Whiteland United Methodist Church
History & Trivia

The ministries of Whiteland United Methodist Church have been a part of this community for over 170 years.
Many changes have taken place and this section provides a snapshot of the people and work of this church through its first 150 years.

*Charles Wesley started the Holy Club at Oxford; his brother John became the leader.

*The first superintendents of Methodist work in the colonies, appointed during the Revolutionary War, were Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke. This was the beginning of Methodism in America.

*On Dec. 24, 1784 at a conference in Baltimore 60 pioneer preachers adopted John Wesley’s “Articles of Religion and Sunday Service” and Methodism was formally organized in America.

*Traveling preachers were called circuit riders. The first circuit that crossed into the Indiana territory was the White Water Circuit of Ohio.

*Before 1800, circuit riders were paid $64 a year, collected by the rider. It was a hard life. They rode up to 175 miles with 24 or more appointments to cover in 4-5 weeks. They often rode up to 20 miles a day. They stayed with different families each night. They were not encouraged to marry. They were required to wear a flat-crowned broad brimmed hat and knee britches in charcoal black. His hair was parted crosswise just above the forehead the back hair was allowed to fall to his shoulders.

*Before 1800, only half of the circuit riders reached 30 years of age. By 1844, half reached age 33.

*In 1800 at the General Conference, salaries for circuit riders were raised to $80 and they were allowed to wear long trousers instead of knee britches.

*Circuit riders preached, taught and brought Bibles, song books, tracts, pamphlets and other reading materials to the settlers. Each year at Conference, funds were turned in. Deficits in circuit riders salaries were made up through the sales from the “Methodist Book Concern.” The book concern also handled biographies, history, travel, philosophy and ethics books.

*In 1771, there was one Methodist for every 2050 persons in America. By 1816, there was one Methodist for every 39 Americans.

*Early Methodist meetings were called Societies.

*The 1st Whiteland Methodist Society met in the home of Isaac Clem, starting in November 1835. There were 13 charter members; five men and eight women. Clem’s double log cabin was located in the area NE of US 31 and Whiteland Road where the Whiteland Schools and homes/businesses are located. The house was on the highest point of ground.

*In the 1820’s, when Johnson County really began to be settled, land was $1.25/acre

*The first leaders of the Whiteland Methodist Society were local preachers (not ordained but able to lead services) Rev. Henry Brenton, ‘Daddy” Leonard, John Robe and John Scott. They served from 1835-1837 and membership increased to 30.

*The first circuit rider in the area was Rev. Hibben in 1831.

The second circuit rider was Rev. Welch in 1839, and the meeting place was changed to the home of Martha LeMaster, who lived in a cabin SW of the first large frame house in the west side of US 31 and south of Whiteland Road.

*In 1840, services were conducted by Rev. Crawford in homes of Isaac Clem and Martha LeMaster. Not regular, but usually met on Sunday afternoon to study the Bible and pray.

*1841, class was divided. One met at the home of Martha Lemaster. One met at the Carter school house, at the SE corner of 75W and Whiteland Road. Members of the west Whiteland area used the Carter school for services until 1851. When the school was replaced by a brick building, the farmer, Samuel VanArsdale, who lived across the road, bought the school and moved it to the NW cornder of 75W and Whiteland Road. Today, it is a tool shed.

*In 1841 or 1842, the August Quarterly Meeting was held at the Carter School. Rev. Godfrey Jones led the “Love Feast,” which was something held by all conferences. Tickets were issued only to members willing to purify themselves of all worldly evil. The 1835 Discipline directed the preachers to make sure all “superfluous ornaments and jewelry were removed” and the service was not allowed to last longer than 1 ½ hours. People were to fast on Friday before the service. The “Love Feast” was the partaking of bread and water and the sharing of spiritual blessings.

*In 1843-44 (Rev. J.V.R. Miller) a hewed log church called Vernon was built near the Lemaster home. Benches were built; the 1835 discipline required that men sit on one side and women the other, The log church had split log benches. The church also served as the school.

*During this time, school cost $1.50 for 3 months. Day opened with Bible readings.

*6th Circuit Rider-Rev. Erastus Lathrop-1845. Waverly, Salem and Whiteland (60 miles). For Waverly, when men were on the fields on weekdays, they listened for a horn to signal that they should come in to listen to the sermon.

*1846-47; Rev. W.H.H. Shafer; Vernon Class increased rapidly.

*1849; Rev. W.H.H. Shafer began serving Vernon but term finished by Rev. George Taylor. No explanation why.

*1849-50 – cholera outbreak took many lives through 1851; sometimes an entire family.

*1850-during pastorate of Rev. John A. Winchester, Vernon was abandoned. “Revived” again in 1952-83 under Rev. J.W. Mackmullen.

*1851 – Rev. Jacob Whiteman, church building at Pleasant Grove was started. In 1853, the Vernon Class closed permanently and united with the Pleasant Grove Class.

*Pleasant Grove Church (and Carter school) were built because of Joseph Smith. He deeded his land, acquired in 1831, to his son David with the understanding that a church and school would be built on the property. David, his wife and 5 of 8 children died in the cholera epidemic. His brother Robert became the children’s guardian and the recipient of the land and built the church and school.

*Pleasant Grove Church was N of cemetery on the east side of 75W, ½ mile south of Whiteland Road.

*The inside main structure of the church was moved and used to build a barn 8/10 mile north of Whiteland Road on the east side of 75W. Barn razed in early 1970’s; men who tore it down estimated the size of the original church may have been 30x50 feet. Main structure had been made of 9 inch square beams that were pegged together.

*A number of circuit riders served the Pleasant Grove Church from 1854 – 1871 (10). From 1874-76 A.H. Reat was the pastor; there was a Junior Pastor in 1874 for 3 months. Jesse Miller served from 1877-79.

*Song leader in early Pleasant Grove Church-William W. Demaree. Signal to worshippers that service was about to begin was when he rode up on his horse, tied up the animal and gave it a shock of fodder.

*Early songbooks had words only.

*Schedule at Pleasant Grove: Sabbath School in the am, home for lunch, worship at 3. In 1870’s youth began meeting in evenings.

*Protracted meeting in February 1878; continued day and night for 2 weeks, by Rev. J. Miller. Four saved; 3 rose for prayer.

*Pleasant Grove closed its doors in 1883. Used until after new church, Whiteland Chapel, was formally dedicated.

*First Sunday School-1848 at Vernon by Jesse Hughes and Jonathan Cox, Supt. Bible only materials; 25-30 attended.

*First Sunday School at Pleasant Grove-1873. Much of Bible memorized by students and as many as 190 verses were recited by one person for which a prize was awarded. Collection varied from 10-50 cents; attendance 20-40.

*In August 1878, 20 young people attended a Sunday School convention at Mt. Auburn for group singing and study. They trimmed wagons for a parade and packed picnic lunches. They left on August 31. Four schools met together with about 1000 in attendance.

*Homes were built on the highest part of land to escape “fever and ague or the shakes” that we now know as malaria.

*In 1863, a town plat of 40 lots was laid out. A post office opened in the late 1850’s or early 1860’s; Whiteland was originally called Wheatland, but the name had to be changed because there was another town in the eastern part of the state called Wheatland. Jacob White was the first postmaster and the original shop owner had sold his sotre to Joseph White, hence the name Whiteland.

*In 1845, Robert Smith paid personal property and poll tax of $3.49 on 80 acres of land. The same parcel in 1850 was taxed at $5.50. In 1871, the same Robert Smith paid two installments of taxes of $84.72 for Whiteland gravel road. He paid $67.53 on 139 acres for state, county school special school, township, sinking fund, road building and bridge and personal property.

*1881-land for Whiteland Chapel was purchased from Abraham and Docia Miller and Phoebe and Jacob Varner (2 parcels).

*Land was 100 rods south of Isaac Clem’s home. Built by carpenter Matthew Tracy. Frame structure, 40x60 feet. Had a belfry and bell and 4 frosted yellow glass windows in the north and south walls, topped by red diamond pane that gave windows an arched shape. Was heated by two pot-bellied wood burning stoves, kerosene lanterns. Used as early as 1877; dedicated in 1881.

*Communion set (tall silver pitcher, two large communion cups and a silver baptismal bowl) displayed in church hallway were discovered in the wall of the parsonage about 1959 and may have been used in the Whiteland Chapel.

*1903-Land sold for current church by Sarah E and Daniel Brewer. Built by S.R. Tribby. Corner Stone: “19 M.E. Church 04”

• Lumber in the church $712.00
• Bricks in the church $700.00
• 1 bar of lime for furnace $1.13
• Brick for furnace $10.50
• Furnace $198.00
• Lights and fixtures $154.00
• Plastering church $110.00
• Paint (from WE Porter) 7.75
• Irons for fence $16.00
• Chain for hitch-rack $28.53
• Pews and chairs $532.00
• Insurance on new church $32.00
• Freight on fixt for lights $0.84
• Freight on slate $85.00
• Freight on fence $0.45
• Freight on seets $24.12
• Labor for painting of church $32.50
• Labor for plastering $56.25
• Twelve memorial stained glass windows; total cost of $292.50.

*Original roof was black slate; several years later replaced with the lighter asphalt shingles.

*Louis F. Tracy bought the old Whiteland Chapel so that it wouldn’t be used for a “pool hall or bowling alley”. Paid $500 to church trustees. It was sold to the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Indianapolis, then to the Baptist Church of Whiteland.

*The total cost of the new church was $5978.10. (Hired farm labor in 1902 went for 89 cents a day plus board.

*On September 21, 1904, Rev. C.M. Kroft was assigned to the charge. The church was completed and dedicated in November. During the 3 years of Rev. Kroft’s service the entire indebtedness of the church was liquidated. Quote: “There must have been some dedicated souls in the congregation who had great pride and dedication for the church. Pledges that were made were paid off by 1907. Some of these people had to borrow from someone else to fulfill their obligation.”

*The original basement was just a furnace room. The church janitor would fire the furnace on Saturday afternoon and arrive at the church at 4am on Sunday to do it again.

*The first lights were acetylene. There was a pump in the back room to give pressure to the gas. Pipes carried the gas to the lamps and a long lighted rod was used to light them. Electricity came to Whiteland in 1921, and the lamps were replaced with electric lights soon after. The first fixtures had an inverted white glass bowl.

*Membership in the Whiteland Methodist Episcopal Church grew; baptism was by sprinkling or immersion (Young’s Creek SW of Whiteland on Sawmill Road (now Center Road).

*Services in early church were SS followed by worship on Sunday morning, Epworth League(youth) and Sunday evening service and mid-week prayer meeting.

*Worship lasted from 10:45-12. “Ministers spoke much louder and became more stirred-up emotionally then than today.

*A Halloween prank that occurred in 1908 or 1909---a boy coaxed a cow up the steps of the church into the vestibule. The janitor was greeted in the darkness by the two big eyes of the cow.

*Early years: six Sunday School classes. An “Old Men’s Class,” an “Old Ladies’ Class”, a “Young Ladies’ Class”, a “Young Men’s Class” (that had a ball team that played a game on Saturday afternoon-you could only play if you attended church at least once a month); A “Friendship Class” and a “Young Married People’s Class”. The children met in the back room and come in for closing songs and prayer. All the classes met in different parts of the sanctuary. (1920—before church basement was dug.)

*Two week long revivals were held, usually in February. Testimonials, altar calls. Claire Henry went up and down the aisles trying to get people to go to the altar.

*There were two women’s groups. The Ladies’ Aid Society emphasized working for the local church to help meet its needs. The Women’s Missionary Society was to study and help meet the needs of both home and foreign missions. These two groups merged in 1939 to creat the Women’s Society of Christian Service. They became the United Methodist Women in 1973.

*Rally Day-was a day to promote Sunday School and also served as a Homecoming for former members and ministers. Service followed by a pitch in dinner and a service in the sanctuary with songs, etc.

*Sunday School held an annual summer picnic.

*There were women from the church who belonged to the WCTU. (The Women’s Christian Temperance Union.)

*1924-26, church basement was dug and youth moved to basement for SS.

*First organ in the church was a reed organ, a “Vocallion.” It stood in the center at the back of the altar. Marion Demaree Wiley was the first organist in the new church.

*A pipe organ was later purchased; had to be pumped. Was in the same location. The pumper sat at the right side at the back of the instrument and worked a large lever up and down to force air into the bellows. Sat behind a screen so congregation couldn’t see him.

*One of the reasons there were improvements made to the rostrum and choir loft in 1921-22 might have been the difficulty pallbearers had in getting caskets in and out for funeral services because of a high railing (30 inches or so).

*In 1915, Rev. Ezra L. Hutchins recorded that the church had 235 full members, probably value of the church was $10,000 and probable value of the parsonage (next to the Chapel) was $900. His salary was $900 for the year plus $100 rent.

*During Rev Hutchins pastorate (1914-1917) a new parsonage was built on the lot just west of the church for about $3000. It was a 2-story home with a basement. This house has since been moved a short distance east on Main Street.

*The church had a stand at the state fair from 1922-well into the 1930’s. Women baked pies to sell, members contributed vegetables from gardens. Chickens were donated and other meat was purchased. Workers rode up on a school bus, stayed for 24 hours, then went home when the bus came back with more food and more church members.

*During the 1930’s money was so scarce and giving to the church was so small that the trustees had to borrow money from the bank to meet Conference claimants. Whiteland couldn’t support its pastor alone, so it was combined with Mt. Auburn. In 1935, the note for the loan was burned after being paid off. If special needs arose (ie fuel or some other necessary expense) a meeting was held following the worship hour to raise the money. Men would pledge various amounts.

*Glade ME was closed and sold in 1933 due to the financial difficulties. Some members of the church came to Whiteland .

*First electric organ – a Hammond organ - was purchased in 1940.

*In the 1920’s the Epworth League became defunct. In the early 30’s, youth combined with the Presbyterian Church to have a combined youth meeting on Sunday evening.

I*n the 1920’s, the strongest SS class was the Kum-Join-Us Class. The nucleus was the young married men and women. The class helped to pay for improvements to the church kitchen and parsonage through church suppers.

*Another fund raiser: a penny supper. Dinner held once a month; people from the community came to eat. A good meal could be bought for 15 cents.

*1945-49: Rev. Emory S. Fulling officiated at 70 baptisms, took in 112 new members and had 22 marriages and 32 funerals. His first Easter, 57 new members united with the church.

*During the 1945-49 time period, the Harmony-Builder’s Class was formed. Two strong youth groups were formed.

*In 1947, the first mimeograph machine was bought for the church and a bulletin board was installed in the front of the church.

*In 1948, the church planted and cultivated a soybean crop, which netted the church $1500.00.

*In 1952, the church was appraised at a value of $50,000.00.

*The fellowship hall addition was built and dedicated in 1957. The cost of the addition was $40,000.00.

*In 1957, the church sanctuary was redecorated by the Harmony Builder’s Class. Choir robes were worn for the first time. Two Sunday morning services were held for the first time that September. There were 440 present for the Christmas day service that year!

*A community kindergarten was held in the church in 1958. People paid tuition and it was self-supporting for several years.

*In 1959, because burned matches and straw were found in the janitor’s room, it became necessary to lock the church doors for the first time in its history.

*Nursery started in 1958. First Junior Church held in 1961. Students from Franklin College were in charge of this service.

*In 1972, a new parsonage was purchased for $35,000.00.

*In 1974, a long-range planning committee recommended not to build a new church since the building was structurally sound, but to make extensive repairs on the exterior and to redecorate the interior.

*In 1976, the carpet, pews and new altar furnishings that are in use today were installed. The present organ was also installed.

*Today’s Home-builders Class was started in the late 1950’s. A number of our church members were in that original class.