Tipton County IN Archives History - Books .....Religious 1883
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Book Title: Counties Of Howard And Tipton, Indiana

RELIGIOUS.

   Tipton has five church buildings, occupied by as many denominations, namely,
Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Episcopal, Christian and New Light.

   The Presbyterian Church was organized at Normanda, by Rev. John Dale, on the
14th day of July, 1850, with the following enrollment: Andrew Evans, Susan
Evans, Elizabeth J. Montgomery, Charles Rumsey, Sarah Rumsey, Elizabeth Paul and
Martha E. Goar. Andrew Evans was ordained Elder. The Normanda Church, by order
of the Logansport Presbytery, was dissolved, and out of it and the Amity Church,
in or near Boxley, Ind., a new church was ordered to be organized at Tipton, to
be named the Tipton Presbyterian Church. Rev. John Dale and J. E. Rumsey were
appointed a committee to carry out this order, which they did September 24,
1854. The leaders of this church had two objects; first, to educate the
children, and second, to build up the church and advance religious work. There
have been a number of revivals in this church, the most remarkable being that of
the winter of 1874, when about seventy new converts were added, many of them
from the Sabbath school of which Mr. J. E. Rumsey has been continuously
Superintendent for twenty-six years. This church has three foreign missionaries
at work, viz., John Brady, who is in Alaska, and Robert Lemington and Martha
Dale Lemington, who are now, and have been for many years, in Brazil, South
America. The ministers of this church have been Revs. John Dale, B. Laffler,
Thomas Whallen, J. W. Monfort, C. M. Howard, J. R. Walker, G. Huyser, John S.
Craig, S. P. Dillon, William Omelvena, and Thomas A. Steele, the present pastor.
The Elders have been Andrew Evans, John Ferguson, J. E. Rumsey, William N.
Evans, John N. Summerville and I. H. Montgomery. This church is in a very
flourishing condition.

For twoscore years there have been Catholics in or around Tipton, but until
about 1875 there was no movement toward organization. Some years before that,
the Rt. Rev. Bishop Luers visited this part of his scattered diocese, and made
an effort to secure property for church purposes. Afterward, in the year
mentioned, the few families living here put up St. John's Church, a small frame
building. It looked amply large to do for many years. During the great railroad
strike of 1877, the first resident pastor, Rev F. G. Lentz, arrived, and at once
infused new life into the apparently listless body. Before the following winter,
a fine brick pastoral residence had been built, and in the spring of 1878 an
addition was made to the church for the accommodation of the rapidly increasing
congregation. A very short time sufficed to render even that too crowded, and in
1881 the church was still further enlarged, and the seating capacity doubled.
Now, in 1883, the congregation has outgrown even that accommodation so that but
few years must elapse before some greater and more permanent building will be
needed. When Father Lentz was first stationed in Tipton, there were fifteen
families, all told, belonging to the congregation. By 1883, nearly ninety
families, mostly farmers working their own property, have settled around the
county seat. The success and prosperity of St. John's congregation at Tipton has
been almost unprecedented in the annals of church history in Indiana, and this
is materially due to the indefatigable exertions of Father Lentz. A few more
years of like success will establish it on a basis to compare favorably with
older congregations now founded a quarter of a century, if in some respects it
does not surpass them.

   The New Light Church is located on South Independence street, the building
being the one formerly occupied by the Methodists. It has a good congregation
and a Sunday school rapidly growing in importance. The Rev. George Bozell is the
pastor. He is very popular with his people, and is doing much good service for
the church militant.

   The Christian Church was organized July 29, 1855, by H. St. John Van Dake,
evangelist, with the following as charter members: John Whisler, Caleb Parish,
John W. Chambers, Temple Fleet, A. B, Goodrich, Mary T. Goodrich, Samuel Deal,
Ann Deal, Phoebe Nelson, Nancy Thomas, Betsy Whisler and Lanzel Parish. Of this
number, John Whisler and Samuel Deal were elected Elders; Caleb Parish and John
W. Chambers, Deacons, the latter also being elected Clerk. No regular preacher
was employed until October, 1859, when Elder B. M. Blount was employed for one
year, to preach every alternate Sunday. Up to this time, the meetings had been
held in the schoolhouse, which stood on the very ground now occupied by the new
brick church of this congregation. But the schoolhouse not being suitably
arranged for church purposes, a committee was appointed to confer with the
Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who generously tendered them their
house every alternate Sunday. On the 24th day of March, 1860, Joseph Van Buskirk
was chosen Elder, and John W. Chambers and John Young, Beacons. From this time
until 1864, the pastors of the church were Elders B. M. Blount and Thomas
Bernow; Dr. C. N. Blount and A. J. Gaffin were Elders, and John Stanley and
Wesley Ayers were Deacons.

About March, 1864, Elder Knowles Snaw secured here and there nearly one hundred
additions to the church. The building in which this congregation now worships
was built and dedicated in 1870, at a cost of about $6,000. Elder B. M. Blount,
who was instrumental in raising the subscription, and who gave his time in
overseeing the work, deserves great credit. He, W. S. Armstrong, T. J. Smith, G.
W. Boyer, R. W. Wright and C. N. Blount, made the largest subscription. In
addition to the Elders mentioned, Charles Brown and George W. Boyer, have held
that place. Following, the names of the preachers who have occupied the pulpit
since 1869, are given: Elders Collins, "W. S. Winfield, J. E. Tayor, J. B.
Blount, L. H. Jamison, H. R. Pritchard, D. R. Van Buskirk, B. M. Blount, A. H.
Morris, A. F. Armstrong, R. S. Blount and R. A. Gilcrist, the present pastor. At
this time, J. M. Clark, Dr. G. M. Collins and John Harding are Elders; L. T.
Bunch, William Damn, Samnel [sic] Vawter and William B. Young are Deacons, and
E. B. Martindale, Clerk. The present membership is 150.

   The Methodist Episcopal of Tipton was organized about 1847. Preaching, at
this early date, occurred in the private residences of the members. In 1851, the
society undertook to build a house for worship, but this work was not completed
until 1856. The court house burning down in 1857, this church building was used
for a tcourt room for three years. The congregation prospered and thrived and
increased in numbers, until this building became too small; and accordingly, in
1879, the society erected a new and commodious brick church building on North
Main street. The old house was sold to the New Lights. The society has been
quite prosperous, and now owns substantial as well as elegant buildings for
church services and for a residence for the pastor. Their property is worth, at
fche present time, about $8,000, and the church has a very large membership. The
records of the early history of the church are gone. It is impossible to acquire
much knowledge of the early time, except by conversing with the older members.
Only a partial list, therefore, of the pastors who have served this congregation
can be given, and no pretense is made to do this in chronological order. The
founder and first pastor of the church was Dr. R. D. Robinson. After him came
the following: Revs. J. Colclazer, Hoback, Morrison, Richey, Munson, Stout,
Havens, Bradford, Shackleford, Strite, Martindale, Ervin, Stafford, Brock,
Block, Collins, Pike, Earp, Harrison, McKaig, Sells, Metts, and A. S. Wooton,
the present pastor, who is now serving his third year in this charge, such
excellent satisfaction has he given.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

COUNTIES OF HOWARD AND TIPTON, INDIANA.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
ILLUSTRATED.

CHARLES BLANCHARD. EDITOR.
CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO.
1883.


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