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2.464
Scott
3.097
Daviess
4.512
Hendricks
3,667
Spencer 3,187
Dubois
1,774
Henry
6,498
Shelby
6,294
Elkhart
935
Hamilton
1,750
Tippecanoe.
7,167
Franklin
10,990
Jefferson 11,465
Union
7,957
Fayette
9,112
Clinton
1,423
Vanderburgh 2,610
Fountain
7,644
Jackson
4 894
Vigo
5.736
Floyd
0,368
Johnson
4.139
Vermillion
5,706
Gibson
5,417
Jennings 3,950
Washington _13,072
Greene
4,253
Knox
6,557
Warren
2.854
Hancock
1,569
Lawrence
9,239
Warrick
2.973
Harrison 10,088
Martin
2,010
Wayne
18,589
Total 344,508
CHAPTER XII
RELIGION AND EDUCATION IN EARLY INDIANA
§ 55 CHURCHES
THERE was periodical preaching among the In- diana settlers from the earliest years of the nineteenth century. The log houses and barns of the settlers were used as meeting houses. Occasionally a rough pulpit was erected in the grove and more or less regular serv- ices held in the shade of the trees. Itinerant priests and preachers were pressed into service. Many of these were merely accidental visitors, others were traveling under the direction of eastern missionary societies.
The earliest church organization in Indiana was the Catholic at Vincennes. The records of this parish church date back to 1749. From this date to 1834, when Bishop Gabriel Bruté became the bishop of Vin- cennes, thirty priests had served in succession. The earlier priests, particularly Bishop Flaget, had traveled over Indiana, ministering to the Catholic settlers, re- validating marriages, administering sacraments, and receiving converts into communion. Much traditional evidence remains of the ministrations of this clergy- man.4
With the appointment of Bishop Bruté, Vincennes, which had formerly belonged to the diocese of Bards-
1 Rev. Herman Alerding, A History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes, 92. In 1823 and again in 1825 Bishop Flaget traveled from New Albany to Vincennes holding church at such places as New Albany, the Knobs, Mt. Pleasant, Wash- ington, and Black Oak Ridge. At Vincennes in an eight day meeting he secured three hundred converts.
316
317
THE METHODIST CHURCH
town, Kentucky, became an independent see. His juris- diction included Indiana and much of Illinois. As soon as the new St. Francis Xavier cathedral church at Vin- cennes was dedicated Bishop Bruté and the resident priest, Lalumiére, started on a tour of the State.2
The Catholic settlers were gathered into congrega- tions at suitable places and priests sent them as soon as possible. Bishop Bruté was a man of remarkable activity, and, by the time of his death, June 26, 1839, had the State well organized.3 Catholic missionaries worked among the Indians as well as among the white settlers. Fathers Bessonies and Kundeck are remem- bered with gratitude by many Protestants as well as Catholics.
The first session of the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church was held at New Albany in 1832. There were represented in the conference five presiding elders' districts. These were Madison, Charlestown, Indianapolis, Vincennes, and the Mission- ary district covering the whole northern part of the State.4 There were reported at this time 19,853 white members and 182 colored. There were sixty preachers appointed and four charges left unsupplied. These were under the direction of five presiding elders. There was scarcely a nook or corner of the State not reached by the famous circuit riders of this church.
As early as 1804 Peter Cartwright and Benjamin
2 In the Western Sun (Vincennes), March 4, 1826, is a no- tice by Father Champomier that the cornerstone of the new Cathedral Church would be laid March 30. Catholics and Protes- tants alike were invited and Protestants aided liberally in the work of construction. Nov. 6, following, the unfinished walls were thrown down by a violent wind. Indiana and Illinois then constituted the diocese. This was by far the finest church build- ing in the State.
3 Alerding, A History of the Diocese of Vincennes, 121-161, The Bishop was buried in the sanctuary of the Cathedral of Vin- cennes where his body still remains.
4 Rev. F. C. Holliday, Indiana Methodism, 75.
318
HISTORY OF INDIANA
Lakin, who were then riding the Shelby and Salt River circuits in Kentucky, crossed over and preached in Clark's grant. The principal gathering places of the early Methodists were at the homes of the Robinsons and Prathers near Charlestown.5
Mr. Cartwright also organized the first Methodist church in southwestern Indiana, in the Busroe settle- ment, about this time. These converts were organized into a class in 1808.6 Whitewater circuit, in western Ohio, was organized in 1806, soon after, including among its charges Brookville, Liberty and Conners- ville. In 1807 the Silver Creek circuit, in Clark coun- ty, was organized and placed under the charge of Rev. Moses Ashworth.7
In 1808 Indiana district was organized, including parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Among the noted preachers who devoted their lives to this work were Moses Crume, Josiah Crawford, Samuel Parker and William Winans. The latter is said to have been the first Protestant preacher to visit Vin- cennes. On one of his early visits he preached in the fort to the officers, a few English and French settlers, and a small number of Indians. Governor Harrison held the candle, by the light of which he read his text.8
In 1816 the Western Conference, of which Indiana circuit had been a part, was broken and the Missouri conference established. The Whitewater valley was placed in the Ohio conference and the rest of the State in the Missouri conference. All told, there were seven circuits in the State at the time.
In 1824 the Illinois conference was established, to
5 Nathan Robinson moved to Indiana from Kentucky in 1799 and was perhaps the pioneer Methodist of the State. Stevens, History of Methodism, IV, 152, 153; Sweet, Indiana Magazine of History, Dec., 1914.
6 Peter Cartwright, Autobiography.
7 F. C. Holliday, Indiana Methodism, 26.
8 F. C. Holliday, Indiana Methodism, 28.
319
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
include Illinois and Indiana. It held its first annual meeting at Charlestown, August 25, 1825. There were then four districts, with thirty-one circuits and sta- tions. At the next meeting, which was held at Bloom- ington, September 28, 1826, the reports showed a mem- bership in Indiana of 10,840.
No other church grew so rapidly during the pioneer period. A succession of able preachers, such as Jay C. Smith,9 Allen Wiley,10 Peter Cartwright,11 John Schrader, Richard Hargrave, William Cravens and scores of others, left evidence of their power not only in the remarkable organization of the church but on the political and educational institutions of the State. Among early Methodist laymen were such as Dennis Pennington, Ezra Ferris, James Scott and Isaac Dunn.
Unclean politics had headquarters at this time in the bar-rooms of the taverns. On these the Methodists made ceaseless war. On the other hand, many circuit riders preached frequently in bar-rooms, the tavern keeper maintaining excellent order during the time. It is said the first sermons heard in New Albany and Rising Sun were thus preached in bar-rooms.12
The Baptist was the pioneer Protestant church in Indiana. The first church of this denomination was organized at Owen's creek, near the Falls of the Ohio, in Knox county, November 22, 1798. There seems to have been four members.13 The congregation met either at Owen's creek, Fourteen Mile creek, or Silver creek. At the meeting of August 8, 1801, they chose delegates to the Salem, Kentucky, association and thus became a regularly organized church. March 21, 1812,
9 Reminiscences of Early Methodism in Indiana, 1879.
10 Life and Times of Rev. Allen Wiley, by F. C. Holliday. 1853 : Sketches of Western Methodism, by James B. Finley, 1856; Scenes in My Life, Rev. Mark Trafton, 1878.
11 Autobiography of Peter Cartwright.
12 F. C. Holliday, Indiana Methodism, 98.
13 W. T. Stott, Indiana Baptist History, 37.
320
HISTORY OF INDIANA
the allied churches, of Silver Creek, Mount Pleasant, Fourteen Mile, Knob Creek, Indian Creek, Upper Blue River, Lower Blue River, Camp Creek, Salem, and White River formed the Silver Creek association.14
However, this was not the first but the third asso- ciation formed by this church in Indiana. The first had been organized over at Vincennes in 1809, and had been named the Wabash. Besides a few Illinois con- gregations it included the Bethel, Patoka, Salem, Wa- bash, and the famous Maria Creek congregations in Indiana.
The second Indiana association was an offshoot of the old Miami association, and, taking its name from its own local Jordan, was called the Whitewater. Loughery association was organized in 1818; White River in 1821; Flat Rock, Little Pigeon and Salem in 1822; Liberty and Union in 1824; Lost River in 1825; Indianapolis in 1826; Coffee Creek and Danville in 1827; Madison and Tippecanoe in 1833; Curry's Prairie in 1834; Brownstown and White Lick in 1835; Northern in 1836; Bethel in 1837; Freedom and Sala- monie in 1840; Northeastern in 1841; Bedford, 1842; Sand Creek, 1843; Judson, 1848; Evansville and Long Run, 1850; Whitewater Valley, 1852; Weasaw Creek, 1853; Mount Zion, 1855; Friendship, 1856; Indiana (colored), 1858. This list shows at a glance the heroic work these men and women were doing. By 1840 every part of the State was reached by their ministers.
In April, 1833, representatives of twenty-one of these associations met at Brandywine church and or- ganized the Indiana Baptist association or convention. Its purpose was to unite all the Baptist churches in Indiana and thus conform to the spirit of the time. No early church was more energetic than the Baptist until internal dissensions over such questions as the origin of evil, missions, education, and ceremonials in a meas-
14 Indiana Baptist History, 77.
321
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
ure disrupted the organization and dissipated its zeal and resources.
Like the other Protestant churches, the Presby- terian made its entrance into Indiana from the neigh- boring charges in Kentucky. Members of the Ken- tucky churches were continually crossing the Ohio into Indiana. Nothing more natural than that the preach- ers would occasionally visit their former brethren on the north side of the river, or that the Transylvania presbytery should retain an interest in its people in their new homes in the wilderness. As early as 1804 such preachers as Samuel Rannels, James McGready, Thomas Cleland and Samuel B. Robertson crossed over from their stations to visit old friends in Clark and Knox counties.15 Even earlier, in 1803, Transylvania presbytery, sitting at Danville, Kentucky, determined to send missionaries to Indiana.16 The records of the presbytery show frequent applications by Indiana set- tlers for "supplies," as visiting preachers were called. One of these came to the presbytery, in 1805, from Knox county. In response Thomas Cleland visited Vincennes and preached in the council house. The youthful preacher was entertained by Governor Har- rison, whose young wife was a Presbyterian.17
Two years later Samuel Thornton Scott came to "Indiana" church as the first residing Presbyterian pastor in the State. This church had been organized in 1806 by Samuel B. Robertson. The meeting house
15 John M. Dickey, Brief History, 11.
16 Minutes of Transylvania Presbytery, II, 72.
17 "In the Spring of 1805 I was directed to visit Vincennes and the adjoining regions. It was an uninhabited region. I had to go through a small wilderness trace with only one residence on the way, in the most destitute part of the way, to entertain me during the night. Here was my poor horse tied to a tree, fed with grain packed in a wallet from Louisville and myself stretched on the puncheon floor of a small cabin, for the night's rest." Cleland, Life of Cleland, 87.
322
HISTORY OF INDIANA
was the barn of Colonel Small, two miles east of Vin- cennes. A short time later Mr. Scott had a pulpit built in the grove, and here at "the Presbyterian Stand" the Presbyterians of Vincennes and vicinity worshipped for many years.
The life of such a preacher differed little from that of other pioneers except that on Sundays he preached and performed other official duties of the church. He received no salary worth mentioning for this, but had to depend on the produce of his farm and shop for a living.18
In 1807 Palmyra church, near Charlestown, was organized, but no resident preacher was stationed there till after the War of 1812. In fact this church did not take on a permanent organization till 1812. During the winter of 1812 and 1813 John McElroy Dickey visited the State, preaching in Clark and Daviess coun- ties, a church near the present city of Washington hav- ing been organized a few years previously by Mr. Scott, of Vincennes. In May, 1815, Mr. Dickey moved to Washington and soon became the most active worker in the Presbyterian church of Indiana. For a third of a century "Father" Dickey traveled over southern In- diana, preaching and teaching and helping his wife incidentally to rear their eleven children.
In 1816 there came to Indiana a number of Presby- terian missionaries sent by the New England societies. As a rule these men accepted no regular charges but traveled over the State somewhat after the manner of the Methodist preachers. The most noted of these mis-
18 There was a certain amount of kindliness shown the preacher, which was not expected by others. Hunters often sent a hind quarter of venison to the preacher, because he could not hunt on Sunday. Tavern keepers and ferrymen never charged him. When Robertson lost his hat and one boot swimming White river, Governor Harrison freely supplied the loss. These little aids largely compensated the preacher for his salary.
323
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
sionaries were Isaac Reed19 and William W. Martin.20 Until 1823 the Indiana churches belonged to the Louis- ville presbytery. By an act of the Kentucky synod, October, 1823, most of the Indiana churches were organized into the Salem presbytery, which held its first meeting April 1, 1824, at Salem.21 Within the next two years Madison and Wabash presbyteries were added to the list. These, together with the Missouri presbytery, were organized into the Indiana synod, which met the first time October 18, 1826, at Vin- cennes. 22 This conference constituted the Presbyter- ian church in Indiana. The meetings for church organ- ization were as truly State conventions as the meeting held at Corydon in 1816.
The Christian (Disciples) church had its origin in Indiana early in the nineteenth century. It was a result of the protest against creeds in the church. It gained its membership largely from the Baptist and the Dunk- ard societies, though many Presbyterians and Method- ists became members. It is impossible in many in- stances to tell at what point a Baptist church became a "New Light" and then a Disciple or Christian.
John Wright, a Baptist of the Blue River, Wash- ington county, church, is frequently given as the first Christian preacher of the State. He began his work as a "Reformer" in 1819. The Dunkards, then quite numerous in south central Indiana, joined the move- ment in large numbers-fifteen churches joining in a body. The Blue River and Silver Creek associations
19 Youth's Book. In this Mr. Reed details a great many of his experiences as a missionary in Indiana.
20 Father of Dr. W. A. P. Martin, President of the Imperial University of China.
21 William Robinson, John Todd, Samuel T. Scott. William W. Martin, John M. Dickey, John F. Crow and Isaac Reed were the members, all being present but the first.
22 Baynard R. Hall, The New Purchase, chs. 37, 38. The best treatise is Hanford A. Edson, Early Presbyterianism in Indiana.
324
HISTORY OF INDIANA
of the Baptist church. became almost entirely "New Light," and then Christian.
Somewhat later, but independently, what were known as the Calvinistic Baptist churches of Rush and Fayette counties, under the lead of John T. Thompson, became Christian. The Flat Rock Baptist congrega- tion was the first to go over. Some of these were called "Reformers" and some "New Lights."
Michael Combs, a "New Light" convert of Wayne county, moved to Montgomery county in 1826 and or- ganized the new church in that section. Beginning with 1826, the teaching of Alexander Campbell rein- forced the movement in Indiana. The Christian Bap- tist, the organ of the new church, circulated widely in the State. By 1840 the church was well organized and prosperous. .
The earliest Quaker church in the State was organ- ized in a log hut on the present site of Richmond in 1807. A large number of Quakers had come to East- ern Indiana and Western Ohio where they organized the Miami Monthly Meeting, to which most of those in Wayne county belonged. The first Yearly Meeting for Indiana was held at the log church in Richmond in 1821. At this meeting they made arrangements to build a more commodious house. Many Quakers lived also in Washington, Parke and Hendricks counties. Like the other denominations they soon established their church schools. Bloomingdale Academy dates from 1845 and Earlham college opened its doors two years later.23
23 A good brief history of the origin of the Christian Church in Indiana is an article by Rev. H. Clay Trusty, of Indianapolis. in the Indiana Magazine of History, VI, 17. For biographies of the leading pioneer preachers of this sect see Madison Evans, Biographical Sketches of the Pioneer Preachers of Indiana, 1862; also files of Christian Record, 1843-1858. For the Quakers see Andrew W. Young, History of Wayne County, 399; Harlow Lind- ley, "Quakers in the Old Northwest," in Proceedings of the Mis- sissippi Valley Historical Association, V, 60.
325
A TEMPERANCE SOCIETY
Besides the regular work of the church many auxil- iary societies were organized. At Charlestown, August 2, 1826, delegates met and established the Indiana Sabbath School Union. Preliminaries for this had been arranged at a meeting held in Charlestown in the preceding October. The purpose of this was the pro- motion of Bible study, especially among the children. The society established three depots, one at Madison, one at New Albany, and one at Indianapolis, where religious tracts, suitable for use in the Sunday schools, could be had. The Indiana Union was a branch of the American Sabbath School Union.24
The American Bible Society, organized in 1816, sent its agents into the State to organize auxiliary so- cieties. In 1826 there were six such societies in In- diana. Their mission was to supply Bibles to any one at cost, and to all who could not pay, they were given free. On the boards of these societies were found the most substantial citizens of the day. One of their Bibles not infrequently made up the library of a pio- neer family.25 In 1832 M. Fairfield, agent for Indiana, reported that he had visited forty counties and given away about $15,000 worth of Bibles.26
Closely allied with the church was the Indiana Tem- perance Society-organized December 9, 1830.27 There
24 Indiana Journal, July 8, 1826. For an account of the Indi- anapolis Sabbath School Society, established March 29, 1823, see a four column anniversary report by its president, Isaac Coe, Indiana Journal, April 10, 1827.
25 Indiana Journal, November 24, 1826; ibid May 12, 1830.
26 Indiana Journal, April 7, 1832.
27 Indiana Journal, Dec. 3, 1829; Dec. 16, 1829; Jan. 10, 1832. "When treated by medical writers and arranged according to its effects on the human body, distilled spirits is placed in the same class with hemlock, opium and various other poisons." After enumerating the effects of liquor as a producer of crime, the re- port adds: "In all this outline of misery the countless woes arising from understandings blinded, consciences seared, and hearts hardened are not enumerated." First annual report, by Secretary J. M. Ray, cashier of the Indiana National Bank.
326
HISTORY OF INDIANA
were twenty-five subordinate societies in the State. Each of these sent delegates to the State meeting held at the capital every winter while the General Assembly was in session. Bethuel F. Morris was its first presi- dent.
In close connection with the above was the Anti- Gambling Society, organized at Indianapolis, June, 1834, with branches in the principal towns of the State. Isaac Coe, Superintendent of the Indianapolis Sabbath School, was the leader in this movement. Its purpose was to rid the State of the professional gamblers. The success of this society is a proof that Indiana had passed the pioneer period.28
The Indiana Colonization Society was organized at Indianapolis, November 4, 1829.29 Like its kindred societies, it was State wide, composed of small local subordinate societies in the various counties. It col- lected, chiefly through the churches, money to pay the expense of sending free negroes to Liberia. Mr. Find- ley, the society's agent, reported that he had a band of eighty liberated negroes ready at the time of the second anniversary meeting to go to Liberia. The leading officers of the State were connected with this society, which enjoyed a long and worthy career.30
There was considerable effort put forth during the period from 1825 to 1840 toward improved agriculture. Centers of this work were Wayne, Washington and Marion counties, in each of which a county society was
28 Indiana Journal, June 21, 1834; and Aug. 14, 1835. The society furnished evidence to grand juries and legal aid to prose- cutors.
29 Judge Jesse L. Holman presided over this meeting. The other members of the State Supreme Court were active members. Indianapolis Gazette, Nov. 12, 1829.
30 Indiana Journal, Jan. 7, 1832. The second annual report by J. M. Ray is given. Closely akin to this was the society or- ganized in Indianapolis during the winter of 1834 for the promo- tion of universal peace. A public lecture on the evils of war was provided for each winter while the legislature was in session. Indiana Journal, Jan. 1, 1834.
327
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
formed. An agricultural journal made its appearance also in each county. This work was summed up in the law of February 7, 1835, providing for a county so- ciety in each county affiliated with the State society.31 County fairs were held, at which all the various lines of agricultural produce were shown. The greatest good came from the association of farmers and the resulting discussion. Farmers' picnics were held in the groves, where clever handiwork was inspected or ad-
dresses by prominent farmers listened to. By this time the early settlers had succeeded in clearing up suitable farms and were beginning to enjoy a small amount of leisure. Their first thoughts were naturally turned toward relief from their hard life. As a result many of the hardships of pioneer life disappeared.32
In the Indianapolis papers, December 8, 1830, ap- peared a card calling for a meeting of all citizens inter- ested in forming a State Historical Society.33 The society was organized, December 11, with Judge Ben- jamin Parke as the first president. Its stated purpose was to collect and preserve the documents of our his- tory and besides to establish a museum in which the relics might be kept for show.34 The General Assem-
31 Laws of Indiana, 1834.
32 Indiana Journal, May 15, 1835. The State Board at its an- nual meeting, April 28, offered premiums for the best essays on (1) best breeds of cattle, (2) horticulture, (3) vine culture, (4) mulberry culture, (5) growing of live fences (hedges), (6) vege- table physiology.
33 Indiana Journal, Dec. 8, 1830. "The members of the Gen- eral Assembly, the members of the Supreme and Circuit Courts, the Reverend Clergy, Gentlemen of the Bar, Physicians and Citi- zens generally, are requested to meet at the Court House on Sat- urday evening next at 11 o'clock for the purpose of taking into consideration the expediency of establishing and organizing an Historical Society for the State of Indiana."
34 See the Constitution, Indiana Journal Dec. 15, 1830. Three judges of the Supreme Court and two future governors, Whit- comb and Wallace, were on the committee that drew up the Constitution. Dr. Andrew Wylie, president of the Indiana College, delivered the first annual address, Dec. 10, 1831.
328
HISTORY OF INDIANA
bly later provided that the society should be furnished with duplicate copies of all papers and books printed by the State. However, no permanent home was ever provided and the work so well begun was not kept up. The large and priceless collection was loaned and lost until at present the society, though still alive, has no library at all.35
§ 56 EDUCATION
UNFORTUNATELY the high hopes of the first settlers of Indiana for the foundation of a common school sys- tem were not realized. The constitution directed the General Assembly to provide for a complete system of schools, "ascending in regular gradation from town- ship schools to a State University."36 This ambitious program was destined to remain a dead letter for almost a century. There was no system and very few schools in Indiana before the Civil War. The constitu- tional provision remained little more than the expres- sion of an ideal. The Enabling Act of 1816 gave to the citizens of each congressional township section sixteen of the public land. Each section was worth about $2 per acre, or $1,280. The gift, unfortunately, was not to the State but to the citizens. There was thus en- tailed on the government one of the worst features of a decentralized school system. Some sections of school land were valuable, others worthless. The principal result of the gift was that it continually held out a hope of education to the citizens where no realization could follow.
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