USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume II > Part 38
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There was cited in this report the following communication from the trustees, signed by H. C. Hartman, vice president :
DEAR BRETHREN :- In view of the favorable action taken by your association, in behalf of the Fort Wayne college, at its session in Brooklyn in 1885, we feel emboldened to present our institution again to your consideration.
We have adopted resolutions providing for special rates and facilities for students who are local preachers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and also for the children of local preachers, and for students who are preparing themselves for missionary work.
We desire your endorsement as an association. In the event of your aid to the extent of the endowment of a chair in our college, we sug- gest that it be named in a manner to become a permanent record of your munificence and practical aid to the cause of education. Should your association be enabled, in the providence of God, to do more than this, we would meet it in a corresponding spirit and give you an equita- able representation upon the board of trustees. You would then be joint owners with us of our college, for the legal title is the trustees of the Fort Wayne college.
This association had at each of its annual sessions since the above was passed taken favorable action in behalf of the college, and at the joint meeting of trustees and visitors held June 20, 1889, Hon. Chauncey Shaffer, of New York, in behalf of the friends of Bishop William Tay- lor, and Dr. C. B. Stemen and William B. Chadwick, the educational. committee of the National association of local preachers, made a proposi- tion that they would secure for the institution certain liberal financial aid on condition that the name of the college be changed to William Taylor college, or university, as might be mutually agreed upon. The joint board accepted the proposition, appointed the proper committees, and at the present time the indications are very encouraging for the change in name as soon as it can be legally accomplished and for the institution's beginning an era of real satisfactory prosperity.
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The Protestant Episcopal Church at Fort Wayne. - Over half a century ago, in the spring of 1839, Rev. Benjamin Hutchins, a mission- ary of the Protestant Episcopal church, came to Fort Wayne, and through his efforts Christ church was organized, May 27th, of which the first vestrymen were Thomas Broon, William L. Moon, James Hut- chinson, Samuel Stophlet, and Merchant W. Huxford. The meeting for organization held at the Academy, was presided over by Allen Ham- ilton, and Robert E. Fleming was secretary. Other members than these named were: W. W. Stevens, Samuel Hanna, Thomas Pritchard, M. W. Hubbell, James Parry, Dr. Beecher, P. G. Jones, and Joseph Pickens. This organization continued and the name being changed, was the foun- dation of Trinity church. On May 25, 1844, Trinity church was orga- nized, with Rev. Benjamin Halsted as rector, and the following officers : Jacob Hull, senior warden; Peter P. Bailey, junior warden; Lucien P. Ferry and R. M. Lyon, vestrymen; Ellis Worthington, clerk, and I. D. G. Nelson, treasurer. Mr. Halsted administered the first communion on July 7, 1844, to seventeen persons. Services were held for several years at the old court-house. There was an effort made in 1846 to sup- ply the needed edifice, and Willian Rockhill offered to donate a lot if $1,000 were raised for the building, but the amount not being secured, that lot was abandoned, and a lot purchased for $85 on the southeast corner of Berry and Harrison streets, where the first church was erected, a small building, in which was placed "an organ with four stops," as appears from an official paper at that time, and all was paid for. On April 6, 1848, Mr. Halstead was succeeded by Rev. H. P. Powers, and he was followed by Rev. Joseph S. Large, who arriving in November, 1848, served the church a considerable period, both at this and at a later time, and by his spiritual power and self-devotion accomplished much for the church. During his first pastorate an addition was made to the church building, largely increasing its capacity, and it was consecrated, May 23, 1850, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Upfold .. In the fall of 1857 Mr. Large was succeeded by Rev. E. C. Pattison, who was in a short time followed by Rev. Caleb A. Bruce, and he by Stephen H. Battin, of Cooperstown, N. Y., in May, 1859. Rev. Large was called again by the church in September, 1863, and in November, C. D. Bond was authorized to purchase the site for a new church on the corner of Berry and Fulton streets, which was secured at a cost of $3,000. The corner stone was laid in 1865, and a handsome church was completed August I, 1866, the total cost of the building being $21,050. The building is a fine specimen of ecclesiastical architecture, built of stone, in pure gothic style, with apsidal chancel the full width of the nave. The seat- ing capacity is 450. At the time the church was built, Peter P. Bailey was senior warden, I. D. G. Nelson, junior warden, and the vestrymen were C. B. Bond, F. P. Randall, Warren Withers, John S. Irwin, Philo Rumsey. Messrs. Bond and Irwin held the keys of the edifice after completion, and no services were held until it was entirely paid for. The church is now building a rectory and a parish building, which are to be
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of stone, to harmonize in plan with the church, which they adjoin, so as to form a quadrangle. The total cost will be $10,500. Colin C. Tate became rector of the church in 1872, and remained until the fall of 1879, when he was succeeded by Rev. William N. Webbe. In December, 1888, the latter was succeeded by Rev. A. W. Seabreese. Hon. I. D. G. Nelson, who has been a warden for forty years, is now senior warden, a position he has held for about thirty years. Hon. F. P. Ran- dall, now and for twenty-five years junior warden, has been a member of the vestry thirty-eight years, and Dr. John S. Irwin, one of the pres- ent vestrymen, has performed that function since 1855. The other vestrymen are W. L. Carnahan, Stephen B. Bond, H. W. Mordhurst, B. D. Angell and Charles E. Bond.
On May 24, 1869, a petition was presented for the organization of another parish east of Calhoun street, and the church of the 'Good Shep- herd was established. A building was purchased of the Third Presby- terian church and moved upon a lot on Holman street, which had been purchased, and here services were held for a few years, first by Rev. John Gay, afterward by Rev. Walter Scott, but many of the members removing, the building was sold and vacated. Of the organization, still in existence, Dr. John A. Irwin is senior warden, Hon. A. P. Ed- gerton, junior warden, and W. L. Carnahan, S. B. Bond and William Playfair, vestrymen.
Trinity English Evangelical Lutheran Church .- The origin of this congregation dates as far back as 1836, when Rev. Jesse Hoover, a Lutheran minister, came from Woodstock, Va., as a missionary to gather and organize the scattered Lutheran families in Allen and neighboring counties. The formal work of organizing was effected October 14, 1837, by the adoption of the " Formula for the Government and Discipline of the Evangelical Lutheran Church," approved by the Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States. Provision was made for services in both English and German. After Rev. Hoover's death in 1838, Rev. F. Wyneken assumed charge and continued the mission work in the self-sacrificing spirit of his predecessor until his resignation in 1845. Dur- ing his ministry the accessions to the congregation consisted mainly of German immigrants who settled in and around the city. His successor, Rev. W. Siehler, being able to minister only in German, it became necessary for those desiring English services to effect a reorganization. Accordingly, with the approval of their German brethren, the prelim- inary steps for the establishment of an exclusively English congregation were taken March 22, 1846, and on the 19th of April following a con- stitution was adopted in which the Unaltered Augsburg Confession and the Small Catechism were designated as the doctrinal basis. Among the seventeen charter members were many who had been instrumental . in effecting the original organization in 1837.
The first board of officers consisted of Elders S. Cutshall and E. Rudisill; deacons, H. Rudisill and C. Ruch. A small frame church at the corner of Berry and Lafayette streets, in which the Presbyterians
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had formerly worshiped, was at once purchased and the services of Rev. W. Albaugh secured. He was succeeded in 1850 by Rev. A. S. Bartholomew, who severed his connection by resignation, April 28, 1856. The resulting vacancy continued until 1859, when Rev. W. P. Ruth- rauff became pastor: During his ministry the present site was purchased, having a frontage of 185 feet on Wayne, and 150 feet on Clinton, street. In 1863 a fine church and commodious parsonage were erected. Rev. Ruthrauff resigned in 1867 and was succeeded by Rev. A. J. Kunkle- man, who nine months afterward removed to Philadelphia, Penn.
The present pastor, Rev. S. Wagenhals, was elected while yet a student of theology, and assumed charge June 14, 1868. The property has been improved from time to time, and extensive additions to both church and parsonage were made in 1885. The membership at present numbers 437, with a flourishing Sunday-school.
The church has a national reputation among Lutherans as the place where the general Synod was divided in 1866 and the general council organized in 1867.
Rev. Samuel Wagenhals, D. D., pastor of the Trinity English Evangelical Lutheran church, Fort Wayne, was born at Lancaster, Ohio, January 17, 1843, son of Rev. John and Catharine (Ludwig) Wagenhals. His education was begun in the schools of Lancaster, which he attended until fourteen years of age, when he entered Capital university, at Columbus, Ohio. Being limited in means he was com- pelled to withdraw from college during his junior year in order to secure the necessary funds, which he did by teaching school. He then resumed his studies and graduated at the age of nineteen. During his senior year he also acted as a tutor in the preparatory department. In July, 1862, two weeks after his graduation, he enlisted as a private in Com- pany A, One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, com- manded by Col. Cradlebaugh. He took part in the battles of Chickasaw Bluff, Arkansas Post, and many of the skirmishes of Grant's initial movement on Vicksburg. After the battle of Port Gibson, he was promoted sergeant-major of the regiment, and served in that rank in the battles of Champion Hills, Black River Bridge, and the siege of Vicks- burg. Subsequently, he went with his regiment to the department of the Gulf, where it was engaged in campaign and garrison duty, until the spring of 1864, when it joined the Red River expedition under Gen. N. P. Banks. In the summer of 1864 he was commissioned first lieutenant of Company B, and held that rank until the close of the war. He also par- ticipated in the investment and siege of Mobile, and during this last campaign served as assistant engineer of the second division, thirteenth army corps. Two weeks after being mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, Mr. Wagenhals entered the Evangelical Lutheran Theological seminary, at Philadelphia, Penn., where he studied three years, and was ordained a minister of this demonination June 10, 1868. Two days later he arrived in Fort Wayne, and has ever since been a resident of the city and in charge of his present congregation. In years of continuous ser-
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vice he is the oldest minister in the city, and his long acquaintance with the people has only the more endeared him to them. He is a man of scholarly attainments, and is one of the ablest divines of the city.
The Reformed Churches of the city are of great importance, contain- ing large congregations, having spacious houses of worship, and pastors of notable intelligence and piety, who work unceasingly for the welfare of their charges. The original church, the German St. John's Reformed, was organized in 1844, with fourteen members. Three of these are now living, Henry Hilgemann, Philip Ruehling and Daniel Bashelier. At first the little congregation worshiped in the Sunday school room of the Presbyterian church, but in the same year of organizing the lot was purchased which is still held by the society, and a frame church was under roof in 1845, and was slowly finished. This was about a quarter of a century later sold to the African church, and the present commo- dious church building was begun in 1869. It was completed in 1871 at a cost of $20,000, and dedicated September 3. It has a seating capacity of about Soo. The church also has a school building, which cost about $3,000, built in 1883, in which, a school is maintained, and the total value of the church property is about $30,000. There is a flourishing Sun- day school of 360 attendance, a ladies' society of 100 members, and a young men and young ladies' Christian association of about sixty-five members. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Karroll, who served but a short time, being succeeded by J. A. Beyer, who was soon followed by F. B. Altamatt. K. Bossard served about eight years from 1848, and H. Benz during the year following. J. H. Klein was called in 1855, remained thirteen years, and following him F. B. Schwedes served five years and A. Krahn two years. In 1876 began the pastorate of Rev. Carl Schaaf, one of the prominent ministers of the denomination in the west, who is still in charge of this church. The membership is about 700.
An offshoot of the above is the Second German Reformed Salem church which was formed by about forty members of the older church, who purchased for their first place of meeting the old Baptist church which stood on Clinton street, between Berry and Wayne. Subsequently the society purchased the lot on the opposite side of the street of which they now occupy part, the south half having been sold as the site of the Masonic temple. Here a church was erected in 1870-71 at a cost of $10,000. In 1879 the parsonage was built, and an addition was made to the church in 1886. Rev. C. Cast was the first pastor and served until 1871, when he was succeeded by Rev. Muhler. He remained about two years, C. Baum two and a half years, and Rev. Kriete, the present able and esteemed pastor, began his work here in November, 1875. There are now 350 members.
Grace Reformed church, the Fort Wayne organization of the Eng- lish branch of the denomination, was organized May 13, 1883, by Rev. T. J. Bacher, with fifty charter members. The church first worshiped in the old Jewish synagogue on Harrison street, but immediately began a movement toward the building of a church of its own. On June 13,
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1883, a lot on East Washington street was purchased for $4,000, and on October 29, of the same year, it was resolved to build, provided there could be $500 raised in the church and $500 outside. The congrega- tion at once subscribed $819.50, and sufficient other funds being raised, the contract was let December 10. There was then erected a building which is intended as a part of a larger structure to be built in the future, and this was dedicated July 27, 1884, at which time the whole amount of the debt, $500, was raised. The ladies provided carpets, seats, etc., and all worked together with such zeal, that in May, 1889, the church had raised and expended $11,664.57. A parsonage has also been pro- vided at a cost of $2,000. Rev. Bacher continued as pastor until April, 1888, when he was succeeded by Allen K. Zartman, now officiating.
Rev. Charles F. Kriete became a supply pastor of the Salem Reformed church, in the latter part of 1875, and on January I of the following year accepted the call to the pastorate. He was licensed to preach February 16, 1876, and ordained March 2. Since that date he has ably ministered to this congregation, being a worthy and devoted pastor. Mr. Kriete was born in the province of Westphalia, Prussia, August 18, 1851, son of John H. and Catherine S. (Stuckman) Kriete. The family came to America in 1856, and settled on a farm in Sheboy- gan county, Wis. At sixteen years of age he entered the Reformed college and seminary of Sheboygan, called the Mission House, and remained three years, during which period he also taught school three months. In August, 1870, he entered the Heidelberg college at Tiffin, Ohio, and graduated in the classical course in 1874. He then entered the theological seminary of the same institution, and studied until coming to Fort Wayne. He was married May 7, 1878, to Caroline C., daugh- ter of Rev. John H. Klein, D. D., of Louisville. She was born in Fort Wayne, March II, 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Kriete have had five children : Emilia C., Theodore H. C., Charles D., Laura A., and Edwin H., the last of whom died in infancy.
Achd'uth Veshalom synagogue, of B'nai Israel, of Fort Wayne, was organized in 1848, the moving spirits being A. Oppenheim, Sigis- mund Redelsheimer, J. Lauferty, F. Nirdlinger and others. For sev- eral years after the organization the congregation met at the home of Mr. Nirdlinger, but the membership increased to such proportions that in 1857 a building was purchased on Harrison street, and subsequently dedicated as a synagogue. The first rabbi was Rev. Solomon, who of- ficiated until 1859, when he was succeeded by .Rev. Rosenthal, and the latter in 1861, by Rev. E. Rubin. In 1874 the congregation erected a magnificent temple, one of the finest in the west, at a cost of $25,000. This is built in the gothic style, presents an imposing appearance, and the interior is exquisite in finish and design. It affords a seating capac- ity for 800, besides gallery for the choir, Sabbath school rooms, lecture rooms and vestry rooms. This splendid structure was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies, the address on the occasion being delivered by Rabbi Wise, of Cincinnati. Rev. Rubin, in whose term this structure
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was begun and completed, died in 1880, after nineteen years' service, and the congregation then elected Dr. Israel Aaron, a student from the Hebrew Union college of Cincinnati. He came after a lapse of one year and remained three years, then taking a position with a congrega- tion in Buffalo. He was succeeded by Rabbi T. Shanfarber, also a graduate of the Hebrew Union college, who after two years was called to Baltimore. Rabbi A. Gutmacher, from the same college mentioned, is the present incumbent, and is highly esteemed for his many scholarly accomplishments. In 1887 the congregation purchased a beautiful tract of land, adjoining Lindenwood cemetery, which has been handsomely improved as a cemetery. The present membership is about fifty, and the present officers are: Simon Frieberger, president; M. Frank, vice president; L. Lumley, secretary; L. Falk, treasurer; trustees, A. Op- penheimer, Solomon Rothschild, Julius Nathan and Mac Fisher.
The Evangelical association, a denomination of that family of churches, of which the Methodist Episcopal is the greatest member, has one society at Fort Wayne which was organized May 18, 1867, with sixteen members, as the result of services held at the Third Presbyterian church by Revs. D. S. Oakes and M. W. Steffey. The latter was the first pastor of the new organization, which proceeded at once to build a frame church at the corner of Clinton and Holman streets, at a cost of $2,000. The membership is now eighty-five, and the trustees are John Rabus, F. Schoch and David Rentschler. The succession of pastors has been: J. N. Gomer, W. Kreuger, J. Schmidli, E. Evans, P. Roth, Joseph Fisher, M. Hoehn, Joseph Fisher (second term), Jacob Miller and D. D. Speicher.
Plymouth Congregational church of Fort Wayne, was organized September 20, 1870, by Dr. N.A. Hyde, of Indianapolis, with twenty-five members, who met at first for worship in a building opposite the present church. In the following year the congregation undertook the erection of a house of worship, which was completed in 1872, a frame building on the corner of Washington and Fulton streets. The cost of this struc- ture was $5,500. The first pastor was John B. Fairbank, who served five years. He was succeeded by Anselm B. Brown, who served one year, and was followed by Joel M. Seymour, who labored for the church energetically and successfully for nearly eight years. Edwin A. Hazeltine was then pastor for eighteen months, and was followed by Jeremiah C. Cromer, who was called in May, 1889, to a church in Chicago. The church has at present about 130 members. The officers are as follows: deacons, John Gilbert, B. H. Kimball, James Cairns and N. H. Fitch; trustees, W. V. Douglas, James Cairns, G. W. Pixley, W. E. Mossman and E. O. Poole; treasurer, T. J. Rodabaugh; clerk, P. L. Potter.
Christian Church .- This was organized in 1870, by Rev. John N. Aylesworth, who was the first pastor. There were but seven charter members of this society which has been successful in its growth, and these and those admitted from time to time, met for a few years in Anderson's hall. The seven charter members were Mrs. Eliza Rhine-
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smith, Susan Rhinesmith, Mrs. Elizabeth Bartlett, Mr. Ketchum, Matilda Stirk, Mrs. Hathaway and Mr. Rhodes. The building of the church edifice on the corner of West Jefferson and Griffith streets, was begun about the time of the panic of 1873, and consequently it was not ready for the church to occupy until 1875. Mr. Aylesworth, the first pastor, was succeeded by L. L. Carpenter, and the succession since then has been Thomas Mason, William Aylesworth, George P. Ireland, George P. Slade, M. L. Blaney, George H. Sims. The officers of the organ- ization are: Trustees, John Rhinesmith, John Dalman, B. W. Rambo, Israel B. Adams; elders, John Dalman, C. W. Halberstott, Allen P. Jackson; deacons, David Braden, John N. Broom, Gilbert E. Hutchins, B. W. Rambo; clerk, Miss Lizzie F. Erwin; treasurer, Dr. T. H. McCormick. The present membership is about 350.
The United Brethren church at Fort Wayne was organized in 1875, by Rev. R. L. Wilgus, and among the original members were Charles McNair and wife, William Fox and wife, John Stites and wife, J. Q. Kline and wife, and Catherine Wingate. They met during the first three years of the church's history, in a building on the corner of Fulton and Washington streets, which they rented, and they subse- quently occupied a frame chapel on East Lewis street, opposite the site of the present brick church, which was erected in 1883, at a cost of $4,000, including the site. This building was dedicated by Bishop Weaver. The pastors from the beginning have been R. W. Wilgus, J. L. Luttrell, D. A. Johnson, J. P. Stewart. The latter, who was a
student at, and is now a trustee of, Otterbein university, entered the ministry in 1873. He came to Fort Wayne in 1882, and during his pastorate of seven years, the building of this congregatian was erected, and also that of the Second church, which he organized. During his ministry here he received about 300 persons into the church fold. He was succeeded by John W. Lower, the present pastor. The member- ship of this organization is now 148. The trustees are G. H. Judy, James Trythall, J. T. Crawford, O. J. Bowser, A. D. Craig; stewards, A. A. Bowser, P. Titus. The Second church, organized in 1886, has a church edifice at the corner of Boone and Fry streets, and the present pastor is Rev. Mr. Spray.
The German Lutheran and Catholic churches will be found in sepa- rate chapters in another part of this work.
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NEWSPAPERS OF FORT WAYNE.
NEWSPAPERS OF FORT WAYNE.
The situation of Fort Wayne, with reference to other cities of metro- politan pretensions, is exceedingly favorable to the growth of her news- papers. Toledo is ninety-six miles away; Chicago, 148 miles; Indian- apolis, 120 miles, and Cincinnati, 160 miles. Accordingly a large and fertile field for the distribution of live newspapers from this central point has attracted the attention of many publishers, probably too many, for the opinion is generally shared that if there were fewer dailies in Fort Wayne their quality and usefulness might be expected to improve. At the present time no less than six daily papers are published here. Of . these the Gazette and fournal appear in the morning, and the Sentinel, News, Staats Zeitung and Freie Presse in the afternoon.
The oldest of the city newspapers is the Sentinel. It is also, with one or two exceptions, the oldest newspaper in the state. Its first issue bears the date of July 6, 1833. The publishers were Thomas Tigar and S. V. B. Noel, two citizens who were among the most prominent in all public affairs for many years. Strangely enough these gentlemen differed radically in politics. Mr. Tigar was an uncompromising demo- crat and Mr. Noel was a stalwart whig. Accordingly, the paper was not at first noted for strong allegiance to either party, but generally ob- served a neutral course. The population of Fort Wayne was then about 300 people, and the publication of the little weekly was an ambi- tious undertaking of very doubtful financial success. It was a hard strug- gle. There were few merchants to advertise, and there were slight resources for news. Moreover the purses of the proprietors were slen- der enough. But it managed to survive and has long since rounded its half century of usefulness, and is one of the most valuable newspaper properties in the state. It was first issued from the old Masonic hall building, on lot 154, original plat, being on the north side of Columbia street, opposite where the Wayne hotel now stands. Mr. Noel retired within a few months with more experience than wealth, and the publi- cation of the paper was continued by Mr. Tigar, who at once announced its policy as democratic, and held it firmly to that creed, until in 1837, it was sold to Hon. George W. Wood. The new proprietor was a whig, and the politics of the paper were at once changed, and it continued to be anti-democratic during his ownership, but has since his retirement been a firm and steadfast supporter of the democratic party. Mr. Wood conducted the Sentinel for three years, and in IS40, sold to Hon. I. D. G. Nelson, still a resident of the city. Mr. Nelson restored the paper to the democratic party, and continued the publication until January, 1841, when he sold to Thomas Tigar, one of the founders, who contin- ued to be its active head for nearly twenty-five years.
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