USA > Indiana > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships > Part 48
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Members now: William Hewitt and wife, Lindsay and wife, G. A. Carmiau and wife, Smith Smullen and wife, Margaret Hewitt, Joseph Gilmore and wife, John T. Thornburg and wife, Jacob B. Clevinger and wife, Milton Smullen and wife, Susan Clevinger.
Sunday school is maintained, and the class is attached to Trenton Circuit.
Union Chapel (west of Bloomfield) .-- Preaching began in this neighborhood nearly sixty years ago, being held at Christian Edmonds' and ai Thomas Phillip's, who came in 1821. Rev. John Strange, famous in the history of pioneer Methodism, was among the first preachers. Rev. William Hunt also labored in this region.
There was first a log church, built as early as 1830 or sooner. A frame church was erected in 1862, and the presont year (1891). a new meeting house is in progress.
The circuit in early times used to be Huntsville, Economy, Union Chapel, Bloomingport, Hopewell, Spartanburg, Mt. Zion and Mt. Pleasant (old Snow Hill).
Christian Edmonds donated the lot for the church.
The members, some of them, were Christian Edmonds, Isaiah Rogers, Hugh Botkin, Peter Botkin, Jesse Cox, Joseph Rogers, Daniel Worth and others.
Preachers -Messrs. Strange, Beck, Fairchild, Swank, Ansel Beach, Moses Hall, Bruce, Hull, Smith, Caney, Burns, Hunt, Lank (senior and junior), Farnsworth, Kelso, Medsker, Morrison, Meck, Mark, Smith, Barnes, Spellman, Strite, Phillips, Roberts, Bowen, Canann, Pierce, Newton, James Johnson, Rammel, Smith, Anderson. Kerwood, Cain, Harbor, Huestis.
The present class numbers forty-five.
Union City .- It was organized by Rev. Colclazer, of the Deerfield Circuit, in 1852, the first year of the existence of the town. The first class were Henry Debolt, wife and sister, R. T. Wheatly and wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Livengood (member still). They were joined soon after by J. T. Farson and wife (local preacher), S. L. Carter and wife (members still).
The first preaching place was Henry Debolt's house, then the "Bee-Line Boarding Car," then Hawkins' warehouse, then Scan- lan's Hall, then White's warehouse (which was burned).
In 1858-59, their first meeting-house was built, a neat, com- modious brick, on Columbia, north of Oak.
In 1869-70, a large edifice was erected on the southwest cor- ner of Oak and Plum, and carried so far as to be occupied for worship. In 1880, the house was completed, at a total cost of $18,000. The house is large and commodious, having the main audience room in the second story, aud the school room, class rooms, etc, in the basement. The building externally makes no pretensions . to architectural beauty, but the audience room is tasteful and beautiful, and in all its appointments worthy of an intelligent and cultivated people.
They have a neat two-story frame parsonage near the church, built in 1874.
Their preachers have been Revs. Colclazer, Newton, Stout, Blake, Mendenhall, Templin, Rhodes, Sparks, Greenman, Simp- son, Lynch, Barnes, Vigus and Meck, and now Greenman again. Number of members, 343 (February, 1881).
First, Board of Trustees-S. L. Carter, R. T. Wheatley, Henry Debolt, C. Saxton, J. T. Farson.
The Trustees since 1876 have been R. Wiggs, R. S. Fisher, W. T. Worthington, B. Masslich, R. T. Johnson, J. S. Starbuck, S. L. Carter. Simeon Dunn, J. M. Shank and J. M. Hartzell. R. Wiggs has removed to Kansas, and R. S. Fisher is dead. B. Masslich is Secretary of the board.
Methodist Sunday school was organized in 1853, by Rev. J. T. Farson, Superintendent. Pupils, twenty-five. Place, Bee- Line Boarding Car. F. Maloy was Superintendent from 1857 to 1870; 1856, ten teachers, eighty pupils; 1860, twenty teach- ers, 130 pupils. In 1871, J. S. Starbuck became Superintendent. After him have been Messrs. Tansey, Doty and Mitchell. In 1880, there were thirty-eight teachers and 278 pupils.
The church has a good organ and an efficient choir.
157
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.
There have been many awakenings and revivals connected with the work of this church, some of them extensive and power- ful, and a wholesome activity pervades the membership.
The Methodists commonly have large and attentive congre- gations.
The occasion of the dedication of the completed church was one of great interest (1880). The audience room was literally "crammed " above and below. The sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. - , of Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, and was highly spoken of as a powerful and scholarly effort.
The raising of the funds needed to complete payment for the house was interesting and almost dramatic.
In April, 1880, the Indiana Annual Conference was held at Union City, comprising some four hundred members, lay and clerical.
The sessions continued ten or twelve days with great and in- creasing interest. Several powerful sermons were delivered, and on the last Sabbath of the conference, a discourse by Bishop Foster to an excessively crowded assembly was pronounced to be the grandest sermon ever listened to in Union City.
Three most interesting and affecting occasions were witnessed in the Methodist Church during the winter and spring of 1879-80: First, the dedication of the church; second, the fun- eral of Prof. G. F. Mead, Superintendent of Union City Schools, who died after an illness of one week, February, 1880; sermon by Rev. Meck, Pastor; third, the funeral of Robert S. Fisher, who died after a week's illness; sermon by Rev. Meck, Pastor.
On all three of these occasions, the services were attended by a densely crowded and deeply affected assembly. Especially were the two funeral services intensely impressive, the commu- nity having been deeply wrought upon by the solemn and mourn- ful circumstances, and absorbed in intense sympathy for the families and friends of the deceased.
A series of meetings was held during the winter of 1880-81, lasting several weeks. A deeply interesting state of feeling re- sulted, and the members were greatly quickened and strength- ened, though but few apparent conversions took place. Some prayer meetings for Sunday schools have been held in addition to the usual and regular stated meetings, in which a deep inter- est in that department of church work has been developed, and good results in increased activity in the Sunday school will doubt- less show itself in the future history of the congregation, and the spiritual advantage of the rising generation will be greatly enlarged.
As specimens of the growth of the church from year to year, the number of probationers received at different times is given:
February, 1859, 121; December, 1860, 24; March, 1863, 17; May, 1865, 21; February, 1867, 18; January, 1869, 20; January and February, 1870, 44; January and February, 1871, 22; in 1872-74, 32; in 1875, 72; in 1876-77, 314; in 1878-80, 40.
Number of members between 1859 and 1861, 124; number of members February, 1881, 355; number of probationers Febru- ary, 1881, 43.
Local preachers in connection with the work have been J. T. Farson, David Strallham, F. Maloy, G. W. Arnold, P. Y. Geb- hart, C. . L. Carter, B. H. Reed, H. Reitenour, M. L. Reynolds, P. S. Stephens.
The Stewards at the present time are T. S. Johnson, Jacob Haney, R. B. Castle, A. B. Cooper, J. F. Ruby, S. H. Dunn, Thomas Mitchell, S. A. Foster.
The Class-Leaders are Robert Pogue, William T. Worthing- ton, H. H. Lefevre, A. A. Hutchinson, William Pogue, Thomas Sunpkins, H. S. Foster, William Locke, E. M. Tansey, J. S. Starbuck, Morris Doty, Jane Crabbs, Laura Kelly, Mollie Pogue, J. G. Harlan.
The church has paid, during 1879 and 1880, abont $6,000 for church debt and improvements, and about $200 yearly for benevolent operations.
From 1852 to 1859, Union City was simply a point upon Dcer- field Circuit, and the class had hard work to live, averaging, for several years, seven members. In 1859, it was made a station, with $100 missionary appropriation. It remained a missionary station five or six years. Since about 1865, it has been self-sup-
porting, and for several years it has been, as it still is, a strong and vigorous society.
During the winter of 1881-82, a protracted meeting was held of some six weeks or even longer. For nearly two weeks, it was conducted by Rev. Harrison, sometimes called the "boy preacher," with some, though not remarkable, results. In all, perhaps, sixty or more persons were added to the society.
Rev. Greenman, the present pastor, seems a faithful and vig- orous worker, and the church is much strengthened by his ear- nest labors for the cause of the Redeemer.
Unionsporl .- Methodist services have been held in the region for many years. Elza Lank, Sr., held a series of meetings at Unionsport years ago, and a strong revival was the result. Others also have preached in the neighborhood. The meeting- house at Unionsport was built about 1868 or thereabout.
Some of the chief members of the society are, or have been, John Lumpkin, John Botkin, Mr. Cropper, Mr. Elliot, Stephen Haines, etc., etc.
Vinegar Hill .- Mt. Pleasant (Old Snow Hill) was transferred to a schoolhouse southwest of W. A. W. Daly's residence, and the preaching point is called Vinegar Hill.
About nineteen years ago, several stations were formed into a mission, and Rev. George Jenkins was put upon the work. The points were Spartanburg, Arba, Lynn, Bartonia, Mt. Zion and Vinegar Hill. He continued the work during three years, but in the second year the work became self-sustaining, and Vin- ogar Hill has been a point in the circuit ever since.
Some of the members are James Barnes and wife, Jacob Hinshaw and wife, Meredith Hinshaw and wife, Zimri Hinshaw and wife, Absalom Hinshaw and wife, and others.
Windsor .- About 1830, Rev. Robert Burns, from Wayne County, came to the region, preaching the Gospel. He estab- lished a class at Abram Clevinger's.
Members have been (in early times), besides others, Randolph Smullen and wife, William Moore and wife, Bezaleel Hunt and wife, Jonathan Fryer and wife.
Preaching was held at times at Fryer's, and at Hunt's also.
A hewed-log church was built at Windsor in 1839, and in 1859 a frame, which stands yet.
There have been as many as 140 members. The number now is small. Some of them are Mrs. Odle and family, John Odle, Widow Odle, Armfield Thornburg and wife, Robert Tweedy and wife, Fanny Wallace. Preacher at the present time, Rev. Carey. There is a Sunday school of thirty to fifty pupils.
Winchester. - Methodists established themselves very early iu the county, the first services of that denomination being at the house of Ephraim Bowen, near Arba, about 1815.
How early they began to hold meetings at Winchester we have no information. The records of their early operations in that place have not been discovered.
The first written account at hand is that of a deed for a lot, given in 1853, by George W. Monks. The date of the deed was July 14, 1853, and the Trustees at that time were W. H. Fitz- gerald, Jehiel Hull, John H. Cottom, William Allen, William Gorsuch.
Winchester was made a station in 1859, and about that time the church which is now standing was built, since it was dedi- cated October 2, 1859, with appropriate services. The station was attached to Muncie District, but for several years past it has belonged to Richmond District, and all that time to North In- diana Conference.
At first, and for a long time, the state of religion was low, and the churches had but a feeble infinence.
There have been, however, several seasons of revival power, which brought in, at the times of their occurrence, many souls to the church, and the Methodists shared very largely in the revival spirit.
At present, the interest in religion in connection with the Methodist congregation is only moderate, the worldly spirit of the time seeming to depress the power of godliness among the people.
The first quarterly meeting connected with Winchester as a station was held June 4, 1859. The record of that meeting shows as follows:
158
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.
S. Lamb, Presiding Elder; John H. Peyton, Pastor in charge; Missionary Committee, S. H. Lucas, Jehiel Hull, Charles Sexton, William Kennedy, Elias Kizer.
Three Sunday schools were in operation-one at Winchester, one at Mt. Zion, the place of the other not known.
The report of 1861 states the numbers for the Sunday school at Winchester at 225 pupils and twenty-five officers, and the library at 500 volumes; and the Sunday school at Mt. Zion at sixty pupils and ten officers, and 100 volumes in the library.
H. J. Meck was pastor in 1860.
S. Stont had charge in 1862, but, becoming Chaplain of the Eighty-fourth Indiana, S. H. Rhodes was assigned to his place.
In 1863, the meeting-house was valued as $4,000, and the parsonage then in existence at $700. When that parsonage was built we do not know. Another parsonage was built, which is still standing.
In 1863, O. V. Lemon was Presiding Elder, and C. P. Wright was pastor in 1864. In 1865, Benjamin Smith was Pastor.
In 1867, W. H. Goode was Presiding Elder, and M. H. Mendenhall was pastor in charge. The church was valued at $5,000, and the parsonage at $1,800.
In 1868, S. C. Miller was pastor in charge.
In 1869, M. Mahin was Presiding Elder, and M. A. Teague was pastor in charge. In 1873, W. R. Kistler was pastor.
In 1874, E. Holdstock was Presiding Elder, and R. Tobey, pastor.
In 1875, W. O. Pierce was pastor, and a new parsonage was built, at a cost of $1,310. In 1876, B. A. Kemp was pastor.
In 1877, the official members were as follows:
Trustees-John W. Williamson, E. B. Reynolds, John W. Diggs, Asa Teal, R. A. Leavell, W. A. W. Daly, John Richard- son, Asahel Stone, Lee Ault.
Stewards-H. H. Neff, John Wright, Lee Ault, C. W. Diggs, J. S. Fisher, Dennis Kelly, Augustus Engle, Jacob Henderson, George A. Diggs.
In 1878, M. H. Mendenhall was Presiding Elder, and W. O. Pierce, pastor.
In 1879, E. F. Hasty was Presiding Elder.
In 1880, P. Carlan was pastor in charge.
In 1881. Horace M. Herrick became pastor, and has charge of the congregation at the present time.
Number of members on record at different dates: 1866, 147; 1869, 96; 1870, 140; 1880, 147.
The Sunday school seems to have been in constant operation. Some of the Superintendents have been James S. Ferris, E. B. Reynolds, J. B. Routh, A. J. Neff, C. W. Diggs and E. H. Butler.
Doubtless others have been also in that position, but the ree- ords are silent as to the fact.
Among the members of the church at different times have been C. S. Goodrich, George W. Monks, S. M. Lucas, W. B. Pierce, F. J. Putnam, Thomas J. Hull, C. A. Avery, John W. Williamson, John M. Lucas, R. Deem, J. C. Roberts, C. Saxton, J. R. Brown, William Daugherty, A. J. Neff, B. F. Diggs, Me- lissa Diggs, Amanda M. Way, E. B. Reynolds, W. A. Thomson, Elias Kizer, J. S. Fisher, Jesse Bates, R. A. Leavell, H. H. Neff, John Richardson, J. B. Routh, John Thornburg, E. T. Chaffee, Thomas C. Livingston, C. W. Diggs. E. H. Butler, W. F. Houser, Edward Bates, W. A. W. Daly, R. D. Spellman, Jacob W. Hen- derson, J. S. Ferris, F. A. Engle, J. W. Diggs, S. McClure, An- drew Aker, H. W. Bowers, J. W. Jarnagin, Dennis Kelly, O. V. Lemon, James Ennis.
It is presumed that the foregoing list comprises only a small number of the members. Doubtless there have been many othere equally worthy of mention.
Pastors have been Revs. Peyton, Meck, Stout, Rhodes, C. P. Wright, Walker, Smith, Mendenhall, Miller, Teague, Kistler, Tobey, Pierce, Kemp, Spellman, Carlan, Herrick.
Several superannuated preachers are now resident at Win- chester, and are connected with the church there. Among these are P. A. Hagerman, O. V. Lemon, R. D. Spellman.
The operations of the Methodists in Winchester must have begun much sooner than any date mentioned in the above state-
ment. Preaching services used to be held in the court house cer- tainly before 1840, and perhaps as early as 1830, or even sooner than that. No account, however, has yet been found of those early religious efforts. Randolph County has been alive with Methodism from the very start, and surely the county seat can not have been neglected 'by their pioneer preachers.
During the winter of 1881-82, revival meetings were in progress, in connection with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Winchester, which seemed to have a salutary effect upon the com- munity, and which resulted in bringing a considerable number into fellowship with the church.
PRESBYTERIANS.
This branch of the Christian Church has never flourished much in Randolph County. Individual members have resided therein, and sometimes efforts have been made to establish socie- ties, but the members have always been too few to make a perma- nent lodgment, and the persons would abandon the attempt and generally fall in with some other church.
Robison McIntyre, at Maxville; Mr. Jenkins, north of Buena Vista, etc., are specimens of the fact stated, as also Henry D. Huffman, west of Winchester; Robert Murphy, south of Union City; Benjamin Dixon, Wayne Township, near Salem; David Wason (Ohio), Mrs. Williamson, State line, south of Union City, etc.
Buena Vista .-- A meeting-house was built some years after the Pleasant Ridge Church was erected, but an attempt was made to form a Congregational Church from the members of the Pres- byterian Church. As a result of the effort, all failed, and the meeting-house at Buena Vista has been for many years occupied as a barn by Robert Starbuck, on whose land it is situated.
Pleasant Ridge (two miles south of Buena Vista). -- Was formed November 28, 1842, at a schoolhouse near Mr. Hogeland's, one mile north of Huntsville, Ind. There were eighteen mem- bers, as follows: Jacob B. Kepler and wife, John Starbuck and wife, Cyrus Starbuck and wife, John Shearer and wife, James Shearer and wife, John Jenkins and wife, Isaac Hogeland and wife, Parker Jewett and wife, Joseph C. Kepler, Patience Smith. Jacob B. Kepler, John Shearer, John Jenkins were chosen Ruling Elders. Between 1842 and 1849 inclusive, twenty-six members were received, making a total of forty-four members. The church, however. did not continne, but about 1852 it ceased to be active, and has become wholly extinct. A log meeting-house (very good for the time) was built by the church at the beginning of their existence, about 1842. A graveyard also was established, the first burial in which was in 1842. The preachers at different times were Revs. J. S. Brice, E. R. Johnson, I. N. Taylor, Thomas Spencer and Andrew Loose. The house is yet standing, but has long been used for secular purposes, being now occupied as a carpenter shop.
Salem (Wayne Township) .- Not long after 1835, a New School Presbyterian society was begun in the Gullett neighbor- hood, south of Union City. Some of the members were Robert Murphy, Benjamin Dixon, David Wasson (in Ohio), James Was- son (in Ohio), Mrs. Williamson and others. The preacher who had ministered to them died, and the society became extinct; some of the members joined elsewhere. Mr. Murphy united with the Protestant Methodists, Mr. Dixon with the Disciples, etc. The society had no meeting-house, but held their services in a schoolhouse.
Union City .-- Was first organized in the house of Martin Cox, Washington Township, Darke Co., Ohio, by Rev. Isaac Ogden, P'residing Missionary, November 8, 1835, with six members. The ministers have been Revs. Gulick, Ogden, Meeks, Campbell, Drake, Lower, Eastman, Coulter, Ziegler. Mr. Drake was pastor seven years, and received into the church 167 persons. The greatest number of additions in any one year (1851) was thirty- eight. The church was changed to Union City in 1862. The first meeting-house was a log building near Martin Cox's, now used as a wood-house at Cox's Schoolhouse. One of Martin Cox's sons preserves the puncheon door as an old-time relic. The next house was what is now the German Reformed (brick) Church at Hill Grove, Darke Co., Ohio. The first services in
159
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.
Union City were held at the Methodist Church. The greatest number of members at any one time before the removal to Union City was fifty-seven. Six years after the removal, there were but forty. The greatest number at one time was 127. The church built a meeting-house on Union street, south of Oak, in 1863, and occupied it till about Christmas, 1879, at which time they dedicated their new tasteful and elegant edifice, on How- ard, north of Oak; cost $1,200. Their present pastor is Rev. William Conlter (1880). The congregation enjoys the services of a small but excellent choir, with Miss Ella R. Ferguson, or- ganist. The Elders have been C. W. McKee, - Hand, Levi Reck, L. B. Pope, T. L. Steele, John Gettinger, Simon Hedrick, James Wasson, W. D. Moore, James Hanlin, J. W. Torrence, David Ferguson. Deacons, Simon Hedrick. Daniel Clapp, Robert J. Clark, S. R. Bell, Charles S. Hook. Number of niem- bers since organization, 175; number of members at present, sixty-five. Sunday school was organized in 1867, with Simon Hedrick, Superintendent, continuing as such for several years. Others, James Hanlin, M. C. Bemis, &c. Present Superintendent, S. R. Bell. Number of teachers, twelve; number of pupils, fifty to seventy-five. The Presbyterian Church and congregation have been less numerous than some others in the city, and have suffered some serious trials in the course of years, but they are now united in the support of a worthy pastor, who is leading them steadily and faithfully onward in the work of their Master and Lord. Mr. Coulter resigned his pastorship January. 1881, which left the church destitnte for the time. Rev. Ziegler was called to the pastorship in the spring of 1881. He is a young but efficient laborer, and the church and congregation appear pleased and satisfied with his ministrations, and he is greatly acceptable to the community at large.
NOTE .- Before the removal of the present society from Hill Grove, Ohio, to Union City a New School Presbyterian organiza- tion was attempted, in about 1860 or 1861, holding their meet- ings in Paxson's Hall. The members were few, and no regular preaching was maintained. Occasional services were held for a time, but the church did not continue long, but gave up to the one which has been previously described.
Winchester .- A New School Presbyterian Church was formed there about 1842 by Rev. J. G. Brice. Some of the chief mem- bers were Samuel Ludy, James Brown, Esq., and Mr. Morrison. They maintained services for twelve or fourteen years, and, in 1853, undertook the erection of a meeting-house, which, how- over, they could not finish. Their preachers have been Revs. Brice, Spencer and Loose. About 1854, an Old School Presby- erian Church was formed. Some of the members were Dr.Craig, Dr. Ferguson and others. There were some dozen members at irst, and after a time the number had increased to forty. Sev- ral of the New School members joined also. In 1857, the new organization bought the unfinished house, and, completing the same, used it for purposes of worship. The preachers were Messrs. Holliday, McCullock, Chapman and Campbell. This or- ganization prospered reasonably for some years. About 1865, several prominent members removed-Dr. Ferguson, to Union Jity; Judge Brown, to Minnesota, etc., and, in 1868. the church was dissolved by direction of Presbytery, and their ineeting-house passed into the hands of the Disciples' Church. In November, 1881, a Presbyterian Church was organized at Winchester, and arrangements were made for regular services in connection there- with. The names of the members and the details of the action poken of have not been furnished us. Religious services were ield for some weeks during February, 1882, by Revs. Ziegler, of Union City, and McCaslin, of Muncie. A good attendance took lace, but the results of the effort we are unable to state. They naintain an active and flourishing Sunday school.
PROTESTANT METHODISTS.
Deerfield. - This body of Christians has never been numer- >us in Randolph County. About 1837 or 1838, they established 1 preaching place at Charles Sumption's, north of the river, op- >osite Deerfield, and maintained it for ten or twelve years. There were but few, Charles Sumption and his family being the chief members. Rev. Elisha Barnett was the preacher, having
been previously an Episcopal Methodist. About 1850, Rev. Mr. Young, a Protestaut Methodist clergyman, was active and promi neut through Randolph County, but no detailed statement of his labors or of their results is at hand. and of him we car at pres- ent say no more.
Hopewell (southwest of Fairview). - The society was organ- ized before 1845. The first preaching was by Rev. Jonathan Flood at his own house, he being the pioneer of his denomination in the region. The first church was a frame, built about 1853. The society was small. The principal members were John Woodard and family, Jonathan Flood and family (wife and four children), William McCracken, etc. There are now about sixty, as also there is a Sunday school of sixty to seventy pupils. Preachers, Messrs. Flood, Howly, Williams, Patty, Bodell, Out- kelt, William Williams, Bateman, McCollum, Conn, Jones, Rich- mond, Prim (present minister). There used to be a circuit, with three points -- Hopewell, Bear Creek (in a schoolhouse) and Deer- field. Hopewell alone has survived. Some of the members are Howell French and wife, John McCamish and wife, John Q. French and wife, Samuel French and wife, Lorenzo Gantz, John Demint, William Bailey and wife, William Mills and wife, Ma- tilda French, Christopher James, William James and others. Preaching occurs once in three weeks.
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