USA > Indiana > Vermillion County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 27
USA > Indiana > Parke County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 27
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The only acts passed with regard to the school lands by the Territorial Legislature were those of October 26, 1808, and December 14, 1810. The former invested the several courts of common pleas in the territory with full power to lease the sections of land reserved for the use of schools in the several counties, restricting the leases to five years and making it obligatory upon the lessees to clear ten acres upon each quarter section. The latter act authorized the courts of common pleas to appoint trustees of the school lands in the sev- eral counties, and prohibited the wasting of sugar trees and timber thereon.
On January 9, 1821, the General Assembly appointed a committee to draft and report to the next Legislature a bill providing for a general system of education, with instructions to guard particularly against "any distinction between the rich and the poor." This committee drew up the first general school laws of Indiana. The space allotted us forbids even a catalogue of the various enactments of the General Assembly on the subject of the public schools since the organization of the state government. Almost every session has witnessed the passage of either general or special laws pertaining to educa- tion in some form, either to the common schools or the incorporation of semi- naries, academies, colleges, universities or public libraries : and the successive governors of the state have favored the interests of popular education.
Vermillion county has always taken much care to provide the best schools possible, both public and private. The last log cabin school house was super- seded more than forty years ago by the more modern frame and brick build- ings. A quarter of a century ago this county had school buildings as follows : Clinton township, brick, three; frame, nine. Helt township, brick, three; frame, twenty. Vermillion township, brick, one; frame, twelve. Eugene township brick, one; frame, seven. Highland township, brick, one; frame, eleven. Total, nine brick buildings ; fifty-nine frame.
In 1887 the estimated value of school houses and lots was $59,000; of school apparatus, globes, maps, etc., about $4,000. Number of teachers
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
employed in the county, eighty-five. The number of children of school age (from six to twenty-one years) in 1886 was 4,291, and the enrollment in the schools of the county was 3,467, or about eighty per cent.
In Clinton township the first school house was a log structure of the most primitive type, located at Davidson's hill, one mile northeast of Clinton. There the only school books were the English reader, Webster's elementary speller and the New Testament, with now and then a copy of Daboll's arith- metic. Since then a remarkable growth has been seen with the ushering in and carrying forward of the free public school system, which many in the state bitterly opposed at the time, because of their lack of wisdom.
Two or more attempts have been made to locate special educational in- stitutions, including the one just before the Civil war, known as Myram G. Towsley's Military Institute and the Farmer's College, which went down on account of the coming on of the Rebellion in 1861. A portion of the large frame building that was to be used permanently for that institution was afterward converted into an opera house, and its wings into dwellings.
In Helt township the first school was taught prior to 1830, on the prairie.
Newport, the county seat, has always been a good school town, and kept abreast with the times in every advance made in improved educational methods. In pioneer days, according to the state law, a county seminary was established here. as in all other county-seat towns. It flourished until the going out of the old private or subscription schools and the introduction of that better plan of the present common school, the free school system, when it was converted into a graded school about 1852. The building was a brick structure. Additions were made to it from time to time and it was still in use in the nineties. Its location was on the heights overlooking the romantic scenes of the charming Little Vermillion river. Two of the additions were made by the town of Newport at an expense of one thousand dollars. The town purchased the property from the township, when the municipality took it over and has had charge of the same since 1886.
The advancement made in public school affairs in this county with the passing of a half century are indeed very great. This change is noted the more vividly, when one contemplates the old log school house down by the creek, or out on the prairies, in which were taught the simplest rudiments of an education, under the hardships of a slab seat, a puncheon floor, and a fire- place for heating the same in the long, cold winter day. It goes without saying that children of today ought to master their studies more rapidly and better than did their grandparents, and thank a higher order of Christian civilization for the most excellent school system that now obtains from one end of the country to the other. While there were many noble, brainy, well-
-
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
educated men of the Hoosier state who attended these pioneer schools, the larger per cent. of all those who attended those early-day schools never achieved any great educational accomplishments. All praise to the present public school system.
PRESENT STANDING OF VERMILLION COUNTY SCHOOLS.
The subjoined statistics will show the condition of the schools in the various townships in Vermillion county, according to the superintendent's annual report for 1912, including the items of teachers, buildings, wages, apportionments, etc. :
School
Male Female. Daily Wages. Appor- Houses. Teachers. Teachers. Male. Female. tionment.
Clinton township
I4
5
21
$3.10
$2.40
$44.031
Eugene township
5
2
6
3.25
2.84
8,620
Helt township
13
5
2I
4,00
3.12
32,509
Highland township
IO
5
II
4.00
3.00
13,032
Vermillion township
II
3
7
3.30
2.79
10,78I
The number of graduates from the high school last year was: Helt township, II; Perrysville, 9; Cayuga, 3; Dana, II ; Newport, 8; Clinton, 19.
There is one Carnegie Library, connected with the city and township of Clinton. All of the district schools have small permanent libraries. The present county school superintendent, John B. Butler, has been serving in an acceptable manner since 1907.
By a school enumeration for Vermillion county, taken in May, 1910, the following facts were brought out concerning the school population : The number of school age in the several townships and towns of the county was as follows: Clinton township, 844; Eugene township, 331 ; Helt township, 804: Highland township, 478; Vermillion township, 366; Cayuga town, 212; Dana town, 206; Newport town, 163; city of Clinton, 1,468. The totals for the years 1907 and 1910, inclusive, were : 1907, 4,627; 1908, 4,818; 1909, 4,792 ; 1910, 4,872.
About 1904 the consolidated country school system was established in Helt township this county, and has proven a grand success. It gives the pupils a better, easier method of getting to and from school, and at no in- creased expense, all things counted, than under the separate school district system. This school is counted one of the "model" schools in Indiana. It is a delightful sight to see the several teams lined up ready to receive the chil- dren when school closes each day. They are carried in hacks to and from their homes, a radical change for the better. It is believed that this system will ere long become universal in the country school districts in the state.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHURCHES OF VERMILLION COUNTY.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
The first denomination in this county to erect a house of worship was the Presbyterians, who organized at Clinton in 1831, aided by the Methodists. Running down in the course of years, in 1834 they reorganized their society, under Rev. John Gerrish, of Helt township, who died in the spring of 1887. in Kansas. In 1887 there were fifty-five members in the Clinton Presbyterian church, the ruling elders being at that date E. V. Brown and David McBeth. A Sunday school was then maintained the year round, with an average at- tendance of ninety pupils. Rev. L. G. Hay, D. D., of Terre Haute, was then serving as a stated supply for this church, commencing with February, 1887. Earlier pastors and supplies were Revs. James Boggs. in 1855: John A. Tiff- ner, two to three years; John Hawks, of Rockville, about the same length of time : Thomas Griffith, of Montezuma, four years, and L. H. Davidson. The first church building was converted into a barn. A new house of worship. erected about 1852, was a frame building, forty by seventy feet, located cen- trally, on the school house lot. The present church was erected of brick in 1896 at a cost of ten thousand dollars. Membership, one hundred and fifty.
Other pastors have been: Revs. William Mitchell, George McCollough. L. G. Hay, A. M. Hooke, J. P. Hutchinson, G. H. Hoffoce, E. W. Sanders, C. E. Fowler. H. W. White, and the present pastor, Rev. S. V. Sydenstricker, who began in March, 1910.
Toronto Presbyterian church was organized either 1850 or 1851, by Rev. Gerrish. The church, which was built during 1852, was a frame struc- ture thirty by forty feet in size, and in 1890 was still in good state of pres- ervation. Among the early members of the church were James .1. Elder and wife. Samuel Elder and wife. Rev. John A. Tiffany was pastor from 1858 to 1866. In 1887 the number of communicants was about twenty. A union prayer meeting was maintained by the Methodists, Presbyterians and Bap- tists.
The Toronto Presbyterian church, at Bono, was organized many years ago, but later the membership largely went to other points, as the country
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
settled up, many going to the church at Dana. There a neat church was built of frame, thirty-six by forty feet, besides a "rostrum" eight by fourteen feet. Its cost was about two thousand eight hundred dollars, not counting pews and other fixtures. It was dedicated June 26, 1887, by Rev. T. D. Fyffe, of Roseville, Indiana. The leading men in building were W. M. Taylor, Samuel Aikman and Samuel Hall. This building is still in use.
At Newport the Presbyterians were early in the field, but allowed the first society to run down. It was reorganized in the spring of 1875, by Rev. Mitchell, of Clinton, with only seven members. The ruling elders were M. G. Rhoades and I. B. Fusselman, later of Danville. About 1847 a frame church was erected, forty by fifty feet, on Market street, east of the public square. This was erected soon after the organization was effected. Later it was occu- pied by the United Brethren. The society was never very strong at New- port, other churches having held the field.
The Eugene Presbyterian church was first organized in 1826, when the first meetings were held in the house of William Thompson, a log cabin a little west of the depot on the Big Vermillion river. At first its name was the "River and County Vermillion Church," and comprised, April 26, 1826, Asa Palmer, William Thompson, William Wilson, Ann Wilson, William Armour, Ruhama Armour, Eliza Rodman, Hannah Laughlin, Margaret Caldwell, Mary West, Mary Thompson, Lucy Thompson, and Susan Wilson. The first minister was Rev. James Hummer, who was succeeded by Revs. Baldridge, Kingsbruy, Cozad, Conklin, C. K. Thompson, Venable Crosby, Henry M. Bacon and W. Y. Allen, of Rockville. In 1887 this church had a membership of fifty-two. The second place of meeting was a brick dwelling, and the third place a neat frame church, thirty-six by sixty feet, erected in 1859 in partnership with the Methodist people. Its cost was three thousand dollars; it was erected centrally in the village of Eugene. Later the church interests were removed to Cayuga and in 1902 a fine brick church building was erected, bearing the inscription, "Eugene 1823-Memorial-Cayuga, 1902." It is located in the best part of the western portion of the town.
What was styled Mount Olivet Cumberland Presbyterian church was located three and a half miles southwest of Eugene.
At Perrysville a Presbyterian church was organized at an early day and after struggling along many years finally dissolved, when it only mustered fifteen members. Their house of worship, which they purchased from the Universalist society, became unsafe, and in 1882 was sold for one hundred and fifty dollars and later torn down. There was no regular preaching after 1873, when there was twenty-one members.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
BAPTIST CHURCHES.
Hiddle's Prairie Baptist church .- In 1852 a branch or mission of the Bloomfield Baptist church was' organized at Toronto, and in July, 1853, it was reorganized as a separate body in the Toronto Presbyterian church, by Rev. G. W. Riley. Revs. John and G. W. Riley were preachers in 1852, the latter nanied being the first pastor. Up to August, 1861, the following served as pastors or supplies : Rev. Joseph Shirk, William McMasters and A. J. Riley ; thence on down later came Revs. William McMasters, Melvin Mc- Kee, William McMasters, Melvin McKee, D. S. French, William McMasters, A. J. Riley, G. T. Willis, J. M. Kendall, 1883; W. T. Cuppy, 1886-87.
The Tennessee Valley Baptist church was organized in September, 1872, in the Staats school house by Rev. William McMasters, who had preached there some time previously, when it was known as the "mission." Rev. William McMasters was pastor of this church until his death, in 1886, being succeeded by Rev. John H. Rusmisel. In 1875 a neat frame church was pro- vided at a cost of one thousand six hundred dollars. It was built in the north- east quarter of section 18, township 15, range 9 west. Present membership is one hundred.
Dana Baptist church was formed in 1880, with twelve members, by Rev. G. T. Willis. Among the early pastors now disclosed by the records were Revs. Willis, Cartwright, William McMasters, Palmer and Franklin. The church building, a fancy brick structure, thirty-six by sixty feet, in the north- ern part of the village of Dana, was built in 1887 at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars.
Hopewell Baptist church, a frame building about two miles north of Gessie, was the place of meeting of a society which was organized very early in the county's history by the Rabourns. A difficulty arose over Freemasonry, one side holding to the order, while the other pulled out of Christian fellow- ship on account of this fraternity. The two factions were called "Stippites" and "Johnsonites," after the two leading spirits of the Masonic and anti- Masonic factions. This split the little church into two parts, and neither flourished after that.
At Clinton the Baptist church is young in years, it having been organized in 1909 with twenty-two members, which has now grown to a membership of ninety-four. . \ little more than three years ago a few Baptist families, desir- ing of having a church of their own faith, banded together and invited Rev. J. M. Kendall to preach to them occasionally, and August 18, 1909, with his
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
assistance, organized the First Baptist church of Clinton, . Indiana, with twenty-two members. About eight months after the organization of the church the pastor resigned because of other pressing duties. The following July the state convention sent Mrs. N. B. Leslie to this important field, and under her care the work progressed rapidly, including a flourishing, modern planned Sunday school. On March Ist, this devoted woman was sent to other fields. Then the membership of the church had reached ninety communicants. A lot was purchased upon which to erect a church, the price paid being one thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars; it is at the corner of Fifth and Walnut streets, an ideal location. March 1, 1912, the present pastor, Rev. A. E. Clem, was called, since which he has devoted his entire time to building up the interests of the church and attending to the duties of raising funds with which to erect the new church, which has its foundation in ( December. 1912) and when completed will cost about twenty thousand dollars. It is to be of faced brick and stone trimmings, with full-sized basement, fifty-six by eighty feet, wherein will be situated Sunday school rooms, kitchen, gymnas- jum, etc. In the summer of 1912 great tent meetings were held and as a result there were added to the church, under Pastor Clem and the evangelist. Charles E. Watkins, more than twenty-five more members. In all, the so- ciety now has a membership of almost two hundred.
The Baptist churches in Vermillion county at this date are. the one at Clinton, the one at a point in Helt township, known as Tennessee Valley church, with a hundred members; one at Dana, which had in 1911 ninety-six members, and property valued at three thousand five hundred dollars.
THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH.
Perhaps the earliest organization of this denomination in Vermillion county was formed as early as 1837. This was the church at Haneman Chapel, formed at the house of Christopher Haneman. In 1837 a class was formed by a few members of that faith, including Christopher Haneman and wife, Harriet McDowel, George Wellman and wife, Jeremiah Hammond and wife, Silas Hollingsworth and wife, Emily Bales and Isaac Johnson and wife. A brick church was erected in 1842, but not completed until 1872, thirty years later. It stood on section 6, township 15, range 9. Among the pioneer min- isters there may be recalled the names of Revs. John Shoey, William Eckles, Andrew Wimset. Conyer. John Miller, Thomas Hamilton. Joseph Nye. Rev. Nugen. John \. Mast and Samuel Potts. In 1887 there were twenty-eight
297
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
members and Rev. S. S. Sims was pastor, and services were held once in three weeks.
Midway United Brethren church was organized in 1857 by Rev. Joel Cogwill, with about fifteen members, in the Castle school house, which later was purchased and converted into a church building. It was twenty-two by thirty feet in size. and situated on section 13. township 15, range 10. Public services were discontinued there in 1887.
Bethel United Brethren church, two miles southwest of Newport, was organized many years ago. In 1887 the church enjoyed a membership of forty-eight. A church building was erected about 1862.
Opedee United Brethren church was organized about 1880, and in 1886 Miss Wimsett was a steward. Meetings were held then in a school house. Ira Mater. of Hillsdale, was a minister in this church. Another class met at the Eggleston school house. B. F. Dungan, of Newport, was pastor of all the United Brethren churches in Vermillion township in the eighties.
At Newport the United Brethren church was organized in 1870 by Rev. Samuel Garrigus, then a resident of Bellemore. Parke county. At first there were but fourteen members in this class, but by 1887 it had increased to ninety. chiefly under the ministrations of Rev. Dungan. At the date last mentioned the society worshiped in the Presbyterian church, on Market street.
Another very early church of this sect was the Cross-Roads United Brethren church, two miles west of Perrysville, organized before 1848. A large frame church house was built in early years. In 1888 the membership of this society was seventy-five.
The Perrysville United Brethren church was organized many years ago, and in 1887 was called an old society. At that time the church was a frame building, thirty-eight by forty-eight feet, erected about 1857.
Mound Chapel United Brethren church was erected about 1875; was thirty by forty feet ; located three and one-half miles north of Perrysville.
Liberty class was organized in 1878 by Rev. Henry Norlan with sixteen members.
At Gessie the United Brethren people were organized in 1879 by Rev. F. E. Penny, of Danville, Illinois. Among the earlier pastors in charge were Revs. J. A. Smith, J. Knowles, Kaufman, S. C. Zook, J. R. Horner. A church edifice was erected by the Christians about 1877, a frame twenty-four by forty feet, costing one thousand dollars, and in 1879 they sold to the United Breth- ren.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
The first Methodist organization in Vermillion county was effected some time previous to 1830, at the house of John Vannest, the first settler in the county. The class then comprised, besides Mr. Vannest and his half- brother, George Rush, James and Amos and Joseph Reeder and the Brannon family. The minister, who walked his rounds every four weeks, was of that good and old-fashioned Methodist type of ministers always loved by his fol- lowers. Revs. Smith and McGinnis were among the zealous preachers of that early day. Itinerant Methodist ministers of pioneer times were noted for their energy and daring in threading the wild woods and prairies in search of the isolated settler, for the purpose of preaching to him the gospel and of organizing classes as soon as he could find enough to meet, coming from far and near. The early history of these various Methodist classes has become lost with the shuffle of passing years, and we are obliged to leap forward in imagination over a half century in the history made by these faithful men and women, who first planted the good seeds of Methodism, the fruits of which this generation and those yet unborn are and shall reap from great spiritual gifts.
Coming down to 1887 it is learned that the society at Clinton comprised ninety-four members. The class leader was then L. H. Beckman; stewards, James M. Hayes and Robert Allen. The pastor was Rev. J. B. Combs. The circuit was in the Greencastle district, Northwestern Indiana conference, with Rev. A. A. Gee, of Greencastle, as presiding elder. As to a house of worship it may be stated that the Methodists here passed from the log cabin residence and the school house to a frame church, erected mainly by the Presbyterians in 1831; and next to a frame building, thirty-eight by sixty feet, built about 1852, at a cost of one thousand four hundred dollars. Again in 1883 an im- posing brick edifice was erected, forty by eighty feet in ground measurements, at a cost of six thousand five hundred dollars. This building, with some al- terations, is still doing, service.
Toronto Methodist Episcopal church was organized in February, 1853, by Rev. John Lach, who died in 1867. Among the first members were John Jenks and family, William Jordan and wife, Almeda Jenks, John R. Wishard and wife, Mrs. Tiller Jenks and a few more. In 1875 a great and sweeping revival was held by Rev. Jacob Musser. In 1887 the church had a member- ship of sixty,, with Stephen Jenks as class leader. Services were then held in the Presbyterian church by Rev. William Smith.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
At Hillsdale the Methodist Episcopal church was organized July II, 1880, by Rev. Thomas Bartlett, with the following membership: John W. Casebeer, class leader (still living). S. R. James, Matilda James, Margaret Owens, Dr. E. Mack, Mrs. Mack, Martha Strowbridge, Ella Casebeer, A. B. Casebeer, Sarah Wilson, Mary McLaughlin, Jane Williamson, Wallace Thompson, Mrs. Thompson, Elizabeth Newell, R. Wilson, Thomas J. Will- iamson, Bertie Casebeer. Billy Ponton, Charles Bassett and Mrs. Mary Marvin.
A fine frame building was erected, thirty-four by forty feet, costing one thousand six hundred and fifty dollars, in 1883-84, principally by the dona- tions of "Sister Bricker." The ground was donated by Mrs. Mary Gibson. The first pastor here was Rev. J. F. McDaniels. Following him came Revs. E. R. Johnson, Joy, J. T. Woods, W. A. Smith. Preaching was had on alter- nate weeks. The membership in 1887 was twenty-five. The class leader was at that date William Tincher.
One of the oldest societies of this denomination was the old Salem Metho- dist Episcopal church, one mile north of Summit Grove, where preaching after this faith was had by Rev. Chamberlain in 1821-22. The next preacher was Rev. Dr. William James, a Virginian, who came to this county in October, 1822, when he preached in the log barn of John Helt, and later in a small log cabin school house with split-pole seats. He preached and practiced medi- cine until 1826, when he started for New Orleans with a boat load of corn, and died en route. The next minister was Rev. Warner, of Parke county, who organized the class in the spring of 1828, in the log school house on Helt's prairie, under the name of the "Helt's Prairie Class." Samuel Ryar- son and wife were the principal members. Others were John Helt and wife, Samuel Rush and wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Helt, Mrs. Mary Helt, Edmund James and wife, Collon James and John James and wife. These faithful followers met at the school house and at the house of Samuel Rush until 1846, when they erected a frame house at the center of section 22, township 15, range 9 west. In 1878 this building was sold and a commodious brick structure erected on the old foundation, about thirty-two by sixty feet, at a cost of two thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight dollars. In 1888 there were more than one hundred members in good standing and services were held every other Sabbath. The pastor was then Rev. W. A. Smith and the class leaders James Harrington, James A. Miller, Wright James, Martin Harper and Frank Helt.
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