CITY OF GREENFIELD
Back to Part 1 | Part 2

CITY OF GREENFIELD- concluded

THE VINCENT SOCIETY OF THE HALL IN THE GROVE

"The Vincent Society of the Hall in the Grove" was organized on June 27, 1912, with these officers: President, Mrs. J. H. Binford; vice-president, Mrs. L. B. Griffin; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. J. H. Moulden. The object of the society is to unite all Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle graduates in a permanent organization, which shall have a general oversight of the Chautauqua work in the community, encouraging graduates to continue habits of systematic reading.

It is the purpose of the society to hold at least two meetings each year; one to be of a social nature, at which Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle graduates shall be welcome; the other to be devoted to the consideration of plans for the extension of Chautauqua work in the community. Following are the members with the date of their graduation from the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle: Florence Clark Binford, 1884; Mary M. Gooding, 1884; Elvira Gooding, 1884; Permelia A. Thayer, 1886; Dennie S. Griffin, 1888; Sarah A. Moulden, 1900; M. Irene Stoner, 1900; Florence C. Larimore, 1900; Lucy H. Binford, 1902; and Martha Wilson, 1913. Honorary members, Fannie M. Cleary, 1900 and Theodisia S. Johnson, 1911.

COSMOPOLITAN CLUB

The Cosmopolitan Club was organized in October, 1894, by Mrs. Mary Swope, with a membership of seventeen active members and six honorary members. Its object is the mutual benefit and improvement of its members.

Following were the active charter members: Mary Swope, Jennie Swope, Mrs. V. L. Early, Mrs. Free Crawford, Mrs. J. M. Larimore, Mrs. L. B. Griffin, Mrs. Frank Hammel, Mrs. J. H. Moulden, Mrs. Myra Moore and the Misses Edith Stabler, Clara Vawter, Ruby Martin, Flo Randall, Pearl Randall, Florence Thayer and Maggie Snyder. The honorary members were Mesdames Bruner, E. E. Stoner, Stabler, Hume, J. H. Binford and Miss Laura Moulden.

During the first year of its organization an entirely new feature was introduced into the social life of Greenfield by a series of parlor talks, given before the club and its guests. Among the speakers were the Rev. Dr. Stabler, of the Methodist Episcopal church; Rev. Souder, of the Presbyterian church; Hon. William R. Hough, Dr. Mary Bruner, Florence C. Binford, Mary Woodard, and Hannah Pratt Jessup, pastor of the Friends church. A musicale or two were also given. The first nine years were given to the study of the work as outlined by the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle; the next four were spent in a systematic study of the Bible, matriculating with Chicago University, after which, in 1908, the club returned to the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle course, which has been followed to the present time, 1915.

During the twenty-one years of the club's existence it has brought to Greenfield several well-known persons to address the people of our city upon timely topics. Among them are Miss Niblack, on art; Prof. Elbert Russell, a series on the Life of Christ; Dr. Joshua Stansfield, upon the Bible; Dr. Charles P. Emerson, on "The Message of Modern Medicine," and Dr. M. H. Lichliter, upon the "Vine and the Oak."

The social spirit has not been neglected. Several functions might be mentioned: A Martha Washington banquet; an expansion party; a banquet given to the members of the club the by Barbarians (their husbands); a Halloween party, and a playlet, "The Goose Feather Bed." The influence of the club has been given to all public enterprises that have needed help. They gave the first entertainment for the benefit of the public library, which netted a neat sum.

The membership has changed very much in twenty-one years, but the club still has the following charter members: Active, Mrs. J. H. Larimore, Mrs. J. H. Moulden,, Mrs. L. B. Griffin, Mrs. Myra Moore; honorary, Mrs. Irene Stoner, Mrs. J. H. Binford and Mrs. Laura Duncan.

The membership now consists of the following active members: Mesdames J. H. Binford, E. S. Hart, S. J. Offutt, L. B. Griffin, J. M. Larimore, N. C. Binford, Laura Duncan, Kuppers, Myra Moore, T. I. Morgan, Irene Stoner, Flossie Pasco, John Early, Martha Wilson, Carrie Barrett, J. F. Reed, J. H. Rogers, Hazel Fink, Charles Cook, Herbert Bruner; associate, Mrs. J. H. Moulden. "He conquers who wills" is still the determination of the club, and "Never be discouraged" is its watchword.

GRADATIM CLUB

The Gradatim Literary League was organized by Miss Vania Gates (now deceased) in 1895, at the home of Mrs. Marshall Smith, who was then living in the old Cooper home on the site of the present Carnegie Library. Mrs. Smith was the first president, Mrs. William H. Moore, vice-president, and Miss Gates, secretary-treasurer. The society was formed for the purpose of studying the history of the various countries. It has continued along that line of study, having taken up the ancient and modern history of England, France, Germany, Belgium, Africa, South America, Mexico and the United States. The ladies are now reading the histories of Rome, Italy and Greece. During the first year of the club's existence one of the members was selected as instructor and the first of these was Mrs. Mary Swope (now deceased), on of Greenfield's most brilliant literary women.

The club's name originated from the poem "Gradatim," written by J. G. Holland, and the motto has always been, "No Footsteps Backward." The club has always been interested in all the civic movements of the city and county. During the twenty years of the club's life there has been but one death among the active members, that of Mrs. Luella Ramsey, in December, 1906. At the present time there are four charter members, Mrs. J. A. Peters, Mrs. A. K. Ellis, Mrs. A. J. New and Mrs. R. H. Archey. The club is federated with the city, district and state and takes an active part in all federation work.

FRANCHISE LEAGUE

On the 8th day of June, 1912, Dr. Amelia Keller, of Indianapolis, came to Greenfield and addressed a company of women at the home of the late Mrs. Mary Boyd, on Woman's Suffrage. After the address a league was formed, with Mrs. Emma Martin, chairman; Mrs. William Service, treasurer; Mrs. H. T. Roberts, secretary. Eight members were enrolled. A number of meetings were held, but not much enthusiasm was manifested.

In 1913 Mrs. J. M. Larimore was made chairman. The membership increased to fifteen. Several books on the suffrage question were read and discussed, delegates were sent to the state convention and interest in suffrage was increased considerably.

Mrs. N. R. Rhue was elected chairman in 1914. Mrs. Ada O. Frost is serving as president for 1916. Following are the members of the league; Mrs. John H. Binford, Mrs. Nathan Binford, Mrs. Iduna Barrett, Mrs. Ada Frost, Miss Marvel Frost, Mrs. William Hough, Mrs. J. J. Larimore, Mrs. Blanche McNew, Miss Tilla New, Mrs. Oakerson, Mrs. James Reed, Mrs. Rosa Rhue, Mrs. H. T. Roberts, Mrs. Irene Stoner and Miss Nora Henby.

HOME ECONOMICS CLUB

On September 20, 1912, twelve women, who were home makers, as well as housekeepers, banded themselves together in an organization to be known as the Greenfield Domestic Science Club, the purpose of which is to study how to make the home and its occupants better and happier. Eight members were added and the membership limited to twenty. The program for the first year was classified under Food Values, Sanitation and Hygiene. Through the kindness of one of our local dealers the club visited a meat market, where the butcher gave a demonstration of the different cuts of meat, explaining their comparative food value and cost.

In February, 1913, a request came from the State Federation that all domestic science clubs change their names to that of Home Economics, and from that time this club has been known as the Greenfield Home Economics Club.

On March 15, 1912, Mrs. S. M. Ralston was a guest of the club and gave a very interesting talk to the club and invited guests. Doctor Griffin talked on "How to Take Care of Our Bodies"; H. E. Barnard, the state food and drug commissioner, on "Food and Drug Adulteration;" Miss Edna Henry, assistant to Dean Emerson, of Indiana Medical School, on "Social Service Work." At different times practical demonstrations of cookery have been given before the club by different members, showing the preparation from start to finish of bread, cake, salads, candies and desserts. There have also been fireless-cooker and chafing-dish demonstrations.

The Home Economics Club is a member of the City Federation and of the Sixth District Federation. It has a membership of twenty; meets every two weeks on Monday afternoon, and is preparing material for a cook book to be published soon.

FEDERATION OF CLUBS

The Greenfield Federation of Women's Clubs was organized May 2, 1899, including the following clubs: Woman's Club, Hesperian, Cosmopolitan, Clio, Home Reading Club and Gradatim Literary League. Later, the Daughters of the Revolution, Tri Kappa Sorority and the Home Economics Club became identified with the organization, giving a total membership of about two hundred.

The first corps of officers was composed of Mrs. Matilda Marsh, president; Mrs. Permelia Thayer, vice-president; Mrs. M. J. Elliott, secretary; Mrs. J. H. Binford, secretary; Mrs. A. J. New, treasurer. Mrs. Walter O. Bragg was chairman of the committee that drafted the constitution and by-laws.

The object of the organization, as set forth in the constitution, is to consider questions pertaining to social, educational and literary matters and the advancement of methods for the best culture and advancement of the city. With this aim in view, the federation has done many things to uplift the community, both morally and physically, and to cultivate a higher standard of living among the people of the city. It has created a sentiment for a cleaner, more sanitary and more beautiful city. It has always stood for the very best and has ever been ready to co-operate in any movement which would develop the moral, social or spiritual conditions.

Once each year the federation provides a social meeting for its members and their friends. For these occasions many of the best speakers and entertainers before the public have been brought to the city. Among them have been Doctor Quayle, Addison Harris, Amos Butler, Ernest Seton Thompson, Fred Emerson Brooks, Dewitt Miller, Segal Myers Concert Company, May Wright Sewell, Dr. Jane Sherzer, Mrs. George Hitt, Mrs. Olaf N. Guldlin, Mrs. Albion Fellow Bacon and Miss Meddie O. Hamilton . In addition to these, the late Ephraim Marsh delivered an address on "What I Saw in Europe," and Albert L. New gave a stereopticon lecture on "Wireless Telegraphy." Several delightful evenings have also been given by our local musical talent. To promote a general interest in art, three art exhibits have been held. The first of these contained three hundred pictures and continued three days. The proceeds amounted to ninety dollars, with which beautiful pictures were purchased to adorn the walls of the various school rooms of the city. Miss Niblack brought to our city a display of Japanese art and delivered a lecture on the same. At another time she lectured on "Technic of Art." Mrs. Florence Edyth King also lectured on art.

The federation has created a sentiment for much of the civic improvement and moral reform brought about since its organization. A "spitting ordinance" and "curfew ordinance" have been passed. Objectionable pictures and posters have been removed from public bill boards and other places. Book racks, provided with good literature, have been placed in public waiting rooms. Children have been excluded from the court room during sensational trials. Annual cleaning-up days have been observed and sanitary conditions in many parts of the city have been improved.

To encourage the growing of flowers, the federation held two aster shows, which were quite successful. The federation has also managed the sale of many dollars' worth of Red Cross Christmas seals since they have been in use. The poor house reform movement, which was brought before the state Legislature by the State Federation of Clubs, had its inception in the local federation. The summer Chautauquas held in 1905 and 1906 were largely due to the efforts put forth by the federation. The late Ada New gave much time and effort to this undertaking.

In May, 1909, the federation entertained the sixth district annual convention of women's clubs in a manner reflecting credit upon the federation and the city.

LODGES

Hancock Lodge No. 101, Free and Accepted Masons, was instituted under dispensation, February 22, 1849, with James Rutherford, worshipful master; Harry Pierson, senior warden; James Bracken, junior warden; and the following Master Masons: Col. George Tague, Orlando Crain, Morris Pierson, James Shipman and Nathan D. Coffin. The worshipful master appointed Orlando Crain, secretary; George Tague, treasurer; James Shipman, senior deacon; Nathan D. Coffin, junior deacon; Morris Pierson, tyler. They met in the old seminary, which was for a long time the family residence of Capt. Reuben A. Riley. The room in which they met was occupied at the same time by the Sons of Temperance. The lodge continued to occupy the old seminary until they moved into the Masonic Hall in 1855.

The lodge worked under dispensation until June 20, 1850. The following persons were raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason while working under dispensation, and in the order named, to-wit: Robert E. Barnett, Jonathan Rawls, John Templin, John Shipman, E. B. Chittenden, J. K. Nixon, Adams L. Ogg, Cornwell Meek, John Milroy (on demit), B. T. Butler, George Henry and P. H. Foy, who passed to the degree of Fellowcraft; consequently, all the others, except Foy, were charter members of the lodge. The officers under the charter, and installed as such on June 20, 1850, were as follows: James Rutherford, worshipful master; James Bracken, junior warden; Morris Pierson, treasurer; Robert E. Barnett, senior warden; Jonathan Rawls, junior deacon; E. B. Chittenden, tyler.

The following brethren have filled the office of worshipful master in the order given: James Rutherford, six years; Robert E. Barnett, ten years; Elam I. Judkins, three years; Jonathan Tague, one year; L. W. Gooding, one year; Presley Guymon, two years; George W. Dove, seven years; Ephraim Marsh, five years; Samuel S. Boots, one year; Joseph Baldwin, one year; William G. Scott, two years; Walter O. Bragg, one year; William H. Glascock, one year; William Ward Cook, two years; A. J. Smith, one year; John Corcoran, one year; Charles Downing, two years; Samuel P. Gordon, John T. Duncan, William C. Barnard, William P. Bidgood, Edward W. Felt, Robert Williamson, Francis M. Conklin, Elwood Morris, John A. Rhue, Charles F. Reeves, Samuel J. Offutt, Harry G. Strickland, Ora Myers, Paul H. New, Hiram L. Thomas, Charles R. Gately, J. Ward Fletcher, Lattie O. Hanes and Irwin W. Cotton. Since Charles Downing, each master has served just one year.

Nelson Bradley held the office of treasurer continuously from 1870 to the time of his death.

The first trustees of the lodge were Andrew T. Hart, Robert E. Barnett and James Rutherford, who continued to act as such, except Rutherford, who died in 1856, and who was succeeded by William R. West. Those three acted until August 15, 1862, when the first legal election was held, which resulted in the election of Robert E. Barnett, George Tague and Nathan Coffin.

The corner stone of the old Masonic hall was laid with appropriate ceremonies, August 15, 1854, by Right Worshipful Elijah Newlan, deputy grand master of the grand lodge of the state of Indiana. The building committee of the old hall were James R. Bracken, chairman, Reuben Riley, Samuel Longnecker, Benjamin F. Duncan, Adren Rivett and Nathan D. Coffin.

The building of the old hall taxed the Masons to their fullest financial capacity, and for a long time the fate of the enterprise hung in the balance, as is shown by the report of the building committee, which reads as follows: "The character and standing of the lodge is at stake on this enterprise. The community at large look with great interest on the success of this project and, having advanced thus far, it would leave a very unfavorable impression, numbering as we do within our ranks so many of the ablest and best men of our county."

The lodge held a grand festival, July 5, 1855, in the public hall of the Masonic building, which is evidently the first meeting of any kind held in the old hall. Just when the old lodge hall was dedicated, the minutes do not disclose, but it was some time in the year 1855. On November 26, 1857, Dr. Robert E. Barnett, on behalf of Mrs. James Rutherford, presented to the lodge the Masonic regalia of James Rutherford, the first worshipful master of the lodge. Brother Rutherford was a bright Mason, but, like many others, he failed to obey the lessons which he so frequently taught, and his life went out in darkness.

Nearly three-fourths of a century have passed by since the little band of Masons met in the old seminary. Proud they were when the old Masonic hall had been built. That was a great undertaking for that day. Pleasant memories now cluster around the old hall. It is dear and sacred to Masonry, yet the time came when the city and lodge had outgrown it and when the brethren felt that it was not up to date. There were many spirited debates as to what should be done or where the lodge should go. Many, especially among the older members, preferred to build in the old site. The outgrowth of this was the appointment of a committee composed of Charles Downing, worshipful master; Samuel P. Gordon, senior deacon; John T. Duncan, junior deacon, and Nelson Bradley, Samuel R. Wells, Daniel B. Cooper and Ephraim Marsh, who were given full power to purchase ground and to locate the site for the new temple. What was known as the Walker corner was finally agreed upon, but it took money to buy such valuable property, and subscriptions were immediately started, which was headed by Brother Nelson Bradley with a cash subscription of one thousand dollars, and the following brethren in the amounts respectively:

Nelson Bradley, $1,000; Ephraim Marsh, $200; Daniel B. Cooper, $100; J. Ward Walker, $100; George S. Wilson, $100; Vinton L. Early, $100; Winfield S. Fries, $100; Morgan Chandler, $100; Samuel S. Boots, $100; Elmer E. Stoner, $100; John T. Duncan, $50; C. W. Morrison, $50; William G. Scott, $50; Wm. C. Barnard, $50; John L. McNew, $25; M. C. Quigley, $25; John Q. White, $25; W. S. Montgomery, $25; Harry Strickland, $25; A. J. Smith, $25; I. P. Poulson, $25; A. V. B. Sample, $25; Henry Snow, $25; John Corcoran, $25; S. A. Wray, $15; S. R. Wells, $300; Samuel P. Gordon, $200, Charles Downing, $100; Charles Barr, $100; Jasper H. Moulden, $100; George H. Coopepr, $100; William H. Glascock, $100; George W. Morehead, $50; George W. Duncan, $50; Elbert Tyner, $50; Lawrence Boring, $50; Walter O. Bragg, $25; Harry S. Hume, $25; Harvey D. Barrett, $25; Lee Barrett, $25; Quitman Jackson, $25; W. R. King, $25; Felt & Jackson, $25; E. N. Wright, $25; D. Beckner, $25; W. B. Walker, $25; C. K. Bruner, $15; T. T. Barrett, $10; W. S. Gant, $10; S. N. Shelby, $5; N. D. Coffin, $5; F. J. Coffin, $5; W. A. Wilkins, $10; T. J. Faurot, $10; J. S. Jackson, $10; S. W. Wiley, $10; E. S. Bragg, $10; Enos Gery (?), $5; E. J. Binford, $5; Charlie Winn, $5. Nearly $5,000 was raised in two days.

On March 25, 1895, the Walker corner, or the northwest of Main and State streets, was purchased for $8,850. On August 5, 1895, the contract for the temple was let to Hinesman Brothers, of Noblesville, for twenty-six thousand nine hundred dollars. The corner stone of the building was laid with appropriate ceremonies in October, 1895. The Masonic Temple is an elegant stone structure, with a mercantile room on the first floor, offices and Temple Club rooms on the second floor, and the lodge rooms on the third floor.

Hancock lodge now has a membership of about two hundred and eighty. Walter O. Bragg, a member of this lodge, at one time served as grand master of Free and Accepted Masons of the state of Indiana.

Greenfield Chapter No. 96, Royal Arch Masons, was chartered on October 19, 1882, with eleven charter members: Jeremiah B. Sparks, Nelson Bradley, Enos Gery, Ephraim Marsh, Newton C. Nord, William N. Vaughn, Wallace Everson, George W. Dove, John M. Dalrymple, Milton G. Alexander, James K. King. All charter members were demitted from the Knightstown chapter. The present membership is one hundred and ninety-one.

Greenfield Commandery No. 39, Knights Templar, was instituted on May 16, 1896, under dispensation, and received its charter on April 22, 1897. Nearly all the charter members were demitted from Knightstown Commandery. The first officers of Greenfield Commandery were: Ephraim Marsh, eminent commander; Walter O. Bragg, generalissimo; E. P. Thayer, captain general; S. P. Gordon, senior warden; Henry Snow, junior warden; J. W. Ward Walker, prelate; Nelson Bradley, treasurer; George H. Cooper, recorder; William C. Barnard, standard bearer; J. M. Larimore, sword bearer; Charles Downing, warden; W. H. Vaughn, sentinel.

Greenfield Commandery has prospered steadily through the years and now has one hundred and five members. One of its members, Harry G. Strickland, after passing through the chairs of his home commandery, was further honored by passing successively through the chairs of the grand commandery, serving as grand commander of Knights Templar of Indiana in 1914. At the grand commandery meeting at Indianapolis in May, 1915, Greenfield Commandery won a beautiful silver trophy for having the largest percentage of its members in line.

Miriam Chapter No. 64, Order of the Eastern Star- On January 6, 1887, a number of ladies and gentlemen met in the old Masonic hall, Greenfield, Indiana, and petitioned the grand chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star for dispensation and for the organization of Miriam Chapter. At that meeting thirty-seven persons were obligated by W. D. Engle, deputy grand patron, of Indianapolis, and officers were appointed pro tem. On the 14th day of April, 1887, a charter was issued to Miriam Chapter No. 64, and on May 17, 1887, Edwin D. Palmer, grand worthy patron, installed the following officers: D. R. Love, worthy patron; Pearl E. Tyner, worthy matron; Matilda J. Marsh, associate matron; Wood Walker, secretary; Adela Marsh, treasurer; Mary S. Boots, conductress; Emma Jackson, associate conductress; Belle Cooper, Adah, Belle Hammel, Ruth; Allie Cook, Esther; Nellie Smith, Martha; Allie Glascock, Electa; Mary J. Barnett, warden, and Enos Geary, sentinel.

Miriam Chapter continued to hold their meetings the second Tuesday of each month in the old Masonic hall, until 1895, when the new Masonic Temple was completed. With the other Masonic orders, they transferred their paraphernalia into the beautiful new chapter rooms. At present there are two hundred and thirty-nine members in good standing. Mrs. Allen F. Cooper, a member of this chapter, was elected grand worthy matron of the Order of the Eastern Star of the state of Indiana, for the year 1913. Will H. Glascock at one time served as grand worthy patron, and Mrs. Pearl E. Tyner as grand treasurer, Order of Eastern Star of the state of Indiana.

Greenfield Lodge No., 135, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted on July 26, 1853. The lodge was organized in the old court house and afterward moved to the three-story brick building at the corner of Main and State streets. From there it was moved to the county seminary, where it remained for a time. After the county sold the seminary building the lodge took lease on the new building put up by Dr. Noble P. Howard, on Main street. Finally, on account of increasing membership, together with a desire on the part of the lodge to occupy a building of their own, the trustees were instructed to contract with William C. Burdette for the third story to be erected on his new block (Capital State Bank building), which was done. In 1891, the lodge moved to the second story of the brick building at the southeast corner of Main and East streets, and have occupied the same continuously ever since. The charter members of this lodge were N. P. Howard, George Armstrong, M. W. Hamilton, Simon Thomas, John R. Boston. The members initiated the first night were Robert A. Barr, Benjamin Deem, James H. Leary, Benjamin Miller, John D. Barnett, Chelton Banks, M. G. Flaconbury and Eli Ballinger.

The first elected officers were: George Armstrong, noble grand; N. P. Howard, vice grand; John D. Barnett, secretary; Jonathan Dunbar, treasurer. The lodge at the present time is in a flourishing condition and has a member ship of 226.

Humphries Encampment No. 49, a higher degree of Odd Fellowship, was organized in May, 1856, with the following charter members: Noble P. Howard, A. P. Williams, George Armstrong, J. S. Harvey, J. E. Doughty, B. R. McCord, George Lowe, E. L. Tyler, J. A. Cottman and J. K. English. The degree at present is not very active.

Hope Lodge No. 114, Daughters of Rebekah, was organized March 20, 1874, with the following charter members: Ephraim Marsh, A. P. Williams, Emma L. Williams, Q. D. Hughes, M. M. Hughes, C. J. Williams, A. E. Williams, A. R. Jones, A. L. Jones, William Chappell, Ella Chappell, William Custer, Hester A. Custer, Edward Lace, Nancy A. Lace, Jackson McGruder, Mary J. Wilkins, Charles L. Cochran, Rosa A. Cochran, M. L. Paullus, Mary A. Paullus, William Sears. Loretta Sears, Andrew Eakes, Marian L. Eakes, T. L. Bentley, Charles Reifle, Josephine Reifle, Joseph Burke, M. J. Burke, John R. Johnson, Nancy Johnson, William Mitchell, Thomas R. Lineback, Lydia J. Lineback, W. E. Burdette, John W. Bush, Montgomery Marsh, Ann L. Marsh, T. J. Dawson and Rachel M. Dawson.

After a few years the lodge discontinued for a time, and was reorganized about 1885, with the following membership: M. L. Paullus, Mary Paullus, W. W. Webb, Catherine Webb, Mary Hart, James L. Smith, Ann E. Smith, John W. Carter, Mellie Carter, Q. D. Hughes, Mary M. Hughes, John Corcoran, and with the following officers: Mary M. Hughes, noble grand; Mellie Carter, vice grand; Mary Hart, recording secretary, and Catherine M. Webb, treasurer. The present membership is one hundred and fourteen, with the following officers: Mrs. Edith Galscock, noble grand; Mrs. Rose Car, vice grand; Mrs. Alice Archey, recording secretary; Mrs. Belle Wood, financial secretary; Olive Hagans, treasurer.

Eureka Lodge No. 20, Knights of Pythias, was organized on the 29th of February, 1872, on the second floor of the building known as the Walker corner. Among other places of meeting were the old Masonic hall, the room over the Capital State Bank and an old building which stood on the lot now occupied by the lodge. In 1908 the lodge purchased a three-eighths interest in the building known as the Strickland building. In 1915 they purchased the remaining five-eighths interest. They now own the entire building and are in a flourishing condition, with three hundred and twenty-five members. The following were the charter members: R. E. Barnett, W. S. Wood, H. J. Williams, Ephraim Marsh, J. A. New, Enos Geary, E. P. Thayer, S. W. Barnett, J. J. Pratt, William F. Pratt, Marion Forgey, J. D. Vannuys, George W. Dove, Joseph Baldwin, Calvin Souder, A. P. Williams, B. F. Gant, Milton Peden, John W. Ryan, Jackson Wills, Z. D. Hughes. One of its members, W. S. Wood, attained the honor of past grand chancellor of Indiana.

Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias, was organized on the 14th day of December, 1903, with John B. Hinchman as its first captain. It flourished for a few years, but gradually declined. In 1914 it was reorganized and at present is in a good condition. It has thirty-two members fully equipped. The present officers of the company are as follows: George B. Wilson, captain; Alonzo Ray, first lieutenant; Paul R. Boyd, second lieutenant; A. H. Rottman, sergeant recorder; R. H. Murphy, sergeant treasurer; E. R. Elliott, first sergeant; A. N. Steele, second sergeant; Roy Thomas, commissary sergeant; Link Gorman, bugler, and Charles Gilson, musician sergeant.

Laurel Temple No. 21, Pythian Sisters, was organized by the founder of the order, the Rev. J. A. Hill, of Greencastle, Indiana, in October, 1889, and the charter was granted on May 12, 1890. There were twenty charter members, including members of the order of Knights of Pythias, and the wives, daughters, mothers, widows and sisters of Knights of Pythias in good standing. The first officers were: most excellent chief, Elizabeth Suess; excellent senior, Nellie Millikan; excellent junior, Ora Bragg; manager of temple, Borgia Barnard; mistress of records and correspondence, Carrie Lynn; mistress of finance, Belle White; protector of temple, Carrie Walker; guard of the outer temple, Belle Gant; past chief, Lena Bedgood. The membership now numbers one hundred and thirty-one.

The temple has always met in the hall occupied by Eureka Lodge No. 20, Knights of Pythias, which at the time of the organization of the temple was meeting in the old Masonic hall. The meeting place was subsequently changed to the I. O. O. F. building, then to the Binford block, then to the present meeting place in the Knights of Pythias building.

The order of Pythian Sisters at its inception was an independent organization drawing its membership from the order of Knights of Pythias and the female relatives of members of that order. In 1892 the supreme lodge, Knights of Pythias, at its session in Kansas City, passed a law making it prohibitory for knights to hold membership in any organization bearing the name or any form of the name "Pythian." By this action the order of Pythian Sisters, which had grown rapidly and numbered many temples in the United States, must either lose the knights or change its name. The latter alternative was accepted and the name of the order was changed to "Rathbone Sisters," honoring Justice H. Rathbone, founder of the order of Knights of Pythias. The local temple was known as Laurel Temple No. 21, Rathbone Sisters, for fourteen years. In 1904, the supreme lodge, Knights of Pythias, by special legislation, granted official recognition to the order of Rathbone Sisters, making it an independent auxiliary to the order of Knights of Pythias and restoring its former name, "Pythian Sisters." Mrs. Allen F. Cooper served as grand chief, Pythian Sisters of the state of Indiana, in 1903.

Wenonah Tribe No. 182, Improved Order of Red Men, was instituted on the 14th day of March, 1893, with forty-five charter members. It now has a membership of five hundred and thirty. During its career it has met in the old Masonic hall, the Capital State Bank building, the Hinchman hall, and in its present quarters, at the southwest corner of East and Main streets. The tribe owns the fine business block at the corner of East and Main streets, having purchased and paid for it, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. Wenonah Tribe has among it s members one past great sachem, Charles A. Robinson, who has filled all the offices in the state organization. Doctor Robinson has been a lecturer for the Red Men for fifteen years and has traveled extensively in the interest of the order.

Wenonah Haymakers Association No. 132 _, was organized with sixteen charter members in the old Masonic hall, on March 7, 1899. From the hall it moved to its present location in the Red Men's hall at the southeast corner of Main and East streets. Its motto is, "Fun and Good Fellowship." The lodge pays sick and death benefits, each member being assessed fifty cents on each death, which is paid to the family of the deceased companion. It now has a membership of three hundred and fifty-one.

Oronoco Council No. 59, Degree of Pocahontas, was organized, December 19, 1895, with a charter membership of forty-five, in the hall over the Capital State Bank. It soon afterward located in the Hinchman hall and later in the old Masonic hall, at the corner of Main and Pennsylvania streets. Several years afterward, the council located in what is known as Red Men's hall, corner of Main and East streets. It now has a membership of one hundred and fifty-eight. Only six charter members belong at this time.

Greenfield Camp. No. 5063, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized October 13, 1897, with twenty charter members. It now has a membership of one hundred and eighteen. Ten deaths have occurred since the organization of the lodge, on which the order has paid twelve thousand dollars of insurance. Its meeting places have been at the old Masonic hall, the old I..O.O.F. hall and the hall over the monument room at the southwest corner of Main and Pennsylvania streets. William Robb was the first venerable consul.

Greenfield Tent No. 37, Knights of the Maccabees of the World, was instituted August 1, 1890, with eight charter members: John Corcoran, M. K. Cummins, John L. Fry. M. A. Fry, A. J. Smith, A. R. Walker, W. B. Walker and Harry G. Strickland. At present there are thirty-five members. Fifteen thousand dollars of insurance has been paid to local representatives of deceased members. Isaac A. Goble has been the record keeper for the past twenty years.

Golden Aerie No. 1115, Fraternal Order of Eagles, was organized June 21, 1915, with one hundred and sixty-two charter members. This number has now grown to one hundred and ninety. The lodge was organized and has always met at the old Masonic hall, at the southeast corner of Main and Pennsylvania streets, which building is now owned by the Eagles. Twenty-four members have been lost by death since the organization of the lodge.

Brandywine Lodge No. 1631, Loyal Order of Moose, was organized August 9, 1915, with fifty charter members. At present there are one hundred and three members. The lodge meets in Hinchman's hall on each Monday night. The first officers were: past dictator, George William Daenzer; dictator, William E. Bussell; vice-dictator, Paul Bell; prelate, Joseph Bundy; secretary, J. F. Pauley; treasurer, Edward Staley; inner guard, Charles Brammer; sergeant at arms, Frank Harrison; outer guard, Charles Grose; trustees, William I, Burnsides, J. W. Fisk and Oren Henley.

BRADLEY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

There were Methodists among the very first settlers in Greenfield, who, no doubt, met for worship as soon as the town was laid out in 1828. Among these very early people were Abram, Samuel and Moses Van Gilder, Major Stephens and Jeremiah Meek. A little later came James Parks, John Rardin, Jacob Tague, Dr. Lot Edwards, Richard Guymon, John Hager, Margaret Riley, the poet's grandmother, Joseph Anderson, Hugh Wooster and James D. Templeton.

A circuit was established at Greenfield in 1830 with a number of appointments. The pulpit was then filled once every four weeks. The circuit, with a number of changes, was maintained until in the spring of 1870, when Greenfield was made a station. Since that time, preaching services have been held twice every Sabbath.

The first services in the history of the church were conducted by the Methodist itinerant preachers, who, from time to time, visited the town. After the establishment of the circuit in 1830, the Revs. James Havens, Tarkington and Swank were among the first preachers on the charge.

The first preaching services were held in the old log court house which stood just below the Gooding hotel, and which has been described in another chapter. After a time the congregation worshipped in the log school house that stood on the east side of North State street, about half way between North street and the branch. About 1840, a little frame church, thirty-four by forty feet in size, was erected on the west side of South State street, a short distance below the railroad, at a cost of five hundred and twenty-nine dollars and sixty-two cents. This church was occupied until 1866, when the old brick church, still standing, was erected on the southwest corner of South State and South streets. This build was erected during the pastorate, and largely through the untiring efforts, of the Rev. George W. Bowers. It was completed in 1867, and dedicated in that year by Dr. T. M. Eddy. The building was forty by seventy feet, and was constructed at a cost of six thousand dollars. Reverend Bowers was very much beloved by his congregation, and the columns of the local newspapers of that time frequently published suggestions that the church should be named "Bowers Chapel." In 1878 the brick church was remodeled and greatly improved in appearance under the pastorate of the Rev. Y. B. Meredith. It was lighted with artificial gas. The windows were also changed from the rectangular form to the present form. The trustees, at that time were Jonathan Tague, Fred Hammell, Dr. N. P. Howard, Hollis B. Thayer, Dr. S. M. Martin and James A. New. In 1884, under the pastorate of the Rev. J. Walsh, the inside of the church was again modified by the addition of class rooms, hall, gallery, new pulpit platform, and railing. During the pastorate of the Rev. J. G. Walts, the church was re-seated, supplied with new and more modern windows, new pulpit and other improvements. After the electric light plant had been installed in Greenfield, electric lights were put into the church.

During the nineties it became very evident that the membership of both the church and Sunday school was outgrowing the place of worship. The ladies of the congregation, with prudent foresight, began to organize to raise funds to be applied towards the construction of a new edifice. The Ladies' Society and the Cosmos Society were organized during the nineties, and their work will be discussed later. The Ladies' Society, however, purchased a lot at the northwest corner of Main and Pennsylvania streets, on which the church now stands, for three thousand five hundred dollars. The deed of conveyance was executed January 4, 1902. The church had been incorporated under the laws of the state providing for the incorporation of churches and other societies. The board of trustees at this time was composed of Isaiah A. Curry, president; Edward W. Felt, secretary; Elmer E. Stoner, M. H. Gant, M. T. Duncan, Cassius M. Curry and John H. Binford. They employed C. A. Krutsch & Company, architects, of Indianapolis, to make plans and specifications for the new building. After the plans and specifications of Krutsch & Company had been accepted, the board advertised for bids, and the contract for the erection of the building was awarded to Edward R. Wolf, of Indianapolis, the contract price being twenty-two thousand four hundred and sixty-eight dollars. The contract did not include the heating, seating, lighting, frescoing, chandeliers, organ, carpeting, art glass, architect's fee, nor any of the furnishing, fixtures, or incidentals, which, added to the original contract price, made the total cost of the edifice approximately thirty-five thousand dollars. Of this amount Nelson Bradley voluntarily contributed five thousand dollars. In appreciation of this gift, and in his honor, the church was named the Bradley Methodist Episcopal Church. John H. Binford was the treasurer of the board of trustees during this period. His financial ability and his willingness to assume financial responsibility for the church during the construction of the house, will likely never be understood or fully appreciated by the entire membership.

The corner stone of the church was laid May 22, 1902. Addresses were delivered on the occasion by J. Frank Hanly, late governor of Indiana, and the Rev. G. H. Hill. In the corner stone were place a Bible, hymn book, discipline, church papers, list of officers, teachers and members of the Sunday school, copies of each of the local papers, a program of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, program of the laying of the corner stone, a copy of "The Cosmos," a history of the church by John H. Binford, and quarterly conference reports from 1837 to 1842.

The new church was dedicated on November 30, 1902. The dedicatory sermon was preached by the Rev. W. D. Parr, assistant secretary of the Church Extension Society. The church was erected during the pastorate of Perry E. Powell, who served the congregation from 1901-04.

The congregation has owned five parsonages. The first one stood on the northwest corner of North and Swope streets, which was then the eastern terminus of North street. The second stood on the east side of South State street, just north of the railroad. In the latter sixties the congregation purchased a parsonage on West Main street (the present number of the house being 222); but sold it again in 1875. In 1876, a parsonage was purchased adjoining the brick church on the west. The present parsonage came to the congregation as a devise from the late Philip J. Bohn, whose will was probated June 21, 1909. It is located at No. 503 East Main street, and is known as the "Bohn Memorial Parsonage."

The church has had a steady growth from its humble beginning. In 1878 it had a membership of about one hundred and fifty. Its present membership is about five hundred and fifty. The congregation worships in an elegant stone structure, which, with its galleries, has a seating capacity of one thousand. The church edifice has also been constructed with a view of accommodating the different departments and classes of the Sunday school. Nearly all of the classes have private rooms and do not have to labor under the disadvantage of the confusion arising from having all classes in an auditorium.

Following is a list of the pastors who have served the congregation since 1838: F. M. Richmond, J. S. Barwick, 1838; F. M. Richmond and George Havens, 1839; J. B. Birt, J. W. Mellender, 1840; W. C. Smith, J. V. R. Miller, 1841; G. W. Bowers, 1842; F. F. Sheldon, 1843; J. S. Donaldson, 1844; H. H. Badley, L. M. Hancock, 1845; A. D. Beasley, Ezra Manyard, 1846; A. D. Beasley, J. F. McAnally, 1847; J. W. Smith, J. F. McAnally, 1848; J. B. Mershon, 1849; Eli Rammell, 1850-51; F. M. Richmond, 1852; S. N. Campbell, W. R. Edmondson, 1853; J. R. Davis, 1854; S. C. Cooper, 1855; J. S. McCarty, 1856-57; William Anderson, 1858-59; M. Black, J. M. Parr, 1860; John Hill, 1861-62; J. C. White, 1863-64; G. W. Bowers, 1865-66; Charles Martindale, 1867-68; H. L. Lacey, 1869-71; George Havens, 1872-74; M. A. Teague, 1875-76; L. R. Streeter, 1877; Y. B. Meredith, 1878; J. F. Rhodes, 1879-81; Enoch Holdstock, 1882-83; J. W. Welch, 1884-85; R. D. Robinson, 1886-88; J. K. Walts, 1889-91; J. A. Lewellen, 1892-93; Thomas Stabler, 1894; M. E. Nethercut, 1895-98; F. M. Stone, 1899-1900; Perry E. Powell, 1901-04; W. W. Martin, 1905-08;C. E. Line, 1909; L. J. Nafzger, 1910-12; Charles H. Smith, 1913-14; S. L. Cates, 1915, O. O. Trabue, 1916.

The church entertained the North Indiana conference at is regular session in April, 1909.

For many yeas the church has had the support of a strong and faithful choir. Among the former choristers have been Asa New, Dr. J. W. Sparks, Charles Millicent, Will Handy, J. E. Mack, D. M. Stuart and T. I. Morgan. Eugene E. Davis has been chorister for the past eleven years. During this latter period the choir has given one or two concerts annually, and has rendered a number of high-grade selections, such as "The Holy City," "Seven Last Words of Christ," "Ruth," etc. Miss Grace Anderson has been church organist for the past sixteen years.

Sunday School- It would be difficult to say now just when the Sunday school was first organized. It has grown until, for the past several years, it has had an average attendance of about two hundred and eighty-five. It has the cradle roll, beginners, primary, junior, intermediate and senior departments. The Sunday school has six organized Bible classes holding charters from the State Sunday School Board: the American Bible Class, chartered Marcy 16, 1909; the Ever Faithfuls, June 2, 1909; the Gleaners, January 19, 1914; Beacon Lights, March 10, 1914; Conquerors, February 4, 1915 and Cadets, February 14, 1915.

Following is a list of the superintendents who have served the Sunday school as far as the names can be recalled: Nelson Bradley, Adam P. Hogle, J. Ward Walker, John H. Binford, Alpheus Reynolds, Edward W. Felt, W. W. Haller, I. A. Goble, Charles H. Troy, Frank Larrabee, Samuel J. Offutt, James F. Reed, John W. Kendall and Elmer E. Gant.

Epworth Leagues-The Wesleyan Chapter of the Epworth League was organized on April 10, 1897, and Ada New Chapter of the Junior Epworth League was organized on April 27, 1896.

The Ladies' Society-There had been a ladies' society before the organization of the society referred to at the caption hereof. The present society was organized on December 7, 1892, during the pastorate of the Rev. J. A. Lewellyn. The record gives as a reason for the new society, that "the old organization had not only grown tired, but had retired to the silent shades of the past." It was organized for the purpose of rendering to the church every service possible, financially, socially and spiritually. It bought the lot on which the church now stands, and for which the sum of three thousand five hundred dollars was raised. It also contributed two thousand five hundred dollars additional toward the construction of the church. Later, the ladies donated one hundred dollars to the Ada New church, and since that time have aided numerous local benevolences. The society endowed a bed in the Methodist Hospital at Indianapolis. For the past several years it has also furnished the weekly church bulletins, with which the members are familiar. The persons who have served as president of the society are; Mesdames Freeman Crawford, C. M. Curry, J. M. Moulden, E. E. Stoner, W. H. Scott, Ellen Bragg, S. S. Boots, J. P. Pierce, J. M. Larimore, Emma Justice, Martha Wilson, W. A. Coultrap, O. C. Brann, W. D. German and L. E. Dixon, who has served as president for the past five years.

Cosmos Society- The idea of the Cosmos Society originated with Mrs. Pearl E. Tyner and was organized in 1895 with Mrs. L. W. Gooding as president. The original purpose of the society was to welcome strangers and to study the history and policy of the Methodist Episcopal church. It was not at first organized for the purpose of aiding the church by raising funds. Soon after the ladies had associated themselves together, however, the question of a new church was presented. It then took for its immediate object the raising of money with which to purchase a pipe organ for the new church. Money was raised by home socials, entertainments, fairs, exhibits, etc. Before the construction of the new church, the society also contributed to the public library fund. When the Bradley Methodist Episcopal church was erected in 1902, this society had a pipe organ installed at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars. The society has also purchased a silver individual communion service, and in April, 1916, presented a marble baptismal font to the church. It now has a membership of about sixty-five. Following are the ladies who have served as president of the society: Mrs. L. W. Gooding, Mrs. George W. Duncan, Mrs. John Huffman, Mrs. Charles E. Henricks, Mrs. John Rosser, Mrs. Wood L. Walker, Mrs. Riley McKown and Mrs. E. S. Hart. In April, 1916, the society presented a baptismal font to the church.

The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal church was organized in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1869. An auxiliary society was organized in the Methodist Episcopal; church in Greenfield, Indian, in 1880. Its very existence was one of ups and downs, until 1889, when the treasurer of the conference organization located in Greenfield, and new life and new members were added at each regular meeting. With a membership of over one hundred in the woman's auxiliary and sixty in the children's societies, it is recognized as a valuable asset in the church economy. It has educated two girls in Peking, China, and support a Bible woman in Korea, besides doing its pro rata share in the support of six missionaries sent out by the North Indiana conference. During the thirty-six years, approximately three thousand dollars have been raised for the cause. Its motto is "Saved fro Service;" its aim, "Every woman in the church in the society, and every non-Christian woman in the world, a Christian."

Several elect women, full of faith and courage, have made the work rich in fruitage during the years, and have gone to their reward. Others are efficiently filling their places. Mrs. John H. Binford has been president of the society for the past twenty-five years.

GREENFIELD CHRISTIAN CHURCH

In an early day there moved from Kentucky to Greenfield four families who were advocates of the doctrines and practices of the Christian church. They were the Sebastians, Branhams, Offutts and Rainses. Between 1840 and 1854, ministers of this church occasionally visited Greenfield and meetings were held in private houses, the old seminary building, in the court house, and in the old Methodist church.

The church was organized in the old Methodist Episcopal church in the spring of 1854, under the ministry of Elder J. C. Thornberry. The charter members were William Sebastian, Elizabeth Sebastian, Joseph Clayton, Humphrey Offutt, Lewis Sebastian and Mrs. Amos. The form of organization consisted in the members signing an agreement to take the Bible as their rule of faith and practice. By the close of the year, the membership had grown to fifty in number.

The leaders in the work of erecting a church house were A. K. Branham and Lewis Sebastian. The former at that time was not a member of the church, but he donated thirty-five feet of the lot for the new church, the other ten feet being donated by Colonel Tague. This lot was on the east side of the court house square. The old court house, the first one erected by the county on the public square, was purchased for two hundred and fifty dollars. It was torn down and the brick carried across the street to form in part the walls of the new church. The building when completed cost two thousand dollars, and served the congregation as a place of worship for forty years. It is the building now occupied by the D. H. Goble Printing Company. Of those prominent in the church during these years, mention should be made of George Barnett, who was during most of that time an elder in the church.

The building now occupied by the church was begun in the year 1895, during the first pastorate of Rev. B. F. Dailey, who drew the floor plans of the building, of which the architect was John Felt. The building committee was composed of Morgan Chandler, A. K. Branham, Dr. W. R. King, John Ryon and Morris Hinchman. The corner stone was laid on July 9, 1895. Addresses on that occasion were made by Elders Dailey, E. S. Conner and D. R. VanBuskirk. In the corner stone were place a Bible, a history of the church written by A. K. Branham, copies of the newspapers published in the city, an account of the building enterprise, and a roll of the officers of the church and church organizations. The building cost about twenty-five thousand dollars, and was dedicated on February 23, 1896, by Z. T. Sweeney, of Columbus, Indiana. It was the first of Greenfield's modern churches and reflects great credit upon the enterprise and faithfulness of those who made it possible.

Among the earlier ministers who occasionally visited the church were John O. Kane, John B. New, Bennett Edmondson, C. Blackman and S. K. Hoshour. While on his last tour through the West, Alexander Campbell spoke from the pulpit of the old church.

The following men have served the church as regular ministers in the years indicated: Littleton Rains, 1855-58; A. F. Hobbs, 1858-61; J. C. McCullough, 1862. During 1863 and 1864 there was no pastor. George Campbell, 1865; Thomas Lockhart, 1866; James F. Sloan, 1867-69; Dr. A. G. Thomas, 1870-74; James F. Sloan, 1875; Walter D. Campbell, Anderson Chastaine, J. L. Parsons, 1888-90; E. S. Conner, 1891-93; B. F. Dailey, 1894-95; William Gard, 1896-97; B. F. Dailey, 1898; T. H. Kuhn, part of 1899; B. F. Dailey, December 1899 to March, 1904; F. B. Sapp, April, 1904 to May, 1906; V. W. Blair, August, 1906 to March, 1909; R. O. Rogers, May, 1909 to August, 1910; B. F. Dailey, 1911-12; M. S. Decker, 1913 to the present writing.

It will be noted that B. F. Dailey served the church as pastor four different times, aggregating over ten years. During his first ministry the church was built and during the last, a three thousand dollar pipe organ was installed. The church property as it stands today represents an expenditure of thirty thousand dollars.

Helping Hand Society- One of the active agencies of the church has been the Aid Society, organized in the early history of the church, and renamed the Helping Hand Society in 1894. It paid on the new church building three thousand five hundred dollars. Under its auspices, the pipe organ was placed in the church. Over half of the cost of the instrument was paid by the Helping Hand Society. The faithful women who have worked in this society, have helped to tide the church over many a crisis.

The Missionary Society, auxiliary to the Christian Woman's Board of Missions, was organized by W. K. Arbell, a returned missionary from Jamaica, on February 26, 1888. Following were the first officers: Nola Mathes, president; Anna Brown, vice-president; Isabella Slifer, secretary; Pauline King, treasurer. The charter members were, Mrs. Nola Mathes, Anna Brown, Mellie Wills, Arabella Slifer, Melissa Cooper, Pauline King, Rebecca Manann, Nancy Chandler, Lottie Galscock, Mary Bottsford, Eliza Addison. Two charter members are still in the work, Mrs. Mathes and Mrs. Slifer. The society has had a splendid growth, spiritually and in numbers. It now has fifty-two active members.

During the last twenty-five years a Christian Endeavor Society has been the center of the activities of the young people of the church and has contributed largely to their social and spiritual culture.

Sunday School.- Early in the history of the church a Sunday school was organized. It is one of the most potent factors in the life of the church. Its average attendance of late years has been probably between two hundred and fifty and three hundred. It is made up of classes ranging from beginners to adults. The Loyal Men's Bible class was chartered June 14, 1913, and has been for years one of the most active departments. The "Sunshine Circle," a class of young ladies, formerly known as Class No. 9, has always been very active in the Sunday school In 1904 this class laid the foundation for what has since become known as the "Associated Charities of Greenfield," the history of which is given elsewhere.

Some of the superintendents have been George Barnett, William J. Sparks, O. L. Carr, J. B. Pusey, J. D. Meek, W. B. Bottsford, Frank Morgan, W. S. Montgomery, W. C. Goble, Ora Myers, William A. Service, Samuel Kassan and George Wiggins. The Sunday school has at times had the largest enrollment of any school in the county.

The church on two occasions, in 1896 and in 1903, entertained the state convention of the Christina church of Indiana. Its present membership is about five hundred and fifty.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Presbyterian church, of Greenfield, was organized on the 30th day of July, 1855. There is a tradition which has been written into some of the histories of the church that Dr. B. F. Duncan and John Wilson were watching by the bedside of a sick friend and that near the hour of midnight they were inspired to make plans for the organization of this church. A petition was presented to the Indianapolis presbytery, "Old School," at its regular session held in April, 1855, at the Presbyterian church at Hopewell, Indiana, praying said presbytery that a Presbyterian church be organized in Greenfield, Indiana. This petition was singed by John Milroy, Alexander Crocket, Nancy Crocket, John Foster, John A. Richie, Samuel Milroy, Eliza Crocket, B. F. Duncan, Martha Meek, Ellen Stirk, James Bracken, Hugh Gambrel and Thomas D. Walpole.

The presbytery granted the prayer of the petitioners and appointed the Revs. David Monfort and David Stephenson, and James Blake, a ruling elder, as a committee to organize the church. This committee met on July 30, 1853, at the Christian church in Greenfield to perfect the organization. John Foster was elected ruling elder and was ordained immediately. The following persons were received as members at this meeting, in addition to those who signed the above petition: Mary Milroy, Sarah Gambrel, Abbevill Foster, Isabella Cheney, Samuel Creviston and Mary Creviston. The name adopted for the church was "The First Presbyterian Church of Greenfield, Indiana." The first meeting of the session of this church was held on December 2, 1855, the members present being John Foster, the only ruling elder, and David Monfort, moderator. This session received at its meeting, on examination, Isaac Rardin, he being the first convert to unite with the church. The first infants baptized were James Alvin Meek, Richard C. Stirk and Caroline E. Stirk.

After this church was organized, and until the congregation was able to have a church building of its own, the members worshipped in the old Masonic hall, at the southeast corner of Main and Pennsylvania streets. It was not until in the fall of 1867 that the congregation commenced the erection of the first church edifice at the corner of South and Pennsylvania streets in this city. This building was completed in the winter of 1868, and on Sunday morning, December 20, of that year, the congregation took leave of the Masonic hall. The Rev. Isaac W. Monfort, their pastor, preached the farewell sermon from the text, "For who shall despise the day of small things," The first service held in the new church was on the same Sunday evening, which was a prayer service and was in the gallery of the new building. On the following Sunday the new church was dedicated, the Rev. Robert Sloss preaching the dedicatory sermon.

The first convert received after the congregation took possession of the new building was Mrs. Hattie B. Stitt, who united with the church on January 5, 1869. The ministers who have filled the pulpit of the church, either as stated supply or pastors, from the time of its organization with the dates of their appointment, are: David Monfort, 1855, three years,; William Sickles, 1859, one year; O. T. Giddings, 1860, two years; M. H. Shockley, 1862, one and one-half years;---Abbott, 1865, six months; Isaac W. Monfort, 1866, four years; Eben Muse, 1871, six months; John Dixon, 1872, four months; John B. Logan, 1873, ten months; Charles T. White, 1874, two years; Joepsh B. Lowery, 1877, one year; Lewis Lorremer, 1878, two years; S. A. Jamison, 1880, five months; James H. Hawk, 1880, thirteen months; J. A. Brown, 1883; David R. Love, 1884, four years; J. P. Hutchison, 1889-91;S. S. Aikman, 1892-3;E. W. Souder, 1894-96; W. H. Sands, 1896-99; James Clare Leach, 1901-03; George C. Noetling, 1903-06; J. Gilmore Smith, 1907-08; Joseph B. Williamson, 11908-13; John F. Charlton, 1914-15; Wilfred Lindsay, 11915, to the present time.

Rev. David Monfort was a man of great spirituality, positive in character and beloved by all who knew him. He was not a profound preacher, but a remarkable taker; tender hearted and sympathetic, of good executive ability and a finejudge of human nature. To him the church was indebted for all the early labor done in said church and we may add that he was its founder. He conducted a very successful revival during his three years' pastorate and in 1860 he returned to Greenfield and conducted a second revival. Reverend Monfort received into the church one hundred and twelve members. He was the founder of a day school that was conducted in the Masonic hall for eight years. During this time we had no organized school system in Indiana, no county superintendent, no county institutes, and no standard of education by and through which teachers obtained their schools; but the man who taught for the least money and taught the most hours in the day was the most successful candidate. Yet this school, under the management of David Monfort and his successors, assumed a very high standard in point of edcuation and multitudes of young ladies and gentlemen from abroad sought this school to complete their education, and a large number of teachers went forth from the school This was the only denominational school ever taught in this county and all those who patronized it, or were familiar with its workings, will testify to its value.

The ruling elders who have constituted the sessions of the church are: John Foster, Joseph Mathers, Robert E. Barnett, Andrew Patterson, Hugh B. Wilson, G. B. Spinning, Thomas Cain, Franklin Gilchirst, James Comstock, Nathaniel P. Roberts, Marion Steele, L. A. Vawter, H. J. Williams. Later elders, with dates of appointment and period of service, are the following: Robert Williamson, clerk, October 14, 1900 (ceased to act April l, 1907); George W. Souder, October 14, 1900 (died September 27, 1915); J. Warren Comstock, October, 1900 (died January 1, 1911); Jesse H. Bundy, October 5, 1905, still serving); John A. Riley, clerk, April 9, 1907 (died December 8, 1911); L. E. McDonald, April 9, 1907 (served three years);Benjamin S. Binford, William P. Johnson, Arthur Williamson, William H. Smart, Earl Gambrel and Ernest Bovey. The latter six are still serving.

The deacons who have constituted its various boards are, Isaac Rardin, Benjamin F. Duncan, J. Edwards, H. C. Chapman, Daniel Chittenden, E. I. Judkins, John C. Butts, Jerome Williams, Warren Comstock, Walter Roberts. L. A. Vawter, John T. Lineback, John A. Hughes, George W. Souder, William P. Wilson, John Bohn, Alfred Rottman, Charles Carter, Lee O. Harris, W. P. Johnson, Frank S. Hammel, Arthur H. Williamson, Will A. Stewart, William H. Marsh, O. N. Boyd, R. L. Ogg and O. N. Dugan.

The auxiliaries of the church are the Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor, junior and senior; Sunday school, Woman's Missionary Society and Ladies' Aid Society.

The church was organized with a membership of eighteen, as above named. When the congregation took leave of the old hall in 1868, it had grown to one hundred and forty. It has a present membership of about three hundred. Its members now worship in an elegant brick edifice, erected in 1906, at the northeast corner of Pennsylvania and South streets. This house was erected at a cost of twenty-four thousand dollars. The corner stone was laid on September 21, 1906, the address of the day being delivered by Dr. D. W. Fisher, president of Hanover College. The stone contains a copper box, in which were placed copies of the records of the church, papers, coins, etc. The house was dedicated, April 14, 1907, by Rev. J. W. Powell. The average attendance at services during the past several years has been approximately one hundred persons.

A Sunday school was organized in connection with the church in 1855. Following are the names of the persons who have served in the capacity of superintendent of the Sunday school since its organization: Rev. D. Monfort, Joseph Mathers, Robert Hull, W. G. Thomas, J. H. Stevenson, R. E. Barnett, H. B. Wilson, Marion Steele, R. E. Barnett, William A. Wilson, William Glascock, Quitman Jackson, A. H. Rottman, William Marsh, Dr. B. S. Binford and A. H. Rottman. Of the above, R. E. Barnett served for more than sixteen years. Q. D. Hughes also served as secretary for a period of fourteen years. The Sunday school as now organized has fifteen classes, with an average attendance of about one hundred and fifty.

Prior to the organization of this church, a Presbyterian church, "old school," was organized in this city by the Reverend Harper, of Madison county, in 1840. Their place of worship was the old Methodist Episcopal church which stood on South State street. In 1841, a Presbyterian church, "new school," was organized by the Reverend Broadman. Its members worshipped in the old seminary building. Neither of these organizations was permanent and no authentic records of them are known to exist. It was not until the organization of the church in 1855 that Presbyterianism had any permanent organization in Hancock county.

ST. MICHAEL'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

The first Catholics in Greenfield celebrated mass in the homes of the several families prior to 1860. In that year services were held for the first time in the old building which has been sold and removed to the south part of the city for the Mission church. The first mass was read by the Rev. Father Bessonies, the aged priest of St. John cathedral, Indianapolis, for a congregation of fifteen families. Father Bessonies read mass occasionally for the next two years; then, as now, there was no resident priest, and the congregation up to 1876 was under the control of the pastor of the cathedral at Indianapolis.

In 1862 Rev. Father O'Reily was pastor, followed by Father Brassett and Father McMullen, now of Richmond, Indiana. Father Aldering, now of St. Joseph's parish, Indianapolis, was the next priest to read mass. Then came Father Donovan, from Brownsburg.

In 1879 the control of the parish was given to the Franciscan Fathers, with their home at the Sacred Heart church at Indianapolis. At that time the church was organized and became known as St. Michael's Roman Catholic church. The first priest from the Sacred Heart church was Father Arsenius. Father Alexius took his place for three years and then Father Arsenius returned for two years.

Following are the names of the Franciscans who have been pastors of the church since 1877: Father Arsenius Fahle, Alexis Berenard, Rudolph Herstman, Angelus Bill, Lawrence Pauly, Simon Schwartz, Zachary Ehler, Valentine Dorenkemper, Jasper Thoennessen, Philibert Haase, Nazarius Kaiser, Alexis Bender, Hyacinth Schroeder, Amelian Zumkeller, Marian Glahn and Father Lendger.

Father Angelus was sent and read mass for four years. He was succeeded by Father Lawrence. At this time, the congregation becoming large, the priest began to accumulate a fund for the erection of a new church. Father Simon was sent instead of Father Lawrence; then came Father Zachary, who, finding that the old building was too small for his congregation, went to work to build a new one. In the early part of 1897, a building committee was appointed and plans drawn for the erection of the present edifice. The contract was awarded to Peter Clements, of Indianapolis. The first mass was said in the present church before it was completed, February 27, 1898.

At present the church has about one hundred members. Mass is held on Sundays at nine-thirty a.m. and three p. m., with an average attendance of from fifty to sixty.

Instruction is given to the children by the priest in the teachings of the church. There are usually from ten to twenty in this class.

METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH

The Methodist Protestant church of Greenfield, Indiana, was organized in the Presbyterian church in 1885, by the Rev. Hugh Stackhouse. There were forty-nine members, of whom Mrs. Josephine Knight and James T. Bodkin are the only ones who retain membership in the church. Services were held in the home of the pastor, Charles Evans, for about one and one-half years prior to the organization. For a short time afterward, services were held in the Grange hall. The congregation then worshipped for a time in the brick blacksmith shop which stood where the barn of the New Milling Company now stands, on East Main street.

The first trustees, George O. Knight, C. M. Kirkpatrick, Morgan Chandler, James T. Bodkin and S. O. Shumway, were elected in the winter of 1887. The following summer a building was erected on the site of the present church. On the day of the dedication, the lot on which it stands was presented to the Indiana Methodist Protestant conference by Nelson Bradley and wife, with a check for one hundred and fifty dollars. The membership was then weak, but possessed the spirit of earnestness. The members of the other churches, also many citizens, nobly came to their assistance and made the enterprise possible. Many of the liberal donors were S. O. Shumway, who had the church construction; W. C. Dudding, Nelson Bradley, Morgan Chandler, C. E. Kinder, J. T. Bodkin, C. M. Kirkpatrick, William A. Hough, William H. Pauley, George W. Crider, David L. Duncan, Joseph P. Knight and Mrs. W. C. Dudding.

The first church was built under the pastorate of Rev. J. C. Smith. The parsonage was builded under the pastorate of Rev. D. W. Evans, in the year 1891. The church was remodeled and enlarged in 1898 under the pastorate of Rev. D. W. Evans. In 1903, the annual conference, which convened at Muncie, set apart Greenfield as a station, with Rev. J. R. Moody as pastor. The following pastors have serf ed this church: Rev. Charles W. Evans, 1885, one year; Rev. J. G. Smith, 1886-87, two years; Samuel J. Jones, 1888, one year; David W. Evans, 1889-93, five years; James L. Barclay, 1894, one year; W. L. Martin, 1895, one year; David W. Evans, 1895-1900, five years; M. F. Iliff, 1901, one year; S. S. Stanton, 1902, one year, J. R. Moody, 1903-05, three years; W. W. Lineberry, 1906-08, three years; E. T. Howe, 1909, one year; J. A. Rhoades, 1910-11, two years; Clarence J. Kerlin, 1912-13, two years; A. Adam Irelan, 1914, one year. The present pastor is Rev. George A. Jewell. The present membership is two hundred and fifty.

The Ladies' Lookout Society of the church consists of about sixty members, and has been for a number of years a great financial aid to the church.

The Sunday school was organized in 1885, with Dudley Hudson as superintendent, who served for two years. Since that time the following persons have served as superintendents: Mrs. Alice Tague, one year; S. O. Shumway and Cicero J. Hamilton. In 1898 Lawrence Wood was elected superintendent and has served continuously for the past eighteen years, with the exception of three years, when the office was filled by Charles M. Gibbs, S. O. Shumway and Samuel Stevens, who each served one year. In January, 1916, Lawrence Wood was succeeded by Charles E. Walker, the present superintendent. The average attendance for the last several years has been from ninety to one hundred. In 1915 the average attendance was one hundred and twenty-two per Sunday. The school is divided into twelve classes, one in the beginner's department, two in the primary department, one junior, two intermediate, and six adult classes.

THE GREENFIELD FRIENDS CHURCH

This church was organized in November, 1889, when Esther and Nathan Frame held a series of meetings in the old court house, and Westland monthly meeting granted them a meeting for worship. The next year Robert Douglas, of Ohio, preached for the congregation every two weeks, in the old Masonic hall. The charter members were J. K. Henby and family, P. A. Card and family, William Robb and family, J. J. Wylie and family, J. T. Binford and family, Eli Scott and family, Lemuel Harold and family, Charles Ratliff and family, M. Y. Shaffer and family, C. K. Bruner and family, Hannah Cook, Martha Binford and N. C. Binford.

The following summer, 1890, the present church building on North State street was erected. It was dedicated on December 15, and services have been held there regularly since. The building committee was composed of J. K. Henby, N. C. Binford, Eli Scott, Lemuel Harold and Mary L. Bruner. The late J. H. Binford bought the lot and did all the legal business for the congregation.

The preparative meeting, the business meeting of the church, was opened by a committee consisting of J. O. Binford, Huldah Binford, Jonathan Jessup and Ann White, from Westland monthly meeting, on June 24, 1891. Elwood Scott, of Carthage, preached for the congregation a short time after the new building was moved into, in the spring of 1891. He was followed by Mary E. Miars, of Wilmington, Ohio, who preached from 1891-1894. Other ministers of the church follow: Lindley A. Wells, 1895-98; Orville Jones, 1898-9; Oscar Moon, 1899-1901; T. R. Woodard, 1901-2; Daisy Barr, 1902-4; Thomas E. Williams, 1904-5; Edgar H. Stranahan, 1905-6; Homer J. Coppock, 1906-8; Thomas R. Woodard, 1908-9; Isaac N. Stanley, 1909-10; Mary Miars Harold, 1910-14; Oscar H. Trader, 1914, to the present time. The average attendance is about sixty and the number of resident members one hundred and fifty-four.

A Sunday school was organized as soon as the building was ready for use and has been held regularly since. The average attendance is about fifty; number of classes, eight. The church has always had one or more adult classes. The following persons have served as superintendents of the Sunday school: C. K. Bruner, J. J. Wylie, E. C. Elliott, N. C. Binford, W. C. Henley and Wilfred Andrews. The church owns only the church building.

The Friends Sociable was organized fourteen years ago and has had a meeting monthly since. Its object is the study of history and work of the church and the development of social life.

The Foreign Missionary Society was organized in 1899, by Lucy H. Binford, who has always been its president. It has studied the uniform lesson books and met regularly each month. The membership is about fifty.

SHILOH PRIMITVE BAPTIST CHURCH

The Shiloh Primitve Baptist church stand on the north side of North street, midway between East and Spring streets. The complete history of the church has been given in connection with the history of Blue River township, where the church was originally organized.

HEAVENLY RECRUIT HOLINESS ASSOCIATION

A Sunday school was originally organized in the summer of 1895, by J. M. Havens and wife, A. C. Rossow and wife, Mrs. Howlett and others, at the corner of South Pennsylvania and Pierson streets. In December, 1897, this Sunday school identified itself with the Heavenly Recruit organization and selected H. S. Fuller as pastor, who began his work on January 9, 1898. The first trustees were Samuel M. Gappen, J. W. Melton and J. M. Havens. In the same year the old Catholic church was purchased and moved to lot 17 on Pierson street. The congregation continued to worship in this church until 1906, when a cement block building was constructed. The building committee was composed of Samuel M. Gappen, J. W. Melton and Rev. H. S. Fuller. The most of the cement blocks were made by the Rev. H. S. Fuller after he had been at work all day in the chair factory. The church was dedicated, May 19, 1907, by the Rev. W. W. Martin, of the Bradley Methodist Episcopal church. The indebtedness of the church was not paid at that time, but left the congregation in a rather cramped condition for several years.

The Sunday school has been conducted in the church and the following persons have served as superintendents: Douglas Shook, S. M. Gappen, Henry Hastings and J. W. Melton. Samuel M. Gappen, who has been superintendent for a number of years, is at the head of the Sunday school at this time.

The church now has about fifty members. The average attendance at services is about twenty-five. From four to six classes have been maintained in the Sunday shcool, with an average attendance of thirty-five. There are usually about fifteen adult church members in attendance at Sunday school The congregation owns it own church and parsonage.

UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST

This congregation was organized under the preaching of the Rev. Z. T. Mower, in 1897. He was assisted by Elder J. T. Roberts, then presiding elder of the district. The present brick church, on the southwest corner of Lincoln and Swope streets, was erected in 1898. The corner stone was laid on June 21, 1898, and the dedicatory services were conducted by Rev. W. R. Funk, of Dayton, Ohio, on Wednesday, October 10, 1898. Following are the names of the pastors who have served the congregation since the date of its organization: J. C. Mower, 1897-99; F. S. Minchell and wife, returned missionaries from Africa and who barely escaped with their lives at the time of the uprising of the natives against the missionaries, 1899-1900; C. A. and Laura Love, 1900-02; F. H. Linville, 1902-3; S. B. Ervin, 1903-4; William J. Karstadt, 1904-5; O. F. Lydy, 1905-09; H. W. Robbins, 1909-13; A. D. Smith, 1913-14; Mack Crider, 1914-15; C. E. Small, 1915, to the present time.

The church at present has one hundred and fifteen members. The average attendance at services during several years last past has been about sixty-five. A Sunday school was organized in 1898. It now has an average attendance of about seventy-five. Eight classes are maintained and adult members of the church attend the Sunday school. Following are the names of the persons who have served as superintendent of the Sunday school since its organization:---Myers, Viola Denny, J. H. Larimore and W. B. Ware.

The church has a Ladies' Aid Society which was organized in 1898 for the purpose of aiding in caring for the local expenses of the church. A Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor was also organized in 1909. Its purpose is to train the young people in the work of the church.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS

This congregation was organized as a result of the encampment held at the fair grounds, August 29 to September 9, inclusive, 1901. At the close of that meeting a tent was pitched on a vacant lot at the northeast corner of Noble and Walnut streets. Elder S. Y. Huntington and James H. Niehaus and wife conducted services every night for almost two months, presenting to the people such subjects as Bible Sabbath Keeping, Soon Second Coming of Christ, etc. When cold weather set in, the tent was taken down and the lot purchased.

On November 10, 1901, the ground was staked off and a church completed, which was dedicated on February 9, 1902. The dedicatory sermon was preached by W. W. Prescott, of Battle Creek, Michigan. The following officers were elected for the first year: S. Y. Hintington, pastor; L. J. King, elder; Martin Dunn, deacon; S. H. Niehaus, treasurer; Mrs. Kate Huntington, clerk; Mrs. J. H. Niehaus, organist. The congregation continued to worship in this church for several years. Gradually, however, some of them moved away, while others were called to the Great Beyond, and for several years past services have been held at irregular intervals in the church.

HEAVENLY RECRUIT CHURCH

The Heavenly Recruit church stands on the east side of A street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, on the east side of Brandywine creek. It was built in 1906, largely through the influence of John Lewis. He was assisted in his efforts by Ben Brewer, Samuel Harding and others. Lewis and Brewer, Henry Hastings, and others have preached for the congregation, but there has never been a salaried pastor.

A Sunday school is conducted in connection with the church. Services are usually held on Sunday afternoons. The attendance is small.

ADA NEW METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Greenfield school board, in 1906, erected the school house on the east side of Brandywine. Mrs. Ada New was elected as teacher of this school and continued her service there for a period of five years. In the meantime, she was not only the teacher of the public day school, but led in the organization of a Sunday school and church. She was pre-eminently the central figure about whom those institutions grew. The Sunday school was organized before the first term of the day school closed, and in the early spring of 1907 a board of trustees was appointed for the church in East Greenfield. This board was composed of Judge Robert L. Mason, Amos Chapman, William C. Droeger, Henry Owens, Ada New and Rev. W. W. Martin, of the Bradley Methodist Episcopal church. On May 10, 1907, this board held its first meeting at the residence of Mrs. New. The question of naming the new church was presented. The people of East Greenfield desired to have it named for its founder. On motion of Judge Robert L. Mason, seconded by Amos Chapman, the church was named "Ada New Methodist Episcopal Church.: At a meeting of the board on May 20, 1907, Thomas Moxley was employed as architect to prepare plans and specifications for a building. It was also decided to build the church of boulders or cobble stones. On May 9, 1908, the church was attached to the Philadelphia circuit. Thursday, May 28, 1908, was set apart as "Boulder Day," when all of the people of East Greenfield, with others who were willing to contribute of their time, were to gather and bring in boulders or cobble stones, for the erection of the church. The work of building progressed slowly. The excavation was finished and cement foundation walls were built in 1909. During the summer of 1909. Judge Robert L. Mason resigned as a member of the board, and a new board was appointed by the quarterly conference of the Bradley Methodist Episcopal church. The new members of the board were Albert L. New, Joshua Barrett, George J. Richman, E. E. Gant and W. W. Haller. The board organized as follows: J. H. Barrett, president; George J. Richman, treasurer, and Ada New, secretary.

Thomas Moxley having gone to the state of Oklahoma, William Gordon was employed as architect in 1909. He wad directed to examine the work that had been completed and report thereon. He reported that the basement wall was insecure and submitted plans and specifications for reinforcing it. The question of erecting a cement or frame church was also considered by the new board. The frame and cement buildings were considered favorably by the board, because such buildings could be constructed at much less cost than a cobble-stone building. Nr. New, however, was always strongly in favor of erecting a boulder church. At a meeting on October 12, 1910, it was moved by George J. Richman, and seconded by Albert L. New, that the church be incorporated under the laws of the state. This was done. Articles of incorporation were prepared by Mr. Richman and were signed and acknowledged by all members of the board on October 17, 1910. On November 22, 1910, a motion was made and carried that the architect prepare plans and specification for a frame building, it being feared that the cement foundation walls would not support a cobble stone structure, and the fame building being less costly. On November 26, 1910, Albert L. New, George J. Richman, Joshua H. Barrett, William Droeger and E. E. Gant resigned. In connection with this action of the board, the record contains the following entry: "This was discouraging, but faith in God was not lost. Ada New, secretary "

The new trustees appointed to take the places of those resigning were Rev. Paul Truitt, Nevil Reeves, William Droeger, Henry Owens and Ada New. The pastor, Paul Truitt, suggested, on November 27, 1910, that the Sunday school room be cut off, and that just the oblong building be erected. In relation to this suggestion the record recited: "The secretary objected, saying that if we only have faith in God, who could build all, since the Sunday school room is a great convenience, especially for the regular weekly meetings, Sunday school committees, etc., and would be a great saving of fuel, lights, etc."

On December 3, 1910, the trustees had another meeting, at which the question of cutting off the Sunday school room was presented Some work of tearing down the foundation has already been done, which was causing dissatisfaction among the people. The pastor and Nevil Reeves spoke in favor of cutting off the room as suggested. Henry Owens finally cast his vote with the, which apparently decided the matter. The record of the meeting, however, recites:"The secretary expressed herself as opposed to this, but pledged to leave it with God and the men." The record under date December 5, 1910, recites further," There begin great dissatisfaction regarding the tearing down of the foundation, the pastor called a mass meeting of the citizens to see what the majority of the people desire. After a discussion, the majority vote was cast in favor of keeping the Sunday School room as at first planned."

In the meantime, funds had been collected and the work of constructing the cobble stone building had proceeded slowly. On April 17, 1911, however, the secretary made the following entry in the church record: "The walls are now finished to the square. Thank God, they are beautiful and substantial."

The corner stone of the building had been laid on Octobr 4, 1908. Bishop John H. Vincent made the principal address on that occasion. The new house was dedicated on Sunday, September 17, 1911. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Dr. William D. Parr, of Kokomo. The besper service was conducted by Bishop Vincent.

The building committee at the time of the completion of the church was composed of the following men: William C. Droeger, Charles Warren and Alonzo Gibson.

The building is a beautiful cobble stone structure. For its very existence, all credit must be given to Mrs. New. The church was in process of construction for a period of four years. Her boards of trustees resigned because of lack of funds, the apparent inability of raising funds, and because of the lack of business methods in the prosecution of the work. Probably, the church could not have been built if the ordinary rules of business procedure had been observed. Mrs. New possessed a faith that overcame all obstacles, and that transcended all possibilities of finest business organization.

CHRIST'S UNION MISSION CHURCH

For several months prior to the summer of 1908 a number of the families in the western part of Greenfield worshipped at private residences and in rooms that were rented for that purpose. In that year Mrs. Malissa Cooper donated to the school trustees of Greenfield the real estate upon which the public library now stands. The house that stood upon this lot she gave to the people above referred to, to be used as a place of worship. The building was moved to the northwest corner of Walnut and Franklin streets, where it was remodeled for church purposes.

Lewis Shumway, Henry Tibbitts and James Finnell were selected as trustees to care for the property of the church. They have served in this capacity to the present. Among those who have worshipped here are John Johnson and wife, Dolly McPherson, Matt Richey and wife, Roy and Tilghman Shirley, William Rhody and wife and others.

A Sunday school has been conducted in the church, of which Henry Hastings, Tilghman Shirley and others have been superintendent. The Sunday school usually has an attendance of from twenty-five to thirty-five. Church services are held on Sunday mornings, also Sunday afternoons and generally on Tuesday evening. The church has never had a salaried pastor. Henry Hastings, Lucy Page and others have preached there.

CHRIST SCIENTISTS

In July, 1914, the people of this faith in the city of Greenfield effected a little organization and arranged to meet at the homes of the members for worship, but generally meeting at the home of John Corcoran, on Douglas street. In the spring of 1915 the rear room in the Gates block, over the book store, was rented, and since that time services have been held there on Sundays and Wednesday evenings. Following are the names of the people who have met for worship regularly with the little band of Christ Scientists: John Corcoran and wife, Mrs. Charles Williams, Mrs. George Davis, Mrs. John B. Hinchman, Mrs. Charles G. Gant, Mrs. W. S. Gant, Mrs. Caroline Goble, Mrs. Clyde Townsend, Mrs. Charles M. Gibbs, Mrs. John Halsall, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Reed, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hudson, John Bohn, SR., and Mrs. J. B. Knight.

THE TABERNACLE MEETING

All the churches of the city united in an evangelistic campaign in November, 1914. A tabernacle was erected at the northwest corner of East and North streets. Ministers and laymen labored on its construction. Dr. H. H. Hall, of Pennsylvania, led the meeting, which continued for three weeks or more, during the month of November. All of the ministers and churches gave their support to the effort. Intense interest was manifested, and the tabernacle, which accommodated from fifteen hundred to two thousand people, was filled to overflowing every evening. Almost four hundred conversions were reported.

MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION

On November 24, 1902, a permanent organization was effected among the ministers resident at Greenfield, known as the Ministerial Association. Its charter members included J. M. Thompson, pastor of the Baptist church; J. Clare Leach, of the Presbyterian church; Perry E. Powell, of the Methodist Episcopal church; S. S. Stanton, of the Methodist Protestant church; B. F. Dailey, of the Christian church; Daisy Barr, of the Friends church, and F. H. Linville, of the United Brethren church. Rev. Daisy Barr was elected president of the association and F. H. Linville, secretary.

At the first meeting the subject of tithing was discussed and the opinion prevailed that "it is as binding now as in former years." It was decided on that occasion to distribute a tract on "tithing."

The association is still maintained and includes all of the resident ministers at Greenfield. Regular meetings are held and matters for the general good are discussed.

Back to Part 1 | Part 2

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Pages 666-699.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI January 6, 2002.


Return to 1916 Index | Return to Hancock Co. Main Page


Tom & Carolyn Ward / Columbus, Kansas / tcward@columbus-ks.com


Background designed by
Tom & Carolyn Ward