Brandywine / Fairland  Baptist  Church


Chadwick's History of Shelby Co., Ind.                159

          Brandywine (later known as Fairland) Baptist church was organized July 30, 1832, with the following as first members:
James V. A. Woods,
Lewis Morgan,
D. A. M. Morgan,
William C. C. Morgan,
Henry Serber,
A. M. Morgan,
Levi Bishop,
Sarah Oldham,
Nancy Morgan,
Nancy Oldham,
Nancy Hubble, and
Mary Bishop.
The church was first located near the town of Brandywine, six miles northwest of Shelbyville.  The location was changed in 1859 to Fairland. From 1832 to 1837 services were held from house to house, but in June, 1833, it was decided to build, but the edifice was not completed until 1837. Rev. William G. Eaton preached the first sermon in this building.  The church building at Fairland was built and first occupied in 1860, and Rev. John Reece was the first to preach in the same.  The present membership is one hundred and forty.  The edifice erected in 1860 still serves.
[Chadwick's discussion of the Baptist denomination moves to Second Mount Pleasant 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.
Submitted by Marita Bolson

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

          "The Brandywine, now Fairland Baptist Church, was constituted July 30, 1832, with the following persons as constituent members, viz.:

James V.A. Woods,
Lewis Morgan,
D.A.M. Morgan,
Wm. C.C. Morgan,
Henry Serber,
A.M. Morgan,
Levi Bishop,
Johathan Bishop [sic],
Justice Hubble,
Phebe Pope,
Elizabeth Riggs,
Sarah Oldham,
Nancy Morgan,
Nancy Surber,
Nancy Oldham,
Nancy Hubble and
Mary Bishop.

The church was first located near the town of Brandywine, six miles northwest of Shelbyville.  The location was changed to Fairland in 1859. From 1832 to 1837, services were held from house to house. The third Saturday in June, 1833, the church resolved to build a house of worship, which was not finished until 1837.  The first sermon preached in the new house was by Rev. William G. Eaton, the third Saturday in May, 1837.  This was a frame, and was built in the town of Brandywine, on a lot donated by Lewis Morgan, and was 30 x 46 feet.  The present house is a frame 36 x 50 feet, and was built in the town of Fairland, on a lot donated by David Bradly.  The first meeting in this house was in January, 1860, preaching by Rev. John Reece.  The house was dedicated to the service of God the first Sabbath in February, 1860; sermon by Rev. M.G. Clark. Among the early pastors of the church we may refer to:

Rev. S. Harding,
Rev. Lewis Morgan,
Rev. D. Stogsdil,
Rev. William G. Eaton,
Rev. B. Reece,
Rev. T.C. Townsend,
Rev. J.M. Smith,
Rev. J. Thares and [Phares?-pmf]
Rev. J. Reece.

Among the early members of the church outside of the constituent members we would mention

J. Brimm and wife,
Jeremiah Odell and wife,
Joseph Odell and wife,
Abraham Bishop and wife,
George Debourd and wife,
Isaac Bishop and wife, and
W.C.E. Wanee and wife.

These, with others, did much to sustain the cause. The church has had seasons of prosperity and adversity."
History of Shelby County, Indiana, Chicago: Brant & Fuller, 1887, page 382.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

Church Index       Main Page