Churches  of  Shelby  County  Indiana

 Second  Mount  Pleasant  Baptist
The  Muncie  Morning  Star
 December 29, 1904
STATE NEWS
(by Star Special Service)
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Shelbyville- The Second Mt. Pleasant church, a few miles from this city, will be rededicated New Year's.  Rev. P. O. Duncan will deliver the sermon.
Transcribed by DJ Faust, contact DEFLEUR@prodigy.net for info about copies


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Chadwick's History of Shelby Co., Ind.                159
          The Second Mount Pleasant Baptist church was organized July 11, 1835, at a school-house in Hendricks township.  For two years this people worshiped in private houses and under the broad canopy of heaven beneath the spreading branches of forest trees, etc., but at the end of that period they built a house of worship six miles northeast of Franklin, in the edge of Johnson county.  This was used from 1836 to 1865, when a forty by sixty foot building was erected, near the old site, costing four thousand four hundred thirteen dollars.  Rev. Benjamin Reece was the first pastor and served until his death in 1853.  Up to 1887 there had been received into this one church organization eight

Chadwick's History of Shelby Co., Ind.                160

hundred and fifty persons.  It now has three hundred and sixty members and worships in the last named building.
[Chadwick's discussion of the Baptist denomination moves to Little Blue River Baptist Church.
The article follows the "Manual and History of Little Blue River Baptist Church"-pmf]
Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, by Edward H. Chadwick, B.A., assisted by well known local talent, B.F. Bowen & Co, Publishers:  Indianapolis, IN, 1909, page 159-60.
Submitted by Marita Bolson

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          "The Second Mount Pleasant Baptist Church was organized July 11, 1835, as a school-house in Hendrick's Township, Shelby County, Indiana, six miles east of Franklin, Johnson County.  The names of the constituent members are as follows (viz):
Joseph Reece,
John Webb,
Nancy Webb,
Samuel Tetrick,
Benjamin Reece,
Sarah Reece,
Henry Williard, and
Mary Kelly.
The council organized by choosing Rev. S. Harding, moderator, and Rev. L. Morgan, clerk. For two years or more after the church was organized, they met for worship at private houses, in the woods and in the schoolhouse where the church was organized.
          January 2, 1836, the church agreed to build a house of worship which was located six miles northeast of Franklin, in the edge of Johnson County.  The house was a frame, 30 x 40 feet, 14 feet story.  The church occupied this house until June 10, 1865, when it agreed to build a brick house, on or near the old site, the size of the house to be 40 x 60 feet, 18 feet story.  Saturday, July 2, 1868, the building committee reported the cost to be $4,413.56.  May 14, 1881, the church agreed to re-roof the house with slate, and added a belfry, all of which cost $900.  Rev. Benjamin Reece was the first pastor, serving the church until his death, which occurred November 9, 1853.  He was very successful, and under the blessing of God, built up a strong church.  Rev. John Reece assisted B. Reece a part of the time.  There have been received into the church about 850 persons.  The constituent members deserve to be remembered for their faithful, earnest Christ- ian work.  The church members at this time about 280 members.  Besides the constituent members, the following deserve to be remembered as active workers in the church (viz):
John Williard and wife,
William A. Reece and wife,
William Needham and wife,
Ephrain Tucker [sic] and wife,
William Webb and wife,
with many others, that did good service in the cause of Christ."
From History of Shelby County, Indiana, Chicago: Brant & Fuller, 1887, page 382-3.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

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