Green Township (part 3 of 3)

Greenfield Camp No. 5063, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized, October 13, 1897, with twenty charter members. It now has a membership of one hundred and eighteen. Teh deaths have occurred since the organization of the lodge, on which the order has paid twelve thousand dollars of insurance. Its meeting places have been at the old Masonic hall, the old I. O. O. F. hall and the hall over the monument room at the southwest corner of Main and Pennsylvania streets. William Robb was the first venerable consul.

Greenfield Tent No. 37, Knights of the Maccabees of the World, was instituted August 1, 1890, with eight charter members: John Corcoran, M. K. Cummins, John L. Fry, M. A. Fry, A. J. Smith, A. R. Walker, W. B. Walker and Harry G. Strickland. At present there are thirty-five members. Fifteen thousand dollars of insurance has been paid to local representatives of deceased members. Isaac A. Goble has been the record keeper for the past twenty years.

Golden Aerie No. 11 15, Fraternal Order of Eagles, was organized June 21, 191 5, with one hundred and sixty-two charter members. This number has now grown to one hunderd and ninety. The lodge was organized and has always met at the old Masonic hall, at the southeast comer of Main and Pennsylvania streets, which building is now owned by the Eagles. Twenty-four members have been lost by death since the organization of the lodge.

Brandywine Lodge No. 163 1, Loyal Order of Moose, was organized August 9, 191 5, with fifty charter members. At present there are one hundred and three members. The lodge meets in Hinchman's hall on each Monday night. The first officers were : Past dictator, George William Daenzer ; dictator, William E. Bussell; vice-dictator, Paul Bell; prelate, Joseph Bundy; secretary, J. F. Pauley ; treasurer, Edward Staley ; inner guard, Charles Brammer ; sergeant at arms, Frank Harrison ; outer guard, Charles Grose ; trustees, William I. Burnsides, J. W. Fisk and Oren Henley.

Bradley Methodist Episcopal Church

There were Methodists among the very first settlers in Greenfield, who, no doubt, met for worship as soon as the town was laid out in 1828. Among these very early people were Abram, Samuel and Moses Van Gilder, Major Stephens and Jeremiah Meek. A little later came James Parks, John Rardin, Jacob Tague, Dr. Lot Edwards, Richard Guymon, John Hager, Margaret Riley, the poet's grandmother, Joseph Anderson, Hugh Wooster and James D. Templeton.

A circuit was established at Greenfield in 1830 with a number of appointments. The pulpit was then filled once every four weeks. The circuit, with a number of changes, was maintained until in the spring of 1870, when Greenfield was made a station. Since that time, preaching services have been held twice every Sabbath.

The first services in the history of the church were conducted by the Methodist itinerent preachers, who, from time to time, visited the town. After the establishment of the circuit in 1830, the Revs. James Havens, Tarkington and Swank were among the first preachers on the charge.

The first preaching services were held in the old log court house which stood just below the Gooding hotel, and which has been described in another chapter. After a time the congregation worshipped in the log school house that stood on the east side of North State street, about half way between North street and the branch. About 1840, a little frame church, thirty-four by forty feet in size, was erected on the west side of South State street, a short distance below the railroad, at a cost of five hundred and twenty-nine dollars and sixty-two cents. This church was occupied until 1866, when the old brick church, still standing, was erected on the southwest corner of South State and South streets. This building was erected during the pastorate, and largely through the untiring efforts, of the Rev. George W. Bowers. It was completed in 1867, and dedicated in that year by Dr. T. M. Eddy. The building was forty by seventy feet, and was constructed at a cost of six thousand dollars. Reverend Bowers was very much beloved by his congregation, and the columns of the local newspapers of that time frequently published suggestions that the church should be named "Bowers Chapel." In 1878 the brick church was remodeled and greatly improved in appearance under the pastorate of the Rev. Y. B. Meredith. It was lighted with artificial gas. The windows were also changed from the rectangular form to the present form. The trustees, at that time were Jonathan Tague, Fred Hammell, Dr. N. P. Howard, Hollis B. Thayer, Dr. S. M. Martin and James A. New. In 1884, under the pastor- ate of the Rev. J. W. Welsh, the inside of the church was again modified by the addition of class rooms, hall, gallery, new pulpit platform, and railing. -During the pastorate of the Rev. J. G. Walts, the church was re-seated, supplied with new and more modern windows, new pulpit and other improvements. After the electric light plant had been installed in Greenfield, electric lights were put into the church.

During the nineties it became very evident that the membership of both the church and Sunday school was outgrowing the place of worship. The ladies of the congregation, with prudent foresight, began to organize to raise funds to be applied towards the construction of a new edifice. The Ladies' Society and the Cosmos Society were organized during the nineties, and their work will be discussed later. The Ladies' Society, however, purchased a lot at the northwest comer of Main and Pennsylvania streets, on which the church now stands, for three thousand five hundred dollars. The deed of conveyance was executed January 4, 1902. The church had been incorporated under the laws of the state providing for the incorporation of churches and other societies. The board of trustees at this time was composed of Isaiah A. Curry, president : Edward W. Felt, secretary; Elmer E. Stoner, M. H. Gant, M. T. Duncan, Cassius M. Curry and John H. Binford. They employed C. A. Krutsch & Company, architects, of Indianapolis, to make plans and specifications for the newbuilding. After the plans and specifications of Krutsch & Company had been accepted, the board advertised for bids, and the contract for the erection of the building was awarded to Edward R. Wolf, of Indanapolis, the contract price being twenty-two thousand four hundred and sixty-eight dollars. The contract did not include the heating, seating, lighting, frescoing, chandeliers, organ, carpeting, art glass, architect's fee, nor any of the furnishing, fixtures, or incidentals, which, added to the original contract price, made the total cost of the edifice approximately thirty-five thousand dollars. Of this amount Nelson Bradley voluntarily contributed five thousand dollars. In appreciation of this gift, and in his honor, the church was named the Bradley Methodist Episcopal Church. John H. Binford was the treasurer of the board of trustees during this period. His financial ability and his willingness to assume financial responsibility for the church during the construction of the house, will likely never be understood or fully appreciated by the entire membership.

The corner stone of the church was laid May 22, 1902. Addresses were delivered on the occasion by J. Frank Hanly, late governor of Indiana, and the Rev. G. H. Hill. In the corner stone were placed a Bible, hymn book, discipline, church papers, list of officers, teachers, and members of the Sunday school, copies of each of the local papers, a program of the Woman's For- eign Missionary Society, program of the laying of the corner stone, a copy of "The Cosmos," a history of the church by John H. Binford, and quarterly conference reports from 1837 to 1842.

The new church was dedicated on November 30, 1902. The dedicatory sermon was preached by the Rev. W. D. Parr, assistant secretary of the Church Extension Society. The church was erected during the pastorate of Perry E. Powell, who served the congregation from 1901-04.

The congregation has owned five parsonages. The first one stood on the northwest corner of North and Swope streets, which was then the eastern terminus of North street. The second stood on the east side of South State street, just north of the railroad. In the latter sixties the congregation purchased a parsonage on West Main street (the present number of the house being 222), but sold it again in 1875. In 1876, a parsonage was purchased adjoining the brick church on the west. The present parsonage came to the congregation as a devise from the late Philip J. Bohn, whose will was probated June 21, 1909. It is located at No. 503 East Main street, and is known as the "Bohn Memorial Parsonage."

The church has had a steady growth from its humble beginning. In 1878 it had a membership of about one hundred and fifty. Its present membership is about five hundred and fifty. The congregation worships in an elegant stone structure, which, with its galleries, has a seating capacity of one thousand. The church edifice has also been constructed with a view of accommodating the different department and classes of the Sunday school. Nearly all of the classes have private rooms and do not have to labor under the disadvantage of the confusion arising from having all classes in an auditorium.

For many years the church has had the support of a strong and faithful choir. Among the former choristers have been Asa New, Dr. J. W. Sparks, Charles Millicent, Will Handy, J. E. Mack, D. M. Stuart and T. I. Morgan. Eugene E. Davis has been chorister for the past eleven years. During this latter period the choir has given one or two concerts annually, and has rendered a number of high-grade selections, such as "The Holy City," "Seven Last Words of Christ," "Ruth," etc. Miss Grace Anderson has been church organist for the past sixteen years.

Sunday School. - It would be difficult to say now just when the Sunday school was first organized. It has grown until, for the past several years, it has had an average attendance of about two hundred and eighty-five. It has the cradle roll, beginners, primary, junior, intermediate and senior departments. The Sunday school has six organized Bible classes holding charters from the State Sunday School Board : The American Bible Class, chartered March 15, 1909; the Ever Faithfuls, June 2, 1909; the Gleaners, January 19, 1 91 4; Beacon Lights, March 10, 1914; Conquerors, February 4, 191 5, and Cadets, February 14, 191 5.

Following is a list of the superintendents who have served the Sunday school as far as the names can be recalled : Nelson Bradley, Adam P. Hogle, J. Ward Walker, John H. Binford, Alpheus Reynolds, Edward W. Felt, W. W. Haller, I. A. Goble, Charles H. Troy, Frank Larrabee, Samuel J. Offutt, James F. Reed, John W. Kendall and Elmer E. Gant.

Epworth Leagues. - The Wesleyan Chapter of the Epworth League was organized on April 10, 1896, and Ada New Chapter of the Junior Epworth League was organized on April 27, 1896.

The Ladies' Society. - There had been a ladies' society before the organization of the society referred to at the caption hereof. The present society was organized on December 7, 1892, during the pastorate of the Rev. J. A. Lewellyn. The record gives as a reason for the new society, that "the old organization had not only grown tired, but had retired to the silent shades of the past." It was organized for the purpose of rendering to the church every service possible, financially, socially and spiritually. It bought the lot on which the church now stands, and for which the sum of three thousand five hundred dollars was raised. It also contributed two thousand five hundred dollars additional toward the construction of the church. Later, the ladies donated one hundred dollars to the Ada New church, and since that time have aided numerous local benevolences. The society endowed a bed in the Methodist Hospital at Indianapolis. For the past several years it has also furnished the weekly church bulletins, with which the members are familiar. The persons who have served as presidents of the society are, Mesdames Freeman Crawford, C. M. Curry, J. H. Moulden, E. E. Stoned W. H. Scott, Ellen Bragg, S. S. Boots, J. T. Pierce, J. M. Larimore, Emma Justice, Martha Wilson, W. A. Coultrap, O. C. Brann, W. D. Getman and L. E. Dixon, who has served as president for the past five years.

Cosmos Society. - The idea of the Cosmos Society originated with Mrs. Pearl E. Tyner and was organized in 1895 with Mrs. L. W. Gooding as president. The original purpose of the society was to welcome strangers and to study the history and policy of the Methodist Episcopal church. It was not at first organized for the purpose of aiding the church by raising funds. Soon after the ladies had associated themselves together, however, the question of a new church was presented. It then took for its immediate object the raising of money with which to purchase a pipe organ for the new church. Money was raised by home socials, entertainments, fairs, exhibits, etc. Before the construction of the new church, the society also contributed to the public library fund. When the Bradley Methodist Episcopal church was erected in 1902, this society had a pipe organ installed at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars. The society has also purchased a silver individual communion service, and in April, 19 16, presented a marble baptismal font to the church. It now has a membership of about sixty-five. Following are the ladies who have served as president of the society : Mrs. L. W. Gooding, Mrs. George W. Duncan, Mrs. John Huffman, Mrs. Charles E. Henricks, Mrs. John Rosser, Mrs. Wood L. Walker, Mrs. Riley McKown and Mrs. E. S. Hart. - In April, 1916, the society presented a baptismal font to the church.

The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal church was organized in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1869. An auxiliary society was organized in the' Methodist Episcopal church in Greenfield, Indiana, in 1880. Its very existence was one of ups and downs, until 1889, when the treasurer of the conference organization located in Greenfield, and new life and new members were added at each regular meeting. With a membership of over one hundred in the woman's auxiliary and sixty in the children's societies, it is recognized as a valuable asset in the church economy. It has educated two girls in Peking, China, and supports a Bible woman in Korea, besides doing its pro rata share in the support of six missionaries sent out by the North Indiana conference. During the thirty-six years, approximately three thousand dollars have been raised for the cause. Its motto is "Saved for Service;" its aim, "Every woman in the church in the society, and every non-Christian woman in the world, a Christian." Several elect women, full of faith and courage, have made the work rich in fruitage during the years, and have gone to their reward. Others are efficiently filling their places. Mrs. John H. Binford has been president of the society for the past twenty-five years.

Greenfield Christian Church

In an early day there moved from Kentucky to Greenfield four families who were advocates of the doctrines and practices of the Christian church. They were the Sebastians, Branhams, Offutts and Rainses. Between 1840 and 1854, ministers of this church occasionally visited Greenfield and meetings were held in private houses, the old seminary building, in the court house, and in the old Methodist church.

The church was organized in the old Methodist Episcopal church in the spring of 1854, under the ministry of Elder J. C. Thornberry. The charter members were William Sebastian, Elizabeth Sebastian, Joseph Clayton, Humphrey Offutt, Lewis Sebastian and Mrs. Amos. The form of organization consisted in the members signing an agreement to take the Bible as their rule of faith and practice. By the close of the year, the membership had grown to fifty in number.

The leaders in the work of erecting a church house were A. K. Branham and Lewis Sebastian. The former at that time was not a member of the church, but he donated thirty-five feet of the lot for the new church, the other ten feet being donated by Colonel Tague. This lot was on the east side of the court house square. The old court house, the first one erected by the county on the public square, was purchased for two hundred and fifty-dollars. It was torn down and the brick carried across the street to form in part the walls of the new church. The building when completed cost two thousand dollars, and served the congregation as a place of worship for forty years. It is the building now occupied by the D. H. Goble Printing Company. Of those prominent in the church during these years, mention should be made of George Barnett, who was during most of that time an elder in the church.

The building now occupied by the church was begun in the year 1895, during the first pastorate of Rev. B. F. Dailey, who drew the floor plans of the building, of which the architect was John Felt. The building committee was composed of Morgan Chandler, A. K. Branham, Dr. W. R. King, John Ryon and Morris Hinchman. The corner stone was laid on July 9, 1895. Addresses on that occasion were made by Elders Dailey, E. S. Conner and D. R. VanBuskirk. In the corner stone were placed a Bible, a history of the church written by A. K. Branham, copies of the newspapers published in the city, an account of the building enterprise, and a roll of the officers of the church and church, organizations. The building cost about twenty-five thousand dollars, and was dedicated on February 23, 1896, by Z. T. Sweeney, of Columbus, Indiana. It was the first of Greenfield's modern churches and reflects great credit upon the enterprise and faithfulness of those who made it possible.

Among the earlier ministers who occasionally visited the church were John O. Kane, John B. New, Bennett Edmondson, C. Blackman and S. K. Hoshour. While on his last tour through the West, Alexander Campbell spoke from the pulpit of the old church.

It will be noted that B. F. Dailey served the church as pastor four different times, aggregating over ten years. During his first ministry the church was built and during the last, a three thousand dollar pipe organ was installed. The church property as it stands today represents an expenditure of thirty thousand dollars.

Helping Hand Society. - One of the active agencies of the church has been the Aid Society, organized in the early history of the church, and renamed the Helping Hand Society in 1894. It paid on the new church building three thousand five hundred dollars. Under its auspices, the pipe organ was placed in the church. Over half of the cost of the instrument was paid by the Helping Hand Society. The faithful women who have worked in this society, have helped to tide the church over many a crisis.

Missions, was organized by W. K. Arbell, a returned missionary from Jamaica, on February 26, 1888. Following were the first officers : Nola Mathes, president; Anna Brown, vice-president; Isabella Slifer, secretary; Pauline King, treasurer. The charter members were, Mrs. Nola Mathes, Anna Brown, Mellie Wills, Arabella Slifer, Melissa Cooper, Pauline King, Rebecca Magann, Nancy Chandler, Lottie Glascock, Mary Bottsford, Eliza Addison. Two charter members are still in the work, Mrs. Mathes and Mrs. .Slifer. The society has had a splendid growth, spiritually and in numbers. It now has fifty-two active members.

During the last twenty-five years a Christian Endeavor Society has been the center of the activities of the young people of the church and has contributed largely to their social and spiritual culture.

Sunday School. - Early in the history of the church a Sunday school was organized. It is one of the most potent factors in the life of the church. Its average attendance of late years has been probably between two hundred and fifty and three hundred. It is made up of classes ranging from beginners to adults. The Loyal Men's Bible class was chartered June 14, 1913, and has been for years one of the most active departments. The "Sunshine Circle," a class of young ladies, formerly known as Class No. 9, has always been very active in the Sunday school. In 1904 this class laid the foundation for what has since become known as the "Associated Charities of Greenfield," the history of which is given elsewhere.

Some of the superintendents have been George Barnett, William J. Sparks, O. L. Carr, J. B. Pusey, J. D. Meek, W. B. Bottsford, Frank Morgan, W. S. Montgomery, W. C. Goble, Ora Myers, William A. Service, Samuel Kassan and George Wiggins. The Sunday school has at times had the largest enrollment of any school in the county.

The church on two occasions, in 1896 and in 1903, entertained the state convention of the Christian church of Indiana. Its persent membership is about five hundred and fifty.

Presbyterian Church

The Presbyterian church, of Greenfield, was organized on the 30th day of July, 1855. There is a tradition which has been written into some of the histories of the church that Dr. B.'F. Duncan and John Wilson were watching by the bedside of a sick friend and that near the hour of midnight they were inspired to make plans for the organization of this church. A petition was presented to the Indianapolis presbytery, "Old School," at its regular session held in April, 1855, at the Presbyterian church at Hopewell, Indiana, praying said presbytery that a Presbyterian church be organized in Greenfield, Indiana. This petition was signed by John Milroy, Alexander Crocket, Nancy Crocket, John Foster, John A. Richie, Samuel Milroy, Eliza Crocket, B. F. Duncan, Martha Meek, Ellen Stirk, James Bracken, Hugh Gambrel and Thomas D. Walpole.

The presbytery granted the prayer of the petitioners and appointed the Revs. David Monfort and David Stephenson, and James Blake, a ruling elder, as a committee to organize the church. This committee met on July 30, 1855, at the Christian church in Greenfield to perfect the organization. John Foster was elected ruling elder and was ordained immediately. The following persons were received as members at this meeting, in addition to those who signed the above petition : Mary Milroy, Sarah Gambrel, Abbevill Foster, Isabella Cheney, Samuel Creviston and Mary Creviston. The name adopted for the church was "The First Presbyterian Church of Greenfield, Indiana." The first meeting of the session of this church was held on December 2, 1855, the members present being John Foster, the only ruling elder, and David Monfort, moderator. This session received at its meeting, on examination, Isaac Rardin, he being the first convert to unite with the church. The first infants baptized were James Alvin Meek, Richard C. Stirk and Caroline E. Stirk.

After this church was organized, and until the congregation was able to have a church building of its own, the members worshipped in the old Masonic hall, at the southeast corner of Main and Pennsylvania streets. It was not until in the fall of 1867 that the congregation commenced the erection of the first church edifice at the corner of South and Pennsylvania streets in this city. This building was completed in the winter of 1868, and on Sunday morning, December 20, of that year, the congregation took leave of the Masonic hall. The Rev. Isaac W. Monfort, their pastor, preached the farewell sermon from the text, "For who shall despise the day of small things." The first service held in the new church was on the same Sunday evening, which was a prayer service and was in the gallery of the new building. On the following Sunday the new church was dedicated, the Rev. Robert Sloss preaching the dedicatory sermon.

The first convert received after the congregation took possession of the new building was Mrs. Hattie B. Stitt, who united with the church on January 5, 1869. The ministers who have filled the pulpit of the church, either as stated supply or pastors, from the time of its organization, with the dates of their appointment, are: David Monfort, 1855, three years; William Sickles, 1859, one year; O. T. Giddings, i860, two years; M. H. Shockley, 1862, one and one-half years; Abbott, 1865, six months; Isaac

Rev. David Monfort was a man of great spirituality, positive in character and beloved by all who knew him. He was not a profound preacher, but a remarkable talker; tender hearted and sympathetic, of good executive ability and a fine judge of human nature. To him the church was indebted for all the early labor done in said church and we may add that he was its founder. He conducted a very successful revival during his three years' pastorate and in i860 he returned to Greenfield and conducted a second revival. Reverend Monfort received into the church one hundred and twelve members. He was the founder of a day school that was conducted in the Masonic hall for eight years. During this time we had no organized school system in Indiana, no county superintendent, no county institutes, and no standard of education by and through which teachers obtained their schools; but the man who taught for the least money and taught the most hours in the day was the most successful candidate. Yet this school, under the management of David Monfort and his successors, assumed a very high standard in point of education and multitudes of young ladies and gentlemen from abroad sought this school to complete their education, and a large number of teachers went forth from the school. This was the only denominational school ever taught in this county and all those who patronized it, or were familiar with its workings, will testify to its value.

The ruling elders who have constituted the sessions of the church are : John Foster, Joseph Mathers, Robert E. Barnett, Andrew Patterson. Hugh B. Wilson, G. B. Spinning, Thomas Cain, Franklin Gilchrist, James Cornstock, Nathaniel P. Roberts, Marion Steele, L. A. Vawter, H. J. Williams. Later elders, with dates of appointment and period of service, are the following: Robert Williamson, clerk, October 14, 1900 (ceased to act April 1, 1907) ; George W. Souder, October 14, 1900 (died September 27, 191 5) ; J. Warren Comstock, October, 1900 (died January 1, 191 1) ; Jesse H. Bundy, October 5, 1905 (still serving) ; John A. Riley, clerk, April 9, 1907 (died December 8, 191 1) ; L. E. McDonald, April 9, 1907 (served three years);

Old Presbyterian Church, Greenfield

Benjamin S. Binford, William P. Johnson, Arthur Williamson, William H. Smart, Earl Gambrel and Ernest Bovey. The latter six are still serving.

The deacons who have constituted its various boards are, Isaac Rardin, Benjamin F. Duncan, J. Edwards, H. C. Chapman, Daniel Chittenden, E. I. Judkins, John C. Butts, Jerome Williams, Warren Comstock, Walter Roberts, L. A. Vawter, John T. Lineback, John A. Hughes, George W. Souder, William P. Wilson, John Bohn, Alfred Rottman, Charles Carter, Lee O. Harris, W. P. Johnson, Frank S. Hammel, Arthur H. Williamson, Will A. Stewart, William H. Marsh, O. N. Boyd, R. L. Ogg and O. N. Dugan.

The auxilaries of the church are the Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor, junior and senior; Sunday school, Woman's Missionary Society and Ladies' Aid Society.

The church was organized with a membership of eighteen, as above named. When the congregation took leave of the old hall in 1868, it had grown to one hundred and forty. It has a present membership of about three hundred. Its members now worship in an elegant brick edifice, erected in 1906, at the northeast corner of Pennsylvania and South streets. This house was erected at a cost of twenty-four thousand dollars. The corner stone was laid on September 21, 1906, the address of the day being delivered by Dr. D. W. Fisher, president of Hanover College. The stone contains a copper box, in which were placed copies of the records of the church, papers, coins, etc. The house was dedicated, April 14, 1907, by Rev. J. W. Powell. The average attendance at services during the past several years has been approximately one hundred persons.

A Sunday school was organized in connection with the church in 1855. Following are the names of the persons who have served in the capacity of superintendent of the Sunday school since its organization : Rev. D. Monfort, Joseph Mathers, Robert Hull, W. G. Thomas, J. H. Stevenson, R. E. Barnett, H. B. Wilson, Marion Steele, R. E. Barnett, William A. Wilson, William Glascock, Quitman Jackson, A. H. Rottman, William Marsh, Dr. B. S. Binford and A. H. Rottman. Of the above, R. E. Barnett served for more than sixteen years. Q. D. Hughes also served as secretary for a period of fourteen years. The Sunday school as now organized has fifteen classes, with an average attendance of about one hundred and fifty.

Prior to the organization of this church, a Presbyterian church, "old school," was organized in this city by the Reverend Harper, of Madison county, in 1840. Their place of worship was the old Methodist Episcopal church which stood on South State street. In 184 1 a Presbyterian church,

"new school," was organized by the Reverend Broadman. Its members worshipped in the old seminary building. Neither of these organizations was permanent and no authentic records of them are known to exist. It was not until the organization of the church in 1855 that Presbyterianism had any permanent organization in Hancock county.

The first Catholics in Greenfield celebrated mass in the homes of the several families prior to i860. In that year services were held for the first time in the old building which has been sold and removed to the south part of the city for the Mission church. The first mass was read by the Rev. Father Bessonies, the aged priest of St. John cathedral, Indianapolis, for a congregation of fifteen families. Father Bessonies read mass occasionally for the next two years; then, as now, there was no resident priest, and the congregation up to 1876 was under the control of the pastor of the cathedral at Indianapolis.

In 1862 Rev. Father O'Reily was pastor, followed by Father Brassett and Father McMullen, now of Richmond, Indiana. Father Aldering, now of St. Joseph's parish, Indianapolis, was the next priest to read mass. Then came Father Donovan, from Brownsburg.

In 1879 the control of the parish was given to the Franciscan Fathers, with their home at the Sacred Heart church at Indianapolis. At that time ihe church was organized and became known as St. Michael's Roman Catholic church. The first priest from the Sacred Heart church was Father Arsenius. Father Alexius took his place for three years and then Father Arsenius returned for two years.

Following are the names of the Franciscans who have been pastors of the church since 1877 : Fathers Arsenius Fahle, Alexis Berenard, Rudolph Herstman, Angelus Bill, Lawrence Pauly, Simon Schwartz, Zachary Ehler, Valentine Dorenkemper, Jasper Thoennessen, Philibert Haase, Nazarius Kaiser, Alexis Bender, Hyacinth Schroeder, Amelian Zumkeller, Marian Glahn and Father Lendger.

Father Angelus was sent and read mass for four years. He was succeeded by Father Lawrence. At this time, the congregation becoming large, the priest began to accumulate a fund for the erection of a new church. Father Simon was sent instead of Father Lawrence ; then came Father Zachary, who, finding that the old building was too small for his congregation, went to work to build a new one. In the early part of 1897, a building committee was appointed and plans drawn for the erection of the present edifice. The contract was awarded to Peter Clements, of Indianapolis. The first mass was said in the present church before it was completed, February 27, 1898.

At present the church has about one hundred members. Mass is held on Sundays at nine-thirty a. m. and three p. m., with an average attendance of from fifty to sixty.

Methodist Protestant Church

The Methodist Protestant church of Greenfield, Indiana, was organized in the Presbyterian church in 1885, by the Rev. Hugh Stackhouse. There were forty-nine members, of whom Mrs. Josephine Knight and James T. Bodkin are the only ones who retain membership in the church. Services were held in the home of the pastor, Charles Evans, for about one and one-half years prior to the organization. For a short time afterward, services were held in the Grange hall. The congregation then worshipped for a time in the brick blacksmith shop which stood where the barn of the New Milling Company now stands, on East Main street.

The first trustees, George O. Knight, C. M. Kirkpatrick, Morgan Chandler, James T. Bodkin and S. O. Shumway, were elected in the winter of 1887. The following summer a building was erected on the site of the present church. On the day of the dedication, the lot on which it stands was presented to the Indiana Methodist Protestant conference by Nelson Bradley and wife, with a check for one hundred and fifty dollars. The membership was then weak, but possessed the spirit of earnestness. The members of the other churches, also many citizens, nobly came to their assistance and made the enterprise possible. Many of the liberal donors were S. O. Shumway, who had the church construction; W. C. Dudding, Nelson Bradley, Morgan Chandler, C. E. Kinder, J. T. Bodkin, C. M. Kirkpatrick, William A. Hough, Wiliam H. Pauley, George W. Crider, David L. Duncan, Joseph P. Knight and Mrs. W. C. Dudding.

The first church was built under the pastorate of Rev. J. C. Smith. The parsonage was builded under the pastorate of Rev. D. W. Evans, in the year 1891. The church was remodeled and enlarged in 1898 under the pastorate of Rev. D. W. Evans. In 1903, the annual conference, which convened at Muncie, set apart Greenfield as a station, with Rev. J. R. Moody as pastor. The following pastors have served this church: Rev. Charles W. Evans. 1885, one year; Rev. J. G. Smith, 1886-87, two years; Samuel J. Jones, 1888, one year; David W. Evans, 1889-93, five years; James L. Barclay, 1894, one

The Ladies' Lookout Society of the church consists of about sixty members, and has teen for a number of years a great financial aid to the church.

The Sunday school was organized in 1885, with Dudley Hudson as superintendent, who served for two years. Since that time the following persons have served as superintendents : Mrs. Alice Tague, one year ; S. O. Shumway and Cicero J. Hamilton. In 1898 Lawrence Wood was elected superintendent and has served continuously for the past eighteen years, with the exception of three years, when the office was filled by Charles M. Gibbs, S. O. Shumway and Samuel Stevens, who each served one year. In January, 1916, Lawrence Wood was succeeded by Charles E. Walker, the present superintendent. The average attendance for the last several years has been from ninety to one hundred. In 19 15 the average attendance was one hundred and twenty-two per Sunday. The school is divided into twelve classes, one in the beginner's department, two in the primary department, one junior, two intermediate, and six adult classes.

The Greenfield Friends Church

This church was organized in November, 1889, when Esther and Nathan Frame held a series of meetings in the old court house, and Westland monthly meeting granted them a meeting for worship. The next year Robert Douglas, of Ohio, preached for the congregation every two weeks, in the old Masonic hall. The charter members were J. K. Henby and family, P. A. Card and family, William Robb and family, J. J. Wylie and family, J. T. Binford and family, Eli Scott and family, Lemuel Harold and family, Charles Ratliff and family, M. Y. Shaffer and family, C. K. Bruner and family, Hannah Cook, Martha Binford and N. C. Binford.

The following summer, 1890, the present church building on North State' street was erected. It was dedicated on December 15, and services have been held there regularly since. The building committee was composed of J. K. Henby, N. C. Binford, Eli Scott, Lemuel Harold and Mary L. Bruner. The late J. H. Binford bought the lot and did all the legal business for the congregation.

by a committee consisting of J. O. Binford, Huldah Binford, Jonathan Jessup and Ann White, from Westland monthly meeting, on June 24, 1891. Elwood Scott, of Carthage, preached for the congregation a short time after the new building was moved into, in the spring of 1891. He was followed by Mary E. Miars, of Wilmington, Ohio, who preached from 1891-1894. Other ministers of the church follow: Lindley A. Wells, 1895 - 98; Orville Jones, 1898-9; Oscar Moon, 1899-1901; T. R. Woodard, 1901-2; Daisy Barr, 1902-4; Thomas E. Williams, 1904-5; Edgar H. Stranahan, 1905-6; Homer J. Coppock, 1906-8; Thomas R. Woodard, 1908-9; Isaac N. Stanley, 1909-10; Mary Miars Harold, 1910-14; Oscar H. Trader, 1914, to the present time. The average attendance is about sixty and the number of resident members one hundred and fifty-four. .

A Sunday school was organized as soon as the building was ready for use and has been held regularly since. The average attendance is about fifty ; number of .classes, eight. The church has always had one or more adult classes. The following persons have served as superintendents of the Sunday school : C. K. Bruner, J. J. Wylie, E. C. Elliott, N. C. Binford, W. C. Henley and Wilfred Andrews. The church owns only the church building.

The Friends Sociable was organized fourteen years ago and has had a meeting monthly since. Its object is the study of history and work of the church and the development of social life.

The Foreign Missionary Society was organized in 1899, by Lucy H. Binford, who has always been its president. It has studied the uniform lesson books and met regularly each month. The membership is about fifty.

Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church

The Shiloh Primitive Baptist church stands on the north side of North street, midway between East and Spring streets. The complete history of the church has been giyen in connection with the history of Blue River township, where the church was originally organized.

Heavenly Recruit Holiness Association

A Sunday school was orginally organized in the summer of 1895, by J. M. Havens and wife, A. C. Rossow and wife, Mrs. Howlett and others, at the corner of South Pennsylvania and Pierson streets. In December, 1897, this Sunday school identified itself with the Heavenly Recruit organization and selected H. S. Fuller as pastor, who began his work on January 9, 1898. The first trustees were Samuel M. Gappen, J. W. Melton and J. M. Havens. In the same year the old Catholic church was purchased and moved to lot 17 on Pierson street. The congregation continued to worship in this church until 1906, when a cement block building was constructed. The building committee was composed of Samuel M. Gappen, J. W. Melton and Rev. H. S. Fuller. The most of the cement blocks were made by the Rev. H. S. Fuller after he had been at work all day in the chair factory. The church was dedicated, May 19, 1907, by the Rev. W. W. Martin, of the Bradley Methodist Episcopal church. The indebtedness of the church was not paid at that time, but left the congregation in a rather cramped condition for several years.

The Sunday school has been conducted in the church and the following persons have served as superintendents : Douglas Shook, S. M. Gappen, Henry Hastings and J. W. Melton. Samuel M. Gappen, who has been superintendent for a number of years, is at the head of the Sunday school at this time.

The church now has about fifty members. The average attendance at services is about twenty-five. From four to six classes have been maintained in the Sunday school, with an average attendance of thirty-five. There are usually about fifteen adult church members in attendance at Sunday school. The congregation owns its own church and parsonage.

United Brethren In Christ

This congregation was organized under the preaching of the Rev. Z. T. Mower, in 1897. He was assisted by Elder J. T. Roberts, then presiding elder of the district. The present brick church, on the southwest corner of Lincoln and Swope streets, was erected in 1898. The corner stone was laid on June 21, 1898, and the dedicatory services were conducted by Rev. W. R. Funk, of. Dayton, Ohio, on Wednesday, October 10, 1898. Following are the names of the pastors who have served the congregation since the date of its organization: J. C. Mower, 1897-99; F. S. Minchell and wife, returned missionaries from Africa and who barely escaped with their lives at the time of the uprising of the natives against the missionaries, 1899-1900; C. A. and Laura Love, 1900-1902; F. H. Linville, 1902-3; S. B. Ervin, 1903-4; William J. Karstadt, 1904-5; O. F. Lydy, 1905-09; H. Wl Robbins, 1909-T3; A. D. Smith, 1913-14, Mack Crider, 1914-15; C. E. Small, 1915, to the present time.

The church at present has one hundred and fifteen members. The average attendance at services during several years last past has been about sixty-five. A Sunday school was organized in 1898. It now has an average attendance of about seventy-five. Eight classes are maintained and adult members of the church attend the Sunday school. Following are the names of the persons who have served as superintendent of the Sunday school since

The church has a Ladies' Aid Society which was organized in 1898, for the purpose of aiding in caring for the local expenses of the church. A Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor was also organized in 1909. Its purpose is to train the young people in the work of the church.

Seventh-Day Adventists

This congregation was organized as a result of the encampment held at the fair grounds, August 29 to September 9, inclusive, 1901. At the close of that meeting a tent was pitched on a vacant lot at the northeast corner of Noble and Walnut streets. Elder S. Y. Huntington and James H. Niehaus and wife conducted services every night for almost two months, presenting to the people such subects as Bible Sabbath Keeping-, Soon Second Coining of Christ, etc. When cold weather set in, the tent was taken down and the lot purchased.

On November 10, 1901, the ground was staked off and a church completed, which was dedicated on February 9, 1902. The dedicatory sermon was preached by W. W. Prescott, of Battle Creek, Michigan. The following officers were elected for the first year : S. Y. Huntington, pastor; L. J. King, elder; Martin Dunn, deacon; S. H. Niehaus, treasurer; Mrs. Kate Huntington, clerk; Mrs. J. H. Niehaus, organist. The congregation continued to worship in this church for several years. Gradually, however, some of them moved away, while others were called to the Great Beyond, and for several years past services have been held at irregular intervals in the church.

Heavenly Recruit Church

The Heavenly Recruit church stands on the east side of A street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, on the east side of Brandywine creek. It was built in 1906, largely through the influence of John Lewis. He was assisted in his efforts by Ben Brewer, Samuel Harding and others. Lewis and Brewer, Henry Hastings and others have preached for the congregation, but there has never been a salaried pastor.

Ada New Methodist Episcopal Church

The Greenfield school board, in 1906, erected the school house on the east side of Brandywine. Mrs. Ada New was elected as teacher of this school and continued her service there for a period of five years. In the meantime, she was not only the teacher of the public day school, but led in the organization of a Sunday school and church. She was pre-eminently the central figure about whom those institutions grew. The Sunday school was organized before the first term of the day school closed, and in the early spring of 1907 a board of trustees was appointed for the church in East Greenfield. This board was composed of Judge Robert L. Mason, Amos Chapman, William C. Droeger, Henry Owens, Ada New and Rev. W. W. Martin, of the Bradley Methodist Episcopal church. On May 10, 1907, this board held its first meeting at the residence of Mrs. New. The question of naming the new church was presented. The people of East Greenfield desired to have it named for its founder. On motion of Judge Robert L. Mason, seconded by Amos Chapman, the church was named "Ada New Methodist Episcopal Church." At a meeting of the board on May 20, 1907, Thomas Moxley was employed as architect to prepare plans and specifications for a building. It was also decided to build the church of boulders or cobble stones. On May 8, 1908, the church was attached to the Philadelphia circuit. Thursday, May 28, 1908, was set apart as "Boulder Day," when all of the people of East Greenfield, with others who were willing to contribute of their time, were to gather and bring in boulders or cobble stones, for the erection of the church. The work of building progressed slowly. The excavation was finished and cement foundation walls were built in 1909. During the summer of 1909, Judge Robert L. Mason resigned as a member of the board, and a new board was appointed by the quarterly conference of the Bradley Methodist Episcopal church. The new members of the board were Albert L. New, Joshua Barrett, George J. Richman, E. E. Gant and W. W. Haller. The board organized as follows : J. H. Barrett, president ; George J. Richman, treasurer, and Ada New, secretary. Thomas Moxley having gone to the state of Oklahoma, William Gordon was employed as architect in 1909. He was directed to examine the work that had been completed and report thereon. He reported that the basement wall was insecure and submitted plans and specifications for reinforcing it. The question of erecting a cement or frame church was also considered by the new board. The frame and cement buildings were considered favorably by the board, because such buildings could be constructed at much less cost than a cobble-stone building. Mrs. New, however, was always strongly in favor of erecting a boulder church. At a meeting on October 12, 1910, it was moved by George J. Richman, and seconded by Albert L. New, that the church be incorporated under the laws of the state. This was done. Articles of incorporation were prepared by Mr. Richman and were signed and acknowledged by all members of the board on October 17, 1910. On November n, 1910, a motion was made and carried that the architect prepare plans and specifications for a frame building, it being feared that the cement foundation walls would not support a cobble stone structure, and the frame building being less costly. On November 26, 19 10, Albert L. New, George J. Richman, Joshua H. Barrett, William Droeger and E. E. Gant resigned. In connection with this action of the board, the record contains the following entry : "This was discouraging, but faith in God was not lost. Ada New, secretary."

The new trustees appointed to take the places of those resigning were Rev. Paul Truitt, Nevil Reeves, William Droeger, Henry Owens and Ada New. The pastor, Paul Truitt, suggested, on November 27, 19 10, that the Sunday school room be cut off, and that just the oblong building be erected. In relation to this suggestion the record recites : "The secretary objected, saying that if we only have faith in God, who could build all, since the Sunday school room is a great convenience, especially for the regular weekly meetings, Sunday school committees, etc., and would be a great saving of fuel, lights, etc."

On December 3, 1910, the trustees had another meeting, at which the question of cutting off the Sunday school room was presented. Some work of tearing down the foundation had already been done, which was causing dissatisfaction among the people. The pastor and Nevil Reeves spoke in favor of cutting off the room as suggested. Henry Owens finally cast his vote with them, which apparently decided the matter. The record of the meeting, however, recites : "The secretary expressed herself as opposed to this, but pledged to leave it with God and the men." The record under date December 5, 1910, recites further, "There being great dissatisfaction regarding the tearing down of the foundation, the pastor called a mass meeting of the citizens to see what the majority of the people desired. After a discussion, the majority vote was cast in favor of keeping the Sunday school room as at first planned."

In the meantime, funds had been collected and the work of constructing the cobble stone building had proceeded slowly. On April 17, 191 1, however, the secretary made the following entry in the church record : "The walls are now finished to the square. Thank God, they are beautiful and substantial."

The corner stone of the building had been laid on October 4, 1908. Bishop John H. Vincent made the principal address on that occasion. The new house was dedicated on Sunday, September 17, 191 1. The dedicatory

The building committee at the time of the completion of the church was composed of the following men : William C. Droeger, Charles Warren and Alonzo Gibson.

The building is a beautiful cobble stone structure. For its very existence, all credit must be given to Mrs. New. The church was in process of construction for a period of four years. Her boards of trustees resigned because of the lack of funds, the apparent inability of raising funds, and because of the lack of business methods in the prosecution of the work. Probably, the church could not have been built if the ordinary rules of business procedure had been observed. Mrs. New possessed a faith that overcame all obstacles, and that transcended all possibilities of finest business organization.

For several months prior to the summer of 1908 a number of the families in the western part of Greenfield worshipped at private residences and in rooms that were rented for that purpose. In that year Mrs. Malissa Cooper donated to the school trustees of Greenfield the real estate upon which the public library now stands. The house that stood upon this lot she gave to the people above referred to, to be used as a place of worship. The building was moved to the northwest corner of WTalnut and Franklin streets, where it was remodeled for church purposes.

Lewis Shumway, Henry Tibbitts and James Finnell were selected as trustees to care for the property of the church. They have served in this capacity to the present. Among those who have worshipped here are John Johnson and wife, Dolly McPherson, Matt Richey and wife, Roy and Tilghman Shirley, William Rhody and wife and others.

A Sunday school has been conducted in the church, of which Henry Hastings, Tilghman Shirley and others have been superintendent. The Sunday school usually has an attendance of from twenty-five to thirty-five. Church services are held on Sunday mornings, also Sunday afternoons and generally on Tuesday evening. The church has never had a salaried pastor. Henry Hastings, Lucy Page and others have preached there.

Christ Scientists

In July, 1914, the people of this faith in the city of Greenfield effected a little organization and arranged to meet at the homes of the members for worship, but generally meeting at the home of John Corcoran, on Douglas street. In the spring of 191 5 the rear room in the Gates block, over the book store, was rented, and since that time services have been held there on Sundays and Wednesday evenings. Following are the names of the people who have met for worship regularly with the little band of Christ Scientists : John Corcoran and wife, Mrs. Charles Williams, Mrs. George Davis, Mrs. John B. Hinchman, Mrs. Charles G. Gant, Mrs. W. S. Gant, Mrs. Caroline Goble, Mrs. Clyde Townsend, Mrs. Charles M. Gibbs, Mrs. John Halsall, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Reed, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hudson, John Bohm, St., and Mrs. J. B. Knight.

The Tabernacle Meeting

All the churches of the city united in an evangelistic campaign in November, 19 14. A tabernacle was erected at the northwest corner of East and North streets. Ministers and laymen labored on its construction. Dr. H. H. Hall, of Pennsylvania, led the meeting, which continued for three weeks or more, during the month of November. All of the ministers and churches gave their support to the effort. Intense interest was manifested, and the tabernacle, which accommodated from fifteen hundred to two thousand people, was filled to overflowing every evening. Almost four hundred conversions were reported.

Ministerial Association

On November 24, 1902, a permanent organization was effected among the ministers resident at Greenfield, known as the Ministerial Association. Its charter members included J. M. Thompson, pastor of the Baptist church; J. Clare Leach, of the Presbyterian church; Perry E. Powell, of the Methodist Episcopal church; S. S. Stanton, of the Methodist Protestant church; B. F. Dailey, of the Christian church ; Daisy Barr, of the Friends church, and F. H. Linville, of the United Brethren church. Rev. Daisy Barr was elected president of the association and F. H. Linville, secretary.

At the first meeting the subject of tithing was discussed and the opinion prevailed that "it is as binding now as in former years." It was decided on that occasion to distribute a tract on "tithing."

The association is still maintained and includes all of the resident ministers at Greenfield. Regular meetings are held and matters for the general good are discussed.