Boone County Church Histories

The following church histories are transcribed excerpts from Harden & Spahr's, "Early Life and Times in Boone County, Indiana," published in 1887. You'll find many family names in these entries and learn more of your ancestor's religious affiliations.

NOTE: More excerpts will be added on a continuous basis, so check back often. If you have access to this publication and would like to submit your transcriptions, we'd certainly welcome them!

Antioch or Poplar Grove Baptist Church

The above church is located in the southwest part of Harrison Township, and about one and one-half miles south of New Brunswick. A log house was first built here many years ago (1856) by the M. E. Church, and occupied by them for several years, until they organized at Brunswick Baptist when the Baptist brethren occupied it and organized a church, with the following as some of the first members: George Johnson and wife, William Joseph and wife, John D. Fear and family, Jacob Dimsmore and wife, Elisha Higgins and wife, Robert Walters and wife, Elizabeth Myers. Among the ministers are the following: John Clemens, Joseph Hoover, John Case, John Joseph, George Dodson, Peter Keeny, Fanklin Keeny. The first clerk was Wm. Perkins, the present one J. H. Dimsmore. The present house was built in 1867; cost, $1,000; will seat about four hundred persons. Adjoining on the north and east is the cemetery, which is one of the most popular burying places in the county. Antioch has been for years one of the most popular preaching places in this part of the county. We are indebted to Noah Chitwood and James Myers for the above.

Eagle Creek Regular Baptist Church

Located on Eagle Creek. This is the mother of churches in Boone County, being constituted in the year 1829. The following are among the first members: George Dodson, Elizabeth King, Frederick Brendell and wife, John King, Thomas and Polly Dodson, Robert Dodson, Mary Dodson, Samuel Laine and wife, Edward Bradley, David Marsh, John Dulin and wife, Squire Dulin and wife, James Peters and wife, Robert Duly and wife. The first clerk was James Bradly. The first house was a log building, rather rough, but it answered the above persons to worship in. A second house was built about the year 1850, this time a frame, costing about $600. Among the early preachers were Isaac Cotton, Benj. Harris, Isaac Jones, George Dodson. Noah Gifford was for many years the church clerk, followed by Bennett Isaacs, Thomas Hand, Benj. Cox, Andrew Harvey. The present clerk is Benj. Shelburn. The society meets every month, keeps up the church organization. Around this old church cluster many pleasant reminiscences of the past. The present preacher is James W. Sherley.

Sugar Plain Church

Adjoining Thorntown on the west is what is known as Sugar Plain Neighborhood, and composed chiefly of members of “The Friends’ Church.” The first settling here in this neighborhood was by Hugh and Sarah Moffitt entering the farm now owned by John Glover & Son, in the spring of 1830. In the following fall came William Childree and wife, and their daughter Phebe, the latter being a late widow of Isaac Brown. They settled on the farm now owned by Alpheus Maxwell, Jeremiah Moffitt and wife following in the year 1832. The latter is now Cynthia A. Woody. Josiah Hollingsworth, William and Joseph Herner, Richard Bratton, and wife of Adam Boyd, were soon added to the list. The first meeting of worship was held at the residence of Hugh Moffitt, in December 1833, and was “set up,” to use the old phrase, by Sugar River. They continued to meet twice a week for worship at the same place until the year 1835, when a small log house was built near the site of the present building, which served the double purpose of school and meeting house until the growth of the members had increased and it was insufficient in size, when the second was erected; this time a frame building in which a meeting for business denominated by the Society, a monthly meeting was established in the 12th month 1840. Although some of the members living from five to seven miles away (as it was not the days of gravel roads) the roads sometimes and often were almost impassable, their custom of going was generally on horseback, they seldom missed attending any of these meetings.

Besides the names already given in this account, many others, no doubt, would be familiar (more especially to those of the first settlers, that appear on the early records of the meetings), among whom are Isaac and Mary Barker, their daughters Hanna Weisner and Ruth Barker, Nathan and Catharine Elliot, William and Margaret Chappell, Thomas Thornton, James and Mary Brown, Nicholas and Matthew Barker, William and Tacy Cloud, James Fisher, Isaac Lawrence, Samuel and Peter Rich, Isaac and Rachel Cox, Samuel and Mary Cox, Ambrose and Elizabeth Osborn, Seth Williams, Priscilla Wells and others. Most of them are laid away in their narrow homes. The meetings were kept up at an increasing rate, the membership showing 277. There has been a Quarterly Meeting held at the same place since 1852, which now numbers about six hundred members. The present house was erected in 1852 for the accommodation of Quarterly Meetings. The size of the house is sixty-four feet long, sixty-four feet wide, and eighteen feet between the floor and ceiling.

Transcribed by: Julie S. Townsend - 07/07/2007

Source Citation: Boone County Church Histories [database online] Boone County INGenWeb. 2006. <http://www.rootsweb.com/~inboone> Original data: Harden & Spahr. "Early Life and Times in Boone County, Indiana." Lebanon, Indiana. May, 1887.