Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Washington County, Indiana
The Blue River Association was organized on the second Saturday of October, 1816, at Sinking Spring meeting house, in Washington County. The fourteen churches which participated, reported an aggregate membership of 470 at that early date. Most of these were located in Washington, Orange, Harrison, and Crawford Counties. The printed minutes from 1816 are in existence.
CHURCHES:
SINKING SPRING
Sinking Spring Church was organized prior to October 1816, and already had 70 members, when it hosted the convention of fourteen churches which constituted the Blue River Association. Its messengers in 1816 were Elder Jonathan Jones, Lic. Benjamin Keith, and brethren Absalom Sargent and Thomas Dougherty. Elder William Noblitt was a member of this church in 1820.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
UNION
Union Church was one of the original churches which organized the Blue River Association in 1816, her messengers being Elders William Pope and Abraham Stark, and brethren Elisha Stark, Stephen Stark, and Jesse Elgin, who reported 43 members at that time.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
SHARON (UPPER CROSSING ON BLUE RIVER)
Sharon Church was one of the churches which organized the Blue River Association, in 1816, her messengers being James McCoy, John Depauw, and John W. Coffee, who reported 46 members in fellowship.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
BLUE RIVER (LOWER CROSSING ON BLUE RIVER)
Blue River Church was one of the churches which organized the Blue River Association, in 1816, her messengers being Thomas Stevens, Benjamin Stevens, and James Smith, who reported 46 members.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
MILL CREEK
HEBRON
UNITY (HARDINSBURG)
Unity Church, near Hardinsburg, was organized on the first Saturday in June, 1818, at the home of Jeremiah Poe, in Crawford County, by the following presbytery: Elders William Pope (Clifty Church), Jonathan Jones (Sinking Springs Church), and Kinsey Veach (Whiskey Run Church). There were sixteen charter members. Elder Jonathan Jones was elected pastor, and served the church twenty-four years. The first building was occupied in 1826, and was situated on Blue River. A new meeting house was erected in 1869, and dedicated in 1870. Pastors have included Elders Jonathan Jones, Charles Sands, James Strickland, Wesley Polson, C. W. Radcliffe, William Lanman, M. G. Mitchell, J. V. Wolfe, J. B. Hardy, J. W. Crane, J. W. Richardson, A. A. Shoultz, W. C. Hancock, T. J. Fleener, W. C. Hancock, James R. Arnold, George Atkins, William Stogsdill, W. A. Malicoat, Ray Jones, Roscoe Totten, and W. C. Hancock.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
WALNUT RIDGE
BETHEL
ZOAR
DELANEY'S CREEK
ZION
FRIENDSHIP
LOST RIVER
Lost River Church was organized March 30, 1872, with twenty-three (23) charter members. The messengers who bore a request that fall for membership in the Blue River Association were J. A. Chastain, B. C. Chastain, and R. Chastain.
OLIVE BRANCH
Olive Branch Church, in Polk township, about nine miles from Salem, was organized on May 18, 1890, with nine charter members, viz., Joel R. Motsinger, John R. Motsinger, Barbara Motsinger, John H. Waisner, Miranda Waisner, Charles Motsinger, Emery Floyd, Mary A. Floyd, and Catharine Tash. During the first twenty-five years of the church's existence, 151 members joined the church, leaving a membership of 108 in the year 1915.
Elder Charles W. Radcliff was the first pastor, and began preaching in the Franklin school house, but the members and friends errected a meeting house, which was dedicated in the fall of 1890. Elder Radcliff served as pastor from 1890 to 1898. He was followed by Elders M. G. Mitchell (1898-1904), James Wolfe (1904-1912), and W. C. Hancock (up to 1915).
Olive Branch Church united with the Blue River Association, and is still a member of that body.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
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