Early Churches of Tippecanoe County Indiana
| Members of the Tippecanoe
County Area
area Genealogy Society are working on this list of early churches of Tippecanoe
County. We hope to add photographs of each one. If you or someone you know
has a photograph of any Church below we would love to post it. This database is an effort to help others find genealogy resources in your search to
find family information and preserve the history. Please
remember this information came mainly from early history books of the past. The
beginning of many churches started in building of other denominations. The main tables were created from TIPCOA members
Susan Y. Clawson and Joyce Watterson. Many photographs came
from myself or Kathy & Keith Hiser, who enjoyed their trip
around Tippecanoe County finding what was left of the
buildings. Thanks ladies and Keith,
we really appreciate your time and effort
on this project.
We would love help, connecting any additional information or webpage's. I can link them to help us all learn the past history. Already many links have gone bad. Please share new ones at E-mail: TIPCOA CHURCH INFO |
Here is a map showing the townships
Jackson,
Lauramie,
Perry, Randolph,
Sheffield,
Shelby, Tippecanoe,
Union, Wabash,
Washington,
Wayne & Wea.
Fairfield township
1826-1926
Bibliography, is below this table. Other websites and sources are listed in the records column.
Microfilm or digital books can be viewed at the Family History Library in West Lafayette,
Indiana
| Denomination |
Church name
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Origin date
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Early founders |
Significant events
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Building locations |
Address & possible
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Episcopal (Protestant Episcopal) |
1836-37 in the counting room of Thomas Benbridge. An office use for business or accounting. |
Parson Samuel R. Johnson |
building dedicated on 30 Dec 1838 on Missouri St.; new bldg 1858 NW Corner of 6th & Ferry; 1887 major repairs; Sunday School (BR, DeHart) |
Parson Johnson brought the first piano to Lafayette. (DeHart) Cemetery was established |
St. John's Episcopal Church
Microfilm or digital books viewed at the Family History Library W.Lafayette, Indiana |
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(Protestant) Episcopal |
Grace Protestant Episcopal need a photo |
23 May 1868 by members of St. John's church (DeHart) |
Sunday school in Collegiate Institute; services in old opera house; new building 1872; sometime after 1872 closed and members returned to St. John's. Bldg sold in 1885 to German Evangelical Lutheran [St. James] church (De Hart) |
It reunited with St. John's. records probably are at
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Methodist Episcopal |
Fifth Street Methodist (Western Charge) later built Trinity church |
Org. 1827 in a long cabin. (Reen) |
began in homes and log court house; early preachers in 1824; Rev. Hackaliah Vredenburg fall 1825; Rev. James Armstrong in 1825 (DeHart's) |
1828 met in building corner of Ferry and Fifth; 1830 1st church building S. end of lot on the SW corner Main & 6th, facing 6th; 1836 building moved to back of lots at Fifth & Ferry; 1845 brick church building erected, named Fifth Street Church (Reen; Thompson; DeHart) |
Mother church of Methodism in this city |
Early History of Trinity; see Trinity United Methodist. |
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Methodist Episcopal |
first building 1868 |
lot on corner of 6th and North purchased 1868; chapel dedicated 24 Feb 1872; church dedicated 23 Mar 1873, Rev. Bishop Thomas Bowman officiating; took the name Trinity Church (DeHart; Reen; Thompson) |
mother church of Methodism in the city |
Trinity United Methodist Church
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Methodist Episcopal |
St. Paul's (Eastern Charge) AKA Ninth Street church Postcard (courtesy of Mike & Shirley Benham) on Tippecanoe St & 13th. Black & White |
first building 1850 (DeHart's) |
frame church erected fall 1850 in lot on corner of 9th and Cincinnati; new building dedicated 1854; Sunday School; new bldg corner 11th and Tippecanoe dedicated 1897; March 1900 Sunday morning fire [partially] destroyed it (Kriebel, 16 Dec 2008); rebuilt (DeHart 1909) |
members left old 5th street church in 1850 (DeHart's); an off shoot of Trinity (BR) |
closed sometime after 1941
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Methodist Episcopal |
Sunday School first; then class in 1859; org. 21 Sep 1867 as East Lafayette Mission |
S. Godfrey first presiding elder; I. W. Joyce first pastor of Ninth St. Church Next Rev. Joseph Potter (Thompson) |
1868 brick edifice begun 1869 dedicated; Rev. E. R. Johnson pastor (Thompson); building included with Sunday School in 1909 (DeHart's) SW corner of Congress and 21st (BR) |
result of years of missionary work on Oakland Hill (BR; DeHart's) |
Congress Street United Methodist Church
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Wesleyan Methodist |
first meeting 1923; org. 1926 at 2040 Schuyler Ave. |
present building enlarged several times; 1968 Wesleyan Methodist denomination merged with Pilgrim Holiness to become Wesleyan |
Schuyler Avenue Wesleyan Methodist Church, 2040 Schuyler Ave., Lafayette, IN;
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African Methodist Episcopal |
AME, now Bethel AME; AKA Colored Methodist Episcopal |
about 1849 |
Rev. Enos McIntosh (BR) |
1858 purchased frame bldg of German Lutheran congregation [St. James] at 156 Ferry St. between 8th & 9th (BR; DeHart) |
Parsonage at rear of church lot (Thompson) |
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal
Church
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Swedish Evangelical Lutheran |
Swedish Evangelical Lutheran, later Scandinavian Evan Church (1941) |
org. 17 July 1870 on Oakland Hill |
Rev. P. Erickson, founder |
1871 brick building corner Grove and 16th St., on Oakland Hill; about 1899 taken over by Methodist Swedish Mission (DeHart) |
closed; replaced by Congress St. Methodist in 1899. 1941 Directory lists Scandinavian Evangelical Church at this location. |
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Evangelical English Lutheran |
Zion's Evangelical English Lutheran Church AKA: Evangelical English Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity |
1899, in the Swedish Lutheran Church on Oakland Hill |
Rev. J. Reichert |
changes in Swedish Lutheran church forced renting of Universalist building; Feb 1900 org. perfected as Zion's Evangelical English Lutheran; again forced to move and sub-rented Seventh-Day Adventist chapel between Ferry & Main; first ordained pastor 1904 Rev. Elmer Boyer; returned to old Universalist church on N. 9th St. and renamed English Evangelical Lutheran Church of Holy Trinity; Sunday School. Purchased Universalist bldg in 1909 (DeHart) |
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church south of Market Square
http://www.htlcweb.org/about-us/our-history/ (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) |
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German Evangelical Lutheran |
St. James Lutheran (Missouri Synod) |
Origin 1849 |
First pastor was Rev. Ed. Leemhuis |
occupied frame building on Ferry St. between 8th & 9th used in 1909 by Colored ME church; 1866 erected bldg on SW corner 7th and Alabama Sts; then bought Grace Episcopal church building on Cincinnati St. (BR; DeHart) |
two schools rooms on first floor and church on upper floor; later a two-story school house on Oregon St., then in the old building at 7th & Alabama. (DeHart) |
St. James Lutheran Church and School (LC-MS)
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German Reformed, AKA Reformed churches in the US |
Salem Reformed, AKA Evangelical Reformed This split into two churches in 1862-1950 with one called St. John’s German Evangelical & Reformed. Old building. |
Origin Mar 1860 as a German Congregational church |
Rev. J. Ulrich Zuercher |
first in 6th St. Baptist church (6th & Ferry), then in Ref. Presbyterian church on Ferry St. near 4th; Spring 1861, bought old Universalist church corner of Main & 9th streets and in 1890 erected new bldg (BR; DeHart); 1862 split led to German Evangelical Reformed (St. John's); 1885 St. John's Congregational on Elizabeth between 10th & 11th; 1889 original congregation became Salem Reformed and located on 10th & Ferry; reunited in 1950; Now Immanuel United Church of Christ |
German services ended about time of WWI. German School by German Evangelical and Reformed (St Johns). |
Immanuel United Church of Chris
History prepared by Robert Kriebel; Ellis Hopkins, "Some Observations on the German Background of Immanuel UC of Christ." |
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German Methodist Episcopal Church |
founded 1851 |
Rev. C. Keller (1878) |
services in other buildings; 1858 first bldg, white frame, at 9th and Brown; present brick bldg 1885 ; Sunday School; brick church on SE corner of 9th and North (could be error) (DeHart; BR) |
name changed to Brown Street Episcopal Methodist church after WWI; German services discontinued 1919; 1968 Methodist and EUB merged |
Brown Street United Methodist Church
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Reform Judaism |
Ahvas Achim AKA Temple Israel / old church photo Ahavath Achim |
Origin 1849 Ahavat Achim. (Temple Israel Website) or Feb 1851 (Thompson) |
Rabbi Lowenthal (Thompson) |
1866-67 built house of worship; dedicated in the winter of 1868-69 on NE corner of 7th and Alabama (DeHart); 2nd site 17th N. 7th St. (1941) 3rd and present site in 1969 o Cumberland Ave |
Second oldest Reform Temple in Indiana.
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Temple Israel
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Conservative Judaism |
Founded 1889 formally chartered 1892 (website) |
Present home of Synagogue 661 N. 7th St., build in 1916 (website) |
Cemetery on S. 3rd St. recently carried a new Torah through the street of Lafayette Hebrew School |
Sons of Abraham
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Seventh Day Adventist |
Seventh Day Adventist |
Earliest records 1873; established 1885 (Smith) |
1919 Elder Clause White pastor came to Lafayette to hold tent meetings (Website) |
Chapel between Ferry and Main St in 1909(DeHart); 1920 located at 805 N. 8th Street, Lafayette: 1968 build on Soldiers Home Road. (website) |
Est. Wabash Valley Hospital 1906 (website |
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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Universalist |
First Universalist Church of Lafayette Photo before it was torn down 1983. Photo courtesy of John Carlson |
origins begun 1838-39; orginazied in 1852 (DeHart) |
Erasmus Manford; 1st minister 1851 Rev. Phineas Hathaway (DeHart) |
The Universalist building at the corner of Main and Ninth (built
in 1852) was sold to the German Lutheran Church on Jan 3, 1863.
On August 28, 1866, the Universalists bought property at the corner of 9th and Cincinnati and dedicated a new church building there on Sept 6, 1868. The Universalists ceased to exist in Lafayette by 1897. The property was acquired by the Universalist State Convention in Trust on March 26, 1897. This Eggleston Tract was sold to the English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity on June 10, 1909. (According the the transfer books in the county auditors office.) Note that is not the property at 9th and Main implied by DeHart. In 1963 the property was sold to the Riverside Church of God and in 1971 to the Boys Club. In 1983, the Eggleston Tract property was acquired by St. James Lutheran in 1983 with a permit to wreck the building approved June 21, 1983. The attached picture of the church building was taken in 1983 before it was torn down (John C 2014) |
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Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
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Baptist |
org. between 1832 and 1835 (DeHart) |
Rev. Loyal Fairman |
services held first at Presbyterian Church, then at the court house and elsewhere. 1844 building dedicated on Sixth St.; 1872 new building on 7th & North in 1941 (DeHart); |
First Baptist Church
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Baptist |
Second Baptist Church (colored) |
org. 2 Feb 1872 (DeHart) |
Rev. William Neill (Thompson) |
meetings held in basement of First Baptist church until 1878 when moved into own church on NE corner of Hartford and 16th (DeHart) |
Second Baptist Church
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German Baptist / Church of the Brethren |
formed late 1940s as members of rural churches moved to Lafayette (website) |
began meeting in homes, group; building in early 1950s (website) |
former Pastors, Enten and Katherine purchased a Peace Pole as their farewell gift 6 Jan 2002; new pastor Cara McCallister, August 20, 2006 (website) |
Lafayette Church of the Brethren
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Christian (Disciples of Christ) |
org. July 1839 |
Rev. John O'Kane |
first services held in court house, then several school houses; 1845 church erected on 6th St, between North and Brown streets. Burned in 1850 but rebuilt; 1874 purchased the Methodist church bldg on corner of Ferry and Fifth Sts. |
First Christian Church
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Presbyterian |
Lafayette Presbyterian, then First Church 1889 (Old School), later became Central Presbyterian |
org. 26 May 1828; 6 July 1829 ruling elders ordained and installed (DeHart) |
Rev. James Crawford |
1832 first building of brick at corner of South & 4th; split into 1st and 2nd Presb churches in 1840; 1st Pres. Built new building in 1858 on 6th St; 1868 sanctuary facing Columbia St., the two churches reunited in 1914 in 2nd church building; now on corner of 7th and Columbia; present bldg dates from 1895; Ed Bldg 1928. (Presbyterians) |
Members dismissed to form churches at Oxford, Dayto and Monticello (DeHart); mother of other churches in area |
Central Presbyterian Church
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Presbyterian |
Second Presbyterian Church 1899 (New School) |
1840, result of old/new school schism (DeHart) |
Rev. Joseph Wilson (DeHart) |
Built at corner of Main & 6th in 1842, replaced with brick building in 1858, moved to corner of South & 7th in 1894-95, burned in 897 and rebuilt. (Presbyterians) |
Reunited with First Presb to form Central Presbyterian., see Central Presbyterian for history and records. |
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Presbyterian |
Stidham Memorial Presbyterian now - Elston Presbyterian |
began as Methodists meeting in Elston School. Org. as Presby church 4 Sep 1912. |
Rev. J P Hale, Rev. AC Work, Rev. Wm McMillin |
1st building dedicated 1914. Great Is Thy Faithfulness |
Bequest by Jasper Stidham to two churches mixed up denominations. Both churches changed denominations to accept bequest. |
Elston Presbyterian Church 375 Elston Rd.
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Presbyterian |
began as Sunday School by YMCA in 1866; then mission of 2nd Presb Church; org as church 12 May 1924. |
Rev. W. B. Chancellor first full time minister. (Chancellor) |
met in school bldg until 1870; new building corner 3rd and Chestnut; 1875 moved bldg across street; org. 12 May 1924; independent in 1951 (Chancellor) |
Church was closed March of 2008; was located on 505 S. Third, Lafayette,
IN
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Presbyterian |
org. 1952 by members from Central Pres encouraged by Rev. J. Dayton McCormick |
1st pastor Rev. John Findley |
first met in vacant lot, then the manse in 1952. 1st bldg 1953 (Great Is Thy Faithfulness) |
Bethany Presbyterian Church
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Associate Reformed Presbyterian |
formed in 1842 (DeHart) |
Rev. Samuel Finlay (Thompson) |
chapel on Ferry St, between Missouri and Pearl Streets; Merged with other societies (DeHart) |
Merged with other societies |
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United Brethren |
No. 2 Grace UB Grace United No. 3 today. |
org. 1852 |
Rev. David Brown |
brick building erected on N 8th St.; destroyed by fire fall 1863 and lot sold; new lot and brick church built. In 1905 new church bldg was on Tippecanoe St. (DeHart) |
Grace United Methodist 615 N. 22nd St. Lafayette, IN 47904 765-447-4152 |
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Holland Christian Reformed AKA Hollandsche Gereformeerde Kerk van Noord Amerika |
Holland Christian Reformed Church [see right for several buildings] |
org. 6 Apr 1865 as 2nd United Presbyterian; 1869 as Holland Christian Reformed; now Reformed Church in America |
Rev Jacob. R. Schepers |
building at 102 Hartford St, Lafayette built 1866 (BR; DeHart); first met in home of Jan Balkema in 1860s. Moved to own building; 1869 joined Hollandsche Gereformeerde Kerk van Noord Amerika; 1896 new building on 14th; Then moved to NW corner 15th & Hartford; split into two churches First Reformed and Christian Reformed; 1961 Community Reformed began as outreach. |
School maintained by all three congregations opened 1950 at 26th & Brown, now Lafayette Christian School |
First Reformed Church
Also letter can be found on this website: |
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Catholic |
St. Mary and Martha's, later became St. Mary’s |
1843 (DeHart) |
Rev. Michael J. Clark (DeHart) |
preaching as early as 1840 in homes; In 1843 resident pastor Father Clark; rented one-story brick bldg on 4th St. S of post office; 1844 erected bldg corner of 5th and Brown; later known as St. Joseph's Hall; in 1909 called Columbia Hall (DeHart) |
school on Fifth St. 1860 Lawrence Stockton donated ground for Seminary Hall, for school and parochial residence. Sisters of Providence erected St. Ignatius' Academy there (DeHart) |
predecessor of St. Mary's |
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Catholic |
abt 1866 |
Father Kilroy and Rev. Geo A Hamilton (DeHart) |
dedicated 1866; In 1887 made irremovable rectorate and deanery; improvements made in 1898-1904 (DeHart); 1944 Cathedral of new Diocese of LaFayette, (One Hundred Fifty) |
boys' school on South St. taught by brothers of the Holy Cross 1867-96; purchased by St. Mary's in 1895; run by Sisters of Providence in 1909 (DeHart) St. Mary's cemetery at Elston; Father Hamilton buried in church basement |
St. Mary's Cathedral
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Catholic |
St. Ann's Chapel, later St. Ann's Church |
1870 by Father Hamilton; first pastor Father John Dempsey (Irish) (BR) |
Father Geo A Hamilton (DeHart) |
1870 corner of Wabash and Smith Streets, two-story brick building for church and school purposes; corner stone for new church in 1897 (DeHart) |
school in same bldg; after new church built, old church used for school |
St. Ann’s Catholic Church
St. Mary Cathedral and St. Ann Church Pastorate - Lafayette, Indiana (smcsaclafayette.org) |
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Catholic |
St. Boniface (German parish) |
1852 German services first conducted; St. Boniface est. 1853 |
Rev. Philip Doyle |
1854 brick bldg built on 2 lots fronting on 10th St.; aft 1863 bldg on corner of 9th and North Streets erected; 1866 and 1887 and 1890s improvements made (DeHart) 1899 Consecration (Saint Boniface) |
brick school bldg fronting on Ferry St.; 1883 two-story brick boys' school erected on 9th st. (DeHart)St. Boniface's cemetery about 1898 on SR 25; St. Joseph's cem was full, on NW corner Greenbush & 17th streets (DeHart) |
Saint Boniface Church
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Catholic |
origin 1895 in Linnwood area; members from St. Mary's and St. Boniface's churches (DeHart) |
Rev. Matthias Sasse; Rev. Theodore Stephan; Rev. Richard Wurth (DeHart) |
1896 first bldg; preaching in English and German (DeHart) |
school in same bldg (DeHart) |
Saint Lawrence Church
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Catholic This is an extra addition. |
Diocesan Orphan Asylum, St. Joseph's Asylum for Boys, St. Elizabeth's Hospital |
Diocesan Orphan Asylum (1865), St. Joseph's Asylum for Boys (1875), St. Elizabeth's Hospital (1876) (DeHart) |
Catholic Chancery Diocese of Lafayette Gen. Office:
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Bibliography, Early Churches of Fairfield township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana
Sorry some page links are gone now.
Another area you will find help are the cemeteries that were connected. This list is also by township.
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