S. and E. A. Patterson, born August 22, 1839; Henry Satterlee, Martha and Emma Boyer, children of Dr. and H. V. Fitch. The following day five children of Dr. and S. Merrill were baptized.
Pertinent to the organization, we have the following mem- oranda:
" The Rev. Francis H. L. Laird, acting under the authority of the Domestic Committee of the Missionary Society of the Protest- ant Episcopal Church in the United States, arrived with his wife and seven children in the city of Logansport, on the first day of July, A. D. 1841. "On the 19th of the same month he organized a congregation by the name of Trinity, at which time, in the school room occupied by the missionary, a vestry was elected, composed of the following persons: John S. Patterson, John Green, Dr. T. H. Howes, John E. Howes, Capt. Jacob Hull, Dr. G. N. Fitch, Dr. J. F. Merrill, J. S. Twells."
The erection of a church seems early to have engaged the atten- tion of Mr. Laird, for on the 8th of August, 1842, his record shows that contributions toward the erection of the first Trinity Church had been received at that date, to the amount of $946.10 in cash and securities-an excellent showing.
The erection of the church progressed with a fair degree of activity, the basement being first completed and occupied. The audience room was used, though the building was not entirely com- pleted, in 1843. The first record referring to the use of the church room bears date February 19, 1843.
The first class for confirmation was presented to and confirmed by Bishop Kemper (who confirmed the first five classes), March 17, 1842. In this class was Mrs. H. V. Fitch; in the third class, October 19, 1845, was Mrs. Tuttle. On the Sth of August, 1841, the Lord's Supper was first administered by Mr. Laird to five per- sons. During his rectorship, which closed some time in the spring of 1845, the number of communicants in the church aggregated six- teen. Succeeding Mr. Laird came the Rev. A. Clark, who was ap- pointed missionary at Logansport by the Missionary Society, en- tered upon the discharge of his duties January 16, 1845. Twenty communicants were added during the pastorate of Mr. Clark, mak- ing thirty in all, of whom nineteen were lost by removal and three by death, leaving a total membership of only fourteen at the close of his labors in the summer of 1848.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
After the resignation of Mr. Clark, only occasional services were had, by Bishop Kemper on the 24th of June, 1849, on a visit for baptism and confirmation, and at other times by Rev. Mr. Phelps, of Delphi. Rev. Walter E. Franklin took the rectorship on the 13th of March, 1853, remaining in charge until May, 1854. During his stay he baptized six, married one, and eight were confirmed, Bishop Upfold officiating. At the close of his pastorate, in May, 1854, Mr. Franklin reported to the convention twenty communicants.
Rev. John Trimble, Jr., succeeded Mr. Franklin, in January, 1855, remaining in charge until March 31, 1857, his number of communicants aggregating nineteen, three only being confirmed during his term.
For more than a year following no regular services were held. In the summer or fall of 1858, Rev. Elias Burdsall became rector, and continued in that relation until the close of the year 1859, when the list of communicants numbered twenty-three.
Rev. Mr. High became rector in the early part of 1860, and held the charge until the beginning of 1862, the result of his labors ex- hibiting a marked increase, the list showing thirty-six communi- cants at that date. Subsequently, until July, 1863, the parish was without a rector, Rev. Mr. Hudson, of Delphi, officiating occasion- ally, but with what result the record fails to disclose. At that date Rev. A. B. Brush took charge of the parish and remained with it until near the close of 1864. On his resignation the list of com- municants numbered forty-six.
From this last date until the 1st of October, 1866, there was no settled rector, and as a consequence, church interests were greatly depressed and a spirit of lukewarmness developed itself to the manifest detriment of the cause. With these influences surround- ing, Rev. J. E. Jackson was called from Delphi, and at once entered upon the active duties of his rectorate. Under his administration, work was vigorously prosecuted, twenty-six being baptized and twenty-five confirmed, showing sixty-six communicants at the close of his term of service, in May, 1868.
Again, for about one year, there was a vacancy in the parish, and the effect was discouraging; "no one to look after the little flock, nor to break unto them the bread of life." At this time Rev. E. J. Purdy was called, and he accepted the rectorship on condition that the old church edifice, which was in a dilapidated condition
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from the effects of a bad foundation, should be disposed of and a new one erected without delay, even before the building of a rectory. These conditions were complied with, and the transposition imme- diately commenced, the work being rapidly forwarded to completion, so that on the 19th of February, 1870, just twenty-seven years from the date of the first service held by Mr. Laird in the old church, the first service was held in the new, under the ministrations of Mr. Purdy. The new church has seventy-four pews, and will comfort- ably seat 300 persons, while the old one had but twenty-eight pews and seated no more than 120. Thus a great change had been wrought, a change demanded by the improved condition of things. The work done by Mr. Purdy and by his congregation, has rarely or never been surpassed in this community. In addition to the erection and furnishing of this new church edifice and providing for the cost thereof, a fine rectory has been built and the church sup- plied with a large pipe organ of sufficient capacity to fill the entire building with melody.
Mr. Purdy resigned in 1880, and from that time until the Sunday preceding Easter, in 1884, the pulpit of Trinity Church was supplied for longer or shorter terms of service by Rev. John A. Dooris, Rev. Mr. Puriker and Mr. Hutchins. At the date given, Rev. Harry Thompson was called to the pastorate, and accepting it has occupied the position from that time to the present.
First Universalist Church .- From the organization of the county up to 1841, few sermons in advocacy of the doctrines per- taining to a belief in the ultimate salvation of the human family from error and unbelief had been delivered in this locality. At that date Rev. Erasmus Manford, then of Lafayette, Ind., but afterward and at the time of his death a resident of Chicago, began to deliver his messages expository of the faith he cherished to the good peo- ple of Logansport and adjacent neighborhoods, at intervals, as time and opportunity offered. Then there were not more than fifteen, possibly twenty, out-spoken believers in the teachings of that de- nomination in the entire county. Mr. Manford was an active and zealous worker in the cause he labored to promote. The bounda- ries of his mission were co-extensive with the Wabash and Ohio Valleys, and beyond-wherever he could secure a hearing. He was, indeed, the pioneer minister of that persuasion in all northern, south- ern and western Indiana, and he did more, perhaps, to disseminate
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a knowledge of the gospel, as he and other of the fathers understood it, in the great Northwest, than any other, if not all others, in those early days. In the winter of 1842-43 several sermons were deliv- ered by ministers from without the limits of the State to large and attentive audiences.
As early as 1844 or 1845 Rev. William S. Clark was tempora- rily employed by the friends in Logansport and vicinity to preach at short intervals, but no effort was made to organize a society. From that time forward preaching was more or less frequent, which resulted in the awakening of a greatly increased interest in the doc- trines and teachings peculiar to that branch of the Christian church. In the summer and fall of 1857, however, meetings and services were more frequent than ever before, an increased desire being man- ifested by the public to hear proclamation of the doctrines so gen- erally reprobated in the pulpits of the less liberal sects. Occasion- ally ministers from other localities ventured out for the purposes of pioneer work, visiting Logansport and its immediate vicinity in their routes. Whenever one such was announced to deliver his mes- sage, a comparatively large and always deeply interested audience was sure to greet him. Among the more popular ministers of that period who were wont to visit and preach to those waiting congre- gations, were Revs. B. F. Foster, of Indianapolis; Isaac M. West- fall, of Lafayette, and T. C. Eaton, of Illinois. Through their ef- forts a spirit of inquiry was awakened, and the determination to or- ganize a society soon became manifest. In August and September of that year, and early in October, there were frequent seasons of revival, Rev. Mr. Eaton laboring to that end.
On the 10th of October, 1857, an organization was effected with a membership of seventeen, consisting of David Neal, Joseph Ed- wards, Hannah G. Edwards, Joseph N. Hendrickson, Mary J. Hen- drickson, Jane Eldridge, Catharine P. Davis, T. B. Helm, John Co- mingore, Elon Wade, James L. West, Mabel J. Wade, Susan P. Ea- ton, Philip J. LaRose, Elliott Lamb, James Chappelow and James J. Bates.
After that, for a time, services were held only once in a month, regularly, sometimes more frequently, but at irregular intervals, at which, either Mr. Foster, Mr. Westfall or Mr. Eaton officiated, the society growing in strengtli and popularity. The services of a local minister were not secured until the fall of 1859, when Thomas Gor-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
man was employed. He remained with the church less than one year. After the retirement of Mr. Gorman, another minister was not engaged until the beginning of 1861, when Rev. J. D. H. Cor- wine assumed the pastoral charge. Mr. Corwine was a man of su- perior scholarship, and very successful in his pulpit efforts, his style being easy, natural and singularly convincing. He maintained his relation as pastor for a part of two years, a portion of his time being occupied as principal of the Logansport Collegiate Institute.
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