USA > Indiana > Huntington County > History of Huntington County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 34
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The Markle Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the strongest in the county outside of the City of Huntington, grew out of a small class that was organized in the northeastern part of Rock Creek Township at an early date. After the Town of Markle was laid out in 1852 the con- gregation began holding meetings at the schoolhouse there. The church had been organized at the house of Jonas Kelsey, by Rev. Ansel Beach, some years before, and the meetings had been held at the homes of Mr. Kelsey, James Johnson and Israel Black. From 1852 to about 1860
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meetings were held in the Markle schoolhouse, but when the Baptist Church was completed the members of that denomination gave the Methodists the privilege of holding their services there. In 1874 a neat frame church building was erected, at a cost of $2,700. Rev. Chester Church, then pastor, reorganized the congregation and started it on the road to prosperity. A few years ago a new church edifice and parsonage were erected and the church is in a flourishing condition. At the last session of the conference Rev. F. A. Lemaster was assigned as pastor of the Markle Church.
About the time the Town of Roanoke was laid out by George A. Chapman, a class of Methodists was organized at the Center schoolhouse, about two miles west. Among the members of this class were Thomas . Hackett, who had previously assisted in establishing the Wesley Chapel congregation, William Payton, David Seibert, J. P. Christie and David Roberts and their wives, and Mr. and Mrs. Yahne. For five or six years meetings were held in the schoolhouse where the class was organ- ized, at the end of which time the upper story of the seminary building was fitted up for holding religious services. Early in the '70s the United Brethren exchanged places with the Methodist congregation, by means of which the latter became possessed of a neat frame house of worship. The present church, a handsome brick edifice, was erected in 1889.
Soon after the Town of Antioch (now Andrews) was laid out in 1853, a Methodist class was formed there. John S. Morris, William Randolph, Samuel Pressler, and their wives, John B. Collins, Jacob Yantis and a few others constituted the charter members. The records of the society show that "On the 3d day of May, 1860, according to notice previously given, the members assembled at the usual place of meeting to elect five trustees, whose duty it should be to erect a house of worship."
The usual place of meeting referred to was the schoolhouse in the village, and the trustees elected at that time were John S. Morris, Samuel Pressler, William Randolph, John B. Collins and A. E. Richardson. These gentlemen lost no time in carrying out the purpose for which they were chosen. A canvass for funds was begun immediately, a site was selected and purchased, and on December 3, 1860, the new church was dedicated by Rev. J. V. R. Miller. The building is a frame structure, the original cost of which was $1,200, but fully that much more has since been expended in remodeling and enlarging the church to meet the needs of the growing congregation and Sunday school. The present pastor is Rev. G. E. Hughes.
Pilcher Chapel, located in the western part of Lancaster Township,
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not far from the Polk Township line, was organized at an early date by the few Methodists living in that vicinity and takes its name from John Pilcher, one of the early settlers. A house of worship was built many years ago and was remodeled in 1914. It is one of the charges of the Majenica circuit. Besides the church at Mount Etna, previously mentioned, and Pilcher Chapel, the Methodist Episcopal denomination has two other churches in Lancaster Township-one in the Village of Lancaster and the other at Kelso. The latter is one of the flourishing churches in the southern part of the county and recently erected a new frame house of worship.
A Methodist Episcopal Church was organized at Plum Tree many years ago, through the efforts of Samuel King and a few other pio- neers, and is still in existence, though not as strong as formerly. Another congregation of this faith holds meetings at what is known as the "White Church," in Rock Creek Township, which house is also used by a society of the old school Baptists.
Greenwood Methodist Church is located in the southern part of Huntington Township, on the road to Mount Etna, not far from the Lancaster Township line, and east of the City of Huntington on the Roanoke Road is the Bethany Methodist Episcopal Church, both of which are regularly supplied by "circuit riders." There is also a church of this denomination at Buckeye Station on the Clover Leaf Railroad, in Salamonie Township.
WESLEYAN METHODISTS
This denomination has never been very strong in Huntington County. Probably the oldest society is that in Jefferson Township, which meets at Plummer's Chapel, about five miles west of the Town of Warren. The meetings of this congregation were first held in the neighborhood of Bellville, but for the accommodation of a majority of the members the chapel was erected at the location above mentioned.
The Wesleyan Methodist Church at Mount Etna was organized a little after the one in Jefferson Township, and at one time had the distinction of being the strongest religious society in Lancaster Town- ship. While in its palmy days the congregation erected a neat frame house of worship, which is still used, though the membership at present is comparatively small. The present pastor is Rev. Hiram T. Hawkins.
A society of Wesleyan Methodists was organized at Lancaster some years ago and it is now one of the most prosperous of this sect in the county. There is also a Wesleyan Methodist Church in the Town of Warren, established about the same time as the Lancaster Church, or per-
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haps a little later. It holds regular services and in the spring of 1914 the pastor was Rev. Herbert T. Arnold.
The youngest church of this denomination in the county is located in the City of Huntington. It was organized about the beginning of the present century and a little later a modest frame house of worship was erected on Etna Avenue, south of the Little River. Although not strong numerically, meetings are held regularly and the society makes up in zeal what it lacks in numbers. It is one of the active religious organiza- tions of the South Side.
UNITED BRETHREN
Among the early settlers were several families who belonged to the United Brethren Church. These families settled in different parts of the county and soon after building their cabins they began to consider the question of organizing churches. But they were scattered and in no one neighborhood were there enough of them to bear the burden of building and supporting a church. As early as 1837 Rev. John Pugsley held services at the cabin of Peter Wire, in Jefferson Town- ship, but no attempt was made to form a church there until several years later.
Early in the '40s the White River Conference sent Mr. Pugsley as a missionary to that part of Huntington County lying south of the Wabash River, and about the same time the Sandusky conference assigned Rev. J. Surran as a missionary to the northern portion. These men began the work of building up the church in the wilderness and it was not long until their labors bore fruit.
What was at first known as the "Simons" class was organized by Mr. Surran at the house of Abraham Simons, in Jackson Township, in 1844. Mr. Simons had come from Stark County, Ohio, but a short time before. Two of his sons afterward became ministers of the United Brethren Church. About two years after this class was organized a cheap frame house of worship was erected on the farm of Moses Bran- denburg and given the name of Pleasant View, or Pleasant Chapel. This was probably the first United Brethren Church to be erected in Huntington County. In 1904 a large and substantial brick building was erected in place of the old frame house, and when completed had the reputation of being the finest church edifice in the county outside of Huntington.
Mr. Surran organized the class at Roanoke in 1844, though the town had not been platted. In 1846 the first church was erected for the use of the little congregation. About 1870 Rev. J. Weaver bought the
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old academy building, in which the Methodists had been holding meet- ings for several years, and a little later a change was effected, the United Brethren turning over their house of worship to the Methodists and holding their meetings in the seminary. The present church was erected on the site of the old seminary in 1902. It is a commodious brick structure and at the time it was built was thought to be large enough for the needs of the congregation for many years. In the spring of 1914 it was found necessary to fit up the basement for a Sunday school room and to raise the rear part, which had a low ceiling, to the same height as the main building, the improvements costing about two thou- sand dollars. Rev. J. C. Glick is the present pastor.
Rev. J. R. Brown, who came to the county as a missionary in 1844, organized a class soon after his arrival at the house of William Enyert, about three miles southwest of Pleasant View, on the Fort Wayne Road. Meetings were held at the home of Mr. Enyert for awhile, when a house was built for the use of the congregation. This church has since become known as the Zion United Brethren Church. The old frame church was erected about 1860 and the present brick structure was built in the '90s.
The annual conference of 1848 sent Revs. J. T. Vardeman and B. R. B. Holcombe as missionaries to the settlements along the Salamonie River. They established a meeting place at what was known as Sala- monie Center, where meetings were held until 1851 when a society of the United Brethren faith was organized under the name of Zion Church. About 1860 a frame house of worship was built on the northwest cor- ner of section 23, about a mile west of the present Buckey Station, at a cost of $1,350. D
The only other United Brethren Church in Salamonie Township is the one in the Town of Warren, which is of comparative recent date. It is a thriving organization, occupying the church built some years ago by the Methodist Episcopal congregation, but a movement is on foot at this time (June, 1914) to erect a new house of worship more in keeping with the spirit of the times.
In 1849 Rev. J. Terrell visited Clear Creek Township as a mission- ary and organized a class in the Shutt neighborhood. Meetings were held in the schoolhouse until 1857, when the Clear Creek United Brethren Church was built in section 21. This was the first frame house of wor- ship in the township. A brick building was erected by the congregation some years later. Another United Brethren Church in this township holds meetings in a building erected for the purpose on the farm of Peter Goble, in what is now the little hamlet of Goblesville.
Mount Zion United Brethren Church, in Polk Township, was organ- Vol. I-21
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ized at an early date, but its early history is clouded in obscurity. After holding meetings for some time in the homes of the members and the schoolhouse, a church was built in section 4, near the northwest corner of the township. Meetings are still held here, though during the last twenty-five or thirty years the society has become somewhat diminished in numbers by deaths and removals.
Some time in the early '50s a few United Brethren families living in the Loon Creek Valley, about four miles southwest of the City of Huntington, met at Brown's schoolhouse and organized a society, to which they gave the name of Pleasant Grove Church. The church build- ing was erected in 1859.
Late in the year 1839 a traveling minister of the United Brethren church held services in the eastern part of Warren Township, and one account says that soon after his visit "a log building for public wor- ship' was erected on the farm of George Slusser." The meetings held there developed the organization of Bethesda Church, which is located about eight miles northwest of Huntington. It was regularly organized by Rev. P. Wells in 1858, and in 1861 a log church was erected for the use of the society. In 1875 a new frame church was built while Rev. John B. Bash, was pastor and was then considered the finest country church in the county. This church is still in existence, though since remodeled. The class is still in a fairly prosperous condition.
Otterbein class, in Jefferson Township, was organized in 1860 by Rev. William Hall, and about the same time, or perhaps a little earlier, the Macedonia class of United Brethren was organized in Union Town- ship. In 1870 the people of the latter township united in the erection of a church edifice to be free for all denominations, without conflict of dates. It is known as the "Union Church" and is located near the center of the township. Here the United Brethern, Methodists, Wine- brennarians, or Church of God, and some other religious organizations held their meetings for many years.
Last but not least of the United Brethren churches is the one in the City of Huntington. In 1842 a minister of this denomination by the name of Eby visited the Town of Huntington and held services in private dwellings or at the schoolhouse. No organization was effected at that time and the missionary efforts of Mr. Eby were continued by Revs. John Hoffman and John Hill, of the Muskingum conference. In 1844 Rev. John Terrell came and took charge of the work, and before the close of that year the First United Brethren Church of Huntington was organized. The original members were John and Michael Houseman, George W. Whitestine, Philip, George and John Aumuck, Martin Hull and David Miller and their wives, Misses Mary and Mahala Whitestine,
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Miss Nancy Houseman, John Morrison, Misses Lydia and Mary Aumuck, and Misses Mary and Lucinda Miller. John Houseman was the first class leader and Rev. George Whitestine was the first United Brethren preacher in Huntington.
The early records of the church cannot be found, but it is known that for several years it had a struggle to maintain its existence. Some of the members died, others moved away, and after ten or fifteen years the congregation ceased to hold meetings. In 1864 the church was reorganized and held a protracted meeting that lasted for six weeks. A number of new members were taken into the church, which then made arrangements to hold regular meetings in the old frame church on the corner of Poplar and Matilda streets. This building was afterward pur- chased from the old English Reformed Church for $1,500 and was occu- pied by the congregation until the erection of the present house of worship.
In 1875 Rev. George Sickafoose, of the St. Joseph conference, assisted by Rev. John B. Bash, of Roanoke, came to Huntington and held a series of meetings which resulted in adding about seventy-five persons to the membership. Reverend Sickafoose continued in charge for about two years, during which time some repairs were made upon the church building. He was succeeded by Rev. John R. Brown.
Rev. C. H. Bell came as pastor in 1904 and began a canvass for funds for the erection of a new church edifice on the southwest corner of Frank- lin and Guilford streets. The work was commenced in that year and the building was completed in 1905. It is built of concrete blocks and cost about twelve thousand dollars. The old frame church was then sold to John Kenower & Sons for $200 and they removed it to their lumber yard a short distance south, where it is still in use as a carpenter shop.
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
Members of the Disciples or Christian Church, sometimes called Campbellites, were among the pioneers of Huntington County. As far as can be learned, the oldest society of this denomination in the county is the one at Plum Tree. It was organized on July 22, 1840, by Rev. Hallett Barber, and consisted of six members, viz. : Andrew Y., Nathaniel, Margaret and Peter Rittenhouse, Sr., Lavina Marshall and Margaret Christman. Five new members were added by the following spring. Meetings were held in the schoolhouse, or at other convenient places, until 1871, when a frame church was erected, at a cost of about one thousand dollars. Although never very strong in numbers, this church
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was a power for good in the early days of its history, and the organiza- tion is still maintained.
Some time in the '40s a Christian Church was organized in Jefferson Township by Rev. John Richardson or Elder Scott Green, who were the first ministers of that faith to visit the southern part of the county. The church was organized at Center schoolhouse, where meetings were held for awhile, when the congregation was disbanded, the members becoming affiliated with others in the neighborhood of Bellville, where a new church was organized. Here the meetings were also held in the schoolhouse at first, but a few years ago a modest frame house of worship was erected.
In 1839 Elder Ebenezer Thompson, a minister of the Disciples, came from Bracken County, Kentucky, and began preaching the Gospel accord- ing to the tenets of his denomination. The result of his labors was that on April 13, 1845, the Central Christian Church of Huntington was organized with the following members: Ebenezer and Mary A. Thomp- son, Elias, Maria and Persis Craft, Miss Mary A. Thompson, Amzi D. and Rebecca A. Meese, Anna P. Slack, Elizabeth M. Bagley, Susanna Wilcox, and Ann and Melinda Boles.
Elder Evan Thompson, a nephew of the founder of the church, preached for the congregation, part of the time regularly and part of the time occasionally, until about 1852. From that time until 1861 the pulpit was occupied by various clergymen. During the war no regular pastor was employed by the congregation. In August, 1866, Rev. L. B. Smith assumed the duties as pastor and remained with the church for more than twenty years, with the exception of the year 1873.
The first house of worship, a modest frame structure, was erected ill 1851, on a lot at the corner of Franklin and Guilford streets, donated to the church by Elder Thompson. The present handsome church edifice was erected in 1905, on the same site-the northeast corner of Franklin and Guilford streets-and is one of the best in the city. It has a stone foundation, with brick superstructure and the congregation is in a pros- perous condition.
About 1847 or 1848 a Society of Disciples was organized at the Hilde- brand schoolhouse in Polk Township and at one time had a large and active membership. The meeting place was subsequently removed to Monument City, where a house of worship was erected.
The Clear Creek Christian Church was organized in the early '50s by Elder George Abbott, one of the early preachers of that denomination in the county. Soon after the church was established a neat frame house of worship was erected in Section 15, a short distance east of the Metho- dist Church that had been built some ten or twelve years earlier. Among
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the members of the Christian Church are some of the representative fam- ilies of Clear Creek Township.
A society of Disciples was organized in Wayne Township some time in the '50s and a frame church was built near Banquo a little later. In its early days this church was fairly prosperous, but in recent years it has declined to some extent, though meetings are still held at intervals and the members hope to see the work revived.
The Christian Church of Andrews was organized in 1859, and was the outgrowth of a series of meetings held there by a Christian minister named Teeple. Among the pioneer members were Martin James and wife, Mr. and Mrs. David Manford, and a few others, who had formerly been affiliated with Christian churches at other points, and who had induced Elder Teeple to come to Andrews. Nearly forty members signed the roll at the time of the organization. Services were held in the school- house until 1862, when a lot in Campbell's addition was purchased and the work of raising funds for the erection of a church was begun. The following year a comfortable frame building was completed and dedi- cated, the cost of which was a little over twelve hundred dollars. In later years additions costing several hundred dollars were made to accommodate the growth of the congregation. One of the pastors of this church was Rev. Ira J. Chase, who was elected lieutenant governor of Indiana in 1888, and became governor upon the death of Gen. Alvin P. Hovey.
A few years after the close of the Civil war a society of Disciples was organized at Roanoke, but it never met the expectations of those who encouraged its establishment. Meetings were held for some time in a building on Main Street, rented for the purpose, but after a precarious existence of several years the society disbanded, the members taking letters to other Christian churches in the county. The present Christian Church of Roanoke was organized in 1909 by Rev. C. A. Frakes, who has been pastor since. A vacant store room was leased as a place of worship, but in the spring of 1914 a movement was started for the erection of a church. The congregation is growing and the members feel that they are strong enough to have a home they can call their own.
The Disciples' Church at Warren was founded about a quarter of a century ago and soon after it was organized a frame temple of worship was erected in the eastern part of town. This building is still used, though somewhat the worse for wear. During the early years of the society's career it grew slowly, but more recently there has been an acces- sion of quite a number of new members and a new church edifice is under contemplation. Rev. Charles Wharton is the present pastor.
Christian ministers have preached in several of the public school-
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houses of the county at divers times, and for some time a small society of Disciples held services in the Baptist Church at Markle. Unable to gain sufficient strength to erect a church, this little band finally separated, the members joining other Christian churches in the vicinity.
In the study of the history of the Christian Church some confusion is likely to arise from the fact that there are two religious bodies that call themselves Christians, without any distinguishing designation. One of these is the Disciples, above mentioned, and the other is the denom- ination frequently referred to as the "New Lights." The parent society of the latter, in the upper Wabash Valley, is doubtless that known as the Eel River Church, in Miami County, which was established about 1842 or 1843.
About 1868 a society of this denomination was organized in Jefferson Township, the first to be established in Huntington County. Among the early preachers there were Revs. John Robinson, James Stackhouse and A. W. Sanford. In 1870 a neat frame building, called the Purviance Chapel, was erected at a cost of about twelve hundred dollars, and still serves the congregation as a place of worship.
The First Christian Church of Warren was organized on October 22, 1871, by Rev. D. W. Fowler, who was the first pastor. On January 5, 1874, S. L. Good and Robert Sprowl were elected trustees, with instruc- tions to present some plan by which the society could proceed with the erection of a church. In the spring of 1877 a lot was purchased and in June, 1879, a house of worship was dedicated by Revs. B. H. Christman and David Hida, the latter at that time being pastor of the church. The society has prospered and in 1904 the old frame church was replaced by a handsome brick structure. The present pastor is Rev. Clark H. Kershner.
What is known as the First Christian Church of Huntington was organized on May 23, 1891, by Rev. Peter Winebrenner, with twenty- seven organized members. Ten years later it numbered about one hun- dred and fifty. O. W. Whitelock, ex-judge of the Circuit Court and presi- dent of the Christian Publishing Association and also of the Eel River Conference, is a member of this congregation. The first house of worship was the old Tabernacle Baptist Church, which was so badly damaged by fire in the winter of 1904 that it could be no longer used. Prior to that time, however, a lot at the corner of Front and Whitelock streets, south of the river, had been secured as a site for a new church. After the fire the work of building was pushed forward with all possible vigor and the present commodious brick edifice was dedicated in 1905. The present pastor is Rev. W. H. Sando.
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THE BAPTISTS
The oldest society of this denomination is the First Baptist Church of Huntington, which was organized in May, 1841, with fifteen members. Three of these had come to Huntington some time before that, but had made no effort to organize a church. They were Mr. and Mrs. David Hollowell and Elder David Lewis. Early in the year 1841 a colony con- sisting of William and Charles Taylor, Hugh Montgomery, Harmon J. Betts and their wives, Misses Lucy and Elizabeth Montgomery, S. P. Barnes and John Kenower, came from New Carlisle, with a charter from the First Baptist Church of that city to organize a congregation in Hunt- ington. The organization was effected on May 16, 1841, and Elder Lewis was installed as the first preacher. John Kenower is the only one of the original members now living.
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