History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 37

Author: Barrows, Frederic Irving, 1873-1949
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1326

USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 37

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

short time in the county. It was located in the extreme eastern part of Jackson township (section 23), but the most difficult research has failed to disclose just when it was established or when it was abandoned. It is known, however, that it disappeared many years before the Civil War.

There is only one Catholic church in the county and it is found in the county seat. It dates from 1844 and has had a continuous and prosperous existence since its organization. There is a Catholic church at Laurel in Franklin county, a few miles below the Fayette county line, and another Catholic church at Cambridge City in Wayne county, just north of Fayette county. Both of these churches have members in Fayette county.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.

The early history of Methodism in Fayette county is very obscure owing to the fact that there were no regularly organized congregations, but only "classes", as they were then called. It was not until the early twenties that the population was sufficient to warrant the establishment of a church with a definite organization. Rev. David Sharpe, who traveled the White Water circuit in 1813, has left the best account of the early history of the church as it existed in the county at that time. The old account, which also carries with it the history of his whole circuit, is here given in full :

Mr. Sharpe began his work at Brookville, and preached there his first Sunday. from there on Monday to Williams' on Deer Creek; Tuesday, to Dryson's block-house, about four miles below Laurel; Wednesday, to Robert's block-house; Tuesday, to Montgom- ery's, in Wayne county; Friday, at Moffitt's, on the east fork of White Water; Satur- day, in Hugh Cull's neighborhood; Sunday, at John Meek's, on the east side of the East Fork of White Water; Monday, in the court house in New Salisbury; Tuesday, at Hardy Cain's; Wednesday, at Abijah Cain's: Thursday. name of place forgotten ; Friday, at Eaton, Preble county, Ohio; Saturday, six miles north of Eaton; Sunday. at Widow Sharpe's, on Twin Creek; Monday, at Stephens', four miles south of Eaton ; Tuesday, at Hanna's, on Hauna's Creek, Indiana; Wednesday, at Nott's, west of the East Fork on White Water; Thursday, at Jones' school house: Friday, at Bright's, eight miles above Brookville; Sunday, at Johnson's, on the West Fork. four miles above Brookville; Sunday, in the school house in Brookville.

At each of the above appointments, he preached once in six weeks, except at Brookville. where he preached every three weeks.

There was no preaching at that time at "Connersville Station," but he preached occasionally at Mr. Tharpe's, near the river, about one and one-half miles above Con- nersville.

That the early citizens of the village of Connersville were not very religiously inclined may be judged from the following extract taken from a letter of a pioneer preacher, "The proprietors and first settlers of Conners-

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ville were skeptics on religion, and it was a hard place for any Evangelical religious influence. The towns of Centerville and Brookville were much in advance of Connersville in Methodist societies."

THE CONNERSVILLE DISTRICT.

Fayette county is in the second, or Connersville district, of the Southern Indiana Methodist Conference. At the present time there are thirteen churches in the county, two of which are independent charges, the others being attached to circuits of two or more churches. The following table compiled from the last report of the conference, shows all the Methodist Episcopal churches of Fayette county, except the two colored branches of the church at Connersville.

Name of Church.

Pastor.

Membership.

Connersville

First M. E.

John W. McFall

1,00I

Grand Avenue

L. H. Kendall.

441

Main Street

F. M. Westhafer

196

Columbia

Bunker Hill

Wiley Chapel

Everton Circuit

E. A. Hartsaw

322

Everton

II3

Alquina

132

Mt. Zion

Falmouth Circuit

F. O. Overbaugh

Falmouth

Glenwood Circuit Glenwood

Daniel Ryan

188

Orange

Brownsville Circuit

James A. Gardner

138

Robinson Chapel

The Main Street Circuit (Connersville) also includes the Mt. Pleasant church of Union county : the Everton circuit includes Quakertown, in Union county ; the Falmouth circuit includes Raleigh, in Rush county; while the Brownsville circuit includes Brownsville, Woods Chapel, Boston and Locust Grove, all in Union county. The thirteen Methodist churches of Fayette county have a total membership of 2,376.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CONNERSVILLE.

GERMAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CONNERSVILLE.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 40I

The minutes of the last Indiana conference also give the following data on the ministers now presiding over churches in Fayette county :

John W. McFall : Borden, 1904-06; Paoli, 1906-10; Mooresville, 1910- 13: East Tenth street. Indianapolis, 1913-16; Connersville, 1916.

L. H. Kendall: Fredericksburg, 1904-06: Moberly, 1906-09; Port Fulton, 1909-13: Edinburg, 1913-16: Connersville, 1916.

F. M. Westhafer: Osgood, 1886-88; Lawrenceburg circuit, 1888-89; Westport, 1889-93; Greenwood, 1893-98; Fairland, 1898-00; Morristown, 1900-04: Milroy, 1904-08; Hartsville, 1908-12; Milton, 1912-15; Conners- ville, 1915.

E. A. Hartsaw: Monrovia, 1913-14; Everton, 1914.

Daniel Ryan : Brownsville, 1882-85: Mount Carmel, 1885-88; Clifford, 1888-89; Irvington, 1888-91 : Milroy, 1891-92; Hartsville, 1892-95; Utica, 1895-98: Flat Rock, 1899-01 .; Rockport circuit, 1901-03; New Lebanon, 1903-05: Carlisle, 1905-08; Hymera, 1908-10; Fairfield, 1910-12; superin- tendent of Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home, Knightstown, 1912-13; Arlington, 1913-14; Glenwood, 1914.

James A. Gardner: Junior pastor, Hartford City, 1907-08; Rising Sun, 1908-09; Sugar Branch, 1909-10; Osgood, 1910-11 ; Dupont, 1911-13; Milford, 1913-16: Brownsville, 1916. 1

FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL. CITURCH OF CONNERSVILLE.

The First . Methodist Episcopal church at Connersville traces its beginning to the time when the first Methodist class met in the village at the home of Robert Swift. As Swift settled here in 1818 it is likely that the meeting was held in the same year. Rev. John Havens, a local preacher, formed a circuit in 1821 in which was included the village of Connersville and was styled the Connersville circuit, which became a member of the con- ference the following year. Rev. James Murray was appointed to the cir- cuit in 1822 and in the following year was succeeded by Rev. Aaron Wood. When Reverend Wood began his labors on the circuit the Connersville society was composed of eight women and two men.

In 1825 preparations were made for the erection of a church building. A site was procured from John McCormick, Sr., on the south side of Fourth street between Water street and Eastern avenue. The deed bears the date of November 8, 1825, and was made to the trustees of the church, the same being Joshua McIntosh, Thomas Hinkson, David Melton, Isaac Wood and (26)

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Charles Donovan. During the following summer a brick building twenty- two by thirty-two feet was erected and it thus became the first edifice dedi- cated to God as a place of public worship in the village. Continuous ser- vice was held in this building until 1840, when it was supplanted by a much more modern structure on the same site: The congregation worshiped in this church thirty-two years at the end of which time it was sold to the Ger- man Presbyterian congregation. Services were then held in the court house until in January, 1873, when the congregation took possession of the Grand Opera House which they had purchased in December, 1872, at a cost of sixteen thousand dollars.

In 1848 the church was divided and two societies were formed, one remaining in the old church and the other located on Western avenue. A church building was built by the later society and the two congregations became the heads of two circuits known as the East and West Connersville circuits. The societies were made into stations in 1850 and 1851 and con- tinued as such for three years.

In 1853, Rev. S. T. Gillett became the presiding elder of the district. He and the ministers were of the common opinion that the two churches should be consolidated and under their management the union was effected and ratified by the bishop at the next session of the annual conference. The pastors who served the church on Western avenue were Rev. F. W. White, 1851 : Rev. Jacob Whiteman, 1852, and Rev. E. D. Long, 1853. The pas- tors of the eastern charge during the same time were Rev. J. B. Lathrop, 1851 ; Rev. Lewis Dale, 1852, and Rev. Joseph Colton, 1853.

Following is a partial list of all of the pastors since the union of the two churches: S. P. Crawford, 1855; E. G. Tucker, 1856-1857; J. G. Chafee, 1858-1859; C. Tinsley, 1860-1861; J. Cotton, 1862-1863: J. B. Lathrop, 1864; R. M. Barnes, 1865-1866; J. S. Tevis, 1867-1869; G. L. Curtis, 1870- 1872: J. K. Pye, 1873-1875: J. G. Chafee, 1876-1878; E. L. Dolph, 1879; F. C. Holliday, 1880-1881; John S. Tevis, 1882-1884; John H. Doddridge, 1885-1887; Robert Roberts, 1888-1892; Virgil W. Tevis, 1893-1897; L. F. Dimmitt, 1898-1900: W. B. Slutz, 1900-01 ; W. G. Barron, 1901-03; T. H. Willis, 1903-07; W. F. Smith, 1907-12; Frank Lenig, '1912-14; J. F. O'Haver, 1914-16; J. W. McFall, since 1916.

In 1889 and 1890 the beautiful church edifice, located on Central avenue and Eighth street, was erected at an approximate cost of forty thousand dollars. The pastor at that time was Rev. R. Roberts and the building com- mittee consisted of the following: William Newkirk, J. H. Riley, L. T. Bower, N. W. Wright, L. J. Edwards, J. A. Sargent, Charles Roehl, A. E.

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Barrows, J. M. McIntosh, E. V. Hawkins, Edwin McIntosh. The archi- tects for the building were Grapsey & Brown.

The site of the present parsonage of the First Methodist church was formerly occupied as the family burying ground of General McCarty. After making preparations to leave Connersville for the West, General McCarty deeded the site to the trustees of the Methodist church, with the proviso that they should build a church over the bodies of his children. The offer was accepted and a church building was erected. The building was a low, one-story structure, with the floor laid on the ground. The building was entered through two front doors, one for the men and the other for the women. As the congregation grew and prospered the limits of the church were outgrown and a new site was very much desired. However, according to the provisions of the deed, the property was to revert to the McCarty heirs in case the site was abandoned as a church. But this matter was satisfactorily arranged during the pastorship of Reverend Roberts, the heirs giving a quit claim to the property.

The church property includes the stone church, the sexton's residence and the parsonage, and is probably worth $60,000 to $70,000. The Sunday- school has an average attendance of over 600. E. V. Hawkins, the superin- tendent, has done long years of efficient work in building up and maintaining this branch of the church. He has been ably assisted by John E. Page, assist- ant superintendent, and Charles C. Hull, teacher of the Men's Bible class, which has an average attendance of over 150 men.

MAIN STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, EAST CONNERSVILLE.

In the year 1888 three young women, Misses Rose Lilie, Hattie Piper, and Anna Elmendorf, became interested in the many children on the East side and organized a Sunday school. They desired the use of the school house in which to hold their sessions, but for some reason their request was denied, although the law would have been on their side. They did not press their claims, as William T. McFerren gave them the use of a building which stood on the river bank south of the bridge. Here the school grew to number about one hundred and thirty members. The building was on a temporary foundation and so open that hogs would congregate under it and their squeal- ing seriously interfered with the work of the school. Others became inter- ested and Herman Fuchs, a Lutheran, gave the ground for a church build- ing. Several of the different denominations of the city assisted in building a house to be used as a community church. The project looked well on the sur-

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

face, as all such church enterprises look, but it ended as all such organizations usually do. A Reverend Mr. Herch, the pastor of the First Presbyterian church, endeavored to bring the factions together. He was a man of gentle spirit and had some success. The deed was made by Herman Fuchs and Eliza Fuchs, his wife, to the trustees of "East Connersville Chapel," August 12, 1889, "for church purposes only," and with the proviso: "In case there are 10 church services, Sabbath school or prayer meeting held in the building to be erected for a period of five years, the said real estate should revert to the said grantors." The trustees of East Connersville chapel were men of different denominations : no more than two from any one denomination could be allowed on the board. The trustees arranged with a Mrs. Ayers, wife of the Methodist pastor at Arlington, to hold a revival meeting and sev- eral professed conversion. Her husband came to do the baptizing. Among the candidates were some who desired to be immersed. This the preacher did, caught pneumonia and died. As the enterprise was not fulfilling the dream of the organizers they held a meeting on March 3, 1892, and instructed the trustees "to dispose of the property to some religious organization recog- nizing the best interests of the people," the vote standing forty-eight in favor and five against. Seven days later the property was deeded to the Methodist Episcopal church, and the trustees of the newly organized East Connersville Methodist Episcopal church, Charles E. Grubb. William G. Thomas, William T. McFerren, Ed. A. Enos, and A. J. Faurote, assumed the indebtedness of the old organization. In due time this was paid. In 1896, under the pastorate of Rev. John T. Jones, the building was remodeled along modern lines at a cost of three thousand one hundred dollars. The church with its country members supports a resident pastor. Sabbath school, senior and junior Epworth Leagues, a Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, and has a flourishing Ladies Aid Society. The present pastor is F. M. Westhafer, A. M.

COLUMBIA METIIODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Columbia was organized in 1822 and became a part of the Connersville circuit the same year. The church was the outgrowth of a class composed of Rev. Charles Hardy, Sr., and his family, with others whose names are not now obtainable. Their first place of worship was a school house, which stood about half way down the hill on the north side of the road in the village of Columbia. Later, in 1838- 1839, a church was built west of the present residence of Noah Hood. The present church building was erected in 1851 by Rev. Hugh Compton, Noah

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Heizer and Daniel Hall. The building was repaired in 1894 and remodeled in 1908. At one time Columbia was the head of the circuit and the frame church that stands on the lot west of the church was the parsonage.

The church was first a charge on the Connersville circuit, later being changed to the Columbia circuit. Among the pioneer preachers were Rev. Allen Wiley, James Havens, and James Conwell. Reverend Griffith became the pastor in 1844, and was succeeded in the following year by Rev. D. A. Robinson and Rev. Thomas Crawford, Columbia then being on the "double circuit." After Columbia became the head of the circuit the following early pastors served it: Rev. Jacob Miller, 1851-1852; Rev. W. Dole, 1852- 1853; Rev. James Barnes, 1854-1855; Rev. Jesse Tasoner, 1856-1857; Rev. George P. Jenkins, 1858-1859; Rev. B. F. Gatch, 1860; Rev. Patrick Carlin, 1861 ; Rev. Isaac N. Tomlinson, 1862; Rev. T. B. Carey, 1863-1864. These were followed by Rev. Thomas Williams, Rev. D. C. Benjamin, Rev. Landy Havens, Rev. James McCaw and Rev. John W. Mellender. The following presiding elders have administered to this church: Rev. Allen Wiley, Rev. Enoch G. Wood, Rev. John W. Locke, Rev. F. S. Holliday, Rev. Samuel T. Gillett, Rev. John W. Mellender, Rev. John Tevis, Rev. James A. Sargent, Rev. Charles Tinsley, Rev. E. L. Dolph, Rev. F. A. Hester, Rev. C. C. Edwards, Rev. F. S. Tincher, Rev. E. B. Rawles, Rev. V. W. Tevis and Rev. C. E. Bacon.

In connection with the church is a lively Sunday school and a Ladies Aid Society. The church is now associated with the Main Street church, Connersville, and Rev. F. M. Westhafer is the pastor. ·

WESLEY CHAPEL (SECOND M. E. CHURCH).

The colored Methodists have met with more or less regularity since 1844. Their pastors have been connected with the Lexington conference and have many of them been capable men ; particularly can this be said of Rev. E. A. White, twice elected to the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. The membership is about 125 and Rev. Singleton is in charge. The church has recently spent several thousand dollars improving the property owned since 1872. A comfortable parsonage is also owned.

ROBINSON'S CHAPEL.

The first Methodist society in Waterloo township and one of the first in the county, was that out of which later grew Robinson's chapel. Just when the society was organized cannot be ascertained, but it was several

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

years before the formation of the Connersville circuit in 1822. As far back as history can be traced the original class was an appointment along with Waterloo, a class at John Quinns, Brownsville, Bethel, Alquina, Veatches (Mt. Garrison) and others farther south. The old White Water circuit was formed in 1806 or 1807 and in all probability the society was a part of this circuit. A house of worship was built sometime between 1820 and 1830 and was replaced by the present church building in 1845.

The following list contains the names of the earlier preachers wilo traveled the old White Water circuit and the circuits growing out of it, on which Robinson's chapel was an appointment: Bigelow and Gatch, 1823; Everhart and White, 1824: Stephens and Griffith, 1825; Havens and Jones, 1826; Havens, 1827; Hitt and Scott, 1828; Thompson and Robinson, 1829; Havens and Smith, 1830; Taylor and Kimball, 1831; McReynolds and Dailey, 1832; Tarkington and Griss, 1833; Bonner and Robins, 1834; McReynolds and Harris, 1835; Burwick and Stallard, 1836; Phelps and Kiger, 1837; Beswick and Hartie, 1838; Beeks and Kelso, 1839; Kiger and Landy Havens, 1840.

No available records of the church prior to 1905 are at hand and it is only from this date that the names of the pastors can be given. They are as follow : Rev. J. T. Perry, 1905: Rev. J. W. Cardery, 1906-1907; Rev. C. W. Dobson, 1908; Rev. W. G. Abbott, 1909; Rev. T. R. Ragsdale, 1910; Rev. H. Humble, 1911 : Rev. Oscar Polhemus, 1912; Rev. W. B. Collier, 1913-1914: Rev. A. C. Porter, March, 1915, to September, 1915, and Rev. J. A. Gardner, 1916-1917.

Among the organizations of the church are a good Sunday school, Epworth League, a Woman's Home Missionary Society and a Queen Esther circle. The present membership of the congregation is seventy-five.

ALQUINA METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Alquina is one of the pioneer reli- gious organizations of the county. The exact date of organization is not known, but the society was probably the outgrowth of a class that was formed prior to 1820. In all probability the society was officially organized about 1825. In 1828 the congregation was a part of the White Water circuit and remained as such for many years. Among the early members were the Darter, Jones and Mills families.

The original church building was built in the early thirties and was a log structure, twenty-four by thirty-four feet. As the society grew and

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

prospered the log church was outgrown. A new frame building was begun in the spring of 1858 and was dedicated on August 8 of that same year.

The church has always maintained an active organization and has an active Sunday school. The present membership is one hundred and thirty- two. The pastor is the Rev. E. A. Hartsaw.

METHODISTS AT ORANGE.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Orange had its origin in a class that was organized in 1822 by Rev. John Havens, a local preacher, at the home of Judge Gregg, one mile west of the village of Fayetteville (now Orange). The class was composed of the following: Judge Gregg and wife, Samuel Rounds and wife, Noah Dawson and wife, Mrs. Sarah George, Hugh Wilson, Thomas Dawson, John Merrick, Sr., and John Merrick, Jr. Prior to the erection of a building in Fayetteville in 1838, meetings were conducted in a wagon shop owned by John Merrick. . The first church was used until 1872, in which year a new edifice was erected at a cost of three thousand dollars.

In the beginning the church was an appointment on the Connersville circuit and remained as such until the formation of the Columbia circuit in 1851. Later it became a charge on the Glenwood circuit and still remains as such .. Rev. Daniel Ryan is the pastor and the membership is about fifty.

MT. ZION METHODIST CHURCH.

' A sufficient number of Methodists settled in Jackson township during the early days to establish the Mt. Zion Methodist church. Among the early settlers who were instrumental in forming a Methodist church were John Plummer and wife, Noble Ladd and wife, Michael Bash and wife, John Williams and wife, David Williams and wife, Miles H. Larimore and wife, the Silveys and. Eskews. The site of the graveyard and church was donated by John Plummer. In the course of time additional burial ground was needed and a two-acre tract was deeded to the church by Basil Roberts.

The first church house was a hewed log structure that was built about 1820, and was used as a place of worship until destroyed by fire about 1836. Soon afterward a new edifice was erected by Alfred Shaw. Until 1835 Mt. Zion was an appointment on the old White Water circuit, which at that time included nearly twenty preaching places.

Many changes have been made in the church since the early days. The

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

congregation is now an appointment on the Everton circuit and the pastor is Rev. E. A. Hartsaw. The present membership of the church is seventy- seven.

BUNKER HILL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Religious services were first held at Bunker Hill by the Baptists. On September 22, 1832, a deed to fifty-three one-hundredths of an acre of ground, where the church now stands, was made to Avery Gates, Isaac Travis and Charles Henderson, trustees, by Calvin Smith and Deborah Smith, his wife; consideration twenty-five dollars. After a time the Bap- tists ceased their work there leaving the church to any denomination that would continue the work for the good of the community. The Disciples of Christ took up the work for a time and abandoned it. After this Rev. Thomas H. Hench, pastor of the First Presbyterian church in Connersville, frequently preached for the people there, but did not organize a society. The work seems to have been, during these years, that of a community church, for most part, and resulted as such religious work usually does-bore poor fruit, from lack of system and organization. Later the Methodists got per - mission to carry on the work, repaired the building and had a reopening. The Presbyterian preacher, who had made many friends among the people, was invited to speak on this occasion. He said he had set Presbyterian eggs, but they had hatched out Methodists. For awhile this church was on Columbia circuit, later with Falmouth circuit. The early Methodists were Washington M. Michener and Eliza, his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bund- rant and "Grandmother" Derrickson, who always "testified," to the pleasure and profit of all who heard her. Following these the work was continued by Josephine Michener, Mary B. (Michener) Burris, now of Indianapolis, Edwin Michener, Abraham Michener, Ella (Michener) Davis, Oscar Mich- ener, Effie ( Michener) Quyle and her husband, L. E. Quyle, C. L. Tate and others, who started early in the work and are continuing patiently. Bunker Hill Methodist Episcopal church is now connected with Main Street, Con- · nersville circuit. Rev. F. M. Westhafer is the pastor.

WILEY CHAPEL METHODIST CHURCH.

Wiley Chapel Methodist church was the outgrowth of a class organized during the early settlement of the county. The charter membership of the society included the families of the following: John Hawkins, Joshua Wallace, Robert Fielding, Andrew Moffett, John Moffett, Sr., Thomas

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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Moffett, John Rees, Stephen Rees, James Molden and Piatt Molden. For many years the society owned no building but held services at the home of Thomas Moffett. Later, Sunday school and church services were held in a building formerly used as a store room, which was owned by Moffett. Finally a chapel was built by John Moffett in 1844, which has been remodeled twice since that time.

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History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 37

Author: Barrows, Frederic Irving, 1873-1949 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1326

Author: Barrows, Frederic Irving, 1873-1949
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1326