Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Gibson County, Indiana
CHURCHES:
SALEM (OWENSVILLE)(1808)
Salem Church was organized in 1808, near Owensville. The presbytery is believed to have been composed of Elders James Mootry and Jeremiah Cash, the latter becoming the first pastor. Salem Church was a charter member of the Wabash District Association (the first Baptist Association in Indiana) in 1809; and in 1822, Salem Church hosted the first session of the Salem Association, its namesake. The first building was a log structure. In about 1840 a frame meeting house was built in the town of Owensville, on the north side of West Brummitt Street. There was a cemetery behind the church. In 1864 a new frame building was erected on the south side of the street. It was torn down and replaced with a brick building with a steeple and bell in 1903. Some of the early pastors of this church were: Elders Jeremiah Cash, Joel Hume, James Strickland, Lemuel Potter, and A. A. Schoultz. The church prospered, and for many years had more than two hundred members.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Armstrong, Barker, Bilderback, Brown, Bruce, Cash, Clark, Cuzzort, Davis, Duncan, Emerson, Fleener, Frazer, Gambrell, Garrett, Harmon, Hatfield, Hawkins, Holcomb, Hornberger, Hull, Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kennett, Kesterson, King, Knowles, Ludwig, Mangrum, Martin, Marvel, Massey, Mauck, McCormick, Mobly, Montgomery, Morehouse, Pollard, Racine, Redman, Reynolds, Sands, Sharp, Shoultz, Simpson, Smith, Smothers, Spencer, Steel, Stewart, Thompson, Tichenor, Voliva, Ward, Waters, Welborn, Westfall, Williams, Wobler, Yeager (incomplete list due to loss of records).
PATOKA (1810)
PIGEON (PRINCETON)(1811)
PROVIDENCE (PRINCETON/FRANCISCO)(1822)
Providence Church, four miles south of Francisco, was organized on March 24, 1822, by Elders William Hanks and Alexander Devin, with thirteen charter members, viz., Stephen Strickland Sr., Elizabeth Strickland, James Skelton, Joseph Manning, William Putman, Edy Skelton, Elisha Strickland, Dycia Strickland, Mary Holcomb, Patsy Pierson, Abigail Burchfield, Leah Manning, and Tabetha Reavis.
Among the pastors who served this church were Elders David Banta, Stephen Strickland, Charles Harper, Elihu Holcomb, James Strickland, Charles Sands, J. W. Richardson, William M. Strickland, Andrew Williams, George Schoultz, T. J. Fleener, and several others.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
HARVEY'S CREEK (1823)
Harvey's Creek Church was organized February 28, 1823, by Elder Alexander Devin. The charter members were William Wright, Elizabeth Wright, Fielding Colvin, Elizabeth Colvin, Mary Lownsdale, Elizabeth Davidson, and Elizabeth Shawhan. Early pastors included Elders Alexander Devin, Jeremiah Cash, Charles Sands, A. D. Norton, Samuel Fettinger, J. W. Arnold, J. C. Riggins, James Strickland, Joel Hume, J. W. Richardson, and others.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
NEW SALEM (PRINCETON)(1838)
New Salem Church was organized in 1838, about twelve miles north of Princeton.
FT. BRANCH (FT. BRANCH)(1868)
Ft. Branch Church, in Ft. Branch, was organized on Wednesday, July 23, 1868. It was a long-time member of the Salem Association.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
A Letter from Brother John Hargrove, Clerk of the Salem Association of Indiana, 1834
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