Northwestern Indiana from 1800 to 1900A regional history written by Timothy H. Ball . . . .
Source Citation:
Ball, Timothy H. 1900.
Northwestern
Indiana from 1800 to 1900 or A View of Our Region Through the Nineteenth Century.
Chicago, Illinois: Donohue and Henneberry. 570 p.
NORTHWESTERN INDIANA FROM 1800 TO 1900
221
CHAPTER XV.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
11. Protestant Episcopal.
1. In 1836 was organized the Trinity Church at Michigan City, the Rev. D. V. M.
Johnson first pastor. For the first 40 years, up to 1876, the succeeding rectors
and pastors were, with perhaps some others, G. B. Engle, Henry Safford, C. A.
Bruce, W. H. Stay, E. P. Wright, R. L. Ganter, T. L. Bellam, J. F. Winkley, Dr.
Reeves, R. Brass, and S. S. French.* Membership in 1876 sixty. Present
membership ------.
2. St. Paul's Church in La Porte was organized July 25, 1839. For thirty-seven
years, commencing in 1840, the rectors of this church were, Solon W. Manney, H.
W. Roberts, F. R. Half, W. E. Franklin, A. Gregory, A. E. Bishop, J. H. Lee, F.
M. Gregg, G. J. Magill and C. T. Coer. The rectorship of the Rev. W. E. Franklin
was terminated by his death. It is said of him that in life he was beloved by
his parishioners and his death was deeply lamented. Membership in 1876 about one
hundred and fifty.
3. The Episcopal Church at Hammond is much younger than the two in La Porte
County. Meetings had been held in Crown Point and for a time there was an
organization kept up, a few church members then residing in the town who were
visited occasionally by
__________
* General Packard.
222
the bishop. This was about twenty-five years ago. Meetings were held, first in
Miss Knight's school house, and after 1881 in the Baptist Church on Main street.
The few members removed, and as Hammond grew, in 1890, an interest having
started there, a church building was erected and Rev. R. C. Wall became the
resident pastor. The church is neat and nice; the congregation is not large, but
composed of good citizens; the Sunday school is interesting. The following
notice of a memorable occasion is from the report
to the Old Settlers' Association in 1896: "On Sunday evening, November 3, 1895,
was held in the Episcopal Church at Hammond the first Armenian service ever held
in a church building in this county, conducted by Armenians, about fifty in
number, and in the Armenian language. The service was in commemoration of the
cruelties, the suffering and death of so many Armenian Christians, inflicted by
the brutal Turks. There were prayers, responsive readings of Scripture, the
singing of psalms and hymns, and the recitation of the Nicere creed, and an
address. While the tunes, so thoroughly Oriental had a strange sound in western
ears, the whole service is said to have been 'singularly interesting.'"
12. Roman Catholics.
In La Porte County there are: In La Porte two churches, St. Joseph's, which is
German, and St. Peter's, which is Irish. The latter was organized soon after the
city was first settled, and its congregation is large. St. Joseph's Church was
organized in 1858 and a large brick building for the congregation was in a year
or two erected, one of the substantial buildings of the city, the steeple being
one hundred and thirty-five feet in height, and two chime bells, weighing one
223
thousand pounds each, soon were swinging in the church
tower. In the centennial year of the country this church numbered one hundred
and twenty-five German with some Polish families.
In Michigan City are also two, one of which is called St. Mary's, and one is
Polish Catholic. Present number of families about six hundred. As the families
are large, there are estimated to be "3500 people."
At Otis is a Polander Roman Catholic Church; this building erected in 1872.
Membership, ------.
At Wanatah is one, and one some two miles from La
Crosse. In all seven. Membership about 900 families.
In Starke County are two churches, one at North Judson and one at San Pierre.
In Pulaski are churches at Winamac, Francesville, Medaryville, Monterey.
In White are churches at Reynolds, and probably other towns.
In Jasper churches are at Rensselaer, Wheatfield, and Remington.
In Newton County there is a church at Kentland and one at Goodland.
In Porter County, the early Roman Catholic history, as given by the Rev. Robert
Beer in "Porter and Lake," is not flattering to the members nor to some of the
pastors, especially not to one who was, he says, "a man of great learning, but
totally unfit to be a pastor." After him came a young man, Rev. M. O'Reilly,
with whose advent, "the organized congregation of Saint Paul's properly begins."
"He found the affairs of the Catholic Church in the worst state possible, the
church, poor as it was, closed under an
224
injunction; law suits pending on every hand; debts unlimited to be paid; a
bitter division of sentiment amongst the members of the congregation; no
pastoral residence; no school for the youth." (Page 145 of Porter and Lake.) It
was now January, 1863. The new, young, resolute, talented pastor began work. He
secured possession of the church building, repaired it, bought land, started the
St. Paul's School, secured as teachers "the Sisters of Providence," erected
buildings, the Gothic Church building "153 feet long" and "with a steeple 198
feet high," and school buildings, obtained "a large parish bell, and a very fine
pipe organ," secured harmony in his congregation, and in the first twenty years
of his ministry "baptized about 1700 persons in his congregation." Says Rev. R.
Beer: "The congregation is composed of several nationalities -- Irish,
Americans, German, French, English, and Polanders. All live in harmony, and
their children are educated together in St. Paul's schools."
The other churches of Porter County are at Kouts and at Chesterton. The entire
number of families in Porter County has not been obtained.
In Lake County are the following churches:
1. Church of St. John the Evangelist, at St. Johns. Brick building, 1856. First
Chapel, 1843.
2. Church of St. Joseph at Dyer. Large building, 1867.
3. Church of St. Michael at Schererville, 1874.
4. Church of St. Anthony at Klaasville, 1861.
5. Church of St. Martin at Hanover Center, 1869.
6. Church of St. Edward at Lowell. First building, 1877. Second, October, 1897.
7. Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. First building, 1867. Second, large brick
building, spire
225
one hundred and forty-one feet in height, 1890 and 1891,
at Crown Point.
8. Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at Turkey Creek. First building,
logs, in 1852. Second, of Joliet stone, large, 1864.
9. Church of St. Bridget at Hobart, ------.
10. Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Lake Station, 1861.
11. Church of St. Joseph at Hammond. First building, 1879. Second, large,
two-story brick building, for church and school, 1889.
12. Church of St. Mary at East Chicago, consecrated October 26, 1890.
13. St. Michael's Polish Catholic at East Chicago.
14. Church of the Sacred Heart at Whiting.
15. All Saints' Church at Hammond, January 19, 1896.
16. Polander Catholic Church at Hammond. Whole number of Roman Catholic families
in Lake County, about one thousand.
13. Unitarians.
There is of this body of people one church or congregation at Hobart, in Lake
County, and one in the city of La Porte. The one at Hobart was organized, with
forty-eight members, August 23, 1874. For a time meetings were held in a hall,
but they soon proceeded to erect a church building which was dedicated January
27, 1876, "Rev. Robert Collier officiating." This church keeps up its social and
church life, has a Sunday school of about a hundred members, and a free
circulating library of between seven and eight hundred volumes. The school
library contains three hundred or more volumes, making in all a thousand
volumes. Present membership, ------.
226
The Unitarian congregation at La Porte was in part organized June 22, 1875, when
Rev. Dr. Robert Collyer of Chicago visited La Porte and preached "with a view to
the formation of a" Unitarian church. March 7, 1876, the Rev. Enoch Powell
became pastor. For a time regular services were held "at the Court House," and a
Sabbath school was organized.
Afterward a church building was secured, where the services were held. The
congregation is not large.
14. Second Adventists.
This term by no means denotes simply those who believe in the return again to
this world of Jesus of Nazareth, who at his first advent came as the Babe of
Bethlehem; for all evangelical Christians believe that at some time and for some
great purposes he will return. Nor yet does the term denote those who believe
that the return of the Saviour to this world will be before what is called by
many the Millennial Era, "the Times of Restitution of all things." But it
includes, rather, those who, believing in such a return, believe also in the
ceasing of conscious existence at death, or in the non-immortality of the human
soul; and are therefore called sometimes "Soul-Sleepers." Some of these observe
Saturday as their Sabbath, and so are called "Seventh-Day Adventists." Of this
variety of Christians have been found five congregations in these counties.
In La Porte County, at Union Mills, there is one congregation with a good church
building; in Jasper County, at Rensselaer, there is also one, called The Church
of God, having a large church building and congregation and Sabbath school;
there is at Star City, in Pulaski County, one congregation; and in White County
one in the country not far from the town of
Reynolds.
224
There is also a congregation with no church building at Knox in Starke County.
15. Quakers, or Friends.
Of those Christians bearing the above name, among whom, generations ago, William
Penn was so noted, and who took such a large and noble part in the settlement of
Pennsylvania, few have retained homes in any of these counties. Some came
from New Jersey and from
the Wabash in early years. One church building and one church
organization of their form of faith and practice is found existing here now.
That one is in the city of La Porte. The house is a plain looking brick
building, erected a number of years ago. Membership not large.
16. "New Church."
Of those called Swedenborgians or members of the New Jerusalem Church, also
called New Church, there is one organization, and that also is in the city of La
Porte. This church or Society was organized June 14, 1859, although there had
been the preaching of this faith in La Porte since 1850 by the Rev. Henry
Weller. He became the first pastor and continued, until his death in June, 1868,
to be pastor of this church. The second was Rev. W. M. Fernald, and the third
Rev. Cyrus Scammon. Some of the wealthy, of the most cultivated, and of the most
noted citizens of La Porte have had membership in this church. But it is
evidently not here a growing faith. In the entire country are now about five
thousand members. A few have resided in Lake County, but no organization has
been formed.
17. Free Methodists.
In Starke County there are two churches of this denomination, one at Knox and
one at Toto, each
228
having good church buildings. Each of these churches also has a good Sunday
school and some excellent members. Membership, seventy.
In Jasper County, at Dunville and at De Motte are Free. Methodist congregations.
In La Porte County at Springville is a church building and a prosperous
congregation and Sunday school; also one at a country locality called Bunker
Hill. Members in the county sixty.
The Free Methodist Church at Crown Point owes its existence to a religious
movement which forms a singular chapter in the religious history of Lake and
Porter counties. A brief notice of that movement seems desirable.
In the summer of 1876 there came to Ross a number of evangelists, English by
birth and training, resembling in their teachings English non-Episcopal
Methodists, but claiming no denominational connection. They came to the village
of Ross from Chicago, where one of them was
understood to carry on the business of a butcher. One of them, it was said, had
been brought up a Baptist. They were in number six, Messrs. Hanmer, Andrews,
Martin, Flues, Cooke, and among them was one woman, Mrs. Cooke, but not the wife
of this evangelist Cooke. Others united with them. These held a series of
meetings at Ross, and some singular conversions took place. They came to
Merrillville and held meetings for many evenings in the old Wiggins and Indian
village grove. Many there professed conversion. In the early winter of 1876 they
reached Crown Point. A large warehouse was fitted up and called a tabernacle,
and there daily meetings were held. But the room could not be made comfortable
for the large numbers that at-
229
tended, and soon the use of Cheshire Hall, now Music
Hall, in the center of town, was secured; and in that hall meetings were held
day after day, night after night, not only for weeks but for months, making the
most singular series of meetings connected with Lake County history. The order
of exercises need not here be detailed. A record can be found in Lake County,
1884, page 216. The winter was quite cold, the sleighing was usually good, and
from the country
those who resided many miles distant would come each night, devoting their time
during that winter largely to religious interests. All classes of citizens
attended. The meetings would not fully close often until eleven o'clock at
night. The record is that for some three months these meetings thus continued at
Crown Point. Some strange influence seemed to bring together and to hold the
people. Quite a large number professed conversion, and many were afterwards
baptized. The baptisms were usually immersions, the administrator evangelist
Martin.
Similar meetings, but not of so long continuance, were held at Lowell and Hobart
in Lake County, and at Blachley's Corners and at Hebron in Porter County.
Although at first and through the series of meetings disavowing any
denominational plans or efforts, it was found by the leaders, when the results
of the meetings appeared in the several congregations that were naturally
formed, that something of church work must be undertaken. And so they organized
churches in 1877 at Crown Point, at Ross; at Hobart, probably the same year; at
the Plandley schoolhouse and at Hebron, having at Hebron eighty members.
The name proposed for each was, the Union Mis-
230
sion Church. Some church buildings were erected. A
general superintendent or presiding officer was appointed, and for a few years
systematic work was carried on. But the leaders separated. One became a
Congregationalist, one an Episcopal Methodist; one a Free Methodist, and the new
denomination of Band Mission churches was suffered to go down. The "Union
Mission Church" at Crown Point became Free Methodist in 1881. As a result of
that Band movement about one hundred and fifty were baptized in Lake County,
quite a number in Porter, and four church buildings were erected, one at Ross,
one at Hobart, one at Hebron, these at length becoming in name Congregational,
and the one at Crown Point which became Free Methodist.
As early as 1882 the church, which had been organized with eighty members and
which in 1878 had erected a building costing two thousand dollars, had lost its
visibility, and in its place was organized in April of that year, a
Congregational church of forty members. This church maintained an existence for
some little time, but that has also disappeared and the two thousand dollar
church building is now tenantless. At Ross, where the Band movement commenced,
and where a good brick building was erected, the congregation is in part,
denominationally, Congregational and in part Free Methodist.
At Hobart the Band Church is fully Congregational.
18. United Brethren.
The Christians that bear this noble name, kindred they would seem to be to the
noted Moravians, are not very numerous in these counties. In Starke
231
County are three United Brethren churches, at Round Lake one, at North Judson
and at Grovertown.
In Newton County, at Morocco, there is a strong, prosperous congregation. There
the "Brethren" built in 1898 a brick church, a more than ordinarily excellent
house for any of our towns. Years ago there were individuals and congregations
of this denomination in other counties, but no other church organization,
besides these four, seems to be in existence in these counties now. Professor
Jameson, in his Dictionary says of the "United Brethren in Christ," as a body,
"Its membership lies principally in rural districts and numbered in 1890,
225,000."
19. The Believers.
In 1878 there came to Crown Point a preacher who not long before left Scotland,
where he had for several years been holding religious meetings in hamlets and
villages and forming congregations of a somewhat new variety. He held some
meetings in the Presbyterian Church. In 1879 he came again with a tent, and for
a number of days and evenings held tent meetings on Sherman Street. As a result
of these meetings a congregation was gathered from
the then lately formed "Band" congregation, and from
the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist churches. This congregation, not
large in number, and having lost some of the original members, has been holding
regular meetings ever since.
It is not needful to endeavor to give here their peculiar views, any further
than to place on record this statement, that they endeavor "to copy the
simplicity of primitive Christianity."
A congregation of the same kind was some years later formed at Lowell, and these
of late have held
232
their meetings in the unoccupied Baptist church
building. Both of these congregations maintain Sunday-schools.
A third congregation was formed in Valparaiso about the same time that the one
was formed in Crown Point.
These are not called churches, yet they seem to have some kind of fellowship
with others of the same variety of Christians in Illinois, and some of them
unite in an annual meeting in Chicago each fall or early winter. Their historic
record is that they have proved to be very quiet, peaceful, pious, useful
citizens. These three congregations number about ------.
20. The German Evangelicals.
In 1855 an organization of Christian workers called The Evangelical Association,
commenced missionary work in Hanover Township of Lake County. A church was
organized and a building erected; but church life soon ceased.
In 1867 mission work was commenced by Rev. L. Willman at Crown Point. In 1874 a
church was organized and a building erected. A congregation was gathered east of
Crown Point at Deer Creek. Since 1856 about thirty different missionary and
resident pastors have labored in Lake County, faithful and diligent workers all,
but the membership has not increased for the last sixteen years, continuing to
be about forty.
Again and again, in the records of this chapter, the same lesson appears: that
there seems to be no need in every place or in every county for every variety of
Christians to be represented. There are too many small interests. There is not
enough hearty good will and fellowship among the different companies of the
233
Christian army, to enable them to march on, as some of
them seem confidently to expect, to the conquest of the world.
Not counted in with any of the twenty varieties of Christian denominations that
have been named, not numbered with these thousands, yet helping to form with
these a little part of the great Church Militant, is a small congregation at
Dyer in Lake County, constituting a Protestant Union Church. This church was
organized September 20, 1891. A good house of worship was soon built and well
furnished, and for now nearly nine years an interesting Sunday school has been
kept up and Protestant worship has been maintained. For several months a student
from a Methodist seminary at Chicago will be the
"supply" for the pulpit, and then for several months a student
from a Baptist seminary. But the church is Union,
those who had been brought up Lutheran or Reformed, or Methodist, or
Congregationalist, or Episcopal, or Baptist, or Universalist, all agreeing to
worship and work together as Protestant Christians. The town of Dyer is almost
entirely Roman Catholic, and they must as Protestants be a peaceful and compact
body.
There are in Lake County two other undenominational church buildings, but no
other Union organization, and at Kouts in Porter County there is an
undenominational church house.
NAVIGATION OF
NORTHWESTERN INDIANA FROM 1800 TO 1900
FRONT MATTER AND DEDICATION
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
- GENERAL OUTLINES
CHAPTER 2
- THE INDIANS
CHAPTER 3
- THE EARLY SETTLERS
CHAPTER 4
- WHAT THE EARLY SETTLERS FOUND
CHAPTER 5
- PIONEER LIFE
CHAPTER 6
- COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS
CHAPTER 7
- OUR LAKES AND STREAMS
CHAPTER 8
- LAKE MICHIGAN WATER SHED
CHAPTER 9
- TOWNSHIP AND STATISTICS
CHAPTER
10 - RAILROAD LIFE
CHAPTER
11 - POLITICAL HISTORY
CHAPTER
12 - THE WAR RECORD
CHAPTER
13 - RELIGIOUS HISTORY
CHAPTER
14 - RELIGIOUS HISTORY
CHAPTER
15 - RELIGIOUS HISTORY
CHAPTER
16 - SUNDAY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER
17 - TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF NEWTON AND JASPER
CHAPTER
18 - TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF WHITE, PULASKI AND STARKE
CHAPTER
19 - VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES OF LAKE
CHAPTER
20 - VILLAGES AND TOWNS OF PORTER
CHAPTER
21 - VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES OF LA PORTE
CHAPTER
22 - EARLY TRAVELS
CHAPTER
23 - PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CHAPTER
24 - PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS
CHAPTER
25 - LIBRARIES
CHAPTER
26 - OTHER INDUSTRIES
CHAPTER
27 - SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
CHAPTER
28 - THE KANKAKEE REGION
CHAPTER
29 - DRAINING MARSHES
CHAPTER
30 - ANIMALS AND PLANTS
CHAPTER
31 - MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
CHAPTER
32 - COURT HOUSES
CHAPTER
33 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS
CHAPTER
34 - BIRTH PLACES OF PIONEERS
CHAPTER
35 - McCARTY
CHAPTER
36 - ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE
CHAPTER
37 - ALTITUDES
CHAPTER
38 - MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
CHAPTER
39 - SOME STATISTICS
CHAPTER
40 - WEATHER RECORD
CONCLUSION
Transcribed by Steven R. Shook, April 2012