Randolph  County,  Indiana  Family  History
Green Township

Churches


Fairview  United  Methodist  Church

Tucker History Page 153.
Fairview.-The Methodists began to hold services at the first settlement of the region.

Rev. Elijah Harbour moved in very early, and he was a local preacher, and did much toward planting religion in that part of the county. Preaching was held at Nathan Godwin's, near Fairview; at Mr. Pendry's, in Delaware County; and at John Booth's, in Jay County. A log church was built in Fairview about 1839 and a frame house in 1849 which is standing yet, having been remodeled in 1874.

Some of the early members were Nathan Godwin, Bennet King, John King, James McProud, John Life, Elijah Harbour (Rev.), Caleb Manor (Jay County), John Booth (Jay County), William Richardson, with their wives.

Names of preachers: Messrs. Harbour, Ackerman, Bradbury, Brandshaw, Bowers, Leech, Sales, Smith, Hull, Bruce, Barrett, Phillips, Strite, Sells, Woolpert, Parrot, Donald, Robinson.

They have a Sunday school numbering sixty to seventy pupils. Thomas Godwin says that he came of age while Rev. Bradshaw was circuit-rider, and that the preacher was at Thomas' father's house on the day that he (Thomas) was twenty-one. The young man, wishing to play a joke, said to his father, " Put your thumb on my head." The old man did so. Thomas, slipping quickly from under his father's hand, said, "There, father, I have slipped from under your thumb." The clergyman was surprised and pleased to boot, at the freshness and oddity of the jest, insomuch that he spoke of it many years afterward.




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