USA > Indiana > Tipton County > History of Tipton County Indiana > Part 18
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The second school, at the same place, was taught by Henry Williams
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in 1846. He continued the next year also, at which time the building was abandoned.
The second house erected for school purposes stood about two miles west of Mount Zion church. It was a hewed-log structure, but served for many years. Another early school was taught by Cyrus Maxwell, at the residence of Alfred Lee, in the western part of the township, but the exact date of the term cannot be learned.
With the passage of the public school law in 1852, good houses were built at proper intervals in the township.
The good public school houses constructed in the fifties served their pur- pose well, new ones were added, and were good buildings for the time. Of recent years, however, a revolution has changed the educational idea in re- gard to location of schools. Increased transportation facilities have enabled the scholar from a distance to attend the larger town schools, and consolida- tion has come to be a feature. Prairie township has no town, but plans are now under way for the building of a magnificent school building, a high school, in the center of the township, at Nash's chapel. With this building constructed, Prairie township will rank well with her sister townships in the county.
IN LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
The first school in Sharpsville was taught in a small log school house by Martha Ann Grishaw in 1852. The next school was taught by Lizzie Smith in a little frame house south of the square in the village. Miss Smith taught two or three terms, the last in 1855. John Vaughn taught a school in the winter of 1853, and John W. Grishaw one in the summer of 1854. These were all subscription schools. Sharpsville can truly boast of a school building that would be a credit to any city. It was constructed under the supervision of the state board of health and in its construction architectural beauty was kept in view. It has the best vocational equipped school in the county, not excepting the county seat schools.
In the Richardson neighborhood the first school house was a small round-log building just in the edge of the township. It had one window and a fireplace. It is not known who was the first teacher here. The second school was taught by L. Adams, who received two dollars per scholar for a three months' term in the winter. The second school house in the vicinity was con- structed in 1849 or 1850. Matthew Hawthorn was one of the early peda- gogues here. At this time each school district had three trustees Thomas
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Cole and G. M. Wilson were two of the first board of trustees in this dis- trict.
The law for the establishment of public schools was passed in 1852. A new school house, known as the Cole school house, was soon after built. L. Adams was the first teacher, and he was followed by John Ballinger, Doctor Chew and John King.
The first school in Nevada was taught by James H. Martin. He had fifteen or sixteen scholars and held classes in a small log building. Other teachers were John C. Riley, J. Hyatt and George Wise. The first free school was taught by Jesse Morgan and the second by Lizzie Morgan.
Liberty township schools have kept pace during the last twenty years with the best in the state. In the quality of work done and the efficiency developed, the township has a splendid record. In Sharpsville there is to be found one of the most excellent high school buildings in the state. A con- siderable amount of money has been expended recently for the introduction of vocational training into this school, a feature which has come to be realized as having maximum value in the training of the child. The increased meth- ods of transportation have enabled the country child to attend the larger schools, and everything, including the new consolidation system, points to a great future for the schools of Liberty township.
IN .WILDCAT TOWNSHIP.
Before the law authorizing a system of public schools was in force, the pioneers of Wildcat township took steps toward the education of their chil- dren in the primary branches.
In a rude little log cabin near Mud creek, in the northern part of the township in 1848, the first school was taught in Wildcat township. This building was constructed by the neighbors in the vicinity, and served the pur- pose of a school for about three years, at the end of which time it was abandoned. The first teacher in this school was David Decker, and he was a very competent man.
The second house erected for school purposes in this township was at the village of Windfall, and was built by voluntary contribution. Among the early teachers here were Mr. Jackson. Benjamin Legg and Arthur Legg.
The first frame school house was constructed in the northeast corner of the township. in what was then known as the Pierce settlement. The date of the erection of this school cannot be ascertained. An early school house,
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known as the Couch school, was built prior to 1855 and stood two and a half miles east of Windfall. It was a log structure and in use for several years.
In 1855 an election was called to decide whether the township school land should be sold, but as no one came out to vote for or against the meas- ure, a petition was drawn up in favor of the project, by John Nutter, to which the names of all citizens, except one, were attached. As soon as the section was disposed of, measures were taken to erect public school houses at regular intervals, and an enumeration of children taken. This enumeration showed that forty children between the ages of six and twenty-one were then residing in the township.
Wildcat township schools are now well equipped and are systematically following the code of rules which is recognized to be the best and most ef- ficient in the educational world. Consolidation and vocational training are finding their place in the schools of this township as in other parts of the county. The teachers employed today are the best to be had; in fact, the re- quirements of the state now make it imperative that the teacher shall be educated and of proven ability to instruct scholars. Today in Wildcat town- ship the country boy or girl has educational advantages equal to the child within touch of the metropolitan school. ·
SOME EARLY STATISTICS.
In the years 1848 and 1849 the county was called upon to vote on the question of free schools. In 1848 the result of this vote in favor of free schools was as follows: Cicero, 86; Jefferson, 95; Prairie, 39; Wildcat. 6: Madison, 47; total, 273. And the vote against free schools was: Cicero, II; Jefferson, 8; Prairie, 35; Wildcat, 6; Madison, 33; total, 93. The vote of 1849 was also in favor of free public schools, the vote standing 201 to 189.
The total school fund, congressional, in 1854 was $11,991.40. The total school fund in 1855 was $30,317.08, and in 1863 the common school fund was $7,639.56 and the congressional fund $25,988.89. In 1877 the common school fund was $14,132.08 and the congressional fund $26,008.42.
In 1860 there were 2,977 children between five and twenty-one years in the county, 47 districts, 2,123 children attending schools, and 50 teachers.
In 1853 there were only eight school houses in the county of Tipton. In 1878 there were sixty, and in 1883 there were about ninety. In 1878 there were 5,180 children of school age in the county, six of them being colored. The average daily attendance was then 2,529. There were seventy-eight dis- tricts where school was taught, and the average number of school days in the
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year was one hundred and twenty. Eighty-six public teachers were paid for their services, the average wages being males, $2.06; females, $1.86, in the country, and in town, males, $2.99; females, $1.98. Thirty-two township institutes were held in 1878. The apportionment of common school revenue was $14,132.32, amount of congressional fund, $26,008.42.
EDUCATION IN 1914.
In the city of Tipton alone there are 1, 125 pupils in all branches. Two school buildings are in use, the principal one being the beautiful new high school, which was erected in 1907 at a cost of $100,000. Twenty-three teachers are employed, also eight in the parochial schools. Thirty-five thou- sand dollars is the approximate amount spent in the year 1913 for the main- tenance of the Tipton schools.
In the whole county there is a school enrollment of 3,701, of which number 1,889 are males and 1,812 females. There are sixty-five school houses in the county, all of brick but three, which are frame. Five com- missioned high schools are located respectively at Tipton, Sharpsville, Wind- fall, Kempton and Goldsmith. There are 218 teachers in the county, fifty- three men and sixty-five women. Fifty-seven thousand five hundred and sixty-three dollars and fifty-five cents was paid to this force of teachers in 1913, making an average wage of $3.19 per day.
AS IN 1889.
It is interesting to compare the above figures with the ones issued in August, 1889. In this year there were 3,259 male and 2,965 female children, making a total of 6,225. There were forty-four brick and forty frame school houses in the county, making a total of eighty-four. There were eighty-one male and nineteen female teachers, with an average pay of a trifle over $2 per day.
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CHAPTER XII.
CHURCH HISTORY.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized at Tipton in 1845-6, and the members first worshipped at the different residences. In 1851 the society undertook to construct a house of worship, but the work was not finished until 1856. After the burning of the court house in 1857, this church build- ing was used for court purposes for three years. The structure finally became too small, and in 1879 the members erected a handsome brick building on North Main street. The old house was sold to the Christian (New Lights). The founder and first pastor of the church was Rev. R. D. Robinson. Edward Kirk was another very early pastor. Following came these pastors: William Pentze, 1848: William P. Hollingsworth, 1849; R. A. Newton, 1851 : J. Hopkins, 1852; I. Kirk and N. D. Shackleford, 1853: W. K. Hoback. 1854: M. S. Morrison, 1855-6; W. B. Bradford, 1857-8; G. Havens, 1859: W. R. Edmonson, 1860; D. F. Stright, 1861 : J. T. Shackleford. 1862-3; S. T. Stout. 1864; W. J. Martindale and C. Stafford. 1865: C. Martindale. 1866; J. E. Ervin, 1867 : J. Black, 1868: F. W. Keeler supplied in 1869: C. Brock, 1870: J. H. Pyke and A. J. Lewellen, 1872; O. S. Harrison, 1874: W. S. McKaig. 1875; T. Sells, 1876; M. S. Metts, 1878: A. S. Wooten, 1881 : A. Cone, 1884: E. E. Neal, 1887; E. F. Hasty, 1890: M. Mahin, 1892 ; D. C. Woolpert, 1895: W. W. Martin, 1896; J. O. Bills, 1899: C. W. Lynch, 1900: U. S. A. Bridge, 1901; F. G. Brown, 1905; P. F. Powell, 1908: O. A. Trabue, 1910. and Arthur Cates in 1914.
The present membership of the church, in January. 1914, is seven hun- dred and fifty. The enrollment of the Sunday school totals four hundred and fifty. The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, the Standard Bearers, the Woman's Home Missionary Society, the Queen Esther Circle and the Ep- worth League. are societies which aid in the work of the church.
Abraham Kemp died on February 4. 1902, and bequeathed to the Meth- odists the approximate sum of forty thousand dollars with which to erect a
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, WINDFALL.
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KEMP METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, TIPTON.
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house of worship. By December of that year, after the name "Kemp" had been adopted, the lots ordered purchased, and the architect employed, the plans were adopted. The contract was awarded to Ed Henry of Tipton. On April 18, 1903, the first work was done on the church building. On June 25th the corner stone was laid, and during the week of June 5-12, 1904, the magnificent church was dedicated to the public under the name of the Kemp Memorial Methodist Episcopal church. The church lot is located on the corner of North Main and Walnut streets, and measures one hundred and eleven by one hundred and ninety-eight feet, while the church building meas- ures one hundred and eleven by ninety feet. The structure is built of Indiana oolitic limestone, and the wall linings are of brick. The woodwork of the first floor is oak, dark antique finish. The second floor is finished in yellow pine, natural finish. The various windows are made of opalescent, cathedral and ripple glass. Electric lights are installed in the building, with emergency gas burners. The church is heated with steam. The pipe organ has two manuals, and one thousand and sixty pipes. The auditorium has a seating capacity of four hundred and fifty.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Sharpsville was organized in the fall of 1852, by Rev. Hopkins, who was the preacher in charge of the Nor- manda circuit. The first class was composed of the following members : Madison Grishaw, America Grishaw, James Comer and wife, Washington Grishaw. Caleb Richardson and wife, George Richardson and wife, Callaway Pierce and wife, V. C. Wisner and several others.
In 1854 Milton Mahin was presiding elder, and Nathan Shackleford preacher in charge, assisted by W. K. Hoback. Martin Morrison was ap- pointed in the fall of 1854, reappointed in the spring of 1855, and failed to fill the charge. Rev. Richey was appointed in 1856 by Elder Lamb to fill the place. The district was then known as the Peru district. In the spring of 1857 J. J. Cooper, presiding elder, appointed William Bradford, who re- mained two years. Under his supervision the Methodist Episcopal church building was commenced. Then followed Rev. George Havens, from 1859 to 1861, who completed the church building, which was dedicated by his father, Rev. James Havens. J. W. T. McMullen was the preacher in charge in 1861. The following year Rev. William Edmonson was in charge. The following spring Joseph Shackleford was appointed and remained two years. In the next spring came D. F. Streight, who remained one year. After that came Silas Stout, one year; James Black, one year; and W. J. Martindale, six months. The presiding elder employed C. W. Stafford to complete Martin-
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dale's time. Then was sent Charles Martindale, one year, who was followed by J. E. Erwin, and Rev. Keeler, Rev. C. Brock and H. C. Clingle.
In the spring of 1869 Sharpsville was set off from Tipton and made a separate circuit, and in 1870 Rev. L. R. Streeter was sent here and remained a period of three years. During his pastorate, Nash's chapel was constructed. Then followed T. J. Elkin, who stayed three years; A. H. Currie, three years ; D. D. Powell, two years; T. H. C. Beall, one year, and F. A. Fish, one year. Rev. White came next. In town, the Methodists first met in a vacant dwelling house south of the square, and then in the school house, until the church was completed.
Since 1885 the pastors of the church have been Revs. A. M. Patterson, Ed Osborne, J. A. Ross Gehring, W. E. McCarty, M. F. Stright, J. F. Rad- cliff, C. E. Disbrow, C. M. Hollopeter, S. Billheimer, C. Tinkham, O. V. L. Harbour, and the present pastor, W. C. Asay. The brick church building was constructed in 1900, and cost twelve thousand dollars. The present mem- bership is three hundred and the Sunday school has an enrollment of two hundred and fifty. The societies are the Ladies' Aid, Woman's Home Mis- sionary, Queen Esther circle, Ushers' Union and the Junior League.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Windfall was organized by Rev. George Havens at the village school house, in the year 1857, with an original membership of four or five families. The school house was used as a meeting place until 1873, at which time a frame edifice was erected. costing eighteen hundred dollars. Rev. George Havens was the first pastor, and after him came Revs. R. A. Newton, F. A. Fish, E. M. Baker, D. D. Powell, R. B. Powell. John Kane, P. J. Albright, F. A. Fish, E. W. Osborne.
One of the handsomest churches in the county of Tipton is the Methodist Episcopal church edifice at Windfall. In beauty of line. architectural efficiency and convenient arrangement. this church occupies the front rank of churches and is very unusual in towns the size of Windfall. This church was begun during the pastorate of Rev. S. F. Harter in 1911, and was dedi- cated in September, 1913. The total cost was twenty-eight thousand dollars. most of this sum coming from private subscriptions. The church has rooms for every need, including a spacious basement fitted for public meetings. The auditorium is so arranged that every member of the congregation faces the speaker directly, and the walls and ceiling of this room are designed in view of the highest acoustic properties. A memorial pipe organ is but another feature of the interior, and also every art glass window in the church is a memorial. There are two hundred members of this church at present, with a Sunday school of three hundred enrollment. The Ladies' Aid Society is
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prominent in the work of the church, as is the Epworth League. Rev. W. E. Hamilton is the present pastor of the church, having come here in 1913. In no small part is the success of the church due to his efforts. Preceding him, and since 1885, have been the following pastors: J. V. Terflinger, 1885; · Carpenter and Ross, 1887-9; W. E. McCarty, 1890; A. H. Currie, 1892; A. A. Turner, 1893; David Wells, 1895; A. E. Sarah, 1899; T. A. Graham, 1897; E. B. Westhafer, 1901 ; G. W. Keesling, 1903; A. J. Carey, 1905; R. H. Smith, 1907; Robert Burns, 1908; R. C. Jones, 1910; S. F. Harter, 1911; Harter also in 1912.
In 1909 the Methodist Episcopal church came into existence at Hobbs, due to the separation from the Windfall church. Rev. B. M. Bechdolt was the first pastor of the Hobbs congregation, and he was followed in order by Revs. Alonzo Burns; the third pastorate he succeeded himself, Walter Fouts, and E. C. Fisher, the present incumbent, in 1913. There are about seventy- five members of the church in January, 1914, and the Sunday school enroll- ment numbers one hundred. There is a Ladies' Aid Society. At this time there is a parsonage being built, and plans are laid to construct a good church building adjoining.
Goldsmith Methodist Episcopal church was organized through the labors of Dr. J. A. Bouse, who started a movement for the erection of a church building at the village in 1881. John Magnet donated ground for the pur- pose and work began on the building at once, which was soon completed at a cost of one thousand dollars. It was a beautiful frame structure, stood north of the village, and did great credit to the originators of the movement. A short time after its completion, a meeting was called for the purpose of or- ganizing a class, which was effected through the efforts of Rev. M. S. Metts and Miss Kate Lubrick, an evangelist, assisted by Dr. J. A. Bouse. The class was organized with but three members, Sylvanus Bouse and wife, and Doc- tor Bouse, but in a short time this number was materially increased. It was attached to Shielville circuit, of the northern Indiana conference, and in 1882 became the principal head of the Goldsmith circuit. The pastors of the church have been Rev. E. W. Osborne and F. G. Brown. In 1883 a parsonage was purchased for six hundred dollars.
The Goldsmith Methodist Episcopal church has now about two hundred members, and the pastor is Rev. H. L. Liddle. The church is prosperous, and very popular in the vicinity.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Kempton has at present about two hundred members and is in charge of Rev. Modlin. The church building is a
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handsome brick structure, built in 1902. The church now is in a prosperous condition.
A Methodist class was organized at Nevada, Liberty township, in the fall of 1858, by John B. Fish, of Sharpsville, who was a local preacher and traveled extensively in that capacity. He also filled vacancies in circuits . sometimes, and was one of the pioneer Methodists. He died at his home in Sharpsville in 1879. Some of the original members were William Stockdale and wife, Wesley K. Bailey and wife, and A. D. Doggett and wife.
The first religious services held in Madison township were conducted under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal church, about the year 1839, in what was then known as the Center school house. The first preacher was Rev. Sanford Williams, under whose labors an organization was effected at the same place a few months later, consisting of the following members : Joseph A. Wright and wife, John B. Cole and wife, Miss Rebecca Cole, Sarah E. Wright, Mary Orr, Absalom Hobbs and wife, Martha Going, Malinda Going, Allen Going. Within a year the membership had increased substantially, although as yet they had no regular pastor, and had preaching just occasion- ally. It continued with varying success until near 1880, when. the strength had so decreased that it was thought well to dissolve the church relationship, which was done accordingly. The first regular supply was Rev. John Kelly, who preached at the home of Joseph A. Wright for one year. He was fol- lowed by Rev. Huffaker, under whose pastorate the meeting place was changed to the Antioch school house, which served as a place of worship dur- ing the life of the organization. The next in order was Rev. Tansey, who was succeeded by Revs. Pentsen, Newton. Hollingsworth. Cothron and others.
In the year 1863 Ervin Huntsinger, of the Protestant Methodist church, held a meeting at the Goodknight school house in Jefferson township. and organized a society composed as follows: Archibald Dick and wife, Owen Reese and wife, James Stroup, Howard Moon and wife, George Moon and wife, Garrett White and wife, Samuel Dunham and wife, Jane Draper, Ann M. Reese and Ellen Dunham. Rev. Douglas was the first pastor and preached two years. After him came Revs. Miller, Swazey, Boxwell. Smith. Evans and Heim. Their place of worship was a frame building, thirty-four by thirty-eight feet in size, and was erected in 1873. It stood a short distance north of Kempton, on land donated by David Goodknight, and cost sixteen hundred dollars.
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CHRISTIAN CHURCH, KEMPTON.
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CHRISTIAN CHURCHES.
The Christian church at Tipton was organized July 29, 1855, by H. St. John Van Dake, an evangelist, with the following as charter members: John Whisler, Caleb Parish, John W. Chambers, Temple Fleet, A. B. Goodrich, Mary Goodrich, Samuel Deal, Ann Deal, Phoebe Nelson, Nancy Thomas, Betsy Whisler and Lanzel Parish. Of this number, John Whisler and Samuel Deal were chosen as elders, and Caleb Parish and John W. Chambers, dea- cons, the latter also clerk. No regular preacher was secured until October. 1859, when Elder B. M. Blount was employed for one year, to preach on alternate Sundays. The meetings had been held in the school house. The school not being adequate to the needs of the congregation, a committee was appointed to confer with the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church, who gave them their house of worship for use every other Sunday. On March 24, 1860, Joseph Van Buskirk was chosen elder, and John W. Chambers and John Young, deacons. Until 1864 Blount and Thomas Bernow were the pastors, and succeeding them have been Knowles, Shaw. B. M. Blount, Col- lins. W. S. Winfield. J. E. Taylor. J. B. Blount. L. H. Jamison, H. R. Prit- chard. D. R. Van Buskirk, A. H. Morris. A. F. Armstrong, R. S. Blount and R. A. Gilcrist and C. G. Bartholomew.
In 1870 the society built a magnificent brick church, which cost about six thousand dollars. It was dedicated by Elder M. B. Hopkins. The Sunday school was organized over Boyer's wagon shop about 1865, and J. B. Blount was the first superintendent.
Since 1890 the following have been pastors of the church: Revs. Robert Sellers. E. S. Conner. L. E. Sellers, T. H. Kuhn, E. A. Cole, W. C. Bower, Audley Heathers, George W. Henry. L. H. Stine and G. I. Hoover. Rev. A. H. Moore is the present pastor.
The new church building was constructed in 1907-8. at a total cost of thirty thousand dollars, including the furniture and pipe organ. The build- ing is known as the West Street Christian church. The present membership of the church is about nine hundred and the Sunday school has an attend- ance of about three hundred and sixty. The Ladies' Aid, the Young People's Christian Endeavor, the Junior Young People's Christian Endeavor, and the Christian Women's Board of Missions are the societies in the church.
The Windfall Christian church was organized from an old church which formerly existed near Irvin creek, in the northern part of the township. The original organization was brought about through the labors of Elders Rich-
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