Asbury  Methodist  Episcopal  Church

Shelby  County  Indiana

          Morristown Circuit. --- Of the church organizations which now constitute the Morristown Methodist Episcopal Circuit, the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church was the first established.  Soon after the land of Shelby County had been surveyed, and the land office opened for the sale of the same; emigrants came rapidly and in a short time a settlement was made in the northwest portion of Hanover Township.  Those settlers had come from sections that had long enjoyed the comforts of civilization, and they did not long forego the pleasure of religious worship.  They at once began to gather at the cabins and have some kind of religious services.  It is probable that the first meeting, at which a minister was present, was held at the house of  Jonathan Johnson in 1822.  In the following year, as nearly as can be ascertained, a hewwed log-house to be used for both school and church purposes, was erected.  This was a very comfortable building with a brick chimney and the pulpit in one corner.  The families that constituted the organizing members were:  Jonathan Johnson and wife, Thomas Gadd, and wife, Henry Watts and wife, and  Joshua Wilson and wife.  Two of the earliest and most prominent members were John Strange and  James Havens. They are the pioneer preachers to whom the Methodists of Shelby County owe much.  There was scarcely an early class in the organization of which they were not the most potent factors; Rev. John Stover was the first regular circuit rider.  Other early ministers, who afterward became distinguished in the church work, were:  Bishop Ames,  L. W. Berry  and  J. V. R. Miller.  In 1839 the present frame building which now belongs to the cemetery association was completed at a cost of $400.  S. W. Ingram was the contractor and Henry Watts,  Joshua Wilson  and  Jonathan Johnson, building committee.  In 1883, because of the inconvenience of the location the old house was abandoned and in the same year the new brick edifice was completed and dedicated, Simpson Tincher preaching the sermon.  Mr. W. W. Woodyard was the architect of the new building and superintended the work.  The name of  W. A. Bodine deserves to be especially mentioned because of his liberal contributions, and active interest taken in the work.  The total cost of the building was $4,600, all of which has been paid.  The Stewards are:  Frank Tyner and Mrs. John Miller.  Trustees --- W. A. Bodine,  J. M. Tyner,  W. W. Woodyard, the last named being the Secretary.  The society which at present number ninety-five, is under the pastoral careof Rev. B. F. Morgan, a native of Franklin County, where he was born in 1831.  He received his elementary training in the district schools after which he spent one year in Hartsville University.  He was ordained in the United Brethren Church in 1859, with which church he worked until 1870, when he joined the Southeastern Indiana Conference.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, Chicago: Brant & Fuller, 1887, page 369-370.


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Transcribed by Lora, from LDS film #1703955:

Record of Members Probationers of Morristown Circuit 1872

Morristown (Asbury Chapel):
Anderson, Mary, Minerva, Martha, Mary A.
Morrison, Hugh, C.A., Marion, A.B., Lillie A. J., Ada E.
Gates, Dayton, Lucinda, Mary A, Maria.
Bentley, Maria. Hackleman, Lemuel, Hannah, Lydia.
Tyner, Sarah A, Sarah, Joseph, Chester, Franklin.
Ball, George.
Addison, John, Elizabeth, Sarah.
Sutton, Alexander, Malinda.
Hendrum, Sarah.

Fountaintown:
Wilkenson, C. L., Elizabeth.
Martin, Samuel, Sarah.
Fountain, Flora, Hulda. Barp, Electa.
Fountain, Cyrus, Samuel, M.R. Robinson, Elizabeth.
Inlow, Tshem?, Elizabeth.
Ayres, Rebecca.
Cross, Eliza.
Meyers, John, Nancy, Annie, Nancy.
Carpenter, Johnathan, Polinda.

Marion, 1873:
Arnold, Chapman, Burkhardt, Kennedy, Silverthorn, Bowman, Perry, Gordon, Ludlow, Blackledge, Billman, Bassett, Bowman, Towns, Rhodes, Jones, Sleeth, Hines, Anders, Grant, Hines, Wilcoxon, Jackner, Pond, Peirce,

Marion Society August 28, 1875:
Arnold, Adams, Wells, Chapman, Bowman, Kinnerly, Bassett, Pond, Kennedy,

Pleasant Hill:
Gatewood, Walker, Gordon, Barnes, Webster, Yearling, Castor, Walker, Montgomery, Bowers, Gaines, Thompson, Stephens, Nave, Lackey.

Manilla [Rush Co, IN]:
Gardner, Roberts, Leonard, Johnson, Titus, Carpenter, Connrad, Warfield, Murphy, Craige, Fouch, Smith, Stines, Brown, Parker, Emmons, Spencer, Hail, Headlee King, Craig.

Pleasant Hill:
Barnes, Billman, Brown, Bowers, Ellis, Gaines, Gatewood, Gordon, Johnson, Kaster, Lackey, Mohr, Nave, Pharis, Rhodes, Rheinheart, Sleeth, Tyner, Thompson, Walker, Webster, Yearling, Seagell.

Marion:
Arnold, Adams, Billman, Bassett, Bowman, Blackledge, Chapman, Fox, Gordon, Kenedy, Pond, Wells, Saunders,Sleeth.

Morristown:
Bundy, Hamelton, McGaughey, Roggers, Stafford, Willcoxon, Tyner, Williams, Wolf, Shafer, Woodyard, Hacklman, Whitaker, Bacon, Johnson, Gates, Elliott, Hittle, Becher, Cole, Griffey, Ridlin.

Morristown Episcopal Church: Morristown Circuit:
Anderson, Tyner, Bodine, Rogers, Miller, Adams, Wilcoxin, Bodine, Wagner, Gordon, Kenedy, King, Wells, Gates, Cole, Hackleman, Bennett, Griffy, Fox.

Morristown Society:
Whetzel, Spurior, Anderson, Coffin, Fleming, Salisbury, Barnes, Smith, Kemp.

Sugar Creek:
Bush, Boles, Boring, Gambrel, Muth, McDougald, Noe, Piersall, Rafferty, Hearrall, Davis, Smith, Wicliff, Willis, Thurston, Giles, Lotz, Boring, Matillo, Moore, Giles, Means, Joyce, Lucas, Lewis, Showalter, Fox, Robinson, Mohr, Eck, Waggoner, Wicker, Mr. Lester Valeutive?, Snodgrass, Ross, Martin, Drake, Kincaid, Lambert, Hennis, Miller, Basey, Wood, Gates, Ferris, Phares, Blackford, Bolander, Nigh, Myer, Arnold, Ferris, Long, Ansminger, Means, Tucker, Cox, Sexton, Campbell, Hutchinson, Murnan, Miller, Mahley, Russell, Winton.

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