                                                                       Early Religion

   Copy of a letter from Rev. Love H. Jameson: Indianapolis, 5th Feb'y 1889 to

                                                   W.P. Hendricks, Esq., Madison, Ind.

   Dear Sir:----Your letter of 25th ult. received; contents carefully noted. My very imperfect vision, and the difficulty with which I write, will account for my delay in answering. Any statements which I make will be confined to the first and second decade of the century.
   Any incidents occurring during the first decade, that I may mention will be as reported to me by my father and others who took part in them. The incidents of the second decade will consist mainly of personal recolection.
   What is now called Jefferson county began to be settled by settlers from Kentucky during the first years of the century; a settlement on Indian Kentucky creek gave it its present name.
   In the year 1806 George Richey, my uncle from Garrard county, Kentucky, settled on Clifty, three miles west of the present city of Madison, and one-half mile north of Edwards' Mill, on Clifty. He was followed by my father in 1810, who settled on lands owned by Alexander McNutt, imediately opposite Clifty Falls, on the south side of the creek. This was my birthplace. I was born on the 17th day of May, 1811.
   I always understood, from my father and others, that the city of Madison was laid out by Col. John Paul, Jonathan Lyons, and another whose name I have forgotten, in the fall of the year 1810, and the lots began to be disposed of in the spring of the following year.
   The country was being rapidly settled, and in consequence the town grew up quickly.
   During the last years of the first decade, Jesse Vawter and his brother Philemon, both of them Baptist preachers, settled in the vicinity of the site of Madison. Jesse settled on the top of what is now known as Michigan Hill, and Philemon at the foot, in the valley of Crooked Creek, in the edge of what is now the old cemetery (Springdale Cemetery).
   My impression is that these men were the first in the vicinity who established a church. They subsequently build their meeting house on the top of the hill immediately west of Irish Hollow, and called it Mount Pleasant. The preachers of the Baptist denomination who succeeded the Vawters, it will be impossible for me to name in order of succession, nor can I, with any certainty, give the date of their service or employment. Col. John Vawter and his brother James-sons of Jesse Vawter-and James Glover, a son-in-law, were largely instrumental in extending the church throughout the county.
   Col. John Vawter (if my memory serves me) kept the first store in Madison; his place of business being on the southwest corner of Main and Main Cross streets.
   As early as the year 1806, Bazaleel Maxwell settled in the vicinity of Hanover; he was followed by relatives bearing the names of Maxwell, McCullough and Tilford, who brought with them from Kentucky a preacher by the name of John McClung. McClung was a licentiate of the Presbyterian Church, but had left that church before leaving Kentucky, and associated himself with Barton W. Stone. As soon as they reached the territory, McClung began to evangelize through the country and establish preaching places, from the mouth of Saluda to the east fork of Indian Kentucky, in the north part of what is now called Shelby township. He preached in the neighborhood of the residence of Mrs. Snodgrass, on Saluda Creek; at Samuel Maxwell's, four miles west of Hanover, on White River; at James Crawford's, on the north bank of Clifty, three miles west of Madison; at William Richey's, on the middle fork just above where the railroad now crosses that stream; at Thomas Jameson's (my father's), on the Michigan road, nine miles north of Madison, and at George Myers' five miles north-east of Thomas Jameson's on the east fork of Indian Kentucky, and three miles north of Canaan. He continued to minister in these several localities till the year 1820, when he removed to Indianapolis, where he died shortly afterward. He preached the first sermon ever preached in Indianapolis, and died the week after. (see Nolan's History of Indianapolis.)
   The second of these preaching places (Kent on White River), and the last two (Liberty, on the Michigan Road, and Shelby, on the east fork of Indian Kentucky) became and still remain churches.
   During the second decade the following traveling preachers visited and preached in these several places viz.; Henry Brown, Joshua Lindsay, Freeman Walden, Harrison Osborne, Benj. F. Hall, John Mavity, Fletcher Mavity, Francis D. Palmer, John Rogers, Samuel Rogers, Barton W. Stone, Joseph Trowbridge, Daniel Combs, William Kinkaid, Reuben Dooley, James Hughes, and others whose names I do not now remember. These three churches, subsequently, came into what we now call the Reformation.
   At a very early period the Methodists began to establish themselves in Madison; this was during the first half of the second decade.
   The first preachers, to the best of my recollection, were Dr. John Heath, who used to visit and preach at Liberty, William Wallace, the father of James Wallace and Dr. Oglesby. They soon became the leading religious denomination in town, and from that point spread over the country.
   The Presbyterians appeared during the first half of the second decade and were ministered to by the Rev. Mr. Johnson, with whom I was personally acquainted. There was a congregation of Seceders some two or three miles southwest of Hanover, ministered to by a gentleman whose name was Fulton.
   Any other items (in regard to the early history of Madison and vicinity that I am able to furnish) it afford me great pleasure to lay before you, if you desire.
                                              Very truly yours,
                                                     L.H. Jameson

                                                                               CHURCHES

   The first church organized in the county was the Mount Pleasant Baptist church, in March, 1807, on the hill near North Madison. It was first called Crooked Creek church but wa afterwards changed in name. As will be seen by the biographical sketches, in this work, the Baptist Christians were zealous in organizing churches wherever "two or three" were met together. They grew up with the county and now occupy a front rank. They have a large congregation in Madison and worship in a fine brick building on Vine street, between Main and Third. At present they are without a minister. Throughout the county are Wirt, Hebron, Hopewell, Dupont, Flatbottom, Ryker's Ridge and Saluda churches.
   There is a "colored" Baptist church in Madison.
   Methodist---The Methodist church was first organized in Madison by the Rev. Walter Griffith, who was on the Lawrenceburg circuit in the 1811. One account says it was in July, and another that it was in October of that year that he "formed a class at George Burton's house," which at about the point where the city water-works engine house now stands. Elijah Sparks, an attorney and afterwards a judge, was a zealous local M.E. preacher, probably the first man who preached regularly in the town. Co. Patrick Brown, of Kentucky, preached frequently before 1811. Col. Brown removed to this county, and lived and died on a farm two miles from town, on what is now known as the Telegraph Hill. The first Methodist church building was made in Madison in 1816. It was a small brick house, situated on the lot at the northeast corner of Main and East streets.
   The church grew and multiplied in the county until it is now the strongest Protestant church; their buildings are scattered all over the county and their names are many. In the city of Madison is Trinity church; pastor, J.W. Turner, with a membership of some six hundred. They have a fine comodious brick building on Broadway; North Madison, Mt. Zion, Olive Branch churches in Madison township; Morris Chapel and Pleasant Ridge in Milton; Big Creek and Mud Lick in Monroe; Canaan in Shelby; Dupont in Lancaster. Churches in all the townships.
   There are several churches of colored persons, of Methodist belief, in the county; Two of them in the city of Madison.
   Presbyterian---In December, 1814, the Rev. Wm. Robinson, a Presbyterian minister, came to Madison and took up his residence there. There was no Presbyterian church at Madison, or nearer to it than Charlestown, in Clark county. Mr. Robinson taught school and preached. Late in 1815 he organized the Presbyterian church in Madison, with a membership of fifteen or twenty. He preached at first in the house of D. Blackmore, on Walnut and High streets.
   He was followed in July, 1819, by Thomas C. Searle, who organized the church at Hanover, on March 4th, 1820. with twenty-three members, who had previously belonged to Madison church. He was installed pastor of the churches at Madison and Hanover, August 13th, 1820. He died October 15th, 1821, "a minister greatly beloved and very useful."
   A Mr. Trimble succeeded him for a short time and after him Rev. James Johnson. During the pastorate of Mr. Johnson, the great scission in the Presbyterian church, 1833, occured, and he cast his lot with the new school and formed Madison Second, of which he was pastor for some years. He was followed by Rev. Henry Little, Harvey Curtis, Atterbury, Keigwin, Fisher and others. Their present minister is Rev. J.J. Barnard, D.D. After the split in the church, the Old School church continued as the First Presbyterian church of Madison, under the care of Rev. W. Mathews, Dr. Owen, Mr. Leavenworth, F.T. Brown, Rev. Simms, Rev. Hawes, Prof. Ryors, Dr. Archibald E. Barr, Wm. C. Young and Dr. Simpson. Their present pastor is Rev. W.R. Brown, D.D.
   These are now united in one Assembly and under one faith. The Second Church building, a neatly finished brick, is on the northeast corner of Third and West streets. The house of the First Church is on the north east corner of Broadway and First streets.
   Jefferson Church, in Shelby township, was organized October 17th, 1818, by Rev. Orrin Fowler, of the "Connecticut Missionary Society," with fourteen members. Lancaster church, in Lancaster township-afterwards in Monroe township-was the Presbyterian church for that portion of the county. In 1833, Monroe church was formed, in the scission of the church. At the healing of the difficulty these two churches came together under the name of Monroe, and exist as the Monroe church today. There is a neat stone church belonging to this congregation eight miles north of Madison.
   Smyrna Presbyterian church is situated in Smyrna township, eight miles from Madison. Rev. A. Z. Moore is in charge of this, Hanover and Sharon Hill. Sharon Hill is about four miles west of Hanover, in Republican township.
   At this time, January, 1889, Hanover has a membership of 173; Sharon Hill, 57; Smyrna, 34; Madison FIrst, 190; Madison Second, 143; Monroe, 37; Jefferson 39.
   The United Presbyterian--There are two congregations of this church in this county. One at Madison, under the care of Rev. A.L. Aten, and one in Carmel, in Hanover township, under Rev. Jackson. The membership of this branch of the church is principally among the farming community.
   The Episcopal Church--There is but one regularly organized church of this denomination in the county; that is "Christ Church" of Madison. The membership is about 100. Rev. Heermans is the preacher.
   The Church in Jesus Christ--This denomination has a congregation in Madison, which was organized May, 29th, 1836, with twenty-three members. J.M. Tilford was made bishop pro tem. There is one of their churches in Monroe township, called "Liberty," the oldest in the county; there are several others through the county. The edifice in Madison is a very nice brick, beautifully finished. They have no pastor at present.
   The United Brethern have several organizations in the county, but at present there is no regular services held in any of their churches.
   The Roman Catholic-This church has two fine edifices in the city of Madison: St. Michael's, at the head of Church street, on the north of Third, Father Gueguen, priest; and St. Mary's, on Second street, east of Walnut, Father Seepe, priest. St. Michael's is the older building, and was for many years the only one in the city. It is of stone, and quite a large and good house. It is the church of the English-speaking members. St. Mary's is a beautiful house of brick, and is the German Catholic church. At North Madison is another church, St. Partick's Father Wiederin, priest. The house is a substantial brick. At China is another Catholic Church.
   The Universalist--There is a church of this order in Madison; the house, a pleasant little frame, is situated on Poplar Lane, near Third. There is also an organization in Saluda township.
   Adventistis- There is a society of Seventy Day Adventists in Monroe township, but there is no report of the organization furnished for publication.

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