Newtown - Christian Church cemetery
NEWTOWN Christian Church – Cemetery
Source: Lafayette Journal-Courier Monday 26 May 1941 p 7
Newtown, May 26 – Dedicating of the newly acquired ground and its improvement, recently completed at the Newtown cemetery will be main feature of the annual Memorial Day service at the cemetery at 2 p.m. Sunday June 1. In case of inclement weather services will be conducted in the Newtown Baptist Church. Shortly after the founding of Newtown in 1824, a Christian Church was erected on the site of what is now in the cemetery and on Sept 3, 1836, Peter Shultz, pioneer settler and large landowner, and his wife, Elizabeth conveyed to the trustees of the Christian Church additional ground as it stood before the recent addition. In about 1852 the church, which has been abandoned and the real estate surrounding it, was known as the Newtown Cemetery Association. Records show cemetery trustees in 1836 were John Stafford; SR Hicks and Jackson King; in 1850 Jackson King, William Voliva and Aaron Black and the church trustees to be Daniel Clarke and James Ogle. Inscription dates on the tombs give deaths as early as 1824. There are approximately 70 soldiers buried there. The present trustees are Charles Bacon; Monroe Haas; Carl Quigle; Glen McKinney; Joseph Stahl; DB Gray and Charles Schermerborn. The committee responsible for the recent improvements is Omer Peveler; Horace Shultz and Carl Quigle. Sufficient ground has been acquired for an additional 100 lots and a 16’ double drive around the whole cemetery. The entrance, which has been moved 80’ to the east, is triangular in shape and will be landscaped. There are approximately four acres beautifully situated on a knoll. The half-mile lane to the cemetery from the main highway has been widened, graveled and the hedge alongside trimmed. The Newtown band, now in its 58th year of continuous organization will play several numbers at the cemetery. The usual parade, led by Newtown band, firing squad and color guard will form at the Baptist Church parading to the cemetery for the service.
Committees – General chairman for the day’s program is Fred coleman; Vice chair, Clarke Dinwiddie; sec/treas, DB Gray. Music will be furnished by the band and Newtown LaChorale. Committees are: Finance: Halbert Royal, Glenn Jones, Lee Galloway. Decorations: Onda Harris, Lavera Hancock, Frances Foxworthy. Speaker (for 42): Forest Graff, JH Quigle. Parade: Orville Jones, Mark Smith, John Pierce, Claude McCauley, Kingman Cunningham. Mark Graves: Joseph Stohl; Mark Foxworthy; Floyd Bell; Roy Mitchell; Lawrence McKinney. Band: RA Switzer. Traffic: Arthur Zick, Ben Palin, Charles McKnight. Flower Girls: Ruth Aydelotte; Beryl Foote; Ruth Lockmiller; Maxine Marlatt; Oveta Smith; Gertrude Minnick; Evelyn Shultz; Ethel Smith. Publicity: Kate Royal, Zella Coleman. Posters: Zola Ingersoll and Newtown HS art class. - kbz
Source: HW Beckwith – History of Fountain County Indiana. Chicago: HH Hill, 1881, p 225
The Christian Church of Newtown was organized in 1841. The first preacher, Rev. Obadiah Ward; second Rev. John Ocaine. Revs. William Young and Joseph Galbreath also preached for them. Their first officers were Obadiah Ward, Daniel Clark and Joseph Galbreth, elders. First members: James Ogle and Eliza, his wife, Elizabeth Clark, Ruhamah Galbreath, Ira Cumming and Catherine his wife, Rebecca Clark, Lynna Stafford, Mrs. Templeton, Kezia Clark, Jemima Clark, William Clark, Dolly Hodge, John Clark and Delilah his wife. Owing to the removals and death of many members of this church it disbanded about 1848.
The Christian Church at the Coal Creek cemetery was organized July 17, 1871, with a membership of 17. The first minister was Elder Phelps, who labored for the church one year. 1872 Rev WT Warbrington was employed as pastor and continued to 1878. He was a popular preacher and instrumental in building up and largely increasing the church in numbers. In 1879the pastoral labors of Rev TC Smith president of Merom College were secured, and his pastorate continues at present. First officers of church: Deacons David Whitesel and Josiah Rusk; Clerk, James Rusk. There was a union Sunday School organized a short time after the church which is still in good condition being kept up both summer and winter. The church now numbers 150. The present deacons are David Whitesel, Reuben lister and Thomas Miller. Barzilla M. Kiff is present clerk.