USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County, Indiana > Part 6
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Elder Edward W. Clark succeeded Mr. Ash, as Pastor, and continued in that relation until July 15, 1860. when Elder Silas Tucker, who had been previously invited, took charge of the pastorate. Elder Tucker labored very earnestly and acceptably for the upbuilding of. the church and the best interests of the great work he had been chosen to perform. While in his charge, the new house of worship, before commenced, was set apart by dedication, the dedicatory sermon being preached by him on that occasion.
Dr. Tucker continued to labor with this church until the close of the year 1871, with marked success in his pulpit efforts and pastoral relation.
About one year prior to the severance of his relations with this church, a careful review of the situation showed a membership of 272 persons, of whom 217 were reported in good standing, 33 of doubtful standing, and 22 whose standing was unknown. Subsequently, about 85 names have been added to the list.
After the departure of Dr. Tucker, Rev. A. H. Stote was called, and began his work on the 30th of August, 1872. He remained in charge until about the 1st of July, 1877, since which time the church has been without the services of a stated Pastor. The church, however, is in good condition and not likely to retrograde.
PRESBYTERIAN.
SECOND OR NEW SCHOOL CHURCH.
To Rev. Martin M, Post, D. D., the credit is due of sowing the first seed, which, under his careful culture, germinated, and in due time developed into the Presbyterian Church of Logansport. Attracted by the prospect of a new town, on lands purchased of the Pottawatomie Indians, of great promise, and vacant of religious institutions, where he could commence his life work, and "build on no other man's foundation," he came here Christmas week, in 1829. Upon his advent into Logansport, two females constituted the entire Presbyterian element within an area of twenty miles around. " Within forty miles, save at one place, there was no organized church. Soon a small Baptist Church, and a few months later, an equally small Methodist class were gathered."
In this field, uncultivated as it was, he began and laid the foundation of the church of his choice. On Thursday evening, December 31, 1829, under his direction, the first weekly prayer meeting under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church was held in the "Old Seminary " building on Market street. " A union meeting for prayer, sustained by females, was early estab- lished, and, in times of special religious interest, numerously attended ; twenty-five or thirty such helpers in the Gospel, on some occasion, thus met from the several congregations, and from the dawn of our history, for what- ever piety and good works have existed in Logansport, the obligation is largely due to woman ; the prayers of the living and the departed are its rich- est treasure."
A Sabbath school was formed in May, 1830, of which Mr. Post was the Superintendent. This was the only one in Logansport for seven years, and in 1836, it numbered one hundred and twenty-five scholars. The church proper was organized on the 22d of January, 1831, with twenty-one mem- bers, the developed germ vitalized on the 31st of December, 1829, by the establishment of the weekly prayer meetings, whereby the energies of the faithful were concentrated and consecrated to the noble work. "As the fruit of a religious interest, greater, relative to the population than has since been in the county, thirteen others were added before the close of the year" -thirty-four within a period of two years after the institution of that humble, unpretentious prayer meeting. All this, too, was the result of earnest, unselfish effort on the part of the leading spirit directing the work.
"Again, in 1837," says Mr. Post, " ten, by conversion, were received at one time, and after having dismissed twenty-six to aid in forming country churches, there remained one hundred and seventeen members. Within & period of two years (1836-7), sixty-eight had been added-the larger part recent emigrants. Soon the tide set back, the population of the city for a while diminished, the public works-the canal and bridges-being com- pleted, and the times reversed."
Within a period of thirty years from the organization of the church, three hundred and eighty-two members were received and participated in its exercises. The results attained in the eighteen years succeeding give assurance that the kind and quality of the spiritual instruction received, with the personal example of the reverend instructor who watched over it in the early years of its upbuilding, have had much to do in the measure of its permanency and usefulness of the church to-day.
" Father Post," as he was familiarly known, continued his pastoral relation with this church from its organization until 1866, when he was relieved from active work in that relation. He was succeeded by Rev. Adolphus S. Dudley, whose term of service commenced immediately upon the close of Dr. Post's thirty sixth year of patient watch-care over the in- terests vital to the upbuilding and prosperity of the society best known as "Father Post's Church."
While Dr. Post thus ceased to labor as the Pastor of this church, in Lo- gansport, his time was appropriated almost exclusively to missionary work among those branches of the parent church in the city, which his paternal care had planted and nurtured in the country adjacent, during the latter years of his useful and exemplary life.
Mr. Dudley commenced his work with an interested zeal commensurate with the magnitude of his task, continuing thus to maintain, by his assidu- ity, the extensive popularity of the church acquired through the long years of Father Post's pastoral experience. He remained in charge during the succeeding three years, at the end of which time Dr. James Matthews was chosen to succeed him.
The church, under his ministrations, maintained its former prestige in the religious world. Dr. Matthews resigned his charge sometime during the Spring of 1874. After a short interval Rev. Robert B. Stimson was clothed with the pastoral charge in Dr. Matthews' stead, continuing in that relation until the last of April, 1876. He was succeeded, a short time after by Rev. Roswell C. Post, the youngest son of the late Martin M. Post, who in fact founded the church and to whose example and watch-care it owes so much to-day. Than now, perhaps, the church was never in better condi- tion and its sphere of usefulness never so completely occupied as at present. At this writing, preliminary steps are being taken to enlarge and beautify their house of worship. Enrolled membership, 210.
FIRST, OR OLD SCHOOL.
Until 1838, when the Presbyterian Church of the United States was divided into two distinct branches, the New School, or Second Church. as it is now known, comprised the whole family of the Church in Cass County. which was represented by Dr. Post, to whose fostering care it is indebted for the high rank awarded to it in this community. From that date a grad- ual separation of the adherents of the two elements began to take place, the breach continuing to widen until, by the action of the Logansport Presby- tery, some time subsequently, the disintegration became complete. The outgrowth of these proceedings of the controlling authority of the Church at Large was the organization of what was declared to be the " Old School Church."
This new organization dates its existence from the 19th of March, 1840. At that date, it took the name by which it continued to be known until the re-union was effected a few years ago. Afterward, it was known as the First Church. A year or two prior to the division before mentioned, the Rev. John Wright, the father of John W. and Williamson, who had been, for the thirty-two years preceding, Pastor of the church at Lancaster, Ohio, resigned his charge at that place and took up his residence in Logansport, whither his two sons had preceded him. Upon its organization, Mr. Wright took charge, temporarily, and, the Sunday following, James Harper and William Brown were ordained by him as Elders, the first chosen by the New Church. In the absence of these latter gentlemen, Joseph Corbit, who had been ordained as such during his residence in Ohio, acted as Elder pro tem.
The first Board of Trustees chosen consisted of Joseph Corbitt, James W. Dunn and John W. Wright. The first regular Pastor was Rev. James Buchanan, in the Spring of 1841, who continued to sustain that relation until the time of his death, in September, 1843. From the date of organi- zation up to the period of Mr. Buchanan's death, there were fifty-three addi- tions to the original eighteen who constituted the first membership.
Sometime in the year 1842, Williamson Wright donated to the church Lot number 64, in Tipton's Second Addition to Logansport, on condition that a stone edifice should be erected thereon at a cost of not less than $2,000 and maintained as a church. The necessary building was accordingly erected on said lot, being completed in 1842, and subsequently enlarged by adding 20 feet to its length.
The first meetings of the society were held in the second story of a frame building on the northwest corner of Broadway and Fourth street, at that time, before and afterward used as a school room. The site of that build- ing is now occupied by McTaggart's Block. In this room the organization was consummated, where, also, the successive meetings were held from that time forward until toward the close of the Sumner or early Fall of the year 1840. Then, a room in the third story of a brick building on the north side of Market space, was prepared and occupied for church purposes, until the Fall of 1842, when the new church, being completed, was first used.
In the Spring of 1844, Rev. Thomas Crowe, of Hanover, Indiana, was called as Pastor. He was a young man of much promise and greatly beloved by his congregation, but in consequence of the failing health of his wife, he returned to her former home, in the Fall of 1847. During his ministry,
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
William Thornton, Andrew Young and Robert Rowan were elected ad litional Elders. There were, also, eighteen members added to the church. From the time of Mr. Crowe's departure until the Fall of 1848, Dr. F. T. Brown, licensed at a presbytery in Logansport, supplied the pulpit here, before accepting a call from the First Church in Madison, Indiana. Other supplies were only transient. Succeeding Frederick T., Rev. Hugh Brown was called to the pastoral charge of the church, in the Fall of 1848 having. meantime, returned from China, whither he had gone as a missionary. He remained in charge here one year, and declining to remain longer, he moved hence to Northern Illinois. During his ministry here, however, there were twenty-four additions to the membership of the church.
The next Pastor was Rev. Adam Haines, a young minister of promising ability, who, in consequence of bad health, did not remain long, and finally surrendered his trust into the hands of Rev. Levi Hughes, the latter taking charge of the church as its Pastor, in the year 1852. Mr. Hughes held the pastorate until the Fall of 1859, when he resigned and removed to Minne- apolis, Minnesota, as a means of recuperating his overtaxed mental and physical energies. As a result of his labors here, the church building was enlarged, the basement overhauled, prepared and furnished for the Sunday school, and a large addition made to the membership of the church. From that time until the Spring of 1861, the pulpit was temporarily supplied by Rev. HI. R. Henneigh and Rev. H. W. Shaw, the latter, during that period and before, being Principal of the High School.
At the time indicated above, Rev. J. C. Irwin, having been called, took the pastoral charge. During his ministry, the parsonage property adjoining the church was purchased, and has since been used as such. The ministry of Mr. Irwin was very successful, and he labored zealously to execute the trust reposed in him. At one time, a leave of absence for three months was granted him, to canvass for the endowment of the Logansport Presbyterian Academy. While he was thus absent, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. C. H. Dunlap, who awakened a lively religious interest, the result of which was sixty-four additions to the membership of the church. These, with the other additions under Mr. Irwin's personal ministrations, made the total increase one hundred and thirty members, during the term of service which closed in the Summer of 1867.
"On the 1st of August, 1867, Rev. William Greenough, of Piqua, Ohio, on a previous call of the church," became Pastor, and continued in that relation until the fall of 1870. The accessions during the time he labored with the church were seventy, in a period of three years.
He was succeeded by Rev. L. M. Scofield, the present occupant, in Jan- uary, 1871. Under his ministration, the church and Sunday School have greatly increased in the number of their members and the efficiency of their labors. The good results wrought out by the superior executive ability of those having in charge the management of church affairs made the necessity for further enlargement of the dimensions of their place of worship appar- ent. With this object in view, plans and specifications were agreed upon and the work of remodeling the old structure commenced about the 10th of September, 1877. So rapidly was the work pushed forward that the mag- nificent new church edifice, now completed, was ready for occupancy on the 2d day of December, 1877, and services were accordingly held there on that day.
METHODIST CHURCH.
As the Methodist was the Church of the pioneer work in Indiana gener- ally, 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, brought together by the patient searching out and earnest solicitation of the messengers themselves.
In September, 1828, the Western Conference of the M. E. Church was held at Madison, Indiana. At this session, Rev. Steven R. Beggs was ap- pointed to the Crawfordsville Circuit, embracing Crawfordsville, Covington, Attica, Lafayette, Delphi, Logansport and Fort Wayne. At the succeeding Conference, held in 1829, Mr. Beggs was appointed especially to the Logans- port Mission, embracing Logansport, Delphi and Lafayette. The appro- priation for missionary purposes that year aggregated no more than $50, & stipend so small that at the end of the first quarter, Mr. Beggs was relieved from duty here and sent to another charge. He was succeeded in this field by Rev. Hackaliah Vrendenburgh. His success does not appear to have been great, from the infrequent mention of his name.
On the 23d of January, 1830, & notice was published in the Pottawatomie 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 has grown the Methodist Church of to-day in Cass County. Their first class was composed of Judge John Scott and wife, Joseph Hall and wife, Ben- jamin Enyart and Joel Martin.
Meetings were then held usually at the Seminary, and not unfrequently 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 street. In this building, meetings of the class were held ; and here, also, the first Sunday school was organized. Subsequently, in 1889, a brick church, of fair dimensions, was built on the same lot. By this time, the membership had increased so that a building of the propor- tions of the one just erected was a necessity. During the succeeding twelve or thirteen years, this was the house of worship of the congregation. In the meantime, two sessions of the General Conference were held there, with ample seating room.
MINISTERS.
Commencing with the year 1828, the following are the names of the Min- isters, in their order, who have held the relation of Pastor of this church :
Steven R Beggs, Heckaliah Vrendenburgh, 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. Barne-, Nelson Green, A. Greenman, B. Webster, J. N. Campbell, J. W. T. McMullen, Safety Layton, W. J. Vigus, M. II. Mendenhall, M. Mahin, N Gillam, R. H. Sparks, J. R. Stilwell and C. W. Lynch. Rev. M. Mahin is now in charge a second time. It is proper, also, to state that several of these gentlemen have served two or more pastoral terms, while others have been sent as supp ies. And it will be further of interest to say that this church, since its organization, has never been without a Pastor.
THE BROADWAY CHURCH
was commenced in 1851 and forwarded to completion as rapidly as the mag- nitude of the undertaking would permit, being first occupied about 1854, and has a seating capacity of six hundred on the upper floor and three hun- dred on the lower. The society numbers over three hundred, while the Sunday school has more than two hundred efficient workers.
THE MARKET STREET CHURCH
is a branch of the Broadway Church, and had its origin in the organization of a Sabbath school in the eastern part of the city, on Market street. This organization was perfected in 1865, and was made eminently successful through the superintendence of Sheriden Cox and T. B. Louis, who first labored in that direction. The society was organized in the Fall of the same year, and in the Spring following, Rev. E. Hendricks was appointed Minister in charge, who, proving unequal to the task, was superseded by P. Carland. In the Summer of 1868, a tabernacle was erected on the south- east corner of Market and Fifteenth streets, and used for church purposes. In the Fall of 1869, a comfortable frame church, near the site of the taber- nacle, was erected and dedicated. This society has succeeded in accomplish- ing much good, thus far, in its mission.
WHEATLAND STREET CHURCH.
This branch, also, is the outgrowth of a Sunday school organization, in the Summer of 1873, in the vicinity of Wheatland street. The formation of a church followed soon after, and has had a prosperous career. On the 21st day of November, 1875, the building erected under the auspices of this society was dedicated to the worship of God by Rev. Dr. Robinson, of Fort Wayne.
TRINITY CHURCH-EPISCOPAL.
Of the earliest efforts to establish this branch of the Christian church in Logansport, no record now remains, 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 beyond. It is manifest, however, that there were such, and that they felt the want of church associations.
The family of Dr. G. N. Fitch, who came to Logansport in 1834, was the first of which we have now any satisfactory account, who were members of this church. They still remain here, and their connection with the parish is unchanged.
Of those who held services here in early days, the names of Rev. Mr. Todd and Dr. C. R. Johnson, who became Rector of St. John's Church at Lafayette, and Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper, Missionary Bishop of the North- west, afterward Bishop of Wisconsin, when it became a separate diocese. Or these we have no record of any official aots, except in the case of the latter.
It is said that an organization antecedent to the present one existed here, but when it was consummated, how long it continued to exist and under what name, 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, Esq., the baptism of Emily, daugh- ter of J. S. and E. A. Patterson, born Aug. 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 memoranda :
"The Rev. Francis H. L. Laird, acting under the authority of the Domestic Committee of the Missionary Society of the P. E. Church in the United States, arrived with his wife and seven children in the city of Logans- . port, on the 1st 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 mis- sionary, a vestry was elected, composed of the following persons : John S. Patterson, Esq., 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 attention of Mr. Laird, for on the 8th of August, 1842, his record shows that contribu- tions 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 completed, 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 8th of August, 1841, the Lord's Supper was first administered by Mr. Laird to five persons. During his rectorship, which closed sometime in the Spring of 1845, the number of communicants in the church aggregated sixteen.
Succeeding Mr. Laird, came the Rev. A. Clark, who was appointed mis- sionary at Logansport, by the Missionary Society, entered upon the discharge
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
of his duties January 16, 1845. Twenty communicants were added during the pastorate of Mr. Clark, making 36 in all, of whom 19 were lost by removal and 3 by death, leaving a total membership of only 14, at the close of his labors in the summer of 1848.
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 con- firmation, and at other times by Rev. Mr. Phelps, of Delphi.
Rev. Walter E. Franklin took the rectorship on the 13th of March, 1853, remaining 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 communi- cants 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 exhibiting a marked increase, the list showing thirty-six communicants at that date.
Until July, 1863, the parish was without a Rector, Mr. Hudson, of Del- phi, officiating occasionally, 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 communicants 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 conditions surrounding. Rev. J. E. Jackson was called from Delphi and at once entered upon his duties as Rector. 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, 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 trans- position immediately commenced, the work being rapidly forwarded to com- pletion, 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 ministration of Mr. Purdy. The new church has seventy-four pews and will comfortably seat three hundred per- sons, while the old one had but twenty-eight pews and seated no more than one hundred ani twenty. Thus, a great change has been wrought, a change demanded by the improved condition of things.
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