Putnam County, Indiana - Chapter 6: Church History Religious Societies, 1910

Chapter 6: Church History Religious Societies

The first preacher in the county of whom we have any definite record was Reuben Clearwaters, a Methodist. As to his reputation and abihty in the pulpit we i<now but little and about the only information regarding him which we possess is that he solemnized the first marriage in the county, uniting Thomas Jackson and Sarah Wood. July 4, 1822 ; that, having discovered some defect or error in the marriage, he hunted up Jackson and his wife and performed the ceremony over again. He appears to have lived in the county manv vears and was frequently a judge at elections and otherwise interested in matters of public concern. Judging by his signature, which is found rudely scrawled among the earlv records of the county, his educational opportunities or preparation for his calling must have been painfully meagre and neglected. One writer says he came to the county in 1821 ; that John Messer arrived about the same time also and that the two preached for the Methodists, who were even then somewhat numerous, before the believers of that faith were included within the lx)unds of any conference.

The doors of the old log school houses were always opened to the itinerant ministers, who. though of different faiths, were all equally eager to expound the simple truth of a sublime and beautiful religion and point out for comparison the thorny path of duty and the primrose path of reliance. Often have those old walls given back the echoes of the songs of Zion and many an erring one has had his heart moved to repentance thereby more strongly than. even, by the flights of homely eloquence. The religious meetings held in those old log school houses were much in contrast to those of todav. The pulpit was a box in the middle of the room. The audience assembled was composed of men in home-spun and women in calico and sunbonnets, together with travelers, land-hunters and other outsiders. The young men accompanying the girls had to stop before arriving at the house and politely turn their backs while the girls changed their shoes, they having carried their fine ones rather than to soil them by the long walk. The same was done on the return, except in wann weather or just after a rain, when the young man was burdened with two pairs of shoes while his girl would tuck up her homespun or calico thereby exhibiting a pair of white feet entirely destitute of cover.

Four religious denoininations were represented among the early settlers of the county. They were the Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists and New Lights. Being without meeting houses of their own, they at first met for worship at the cabins of some of their number. In time they were recognized by the board of county commissioners, who ordered the town agent to convey to each of them a lot in Greencastle on which they were authorized in each case to build a house for church purposes.

Organization Of Baptist Church

It is impossible to determine which denomination first began to hold meetings or indulge in church worship. It has been generally accepted that the Methodists were the earliest to attempt an organization, but. according to the following record recently found, the Baptists could not have been far behind :

"A council called to convene at Greencastle Saturday before the first Sabbath in May. 1822, for the purpose of organizing and constituting a regular Baptist church.

"Council composed of the following brethren: Elder J. R. Billings, from Lamb's Bottom church, and Elder Samuel Arthur, from White River church, with brethren J. R. Robinson and Thomas Johnson. After the council was organized the door of the church was opened for the reception of members. The following persons were received by letter; John C. Sherrell. Sister Sherrell, Samuel .\rthur. John Smith. Charlotte Smith, John Leatherman. Polly Leatherman. Jeremiah DeVore, Nancy DeVore, Jeremiah Skelton, Polly Skelton. John \\'. Jones and .\lsy Jones. Then the hand of fellowship was given and the church constituted upon the following articles of faith.

Elsewhere we learn that the Baptists held meetings at the house of Michael Wilson, a short distance west of Greencastle, early in 1823; that John Leathemian and Richard Denman preached to them and that among their members were Jubal Deweese. Thomas Johnson and John Miller, some of whom lived in the town of Greencastle. the others on land nearby. They also held meetings at the cabin of James Bird, on Walnut creek about seven miles northeast of Greencastle. Eventually they spread throughout the county.

The Xew. Light detiomination, although somewhat later and lesser in numbers, likewise had an early beginning. As is well known, they, in time, owing to some internal differences, suffered more or less division in their ranks - a goodly number being finally absorbed into the Christian church, as established by Alexander Campbell. The first campmeeting in the county was conducted by the New Lights at John Sigler"s place, a few miles northeast of Greencastle.

The organization of the Presbyterian church in the county August 12, 1825. was due to the labors of Isaac Reed, a missionary of that faith who had been sent west by the Connecticut Missionary Society. He made his headquarters in Gosport, Owen county, and was commissioned to journey through the wilds and fastnesses of western Indiana in behalf of the church. It was dangerous and exhaustive work, but the greater the hardships he encountered the more defiant his courage, the more insuperable his zeal. It is said of him that he was graduated from Middlebury College, Vennont, in 1812, ordained to preach by the Transylvania presbytery in Mercer county, Kentucky, in 1818, and moved to Indiana the same year. In the following year he organized the first Sabbath school in the state at New Albany. The church he organized in Putnam county flourished for a time, but eventually, either from a lack of interest or the competition of other denominations, went out of existence.

The records of the Methodist Episcopal church show that in the fall of 1822 the Eel River circuit, which included the counties of Owen, Putnam and Parke, was organized. Samuel Hamilton was the presiding elder and William Cravens the preacher in charge. At that time Indiana was a part of the Missouri conference. During the conference year 1823-24, William Beauchamp was the presiding elder and John Cord, the pastor in charge. In 1825 the Illinois conference was formed and Indiana belonged to it. The Eel River circuit was now in the Madison district. John Strange officiated as the presiding elder and John Fish as the preacher in charge. Other authorities credit Stephen Grimes, a local preacher at Bloomington. to the local circuit. In 1826 Putnam county was placed in the Charlestown district. James Armstrong was the presiding elder and Daniel Anderson, a man described as "of iron frame who traveled the district from Bloomington to

Crawfordsville, who could swim rivers and climb mountains to reach his appointment, and who died as he had lived, full of faith and the Holy Ghost." was the preacher in charge. In 1827 James Armstrong was continued as presiding elder and the preacher in charge. Daniel Anderson, was now provided with an assistant in the person of Stith M. Otwill. A year later finds James Armstrong still presiding elder and William H. Smith - destined to spend the last twenty years of his life in Greencastle - preacher in charge. His assistant at the time was Benjamin C. Stexenson. a brother of the late Dr. A. C. Stevenson. In 1829 John Strange officiated as presiding elder and William H. Smith is returned as the preacher in charge of the circuit, with George Tea.se as assistant. In 1830 Greencastle appears in the minutes of the conference as the head of a circuit. John Strange is still presiding elder and William Moore becomes the pastor. In 1831 the Indianapolis district was formed. James Armstrong presided as elder, with James Hadley and J. H. Hills as the pastors. 1832. John Strange, presiding elder. Daniel Anderson and L. D. Smith, preachers; 1833. Allen Wiley, presiding elder, Eli T. Fanner and Henry Deputy, preachers; 1834, Indiana conference formed. Vincennes district. James L. Thompson, presiding elder, Thomas J. Brown, preacher; 1835. Bloomington district. J. Oglesby. presiding elder. Thomas J. Brown, preacher; 1836, S. C. Cooper, presiding elder, Greencastle. John Newell; 1837, H. S. Talbott, presiding elder, Greencastle made a station. James L. Thompson, pastor; Greencastle circuit, Jonas S. Belotte. pastor; 1838, H. S. Talbott, presiding elder, Greencastle station, Ebenezer Patrick, Greencastle circuit. H. \'redenburg and W. H. Smith, pastors; 1839, Greencastle district, E. R. Ames, presiding elder, Greencastle station. John S. Bayless. circuit, H. X'redenburg and R. C. Rowley, pa.stors ; 1840. Greencastle station. Hawlev B. Beers, circuit. Isaac Owens, Jacob Miller, pastors; 1841, Greencastle station, Isaac Owens; 1842, Greencastle station, Ebenezer Patrick and J. M. Stallard. preachers; 1843, Greencastle station, John Daniel.

Daniel is said to have been one of the most effective preachers of his time and locality. Very earnest, very vehement, he easily electrified and swaved his audience at will. His zeal was like an unquenchable fire. A member of one of his early congregations related in after years that at one time in the old church in Greencastle he was exhorting sinners to flee from the wrath to come and after exhausting himself without making the desired impression on his hearers, he mounted a step at the foot of the pulpit and at the very top of his voice cried out. "Wake up. my brother, you're nearing helll Don't you smell the brimstone?"

In 1844 the state was divided into two conferences and Greencastle fell to the North Indiana. E. M. Beswick was presiding elder and .\inasa Johnno WEIK S HISTORY OF son was assigned to Greencastle station. In 1845 J- C. Smith was the local pastor; in 1846. the same; in 1847, John H. Hull. Until this time the church in Greencastle stood on the lot at the corner of Indiana and Poplar streets, but it was far too small and the congregation, having secured a lot two squares east at the corner of Ephraim street, now College avenue, erected a new church building, which when completed was the largest and most imposing church edifice in Greencastle. About the time the building was begun a succession of rains had flooded all the streams in the county and the last sawmill had been washed away. No lumber could be had short of Parke county, and that required a trip of more than thirty miles over mud roads sometimes almost impassable. At this juncture two men, David L. Southard and Peter Albaugh, volunteered to build a mill for the purpose. Mr. Southard went to Cincinnati - it is said the journey was made on horseback and consumed almost ten days - and bought the required machinery, which was shipped down the Ohio river, then up the Wabash to Terre Haute and from there hauled to Greencastle in wagons. Within six weeks the mill was in operation, the requisite lumber produced and the building went on without further mishap. The pulpit was a mammoth strttcture, being over seven feet high, made of solid black walnut and would be an object of great wonder today. In 1859 the pastor, G. M. Boyd, being somewhat of a mechanic himself, took down the old altar and constructed another much less imposing and more in keeping with the times. Miss Ring, a special friend of Doctor Larrabee, undertook the unwelcome task of raising the money to buy a bell for the church. John Hammond gave fifty dollars, supplementing the donation with an additional twenty-five dollars, and with a few more contributions the fund was soon complete.

This was the third church building which the Methodists had erected in Greencastle. The first one. built of logs, stood at the corner of Ephraim and Franklin streets on a lot which had been given to the church by the county commissioners in May, 1833. It was the first church building in Greencastle. As is always the case in a new community, certain of the rougher element, actuated not only by base motives but by a spirit of mischief, had in various ways annoyed the new congregation. One of their methods of interrupting the meeting has come down to us. Arthur McGaughey, the county clerk, with the connivance of Washington Walls, David Rudisill and other characters, found about the court house, one Saturday evening, a fresh coon skin. singed the hair and about three o'clock in the morning of the following day attached a string to it and. starting from the church, dragged it over the ground, making a circuit of a mile or two, and returning to the church where they threw the pelt out of sight among the rafters overhead. Later in the day during services at the church, they led a pack of hounds to a point southwest of town and unleashed them. Almost instantly the dogs struck the trail and, with the requisite amount of noise ten or fifteen such animals on a fresh scent of game could make, they followed the circuit, growing more and more demonstrative as they neared town. Reaching the church, they dashed into the open doorway, panting, yelping and producing a commotion on the part of the congregation so complete and instantaneous that the meeting adjourned without the formality of a benediction.

The new church built by the Methodists in 1847 was dedicated by Bishop Hamline and called Roberts Chapel. The ne.xt year the conference returned the same preacher, John H. Hull, who filled the station during the previous year. In 1850 a small number of the members of Roberts Chapel organized another charge and built a one-story brick church at the comer of Seminary and Ephraim streets. Hayden Hays was their pastor. Later another story was added and the building dedicated under the name Simpson Chapel.

In 1849 and 1850 H. N. Barnes was assigned to Roberts Chapel. .A^ year later Thomas S. Webb came. In 1S52 the Northwest Indiana conference was formed. T. S. Webb was returned to Roberts Chapel. In 1853 came G. C. Becks; 1854, James Scott; 1855, A. G. Chenoweth; 1856, William Willson; 1857, William Willson again; 1858, G. W. Stafford; 1859, G. M. Boyd; i860, - G. M. Boyd again; 1861, Thomas S. Webb; 1863, Thomas S. Webb again; 1863, C. A. Brooke; 1864, C. .A. Brooke again; 1865, D. F. Barnes; 1866, Enoch Holdstock; 1867, J. W. Greene; 1868, J. W. Greene again; Simpson Chapel, D. Holmes; 1869. Roberts Chapel, J. W. Green; Simpson Chapel, A. A. Brown; 1870, Roberts Chapel, C. Skinner; Simpson Chapel, A. A. Brown. In 1871 Roberts and Simpson Chapels were consolidated and a mission was founded in the south part of Greencastle. A. A. Gee was sent to Roberts Chapel. In 1872 Doctor Gee was returned to Roberts Chapel, W. C. Davisson assigned to the new mission and James Spinks to the Greencastle circuit. In 1873, Roberts Chapel. Nelson Greene, mission, H. A. Buchtel, Greencastle circuit, W. C. Davisson; 1874, Roberts Chapel, Samuel Beck; south charge, H. .A. Buchtel; 1875. Roberts Chapel, Samuel Beck; 1876, Roberts Chapel. Samuel Beck; 1877. Roberts Chapel, Isaac W. Joyce; 18-8, Isaac W. Joyce.

During the pastorate of Doctor Joyce in 1879 Roberts Chapel was sold to the Presbyterian church and a new building, called College Avenue church, erected in the neighborhood. Doctor Joyce, the first preacher in the new charge, remained one year, being succeeded by A. Marine, who, in 1883, gave way to J. H. Cissel. The latter remained till 1886. AI. M. Parkhurst served till 1890; Salem B. Towne till 1894; James H. Holliiigsworth till 1897; William H. Wise till 1899 and J. S. Hoagland till 1909. The present pastor is Kirk Waldo Robbins.

The other Methodist charge in Greencastle, known as Locust Street church, was the outgrowth of the mission established in 1873 by W. C. Davisson, who afterward became a missionary in Japan. During the pastorate of Rev. H. A. Buchtel in 1874, a new building was erected at the corner of Anderson and Locust streets. Li the following year he was succeeded by J. V. R. Miller, who served till 1876; next came \V. H. Grim, who remained till 1879; J. L. Pitner, till 1880; J. W. Webb. 1881 : W. R. Halstead, 1882; W. M. Zaring, 1884; Albert Hurlstone, 1887; T. H. Willis, 1892; R. R. Bryan. 1893: L. D. Moore, 1895; M. A. Farr, 1896; J. W. Baker, 1898; J. W. Culmer, 1899; W. H. Wylie. 1900, and J. F. O'Haver, 1903. J. M. Walker, the pastor now in charge, was appointed in 1908.

E.Kri.Y Presbyterian Efforts

As before noted, the first attempt of the Presbyterian church to obtain a footing in Putnam county was not a success. After the efforts of Isaac Reed, who undertook to organize the church in August, 1825, interest in the society began to relax and finally the meetings, which had been held in the cabins of the members, ceased altogether. This period of inaction continued till the fall of 1832, when Rev. Samuel G. Lowry, who afterward emigrated to Minnesota, commenced preaching by special permit in the Methodist church, once and sometimes twice a month, being assisted by Rev. James H. Shields. The society included about sixteen persons who held to the Presbyterian belief. In July, 1833, he organized a "Xew School Presbyterian church." consisting of eighteen members. John S. Jennings and James M. Hillis were the first eklers. Later Lucius R. Chapin. James Proctor. "M. W. Hensley, Jacob Daggv, James AI. Grooms, James D. Stevenson. Charles G. Case, R. W. Jones, Elias Daggy and R. S. Ragan served the church in like capacity. Mr. Lowry"s services ceased in 1834 and he was immediately followed by W. W. Woods, who remained till 1837. In May, 1836, the town agent of Greencastle, on the order of the board of county commissioners, conveyed to the trustees of the church Lot 2;^ Iving at the corner of Columbia and Jefferson streets, on which the congregation at once built a brick meeting house, which was dedicated in September, 1836, and occupied continuously for almost twenty years. In i8si the erection of a new building was begun on the lot at the corner of

Pl'Tnam Cocxtv, Ixdiaxa. Ii3

After Mr. Woods left the church in 1837, J. R. W'heelock. James H. Shields and Ransom Hawley filled the pastorate till 1845. After them came Thomas S. Milligan. who ministered to the flock until 1850. being succeeded by T. 'SI. Oviatt. who remained in charge till the spring of 1855. ]\Ir. Oviatt was followed by Henry A. Rossiter. whose temi of service, extending from 1855 to 1869. was longer than that of any other pastor. In 1850 a division of the church occurred and the Second Presljyterian church, acting under disl^ensation of the Old School assembly, was organized. In 1850-51 they erected a brick building at the corner of Washington street and College avenue, their first pastor being J. McCord. From 1854 to 1870 they were ministered to by Dr. E. W. Fisk. In i8fi8 they sold their building to E. T. Keightley. who soon transferred it to the Catholic church, and they at once began the erection of a new builcling at the corner of Locust and Anderson streets, which was later transferred to the Indiana Female College. In ?^[arch. 1870. the two congregations. Xew and Old school, were united and occupied the First church building, .\fter the consoli<lation Dr. Fisk and William A. Bosworth occupied the pulpit two \ears or until 187 J. A. W. Williams followed till 1S74: Lucius I. Root, 1876; George G. ^litchell. 1879: George ^^'. Eainum. 1889. and Harlan P. Corey. 189J. Since the latter date the pastors in succession ha\e been Robert M. Dillon. William K. Wea\er. James P. Roth. -Vugustus W. Sonne and David \'anDyke. At present the church is without a pastor.

The Christian church in Putnam county harks back to the days of the Xew Lights, which was organized in 1830 with a membership of several persons, viz: R. S. Tennant. wife an<l daughter, Peter W. Applegate and wife, and Samuel Ta\'lor and wife. The first elders were Peter W. Applegate and Samuel Tavlor. The first member admitted after the organization of the church was lohn G Tennant. Soon after John Reed, \'. K. Reed. Crawford Cole and others joined. Meetings were held from house to house and services were led by such preachers as Gilbert Harney. Michael Coons, John OT\ane. John Harris and others. After several years the congregation decided to hold meetings in Greencastle. At first they met in a room o\-er a store on the northeast corner of the public S(|uare. then in a schriol room at the Count v Seminary and finally in the court house. The congregation, under the nn'nis- (8) trations of such men as John B. New, Love H. Jameson, A. R. Benton, S. K. Hoshour, B. K. Smith, Alfred Flowers, E. P. Goodwin, James E. Matthews. Moses E. Laird. Benjamin Franklin, M. B. Hopkins and Oliver P. Badger, was constantly growing and about 1S53 a lot was purchased at the corner of Poplar and Indiana streets on which the erection of a commodious frame church was begun. The building was dedicated Sunday, June 8. 1856. The first pastor was Oliver P. Badger, a man of great piety and religious zeal and the longest continuously active resident preacher in Greencastle. His successors in charge of the church have been J. W. Cox, Peter Raines. S. F. Stimpson. Alfred Flower, O. F. Lane. W. B. Taylor, H. G. Fleming, O. C. Atwater. A. H. Morris. O. P. Shront, J. E. Powell. Robert Sellers and Commodore W. Cauble. The present pastor is J. M. Rudy.

Baptist Organization

Although one of the oldest church organizations in the county, the records of the Baptist church are by far the most incomplete. Originally there were several congregations of the denomination in the county, the largest one being in Greencastle. March 3, 1837, the town agent was ordered to convey to the trustees of the church a lot in Greencastle, on which they erected a brick meeting house. This they used till 1859, when they purchased another lot on the corner of Water and Poplar streets, upon which they erected their present church. From a portion of the record of the minutes of the church meetings held at intervals we learn that from 1846 to 1850 John G. Kerr officiated as pastor, that he was succeeded by E. W. Crissey, he by J. Taylor, and he by William M. Davis. This takes us down to 1853.

The next man was William Freeman, the next P. H. Evans anrl the next J. S. Gillespie. During the pastorate of the last named in 1859 the new church was built. In February. 1867. the records of this church were destroved by fire so that much of its history cannot now be ascertained. The church being financially weak, asked for and received material assistance from the Baptist Home Missionary Society. Rev. R. M. Parks was called to the pastorate, but before the close of his first year the church building was almost completely destroyed by a cyclone. This was a heavy blow to the congregation, but.'nothing daunted, they resolved to rebuild and the present structure was the result. For some time the church was without a pastor, but was supplied till 1870 by Rev. Brown, of Terre Haute. During the pastorate of F. M. Roberts, who came about this time, an organ was purchased for the Sundav school, which unfortunately caused a serious division and consecjuent loss in membership. ^Ir. Rol)erts resigned within a year and was succeeded bv T- S. Gillespie, who served till 1874. His successors up to 1890 were, in succession. A. P. Stout. J. R. Edwards, J. \V. Reed, I. H. Wise and W. W. Hicks. Since 1890 the church has frequently been without a pastor. At present Rev. D. B. Landes is in charge.

Catholic Church Of St. Paul The Apostle

We come now to the oldest church of all, the Catholic - often called the mother church. In the dissemination of religious knowledge and instmction it was the pioneer, for it established missions among the Indians in Illinois and Indiana long before the white man had undertaken to settle the new territory. "Her missionaries," says one historian, "traversed the country from the Ohio river to the Great lakes, preaching salvation to the red man and teaching him the great truths contained in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Wherever a tribe was found, there the humble priest of the Catholic church erected the altar of God and celebrated the sacrifice of the mass, speaking words of love and peace to the poor untutored sons of the forest. Many of these noble men yielded up their lives at the hands of those they came to save, but at last devotion to the cause of Christ conquered the barbarian and love for the 'black robe' (as the priest was called by the Indians') took the place of hatred in the heart of the savage. Ever afterward the Catholic priest was a welcome visitor, his habit being his only defense. His coming was made a time of rejoicing, and the Indians, gathering around, listened eagerly to the words of truth as he spoke them forth. All this was changed by the dishonesty of the white traders, which turned the Indian's love to hate and ever since he has remained the foe of the white man."

The history of the Catholic church in Greencastle, known as the church of St. Paul the Apostle, dates back to 1848. when the Rev. Simon LaLumiere, pastor of St. Joseph's church in Terre Haute, journeyed to Greencastle and read the first mass in an old log school house, the property of Clinton Walls. a short distance northeast of the village of Limedale. The early Catholics of Greencastle and vicinity, but few of whom are now living, were generally Irish laborers employed in the construction of the V'andalia and Monon railroads and for a long time religious services were held in private houses. Other priests beside the reverend father mentioned attended to the spiritual needs of the mission in these early days, among whom was the Rev. Daniel Maloney, from Indianapolis. The first resident pastor was the Rev. William Doyle, who was sent here bv Maurice de St. Palais, the bi.shop of the diocese of Vincennes. It was through the efforts of Father Doyle that the congregation came into possession of their first church property. This consisted of a primitive chair factory located on Locust street, between Anderson and Seminary, which they purchased and con\erted into a house of worship. There is a that the owner of the property in (juestion. a Protestant, was so deeply prejudiced against the further encroachment of the Catholic denomination that he refused to sell the lot to them and that the conveyance was effected by a strategem, the owner. Gustavus H. Lilly, being made to believe that the grantee was intending to use the place as a vinegar factory. This could easily ha\-e been accomplished by means of a bond for a deed. At the date of this transaction the Know-nothing movement was at its height and the prejudice against foreigners and the Roman Catholics knew no limit.

Rev. Edward O'Flaherty followed Father Doyle, ministering to the flock at Greencastle and adjacent missions until 1856, when he was succeeded by Rev. Patrick Highland. In i860 the latter priest, being somewhat advanced in years and of feeble health, gave way to the Rev. Joseph O'Reilly, under whose ministrations the church made rapid and substantial progress. The church edifice was repaired, walls plastered, altar erected, proper' vestments secured, a steeple erected, surmounted by the cross, the building painted and the entire structure greatly improved in appearance. In May, 1864, Father O'Reilly was transferred to Cambridge City being followed by Rev. Charles Maugin. In April. 1866. during the administration of the latter, the old-school Presbyterian church building was purchased and remodeled. On June loth the building was blessed by Bishop St. Palais and consecrated to St. Paul. Xear the close of the year 1867. Father Maugin was succeeded by the Rev. J. Clement, who made further and material alterations to the church, but who died during his pastorate in 1871. Next came Peter Bischof. who served till 1874; Dennis O'Donnovan till 1877: Thomas Logan till August. 1880: Michael Power till 18S5. when Father Logan was returned and remained till 1888. He was succeeded by Joseph Macke. who remained a year and was followed by the present pastor, Thomas A. McLaughlin, whose record of service has excelled in duration that of any of his predecessors. In 1853. under the administration of Father O'Flaherty. a mission was estabished at Bainbridge and the members of the church there have been ministered to bv the resident pastor at Greencastle since that time. The church there many years ago was consecrated to St. Patrick.

Other Churches

Several attempts to organize and maintain an Episcopalian church in Greencastle have been made, but without material success. About twenty years ago the membership, though limited in number, built a neat little stone church at the comer of Seminary street and Taylor avenue, and for a time supported a resident pastor, but only for a brief time. After that meetings were held once a month, led by clerg\-men from other places, but finally services of all kinds ceased, the building was sold and the church went out of existence.

There are three colored churches in the county and all are located in Greencastle. The oldest is Bethel, the African Methodist Episcopal church. It was organized about 1876. and met over a store room on the public square for \ears. but about twenty years ago purchased the lot on Locust street where the first Catholic church stood and built thereon an attractive and commodious building in which the congregation has ever since worshipped. It is the largest colored congregation in the county. Its present pastor is A. E. Taylor. There are also two other colored churches in Greencastle. One is Hinton Chapel, representing the Methodist Episcopal church. The congregation meets in a small brick building which it owns on Hanna street. The pastor is W. \'. Butts. The other church is in the extreme south part of the cit\' and is known as St. Paul's Baptist church. It has no regular pastor, but at least once a month it holds ser\ices which are led l)y the pastors of churches who come from other places.

This chapter would be far from complete were no mention to be made of that marselous and now universal agency for the dissemination of religious knowledge and the useful instruction of the young - the Sunday school. In the hands of the Misses ^lyra and Elizabeth Goulding, of Greencastle, is a small book, about eight by ten inches in size, in the first page of which, written in a delicate feminine hand and now almost faded from sight, is the following:

"Greencastle Union Sabljath School Register. "1834. "April 13. - A Sabbath school was opened ijy the teacher of the day school with twenty young ladies and children, most of whom were her own scholars. They were led in prayer and received instructions from Matt. 18: 1-4. which ha<l been previously assigned for the lesson. G. F. Waterman was present and expressed his approbation of the manner in which instruction was given and his willingness to become a teacher. Matt. 18:21-35 ^^'^s assigned for the ne.xt lesson. School was dismissed to meet the next Sabbath at half past eight o'clock in the morning."

The above entry was penned by Myra Jewett, afterward married to John S. Jennings, and records the happenings and exercises of the first Sunday school ever held in Putnam county. The story of how this good woman who, leaving the attractive and congenial surroundings of her Massachusetts home, chose to unite her fortunes with the hardy settlers in the backwoods of Indiana, and especially how she came to organize among these rude pioneers that great agency for the uplift and betterment of society, the Sunday school, is indeed an incident of rare interest ; and it is so admirably told in a paper prepared and read bv Miss Helen Hathaway at a celebration in 1878 of the fortv- fourth anniversary of the founding of the Sunday school, that the liberty is taken to incorporate a portion of it here. After reciting the facts set forth in Miss Jevvett's diary quoted above. Miss Hathaway says;

"Alost of the young ladies and children present were Miss Jewett's own scholars in the school-room which stood on the spot now occupied by Doctor Preston's residence (corner of College avenue and Walnut street). The third Sabbath the number of scholars had increased to thirty and Miss Jewett was assisted by Mr. John S. Jennings and Mr. G. F. Watennan, a lawyer who had come to this place from Rhode Island. Three others aftenvard entered the school as teachers, but none of these seem to have been permanent teachers. On Mav 15th the school met at Mr. Jennings' house and continued to meet there till June 8th, when it was moved to the Seminary, a one-story brick building of two rooms standing on the site now occupied by Mr. Edward Hanemann's residence. The school had increased in numbers and had received a donation of fi\e dollars from the school in Pepperell, Massachusetts, Miss Jewett's former home, to aid in purchasing a library, and the agent of the American Sunday School Union donated five dollars worth of books. In July a meeting was held at ]\Ir. Jennings' house for the purpose of effecting a permanent organization. A Sabbath school society was organized with John C. Evans, president, and G. F. Waterman, vice-president. Mr. Jennings was elected superintendent of the school and Miss ^lyra Jewett. secretary, and the name of 'The Greencastle Union Sabbath School" adopted. The society held a Sunday school concert for prayer on July 14th and was addressed bv John Cowgill. Esq.. on 'The Importance of the Sunday School to our Town. Countv and Xation." These concerts were held monthly. The ofificers and teachers of the school were elected by the society. In 1835 a set of rules for the government of the school was adopted. The whole number of scholars enrolled during the first year of the school was eighty-nine and among them we notice the names of James and Leah Gillespie, John R. Mahan. William Ste\'enson and \'irginia Walls, now ^Irs. Lee. one of our present teach- ers. In September of this year the school lost by death one of its valuable teaciiers. Mrs. M. Ste\enson. and in this month the school was visited for the first time by a minister of the gospel. There was an eiifort made to keep up a teachers' meeting. Init it seems that \ery little interest was manifested by the teachers. In ?v[arch. 1835, a Methodist Sabbath school was organized, which tO()k away a nnmlier of the scholars and some of the teachers. However, in -Vtigiist the ^chool ninnbered sixty or si.\ty-fi\-e scholars and seemed too large to be accommodated in the school room. On the roll of the school for this vear we see the names of Bishop Osborne, ^\'illiam Thornburgh and Eliza Hensley. Mr. Jennings held the office of superintendent for two vears and was elected by the society for the year 1836, but soon after resigned and Milton \\ . Hensley was elected to fill the place. The school was fre(|uently omitted on accoimt of sacramental or camp meetings or absence of superintendent and teachers from town. It was much encouraged by donations from time to time from the school at Pepperell, Massachusetts. On September 11, 1836, it was moved to the newly-built Presbyterian church, at the corner of Columbia and Jefferson streets. Something of a harvest seems to have been realized at this time from the labors in the school, as a number of scholars had united with the church. Xexertheless. the secretarv- records rather discouraginglv that a large luimlier of scholars had left the school and much inconvenience was felt from the cold, as the means of making the house comfortable were inadequate. R. W. Jones and three l)rothers and Lewis Rutlisill entered school this year. In January. 1837, it is recorded: 'School larger todav than for two years. We have now the means for making the house comfortable and ue ha\'e a minister who comes and talks to us.

"The whole number connected with the school then was seventy-six and in the s[)ring of that year several more united with the church and a new librar\- was purchased, .\mong the scholars enrolled that year were Maria Walls. Sarah J. Daggy (now Mrs. Hawkins). Hannah Osborne (now the wife of Solomon Claypool), .Uldison Daggy and William Daggy. The present mayor of our city, Mr. Lucius P. Chapin. and his brother. John Chapin. also entered that year. In 1838 the superintendent resigned and for three months the office was vacant, different members of the school being called upon to conduct the e.xercises. Mr. Hensley was again elected to fill the office for the remainder of the year, with James M. Grooms as secretaiy. In November of that year Jarvin C. Grooms, then three years old. entered the school and has. we presume, lieen a regular attendant diu'ing all the }-ears since that time. Edwin Black, with two brothers. aLso entered at this time. For the \ear 1840 ]M. W. Hensley was elected suiJeriutendent and we belie\e held the

I20 Weik S History Of

.office one _\ear. I)eiiig succeeded l)y James 'SI. (jrooms. About this time several of the teachers and scholars went over the creek, north of town, and organized a branch school with Mr. Jacob Dagg_\- superintendent. In the records for 1843 are fiiund the names of some new teachers admitted, among them being Addison Daggy, R. L. Hathaway and Elizabeth Grooms. Among the minutes for March we notice that Mr. Gookins from Terre Haute addressed the school. * * * *

"In 1844 the library was replenished by a donation of two hundred volumes and Jacol) Daggy was elected superintendent. In 1845 Mr. Jennings was again cliosen superintendent and D. C. Proctor, secretary and librarian. In 1846. or perhaps a short time previous thereto, the Baptists organized a scho()l nearbv. which took away some of the scholars. In this year a juvenile missionary society was formed. In 1847 the officers were J. M. Grooms, superintendent. D. C. Proctor, secretaiy, and John R. ]\Iahan, librarian. The school was reported in a flourishing condition and a library of one hundred volumes purchased. On Saturday. May ist. the school celebrated its thirteenth aimiversary at the church. The Methodist and Baptist schools joined in the celebration. Rev. Cyrus Xutt opened the meeting with prayer and Rev. Mr. Milligan and Rev. Mr. Carr delivered addresses, after which all partook of refreshments and then formed a procession headed by the Putnam Band."

Myr-V Jewett

Interesting though it may be. the linntations of space forbid further account of this now historic Sunday school : but we cannot pass from the subject without a brief word respecting the memory of Myra Jewett. its founder. She was bom in Pepperell. Massachusetts, in 1802. and was the oldest in a family of thirteen children. Her sister is authority for the statement that '"the limited means of her parents made it a difficult matter for them to give their laro-e family the advantages for education which they desired. Init. with that persistent energv and determination which has always been a stn^ngly marked ciiaracteristic. she overcame the obstacles that lay in her way. Her great ilesire was to qualifv herself for the office of a teacher, that she might 'do g(ii)d.' not onlv bv imparting to the youtli that knowledge which would prepare them fur active duties of life, but further than this, that she might by precept and example incite them to lives of unselfish devotion to higher and nobler aims than simplv living for their own enjoyment or for the gratification of worldiv ambition."

Putnam Colxty. Indiana

For a time she was a \m\n\ of Marv Lvons. who made the scliijol at Aft. Holyoke famous, and was deeply influenced by her teachings. Says her sister : "She tauglit for six or seven years in her native state, but her s\inpathies were early enlisted bv accounts of the great need of teachers in the newly settleil regions of the 'b^ar West.' as Indiana was called in those days. But a journe\- fmm Massachusetts to Indiana at that time was a far different affair from what it is now. There was only one short railroail in the route from Albany to Schenectad}-. The rest of the journey was toilsome and tedious, being performed by stage, by steamer across the lake, by canal and by private con\'e\'- ance. Her traveling companions on this wearisome journey were the late Prof. Caleb Mills and a Miss Wvatt, also a teacher. Soon after her arrival in Greencastle, she rented and furnished a room and opened her school. This school she continued to teach, struggling along alone amid many trials, difificulties and discouragements, for three vears, when a younger sister came to shai'e her lai)ors.'"

The school was not a pecuniary success. Miss Jewett found at the close of the first term that after paying her board and the expenses of the school room she was in debt one dollar. At the end of the succeeding term she had a net sm-plus of one dollar, but at the close of the third term she again faced a tleficit of a dollar. After this for one or two terms she managed to make the two sides of the account balance. There was scarcely ever a surplus again. "But hers was a true missionan*' work and this was a labor of love." continues her sister. "But she was not satisfied with the work of the day school merely and in 1834 she gathered together a few of her scholars and some others in her school-room and taught the first Sabliath school. For manv years - indeed as long as strength pennitted - she was an earnest, faithful teacher, always at her po.'^t and always enforcing by her own pure, lovelv and consistent life the principles which she endea\ored to instill into the minds of her pupils.

"In the sjjring of '836 she was compelled in conseijuence of ill-health, to resign tiie schnol entirely to her sister, but upon the marriage of the latter. June 7th. she again resumed the office <if teacher, which she continued to fill till her own marriage to John S. Jennings, .\ugust 13. 1841. She was the mother ni two children, both of whom died in infancy, .\lwa_\-s tlelicate from a child, her long life was attended by much suffering, yet in all these manv long, wearisome ilays of languor and the nights of pain no one ever heard a murnnn- nr complaint from her lips. She passed from earth June 13. 18S0. Those wIkj attended her and mini.stered to her wants can testify to her patient resignation and cheerful submission to the sufferings which slie felt were sent b\- the lo\ ing Tleax-enh- Father for her good.'

A modest, forbearing, but earnest woman, she shrank instinctively from any sort of public contact. She strove to do her full duty without popular acclaim. When ill health at last drove her into the privacy of her home, she welcomed the seclusion it insured. It was a congenial retreat and there, surrounded by her flowers, of which she was devotedly fond, she spent the few remaining years of her useful and beautiful life confidently awaiting the summons which finally comes to us all. So lived and died this good woman and when the historian of the future shall undertake the story of Greencastle and Putnam county his work will surely come to naught if he fails to include among those entitled to the regard and veneration of posterity the patient zeal, the tolerant, angelic spirit and the unswerving devotion of Myra Jewett.