USA > Indiana > Madison County > History of Madison County Indiana (Volume 1) > Part 29
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meddlesome Indians. Early in September the messenger returned bear- ing the permission for the missionaries to return to Pennsylvania and on September 16, 1806, they left the mission on the White river never to return. The cabin erected by them remained standing for several years and when the first settlers came to Madison county, about 1820 or 1821, they assumed that this cabin had been erected for a fort, be- cause it was so much more substantial than the Indian structures that had been erected in the vicinity by the Little Munsees after the de- parture of the missionaries. Traces of this settlement could be seen for many years, but the plow of civilization has at last destroyed them, and the old Moravian mission is little more than a tradition.
In the fall of 1912 the chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Anderson decided to mark the site of the mission with an appropriate monument, and began a canvass for funds. The monu- ment was unveiled on Sunday, June 1, 1913, Jacob P. Dunn, of Indian- apolis, delivering the dedicatory address. Arthur W. Brady made a short address, Mrs. Arthur W. Brady spoke on behalf of the Daughters of the Revolution, and the presentation speech was made by Mrs. Henry Durbin. A special guest on this occasion was Miss Alice Kluge, of Hope, Indiana, whose father was the first white child born in Madison county, having been born at the old misson, and whose grandfather was killed by the Indians in 1806, not far from where the monument stands. The inscription on the monument is as follows:
In Commemoration of The Moravian Missions To the Indians Maintained on White River South of This Spot, 1801-1806, Erected by Kikthawenund Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, 1913
THE METHODISTS
To this denomination belongs the honor of being the first to estab- lish a regular religious organization in the county of Madison. Serv- ices were held by itinerant Methodist ministers at the house of Elias Hollingsworth, at Pendleton, as early as 1821, but no attempt was made to found a church until in 1823, when Thomas M. Pendleton, his wife and daughter, Mrs. Thomas McCartney, Mrs. Samuel Holliday, Elias Hollingsworth and his wife, Samuel Hundley and wife, James Scott and wife, and perhaps a few others, residing near the falls of Fall creek, met and organized what was afterward known as the Pen- dleton Methodist Episcopal church. For about nine years meetings were held at the houses of the members. On April 28, 1832, Thomas M. Pendleton and wife deeded to the trustees of the church the north half of lot No. 32, upon which a log house of worship was erected. In 1839
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this house was torn down and a frame structure with a seating capacity of about six hundred was erected at a cost of $1,800. At the time it was dedicated it was the finest church edifice in the county. In 1877 it was enlarged and remodeled and was used by the congregation until the erection of the present handsome brick and stone house in 1905, at a cost of about $15,000. Among the early pastors of this congregation were James Havens, Edwin Ray, J. H. Hull and W. II. Goode, all of , whom afterward became prominent in the annals of Methodism.
As early as 1824 the few Methodists living in the vicinity of Per- kinsville organized a class, with Benoni Freel as leader. The first sermon preached here was by Rev. James Reeder. For some time the little congregation held services in a log school house about half way between Halford and Perkinsville, but with the coming of more set- tlers the church grew in membership and about 1848 a brick house of worship was erected in Perkinsville. It continued to be the home of the congregation until 1888, when it was replaced by a larger and more pretentious edifice. This was the first church organization in Jackson township.
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A few Methodists living in Green township, among whom were Samuel Gibson and wife, John Marsh and wife, James D. Hardy and William McCarty, organized a class in the fall of 1825 that afterward became the Mount Carmel church. Meetings were held in residences, school houses, etc., until 1848, when a house of worship was erected on the farm of Henry Manifold, a short distance northeast of the present town of Ingalls, where James Jones donated a small tract of ground for the Mount Carmel cemetery in 1862.
The next Methodist church to be organized in the county was in the town of Anderson in 1827. Prior to that time meetings had been held in private residences, particularly the homes of Collins Tharp and William Curtis. Among the first members were Collins Tharp and wife, William Curtis and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Enoch Donahue, Mr. and Mrs. Merrill, Henry Russell, Mrs. Harpold and Matilda Shannon. In 1839 Collins Tharp donated the congregation a piece of ground imme- diately west of Delaware street, between what are now Eleventh and Twelfth streets, for a church site and cemetery. Soon after that work was commenced upon a house of worship there, but it was never fully completed. Meetings were held there, however, for several years, when the property was sold to J. E. D, Smith, who used the unfinished struc- ture as a carpenter shop until it was destroyed by fire.
After the sale of this place to Mr. Smith, the congregation met in the school house and other places until 1849, when two lots were pur- chased of Robert N. Williams on the northeast corner of Eleventh and Meridian streets, where a frame house was erected, at a cost of $1,200. About 1869 the Methodist congregation purchased a lot at the southeast corner of Eleventh and Meridian, opposite the old frame church and where the Union Building now stands, where they commenced the erection of a large and commodious brick edifice. This church was completed in 1871, when the old frame house was sold to David W. Swank, who removed it to the corner of Ninth and Meridian streets, where it was used as a business house until destroyed by fire in the sum-
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mer of 1886. In time Meridian street became a business street and the Methodist congregation sold the property and purchased a new location at the southwest corner of Jackson and Twelfth streets, where the pres- ent commodious and imposing house of worship was erected in 1900, at a cost of some $50,000. This church is known as the First Metho- dist Episcopal church of Anderson. Since it was organized in 1827 three other congregations of this denomination have been established in the city-one on Noble street, Grace church, on Fourteenth street near Cedar, and one in North Anderson-and missions are maintained in the additions of Shadeland and Hazelwood.
According to Harden's History of Madison County, a Methodist society was formed at Fishersburg in 1827 and for a time met in pri- vate houses. Then a small log church was erected and used until 1834, when it was replaced by a larger one, also a log house, and this was sup- planted by a frame building in 1853, at a cost of $1,600. Among the early ministers at this church were a Rev. Mr. Miller, W. C. Smith, Lucien Berry and James Scott.
About the year 1831 Manly Richards, Joseph Carter, Andrew Bragg, Jacob and John Lambord, John Russell, James W. Manifold and a few other members of the Methodist faith organized a society at the old village of Menden, in Fall Creek township, known as the Antioch Methodist Episcopal church. Rev. J. N. Elsbury and Asa Beck were the first ministers. In 1842 a small frame house of worship was built, and it was used until 1868, when it became unsafe and a new one was erected about a quarter of a mile northeast, at a cost of $3,000. After the decline of Menden the church remained and meetings are still held here, though the congregation has lost many of its members by death and removals.
What is known as the Busby Meeting House was located on the south bank of Lick creek, on the Warrington pike. A Methodist society was organized in this neighborhood in 1835 and the house was erected soon afterward. In 1865 the church was abandoned, the members uniting with other congregations.
In the fall of 1836 James Hollingsworth and wife, Mrs. George Mustard, and William Lower and wife met at the house of the last named and organized themselves into a Methodist society, or class, the first religious organization of any kind in Lafayette township. The class grew in numbers, but no effort was made to erect a house of wor- ship until 1855, when a frame structure was built where the village of Florida now stands, at a cost of $1,700. Among the early ministers were Revs. D. F. Strite, John Leach, J. W. Bradbury and John R. Tansey. The trustees of this church have always been liberal and have allowed other denominations to use the house, when such occupation did not interfere with the regular services of the congregation.
The first church in Pipe Creek township was a Methodist society, which was formed at the residence of Reuben Kelly, a short distance east of the present town of Frankton, in the summer of 1836. The first members were Reuben Kelly, William Taylor, John Chamness, Jacob Speck, Amos Goff, Joseph Miller and their wives, and perhaps a few others. At first this congregation was a part of the Anderson circuit
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and the first preachers were the circuit riders. Among them were Hezekiah Smith, J. F. Stiles and J. C. Bradshaw, whose names are well remembered by old-timers. In 1867 the society removed to Frank- ton, where a comfortable house of worship was erected, and where the church is still located.
Mount Tabor Methodist church was organized in the northwestern part of Monroe township in 1838. The members first held their meet- ings in private houses, then in school houses until 1850, when a church was erected at cost of about $1,200. Samuel McMahan, David Osborn, Wright Smith, David Austin and wife and Louisa McMahan were among the first members. James Havens, Hezekiah Smith and John Hull were some of the first preachers. After a number of years this church was abandoned, the members associating with other convenient Methodist congregations.
About 1840, a Methodist church was organized in the town of Alex- andria. In 1845 the first house of worship was erected and was used by the congregation until 1873, when a new structure was commenced. It was completed early in the year 1876 and was dedicated on June 6th of that year. The cost of this edifice was about $7,200. This build- ing, which stands at the corner of North Canal and Broadway streets, has since been remodeled and added to, in order to provide better ac- commodations for the growing congregation. At the time this church was organized it was a part of the Pendleton circuit, but later was transferred to the Anderson circuit, where it continued until the Alex- andria circuit was organized. The congregation was the first to be organized in Alexandria.
About two and a half miles west of Pendleton, on the Noblesville pike, is the Pleasant Valley Methodist church, which was the outgrowth of a class formed by Elder Donaldson in 1841, at the house of Samuel Dobson. In 1852 Mr. Dobson removed to Iowa, after which the meet- ings were held at the house of Andrew Shanklin until 1865, when a frame church was erected on the farm of George A. Williamson, just west of Foster's branch. Previous to the erection of this house the class had been regarded as a branch of the church at Pendleton.
In 1851 a Methodist society was organized at the house of Aaron Taffe, in Boone township, by Rev. William Boyden. Seven members at that time united to form the church and Wright Smith was chosen class- leader. Not long after that he built a log church at his own expense. This building was afterward sold to the township for a school house and a frame church was erected. In 1853 a Sunday school was organized, with Wright Smith as superintendent. Owing to the activity of Mr. Smith in promoting the welfare of this congregation, the church was named "Smith's Chapel." It is located on section 21, a short dis- tance north of Duck creek.
A class was organized by the few Methodists living in the locality, at school house No. 5, Monroe township, about two miles east of Alex- andria, in 1854. It was known as the Mannering class and was a branch of the Methodist church at Alexandria. No house of worship was ever built and after some years the class disbanded, though at one time it numbered about seventy members.
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The Markleville Methodist Episcopal church was organized about 1850 and meetings were held at the residences of Stephen Norman and Ralph Williams, and later in an old log house. In 1856 a neat frame house of worship was erected, at a cost of $1,400, a short distance south of the town, where services are still held.
Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal church is located on section 8, in the northwestern part of Richland township. A few years before the beginning of the Civil war a few Methodists living in that neigh- borhood began holding meetings in the Holston school house. In 1860 a neat frame house, with a seating capacity of about four hundred, was erected, at a cost of $1,200. A Methodist congregation had been organ- ized in this township as early as 1832 by Elias Hollingsworth and Joseph Barnes, near the Union township line. In December, 1832, Joseph Barnes donated an acre and a half of ground in the southwest quarter of section 28 for a church site, and soon afterward a log house of worship was erected, taking the name of Asbury Chapel. In 1870 a new frame church was built on the northeast corner of section 29, on the south bank of Killbuck creek, at a cost of $1,500, and was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Bowman, president of Ashbury (now DePauw) University, on September 13, 1870.
In the fall of 1861 Rev. R. A. Newton organized a Methodist society with twelve members at the Minnick school house, in Duck Creek township. Five years later a small house of worship was erected by John Reel on the farm of G. H. Harting. It was known as "Reel's Chapel" and was used by the Methodists and New Lights alternately for many years.
Rev. John Pierce, Robert Goodin and a few others organized a Methodist church at Chesterfield in 1870 and the following year a house of worship was erected. For some time services were held every two weeks, but the congregation did not prosper and the church was finally dropped from the circuit.
The first camp meeting in the county was held by the Methodist Episcopal denomination in 1832, about three miles southwest of Pen- dleton, on the farm known as the Samuel Hundley place. Rev. James Havens and other Methodist ministers were in attendance. The meet- ing was pronounced a success and similar gatherings were held there annually for many years, usually in the later summer or early autumn.
On the farm of J. R. Holston, near the Wesley Chapel above de- scribed, was the Wesleyan Camp Meeting Association grounds, where camp meetings were held by the Methodists for many years prior to 1880 and were largely attended. After that the interest waned and in a few years the meetings were discontinued.
The First Methodist Episcopal church of Elwood was organized not long after the town was laid out in 1853. The present house of wor- ship, one of the finest in the city, is located at the corner of North A and Anderson streets, directly opposite the postoffice building. It was erected in 1899, at a cost of about $30,000.
There are also Methodist Episcopal churches at Lapel and Sum- mitville, where the congregations are in a healthy condition and own handsome church edifices.
Rev. James Puckett organized the First Methodist Protestant church
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of Elwood, with fourteen members, about 1865. Ten years later the membership had increased to about sixty and a house of worship was erected at a cost of $1,000. This was probably the first society of this denomination in the county. The present place of worship is on South D street, near Anderson, where a comfortable frame house has been erected for the use of the church and the Sunday school.
On April 17, 1866, a Methodist Protestant church was organized at Hamilton, Jackson township, by Rev. Elias Wilson. For several years meetings were held in the school house or at the homes of the members, but in 1879 a frame house was erected in Hamilton, at a cost of $1,000, for the use of the congregation, which then numbered about thirty-five members. This building was dedicated on October 19, 1879, by Rev. J. H. Luse, president of the Indiana conference. A Sunday school was organized about the time the new church was built.
Since the organization of these two Methodist Protestant churches, a congregation of that denomination has been formed in the city of Anderson. The house of worship is at the corner of Fifth and Locust streets.
In Madison county there are three colored Methodist churches- two in Anderson and one in Alexandria. In 1873 the colored Method- ists of Anderson organized what is known as the Second Methodist Episcopal church. Not long after it was formed a small frame build- ing, located at 1125 Delaware street, was purchased for the use of the congregation and meetings are still held there regularly.
Allen Chapel, African Methodist Episcopal church, was organized in 1890. For about six years meetings were held in such places as could be obtained, but in 1896 the membership had increased to about thirty and steps were taken to build a house of worship. A lot on the corner of Sixteenth and Sheridan streets was secured and a neat frame house erected thereon. It is considered one of the prettiest small church buildings in the city.
Shortly after the discovery of natural gas, the colored Methodists of Alexandria got together and formed themselves into a congregation. Meetings were held at the corner of West and John streets for several years, but recently the congregation has purchased the brick church edifice formerly used by the Baptists, located at the corner of Berry and Black streets.
THE BAPTISTS
After the Methodists, this denomination was the next to establish itself in Madison county. Two Baptist churches were organized in the year 1830-one in Pendleton and the other near New Columbus, in Adams township.
Among the first members of the Pendleton Baptist church were Nathaniel P. Richmond, J. L. Richmond, Martin Brown and their wives, Elizabeth Irish and Susannah Richmond. Nathaniel Richmond was the first preacher. In 1834 a church building thirty-two by forty feet was erected. It was used by the congregation until about 1854, when a larger house was built, at a cost of $1,400. A few years later, while Rev. Mr. Wedge was pastor and P. R. Maul was clerk, a dissension arose
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between these two persons that finally split the congregation in twain "by a Maul and Wedge," as it has been expressed in a sort of jest. The church, unable to continue its career successfully, sold its house of worship to the Friends, most of the members transferring their allegiance to the Baptist church at Anderson.
The Adams township congregation was organized about the same time as the one at Pendleton. For a while meetings were held at the residences of Caleb Biddle and . Ira Davis. New members came in gradually, and in 1834 a small house of worship was built about half a mile south of New Columbus. Among the early preachers here were Nathaniel Richmond, Morgan McQuary, W. A. Thompson and William Judd. A small cemetery was laid out near the church, where some of the Adams township pioneers found their last resting place. This church, known as the "Pewee Baptist Church," held meetings reg- ularly for over forty years, but about 1875 it began to wane in strength and influence. After that meetings were held at irregular intervals for some time and then ceased altogether.
In 1834 a few Baptists met at the house of Mrs. Rebecca Collier, about a mile and a half southeast of the present town of Markleville, and organized a church, with thirteen members. There is some diversity of opinion as to when the first building was erected by this congrega- tion. Harden says a house was built in 1837, at a cost of about $500, and other authorities state that it was built in 1852. All agree, how- ever, that it was twenty-four by thirty-six feet in size. In 1872 this house was torn down and a new one of larger dimensions erected, at a cost of $2,800. In both instances J. F. Collier gave the ground upon which the church building was erected, the new house being about half a mile north of the old one. It was dedicated by Rev. Joseph M. Brown, of Indianapolis, October 3, 1872, and is known as the Union Baptist church.
The Bethel Baptist church, located three miles north of Markle- ville, was organized about 1836. Until 1853 meetings were held in the school house near that point, but in that year a frame house of worship was erected, at a cost of $1,000. James F. Collier was the first pastor, The first trustees were Jackson Judd, James Ellison and Silby Clark. About 1862 a division arose that destroyed the usefulness of the church and some years later a denomination known as the Church of God came into possession of the house.
On June 18, 1842, the Little Killbuck Old School Baptist church was organized at the residence of Moses Maynard, with ten members. Rev. W. A. Thompson was the first pastor. In 1844 a log church was built on the farm of Christopher Maynard, near the southern boundary of Richland township. At the regular meeting in July, 1871, a dif- ference of opinion occurred upon some doctrinal point, which resulted in several members withdrawing and taking with them the church rec- ords. This faction held meetings in the school house until a council of the neighboring churches decided the other side to be the regular church. But the mischief had been done. After a precarious existence of a few years the congregation ceased to hold meetings and the church went down.
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In 1843 Rev. Nathaniel Richmond organized a Baptist church at Fishersburg, where a small house of worship was erected the next year. Mr. Richmond acted as pastor for some time, but the congrega- tion was never strong enough numerically to carry the burden of organ- ization and after about twenty years it gave up the effort.
John W. Forrest founded the village of Forrestville, on the north- west quarter of Section 21, Boone township, in 1850, and about three years later a Baptist church was organized there. Mr. Forrest, who was a local preacher of that denomination, officiated at the organiza- tion, but Rev. James Smith is said to have been the first regular pastor. In 1857 a neat frame church was erected, at a cost of about $1,400. It stood upon Mr. Forrest's farm and was known as "Forrest Chapel." After several years the society became disorganized.
A congregation known as the Mount Pisgah Baptist church was or- ganized in Monroe township in 1856, about four miles northeast of Alexandria, by Rev. John W. Forrest. No church was ever erected, the meetings being held in school house No. 6. The society was never ' very strong and after about twenty years it was abandoned, the mem- bers affiliating with other convenient Baptist churches.
Four miles northwest of Alexandria and a mile east of the old vil- lage of Osceola, the Lilly Creek Baptist church was established in 1858, though meetings had been held in that neighborhood as early as 1852. The first pastor was Rev. James E. Ellison. On May. 2, 1868, the church was reorganized and in 1871 a frame church building was erected at a cost of about $1,000. It was dedicated on the first Sunday in August of that year.
Through the efforts and influence of J. B. Anderson, a Baptist church was established at Chesterfield in 1869, with Rev. J. C. Skin- ner as pastor. Regular services were held for four or five years, but no house of worship was ever erected. Then, weary of the struggle for existence, the little flock disbanded, the members uniting with the Bap- tist church at Anderson.
It may seem strange that no Baptist church was organized at the county seat for nearly fifty years after the erection of Madison county, but such is the case. On October 23, 1871, a number of members of this denomination residing in Anderson, in conference with members of the Baptist congregations at Pendleton and Chesterfield, organized. the First Baptist church of Anderson. On January 2, 1872, the Ches- terfield church was consolidated with the new organization, and it was followed on the 23d of the same month by the Baptists of Pendleton. On October 19, 1872, the building committee appointed by the church purchased of the trustees of the Presbyterian congregation their house of worship on Meridian street for $2,000. Previous to the sale of this property the Presbyterians had borrowed $1,000 from the state school fund and placed a mortgage upon their church. This mortgage was assumed by the Baptists. At that time the Baptist congregation num- bered about thirty members, none of whom could be called wealthy, and after holding meetings for some time in the building they were unable to pay the mortgage. The building was therefore sold by the state to satisfy the loan made to the Presbyterians some years before. This
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