USA > Michigan > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph county, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 43
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The first death that occurred among the members was that of Mrs. Lucy Wells, wife of elder Joseph Wells, September 15, 1843.
The first pastor was Reverend Asa Bennett, 1843-5, and preached first in the school-house,-the first one built in 1832. There were nineteen mem- bers in the church at the close of his ministry.
The first church-building was begun and nearly completed under Mr. Bennett, and was thirty-one by fifty feet on the ground, eighteen feet clear in height, flat ceiling, vestibule nine feet wide, seats fronting the door ; the two rear ones raised for the occupancy of the choir. Two aisles had twenty- two seats opening into each, with doors of much superior finish to any church before attempted in Constantine. The building cost two thousand two hun- dred dollars ; some five or six hundred being contributed east.
The second pastor Reverend David McNeish, dedicated the house on New Year's day, 1846, and preached the sermon,-Reverend Benjamin Ogden, of Three Rivers, Presbyterian ; Reverend Mr. Steel, Congregational, and the Presbyterian minister from White Pigeon assisting.
The first bell was bought in 1847, but cracked ; in 1848 the present bell of one thousand pounds weight, and costing five hundred dollars, was bought -Meneely discounting handsomely.
The ladies sewing-society added the blinds to the church. Reverend McNeish stayed with the church until December, 1849; then went to South Bend, and Reverend David A. Jones came as pastor, August 1, 1850, three hundred dollars of his salary being paid by the church, and the balance from the domestic mission fund.
The number of members had increased to forty-three, and the Sunday- school had enrolled fifty scholars. Mr. Jones stayed till October 1, 1852, and then Mr. McNeish came again and stayed until his death, September 3, 1854. Reverend William Bailey came as next pastor, April 29, 1856 ; his salary of six hundred dollars being raised jointly between the church, the Mottville congregation and the domestic missions; the former paying three hundred and fifty dollars, the second one hundred dollars, and the balance from the latter fund; but in 1857 the church shouldered the whole burden. Bailey stayed till August 5, 1863, during which period he attended sixty- seven weddings, baptized eleven adults and thirteen children, and received into the church forty-eight members, thirty-seven by confession, and eleven by certificate ; twenty members were lost by death and removals, leaving the membership at sixty-seven at the close of his pastorate.
Reverend J. W. Beardslee, the present pastor, commenced his ministry to the church January 31, 1864.
In the spring of 1865 the interior arrangements of the church-building were remodeled, seats reversed, a recess made in the rear for the choir and desk, a porch added, and the old vestibule thrown into the audience-room.
In 1876, the present elegant structure was erected ; Christopher F. Greene, architect ; John Wolf, T. H. Calam and the pastor, building committee. It is a frame veneered with white brick, has a basement for Sunday-school and other purposes, and is eighty-one by sixty feet on the ground ; a tower four- teen by fourteen feet surmounts the southwest corner, commanding a view of the whole country. There are transepts on the sides from front to rear, ten by twenty-two feet, with recess for desk six by twenty feet.
The first operations on the building began April 11, 1876, the frame was raised June 17, the first brick laid June 27, and the corner-stone July 24 ; the building was completed the same year, and dedicated December 31, 1876, by the pastor, assisted by Reverend A. H. Van Vrauken, of Centre- ville ; Reverend A. T. Stewart, D. D., of Holland College; Reverend G. D. Lee, of Methodist Episcopal Church, and Reverend T. Parry, of Presbyte- rian Church of Constantine, and Reverend N. D. Williamson, of South Bend Reformed Church.
The subscription for the new church was headed, " The ladies-fund, seven hundred dollars," being secured by them in 1871, in contributions of five cents per week for a year.
Since Mr. Beardslee came in 1864, he has received into the membership of the church one hundred and seventy-seven persons, one hundred and twenty-seven of them on confession, and fifty on certificate. There have been eighteen deaths during the time ; and forty-one adults and twenty-one infants have been baptized. He has attended one hundred and ninety-one funerals, solemnized one hundred and thirty-two weddings, and preached one thousand seven hundred and eighty sermons. There are now enrolled in the church one hundred and forty-five members, one hundred and thirty-six being active ones, and two hundred and twenty Sunday-school scholars, and three hundred books in the library ; Mr. Beardslee, superintendent, and J. P. Drake, the active assistant.
Mr. Beardslee preached a Centennial sermon in July, 1876, from which the foregoing facts, relating to the church, have been mostly gathered,-Mr. Beardslee adding, personally, such as have become matters of record since the delivery of the sermon.
THE FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
of Constantine was organized March 3, 1866, by Rev. P. Bergstresser, pas- tor of the Mottville and Park Grove churches, and who had preached for six months previously in Constantine, once each month. He was assisted in effecting the organization by Rev. H. Weigand, a German Reformed preacher, and Rev. J. W. Beardslee, of the Dutch Reformed Church of Con- stantine. The members of the church, at its organization, were William and Sarah Fox, William A. and Martha M. Wagner, Mary Klapp, Abra- ham and Elizabeth Strohm, George and Mary A. Bergtorff, Henry and Susannah Bittenbender, Christian Klapper, Aaron, Margaret and Sarah C. Heckman, John Leiser, Sarah A. Roe, Jacob Krum, Catharine Klapp and David Wagner, and fourteen others were admitted after the constitution was adopted. The officers were: Elders, William Fox and Aaron Heckman ; Deacons, Henry Bittenbender, treasurer, and Abraham Strohm, secretary ; trustees, George Bergtorff, Andrew Laverty and Solomon Dentler,-and there were thirty-eight members in all. The first baptism of an infant was that of Minnie Irene Bittenbender, and of an adult,-that of John Ridelle; both occurring June 28, 1868.
In 1867 the church society, in conjunction with the German Reformed Church at White Pigeon, bought the old Baptist Church building at the latter place for joint occupancy, and on December 1 of that year, Rev. J. N. Barnett was installed as pastor over the churches at Constantine, White Pigeon and Mottville. The church-society was incorporated under the statute, March 19, 1870, the trustees elected being Daniel Kleckner, Aaron Heckman and Andrew Laverty, and William Fox and Jacob Gentzler were appointed a building-committee to act with the trustees. On April 22, 1872, a lot was bought on the corner of Canaris and Fifth streets for a church site. In relating the efforts to get a church-edifice erected, the sec- retary writes upon the records thus : " Much delay and indecision having arisen in proceeding to build a church, it was determined by some of the members to commence work, and by a coup d' etat precipitate action, and therefore, on August 29, 1872, the ladies were called out to dig the base- ment and foundation trenches. Rev. R. F. Delo and wife and many others came down from Three Rivers to aid in the initiatory movement." This brought matters to a crisis of enthusiasm, and, on October 5, 1872, the cor- ner-stone was laid with solemn ceremonies and great eclat. Rev. Delo preached the sermon, and, the day being the anniversary of the birth of the pastor, the occasion was a doubly interesting one. Rev. J. W. Beardslee also assisted, making an address,-Crossette's cornet band adding to the
RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL GIBSON, BROAD STREET, CONSTANTINE TP., ST JOSEPH COUNTY, MICH.
RESIDENCE OF P. B. BATES , CONSTANTINE TP., ST JOSEPH Co., MICH.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
pleasure of the day, and leading the singing. The records give an elaborate description of the articles placed in the corner-stone, and the manner of their deposition therein. The church-edifice is seventy-two feet on Canaris street, by forty-two feet on Fifth street; fronts south, and is built of red brick, with a basement, and a round tower with castellated ramparts, and is furnished with excellent stained-glass windows.
Miss Helen S. and Charles H. Barry, Jr. gave the bell, costing over five hun- dred dollars-Miss Helen being also a generous donor to the church. The bell is inscribed, " Messiah Lutheran church, 1873, C. H. and H. L. Barry." It was hung in the tower August 28, 1873, and none but the pastor knew of the gift until it arrived in town. Mr. Eacker gave the carpets, and B. O. Glad- ding the chandeliers. The church was dedicated September 7, 1873, the Rev. F. W. Conrad, D.D., of Philadelphia, preaching the dedicatory sermon ; the other ceremonies being performed by the pastor, assisted by the Revs. Delo, of Three Rivers ; J. Shafer, of Butler, Indiana ; J. Steininger, St. Joseph county, Indiana; L. M. Gilliland, of Presbyterian church at White Pigeon, and J. W. Beardslee, of the Dutch Reformed church of Constantine.
The church was finished in 1874, and is valued at ten thousand five hun- dred dollars. October 1, 1873, the Constantine church separated from the Melancthon pastorate, and is now known as the Messiah pastorate, of the Synod of Northern Indiana. Mr. Barnett resigned his pastorate January 2, 1876, and the Rev. G. P. Raup, the present pastor, was called thereto June 11, and installed November 9, 1876, by Rev. J. Stuckenburg, of Wittenberg College, and Rev. A. Mclaughlin.
The first funeral service in the church was that performed at the burial of Elizabeth Lintz, a native of Alsace, France, August 16, 1874, Deacon Henry Bittenbender, died in his seat in the Sunday-school, February 20, 1876, the day the pastor (Mr. Barnett) preached his farewell sermon. The present officers of the church are Elders Aaron Heckman, treasurer; Deacon Theodore Rumbaugh, secretary ; Trustees, Adam Gentzler and Martin L. Ernst ; Mrs. Maria Bradley, organist. The church edifice contains three hundred sittings ; there are one hundred and twenty members on the roll of the society ; and the Sunday-school, which was organized in 1873, has en- rolled one hundred and thirty-four scholars, has three hundred books in its library, and the pastor is the superintendent, Mr. Barnett preceding him in the position.
St. James Protestant Episcopal church was organized and a vestry chosen and wardens elected, in October, 1836,-Bishop McCrosky, of Detroit, preaching on the 12th of that month, and initiating the movement. Mr. Whitesides, of Philadelphia, preached in September previous, and continued his ministrations over the societies at Constantine, White Pigeon and Centre- ville, for a year or more. There was no church edifice ever built in Con- stantine, and the society is now dissolved. A frame was put up for a church, but never enclosed, and after standing some time was sold to the Methodists, who took it down and worked it into their building.
SOCIETIES-MASONIC.
Siloam Lodge, No. 35, A. F. M., was instituted under dispensation, in 1849, and chartered the year following, J. J. Mason was the first worshipful master. He was succeeded in the office by C. S. Engle, 1854; Benjamin Merrill, 1855-56; S. C. Coffinberry, 1857-59 ; Thomas Wass, Jr., 1860-61 ; Thomas M. Greene, 1862-66; Rev. D. Lantz, 1867 ; David E. Wilson, 1868-72; A. C. French, 1873-76. Hon. S. C. Coffinberry was the grand master in 1866-68, of the State, and, during the first year of his incumbency, performed the masonic burial-service at the funeral obsequies of Governor and Senator Cass, and delivered an able address at the next session of the grand lodge. The present membership of the lodge is one hundred and twenty-one.
Centreville Chapter, No. 11, R. A. M., once was moved to Constantine and remained two years, but was again removed to Centreville, and no chapter is located here at present.
Nebuzar-adan Council, No. 37, R. and S. M., was organized and instituted May 29, 1872. Its present officers are Hiram Lindsley, T. I. M .; A. C. French, D. I. M .; A. J. Knapp, P. C. W .; A. B. George, recorder; J. E. George, treasurer. Number of members, forty-four.
The Masons own their hall. In 1852 they bought and fitted up nicely the hall which was burned in the spring of 1871. They bought the present one in the Davis building, fitting it up in good style, and dedicated it on Christmas, 1871.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.
Constantine Lodge No. 22, I. O. O. F., was instituted February 17, 1847, its charter-members being W. C. Pease, W. Savier, Dr. Elliott, L. C. Laird, George Brown, and Elisha Stevens. March 3, 1848, the fraternity formed
an Odd Fellows' Hall Association, and bought H. H. Riley's property on Water street (fifty by eighty feet), the same being the original American hotel. The association, of which Washington Pitcher was president, and W. C. Pease secretary, moved the building, finished and furnished the dancing- hall for a lodge-room, and the bed-rooms for ante-rooms, etc. After the lodge had worked a few years prosperously, it fell into a collapse, and dis- continued its meetings ; and the property of the association was sold to John K. Briggs, and he turned it into a tenement-house,-known as the "Bee-hive,"-and it was afterwards sold and removed. In 1870 the lodge resumed its labors, under Levi T. Hull as N. G., and has been prospering to the present time. Its present officers are D. H. Raup, N. G .; William Drummonds, V. G .; C. Clappee, treasurer ; J. J. Strong, recording secre- tary ; Ambrose Williams, permanent secretary, and has thirty-eight members.
Dennis Encampment, No. 14, of Patriarchs (so named in honor of Grand Master Dennis), was first instituted at Sturgis in 1860 or thereabouts. In 1866 it was removed to White Pigeon, where, in 1869, it had the largest membership of any encampment in the State. February 22, 1872, it was removed to Constantine, where it still remains. L. L. Ensign and George W. Beisel were its first chief-patriarchs, and David Knox was one of the early ones in 1862. George W. Beisel was elected G. S. W. in the grand lodge in 1861; G. H. P., 1862, and G. P., 1863. David Knox was elected G. S. W. in 1864-65, and G. H. P. in 1866; and another of its C. P.'s (R. H. Morrison) has held the office of grand-treasurer in the Grand lodge of the State since 1866, continuously. The present officers are J. J. Strong, C. P .; Theodore Rumbaugh, H. P .; Frank Hagerman, S. W .; D. H. Raup, scribe; C. Clappee, treasurer,-and has thirty members.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
Constantine Grange, No. 236, was instituted January 29, 1875, J. S. Richards being the first master, and L. T. Hull secretary. It numbers one hundred members, and its present official list is J. S. Richards, master ; J. A. Marsh, secretary ; Miss Ardelle Richards, Ceres; Miss Mary Stears, Flora ; Miss Sarah O'Hara, Pomona.
The first temperance society was organized January 7, 1836, and L. R. Lowell was the secretary.
A Good Templars' lodge was organized and worked in 1871, meeting in the Davis building, but it was suspended, and none is in existence at the present time.
December 10, 1836, Constantine had a debating-society, at which grave questions affecting the fate of empires were discussed and determined to the satisfaction, doubtless; of the disputants.
Among the most noted associations of Constantine, and one which has been the herald of her fame all over the State, is her unrivaled musical association,
CROSSETTE'S CORNET BAND.
It includes sixteen instruments, every one in the hands of an accomplished artist. It was organized by its present leader, F. M. Crossette, in 1871, from fragments of other bands, many of the members having previously achieved meritorious distinction as expert performers. A musical critic thus writes of its leader and organizer : "Mr. Crossette, although still a young man, has served in the capacity of a leader of bands for twenty years. At the age of sixteen he became the leader of one of the first bands in Vermont, of which State he was a native. At the breaking out of the war he, with his band, accompanied the 2d Vermont Infantry to the army of the Potomac, where they acquired meritorious distinction." Crossette's band was selected to attend the governor of Michigan at the laying of the corner-stone of the State-house, in 1874, and during the forming of the line of procession, occupied a conspicuous position on the platform, and executed in admirable style a choice selection of music. They also won many warm encomiums from the press for their gallant bearing in the march and most exquisite melody at the grand-stand. In 1873, at the State fair, and at Grand Rapids at the encampment of the Knights Templar of the State, they carried off the palm, -at the former competing with thirty-one other bands. C. E. Rogers, the B-flat cornet, is the finest soloist in the State, as is generally acknowledged. The band furnished music one day at the county fair at Centreville, in 1876, and were most highly complimented by Hon. J. A. J. Cresswell, of Mary- land, for their exquisite rendering of classical music. The members of the band, who are all engaged in other business, are as follows : F. M. Crossette (E-flat cornet), Daniel Arnold and Augustus Arnold (E-flat clarionet), C. E. Rogers solo, (B-flat cornet), William Gregey (B-flat cornet), E. Schell- hous (E-flat tenor), J. H. Wells (E-flat tenor), S. W. Kline (slide-trom- bone, solo), Charles H. Arnold (B-flat trombone), R. M. Flack (B-flat bass), H. Hutchinson (E-flat bass), H. Drake (drum), F. Knapp (cymbals,,
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
George Simmons (tenor-drum), C. Cothermon (tenor-drum), C. Rumsey (piccalo).
Another favorite musical organization of Constantine, and the oldest in the West, is
HULL AND ARNOLD'S QUADRILLE BAND,
organized in 1837 by John Hull and Daniel Arnold, their first appearance before the public being in Constantine, in December, 1837; Mr. Hull play- ing the violin, and Mr. Arnold the clarionet, which instruments they have continued to perform upon to the present time.
In 1839 Oliver P. Arnold came into the organization with a cornet, and was a member of the same until 1869. Morris I. Arnold joined as basso in 1844, and remained until 1862, and was succeeded by the present basso, Charles H. Arnold ; Charles E. Rogers, the present cornet, came into the band in 1872.
Mr. Rogers is the superior soloist in Crossette's band, and in his velvety tones and staccato movements, most exquisely executed, he is a fair rival of Arbucle, Levy and Henry.
This band plays all over southern Michigan and northern Indiana, from Monroe to Laporte, and from Grand Rapids and Lansing to Fort Wayne.
Mr. Hull is an excellent director of terpsichorean assemblies, and will have, and does command the most decorous and courteous behavior in the hall while the festivities are in progress, under penalty of suspension of the music.
AMUSEMENTS.
The first celebration of the Fourth of July was had in 1831. The ladies made a flag which was run up on the tallest tree in the village, and the men made howitzers of stumps and blew them up; altogether the hubbub was sufficient to draw in the people of the vicinity for some miles around, to see what the fun was, there being nearly one hundred present. The ladies got up a dinner in a bower in the centre of what was afterwards Washing- ton street, near the site of the south end of the present bridge. No orations were delivered but such as were inspired by "John Barleycorn," a stray waif that had found its way into Constantine the spring previous, without an owner, and was appropriated as contraband, and brought into requisition for the purposes of the day.
The Fourth, in 1836, was celebrated with great pomp and circumstance, the route of the procession being " down Third street to Canaris, up Canaris to Fourth, down Fourth to Mottville, up Mottville to Canaris, down Canaris to Water, up Water to the American hotel, where a dinner will be in readi- ness for those who may wish to participate."
There were at the time not to exceed two houses on each of the streets named, except Water street.
P. E. Grover, marshal of the day, toasted the village thus : "The village of Constantine ; like the hickory, rapid in growth ; may its citizens evince as much liberality in the support of the arts and sciences, as they have in building up our beautiful village." (Grover made fanning-inills, whose sole office is to blow.)
Norman Roys toasted the ladies thus : " The fair daughters of Michigan ; the cherished objects of our affection and regard,-whilst they give to life its present joys, they afford the strongest proofs of the blessings of union."
The next March Mr. Roys married one of the fair daughters he toasted so loyally and gallantly. The ladies did not lack for homage that day, for the orator, Dr. Sumner, and an old Revolutionary soldier, Lemuel Bolter, toasted them in gallant phrase ; Esquire Charlton drank to the starry flag right loyally, and Charles S. Adams offered this sentiment to the St. Joseph river : "Our noble and beautiful St. Joseph,-may we use her, and not abuse her ; and may we ever be as pure, though not quite so crooked."
The steamboat Constantine, then on the stocks, was toasted ; and about everything else. Columbia Lancaster giving the last : " To your tents, Oh ! Israel !" which, being interpreted, meant, to the dancing-hall, Oh ! ye sons and daughters of Constantine, and they " toed and heeled " until daylight in the morning, at Hunt's Hall.
The officers of the day were : Dr. Sumner, orator ; Major Ulmann, mar- shal ; Captain Grover and Lieutenant Kean, aids ; Nelson Bryant, reader ; Reverend Mr. Stanley, chaplain ; Mr. Thatcher, chorister ; W. H. Adams, president ; A. E. Massey, vice-president.
In 1835 the day was celebrated, Judge Meek being the president ; W. T. House, vice ; Dr. Sumner, orator ; Major Ulmann, marshal ; Captains Grover and Thomas, aids ; Edwin A. King, reader ; Reverend Mr. Wolf, chaplain. They dined at Hunt's, and toasts were drank.
On December 20, 1837, a grand ball was given at the American hotel by Charles Hopkins, David Munger, Gilbert Miller, W. T. House, and Major
Ulmann,-Hull and Arnold furnishing the music. James Hunt was given carte blanche, and told to get up the supper regardless of expense ; and the boys thought he did so, when they were presented with their bills after the supper was over, for it took a ten dollar note to settle the score.
Mr. Albert Chandler brought the first piano into the village in 1837-8.
INCIDENTS.
John Bryan, the builder of the court-house in Centreville, laid out the frame of the Williams mill in 1839, with an old square, the corners of which were all worn off, because it had never failed him, and so accurately was the measurement done that not a tenon had to be changed when the frame was raised. The wheels were breast-wheels, powerful but costly, one thousand dollars being expended in their construction. Bryan built a large barn in 1836, and furnished no whisky at the raising of it, contrary to the usual custom ; but Mrs. Bryan instead prepared coffee, cakes and pies, and the work was well done and no accidents happened to interfere with the har- mony of the proceeding.
A Scotchman named Clark, having been rejected in his suit for a lady in the village, jumped off the bridge one cold night in the early days, with the intention of drowning himself and putting an end to his woes ; but the water being cold and its chilliness influencing his better judgment, he scrambled out again upon the ice and was nearly frozen before he was rescued. How- ever, he was warmed up and recovered, not only his spirits, but his passion for the object of his addresses, and the next evening repaired to her res- idence and called on the lady ; but she, perceiving a butcher knife illy con- cealed about his person, screamed and ran out of the room, and the father came upon the scene, whereupon "Sandy" concluded it was not best to " bide a wee," and left at once, and was not seen afterwards.
In October, 1832, Robert Clark, Jr., the United States surveyor, informed Hugh Woods, Judge Meek's millwright, and Robert Cassaday that a good mill-site existed on Pawpaw river, ten miles from its mouth, and gave them the lines of the sections and told them how to find the location, but on at- tempting to discover the place were lost in the woods. A fearful snow-storm came on and their rations ran short, and they lost their reckoning, but floun- dered on through woods, keeping as near to a west course as they could, and came out on the shore of Lake Michigan, fifteen miles north of Kalamazoo river. They took their back track to St. Joseph, along the lake shore, and thence to Constantine, being gone twelve days.
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