or
In:
N.W. 1/4 of the N.E. 1/4 of Section 14, T.28 N., R. 1 E., 2nd
Cemetery
is on a circular knoll; in a partly wooded, partially cultivated field & 300
yards N. of a lonely looking, unpainted barn, land now owned by Walter Walker
[formerly owned by Mr. J. Kantis] once stood a frame church known as the
HARRISON TOWNSHIP UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. Seven or more persons were buried on the
church-grounds [some if not all of them] before the Civil War. The adjoining
farm [about 20 acres] was sold to Richard Winn Jr. on 4-13-1867 by Charles
Troutman with the exception of the cemetery plot.
In 1854, a Universalist Pastor,
surname is remembered as “KIDDER” [but who might possibly be the well-known
Rev. Jonathan Kidwell of the Richmond, IN vicinity aided by the religiously
active physician [Dr. Joseph Edwards] organized the Universalist Society among
the early settlers of Cass Co. Meetings were held in the homes of members until
1857 when a small frame church was built, on a small plot of ground measuring 99
ft. E-W & 66 ft. N-S which was purchased on July 29, 1857 from William N.
& Elizabeth Little of Cincinnati, OH for $5.00.
The Little’s themselves were said to be Universalists & had
purchased 20 acres from Abraham
Tucker on Aug., 18, 1854 [D.R.M., pg.397]. See D.R.Q., Pg.88, Cass Co. Rec’d.
Off., County Courthouse, Logansport, Cass Co., IN. Other active members included
Mr. & Mrs. William P. Powell; another is believed to have been a Hicksite
Quaker [Friend] & Mr. & Mrs. Hendrickson. Before 1870 the congregation
dwindled so that with strained financial resources & a new church edifice
having built in & dedicated to the service of God [1866] in nearby
In 1878 the little
The original church grounds had about four marble tombstones which
remained for a number of decades but in 1907, the late Dr. J. Z .Powell examined
the little church cemetery & found that all of those had become broken &
undecipherable except for one.
Fieldwork was done on this cemetery July 22, 1941 by two members [C.H.
Billman & Robert B. Whitsett Jr. L’A.V.M.A.that is in
Inquiries
were also made of several residents of this vicinity including “Mr. Floyd
Burton,” a native of this area who clearly recalls at least one noteworthy
monument here as a boy but has no knowledge of its whereabouts now. Therefore we
can only produce [the not very satisfying results] of the late historian Dr. J.Z.
Powell & what our research has disclosed on the history of this little
church & its members.
Burials
Hendrickson
1834 – 1859 aged 25 yrs. s/o
Henrickson. (perhaps Joseph & Mary)
3
undecipherable
3
unmarked graves found by Powell in 1907.
Editorial
Comments extracted from R.B.W., Jr.’s notes 1941
R.B.W.J. says “In my research I found this church was dedicated on
Sunday, December 19,1858 ” {Logansport Journal Herald of Dec.18, 1848.]
In 1941
a few Hendrickson’s were still living just a few miles north of this cemetery
in Pulaski Co., in S.W. Fulton County & west of the town of Grass Creek.
Deed Records for 12/14/1854 show “Mr. Geo. D. &
Among
the members of the
The Dr.
Edwards mentioned previously is said to have come from Cincinatti, OH & was
well-educated for a physician of his day & had quite a good practice at his
home [or office] which was about 1 mile N. of Lease’s Corner or 2 mile N.E. of
Lucerne [long known as Altoner.] He was married & raised an adopted daughter
but in about 1860 went west & was lost to local historians. The late Dr.
Geo. Millers “ Biographical Sketches of Deceased Cass County Physicians, makes
no mention of him. Nor is he mentioned in Dr. Powell’s [somewhat
comprehensive] chapter on [Medicine & Doctors] in his “History of Cass
County, Indiana” He seems to have been a quite active northern Cass County
Physician in the 1850’s decade. Deed Record:
J.P. 190 shows Joseph Edwards purchased N1/2, Sec.11 of this Harrison
Twp., 7-3-1850. This is only 1/4 mile N. or NE of this cemetery.
Research
of Charter membership list of the Universalist Church at nearby Logansport
discloses the names of Joseph & his wife, Hannah Edwards, who may have been
the same as Dr. & Mrs. Edwards who were active in founding the Universalist
Society. The 1854 Harrison Twp. Research further discloses that after having
sold their [80 acre farm N 1/2, S.E. Sec.11] to Sheldon Black on 1-10-1862,
Joseph & Hannah G. Edwards went to Springfield, Sangamon------[last line is
cut off from the side of the page so undecipherable.]
L’ANGUILLE
VALLEY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
This report was transcribed by Pat
Fiscel for the Cass County INGenWeb Project, February 2007.
Return to Cemeteries of
Cass County Indiana