In time we hope to gather many of the
histories of the churches pictured below. But this all takes time. If you have
a history on any of the
LaPorte County Old Houses of Worship and would like
to share it with us and/or contribute photos of the same,
contact us at
laportecountyin@yahoo.com
Also
See the History of LaPorte County where many are mentioned.
Cass Township Church Histories
 Sacred Heart Catholic Wanatah - Cass Twp |
 Salem Evangelical Church AKA St. John's at - Wanatah - Cass Twp |
 Wanatah Methodist Wanatah - Cass Twp |
 Wanatah - Salem Evan. Interior Circa 1910 |
||
 Wanatah Christian Church - Cass Twp |
 Davis Wesleyan Methodist Church - - Cass Twp |
 *Sacred Heart Catholic Parish Wanatah, Indiana - - Cass Twp |
 Wilder Friend's Church Dewey Twp |
 First Evangelical Lutheran at Hanna |
 Hanna Methodist Church Hanna |
 St. John Lutheran LaCrosse - Dewey Twp |
 St. Martin of Tours La Crosse - Dewey Twp |
 LaCrosse Apostolic Christian Church LaCrosse - Dewey Twp |
 Methodist Church LaCrosse - Dewey Twp |
 Bethel Presbyterian Church Union Mills |
 Tracy Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church Union Twp |
Dewey Township Churches
St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church - built circa
1860 - but original building was replaced in 1914 but burned in the early
1930's. "the Catholic Church of St. Martin's, in Schimmels, which appears to
have been a community located in Dewey township in 1907. Alerting states the
following: "Schimmels, formerly known as Schimmelsville, is situated about two
miles north of Lacrosse. In the year 1856, Mass was said for the first time in
the house of Joseph Pries, Sr., by an old German priest, Rev. Andrew TUSCH. The
congregation was organized in 1859, by Rev. Martin SHERER, pastor at LaPorte.
The present church was built by him, in 1860." The land for St. Martin's Church
was reportedly donated by Daniel CALLAHAN who relocated to Toledo, Ohio, and
Patrick and Richard HUNCHEON donated a few acres for a cemetery. The
congregation of St. Martin's was apparently served by pastors who resided in
several nearby towns, including: LaPorte, San Pierre, and Wanatah. "
Ref: :
The Diocese of Fort Wayne, 1857--September 22--1907, A Book of Historical
Reference, 1669-1907 - Published in 1907 and this along with other catholic
churches in this county my be found at:
The Diocese of Forth
Wayne .
Note: An Historical Atlas of LaPorte Co., Indiana, which
identified one of the land owners, in the northern tier of Dewey township, as
G. P. SCHIMMEL. G. P. SCHIMMEL held several tracts of land in sections 4 and 5
of this township. These tracts also meet the location description in Alerding's
history, being a couple of miles north of LaCrosse. Originally researched by:
Ann McRoden Mensch
LaCrosse St. John Lutheran Circa 1906 - additional photo
La Crosse, ME Annex for church circa 1921 - photo
Hanna Township Churches
Davis Church changed to Davis Wesleyan Church - On June 26,
1906, Elmer and Myra Tuesburg sold one acre of land on the west bank of the
Kankakee River in Hanna Twp for the sum of $1.00.
The first church was 24 by
50 foot frame building and was built by the William Christoph family. Will,
Orville and Albert did most of the construction. They pulled the timbers into
place with a team of horses.
It is believed that before this building was
erected, Rev. Mow organized the Davis church in about 1896. Early members of
the church include the William Christoph family, Mrs. Benjamin Bell and Shelby
Thomas, Mrs. Fita Payne Hansen; Belle James and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Arndt.
Additional footnote: - At one time the church was known as the Davis
Church. In 1864 Uncle John Davis arrived where an Indian village was located. A
small town of Davis developed and in the 1890 census the population of Davis as
50 people. Later Fancher store, the post office and also the telegraph tower
were moved in 1898 to Hamlet, East of Hanna. All the remains of Davis is the
Davis Wesleyan Church.
The first full time minister was
Rev. Harold Boyce. The church name was changed to Davis Wesleyan while Rev.
Otis was minister because of a merger with the Pilgrim Holiness and Wesleyan
Methodist Conference.
The First Lutheran Church of Hanna - 1884- In the beginning of the church it was popularly known as the German Lutheran Church. But in 1924 the word German was dropped from the official title and there after only the English language was used in the services. Pastor J. Niethammer from St. John's Lutheran church, LaPorte, assumed leadership of the group in about 1884 when a congregation was formally organized and a constitution adopted in the Lutheran tradition. First services were held in the home of Carl Schwingendorf, a railroad foreman. Later the services were conduted in the public school building.
The main part of the present church building was erected in 1891. The resolution was to build a "simple church, 24 by 40 feet and 14 feet high inside, to cost about $800, to the glory of God." Then the church was enlarged and remodeled in 1926. A front vestibule, stairways and belfry were built to enlarge the building on the south. Also an arched chancel was built onto the north wall and the whole building was placed on a new foundation over a basement with ample ceiling height. As the church celebrated its 100th year anniversary. Anna O'Hara, who was 92 at the time, was the oldest member of the congregation. Anna lived until 1992 when she was 99 years young.
Pastors since 1900 have been W. C. Heinzen 1900-03, Hugo Osterhus 1904-10, R. Truelsch 1910-14, Paul Barth 1914-22, G. Bloedel 1922-36, Theodore Bartell 1937-44, Arnold Kuster 1944-61, Winfred Neuendorf 1962-67, Frank Hill 1969-75, Eugene Ryding 1975-83 and Merline Bray 1984 to 1985(when this article was written).
Methodist Church - Hanna United Methodist Church - Hanna UM Church celebrates 100 years.
On
Saturday October 1, 1988 an article appeared in our local newspaper
written by Dorothy Stephenson a Herald Argus Correspondent.
Hanna- United Methodist Church was filled to capacity Se pt. 25 for a centennial celebration and homecoming service.
We continue in condensing Dorothy's notes as follows:
178
person in attendance when normal average was about 125. Rev. Mark Bules
received Kenneth and Theresa Goral and Roger and Lynn Shei into
membership. A male sextet composted of Don Bechinski, Roger Burns,
Allen and Kevin Garner, C.M. Lashua and Emiel Schmidt provided vocal
music. Rev. Walter Mayer, of Kokomo, district superintendent, spoke
briefly.
Dorothy Guse, of Valparaiso, was the oldest person
present had served as a pianist, Sunday school teacher and other
volunteer activities.She had been a member since 1915.
Hanna
Twp became a home to the first white settlers in 1837 and it might be
assumed that some kind of worship began about that time. No
records remain to support that idea but historical records do show
preaching services were held as early as 1859 in homes and schools.
Ref: Packards History - The Union Mills Circuit embraced Union
Mills, Hanna Station and Clinton in 1873 with G. R. Streeter as
preacher.
As the end of that year Union Mills and Door Village
were one circuit and Clinton Chapel and Westville were another. Mo
Mention was made of Hanna Station until 1875 when it was again a part
of the Union Mills, Morgan Station and Wanatah circuit.
Sunday school classes had been organized in homes and the school
in 1868, led by Rev. Reuben Sanders, George Trimmingham and Mrs. Thomas
Hunsley.
1888 church was erected costing $1,260.81 on
a lot donated by Nimrod and Mary West at the present corner of Hopper
and Pennsylvania Streets. Funds were donated by several
commercial enterprises.
Rev. Samuel Beck, was the
presiding elder of the district of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
A small parsonage was erected in 1910 immediately north of the
church. It was sold in 1922 and moved and later burned. A larger
parsonage was purchased but was seldom used as pastors were often
housed at another parsonage in the circuit. In 1984 a more modern
parsonage was purchased for a resident pastor
who served only at
Hanna. 1960 a Fellowship Hall was erected. The church name
has changed several times because of mergers with other denominations.
Episcopal was dropped on May 10, 1939, when the general council met in
Kansas City, MO., to merge the Methodist Episcopal with Methodist
Protestant. And in 1968 another merger occurred with the
Evangelical United Brethren produced the present United
Methodist name.
Union Township Churches
Under construction
La Porte County Indiana Gen Web
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