HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 8
JACKSON TOWNSHIP CHURCHES
The Cane Creek Christian, or Campbellite Church, in the north part of Jackson Township, was probably organized about the year 1825. Prominent among the first members were Jacob Wise and wife, Christopher Flick and wife, Thomas Cox and wife, Joshua Hubbs and wife, William Pinnick and wife, Charles Drake and wife and some otbers. Soon after the organization of this class a primitive log house was erected for worship, which was used until 1844. In that year a good hewed house was built in its stead, the work being done by the members of the church. The present frame was built in 1872, and is a good and commodious building, its cost being $1,000. Christian Hostetler, Solomon Hostetler, and David Lewis, who lived near Orleans, were among the early preachers at this place. Other ministers have been Christopher Flick, Phillip Shively, John Mavity, Christopher Cox, Thomas A. Cox and B. T. Goodman. In the old log church during the fall of 1843, Phillip Shively and Christian Hostetler conducted an interesting revival in which about forty members were added to the church. Another by B. T. Goodman was held in 1850 and nearly sixty converts were made among the best citizens of the community, and it resulted in great influence for good on the morals of the neighborhood. Several attempts have been made to maintain a Sunday-school, but all have failed. This is one of the strongest societies in the county, and now has about 150 members.
GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP CHURCHES
The United Brethren Church at Unionville was organized at the house of John Apple about the year 1847. Nearly all of the first members belonged to the Apple family, and were John and Jesse Apple, and their wives, Thomas, Moses and Alfred Apple, with a few others. The first minister was a man named Falkenberg, and after him were Daniel Shuck aud Lyman Chittenden. Rev. John A. Richardson is the pastor now in charge. An old log church house was soon built after the ization and was in use until 1877, when the present frame building was erected at a cost of $600, and the society is now reasonably prosperous, with a membership of thirty-nine.
Providence Baptist church, at Pittsburg, in the southern part of Greenfield Township, is said to have been organized as early as 1819, in what is now Crawford County, at the house of Robert Sands, although there is some doubt as to the date. Robert Sands, Cornelius Newkirk, Samuel McMahan and James McMahan were among the first preachers at this appointment, and together with their wives and Mrs. Rachael Pitman, Mrs. Mary Peters and others were the first members of the society. Prior to 1880, when the present church was built, there had been in their turn a round and a hewed log-house and a frame that served each a period of usefullness and then abandoned. The first frame cost in the neighborhood of $400, and the one now in use about $700, besides a large amount of work done by the members. There are now about 140 enrolled as belonging to the class, and it is in a growing and healthy condition. Samuel McMahan is the present minister.
In the spring of 1843 an organization of the Christian or Campbellite Church was made at the house of Absalom Gobble, near the present town of Unionville. Absalom and Julia A. Gobble, Valentine and Mary Cook, Absalom and Anna McCabe, John and Rebecca Davis were the first members. The ministers that were instrumental in establishing this church: John Bobbitt, Phillip Shively and John Wright. For a considerable time after its formation the meetings were held at the house where it was organized, but a hewed log house of worship was built about the year 1830, and as nearly all the work was done by the members, the actual cost of the building in cash is said to have been only about $40 There is now a good frame church erected in 1873, costing $1,100. There is now a total of 147 members, and this society is one of the strongest in the county. A number of important and interesting revivals have been held here by various preachers, and at two different times seventeen were baptized at once, and at another time sixteen were baptized. There is a flourishing Sunday-school in connection with this church, that has an average attendance of about thirty scholars and four teachers, and of which Isaac Young is Superintendent.
A society of the Old School Regular Baptist Church was organized at Unionville in the fall of 1872. The temporary organization was effected on the 4th of October, by persons having letters of "Dismission and Recommendation’ from Rock Spring and Providence Churches, and at this meeting Elder T. N. Robertson was Moderator, and L. H. Wright, Clerk pro tempore. On the 23d of November following, the church was formally established and the right hand of fellowship was extended to the following persons as members of the new organization: Elizabeth Lambdin, Lensford Lomax and wife, Harriet McDonald, William and Rebecca Willyard, John Cook and wife, Ruth J. Lomax, Lovisa Hancock, Martha Lomax, Mary E. Lomax, Sarah Hill, Leander H. Wright and wife, Nelson Willyard and wife, Emma Lomax, Albert Mayfleld, Rachael Hammond, Minnie Tarr, George T. Mayfleld, Susannah Hammond, Daniel R. Lambdin, Nancy Lomax, Tamor A. Lomax, Elva Truax, Martha Lambdin. T. N. Robertson was called as the first minister, and Albert Mayfield was elected Clerk. A good and substantial frame house of worship was built in 1873, costing about $600. Samuel McMahan and George T. Mayfield have been the preachers at this place ever since Elder Robertson’s time.CHURCHES OF SOUTHEAST TOWNSHIP
The Rock Spring Regular Baptist Church in Southeast Township was in the year 1826, at the house of Charles Vandeveer, on the farm now owned by Thomas Clements, in Stampers Creek Township. The first members were: Charles, Aaron, Joel and George Vandeveer with their wives; - Phillips and wife, and A. Pearson and wife. The first minister was Aaron Vandeveer and since him have been Charles Vandeveer. Jonathan Jones, William Robertson, T. N. Robertson and the present one, Samuel McMahan.
The first church house was built in 1841, where the present frame was erected, costing about $500. Elder T. N. Robertson held an interesting revival in 1876, and succeeded in gaining about a dozen converts to the church.
There is a class of United Brethren about three miles north of Valeene that was organized about 1855. For the first fifteen years they held meetings at the schoolhouse near by, and then built the hewed log-house which they now own and which cost about $300. There has been a number of revivals held at this place and the church has been instrumental in doing a large amount of good in the community.
Two miles southeast of Valeene is an organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church which was effected about the year 1850. The church known as the Cross-roads Meeting House is where the meetings are held. This is log and when new cost about $200. Among the early members were the families of May, Lowe, Maxedon, Agan and others. Andrew May was the first and last minister. This class has never been very prosperous and at the present time has no regular pastor.
At what is known as Harned Chapel, three miles southwest of Valeene, is another class of the Methodist Church that was formed about the year 1845. The church house was built of logs and afterward weather-boarded. It is now a very comfortable building and has cost about $500, being contributed by the people living adjacently. Thomas Harned and family, the Dillards, Sloans, Crandalls, Bateses, Stones and others were among the principal early members. Three of the Harned boys - William, Michael and John - became noted as preachers, they first preaching at Indianopolis and Jeffersonville. This church has been prosperous and in connection with it is maintained a good Sunday-school.
The Christian Church at Valeene was organized about the year 1830. The Hollowell family, the Selfs, the Moores, the Pirtles, the Sanderses, the Crittendens, the Bobbitts, the Fergusons, Samuel Harned, William Holaday and many others have been among the prominent members of this society. The first preachers were two brothers, Peter and John Wright, from Washington County. Other ministers have been David Stewart, Eli Stewart, John Hollowell, Jr., H. Bobbitt, Henry Crittenden, John Davis, Moses Smith, Nehemiah Tower and Samson Cox, the present pastor. The first house cost about $150, and in 1855 a good frame was built which cost $600, but this was destroyed by a cyclone in 1874. The present house, a frame, was immediately erected at a cost of $1,000, or thereabouts.CHURCHES IN STAMPERS CREEK TOWNSHIP
The United Brethren Church in the southwestern part of Stampers Creek Township was organized in the latter part of the twenties sometime, but the exact date is not known. The first meetings of the society that can now be learned of were held at the house of Joseph Danner who then lived on the farm now owned by Edward Mussear and the first minister was probably Samuel Haines. This church has had a gradual and uninterrupted term of prosperity and now has a membership of about sixty persons. The present house of worship was built in 1850 and is called Danner’s Chapel. It is a frame structure and the original cost was in the neighborhood of $300. it belongs to the Paoli Circuit and the present minister is Mr. John A. Richardson.
The Pleasant Valley Missionary Baptist Church was organized in August, 1870, at the house of Josiah Thomas in the southern end of Stampers Creek Township. The meetings of this society have always been held at what is known as the Green Brier Schoolhouse. The first members were Josiah Thomas, William T. Wells, Isaac Underwood, John R. Thomas and their wives, Jacob 0. and Elizabeth Thomas. Under the charge of Mr. Josiah Thomas, as minister, the church has been ordinarily successful and it now has twenty-four members.
About one and three-fourth miles south from Millersburg, in Stampers Creek Township, is the Pleasant Grove Regular Baptist Church. This society was formed about the year 1876, and immediately built the present church house they occupy, which is a good and substantial frame costing about $500. Francis M. Mattox was the first preacher of the class, and has been such ever since, and now occupies that position. Among the first members were: H. H. Polson and wife, William McIntosh and wife, Phoebe Rigney, Phoebe Strange, William Jones, Polly A. Jones and others. Services are held here every third Saturday in each month, and the organization is growing.LIBERTY CHURCH, NORTHEAST TOWNSHIP
In the northeastern part of Orleans Township is situated the Liberty Meeting House. The society here was probably organized in the year 1819, and is of the Christian or Campbellite denomination. Some of the first members were: Christian and Adam Hostetler, David S. Lewis, John Ribbel and their wives. This organization for a time flourished and took rank as the foremost church of its kind in the county for several years, but other classes being organized in this part of the county drew away much of its strength, although it is yet a strong society. It was probably organized at the house of a Mr. Knight, who lived in the neighborhood, and the meetings were held at private houses for some time. About the year 1824 or 1825, a hewed-log-house was built which continued to be used until the building now in use was erected, about the year 1855. This is a good and substantial frame, 40x60 feet, and cost, it is said, about $2,000. The present membership is about 150, and the minister is Rev. Jonathan Stanley.