Porter County, Indiana - Chapter 13, 1912

In the early part of tlio St-vcnteenth century Jesuit priests erdssed tlie Atlantie and bt'f^an llie work of establisliinj^ missions aniony; liie Nortdi Aiuerlcau Indians. The Jesuit fathers may liave been soraewliat fanatical in their religious zeal, but they were generally sincere in tlieir deYotion to their calling, loyal to their king, and men of unquestioned courage. No \vild( riicss was too dai'k and unin\itiiig for them to plunge into its depths in their effcu'ls to carry the story of the Cross to tlic lieuiglited inhahilauts. Quite a jiiiuibcr of these early missionaries played important parts in the exploration ol! tlie vast, unknown interior of North Amcj'ica, and th<' Tiniues of Marijuette, Jolict, Hennepin, De la Ci'oix and others are indelibly written in Hie pages of American History. Long hefore the first periuauent white settlers came to northern Indiana, some of these Catholic missionaries visited the Indian (rihes in the Great Laices region. A<^ oarly as J(J72 B'athcrs Alloiicz aud Dablon landed on the south shore of Lake jMichi^aii and passed through what is now Porter counl\- on (lieir way to the Kaiilcakoe river, but there is no rvideuce to sho\'.' tluit Uiey ende..vjie'.l lo foumi a pernuuient mission in any of the teri'itoiy Uiry visited.

J)a)iie] K. Kelly, tlie well known Valparaiso laweyr, has in his possession a relie, supposed to have been lost by some of the early Catholic priests wjio visited the eoujitry about the liead of Lake I\[ichi<;;an. It is the lid of a lavoriuni. or lioly \' uter fount, seuiieireulai' in foinn, the strai.L;lit side, or diameter, being about two inehes in limgtb, with traees (if the hinged joint plainly visible. On the top is engraved a laud) lying down; above the lamb is a eross surrounded by a halo, and around the ' design is a sort of saw toolli bord . These teetli, whieli jioini toward the center are not uniform in size. This relic is of silver, wliieh is eomi>letely oxidized from long exposure to the ilements. It was found by Frederick Carr on .Sunday, ]\Iay II), 1912, in the old bed of the Grand Cahimet I'iver where it empties into Lake I\tichigan near Granger Springs, Lake county. The early United States surveys show a trail leading' from that point eastward into Porter coimty. Young Carr gave the relic to Mr. Kelly, wlio showed it to Rev. Thomas Jensen, of Gary, and from him learned that what is presumably tlie other part of the lavorium was picked up on the beach sonic fifty years ago and is in the possession of Fatlier Blackman.

The first Catholic nussions in Indiana were estaViIlslicd in the so\itbern part of the st-iite, where ti)ey developed into churiiss and educational institutions. The denouilnation is still much stronger in that part of the state than in the central aud uotheru portions, the monastery at St. Meinrad, Spencer county, and the convent at Oldenburg, Kianklin county, being among liie best Injown Catholic ,m wools in the Middle West.

Closely following the Catholics were the Baptists. A B.M^tist church was established on Owen's cree!-, (lark county, as early as 1798. Prom lli.-it time until ISGO Indiana \v-;i' a, nns.sionary tiejd for (lie Baptists,

Mdluidists, rrosbyteriaii ami Chri.sliinis, or C'aiMj)!i-,'lli((s. McUiodist circuit riders were at work in the soutlierii jiart ol Ihi- stuti- in the early part of the Nineteenth century. Thomas CTelajK.', ;; I'lcsl^ylcriau missionarj', organized the first church of tliat faith in th.; .st.ife al Vinccniies about 1800, and the second Avas organized at Ciuii -uni, ("hnk county, in 1S07. Aliuut tliroe >'cai's later tlie Friends, nr <t)iK!ki.-i-s, rounded settlements in eastern Indiana, near the present ciiy oi' Kiclu!ii)nil. As the tide of emigration flowed north and west th. .Inir''!. i'ollowed. Joseph Bailly, the first white settler in Porter (:o:.'uly, wiis a devout Catholic, and soon after he built his cabin and eslabii.-iird ids- I rading post on the Ijauks of the Calumet river his place bi'fiuiic a c: ndcxA-ous for "all sorts tuid conditions of men." Missionariis r,i-.i;ii'i!iiy .si'>i»ped with hiiu, and the masses said by them were doublli s:, {],i- lirsi li^fjuus sei-yices ever held in the county. Many of the early s.-UK i^ liad lic^n identified witli some church oi'ganization in their old iHinii;-;. As .^(h.,.i as their cabins were built and their families sheltci-i il. their thoiiLilits turned toward the building up of the church in the wilderness wia-re they had cast their lot.

For some time the congregntion was ^\ithont a perjiiancnt liousi; of worship, the meetings during this period being hchl in vaiious places. Elder Frencli served as pastor until 1842. He was siioreded by llarlowe S. Orton, who served I'or about two years. Kev. W. T. Bly was then pa.stor until 1847. when he was succeeded by Kev. Alexajrdcr Nickerson. Under his ministry a church building was erccteti al a cost of $2,200. It was dedicated on .March 13, 18r);j, and since that lime the congregation has had a permanent borne, though the old cliurrh i-ditice has been supplanted l)y a new one -ivhich was dedicated on iVovcmber 13, 1881. It is loealed at the nortiiWest corner of Lafayette and Chicago streets and was erected at a cost of $6,10(1. It i.s a brick Imilding, in the form of a Greek cross, with two entrances and has a. seating capacity of about GOO. In June, 1912, the seventy-fifth anniversary of the cliurch was celebj'ated with ap{)ropriate servicics, meetinus being held daily from the (Mb to the 16lb of the month. Dui'ing the seventy-five years of its history the church, has had twenty-two pastors, the present pastor being Rev. J. A. Kuowllou, who assumed cliarge in 1910. The jDa.stors, f^om 18.54, when Mr. Nickerson left, to the coming of Mr. Knowlton, with the year in which each began his service, were: Henry Smith, 1854; G. T. Brayton, I860; J. D. Cole, D. D., 1861 ; J. M. Ma.xwell, 1862; M. T. Lamb, 1864; Otis S.ixton, 1867; W. W. Ca])linger, 1870; W. A. Clark, D. D., 1873; E. S. Riley, 187r); C. J. Po]"'. l>'^f^6; J. B. Banker, 1889; 1). Heagle, D. \\. 1892; W. E. Randall, bsOi;; W. E. Storey, 1897; Jobn L. Beyl, 1^'J'J : II. B. JJeiminghoir. 1I)(m; S. I. Long, 1907.

Rev! AV. J. Forbes organized the JinU class in Valparaiso in 1840. The first Methodist church in the city wa.s organised in 1847 in a small frame buildiTig, and the following .\eai work was commenced on the first house of worshi]), under the j^asioralr of Kev. W. G. Stonix, who left bel'ore the building was comiildcd. It was liiiished in 1849 under Rev. J. G. D. Pettijohn. That same yen a parsonage was purchased at the corner of Monroe and Franklin si mis. but in 1853 it was sold and a new parsonage erected in the i-rar oi !l:.> clmi-cli, at a cost of $900. The congregatit>ji grew rapidly, and -lil'!- sonu' $5,000 had l)cen expended in enlarging and iiripro\ int; l.'-ih i-linnli and parsonage, llie ' quarters became too siuall and it wn^ dcrich-d io build a new churcli. The pastors during this j)criod-~ I'mi isTi'.' lo 1S81 - were: David

Crawi'ord, Albion Fellows, W. Hamiltou, C>. W. Stal'l'oixl, S. T. Cooper, Aaron Guraey, C. N. Sims, B. W. Smitli, C. A. Brooke, T. S. Webb, Nelsou Green, G. M. Boyd, L. C. Buckles, Thomas Meredith, W. Graham, N. L. Brakeman, W. B. Stutz, G. M. Boyd and C. A. Brooke. It nnder the Keco)id jjastorate of Mr. Brooke that the present eluireh editiee was erected. It is located al the northwest corner of Jclfcrson and Franklin streets, is in the form of a. cross, G5 by 105 feet, witli ])asemeut, etc. The main auditorium is 58 by 63 feet; the Sunday school room is 45 by 57 feet ; the infant class room is 22 by 24 feet, and there are two class rooms each 15 liy 16 feet. Art gla.ss windows give a plea.sing and soothing effect and the chui'ch is equipped with a fine pipe organ. Tlie total cost of the building was about .$23,500. The jireseut pastor is Kev. Thomas J. Bassett, who was formerly at the head of the preparato)-y department of I)e Pauw University at Greencastle, Indiana.

For a while after the Deep River mission was organized, the few Methodists in the vicinity of the present town of Hebron met at the homes of Simeon Bryant and Absalom Morris. After the school house was built meetings were held tliere. A regular society was organized in 1837 by Rev. Jacob Colclasier, who was the first minister to extend his labors into that part of the missionary field. Hawley B. Beers, Wade Posey, L. B. Kent, William F. W^heeler, William J. Forbes and Warren Griffith also preached there dui-ing the early da.ys of the congregation. In 1840 a protracted meeting lasting ncarlj' two montlis was held and a large number of members were added to the church. Several of the meetings were held at a scliool house about four miles east of Hebron. In 1844 a log church was built and Rev. Warren Griffith regularly engaged as pastor. Fifteen years later the log building was replaced by a neat frame structure, at a cost of about $1,000. Since that time the I\Iethodist church of Hebron has prospered. A parsonage was bought in 1877 and has since been enlarged and improved. The pastor in 1912 wax Rev. 0. P. Paxton.

near the present village of Crisman, Mr. MAkWi *. tiic prir.ie mover in securiiig its construction. After a time ii " idi:-! oi'i^anization died out and the hoase ^vas used for awhile b\ i ' . iiiKyi Ijutlierans. A few j'ears hei'ore the beginning of [];<- ; ; war, a -Methodist congregation was formed at Jackson Center. '! .[.l se'iool bc/u.se was pui'chaseii, an addilion Ijuilt to i'.'aiid foi- m.t:- it was us(;d for church pnrpo.ses. Tlie church at 'lie present !i.: . located on sectioa 21, township 36, vi\U'j.f '>. About llif: time tbe .lai \ Center church was esta.blished a Methouisv society Avas formed at - ', lake and a small church was built at "Kinney's Corners," near Juiutiun of Center, Liberty, Jackson and Washington townships. i -- w liter has been unable to learn the fate of this congregation or i''- Ikuisc of worship.

July 28, 1838, ho oi'gauized BelhU^liem Church of that faith whore tlitown of Ilfbroa now stands. The first members of tliis conyregatioii were Thomas Dinwiddie, Berliley Oliver and Sanuiel Turner, and tlicir wives, John W. and David T. Dinwiikiie, Susanna Dinwiddie, Sr., Susanna Dinwi(hlie, Ji-., I\Iary IMeCarnehan, Margaret A. and jMargaret J. Dinwiddie, and Susan P. West. Shortly after the church was organized, Mr. Hannan left and Rev. Wilson Blain became pastor. He remained until about 1847, and for the next three years the congregation was without a pastor. In 1851 Rev. J. N. Buchanan became pastor and reiDaincd with (he chui'ch for over thirty years. As the members ^\;ere not in aflluent circurastanees, no attempt was made for soiik; time to erect a church. Meetings were held at the residences during the winter seasons, and in v.'arm weather the groves, "God's first temples," were utilized as places of worshii). Mr. Blain urged the members to build a church, even though it should be a humble one, and a log house was ei-eeted, in which the seats were small logs split in halves with pins for legs to raise the seats to the proper height. In 1852 a frame house was built threefourths of a mile south of Hebron, at a cost of $1,200, all of which was paid up before the house wa.s occupied. This house was removed to Hebron in 1864 and there used as a church until 1879, when a larger building was erected, costing $2,500. This congregation is now known as the tlnited Presbyterian church, with Rev. C. M. Filer as pastor. 0:i Sunday, April 10, 1902, the United Presbyterians of northern Indiana met at Hebron, every church in the district being represented. C. 1. Gordon was at that time installed as pastor of the Hebron church. Keports from the various congregations showed that during t\w. preceding year more money had been raised by the church for foreign missions and benevolent year than ever before. Communion was celebrated at Hebrct; in the morning and at Leroy, Lake county, in the afternoon.

It is quite probable that some meetings were held by Presbyterians in or about Valparaiso during the first three years after se1llrii)i,id,s were )nade there, and that sermons were preached by .some of the early Presbyterian ministers who came to the county. No attempt was made.

to organize a clnireh, however, iinlil Deeember 4, IS'.'i'J, whei) Kcv. Jaines C. Brown, a j'oung liceulialc, preached a sormoii in llic old courtliouse. He remained in the coiuily, was soon after oi'daiiied to Uio ministry, and on July o, 1840, assisted by Rev. W. K. jMarshall, of Laporte, organized the Valparaiso Presljyterian church. Tlie original members of Ihis congregation were James and Isiibel Blair, EJizabolli I\Iartiu, J\l. ]}. Crosliy, Henry Battan, i\Iary E. Brown, Nancy liin 1, .\liby Salisbury, Batlislielja E. llamell and Eli/abetli Marsliall. Jainrs i;lair and M. li. Crosl)y were elected elders. Later in the year a ISunday school was organized by Mrs. Brown and Hugh A. Browai, the latter a lirother of the pastor. The school was a union school and started off with eighteen pupils, including practically all the children of the neighborhood. Meetings were held in the court-house until the spi'ing oL' IH-ll, when a house was rented on the south side of Jelferson street just east of Franklin, wliere services' w'ere held regular!}' for the next Uxa years. In 1842 the congregation began preparations for the erection of a church. The lot immediately west of the preseiit Methodist church \\as bought, but when it was learned that the Methodist congregation had purchased the lot on the corner, it was deemed iiiadvisable to build so close to another church and a house of worship was erected on the lot aftcr\vard occupied ))y Professor Boucher's residence. Here a building 35 by 45 feet in size was put up,*^at a cost of $750, exclusive of the labor furnished by members of the congregation. It was occupied by the church in 1844, though the pews were not put in until five years later. Two noted revivals were held in this old building - iii 1847 and 1854 - and a number of new members thereby added to the church, in 1857 the church building was removed to the lot on the south side of ,lerii.'r.s(jn street and just west of the alley between Franklin and AVasbiiif^lon streets. At the same time an addition of twenty-tive feet was added to if, making its length seventy-feet. Other additions in the way of a le<'tiirc room and an infant class room were subse(|uently added.

Mr. Brown continued as pastor of th(' church until ilir breaking out of the Civil war, when he entei'ed th(; army as cliaplain of (he P'orty- eighth ludia)ia ijilanliy auil died at Paducah, Kentucky, in July, 18G2. During liis irwnistry ol' tM'onry years lie saw the elmrch grow to be one of the most important ajid influential Presbyterian con^^regations in nortliern Indiana. lie wa.s succeeded as pastor by Rev. S. C. Logan, wlVo remained during tlic war, resigning in July, 1865. Robert Beer was then called to the pulpit and remained as pastor until 1884, when he accepted a call to the chuieh :it Cedar Grove, Iowa, and Rev. N. 8. Willson i)eeanio pastor at ^^alpai-ai.so. Toward the close of Mr. Beer's ministry a move ment was started to build a new church. The lot on the southwest corner of Frankli}! and Jeffcr.son streets was purchased and an active canvass for subscriptions to the building fund was inaugurated. Work was comlneneed on the new luiilding in 1883, and on Sunday, March 1, 1885, it was dedicated. Tl^c work of constructiou was carefully watclu-d by Artillus V. Bartholoniev.-, a nieinber of the ciuircii, who dcvuled his time to that purpo.se without money and without charge. The dedi(vi tory sermon was preached hy Rev. Willis G. Craig, D. D., of the Northwestern Theological Seminary, of Chicago. John D. Wilson, the contractor who built the Porter comity court-house, also erected the Presbj'terian church, the two buildings going up sinniltaneously. It is also worthy of note that while the new court-house and church wej-e in process of construction the sessions of the court were held in the old Presbyterian church. The cost of the building was $24,868, all of which was fully provided for at the time the church was dedicated. The present pastor is Rev. J. M. Gelston, and the number of communicants is in the neighl)orlioo<i of i'M). The seating capacity of the house is a1)out 1,000. There is a tine memorial window to commi'iiioi-;ite the sei'vices of Dr. Brown, the lirst jiastoi-, and another to Rol)ert Beer, who served the church foi- nearly t«x'nt>' years.

In connection with this eongregation, it is deemed iippropriate 1() ;ic]d a few words concerning the charactei- of Rev. James C'. Brown, the first pastor, to whose work iiuich of the j)i-esent jirospeiily of tiie chunli is due. Energy and activity weiv his distinguishing characteristics, and the church was tlie object of his constant care and solicitation. When work wiis coui})ienced npon Uio lirst church building, he shouldered his ax and went with the others out to Bartholomew's woods to assist in felling and hewing the timbers. It is said that he "made a hand" at this work, as in ever^'thiug else he undertook. He frequently visited the settlements where there were a feu Presliyleriaus and held meetings for their benefit. lie org;ini;^cd tlie .Salem church in the westei-n part of Porter township and prenched there several times. This congregation at lirst held meetings in private residences, Init after a time a house of worshiij wa.s erected near the center of section 22, township 31, range 7. Some years later the Presbyterian oi'ganizatioji was discontinued and the Methodists have since held meetings in the house.

A Presbj'teriau church was organized in Portage townshij) early in the TiOs, and a house was erected by S. P. Robbins in 1852, at a cost of $800, more than three-fourths of which was the gift of Mr. liobbins himself. Some of the early members of this church wiu'c S. P. Robbins, Benjamin Stoddard, Russell Dorr and their wives, Daniel Richardson, Francis James, Emily James, a man named Letei's and his sister. Rev. James C. Brown was the first preacher. He was followed by a Mr. Ilumphrej' and later a minister named Ogden served as pastor. Services were then held at irregular intervals for awhile by ministers from various churches, after which the congregation was disbanded, the members joining oth(^r churches, and the ]\Iethodists acquired possession of the house, which Avas located on the northwest quarter of section 17, township 3(), range 6, about a half mile south of the present village of McCool.

In 1885 a Presbyterian cliurch was organized at Tassinong, near the soulherii border of Jlorgan township, and a hQU.se of worshi]) costing some $800 was erected the same year. Joseph Bartholomew and Geopge Biggert eacli gave $150 toward the liuildiiig of the churcli, and the citizens assisted in its construction with the undcrslanding that oilier denominations should have the i'ree use of the hou.s(^ at times wlieu tlie Presbytcj'ians were not occupying it. Kev. dames 0. lirown was a liberal eontrilmtor to the cause, and for some time acted as pastor, holding services in the niorniug at. Valparaiso and in the arternoou at Tassinoiig. OiIut ministers who preached ni tiiis eliurch were S. C. Logan, Robert "Williams, S. R. Baker, Henry Cullom and Frank Ferguson, and two men named Kinney and Moore. Death and removals decimated the congregation until the old church at Tassinoiig was finally abandoned.

On October 29, 1860, an Old School Presbyterian churcli was organized at Hebron, with the following members: William Mackey, E. Mackey, Gideon and Jane Brecount, A. A. Burwell, Rebecca Burwell, Mary E. Hill, Mary Hill, Clark L. and Nancy Tannehill, Margaret M. Gill, Carrie M. Wilson, Stella McCollom, Jane Aylesworth and T. C. Sweeney. Rev. J. L. Lower was the first pastor, and Amos ^. Burwell and William Mackey the first elders. Clark L. Tannehill, T. C. Sweeney and Gideon Brecount were elected the first board of trustees. In June, 1873, the congregation bought the old school-house and fitted it up for church purposes. For a time the congregation was connected with the one at Crown Point and later with the one at Tassinong. About 187f'. the membership was somewhere near forty, but five years later it had dwindled to twenty-five. The only Presbyterian church in Hebron ni 1912 was the United Presbyterian organization, already mentioned.

In June, 1840, a few persons belonging to the Christian church, who had settled in Morgan township, got together and formed a society, the first of that denomination in Porter county. Among the early members were 'Henry S. Adams, Lewis Comer, George W. Turner and Joseph Mc- Connell, and their wives, Thomas Adams, Elias Cain, Mrs. Baum and Mrs. Elizabeth Stoner. Lewis Comer was the first elder, and H. S. Adams the first deacon. After the congregation was firmly established, a brick church, costing about $2,000, was erected on the southeast quarter 01 section 18, township 34, range 6, about a mile and a half north of the present village of Maiden. Rev. Lemuel Shortridge preached for this church, off and on, for about thirty years. Other ministers who filled the pulpit at times were Rev. Robert Johnson, Rev. M. Goodykoontz, and Rev. W. Lowe. Like most country churches, this one has never made much noise or shown a large membership roll, but the few

A Christian church was organized at Boone Grove at an early date, where it is still maintained, though it has never boasted a large membership, and several times in its history it lias been without a regular pastor for months at a time.

Tlie Christian church in Valparaiso had its beginning in 1847, when a small society was organized by Rev. Peter T. Russell. Some of the charter members were : Mrs. P. T. Russell, Elias Axe, Agnes Axe, James Purely and wife, AVilliam W. and Belinda Jones, Cai'oline Russell and Mary A. Baum. Peter T. Russell was the first pastor. For a time the meetings were held in private residences, rented hall, and on special occasions in the court-house. In 1852 Elias Axe purchased from Mrs. Hamell the old brick scliool-house on Jefferson street between Wa^Jiington and Franklin, and it was used as a church until 1869. Then for a period of about five years meetings were held in private houses, the court-house, and the old German Lutheran church on the corner of Wasliington and Institute streets. In 1874 work was commenced on a brick church on the north side of Chicago street near Franklin. This building, which cost $3,200, was occupied hy the congregation until the spring of 1888, when it was torn down and the present building erected upon the site. Some of the pastors during this period were P. T. Russell, Lewis Comer, Charles Blackman, W. "W. Jones, Lemuel Shortridge, R C. Johnston, W. R. Lowe, I. H. Edwards and H. B. Davis. William Thomas, an architect of Chicago, drew the plans for the present church edifice, and the building committee was composed of H. B. Bro\vn, D. P. Jones, E. D. Crumpacker, B. F. Perrine, L. M. Pierce and T. M. Shreve.

delay was encountered in the ocction of the building,' which was forirudly dedicated on Sunday, December 16, 1888, the sermon on that oceasiou being preached by Rev. J. H. 0. Smith, the pastor of the church. Thi building cost about $20,000, and has a seating capacity of 1,000. The pastors who served the church since the present house of worship was erected have been J. II. 0. Sniitli, J. C. Updike, John L. Brant,

Jii-uce Brown Claude E. Hilt. TJic last uameJ is the pastor in 1'J12, hnviug been called to the pulpit in 1910. A new parsonage is now (July, ]912,) ai der construction, which, when completed will have cost about $3,600. The mimlei- of members in 1912 was about 1,450.

About the liiiie this >.'liurch removed into its ne^v house of worship iii 1888 a Christian church was organized at Koiits. Some of tlie trai'.- pings and furniture of lln' old Christian church at Valparaiso were given to the Kouls church to hflp the new congregation in efiuipping its home. On July 20, 1912, the will of Rose Yoder, of Kouts, was filed in the probate court of Porter cuiiiity. ^\mong other bequests was one of $500, which the will stipulated should be safely deposited in .some bank iiud the interest usc<] to aid in paying the salary of the Christian minister at Kouts. A like sum wa.s to be deposited in bank and the interest allowed to accumulate for fifty .years, when the entire sum should be given to the church, to be used as the congregation might elect.

A Christian church was organized at Hebron in Januarj"-, 1870, wilii twenlj"-six incmbers, among whom were Joseph Dye and wife, Sarah Essex, Ellis Ilutl' and wife, Viola Robiu.son, Sarah A. Johnson, Isaac Margison, Mrs. Blood, and Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery. Joseph Dye was the first deacon, and I\Irs. Mary E. White was the first person to le baptized after the church was organized. Lemuel Shortridge was the firsf^iastor, serving the congregation for about three years, when he i.vas succeeded bj' William Wheeler. Other ministers who served as pastor of this church were William R. Lowe, William L. Streeter, I. H. Edwards, John Ellis, Ji. 13. Davis and A. C. Carter. A house of worship was erected in 1878, at a cost of $1,100. This house was practically rebuilt in the spring of 1910, when some $7,000 were expended in enlarging and improving it, llie iirst services in the new building being held on Sunday, May 22, 191(1 The pasltu' in 1912 was Rev. S. W. Brown.

In 1850 a Reformed ilcnnonite church, was organized in Valparjiiso. After holding meetings in jirivate residences for aliout twenty yt-.trs, they purchased the old bi'ick school-house on AVillow street, where the church still lia.s its home. Although the membershiji is small, and the

A correct and authoitic account of the Catholic ehuicli in Porter county is somewhat ditficult to obtain. There were a few Catliolics living in tlie vicinity of Valparaiso in the decade from 1840 to 1850, and there is a stoi'y to the effect that the lirst mass ever said in that i^ortion of the county was on the northwest (|uarter of section 35, township 35, range 6, about two miles northwest of the court-house, but the time and name of llie ]iriest seeui to have been forgotten. Priests fi'om Notre Dame and other places sometimes visited the few Catholics residing about Valparai.so. Among thc^se early missionaries mey be mentioned Father Kilro.y, Father Curley, Fatlio- Cointet and Father Paul Gillen, familiarly Imown as Father Paul. It was through his elTorts that St. Paul's Church was commenced, though he left before it was completed, and for a lime no efforts were made to finish the building or to hold regular services. When the slate of Indiana was divided and Pt. Rev. J. H. Luers was made bishop of the northern diocese, one of the first official acts wa.s to endeavor to establish a resident priest in Valparaiso. First came Father Clarke, but for some reason he did not remain long. He Avas succeech'd by Hev. George Hamilton, an able man, but he, too, left in a short tiia&. About that time the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad was under construction, and many of the Catholics about Valparaiso belonged to that cla.ss that follows work of such character, roving from place to place as i)ublic works or railroads were to be built. Such per.sons, while true to their religious belief in a way, are not deeply interested in the establishment of churches.

A small number of Catholics, however, settled down in the county and purchased lands. In time they became able to support a resident pastor and Rev. John Force came to establish a pai'ish. lie was a man of line ability, possessed good social <iualities, and woidd have succeeded in liis mission, but his tieath occuj'red soon after coming io N'aljiaraiso. Next came I'^alher Potli, a .splendid seliolar, but lacking id all those traits that made his prcilceessor poiuilar. Jn a short time he became involved in controversies and law-suits, until he was finally recalled by the bishop.

After Father Botti came Kev. ]\Iichael O'Roilly. who succeeded wlicre others had failed, and for nearly twenty-five yeai-s remained as the popular and efficient pastor of St. Paul's. Father O'Reilly was born in County "Westnieath, Ireland, January 29, 1834, a son of John ami Aim (BenuctL) O'Reilly. His father died in 1841 and his mother married again. In 184G, although a mere boy, Michael became a member oP one of the clubs whose members were di'iiouneed as rebels Ijy the Brilisli government, and in 1848 he fled to America. He had an uncle living at Ulica, New York, and there he found a home. At the age of s:'venteen he began teaching. Later he attended Obijrlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, until his junior yeiir, when he entered the Catholic college of Notre Dame, at South Bend, Indiana. Afler preparing himself in Uiis institution he attended St. Mary's Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio, where he finished his course and was ordained to the priesthood. Being assigned to the norlhei-n Indiana diocese, he was sent by the bi.shop to Valparaiso, where he served until liis death on August 4, 1887, due to a strohe of paralysis.

When Father O'Reilly arrived at V'alparaiso, about the beginning of the y^ar 1SG3, lie found llic parish suiiir .$1,000 in dr;bt, the church closed by an injunction of the court, and sentiment divided among the members of the parish. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, he went to werk, aud by his energy and personality suoji Avon the confidence of the peo])le^ Unal)le to secure possession of the elnireli building, he rented a hall, improvised an altai-, and there lield sitn i'\'s every Sunday until in April, 1863, when he was permiued to take jiossession of the church, his first mass there being said on Easter Sunday. His nr>;t step was to rej-air the building, which had been allowed In run to partial decay uniler Father Botti 's i^astorate, and when it was in condition opened a simhU school. Father O'Reilly's greatest cojieern was fo' the educatioji of 1he children of his inirish. lie therefore erected a school-house before iimk- iiig any effort to provide a better Louse of worship. The school building cost about $8,000. Not until 1SS() did he stai-t I he movement for a new church building. The corner-stone of the present St. Paul's Church was laid on Sunday, October 7, 188o, by Bishop Tnvenger, of Foi't Wayne, assisted by priests from Foi-t AV;;yuc, Notre I v me, AVarsaw, Plymoutli and other places, some 8,000 or 10,000 people witnessing the ceremonies. On October 17, 188G, the church was dedicated by Bishop Dwenger. The building is 153 feet long, with a transept of 95 feet, a 65 feet nave and a spire nearly 200 feet in height. It is one of the largest Catholic churches in Northern Indiana and cost $40,000. Father O'Reilly lived less than » year after the church was finished, but the building stands as a monument to his labors and fine exeeutive ability. The present priest is Rev. AV. S. Hogan.

"When the Lake Shore & ]\Iieliij^an Southern j-ailway was l)eing built through Porter county, a large nuitiber of Catholics were employed upon the construction work. Some of tliem settled in the neighborhood of Chesterton, and a Catholic church was organized there in 1857 by Father Kilroy. For several j'ears the pari.sh was without a ehiirch building or a resident priest. Father Kilroy was succeeded by Father Flyun, and the latter by Rev. Paul Gillen. Ni'.vt Father Lawler, the resident Catholic priest at Laporte, came once a month to the Chesterton parish. Thus matters went on until in 1867, when the people asked Bishop Luers to send them a resident jiriest. The recpiest was granted and the congregation purchased a house and lof, where llie churcli was afterward erected, and Rev. John Flynn was duly installed as pastor. Two years later his death occurred and P'atlier O'Rourke took charge of the parish. The value of the church property at that tiiuc was about $500. A new church was built iu 1876, at a cost of about $13,000, and in 1882 a residence was built for the priest at a cost of $3,000. The church was named in hojior of Ireland's patron saiiif, and the pari.sh of St. Patrick, itt Chesterton, is one of Ihe prosiiciuiis Ca.lholi(; communities of northerji Indiana. Rev. Lawrence Eberle is llie present pastor.

clicslcr townsliip, orgJinizi^d n clnirch lotder the ministry of Kev. A. Audrain, witli ahout thirty members. Following Mr. Audrain came Revs. Sjoblom, N.vqiiist and Sodergrim, wJio .'^er^-ed until 1880, when Rev. Andrew Challraaii hecaine i.astor. A church building was erected in 1863, at a cost of .$2,000, and not long afterward a parsonage and sehoolliouse were buill. Some of the iiu'nil)er.s who had attended at Bailly Town organized the Swedish Lutheran cluirch at Chesterton in 187!), and nnmediatcly built a niee l)rick church, at a cost of $5,000. For some time one pastor served both congregations, but in recent j'ears the two congregations are entirely independent of each other. Fraternal feeling exists, however, and both churches ai'e in a prosperous condition. Rev. J. B. Bennett is j)astoj- of one and Rev. J. E. Nystrom of the otlier.

Several German familii>s settled at Valparaiso about 1850. Most of them were Lutherans, though no eli'ort Avas made to organize a church of that denomination until 1S()2. By that time there were probably forty or fifty German families in the inuuediate vicinity of the town, and when a Lutheran minister iiamed Jahn came from Ilolstein in that year they asked him to orgajiize a church and become its pastor, which Wcos done. Not long afterward a division occurred, some of the members going to the Reformed church, but the Lutheran congregation went on, and Rev. J. P. Beyer w^ engaged as pastor. Under his ministry the church was fully organized, and services were held in rented (]uarters milil 18G5. A frame building to be used as both churcli and scliool-house, was erected in that year on the corner of Pink and Academy streets, and Rev. G. Meyer was engaged to succeed Mr. Beyer. Under his ministrations the church increased iu membership, and the congregation began to look about for more commodious accomodations. At this juncture it was learned that the propei-ty Ijclonging to the Unitarian church was to be sold by the sheriff, and in 1880 the Lutherans nuidc an offer for it, which was accepted, and the church passed into their luinds. Here their meetings were held until the present buihling of the lunuanuel Evangelical Lutheran clnii-eh was erected on the corner of Washington and Institute streets in 18!)1. 'IMie jU'csent pastor is Rev. C. W. Baer.

Some years ago St. John s Evaugi-lical Lutlierau Church was oi-ganized and a small fhureh erected at the corner of Lincoln avenue and Pj-an)din street. For some reason the congrc'gation did not jn'osper. In 1912 the ehu)-eh was witliout a r(*ideut pastor, and it was rumored that the property was to be sold.

In ISSO the German Lutherans of Kouts built a small frame church, at a cost of -$600, with Rev. Philip Smitli as pastor. He was succeeded liy Rev. Julius Dunsing. At the time this church was erected it was the only chixrch building in Pleasant township. The congregation had been holding meetings in the seliool house since about 1873. The pastor of the chinch in 1912 was Rev. Ilicks Ilicken.

About tlie time that the Lutheran church of Koiits had its inception, a German Lutlieran congregation, known as St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, was organized at Chesterton. A church building was commenced in the fall of 1880, under the ministry of a preaclier named Ilammon, who was the tirst pastor, and it was finished in April, 1881. The churcli numbered but twelve members wlien it was organized, but by 1880 the membership had reached forty-five. Among the active members were Pred Lindermann, Charles Warnhoff, Henrj' Dormaji, William Slout, Charles Bancke, Pred Lawrentz and a jMiss Albright. It was diie to the effoi'ts of these menibei-s that the little band raised $2,000 to p<^y for the church. The pa.stor in 1912 was Rev. George Sehoettle.

The Unitarian society of Valparaiso was organized in 1872, and purchased the building of the Reformed church. Revs. Powell, Carson and Parker served as ministei-s for a few years, biit the congregation got into financial difficulties and was forced to sell the cliurch property to the Lutherans as already st<ated. After a fe\v years the society gave up the ghost.

"Union IMission Church," an organization of a somewhat peculiar character, was formed at Hebron in 1877. A ehureh costing about .$2,000 Wt'is erected the next year, with Hiram Marsh, William Netherby and B. Blanchard as trustees, and William Fry, James King and L. Temple as deacons. Dissensious arose an '' in April, 1882, some forty members of the old (..jugi'egation took pobSL-.ssion of the property and organized a CongregaLional cliun'li. W. M. Watt and William Fry were elected deacons; James King, J. G. Gib; on, James Alyea, A. Blanchard and B. F. Goss'tl, trustees, and Rev. L- A. Smith \va« called to the pulpit. Tlie records do not show what became of tliis organization, but it is no louder in existence.

Early in the Nineteenth century th(; ^dose connection betAveen church and state in Great Britain brought about a spirit of discontent in both England and Ireland. Aleetings to give cxin'cssion to this discontent were held in Dublin, Plymouth and Bristol, at which miuistei-s urged "a spiritual communion based on the teachings of the New Testament." The meeting at Plymouth was the most important, and a new sect was formed, tlie members of which took the name of Believere, Christians or Brellireu, but the fact that the denomin.ation originated at Plymouth led to their generally being called Plymouth Brethren. In 1878 a few of these people organized a communit.y in Valparaiso, and for some time held meetings oh the third floor of S. S. Skinner's block on Main street. Conditions here were different from those in England and Ireland, where the sect was first established, and after a short and uncertain career the Valparaiso community Avas disbanded.

The Episcopal church in America is a direct descendant of the Chureli of England. In the establishment of English colonies in America it was usually stipulated that the laws passed by such colonies should conform to the "true Christian faith' and rtligiou as now professed in the Established Church." In 1784 a nuinbcr of clergymen assembled at Brunswick, New Jersej^ and adopted a resolution to the effect "that the American church :sliould be indcpendeul of all foreign authority, ecclesiastical a,s well as civil." Tlie adoption of tliis resolution marked the beginning of the Protestant Episcopal churcl: in the United States. In form of government, the Episcopal ehurcb is modeled after thai of tlie Koman Catholic. Lidiana Avas made a dio. rse at a conipai'ativel.v early date, and was for ,vcav.s under the episcopate of Bishoj) John J. Kniekerliai.'ker, of liidicuiapoji... Ill his trnvols ovnr the state lio visited Valparniso, where ho found a few members of tlie faith and urged the orgauizBtion of a permaueut chuiv-h. They Avere few in numbci-s and not financially strong, and conscinently Jiesitated to take the step advised by the bishop. However, sfri-vircs were held oceasioiially in halls and private residences. Rev- George ]\foore, of I\ronienee, lUiuois, and Dlher priests visiting the city for Ihiit purpose. T^pon tlie deatli of Hisliop Ivnickerha'ker, the state was divided and Jit. Ilev. John II. Wliite was made bishop of the northern diocese. He established his see city at Michigan City and began an active campaign in the interests of the church. Upon the occasion of a visit to Valparaiso he enlisted the cooperation of Charles II. Parkei-, -I. S. Wilcox, A. ^V. Baruliart, M. A. Snider, J. C. Rock and a few others for the establishment of a church. St. Andrew's mission M'as organized, a hall hired, and Rev. L. W. Applegate was assigned to the parish as resident jiriest. In the s))ring of 1902 the lot at ths; .southeast corner of Franklin and Erie streets was purchased and work was commenced upon a frame building 32 by 64 feet, with a tower twelve feet squai'e- The building was completed in due time, and was formally dedicated on July 6, 1902. The present pastor is Rev. Walter B. AVilliam.son. In addition to the church organizations aliove mentioned, an atla.s of Porter county published in 190C shows several country churches in different parts of the county. On section 15, township 36, range 7, in Portage township, near the Lake county line, is a small Swedi.sh church. Near Clear Lake, in Jackson township, on section 24, township 36, range

5, is marked a church. Tlicre are two churches shown in lauon town- 'ship - one on the norllr.vest quarter of section 24, township 35. range 7,

6. In Wasliinglon township thei'e is a chunh marked on the northwest qiuuter of s(>etion 15, township 35, range 5, about two miles northwest of the old village oJ' Pratl\illi' on tlie La])orte road. This is known as the Pleasant Yicw (Jhurcli. The reeords of these churches have jiot been carefully ke])t, and to obtain a history of them would be jii'actically inqiossible. While most of 1liem nominally belong to some jjartieular deuoinination, miiiisteis uf all faitlis aud beliefs are usually welcome to occupj' their pulpits, ns there has never been any serious strife among the several denominations represented in the county. In Valparaiso there is a society of Christian Scientists, numbering about twenty or twenty-five members, ^vhich meets every Sunday on the- corner of Washington and Monroe streets.

A Young Men's Christian Association and a Young Women's Christian Association liavo been estalilislied in the city or Valparaiso. The former is located at G03 College Place, and the latter at 554 College avenue The organization of tliese two associalions is due in a grcut mcjisure to the management of the Valparaiso University, in order that the students may have some place to assemble where they will be brought under Christian influences. Taken altogether, there are few counties in the state in whicli the spirit of true religion prevails to a greater degree than in the coiuily of Porter. Altliougb many of the citizens do not hold membership in any church, the infliicuce of the law-abiding, God-fearing people who compose the church membership is felt by all. As a result of this influence the moral status of the community has been kept upon a high pbuu', and the court records show very few arrests for serious violations of law or disrespect for the individual rights of the citizen.