The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-27
centennial Anniversary CT the
EIkhorn Baptist Church
Brought Out an Audience
of Two Thousand People.
DAY WAS SPENT IN
A DELIGHTFUL MANNER.
Structure Was Not Large
Enough to Accommodate
Crowd in the Afternoon
Always a Baptist Church.

The ceremonies which surrounded
the celebration of the one hundredth
anniversary of the founding of the
morning and afternoon, were most ap-
propriate and were marked by one of
the largest crowds ever attending an
anniversary celebration in Wayne
county The event proved drawing
card for people residing miles around
and in counties adjoining, who at some
time or another were directly or indi-
uectly connected with the church or re-
sided in the neighborhood. About two
Thousand of these people attended and
the hitch racks and drives for hun
dreds of yards around the meeting
house were black with conveyances.
The building did not begin to accom-
modate all those who wished to hear
the records of the famous church read.
and the addresses delivered appropri-
ate to the occasion. Hundreds of peo-
ple remained on the outside and spent
the time renewing old acquaintances.
People stood at the church windows in
the hope of hearing small part of the
exercises being conducted within. Peo-
ple who had not met in years were
drought together. and the whole affair
proved to be a delightful reunion and
celebration.
Plays important Part.
For more than a century the church
ulas played an important part in the
history of Wayne county and hundreds
of people in the county and this sec
tion of the state have at some time or
another been connected with the
church The Oldest living member of
the congregation. Mrs. Alsina Hunt
who is ninety years of age, was pres
ent at the exercises both morning and
afternoon. She has been a member of
the congregation for more than sixty
years.
The Rev. W. W. Bowers. who served
in the capacity of pastor of the church
for more than twenty years, addressed
fhe large congregation Sunday morn
ing. His address was a stirring one. |
1de reviewed his connection with the
congregation and spoke of the great
achievements it had made. He spoke
Df the early history of the church and
of the important work it did when it |
was the first church in Wayne coun- |
hy, and the work it would ultimately |
lilo.
AT the morning service, two minis |
sers of the gospel were present who
were great grandchildren of Richard
n2no of charter ofl
dhe church. They are the Rev Ell
wood Davenport, pastor of the Friends
church at Webster. and the Rev. Mrs |
Hannah Stanley of Economy, min
lister in the Christian church.
Dinner Was Served.
At noon a sumptuous dinner was
served in the basement of the church,
all visitors having brought large bas-
azets of provisions. This was one of
the pleasant events of the day and was
thoroughly enjoyed
In the afternoon the Rev. Robert I
Smith. pastor of the Richmond Baptist
church, addressed the meeting. and his
speech was thoroughly characteristic of
him and greatly appreciated by those
who managed to gain access to the
church building. A Mr.. Chamber
lain. who has for a number of years
been connected with the church. read
a history of the body since it was first
organized in 1907. This history was
given from memory. as all written rec
OrdS of the church from its early
founding were destroyed some years
ago at the home of Thomas Hunt.
which was burned. Mr. Hunt was at
the time clerk of the church The
record of events reflected properly the
history of the old E1khorn valley and
surrounding territory. 1t was shown
that the first organization was eff
fected in 1907 with ten members who
were Lazarus Whitehead Martha
Whitehead. Isaac Esteb, Ruth Esteb.
Richard Sedgwick. Mr.. and Mrs Aaron
and Richard Rue. Many of these peo-
pie were prominent in early Wayne
county affairs.
The record showed that the first
marriage that took place in that COM
munity was that of Miss May White
head and John Hunt. while the first
child buried in what is now the beau
tiful Elkhorn cemetery. was a young
daughter of John Beard in 1909
The celebration was success in ev-
Fry way, and hundreds of old friend
ships were renewed At the celebration
of the one hundredth anniversary
which will go down in history as a no.
table occasion
The church has been of the Baptist
denomination since its foundip~. ,