Ligonier High School - Lance Yearbook (Ligonier, IN)

Page 27 text:

' i-Y.,-.... f , ,A A 4 -K ,v---no-gag W' i 'f E Q-1 XYXX--lQ:Sf': O w sw, I U The Church has never been very strictly sectarian, and has catered to people who are not members of church. It has the usual organizations, the Sewing Society, the Social Hour, and the Young Peoples Society of Christian Endeavor. The Kings Daughters organization which has always been connected with this church has done much for local charity. METHODIST CHURCH. As early as 1831 ministers of the Metho- dist, Presbyterian and Baptist denominations began to appear about once a month and preach to the earliest inhabitants in the vicinity of Ligonier. Meetings were held in log cabins, barns and finally in schoolhouses. About 1842 the Methodists began holding meetings in Ligonier but the society, though probably founded in 1855, did not feel able to erect a church until 1846, when Henry Treer donated a lot to be used for religious purposes. There immediately followed the construction of the first church building in Ligonier. It was a small frame structure thirty by forty' feet but it served the purpose. Great revivals were held soon afterward and the membership grew. In 1855 there was another church building erected. Being remodeled several times it served until 1896 when the present M. E. Church was erected. This one was redecorated in 1914 and about a year ago both the chiirch and the parsonage were redecorated at a cost of sixty-five hundred dol ars. In 1877 two Wesleyan Methodist ministers, Rev. Charles Woodworth and Rev. Woodruff conducted a number of religious meetings in a tent on the public streets of Ligonier. A society was soon formed, many of the members coming from the Methodist Church already established in Lig- onier. Mr. William Lutey, resident of Ligonier, a very earnest Christian and a man of broad charity, immediately went to the head of the society. He furnished fifteen hundred dollars with which a small brick church was built on the north side of town on the corner west of where the U. B. Church now stands. Later this man bought a parsonage costing eight hundred dollars and presented it as a gift to the church. This society ex- isted for some time but finally discontinued and the members again joined the first Methodist Church. . This church has had a number of very strong men as pastors. in- cluding Rev. Beatty, now deceased, W. W. Maring, and Charles L. DeBow. Rev. Reynolds has been pastor for the last three years. The Church mem- bership is about two hundred and seventy-five. Connected with the church there are the Sabbath School, the Epworth League, the Womens Foreign Missionary Society, and Standard Bearers. CATHOLIC CHURCH. The Catholics began to assemble in about the year 1858, at which time Father Henry Fone, an itinerant priest began pilgrimages from Fort Wayne. But few Catholic families lived in Ligo- nier and vicinity at that time but finally sufficient finance was accumu- lated to build a small frame church. This was done in 1806. This with some little improvement was used until 1875 when it was entirely re- modeled at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. .4-Y 1 J u Page 23

Page 26 text:

3,...Mi,-.1! P ' QD i A 1,'I 'N saw: K ,ul Y XXX The Methodist, United Brethren, and Christian Churches of thirty-fi've years ago . CHURCHES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. The first attempt to organize a Pres- byterian church in this vicinity took place upon the Haw Patch and at the house of Seymore Moses on July 3, 1836, and was known by the name of the Presbyterian Church of Salem. The Church progressed well until 1842 at which time the name of the Church was changed to Haw Patch and was taken into Logansport Presbytery. A couple of years later it connected itself with the St. Joseph Presbytery which was of the New School. This Church was in operation for a number of years, but finally a U great many of the members moved away, some into Ligonier. For a couple of years there was no pastor but Union Sunday School e meetings were held in the Opera House. This Congregation decided to 5 organize a Presbyterian Church and a Committee appointed by the Fort I Wayne Presbytery arrived July 1, 1889 to effect the organization. The : first pastor was Rev. E. Barr who remained with the Church for seven S years. The present building was erected on the site of the old Waverly - Hotel and was dedicated on December 21, 1890. .It was repaired and re- ' : modeled fourteen years ago and again about one year ago. Among the A 2 charter members were David Cunningham, A. W. Lyon, Jessie A. Rice, l S J. C. Zimmerman, E. W. Knepper, David Schwab, J. S. Hayes, R. D. Kerr, Q E F. E. Hepler, as Well as the Galbreath, McConnell, Dewey, Gerber, and E Treash families. Throughout its years it has had as members many of 2 the outstanding people of Ligonier. : E E j S. f' +-T-'X J an Page 22

Page 28 text:

Page 24