USA > Indiana > History of the Church of the Brethren in Indiana > Part 14
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The Sunday School was organized in 1882 with Samuel Steiner as superintendent. The school grew quite large and prospered. Other superintendents have been Henry Hoke, Hiram Roose, I. S. Burns, Eli Garber, Amanda Miller. John Frederick, Harvey Schwalm and Earl Nusbaum.
The church continues in a prosperous condition with 178 members at the present time. The congregation has purchased a parsonage farm which will doubtless furnish a good project for the men of the church as well as bringing in a good income, and furnish a home for future pastors.
CHURCHES DISORGANIZED
When the Brethren settled in various parts of Northern Indiana, they literally "went everywhere preaching the Word." Later on, as
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the country became more thickly populated, the tendency was for them to settle more in groups, and thus churches were established. Our strongest churches were started in this way. However some of the groups worked on for years without making much progress, due per- haps to various causes ; so that locations that seemed promising at first, gradually weakened and finally were disorganized. Two such places of which we have no detailed record were WINAMAC and CHRISTIAN. We have no record of the date of their organization, the work done, nor the exact date of their disorganization, though we know it was be- tween 1873 and 1886.
The FLAT ROCK CHURCH was located south of Fort Wayne, near Monroeville, and was disorganized in 1901. We do not know the date of its organization nor the work done there, though we do know that the District Mission Board directed their work for some years.
PIGEON RIVER was an organization located in the northeastern part of Indiana, around Angola, and carried on for a number of years. We do not know the date of its organization, but it was disorganized in 1910.
POKAGON was an organization in Cass County, Michigan, and under the control of the Mission Board for a number of years. It was organized somewhere around 1870, and was formerly part of the Portage congregation. It never prospered very much and was dis- organized in 1912.
LITTLE ST. JOE congregation originally was part of the South Bend church, and lay to the northeast, east and southeast of that city. Later the St. Joe Valley church was organized and took off the northern part of this territory. When the Baugo congregation was organized in the western part of Elkhart County, it greatly weakened this church, so that in time it existed only in name. Their membership was scat- tered and they had no regular minister, and finally, no services. In 1912 they asked District Meeting for disorganization, which was granted, the members going to surrounding churches.
The SOLOMON'S CREEK church was organized in 1918. The territory lay to the north and west of Syracuse, and had been a part of the Bethany congregation. Part of the membership may have been from New Paris, or even Syracuse. It was in existence only ten years. They never had a resident minister and but few deacons. After making a noble effort they were disorganized in 1928, some placing their membership at Rock Run, and some with Bethany and New Paris.
SHIPSHEWANA (1857-1938)
Shipshewana, formerly part of the Rock Run congregation, was organized in 1857. At that time it included all of Lagrange County,
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comprising the territory from which later were organized the English Prairie, Topeka and Van Buren churches. The latter two have since been disorganized.
The first ministers were David Truby, Henry Gephart and Abram Bare. The first deacons were Samuel Doney and Samuel Lupold. Since then the church called to the ministry, David and Samuel Lu- pold, 1857; Benjamin Leer, 1870; D. D. Bolinger and Charles Stuts- man, 1886; Forest Nickler, 1915. Elias Schrock, Bejamin Bolinger and J. H. Schrock moved in.
Presiding elders of this congregation have been, Jacob Berkey, David Truby, Samuel Lupold, Benjamin Leer, J. H. Fike and J. H. Schrock. Benjamin Leer was presiding elder here for thirty years. Some of the deacons were, John Bolinger, Amos Atland, Joseph Roberts, S. R. Yoder, L. D. Fry, Dallas Zigler, William Nickler and Harry Simpson.
For some years the church was in a flourishing condition, but for various reasons, death, migration, etc., the membership grew smaller and the congregation was finally disorganized in 1938.
ST. JOSEPH VALLEY (1881-1921)
The St. Joseph Valley congregation was a part of the St. Joseph congregation until January 29, 1881, when the new church was or- ganized. John Wrightsman was chosen pastor. Peter Cripe, Thomas Longley, Joseph Ulery Sr. and Joseph Ulery Jr. were deacons. Sun- day School was organized in 1882. Isaac Miller was the second pastor. In 1882 Frank Hendricks was called to the ministry; David Miller, in 1884; Jerry Bottorff in 1895. Later deacons were: Frank Bottorff, Clinton Peterson, Jacob Esseg, Henry Wenger, Canon Smith, Henry Berkey, Jerry Bottorff, Claude Ullery, Grant Miller and M. A. Harbaugh.
David S. Cripe was pastor and elder here for many years. Their house of worship, two miles north of South Bend, was the first meeting house in the St. Joseph church before the territory was divided. The church was finally disorganized in 1921 and the members transferred to the two churches in South Bend.
TOPEKA (1867-1931)
Elder Jacob Berkey did the first preaching near Topeka, formerly called the Hawpatch. The church was organized in 1867. The fol- lowing are charter members: Vick Gary and wife, Peter Yoder and wife, Elias Schrock and wife; Abram Gerber, wife and son. Elias Schrock was the first minister.
In 1869 the members and their friends built the first and only house of worship in what is now the town of Topeka. In 1882
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the first Sunday School was organized. It was a union Sunday School with friend David Hartzler as superintendent.
In 1895 the church called to the ministry Michael Bowman. He lived here for many years until his death in 1926. In 1891 William Greenawalt was called to the ministry. He later moved to Goshen.
In 1913 the house of worship was remodeled. That same year the congregation took the name Topeka. Eld. I. S. Burns lived here for a time and was elder of the congregation. Andrew Yountz, formerly a Mennonite minister, assisted in the ministry for a while. Finally the membership grew less and the interest waned until the congregation was disorganized in 1931.
PLEASANT VIEW CHAPEL (1915-1930)
This congregation was originally part of the Bethel Church and was organized in 1915 with thirty-five members. Their territory was small as the church house was located within three or four miles of other churches on all sides, and there was no room for expansion. There was no resident minister. John Neff, John Weybright, James Maloy and Clinton Calendar were deacons residing here. Interest gradually waned and they were disorganized in 1930 with the mem- bers placing their membership in the surrounding congregations. The building was donated to Camp Mack which was located only a mile away, and thus it is still in use.
PORTAGE (1831-1921)
This was the second organization of the Brethren in Northern Indiana, being established about 1831. The first minister was Elder David Miller, who had also been the pioneer preacher in the Nettle Creek congregation in Wayne County, Indiana. In 1834 the church called Jacob Miller to the ministry, who became a man of great in- fluence and ability, not only at home but elsewhere as well. Under his services the church grew strong in numbers.
In 1851 a house of worship was built eight miles northwest of South Bend, being the first one that the brethren built in Northern Indiana. It stood in a beautiful oak grove near the Michigan line. It was in use for many years.
Associated with Jacob Miller in the ministry was his brother James. Later the church called Thurston Miller to the ministry; also John Heaston, F. F. Fields and Isaac Miller. Since Portage included part of South Bend, at different times there lived in the congregation Peter Wrightsman, D. B. Sturgis, John Wrightsman and John Sturgis.
Some of the deacons who lived here were: Peter Wycoff, Michael Augustine, George Witter, George Scott, John Stroup, James Houston, Christian Hollar, Samuel Keltner, Jacob Whitmer, William
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Strauss, William Brown, John Wedell, Daniel Wagner and Thomas Longley.
At one time Portage was one of the largest churches in North- ern Indiana. Its territory was the northwestern part of St. Joseph County, Laporte County, and Berrien and Cass Counties in Michigan. The Berrien church was organized in 1867, taking Berrien County, Mich. The Laporte church was organized in 1870, taking Laporte County. The Pokagon Church was organized about the same time in Cass County, Mich. These weakened the mother church greatly in numbers. The division in 1882 took many more into the Progressive Church. Bro. Amsey Puterbaugh labored here for some time trying to build up the work. Finally in 1921 the property was sold and the funds held in endowment, the interest being divided equally each year to the four churches that once were part of this territory, Buchanan, Laporte, Michigan City and Second South Bend.
COLUMBIA CITY (1875-1927)
In the early sixties a few brethren families, mostly from Ohio, located near Columbia City, associating themselves with the Blue River congregation. Among these was a deacon by the name of Daniel Brown. To his untiring efforts much of the success of the church of the past is due. In all there were about twenty members.
Being some ten or twelve miles from their church home, they naturally desired a more accessible place of worship. This desire was granted and the Columbia City Church was organized in 1875. Soon a good church house was erected one mile west of the city. At first the congregation had no resident minister. Elder Jeremiah Gump was elder in charge. After some years David Workman was elected to the ministry and a few years later, Henry Lilly. Bro. Lilly soon moved away.
The church continued for some years with varied success. At no time did the membership exceed forty. Bro. Workman was often ill and disappointed the people at their services, being unable to attend. In 1901 Bro. Leonard Hire from the Blue River congregation located here and helped for a time.
Finally, since it was evident that the church was losing out, they sold their house to another congregation. They tried to have serv- ices for awhile in a rented room. At last the District Mission Board took charge and closed the place. The congregation was disorganized in 1927 and the few members were granted letters to nearby churches.
SOUTH BEND (1868); NORTH LIBERTY (1917); OAK GROVE (1942)
This congregation originally comprised all of the southwest part of St. Joseph County, including the city of South Bend from Michigan
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Street west and Washington Street south, along what was then known as Michigan Road, now as U. S. 31, to the county line and west to the Kankakee River. Before 1868 it even included the western part of Elkhart County, but in that year the eastern part was separated and was known as the St. Joseph Church.
Abraham Whitmer was the pioneer promoter and elder of this congregation until his death, when his son, Daniel, became the elder and ruled for many years. Later, Daniel Hartman was elder for many years. He was followed by Daniel Whitmer's son, M. I. Whit- mer. A history of the Whitmers was almost a history of the church, for father, son and grandson presided nearly all of her history. In fact for many years it was familiarly known as the Whitmer Church. Claude Ullery and Charles Yoder had charge the last few years. In 1882 there were 175 members, though the number greatly decreased as the years went on, by those moving away, and also in 1917 when the North Liberty congregation was organized and the original terri- tory took the name of Oak Grove.
Abraham Whitmer and his helpers established a number of preach- ing points in the territory; the main one on his own farm in Green Township, where the Oak Grove Church stood for many years; an- other on the Michigan Road five miles south of South Bend, known as Palmer's Prairie Church ; another at the Waldsmith school house, four miles southeast of the Whitmer Church; and another at the Taylor school house two miles west of North Liberty.
Jonathan Cripe, a minister in the second degree moved in 1904. He was ordained in 1905. His son, Charles C., was elected to the ministry the same day. In 1906 Harvey S. Bowers was elected to the ministry. Other ministers who served in the congregation at various times were William Borough, Elmer Heim, John Brumbaugh and Claude Ullery.
Some of the deacons who served here during the years were: Daniel Plabse, David Whitmer, W. H. Finkenbinder, Henry Cripe, Frank Kale, Samuel Bates, Henry Miller, Enos Bowers, Harvey Yoder, Elmer Yoder, Jacob Warner, Christian Hawblitzel, William Arnold, Samuel Good, Jerry Peters, Larmon Foote, Russel Clark, Russel Narragon, Harry Miller, Charles Stroup and Charles Narragon.
After a number of years a group of retired farmers and others moved to North Liberty; they purchased a vacant Episcopal Church, remodeled it and in 1917 were organized as the North Liberty congre- gation. From this time on the work at Oak Grove gradually declined. Quite a few moved away and others of other faiths moved in. Brethren Claude Ullery and Charles Yoder, who lived in South Bend, struggled hard to keep the work going, but the church was disorganized in 1942.
CHAPTER III CONGREGATIONS-SOUTHERN INDIANA
ANDERSON
From Four Mile, the Mother Church in Indiana, has come two of the largest churches in our Southern District. Anderson, one of these, has the largest membership for a single church in the district.
In 1893 the General Mission Board through the Annual Confer- ence, held at Muncie, sent Ella Raffensberger (Mrs. Jesse Webster) to organize a Sunday School and arrange for preaching service.
Brother J. S. Alldredge was made Superintendent of the Sunday School, with Joseph Saunders assistant; William Hoover, Secretary- Treasurer; Lizzie Simons, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer; S. A. Emswiler, Chorister, with John Childs, William Simons and J. S. Alldredge as Trustees.
The first preaching service was called by Ella Raffensberger for 9:30 A. M. June 25, 1893. To be held in a room above the Sells Under- taking Home at 9th and Jackson Sts., the service to be conducted in English. Sixteen people gathered for that service, being J. S. Alldredge and wife Leathy, who still worship here, Ella Raffensberger, Elders Fred Fessler and Joseph Holder, who did the preaching, Wm. Hoover and wife Susan, John L. Childs and wife Margaret (Sister Childs still worships here), William Simons and wife Mary, their son, Joseph and daughter, Lizzie, Samuel Emswiler and wife Jennie, and Joseph Saunders. Other ministers who served in these early days were Henry Longanecker and George Stump.
In 1894 Brethren Fred Fessler, J. S. Alldredge and Roadcap solicited one day for money to purchase a building lot. This was dur- ing a depression when all the factories but the Philadelphia Quartz Works were closed, and only one of the Brethren was employed. The Dunkers were held in high esteem, and $120.00 was received with which they bought two lots, 21-29 Mckinley St. It was then that three brethren, Fessler, Shock and Larcher, donated standing trees in the forest and members of the church cut and sawed them into lumber for a 30 x 45 building. Brother Larcher and partner hauled the logs to the mill and Noah Ham drayed the lumber to the lots. Elder J. R. Wellington, who was an experienced carpenter, superintended the work which was donated by unemployed people. The building committee was John Childs, Treas., William Simons, Pres., and J. S. Alldredge, Secy. In Oct., 1894, the new church was dedicated with Elder David
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Richards preaching the sermon. There was a debt of $700, which was soon paid by money gifts at quarterly council meetings.
Soon the church grew larger in numbers as Brethren families moved in from other congregations and through revivals, Bible insti- tutes, music schools, and cottage revivals. At one of these cottage meetings there were twenty-two conversions. The first revival was held by Elder Walter Gustin. Followed by Henry Fadely, David Richards, B. M. Rollins, Jacob Heisted, Henry Longanecker, Isaac Wike, John McCarty, Wm. Boggs and Elden M. Petry.
In 1911 the church building was enlarged and dedicated with Elder Lewis Teeter preaching the dedicatory sermon. Again in 1915 the church was remodeled and rededicated with Elder David Hoover preaching the sermon.
A beautiful new brick building was erected in 1930 and the dedi- catory sermon given by Brother J. O. Winger.
Until 1940 the church was served by the free ministry, the men being; Elders J. S. Alldredge, 1916-24; Henry Longanecker, 1924 -; D. W. Bowman, 1925-1937; R. L. Showalter, 1937-40. Brother A. P. Musselman the first full time pastor served from 1940 until 1947. Brother Elden M. Petry came in 1947 and is the present pastor.
In 1932 and in 1939 the Annual Conference was held in the city of Anderson on the Church of God college grounds.
The church has a fully organized active Women's Work and Men's Work.
In fifty years the church has grown from five families to a meni- bership of three hundred and thirty seven.
The following lists are: Ministers ordained, Elders who have served and Deacons installed in the Anderson Church.
Ministers ordained in Anderson: Frank E. Hay, 1914; Alfred B. Roof, 1916; Henry Sink, 1916; D. W. Bowman, 1929; Russel L. Showalter, 1935; Clarence H. Hoover, 1933.
Ministers who have lived in Anderson are; Henry Sink, A. B. Roof, D. W. Bowman, Marion Norris, R. L. Showalter, C. H. Hoover, F. E. Hay, Paul Hiatt, A. P. Musselman, Howard Martin, Carnie Carpenter, Elden M. Petry, J. S. Alldredge.
Elders who have served the Anderson Church are: Fred Fesler- 1893, John R. Wellington-1910, Moses Smeltzer-1915, David F.
Anderson
Antioch
Arcadia
Beech Grove
Buck Creek
Fairview
Four Mile
Howard
CHURCH - BRETHREN
T
-
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Hoover-1918, D. W. Bowman-1925, R. L. Showalter-1937, A. P. Musselman-1940, Elden M. Petry-1947.
Deacons installed in the Anderson Church: Charles Johnson- baugh-1924, Levi Wise-1925, Will Smith-1930, Frank Krall-1930. William Marshall-1939, Earnest Heagy-1939, Kenneth Norris-1945, John W. Showalter-1945.
ANTIOCH
The Killbuck Church was organized in 1860 with ten members. In twenty-two years by 1882 the church numbered forty members with Brother Hiram Branson as Elder and Brethren John Mahoney, J. R. Wellington, R. W. Branson and Isaac Branson as Ministers.
At one time the organization included Summitville. During the seventies a house was built west of Muncie known as Pleasant Run. These church houses have been abandoned and in 1890 the present church five miles northwest of Muncie was built. Brother Ira Hiatt was ordained in this church and Brother J. W. Priddy was relieved from the ministry by his own request.
December 17, 1946, the name of the church was changed from Killbuck Congregation, Antioch House, to Antioch. Paul Vise was licensed to the ministry in 1946 and refused a license in 1947. Eugene Wolverton was licensed in 1946.
The Bransons lived and worked many years in this church. J. R. Wellington, a man with force of character; an Elder in the church for some years, was born at Pitsburg, Ohio, and came to Indiana when quite young. His father was a Justice of the Peace, his wife was Matilda Holt. He died in 1906 when he was sixty-six years old. Brother James Hunter was pastor of the Antioch church from 1941- 1949. Lloyd Hilbert served 1949-1950, Floyd Bowman is the present pastor. The membership is one hundred and twenty.
Pastors who have served the church since 1913 are: Ira Hiatt, Vern Browning, James Hunter, and Lloyd Hilbert. Elders who have presided are: J. A. Miller, Vern Browning, E. O. Norris, Russel Showalter, Carl Rarick, Eldon Burke, Estel Mccullough and an Elders Committee. The Deacons are B. P. Ritchie, Orville Turner and R. Moore.
ARCADIA
The first Church of the Brethren to be organized in Southern District of Ind. was near College Corner, Union Co., which is now known as the Four Mile Church. From there the members migrated to Hamilton Co. Elder Joseph McCarty seems to have been the first preacher of the Church of the Brethren or Dunkards as they were then known.
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Joseph McCarty was born Aug. 1817 in Ohio and married Mary Surface of Ohio. They established their home there for a few years. In 1850 he with his family came to Ind. Where he went there were no roads or paths of any kind and he blazed a trail through the forest to the northern part of Hamilton Co. He established his home six miles west and nearly a mile north of the present location of Arcadia. His farm was west of 31 near Midway Filling Station. On the bank of the stream he erected a water power grist mill. At this place he reared his family of 12 children and 3 orphans. Several descendants are still living in the county.
Being a true pioneer preacher, Elder McCarty spent much time traveling the territory within his reach, holding services in the homes and communions in the barns. Later he moved a few miles northwest of Arcadia where Frank Landis now resides. Elder McCarty was a carpenter as well as a preacher. At the time of the 75th anniversary of the church in 1931, Mrs. Bertha Herschman, a grand-daughter, showed a lunch box that her grandfather carried when he worked away from home.
The next preacher to come here was Elias Caylor. His father came to this country from Germany. Elias Caylor was born in 1805. He was the 16th child in the family, and said to be the first white child born west of the Miami River. Elias grew up and married and later moved to Henry Co., to what was then known and still remains the Nettle Creek Church. In 1849 or 50 about the time Elder McCarty came to Hamilton Co., the Caylors came also and located east of Noblesville where a scattered settlement had been established. Here Elder Caylor aided in organizing the Stony Creek Church, the mother church of the Arcadia Congregation.
Six years later he came to the vicinity of Arcadia and im- mediately became interested in those living around here and organizing them into a church body, and became their Elder.
As had been his practice before, he preached often in surrounding territory including Montgomery Co. Here under the preaching of Mc- Carty and Caylor the noted late R. H. Miller was converted and baptized by Caylor.
The Arcadia Church of the Brethren was the second church of any denomination to be established in this vicinity. The Lutheran Church having been organized about four years previously.
The first several years of the church existence there was no regular place of worship. The members met in homes and school houses for services. The last communion service to be held in a barn was held in that of Andrew Eller.
In 1865 the church purchased from Elder Caylor the ground to erect a church building and laid out a cemetery. According to the deed
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the consideration was $60.00 for I acre. The first and only church building to be erected by the Arcadia church was built the following year, 1866. The timber for this building came from the farm of Mollie Miller, the mother of George Bowser and Henry Miller.
Elder Caylor was a farmer, preacher, and also had a harness shop at one time in Arcadia. Later he moved to Noblesville. Elder Caylor died 1889 at the age of 84 years and was buried in the cemetery near the church.
Elder McCarty received the charge of the church next and con- tinued until his death. Both he and his wife lie buried near the church.
At the death of McCarty, Elder Kellar of Bunker Hill was given the charge about one year. William Pierce of second degree was or- dained as elder during this time and became elder in charge in 1878 and continued until his death four years later. Elder Pierce was a shoemaker by trade, having a shop in Arcadia, later in Millersburg, which was then a rival of Arcadia. Then later in Atlanta. A little incident which occurred while he had his shop in Arcadia is worthy of notice. He had on his shelf, a pair of new boots that had been made to order and never called for. One day a young man came into the shop who could wear the boots. Pierce told him if he would purchase the boots he would perform his wedding ceremony free. The sale was made shortly after and Elder Pierce, true to his promise, united in marriage Joseph Kinder and Elizabeth Smeltzer. Elder Pierce and his wife died the year 1882 and lie buried near the church.
At this time Elder John Caylor of Noblesville, a nephew of Elias Caylor, was given charge of the church. He was elected deacon before the Stony Creek and Arcadia Churches were separate congregations. That particular council meeting was held in a barn on the farm owned by David Bright, between Arcadia and Cicero, now owned by Lee Tidler. Elder John Caylor died near Noblesville in 1899.
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