History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 38

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123

USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 38

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Rev. Allen Wiley said that a church of the Baptist persuasion was built as early as 1805 at Jacob Hackelman's, and that a Baptist church was built at an earlier date on Lee's creek, a small branch of Dry fork of Whitewater about three miles east of Harrison, and that it was a log house. Of Hackel- man's, Wiley said, "A Mr. Tyner, a son-in-law of Hackelman, was pastor of the church, preaching with zeal and some success. Shortly after the organiza- tion of the above church, either in the fall of 1805 or summer of 1806, the members of the church and the citizens built a log meeting house, in the old style, with a gallery in it; the house was in the southwestern corner of Hackel- man's land. That old house was the first meeting house ever built in the Whitewater valley, on the Indiana side of the line. To the great disgrace of somebody, I know not whom, that house is now (1845) desecrated, by being turned into a barn." The Dearborn county atlas, published in 1875, says that the first Baptist church of Dearborn county-Mt. Happy-was organized in Harrison township, on the fourth Saturday in June, 1807, by the following

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persons : Christopher Wilson and John Goss, from Bulletsburg, Kentucky, Henry Harden, from Lawrenceburg, and William Tyner, from Cedar Grove. The following persons constituted the membership: Jacob Hackelman, Sarah Hackelman, Mary Hackelman, James Cloud, Sally Cloud, Heziah Ashby, Robert Scanland, Katie Scanland, Nancy Allensworth, Henry and Patsy Remy, William and Elizabeth Remy, Sibbel Relif, William Smith, and Eliza- beth Edwards. Just where the editor of the atlas obtained his information is not now known, but Rev. Allen Wiley lived at Cedar Grove, and was familiar with the early history of the Whitewater valley at the time. It is, therefore, very probable that in the giving of dates, Wiley would be the more nearly correct.

Mr. Wiley says, further, that "When I came to the Whitewater, in the fall of 1804, there were only two men on it, so far as I know, who had ever been Methodists; these were James Cole and Benjamin McCarty, the latter having been a local preacher and exhorter in Tennessee. He settled on the White- water in 1803, at which time he had rather fallen from his religious enjoy- ments. He subsequently became a local preacher of medium talent, and later withdrew, and connected himself with the United Brethren."

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.

The Presbyterian church, like the Methodist and the Baptist, was early on the ground in the infant settlements. However, it did not maintain church organizations at quite so early a date as the other two. An organization of the Presbyterian church was perfected at Rising Sun, then a part of Dearborn county, as early as 1816; in Aurora as early as 1826, when Rev. Lucius Alden opened a seminary in the village and preached for those of the Presbyterian faith at Aurora, Dillsboro and other points where he might be called. The church at Dillsboro was called the Hopewell church, and was built in 1826. It was a log structure. The first members of the church at that point are given in the Dearborn county history, published in 1885, as the Perlees, Row- lands, Swallows, McCabes, Wilsons and Hustons. The organization later re- moved their church to Dillsboro, where meetings were held in it until 1854, when the present brick building, which is now owned by the Lutheran con- gregation, was erected. At Aurora the Presbyterians re-organized the church in 1844 and W. N. Smith, pastor of the church at Lawrenceburg, preached for them. In 1856 they became sufficiently strong to erect the present edifice, which remains to this day an evidence of the prosperity of its congregation.

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The Presbyterians of Lawrenceburg perfected their organization on Septem- ber 27, 1829. Rev. Sylvester Scoville was the organizer and reported the re- sults of his labors to the presbytery at Oxford, Ohio, and the church was re- ceived under their care on October 2, 1829. The first members of this organ- ization were: Duncan Carmichael, Catherine, Carmichael, William Archibald, Betsey Archibald, Jacob Piatt, Mrs. Ann Runyan, Mrs. Margaret Johnson, Mrs. Jane E. Sparks, Mrs. Sarah Darragh, Mrs. Catherine L. Pinckard, Mrs. Jane Clark Hageman, Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton, Mrs. Elizabeth Rice, the first nine being received by letter from other churches, the remaining four by con- fession of faith. The first trustees were Duncan Carmichael, William B. Ewing, William Archibald, George H. Dunn and Stephen Ludlow. They had no church, but met in the Methodist church or the court house. During the pastorate of Mr. Scoville, a church building was erected on the site of the present building, being completed in 1830. It was at first used jointly with the Baptists, they having contributed towards its building fund, with the under- standing that it was to be used by them one-half of the time. The amount the Baptists contributed, it is said, was refunded to them later and the use by that denomination was discontinued. On September 26, 1838, the church dis- solved its connection with any other church of the kind and remained inde- pendent until 1841, when it once more united with the New-School presbytery, at Madison. Later on it again connected itself with the Old-School presbytery at Oxford, Ohio, and was subsequently placed with the newly organized Whitewater presbytery. Henry Ward Beecher, the celebrated pulpit orator, preached for them for two and one-quarter years. He came to the little strug- gling organization in May, 1837, and left in the latter part of August, or the month of September, 1839. Mr. Beecher, telling of his call to Lawrenceburg, said: "When I was twenty-three years old I went forth, knowing very little. My first step was across the Ohio river, opposite Cincinnati, where a hall had been opened with a view of forming a New-School Presbyterian church, for I was then a Presbyterian, and am still, in everything except their confession of faith. After preaching about a half dozen Sundays, I was visited by a young woman, about twenty-one, or twenty-two years old, named Martha Sawyer . (that's not her name now, so you won't know who it is), and I was invited to take charge of another church at Lawrenceburg, Indiana. She was, I believe, trustee, deacon and treasurer of the church-at any rate, they had no other. She collected all the money that was collected and they paid me about one hun- dred and fifty dollars per year, and the American Missionary Society made up the rest, so that I had the munificent salary of four hundred and fifty dollars

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per year. There I began my ministerial and pastoral life. There was but one man in the church, and that was one too many. However, here I began to learn. I don't know how, but here I learned for two years, and a little more, and then I was called to Indianapolis, where I was for two years preceding my coming here. The little brick church, which would seat one hundred or one hundred and fifty persons, was where I preached my earliest sermons. When we had a communion, I had to go out and borrow a deacon and elder. That church remains. A photograph of it has been taken and sent to me. I recognize every brick in it. I was sexton of it as well as pastor. I swept it twice a week; got lamps from the adjoining town and hung them on the walls, and bought oil and filled and trimmed them, and kept them trimmed, for, previous to that, there had been no evening service. The church has existed ever since, with various degrees of prosperity, but now they have undertaken to build for themselves a new church and I come to ask you what you are going to do to help them." The basket was passed, and returned well filled.

At Bright is a vigorous organization of the Presbyterian church, which was commenced as early as 1831. The original membership numbered about forty, among whom were the Gibsons, McGahens, Reids, Judds, Blackwells, Shepherds, Pollocks, McClures and Langdales. Soon after the organization was perfected, a log meeting house was erected on the site of the present com- modious building. The present building was erected in 1848, but it has been remodeled and re-arranged until it is now very modern in its inside con- struction.

At Harrison the first Presbyterian organization dates back to 1810, when, according to Rev. Ludlow D. Potter, Rev. Samuel Baldridge organized a church of seventeen members at the home of John Allen. From 1810 to 1814 Mr. Baldridge worked as an itinerant missionary in the Whitewater valley from Brookville to Lawrenceburg. Later on, Rev. Mr. Robertson and Rev. James Dickey preached to the families in that section. But it is not recorded that they succeeded in perpetuating their congregations to the present time.

LUTHERAN CHURCHES.

The Lutheran church is, perhaps, in membership, the second strongest in Dearborn county. No sooner had the German immigrants become settled than the mother church followed. On October 3, 1847, the German Evangelical Zion church of Lawrenceburg was constituted, with five trustees. The first five to serve in that capacity were Johann David Hauck, George Ross, Johann

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Reimer, Lorenz Winter and Johann Siemental. They used the Presbyterian church for services for a short time, and in 1848 built a brick place of worship on Walnut street, fifty-four by twenty-eight feet. The upper part was used for services and the lower part for a school room. In 1862 they dissolved con- nection with the Evangelical Reformed synod and changed the name to the German Evangelical Zion congregation of Lawrenceburg. In 1867 the present church was erected. While this building was being erected some of the con- gregation left the organization and established the Evangelical Lutheran church, erecting a church on the corner of Main and Fourth streets. Both churches are now flourishing, with good, strong congregations.

The first organization of the Lutheran church in Aurora was made in 1856. The first pastors of St. John's Evangelical church that are now re- called were Reverend Koenig and Reverend Wichman. The list of first mem- bers includes Fred Schmidt, E. H. Niebaum, J. H. Bower, John E. Bair, John Freiberger. Herman Schumacher, John Schumacher, Henry Hartker, H. Da- vider, George Sciller, George Ritter, Charles Huxell, George Drexler, John Steig, Floran M. Frank, Mrs. Catherine Siemental, Mrs. Barbara Braunagel, Mrs. Elizabeth Siemental, Mrs. Rothert, Mrs. Herdegon and Mrs. Kreitlein. The first officers of the church were, Fred Schmidt, president; E. H. Niebaum, secretary ; John E. Bair, treasurer; Herman Schumacher, John E. Bair and John Frybarger, trustees. In 1874 the membership had grown so strong that a fine church was erected, which is yet standing.

St. Peter's Lutheran church was organized at Dillsboro in 1876. They had formerly worshipped at Farmers' Retreat, but the membership grew about Dillsboro until they become sufficiently strong to erect a church. They pur- chased the ground and church of the Presbyterian congregation, and enlarged and repaired it. Among the families that were assisting in the first formation of the society were those of Henry Niebrugge, William Grieve and George Ellerbrook.

St. John's Lutheran church at Farmers' Retreat was erected in 1867. The church organization is, perhaps, the pioneer one of this denomination in the county, for it was organized as early as 1842 or 1843, and a building was erected. Among the early members were Fred Luker, Henry Lubbe, Chris Nolte, Martin Marting, E. H. Stapel, John and Fred Heffelmire and Ernest Kuhlman.

St. Stephen's Lutheran church, in the northern part of Manchester town- ship, was established in 1843. with a membership of twelve. among whom were the following: Valentine George, Peter Vogel. John Draut. Christopher Seitz,

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Lutheran Church and Parsonage

Methodist Episcopal Church THREE AURORA CHURCHES

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

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William Rupp, Jacob Graff and William Windhorst. The first church build- ing was a log one, which was dedicated by Rev. August Miller. In 1853 the present substantial brick building was erected. A half mile west of Hubbell's Cross Roads, in Jackson township, stands St. John's Lutheran church. The building was erected in 1854. The church society dates back to 1833, when it was organized by Rev. Frederick Rice. Of the original membership, John Gutapfel, George Knerr, Fielding Gutapfel and wife and Philip Weis and wife were among the number.

On the Manchester state road, in Lawrenceburg township, is an organiza- tion of the Lutheran church that was formed in the sixties. They have a sub- stantial brick church and a congregation composed of substantial farmers, who are among the most prosperous and best citizens of the county.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

In the spring of 1876, upon the invitation of A. Grant Tebbs, then a mer- chant in Lawrenceburg, Elder Alfred Elmore, an evangelist of Franklin, In- diana, was secured to hold a protracted meeting for the purpose of organizing a church in this city. The revival continued about six weeks and an organiza- tion of one hundred and twenty members was effected. The first church offi- cers were: J. R. Trisler, James D. Willis, elders; Spencer West, Christopher Dailey, George Morris and Boone Rice, deacons, and John E. Ammel, clerk. W. H. H. Strouse was the first pastor.

The membership continued to meet in rented halls and other places, includ- ing the court house and Floral hall at the fair grounds, until the church base- ment was completed. The basement was used for church purposes until the church building was completed. On July 22, 1883, the following named per- sons were elected on the committee to construct the church building : William M. Terrill, A. G. Tebbs, James W. Tebbs, John Sortwell, Sr., and Richard P. Roberts. A substantial brick edifice was accordingly built on the corner of Elm and Center streets. This building was dedicated on August 7, 1884, the address being delivered by Elder Frederick D. Powers, former chaplain of the United States House of Representatives and pastor of President Garfield's church at Washington, D. C.

In June, 1904, the church interior was remodeled and opera chairs were placed instead of pews, the cost of the improvement being about two thousand dollars. Elder F. M. Rains, of the Foreign Missionary Society, delivered the address at the re-dedication. Elder J. D. Garrison was the pastor.

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On February 2, 1911. a building committee was elected to build a modern parsonage for the use of the minister. the following persons being elected as the committee : O. S. Jaquith, E. S. Smashey, H. M. Pettit. R. E. Loescher, C. O. Jennison, Harry B. Mason. E. O. Marlowe and R. P. Nelson. As a re- sult, a modern eight-room, brick parsonage, costing about three thousand dol- lars, was built, at the rear of the church. The church property is now valued at about fourteen thousand dollars. The church suffered heavily from the flood of 1913. It required about one thousand five hundred dollars to repair the damage, this amount being mostly donated by sister churches, from all parts of the country.

The present officers are: O. S. Jaquith, E. S. Smashey, elders; R. E. Loescher, C. O. Jennison, E. O. Marlowe, Reuben Scroggins, Edward Taylor, Samuel Ellington and C. H. Burkhardt, deacons; R. P. Nelson, O. S. Jaquith and John L. Sykes, trustees, and E. O. Marlowe, clerk and treasurer.

The growth has been slow, but steady. Many distinguished men have conducted meetings for the church, among whom are Knowles Shaw ; F. Rowe, editor American Christian Review; D. Sommers, editor Octographic Review; Thomas Munnell; John S. Shouse; R. W. Abberley; State Evangelist T. J. Legg, and District Evangelist Fred R. Davies. Among the pastors who have served here in recent years and done good work are, \V. G. Loucks, J. D. Gar- rison, W. G. Johnston, George C. Waggoner and S. E. Wilkin. The church has a membership of two hundred and twenty-five. The Sunday school has an enrollment of about three hundred and maintains a good orchestra of fourteen pieces. The church also has a good prayer-meeting. Other auxiliaries are the Ladies' Aid Society and Christian Endeavor Society. The missionary work is under the supervision of a missionary secretary.

GERMAN METHODIST CHURCH.

The German Methodist church was organized in Dearborn county on April 11, 1839. Rev. Adam Miller, of Cincinnati, preached to a congregation of Germans and, following this, services were held every two weeks by Dr. W. Nast. On the 16th of June, 1839, a class, numbering ten persons, was or- ganized. Of this class, J. M. Hofer was appointed leader. In 1842 the first church was built on Market street, and in 1860 the present edifice was erected. It was first connected with a circuit, but in 1845 it was created a station. An organization of German Methodists exists likewise at Lawrenceville, in Jack- son township. They purchased of the defunct Baptist organization their

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church in 1856 and have kept up a prosperous membership ever since. They are a part of the Batesville (Ripley county, Indiana) circuit.

Other denominations have small congregations over the county, all of whom are working to one common end-the betterment of the human race- some with greater and some with less success, but they all have the reward of earnest endeavor and a knowledge of doing good.

CATHOLIC CHURCHES.

The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Aurora, a large and prosperous congregation, with a membership of more than one thousand souls, with an excellent school, attended by two hundred twenty-five children and conducted by the efficient Sisters of St. Francis (Oldenburg. Indiana), had but a humble beginning. The first to offer up the sacrifice of mass was no less a person than the most reverend archbishop of Cincinnati, Ohio, J. B. Purcell, D. D., and this important occurrence took place at the house of Mr. O'Brien. On the same day Archbishop Purcell lectured by invitation at the old school house. In the spring of 1849, the following parishioners had their first meeting at Kemp's bakery and formed themselves into a congregation : Henry, John, Anthony and Frank Klueber, Bernard Schipper, John Miller, Valentine Hahn, Michael Maloney, Sr., John and Patrick Maloney, Patrick Garrity and Michael Morin. They met for church purposes at Anthony Klue- ber's, the town hall, school and other places until December 25, 1857, when, under the direction of the Reverend Father Unterdiener, O. S. F., of Cincinnati, Ohio, Aurora's first Catholic church was erected on the classical site of Hog- Back. Father Unterdiener was succeeded by Fathers Sigmond and Ausom Koch (brothers), both Franciscan Fathers and pastors at St. John's church, Cincinnati, Ohio. These fathers visited the young congregation at inter- vals only until 1863, when Rev. F. Ignatius Klein was appointed the first resident pastor, and this devoted clergyman worked with untiring zeal for the young flock. In October 12, 1863, though his means were scant and the con- gregation small he purchased the present site (lots 163, 164, 165 and 166)', at the corner of Judiciary and Fourth streets, agreeing to pay four thousand five hundred dollars for the same. He advanced one thousand and five hun- dred dollars on the purchase and at once proceeded to erect a church, one hundred and six feet by fifty-two feet ground plan and thirty-two feet high, at

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a cost of twenty-four thousand dollars. He acted in the capacity of architect and superintendent and completed the structure, except the steeple, in 1864. The steeple was finished in 1876 at a cost of five thousand dollars. Too much cannot be said of the willingness of the members of the congregation, who would gather after supper and place the stone upon the ground and scaffolding for the masons to work upon the next day, thus dispensing with the usual attendants and assisting their pastor with "hands and means." The church is built of stone and brick and has a seating capacity of about twelve hundred. Father Klein was also attentive to the needs of childhood, hence the school received his attention at the first opportunity. In 1866 a brick school house, seventy by thirty feet, was built and the Sisters of Providence were asked to take charge. The parsonage of twelve rooms was also completed in 1873, after which Right Rev. Maurice de St. Palais, appreciating the arduous labors of Father Klein, promoted him to St. Mary's church, New Albany, Indiana.

The Rev. Ferdinand Hundt, poet, priest and scholar, was next appointed pastor at Aurora. His eloquent sermons produced much fruit and his elegant taste was displayed in church decorations. Besides improving the parsonage, he purchased three fine altars and a pulpit-lasting ornaments to the church and evidences of his zeal. In 1883 Father Hundt was succeeded by the Rev. J. J. Schoentrup, who further improved the church and re-arranged the pews to the great satisfaction of the people. His delicate health, which caused him to apply for a removal, prevented him from further exercising the great ability for which he was known. In September, 1890, Rev. J. J. Macke as- sumed charge, finding an indebtedness of upwards of sixteen thousand dollars which, however, was greatly reduced during Father Macke's stay, 1890 to 1898. He was followed by Rev. F. A. Roell, who proved a popular leader and an able financier.

The schools, under the direction of the Sisters of St. Francis, are models of perfection and the Sisters give a thorough collegiate course and, in conse- quence, are very popular with the people. The congregation is, both financially and spiritually, in a healthy condition and compares favorably with others in this well-managed diocese.

The records of St. John the Baptist's parish, at Dover, date back as far as 1840, but in 1820 there was erected a rude structure, as a place of wor- ship, by the parishioners, who were chiefly Irish and English Catholics. The parish was administered to by missionary priests, who passed through this sec- tion of Indiana from Cincinnati, Bardstown, Kentucky, and Vincennes, In-

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diana. In 1840 the records of St. John's assumed permanent shape, and show that Father Schneiderjans was the first priest who administered to the people regularly.

Bishop J. B. Purcell, on November 5, 1848, administered the rites of confirmation to the first class of sixty-six in St. John the Baptist's, at Cross Roads, as the name of Dover was then unknown. Father Schneiderjans, the first resident priest, who remained from March 12, 1840, to April 26, 1841, replaced the log church by a frame structure, more spacious. He was followed by Rev. Joseph Ferneding from 1841 to June 9, 1842, and his successor was Father O'Rourke, who officiated from June, 1842, to 1846. Next was Rev. Andrew Bennett. At this time the little frame church became too small for the growing congregation, and Father Bennett, in 1847, erected the first brick edifice, sixty by thirty-five feet, with a spire and a small bell. He remained until 1858. In 1859 Father Weinzoepfel attended to the parish from New A !- sace until November, 1860. Father Anthony Scheideler was the next rector. He came in December, 1860, to St. Leon, Indiana, and from that place attended to St. John the Baptist until 1870. He made great improvements in the parish. He erected the stations in the church, built the sanctuary to the church, and put in a new altar in 1863 and in 1864 procured a new pipe organ, the first musical instrument placed in the church. In 1865 he erected the new brick school of two stories, and two rooms for school purposes and rooms for the Sisters' home. This parish was the first in Dearborn county to establish the Fran- ciscan Sisters from Oldenburg, Indiana. On March 18, 1866, Father Dudden- hausen came and remained in the parish until September 20, 1870. During his pastorate the ground was purchased upon which the residence and the new church stand; he procured a large bell and made other improvements, and all was paid for. Bishop Maurice de St. Palais went on an official trip to Rome, but had selected Father Schnell to take charge of the parish before departing. He came in November. 1870, and remained until March. 1871, when he re- turned to his former charge at Edinburg. which parish had petitioned the bishop for his return. Following him, came Rev. H. J. Seibertz, in April, 1871, and remained until August, 1877. During his administration, in 1874. he succeeded in erecting a new church and spire, added a third bell and made other improvements, though leaving the interior of the church unfinished. He was succeeded by Rev. Father B. H. Brueggemann. There existed a little hard feeling in the parish on account of the removal of the new church to the present site, but Father Brueggemann, by his well known zeal and tact, restored harmony and peace.

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 38

Author: Archibald Shaw Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1123

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123