Nine Mile Methodist Church & Vicinity

Each year during August, the people of the Nine Mile Church and friends of the church partake in Homecoming Ceremonies. Possibly only a few of the persons attending remember the reason for this celebration. The reason is a part of Nine Mile's very interesting history and in order to appreciate the meaning of Homecoming the following facts and recollections were gathered.

The original church was a log church built in 1858 at a place where the Old Hart Trace crossed the Old Buffalo Trail. This is the southwest quarter of the present Bohley Cemetery. The TERHUNE family owned the land and deeded it to the German Methodist Church in 1857.

The Christian Bohley family moved to this same area in 1857 from Poland, Indiana, a small community near Clay City. It was recalled that was a two day trip by oxen and wagon. On the second night the Bohleys camped where the log church was later built. A story passed down through the Bohley family says that during the second night a snake got under the bedding of Aunt Sophenia. A frightening reception for the Bohley's.

Christian Bohley purchased 160 acres for $600 and settled just west of the present cemetery close to what is now the Paris GROVE's farm. Mr. BOHLEY's strong faith in the community and his belief in God played an important part in the start of the original church and later the Harrah Chapel.

There was a road along the south side of the church which went from Linton to Worthington. The neighbors Built this road by hand by throwing the dirt up into a ridge and then grading it. It came to be known as the "throwed up" road. There was no Lattis Creek and no bridges; the people walk to church. On occasions the people would be forced to stay in the church all night because of severe weather. The Bohley, KISSLING, HOFFIDITZ, Nolting, MOFFET, SHUPPY? and other families walked for miles to sit on blocks of wood during the services in God's House.

The old log church stood for many years after the Harrah Chapel was built. Services were no longer held, but Grandmother Margaret Bohley saw that the church was still used. She allowed families to use this as a place of refuge and as a shelter house for these bereaved families bringing their loved ones to their final resting place.

In conjuction with the church's history, it should be noted that identity came to part of the country about this same time. The surface of the county on the west side of White River was mostly level. Half Moon, Scaffold, Four Mile and Nine Mile prairies made up a considerable portion of this territory. There are several versions as to how Nine Mile got its name. Some people say it is because of the distance: nine miles from one edge of the prarie at a point on Buck Creek, near the present Ann Nolting farm to a point near lone tree. Another reason is said to be because it is nine miles to Worthington and nine miles to Linton from the center of the prarie. Greene County record books make mention of still another reason: it was nine miles from the prarie to the nearest voting place. This may have been Fairplay, a community in Fairplay Township or Point Commerce, near Worthington, near where Ell [Eel] River empties into the White River. Recollections have it that upon seeing these voters coming who had walked nine miles, they were greeted and labeled as the "Nine Milers."

It has been said that this country was so barron that a hunter shot a deer and had to walk a half mile to find a bush big enough to hang it on. It is interesting to note that Linton at this time had three dry goods stores, one drug store, one wagon shop, one copper (could this be cooper instead?) shop, one church, a school and a post office. Switz City had one dry goods store, one grocery and drug store, two blacksmith shops, one saddle shop and a sawmill.

Prior to the Civil War, a new church at this present location was planned. Due to material, money, and manpower shortages this was postponed during the war. The Bohley family helped in the start of this church and four of Christian BOHLEY's sons went into the service. Because of this, the church was not actually completed until 1870.

The land on which the church now stands was donated by Osborn Harrah. The Harrah family, very prominent people in the church, were early settlers in Grant Township. An exciting story was found in the history of Greene County. Mr David Osborn, a neighbor to the HARRAH's, was a farmer and was at work curring buckwheat north of this present church. As he traveled from the field in the evening, he was sure to see or hear worlves and bears in the woods along the edge of the prarie. On one occasion, as Mr. OSBORN was going home as usuual, he heard a hog squealing in the woods. Upon going to the relief of the hog, he found him in the clutches of a huge bear. He hissed at the bear and caused him to let the hog go. The bear started for Mr. OSBORN who ran up a little bush with the bear right after him. The bear chewed the man's shoes off and tore the flesh in many places. All this time Mr. OSBORN was breaking off small switches and whipping the bear. The story ended with the bear gradually moving away so the Mr. Osborn could continue home, weak in mind and body. No doubt many other unrecorded events took place during this same period.

The construction of the church must have been a story in itself. The timbers that form the upper structure are hand cut and hewn from trees on Adam MILLER's farm. The studding lumber came from Vincennes, Indiana and it was transported by wagon either the entire distance or the canal was used to haul the lumber to the closest point and then by wagon. One of the names mentioned in the hauling of the timber was John COOKSEY with his oxen and wagon.

Some of the church's first families were the Bohley, KISLING, HOFFEDITZ, Harrah, HARRELL, SHARP, JONES, SMITH, SHERWOOD, MODDRELL, BEDWELL and Nolting families.

Through the years the Nine Mile Church has had many serious financial problems, but during World War I, the situation because so severe that the Church was to have been closed. It was then the God's master plan took place. Mrs. Nancy BEDWELL, a woman of moderate means, passed away and bequeathed $1,000 to the church. This $1000 was probably comparable to $5000 today. This money made it possible to keep the church open and it is in her honor that we celebrate Homecoming. No doubt, no other single person helped in such a time of need as did Mrs. BEDWELL. For years, her grave was decorated as part of the annual remembrance.

God has blessed Nine Mile with many people of strong faith. Uncle Henry Bohley was Superintendent for 40 years. He called the Sunday School the Evergreen Classes because they never died out. Other Christians must be named in honor with Aunt Nancy BEDWELL and Uncle Henry Bohley, Aunt Jane COHEN, Christian Bohley, Grandma BLANTON, Aunt Rose Nolting, Aunt Lis Bohley, AND Uncle Ruben LYNN, who worked in the church for 50 year. No one knew he was a Baptist until he died. Other families who have worked in the church for years are the SHARP, HOFFEDITZ (Frank and Rex), and the LUCAS families also deserve recognition.

No church history would be complete without the names of the men of God who preached from Nine Mile's pulpit. Some of them are Revs. Wm Fredrich HOFFEDITZ, RAIDER, NASH, ELROD, KENWORTHY, DYER, Buck, KAYLOR, Nolting, FOUST, KAYLOR, DAES, MAY, HAYWOOD, and WILLIAMS.

This history is a very condensed form of the facts found in the Vital Record Bureau, Indianapolis, Greene County History, Fort Wayne, Indiana and in the memories of Frank and Rex HOFFIDITZ, Clint Bohley and Mrs. Laura HUNTER. The writer thanks these people for their help.

Author Unknown

Last updated 22.10.2009