ACQUIRED BY EXCHANGE . Yearly Meeting House of 1 858 1858 1908 SEMI-CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY Western Yearly Meeting OP Friends Church PLAINFIELD, INDIANA Ninth Month 23.J 1908 PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS PLAINFIELD, - INDIANA DEDIGATOBT. To the memory of those noble men and women, who toiled with unswerving faith and undaunted zeal amid trials and privations, of which, we, their children, have no knowledge, to plant and foster those churches whose growth and activity culminated in the establishment of West ern Yearly Meeting of the Friends Church this volume is lovingly ascribed. INDEX. From the Editors CHAPTER I. Sketch of Quarterly Meetings Introduction 11 Blue River Quarterly Meeting 13 White Lick " " 23 Bloomingdale " " 31 Westfield " " 35 CHAPTER II. Sketch of Quarterly Meetings (Continued) Thorntown Quarterly Meeting 40 Plainfield " " 43 NewLondon " " 47 Vermilion " " 51 Sand Creek " " 54 Fairfield " " 58 CHAPTER III. Sketch of Quarterly Meetings (Continued) Carmel Quarterly Meeting 63 Chicago " " ... 66 WestGrove " " 69 Kokomo " " 71 Pleasant Crove " " 72 Danville " " 76 Conclusion 79 CHAPTER IV. Events Surrounding the Organization of West ern Yearly Meeting 82 II Index CHAPTER V. Social Life Fifty Years and More Ago 105 CHAPTER VI. Development of the Material Interest of the Yearly Meeting 115 Table of Church property 1858 122 " '< " '• 1908 124 CHAPTER VII. Personnell of the Leading Ministers and Mem bers in 1858 128 List of Ministers in 1858 159 CHAPTER VIII. Development and Progress Including the Lead ing Spirits in the Different Departments of Church Work The Meeting for Sufferings 161 The Central Book and Tract Committee 163 The People of Color 165 Indian Civilization 168 Temperance and Suppression of the Liquor Traffic 170 CHAPTER XI. Development and Progress Including the Lead ing Spirits in the Different Departments of Church Work (continued) Evangelistic Department 179 Education and Scripture Schools 185 Foreign Missions 195 Peace 197 Young Peoples' Society of Christian Endeavor. 201 CHAPTER X. Philanthropic Work of the Western Yearly Meeting 203 Index iii CHAPTER XI. Present Resources and Outlook 217 List of Ministers in 1908 221 CHAPTER XII. An Account of the Opening of Western Yearly Meeting. Notes of William Wood 224 CHAPTER XIII. An Account of the Opening of Western Yearly Meeting. Notes of Mary S . Wood 232 CHAPTER XIV. Communications From Charles Lowder, ' 'Then and Now' ' 246 Washington Hadley 250 Stephen Breed 255 Chloe Breed 157 Mrs. Anna Underhill Cox 258 Charles F. Coffin 259 Susannah Osborn 261 James P. Kendall 262 CHAPTER XV. Stenographers' Notes of the Semi-Centenial Meeting of Western Yearly Meeting 264 ERATA. Second foot note page 15, read, "obtained titles" etc. First line of 2nd paragraph from bottom of page 17 read, "In Lick Creek Monthly Meeting there were but two fami lies" etc. Foot note bottom of page 27 read, "McCrackins Creek was known as Plum Creek at that time." Third line from bottom of page 36 read, "1839" in place of 1849. In head lines of Chapter VII. page 128 read, "Members." Eighth line from top of page 168 read, "The school at M aeon, ' ' etc. Twelfth line from bottom of page 205 read, "Milea Pritchard," etc. Fifth line from bottom of page 230 read, "except Phila delphia," etc. Top of page 264 read "Chapter XV." ? FROM THE EDITORS. When the Clerk read the opening minute of the Forty-Ninth Annual Assembly of "Western Yearly Meeting, doubtless the minds of many Friends were di rected to that time in the history of the meeting. This was so impressed on the minds of some that the follow ing was presented to the meeting : ' ' to western yearly meeting assembled : In two more years we shall have reached out Semi centennial period. It is fitting that we should notice the event in some way. Historical data gathered for such an occasion would be of great value. "We there fore propose that a Committee be appointed to furnish plans to celebrate the event and a suggested program to our Yearly Meeting next year. Signed, Lewis E. Stout, Murray S. Kenworthy. Chales 0. Newlin, George H. Moore." This was read and the following were appointed a committee to take the suggestion into consideration and report to the meeting next year. Mary S. Woodard, Nathan Davis, George H. Moore, Abbie Craig, Sylvester Newlin, Dinah T. Henderson, Carrie L. Jones, Milton Hanson, Morris J. Hadley, Amos Carson, Mariah Jessup, Lydia Taylor Painter John A. Ellis, Morton C. Pearson, vi From the Editors Lucy N. Kenworthy, Lewis E. Stout, Ella S. Harold, Charles 0. Newlin, Ruth A. Green, William L. Pyle, Charles E. Newlin. This committee took the matter up at once and or ganized by making Charles O. Newlin of Plainfield, Indiana, Chairman, and Ella S. Harold of Indianapo lis, Secretary. The matter of arrangements was placed in the hands of a sub-committee, consisting of the Chairman and Secretary and Lydia Taylor Painter, Charles E. Newlin, Lewis E. Stout and Milton Hanson. . The committee gave the subject careful considera tion and made this report to the Yearly Meeting in 1307: "The Committee on the subject of properly no ticing the Semi-Centennial Anniversary of the estab lishment of the Yearly Meeting have given the matter careful consideration and are united in judgment that a proper observation of the occasion will be both in teresting and profitable. We suggest that the day next following the close of the business of our next Yearly Meeting be set apart as "Anniversary Day," and that all who participated in any way in the opening of the Yearly Meeting be invited to attend and participate on that occasion regardless of church connection. We propose that there be two sessions, one forenoon and one afternoon, and that ample time be given for social intercourse; that papers on the following subjects be read and time given for comment and reminiscence in connection with them : From the Editors vii 1. Friends Settlements in Western Indiana and Eastern Illinois. 2. Events Surrounding the Organization of Western Yearly Meeting. 3. The Social Life of Friends Fifty Years Ago. 4. Development of the Material Interests of the Yearly Meeting. 5. A Personnel of the Leading Ministers and Members in 1858. 6. Development and Progress, including some of the leading spirits, in the Different Departments of Church Work. 7. The Philanthropic Work of Western Yearly Meeting. 8. Present Resources and Outlook. They further suggested in this report that a com petent Stenographer be employed to record the re marks, and that the papers and proceedings, after proper editing, be published. The report and suggestions were approved by the meeting and the same committee continued to complete the work proposed, and the Yearly Meeting fixed the time for the Anniversary on the day on which the meeting had usually closed, and directed the Program Committee to so arrange the business of the meeting. The Committee in due time secured the services of editors to prepare the aforesaid papers. The first subject was referred to Milton Hanson and Emma Doan Furnas, the second to Townsend Cope and David Hadley, the third to Charles 0. Newlin, the fourth to Lewis E. Stout, the fifth to Lydia Taylor V1U From the Editors Painter, the sixth to Solomon B. Woodard and Lenora N. Hobbs, the seventh to Charles E. Newlin, and the eighth to George H. Moore. All of these accepted their task willingly. They found difficulty in procuring material, but persevered and presented the papers assigned them to the Anni versary meeting. The field was large and fertile, and the items to be collected were numerous and interest ing, so that the volume of the papers was beyond the time of one day of two sessions. Only portions of each paper were read at the public meeting. The attendance on "Anniversary Day" was large. Nine hundred and sixteen persons registered their names. Two hundred and twelve of that number had been present at the first Assembly of the Yearly Meet ing. The social hours were thoroughly enjoyed, especially by the old people. Some communications were received which have been incorporated in the Proceedings with the Stenographic notes, as also the notes taken by William and Mary S. Wood, at the opening of Western Yearly Meeting, (They having been in attendance on that occasion as representatives from New York Yearly Meeting) which were pub lished in the "American Friend" in 1906. They are reproduced here as a graphic description of the open ing of the Yearly Meeting. The publication of the Proceedings was assigned to the same Committee that had previously had the matter in charge. This committee assigned the work to Charles 0. Newlin, Lewis E. Stout and Milton Han- From the Editors ix son, who received all the papers and communicationa and gave them careful attention. As was to be expect ed in so many papers, on subjects so closely related, there were many over-lappings. To avoid repetition it has been necessary to eliminate from some of the pa pers items properly belonging to others. It is possible that some items of interest may have been omitted, and a few have been added. Authors of papers and editors have used their best endeavors to make all statements thoroughly reliable. We feel quite sure that many facts, thoroughly au thenticated, that would show the zeal and simple faith of our fore-parents under their peculiar circumstances in the settling and founding of such Christian commu nities as are within the borders of Western Yearly Meeting, have not come to our hands and are therefore not to be found in this volume. Milton Hanson, Lewis E. Stout, Charles 0. Newlin. Semi-Centenial Anniversary Of Western Yearly Meeting CHAPTER I. FRIENDS' SETTLEMENTS IN WESTERN INDI ANA AND EASTERN ILLINOIS. introduction. With the founding of the "City of Brotherly Love" in "Penn's Great Woods," in 1682, the groWth and dispersion of Quakerism in America became phe nomenal. Almost the first settlers in North Carolina were Friends. A great number migrated from Penn sylvania, Massachusetts, and some other northern states. In some instances meetings in North Carolina were almost wholly made up of these northern Friedas. They were the first to form religious organizations. Many other settlers, becoming "Convinced of the Truth," joined the Society of Friends, and the Caro- linas, and later, Virginia and Tennessee, became im portant Quaker States. The question of the right to hold slaves was a deep concern to those early Friends. In 1754, Phila delphia Yearly Meeting took steps to free itself frbm slavery. In the South, however, the financial interests of the people were more at stake and they were not so ready to sacrifice their gains. Yet there were non- slaveholding Friends in their midst who opposed slav ery, and the "traveling ministers" preached bravely against it, creating a feeling of dissatisfaction and restlessness. 12 Semi-Centenial Anniversary The North- West Territory was looked toward aa a welcome home with the protection of Freedom and educational advantages promised in the Ordinance of 1787. These, together with a fertile soil, induced many to leave the South and soon colonies were formed in Clinton, Warren and adjacent counties in Ohio ; some of the new meetings being almost the old meetings of the South transferred to Northern soil.(*) No doubt some were deterred from making the journey because of the hard travel through the pathless forest, over the rough mountain ways and fording broad streams, trav- •eling by day and camping out at night. Yet many a another made the wearisome journey in the saddle, oft- Signed on behalf of the Committee, Elisha Stubbs, Clerk.' " ¦¦'¦ The -next request appears to have originated in Of Western Yearly Meeting 87 Union Quarterly Meeting, as the following Minutes show. "Union Quarterly Meeting, held 11th month, 6th, 1852: The subject, whether it would not be right to propose to White Lick, Northern, Western and Con cord* Quarterly Meetings the propriety of request ing a new Yearly Meeting somewhere in western In diana for the benefit of western Michigan, western In diana and Illinois: The following Friends were ap pointed to unite with committees from other Quar terly Meetings at Sugar Plains, near Thorntown, on the morning of 12th month, 23rd, 1852. Committee : Hezekiah Collins, Samuel Stafford, Jonathan Wilson, Zenas Carey, Oman Bond, William Pickett, Levi T. Pennington, Margaret Davis, Drusilla Wilson, Sarah Hiatt, Esther Reese, Elizabeth Willets, Maria Mendenhall. Eleventh month, 20th, 1852, White Lick Quar terly Meeting made the following record, viz. : "By a minute and deputation from Union Quar terly Meeting, the subject of requesting the privilege of holding a Yearly Meeting somewhere in the west ern part of Indiana was introduced to this meeting; whereupon the following named Friends were appoint ed to meet with similar committees of such Quarterly Meetings as may appoint, at Sugar Plains Meeting House near Thorntown, on the 23rd day of 12th month next, to take the subject into consideration in (*) Concord Quarterly Meeting was established in 1852. 88 Semi-Centenial Anniversary all its bearings and report to next Quarterly Meeting, i. e.: Robert W. Hodson, Hiram Hadley, Matthew Stan ley, Uriah Carson, James G. Kendall, James Kersey, Shildes Moore, Aiden Ballard, Eleazer Bales, Cyrus Bowles, Eunice Doan, Phebe Mendenhall, Elizabeth Harvey, Mary Hadley, Asenath Carter, Louisa Moore, Ann B. Hadley." Blue River Quarterly Meeting, held in 4th month, 1853, made the following minute, viz.: "At this time a communication from Union Quarterly Meeting, in reference to joining in a request with other Quarterly Meetings on the subject of a new Yearly Meeting to be held somewhere in the western part of Indiana; and, after a free expression of sentiment thereon, and with out in any way wishing to discourage those meetings from the prosecution of their request, this meeting comes to the conclusion that the way does not open to join in said request." Western Quarterly Meeting on Eleventh month, 12th, 1853, appointed the following committee, viz: Solomon Allen, James Woody, Exum Morris, Zimri Lewis, Alfred Hadley, Barnabas C. Hobbs, Lot Lindr ley, Uriah McMillan, Andrew D. Tomlinson, Thomas Morris, Jesse Kemp, Rhoda Hadley, Hannah Maris, Margaret Morris, Eleanor Morris, Sarah Newlin, Rebeor ca Lewis, Peggy Morris, Sarah Walthal, Charity Rees, Hannah Hadley and Lydia Branson. The Committee from Concord: — By the minutes of Concord Quarterly Meeting, held Eleventh month, 27th, 1852, I learn, that a part of the Of Western Yearly Meeting 89 Committee from Union were present, and Concord Quarter appointed the following Committee, viz: Samuel Clark, Nathan Elliott, William Reea, John Jones, John Healton, Enoch Moon, Buddell Sleeper, Sarah Jones, Catharine Elliott, Mary D. Clark, Mary C. Johnson, Mary C. Middleton and Cynthia Ann Moffitt. I believe that Blue River Quarterly Meeting ap pointed a Committee to act with the committees from the other Quarterly Meetings in First month, 1854, because White Lick Quarterly Meeting appointed Ashley Johnson, Eli Newlin, Job Hadley, and Samuel Hadley to present the proposition to Blue River Quar ter, and in Second month they reported that they had performed the service. But I have been wholly unable to get any record from Blue River from Fourth month, 1853, to Seventh month, 1854. The first meeting of the committees of White Lick, Western, Union and Concord was held at Sugar Plains. The Committee reported as follows :— - "At a meeting of the committee appointed by White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quarterly Meet ings, held at Sugar Plains Meeting House on the 23rd and 24th of the Twelfth month, 1852, for the purpose of deliberating on the subject of requesting the priv ilege of holding a Yearly Meeting, somewhere in the western part of Indiana, extracts from the aforesaid Quarterly Meetings were received, by which it appears that Sixty-four (64) members were appointed — Fifty (50) were present. After a time of solid waiting and feeling, as we 90 Semi-Centenial Anniversary trust, the presence of the Great Head of the Church, the meeting entered into a free and deliberate discus sion of the important subject before it ; in the course of which Friends were favored to remark feelingly on the subject: Some difficulties were brought to view, as well as many advantages, that might result to soci ety from the establishment of a new Yearly Meeting; and ultimately it was the judgment of the meeting that it would be right to forward such request to our next Yearly Meeting ; but in consequence of Blue Riv er, Northern and Salem Quarterly Meetings not being represented, the meeting was united in proposing to the seven western Quarterly Meetings that they each continue or appoint a committee to deliberate further on the subject; and that said Committees meet at Sugar Plain Meeting House on the last Sixth day in the Fourth month, 1853, at 9 o'clock in the morning, and Union Quarterly Meeting is directed to forward the foregoing minute to Blue River, Northern and Salem Quarters. Taken from minutes of meeting aforesaid. Matthew Stanley, Clerk." On Second month, 5th, 1853, Union Quarterly Meeting added Margaret Carey and Phebe Macy to their Committee. On Fourth month, 29th, 1853, the committees met again at Sugar Plain, from which we extract the fol lowing minute, viz : "At a meeting of committees appointed by White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quarterly Meet ings, on the subject of a request for a new Yearly Meet- Of Western Yearly Meeting 91 ing, held at Sugar Plain. Fourth month, 29th, 1853, present 48 members. After a time of weighty deliberation and free ex pression of sentiments, on the important subject, the meeting came to the conclusion to propose to our re spective Quarters herein represented to forward a proposition to our ensuing Yearly Meeting for the establishment of a Yearly Meeting of Friends at Sugar Plain in Boone County, Indiana, to be held on Second day following the third First day in the Ninth month, each year ; The meeting of Ministers and Elders on the Seventh day preceding, to be known by the name of Western Yearly Meeting of Friends. Taken from the minutes of the meeting of com mittees aforesaid. Matthew Stanley, Clerk." P. S. — It is desired that each of the above named Quarterly Meetings be informed of the result of this." Eleventh month, 19th, 1853, White Lick appoint ed the following committee to meet with committees from the other Quarters at Sugar Grove Meeting House, Hendricks County, Indiana, on the first Second day in the Fourth month, 1854, at 10 o'clock A. M., to take the subject into consideration, viz: Matthew Stanley, Jeremiah Hadley, Samuel Spray, Joseph Fur nas, Jesse Kersey, Samuel Hadley, Eleazer Bales, Rob ert R. Underhill, Joseph Hunt, Robert W. Hodson, Cyrus Bowles, Hiram Hadley, Jesse Kellum, Eliza W. Hadley, Mary Hadley, Phebe Mendenhall, Rebecca Newby, Ann B. Hadley, Nancy Carter, Ruth Ann 92 Semi-Centenial Anniversary Stanton, Tacy Hadley, Jane Ballard, Mary Lindley, Phebe G. Taylor, Lydia Ferree and Sarah Ballard. Eleventh month, 19th, 1853, the matter was again introduced into Concord Quarterly Meeting and a com mittee appointed as follows, viz: Hudson Middleton, William Rees, James Owen, Jesse George, Benjamin HoUingsworth, Jesse Marshall, John Healton, Enos George, Elijah Mendenhall, Buddell Sleeper, Joseph Emmons, Robert Coats, Samuel Clark, Mary C. John son, Priscilla C. Butler, Mary C. Middleton, Catha rine Elliott, Abigail C. Mendenhall, Jane M. HoUings worth, Ruth Healton, Mary Ann Coppock, Cynthia Ann Moffitt, Deborah WiUiams and Lydia George. In Second month, 1854, Union Quarterly Meeting appointed another Committee to meet with other com mittees at Sugar Grove Meeting House, viz: Asaph Hiatt, Isaac Baldwin, Jonathan Wilson, Thomas Rees, Samuel Stafford, Zenas Carey, Oman Bond, Levi T. Pennington, Cyrus Cook, Robert Johnson, Andrew F. Evans, Margaret Carey, Rachel Stafford, Sarah Hiatt, Harriet Newby, Phebe Macy, Anna M. Penn ington, Esther Rees and Elizabeth Willets. The next meeting of the associated committee was held at Sugar Grove Meeting House. I copy the fol lowing extract from the minutes of that meeting, viz: ' ' Report to the Quarterly Meetings : At a meeting of the Associated Committees of Blue River, White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quarterly Meetings of Friends, held at Sugar Grove, Fourth month, third, 1854, seventy-one Friends present. Copies of minutes have been received from Blue River, Whita Lick, Of Western Yearly Meeting 93 Union, Concord and Salem Quarterly Meetings, show ing the action that has been taken by those meetings respectively on the proposition from Western Quar terly Meeting of Eleventh month last, to request the establishment of a Yearly Meeting, and after a free interchange of sentiment on the various subjects to be considered, the meeting is united in believing that the time has come to go forward with the request that a Yearly Meeting of Friends be established, constituted of Blue River, White Lick, Western, Union and Con cord Quarterly Meetings, and that Plainfield or vicin ity in Hendricks County, Indiana, be the place for it to be held. We are also united in proposing that the Yearly Meeting be held at 11 o'clock on Second day after the third First day in the Ninth month; the meeting of Ministers and Elders to be held on Seventh day pre ceding, at 11 o'clock A. M., and that it be known by the name of Western Yearly Meeting of Friends. Taken from the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting and by direction of the same. Barnabas C. Hobbs, Clerk." The Clerk was directed to furnish each of the Quarterly Meetings represented in the Conference with an extract from the foregoing minute signed on be half of the meeting. Blue River Quarterly Meeting ratified the action of the Committee at its meeting in Seventh month, 1854. White Lick Quarter ratified it on Eighth month, 19th, 1854. 94 Semi-Centenial Anniversary Union Quarterly Meeting agreed to the propo sition at a meeting held Fifth month, 6th, 1854, and Concord did so in the same month. I have not been able to get any record of the action of Western Quarter, but a minute of White Lick Quarter, dated Eighth month, 19th, 1854, states that that meeting had received information that that Quarter had agreed to join in the request. You will also notice that Salem, (*) Northern and Spiceland Quarters have faUen out of the associated conferences. I have no record from those meetings. That the request was forwarded by the five (5) Quarterly Meetings to Indiana Yearly Meeting in 1854 is shown by the following extract from its records for that year. Extract — "By reports from Blue River, White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quarterly Meet ings it appears that those meetings have united in forwarding a request to this meeting for the establish ment of a Yearly Meeting, to be composed of the said Quarterly Meetings and be settled and held at or near Plainfield, Indiana, on the Second day after the third First day in the Ninth month, at 11 o'clock A. M.; the meeting of Ministers and Elders on Seventh day preceding at 11 o'clock A. M., and to be known by the name of Western Yearly Meeting of Friends. Whereupon this meeting, having taken the re quest into consideration, unites in appointing a joint committee of men and women Friends to visit those Quarterly Meetings and deliberate weightily upon (*) Salem Quarterly Meeting, Iowa. Of Western Yearly Meeting 95 their request, and report their judgment thereon as to the propriety of granting it, to our next meeting, viz : George Carter, Robert Furnas, Ephraim Morgan, Thomas Hill, Jacob Elliott, Thomas Arnett, Joseph Doan, George Evans, Thomas M. Sanders, Daniel M. Hutchins, Joseph D. Hoag, Aaron Hill, Asa WiUiams, Naomi Coffin, Harriet Steer, Deborah Pennington, An na Thornberg, Abagail Morris, Mary Miller, Tamer Hill, Sarah Ann Linton, Michel Morgan, Ruth Hen ley, Delilah Stubbs, Eunice Coat, Eliza Doan, Sarah Hadley, Nancy HiU, Miriam H. Hough, Sarah Hale, Susan B. Stroud, Hannah B. Tatum, Lydia Hiatt and Catharine Pearson. By extract from Minutes of Indiana Yearly Meet ing of 1855, 1 find as f oUows, viz : ' ' The Friends appointed last year to visit Blue Riv er, White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quarter ly Meetings, on account of their request for establish ing a Yearly Meeting, now make their report as below : To the Yearly Meeting : We, the committee appointed to visit Blue River, White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quarterly Meetings, etc., have attended thereto, and on confer ring together, and weightily considering the subject, are united in believing that it would be right to grant the request, which we submit to the Yearly Meeting." Signed by a large number of the Committee. The foregoing report having been read and weightily considered by the meeting, has been fully united with as the sense and judgment of this Yearly Meeting. 96 Semi-Centenial Anniversary The time proposed for opening the new Yearly Meeting is the Second day after the third First day in Ninth month, 1858. The committee appointed to prepare essays of Epistles to the other Yearly Meetings is directed to insert a paragraph which will bring the subject before them, and request their judgment thereon. ' ' I copy the following extract from the minutes of Indiana Yearly Meeting of 1857 : Extract. — "This Yearly Meeting having come to the judgment in the year 1855, after much considera tion and care, to set up a new Yearly Meeting of Friends at Plainfield, Indiana, to be called Western Yearly Meeting, and the Yearly Meetings of London, Dublin, New York, New England, Baltimore, North Carolina and Ohio having signified to us their unity and concurrence in this important proceeding, we now appoint the following Friends to attend the opening thereof, at the time fixed upon in Ninth month next, in conjunction with a like committee of Women's Meeting, and report their care therein to next Yearly Meeting." Committee: George Carter, George Evans, Elijah Coffin, Joseph Doan, Joseph D. Hoag, Ja cob EUiott, Ephriam Morgan, Enos Pray, Mary Rob erts of White Water, Amelia Thornberg, Anna Hobbs, Harriett Steer, Sarah Smith, Mary Jessup, Esther G. Dickinson and Ruth Henley. We also appoint Matthew Stanley and Shildes Moore as temporary Correspondents to receive commu- Of Western Yearly Meeting 97 nications for the new Yearly Meeting. Address, Plain- field, Hendricks County, Indiana. Fourth month, 6th, 1856, Blue River Quarterly Meeting appointed the following Friends, to meet with like committees from the other Quarterly Meetings, to select a location and to decide on the specifications for the building, viz: Henry Wilson, Levi Woody, Jehu Trueblood, John Thomas, David Thompson, George Shreeve, Isaac Cox. On Second month, 16th, 1856, White Lick ap pointed for the same purpose : Samuel Starbuck, Na thaniel Carter, Charles Lowder, Hiram Hadley, John Edwards, Evan Hadley, Shildes Moore, Nathan Stan ley, David Mills, James Kersey, Solomon Hunt, and Robert Harvey. I have not been able to secure the names of the committee on location, building, etc., appointed by Western Quarterly Meeting. The committee from Union Quarterly Meeting were: Jonathan Wilson, Joseph Mendenhall, Jesse Homey, Peter Rich, Zenas Carey, Hezekiah CoUins and Isaac Baldwin, appointed Second month, 2nd 1856. Concord appointed on the 26fh day of Second month, 1856, the following Friends on the building and location committee, viz: David Hadley of New London, EU Chandler, Nathan Elliott, Isaac Rich, Hudson Middleton, Joseph Emmons and Enoch Moon. First Report of Committee on Site and Building. Dear Friends : We, the associated committee of Blue River, White 98 Semi-Centenial Anniversary Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quarterly Meet ings, met in conference at Plainfield, on the 19th of Fifth month, and continued our deliberations by ad journments until the afternoon of the 20th. We are united in the selection of a lot for a Yearly Meeting House of twelve acres lying immediately on the National Road south-east and adjacent to the village of Plainfield, and have made purchase of the same sub ject to the approval of the Quarterly Meetings that haye appointed us, and with the condition that a new Yearly Meeting shall be directed to be set up by our next Yearly Meeting, said property to be conveyed to John Thomas, Hiram Hadley, Exum Morris, Jonathan Wilson and Joseph Emmons, or their representatives or successors, as may be directed by the Quarterly Meetings, the deed of conveyance to be made by David Carter for the sum of Fourteen Hundred and Forty Dollars. We have compared our sentiments on the quality and size, etc., of a suitable house, and are united in be lieving that a brick building, 120 feet long and 70 feet wide and one story high, would be a suitable kind and size. We have appointed a sub-committee to make out a plan, specifications and estimates of a house, to be forwarded by them to the Quarterly Meetings. We would recommend that the committees be continued or new ones appointed to proceed with preliminary arrangements lor plan of building and putting it un der contract, and also to propose a ratio of apportion ment and report after our next Yearly Meeting. . On behalf of the Committee, David Thompson, Clerk." Of Western Yearly Meeting 99 Second Report of Committee. "Report of the Associated Committees of Blue Riv er, White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quar terly Meetings. The committee met at Indianapolis, Tenth month, 8th, 24 members present, and continued in session by adjournment until the 9th. After a free interchange of sentiment on various subjects connected with specifications, plan, etc., of a Yearly Meeting House, the committee united upon a building, etc., described as follows, viz : The house to be 120 by 70 feet, exterior measure. The wall to be of brick, except the sub-structure which is to be of stone, 24 feet high. The roof to be plain, about two-thirds of shingles and one-third of tin. The walls to be built as represented in a plan proposed by our architect, with pipes connected with the top of the house for the escape of vitiated air to be at suita ble: places above the tops of the windows. The Elders' Gallery to be in the south side of the house, and to be raised to the height of about four feet, a portion of which in the west end to face east and a like portion of the east to face west. The seating in the north side to commence rising about half way from the foot of the Elders' GaUery to the north side to a graded eleva tion of about the same height, a portion of Which in the west to face east and in the east to face west. The seating in the ends to be elevated as high as that of the sides. Four doors to be in the north side and aisles to correspond with them ; and two doors in each end, one of which to be at the foot of the Elders' Gal- 100 Semi-Centenial Anniversary lery. Six windows in each side of four feet by ten, of glass, and four in each end of the same size, with a smaU one in each gable; the sash to be suspended by puUeys, so as to raise the lower flight and lower the upper one to suit circumstances. The partition to be of wood: four feet at the base to be stationary and seven at the top the same, the balance about thirteen feet divided into five equal sections of about twelve feet each, leaving a few feet at the north side station ary from bottom to top. One cloak room and closet at each end of the house disconnected except by an open shed. The whole estimated to cost about Eleven Thousand Dollars. The Committee, after considering the best means of entering upon and completing the work, came to the conclusion to- appoint Beriah Kenyon, Alfred Hadley, James Kersey, Shildes Moore, Charles Lowder, Isaac Baldwin, Levi Woody and Joseph Emmons a building committee to have drawings and estimates made, put the same under contract, by receiving propositions from responsible persons suitably recommended and furnished with proper securities. The work to be finished by the first day of Sixth month, 1858, and pay ment to be as they may find most satisfactory to secure the mutual interest of the parties: and they are di* rected to make suitable reports of their proceedings from time to time as they may see best. The committee have united upon the foUowing ratio of apportionment, viz : Blue River, Ten per cent. White Lick, Thirty-one per cent. Of Western Yearly Meeting 101 Western, Twenty per cent. Union, Twenty-one per cent. x Concord, Eighteen per cent. The Yearly Meeting having directed the Quar terly Meetings to raise Six Thousand Dollars to aid us in building: the Quarterly Meetings we represent are desired to make up their proportions early and forward to Shildes Moore, receiver. By direction of the committee, 10th month, 9th, 1856. Barnabas C. Hobbs, Clerk." The Third Report of Committee : "The associated committees appointed by Blue River, White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quarterly Meetings to superintend the erection of a Meeting House to accommodate Western Yearly Meeting of Friends, etc., met at a caUed meeting at Plainfield, on Fifth day the first of First month last, and continued their sessions by adjournment until Seventh day the third. This committee, after fully considering the pro priety of making a portion of the roof flat and cover ing it with tin, came to the conclusion that it would be best to make it all of the same pitch and to cover it with good pine shingles. This committee were also of the opinion that it would be best not to erect premanent out buildings at this time, but only to erect temporary sheds and blinds. The building committee produced specifications and working drawings for the house, which were all carefully examined, and after having been slightly 102 Semi-Centenial Anniversary amended were adopted and the house was ordered to be built according thereto. The building committee have icontracted with Amos C. Compton, of Franklin, Johnson County, Indi ana, to find all materials and to erect and enclose the house by the 30th of 11th month next, and to finish aU according to the plan and specifications agreed upon by the first of Sixth month, 1858, for the sum of Eleven Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty- Eight Dollars, in payments as follows: One Thou sand Five Hundred and Twenty-Five Dollars on the first day of Fourth, Seventh and Tenth months next, and the same sums on the first day of the First and Fourth months next year (1858) and the balance, 3,803 dollars, at the time of the completion and giving up of the house clear of all liens and incumbrances whatever to this committee. We have employed Charles Lowder to superintend the work and to see that the contract be faithfuly complied with. The Quarterly Meetings are requested to raise in their several proportions of 4,000.00 dollars and forward in the Fifth month next, or as much sooner as practicable, to Shildes Moore at Plainfield, whom we have appointed treasurer of this committee. We have appointed Samuel Starbuck and Hiram Hadley additional members of the building committee. This committee have caused a Bond for a deed to be taken from David Carter for the twelve acres of land purchased of him for the location of Western Yearly Meeting of Friends. Said deed to be made to Trustees appointed by said Yearly Meeting when it Of Western Yearly Meeting 103 shall have been established and said Trustees ap pointed. The Bond was placed in the hands of Shildes Moore, and he was directed to have it re corded in the Recorder's office of Hendricks County. We have received and paid over to the said David Carter, $400.35, and given him a note bearing interest on Shildes Moore, Treasurer of the committee, for $1,039.65, payable on the 1st of 3rd month next. Signed by direction and on behalf of the Com mittee, 1st month, 10th, 1857. Charles Lowder, Clerk. ' ' Last Report of Committee on Location and Build ing: "The Associated Committee appointed by Blue River, White Lick, Western, Union and Concord Quar terly Meetings, to purchase ground and to superin tend the erection of a house to accommodate Western Yearly Meeting of Friends, etc., report that our last meeting, held at Plainfield, 9th month, 22nd, 1858, we prepared a statement of our proceedings, receipts and expenditures, and laid the same before Western Yearly Meeting. The report was satisfactory to the meeting and was entered upon the minutes. The action of the meeting on the subject contained in the report will be found on the minutes. Signed by direction and on behalf of the com mittee, 9th month, 1858. Charles Lowder, Clerk." The following extract from the Journal of Elijah Coffin, who was Clerk of Indiana Yearly Meeting at the time Western Yearly Meeting was established, 104 Semi-Centenial Anniversary and who was on the Committee to atend its opening, 1858, ninth month, 20th: "On the eighteenth the Yearly Meeting of Min isters and Elders was opened and held to good satis faction. The number in attendance was probably not less than one hundred and sixty. "Two public meetings for worship were held on First day the nineteenth, at ten o 'clock a. m., and three o'clock p. m., both very large; and there being more than the house would hold a meeting outside, largely attended, was held both forenoon and afternoon. The Meeting House is 120 feet long by 70 feet wide and will receive about two thousand persons. "On this day, the twentieth, the Yearly Meeting was formaUy opened at eleven o'clock a. m. The at tendance appeared to fill the house, and the occasion was a very solemn one. A committee from Indiana Yearly Meeting, one from Baltimore, and one from New York and one from Ohio were in attendance. B. C. Hobbs was appointed Clerk for the day and afterwards continued for the Meeting. "Twenty-first. — Meeting continues to good satis faction. A Bible Meeting was held in the evening, probably five or six hundred Friends in attendance. "Twenty-second.; — Large meetings for worship to day. Another Bible Meeting held in the evening, at which an association was organized. "Twenty-third. — After satisfactory meeting to day I returned home in the evening. It is expected the business of the Yearly Meeting will be closed to morrow." Aletha Coffin at her Flax Wheel Of Western Yearly Meeting 105 CHAPTER V. SOCIAL LIFE FIFTY YEARS AND MORE AGO. Fifty years ago the communities comprising West ern Yearly Meeting were in the midst of a transition period in Social and Domestic life, when, within a very few years, the whole tenor of their manners and customs changed. In the early years of these settlements the means of travel and transportation were slow and laborious, rendering each settlement, in a great measure, self-contained and independent. With the exception of what is occupied by Blue River and Sand Creek Quarterly Meetings, all of the territory covered by Western Yearly Meetings was an Indian reservation which was not opened for settle ment until the year 1820. Southern Quakers who were anxious to get away from the immediate in fluence of Slavery rapidly migrated and formed colo nies on this "Free Soil," settling numerous Quaker Communities. As soon as a community was formed a meeting was ' 'set up ' ' and a school opened ; and these colonies became centers of religious, intellectual and social life. All of these were so interwoven with the "home life" in the Quaker theology of that day as to be inseparable. meetings. The meeting for Divine Worship was first in their thought and sociability was a part of their religion. 106 Semi-Centenial Anniversary They were prompt in the attendance of all their meet ings and it was expected that in the few minutes before the meeting "sat" and after its "rise" that each should shake hands with all the others. Any failure on the part of anyone to do this was cause of anx iety on the part of "concerned" friends, and if the neglect was repeated the delinquent party usually received a visit "that the unity might be restored." It must be admitted that there were a few who con tended that these social times, both before and after meeting, were foreign to the purpose of Divine Wor ship and not conducive to the seriousness of the occasion. But a large majority believed in and prac ticed it. By tone of voice and the pressure of the hand these expressed an interest and sympathy which brought those back to the house of worship who had not, at the first, been partakers of that spiritual communion in which they had been engaged. A social element amongst Friends was the attend ance of the Superior Meetings. Frequently a Monthly Meeting was made up of two or more preparatives usually some distance apart and at each session the Monthly Meetings became a time of social intercourse ; while Quarterly Meetings, always composed of two or more Monthly Meetings, were occasions of great socia bility. Frequently the Quarterly Meeting "circu lated," being held at two or more different places at the different sessions throughout the year. In such instances the social relations were greatly enhanced, and were enjoyed by both old and young. The countenance of the sedate minister or elder whose Of Western Yearly Meeting 107 solemn appearance gave dignity to the meeting was wreathed in smiles in the social circle and a hilarity prevailed almost to the point of lightness, and the feeling prevailed as expressed by a minister during one of the early sessions of this Yearly Meeting when he said, "It is no harm for the lambs to play when no wolves are about." The young people looked forward to Quarterly Meeting with anticipation of a good social time. And a prominent minister of those earlier years of the Yearly Meeting advocated both publicly and privately, as a reason for Quarterly Meetings being circulated, "that it afforded a better opportunity for the young people to become acquainted and there would be fewer marriages out." The social feature of the superior meetings was carried to a few sessions of the Yearly Meeting, but the great change in "home life" soon made it imprac ticable, if not impossible. DOMESTIC. In the early years of these communities, the do mestic life was one of incessant toil for all the house hold. The home was to be built. In the greater part of the territory heavy timber was to be cleared away, and in the prairie country the heavy sod was to be broken, requiring much hard labor before the fields were ready for cultivation. The food and the material for clothing were to be produced from the soil, and manufactured into clothing in the home. Cotton (in the southern part) and flax and wool were the ma- 108 Semi-Centenial Anniversary terials for clothing, and the "cotton gin," the "flax- break" and "scutching board" and the "Hatchel" or "Hackel" as it was familiarly called, the spinning wheel and the loom were household necessities, and one or more pairs of "cards" for making "rolls" for spinning of the cotton and the wool were in many homes. The carding mill was introduced early, being usu ally driven by cattle on a " tread wheel. ' ' And to the carding in the miU was added the apparatus for fulling the cloth and pressing the flannel, to make the finer grades of clothing. By the usual division of labor the men and boys did the heavier work of clearing the fields, cultivating the crops, gathering and caring for the grain. The wheat was beaten out with a flail or tramped out with horses, the latter being the more common way; and this consisted in spreading the sheaves of wheat un bound on a treading floor, in a barn or out on the hard dry ground, in a circle where horses were made to walk around on it while two men, one inside the circle and one outside, stirred the straw with pitchforks until the grain and straw were separated. The separation of the grain and chaff being an after process that required much time and labor. The flax when grown was pulled from the ground, bound in small bundles, and after a time of exposure to the weather which they called "rotting," it was pounded in the flax-break and beaten over the scutch ing board to separate the woody part from the fiber, Of Western Yearly Meeting 109 when it was twisted into "hanks" and turned over to the women to "hackle" and spin. I am informed that the women and girls did much of the picking of the cotton and of "ginning" it. But no lines of labor were exclusive, as there were many men who did indoor work in eases of emergency, and many women who helped outdoors. Perhaps the most irksome and laborious work as signed to the women was the spinning, when thread by thread the material for clothing the family was being prepared, and during most of the year "The wheel hummed doleful through the day. ' ' It required much skiU to make the thread uniform, both as to size and hardness of the twist, and to spin well was an ac complishment for any girl. In spinning the flax a flax wheel was used where the operator was seated and used both hands to form the thread and propelled by the feet. In spinning the wool a larger wheel was used and the operator paced back and forth across the large living room of those times, giving her wheel a deft turn as each thread was completed to the distance it could be drawn in the room, thus pacing back and forth, walking backward as the thread was drawn and forward as it was wound up, from early morn until night. There were but few books, and fewer newspapers, to occupy the time so the stress of this arduous toil was broken by visiting. Three or four miles away was close enough to "neighbor" as the exchange of household necessities and the exchange of visits was called. With no smooth roads and no buggies or car- 1 1 0 Semi-Centenial Anniversary riages, the conveyance to meeting or to make a visit was on foot or on horse-back. For the family, when the children were small, and all were to go, the mother mounted on the "side saddle" on the gentle family horse and took the baby in her arms and sometimes one other child behind, while the father took one be fore him and one or more behind as the case required. The "society" young man of that time trained his horse to carry double, and being provided with saddle and pillion was prepared to take his choice girl on behind him. And many a bride and groom went to the Monthly Meeting to "hand in their intentions of marriage" and to "pass meeting" in this way although the young women of that time were not without eques trian training. Another item worthy of mention, is the culinary utensils and the menu for these social occasions, as there were no bakeries or groceries where edibles could be had ready for use. The "salt rising loaf" and the ' ' corn pone ' ' were to be made and baked in the Dutch oven or in the skillet by the oldfashioned "fire-place," which, in well-to-do homes, was provided with "crane" and "trammel" for hanging the kettles over the great log fire. The skillet and the Dutch oven were sup plied with legs to stand over a bed of live coals on the hearth, and were covered with a heavy iron lid with a rim to hold more coals on top. The coals were re newed as they became cool and fresh ones supplied until the baking was done, a corn pone requiring about three hours to bake properly. Pies were a favorite dessert and the "pot" or "chicken pie" esteemed most Of Western Yearly Meeting 1 1 1 of all. Well-to-do homes were provided with a ' ' dirt- oven" (some few had them made of brick) for the weekly baking. Meats, both wild and domestic, were abundant. Amid such busy lives it was natural that their more public festivities and recreations should be on athletic lines and the utilitarian ideas made play of their work; and the "house-raising," the "log-roll ing," the "corn-husking" and the "wool-picking" became social functions of those times, and one not in vited considered himself or herself slighted as much as those of a "set" now feel the slight of being left out, Then there were other social times; the "apple cut tings," and the more intellectual Spelling School, Ge ography School, etc., when refreshments were not usu- aUy served. But at any of those first named the din ner or supper was a feast to which all the rarities and delicacies of the neighborhood were contributed. The women and girls were at the "raisings" and "log-roll ings, ' ' ostensibly to prepare the meal and incidentally to enjoy it ; while the men and boys went to the "wool- picking" ostensibly to take the women and girls home and incidentally to enjoy the supper. The zest of the "log-rollings," "house-raisings" and of the "corn- huskings" was inspired by a spirit of rivalry almost equal to a baU game of today. Each occasion named deserves some special mention. THE RAISING. The first cabins were of light round poles that one or two men could handle, but the more pretentious log 1 1 2 Semi-Centenial Anniversary house required more. The logs were much heavier and it required the united effort of several men to erect them. So when the logs were on the ground and ready the company were invited. Four young men who were able to ' ' carry up a corner ' ' were in demand and this was not without an amount of honor connected with it. Considerable skill was required in flatting the log al ready placed on each side at the ends so as to make a right angle with the vortex directly up, making what they caUed a "saddle," and then so notching the log above as to fit the saddle firmly and to carry up the corner exactly perpendicular. He who excelled was justly proud of his job. The rest of the company aside from the "corner men" were usually headed by two captains who made first choice by some form of "lot" and then choosing alternately until all were chosen. Each company took two sides of the building and the rivalry was to place their log first. LOG ROLLING. The Log Rolling was one of the most common forms of social gatherings in the timbered part of the country. It was long talked of and prepared for. A piece of ground was first selected as "a clearing;" the trees were cut down and after those that would readily split were prepared for rails, fires were made on the remaining trunks at suitable intervals to make logs that could be readily handled. These fires were kept burning until the trunks were burned off at each place, a process they called ' ' niggering. ' ' In the mean time the brush had been burned and the clearing was Of Western Yearly Meeting 1 1 3 ready to "roll" which consisted in placing the logs in heaps ready for burning. After the company had gathered captains were chosen, the division of the com pany made as at the ' ' raising, ' ' the clearing was divid ed as nearly even as possible and with much sparring and jesting a general good time was enjoyed with the heavy work on hand. WOOL PICKING. Perhaps the most enjoyable social occasion of those times among the women was the Wool Picking. I have not heard of any rivalry. But when the wool had been washed to free it from dirt it was ready for picking. The company gathered around the pile of wool in the fleece on the floor of the large ' ' best room, ' ' each one being supplied with scissors (usually suspend ed from their apron strings to be handy) when busy fingers and busy tongues began work together. The "picking" consisted of taking a handful of wool from the fleece, deftly clipping out all burs, with as Uttle loss of wool as possible, and then pulling it aU apart, letting all litter fall out and rendering it fluffy and free from all matted places, making it ready for carding. CORN HUSKING. The Corn Husking was a time of great sociability and was engaged in by both men and women. In this case the ears of corn had been "snapped" from the stalk and piled in some convenient place in two equal piles and the company divided, the rivalry was to get their pile done first. The corn husking was usual- 1 1 4 Semi-Centenial Anniversary ly by moonlight or torch light. There were always things incidental to corn huskings to make an interest ing time for the young men and women, aside from the time of play that followed; "When youth contended and old age observed." The plays were af an active character, but dancing or anything bordering on sug gestive immorality was not engaged in. The Apple Cutting was another social gathering when a few bushels of apples were gathered and a com pany invited to ' ' pare ' ' and core them for drying. Always on all these occasions the work in hand was finished first, and afterward the social time. Of the more intellectual social occasions perhaps the most universal was the Spelling School. These were confined to the long winter evenings. All were invited and they generally met in the school house. There were many forms of rivalry in these. Sometimes spelling for sides; sometimes spelling for "head;" and spelling to see who could keep on the floor longest, when each took his seat on missing a word. The Literary Society, and in some places the Ge ography School, in which the rudiments of geography were chanted in chorus, were times of pleasure and profit. Those were times of hard work and simple recrea tions, yet there are those living today who can testify to the genuine happiness of those simple homes, and 'Tis for you to judge How wide the limit stands, Between a splendid And a happy land. Of Western Yearly Meeting CHAPTER VI. DEVELOPMENT OF THE MATERIAL INTER EST OF THE YEARLY MEETING. The observation has frequently been made that Quaker emigrants selected the best land available. It is true at least that the Friends of the five Quarterly Meetings that formed Western Yearly Meeting were located, with little exception, in choice sections of In diana and Eastern Illinois. Friends' settlements were located in sixteen counties in Indiana and two in Illinois. Blue River, the oldest Quarterly Meeting, was made up of Friends in Orange, Washington, Jackson, Bartholomew and Jennings counties. The land in this section varied from the hilly, heavily-timbered lands and rich valleys of red soil of Orange and Washing ton to the rich sandy loam along Driftwood stream in Bartholomew and Jackson. White Lick, the largest of the five Quarterly Meet ings, was located in Morgan, Hendricks and Marion counties, near the central part of the state, and where the surface is gently rolling and the soil a rich, sugar- tree loam. Union Quarter was almost entirely located in Hamilton county, one of the best counties in the state, 1 1 6 Semi-Centenial Anniversary with every part of it adapted to either live stock or grain. The limits of Concord Quarter were to the north and west of those of Union, and it was composed of meetings in Boone, Montgomery and Howard counties. The soil here was a black, sandy loam and yeUow clay, with gravelly subsoil. It cost much to drain it, but when drained it was as choice as any section of the state. Western Quarter was made up of meetings in Parke and Vermillion counties, Indiana, and Vermil lion and Crawford counties, Illinois, centering at Bloomingdale, Indiana. These parts, with the excep tion of Blue River, were settled as early as any section of our limits. The large, valuable timber in these coun ties, with their proximity to the Wabash river, and their rich beds of coal, make this probably the best section occupied by members of our Yearly Meeting fifty years ago. In these several sections of country, at the time the Yearly Meeting was organized, land was worth from fifteen to thirty-five dollars per acre. This price has been greatly increased by clearing of timber, un derdrawing, erecting more substantial fences and buildings, and other means, which have improved the fertility of the soil and increased the desirability for homes, until now it is valued at from $60 to $150 per acre, an increase of 400 per cent, in fifty years. In the work of organizing new Quarterly Meet ings, and increasing in number from five to sixteen, churches were planted in eight new counties in Indi- John Thomas Jesse White Seth W. Pearson Charles Lowder Of Western Yeariy Meeting 117 ana and six in Illinoifi. White Lick Quarter pushed ite work into Putnam county ; Union into Madison and Clinton; Concord into Laporfe and Pulaski ; and West ern into Fountain, Vigo and SuUivan in Indiana and Iroquois, Clark, Cook, Edgar, Champaign and Cum berland counties in Illinois. In all this new territory the material progress has been marked and steady. The accompanying companion tables indicate thai among the church edifices in 1858 there were several log buildings. These have all given way to commodi ous frame, brick or Stone buildings. Fifty years ago the 54 churches owned 139 acres of real estate ; now the 112 churches own 401 acres. The value of thld real estate and church buildings in 1858 is estimated at $60,600.00. The total valuation of the church prop erty of the 112 churches now is estimated to be $465,900.00. The tables show the three items named above for each individual church fifty years ago and also fotf the circle of churches in the Yearly Meeting today. The proposition to organize a new Yearly Meeting was first made in Western Quarter, held at Blooming dale, in the Eleventh month, 1849, nine years before its final consummation. The associated committee %f the five Quarterly Meetings reported to the first Yearly Meeting that they had purchased twelve acres bi ground from David Carter for a Yearly Meeting site, and had erected a meeting house and put in such othe^ improvements as in their judgment seemed to be neefcs- sary. They had money in tie treasury to meet the whole expense^ having received $4,290.00 from thfe 118 Semi-Centenial Anniversary twelve Quarterly Meetings of Indiana Yearly Meeting, and $10,539.09 from the five Quarterly Meetings of Western, and $76.00 in donations. The original cost of the twelve acres of land was $1,451.95, and the total cost of the Yearly Meeting house was $11,035.04. $319.43 were spent in fencing the plat; $142.81 for erecting out buildings; $47.00 for lightning rods; $50.00 for two weUs ; $87.75 for hitching racks ; and $157.30 for carpets, tables and stoves. . The relative financial strength of the five Quar terly Meetings at that time is indicated by the fact that White Lick paid 31 per cent., Blue River 14 per cent., Western 18 per cent., Union 19 per cent., and Concord 18 per cent. Among the eleven new Quarter ly Meetings, VermiUion and Plainfield have surpassed each of the original five in financial strength. While the improvements reported by the commit tee were very satisfactory so far as they went, it was evident that much more needed to be done. There was not a shade tree on the ground when the first Yearly Meeting met, though the forest had not yet been cleared on the south and east of the plat. A society called "An Association of Young Friends for the Im provement of the Yearly Meeting Grounds" was organ ized, which worked independent of official Yearly Meet ing action. The Secretary of the Association was Seth Pearson, and the Treasurer was Milton Stanley. The membership probably reached two hundred or more, but the work was directed by a committee chosen from the vicinity of Plainfield. Solomon Blair was the chief landscape engineer, and other leading mem- Lick Branch MeeLing House Push Creek Meeting House Of Western Yearly Meeting 119 bers were Dr. Thomas Harvey, Elias Jessup, Pamelia Coggshell, and Abbie Henley. The trees used in beauti fying the grounds were obtained from various nur series, and included some rare specimens, as Norway and English maple and most varieties native to Indi ana. Jesse White furnished the trees from his own nursery for the south yard and set them out himself. This Association continued for five years. It is thought that Milton Stanley of Plainfield and Hannah C: Lawrence of Indianapolis are the only surviving mem bers at this time. OriginaUy a graded and graveled drive and walk led from both the northwest and northeast corners of the Yearly Meeting grounds. Guard posts were set, reserving the north yard between the two drives and prohibiting horses and vehicles from that part. A large shed was erected just south and a little west of the meeting house for out-door meetings, which was caUed by the the young people "Fort Hudson," from the name of the architect and builder, Hudson Mid dleton. Later the entrance for vehicles was changed to the west side and the guard posts changed, shut ting off the horses from a space double its former size. This plat of ground was rated in 1858 at $120.00 per acre. It is now valued at $1,000.00 per acre. A commodious brick dwelling house has been erected on the northeast corner of the grounds, known as the "Book and Tract Depository Building," and valued at $2,000.00. The Yearly Meeting house was given extensive. repairs in 1899, at a cost of about $4,000.00. The seating was originally of benches of yellow pop- 120 Semi-Centenial Anniversary lar, wMch, though durable, were hard and uireom- iortable. Benches of modern pattern have been sub stituted for these, the old ones being still in Bervide for the tent and in different churches which purchased them at a nominal price. By reference to the accompanying tables one may Bee the material development and financial standing of any and all churches in the Yearly Meeting. (For table see page 122) The story of the original appearance and de velopment of the Yearly Meeting property has been very clearly set forth in verse as fo,]nv% Written by Chas. O. Newlin, of Plainfield: v,.v^ THE YEARLY MEETING HOUSE. When the Yearly Meeting first assembled, In eighteen fifty-eight, The house made ready for ft Was strictly up-to-date. On a twelve acre campus, Near the center of the plat, With neither tree or shrub to hide it, In stateliness it sat. Soon frees were planted around it, And Nature's handiwork Transformed that sunny campus Into a eool and shady park. That house, well bnilt, stiU stands toSay, - With foundation firm and solid trafl, First Friends Church, Indianapolis A Of Western Yearly Meeting 121 A fitting emblem of the. way? Our fathers, did things great or smaU. In the lapse of time not much defaced, Not much damaged by decay, Twice the roof has been replaced — Other changes made to suit their day. The meeting room has been made smaller, The local church has rooms apart, The windows were lowered — it made them tallec-* The doors not placed as at the start. ..... Now no separata seats for men and women «§«=' With sUding partition in between, it But the sexes choose from seats in common When the meetings now convene. ~* T The long, straight bench — the first seat osed-* Has been replaced by a more modern pew, For the ' ' GaUery, ' ' where the elders sat and mused, There is platform now and pulpit too. The "Silent Meeting" has ceased to be— A pastor now takes the leading part — • Yet God expects of you and me The homage of a contrite heart. The "Eternal Truth" remains the same, And Jesus Christ is "aU in aU;" StiU we come to God in Jesus' name, And by His grace we stand or faU. 122 Semi-Centeiiial Anniversary Description op Church Property in Western Yearly Meeting and its Value in 1858. blue river quarter. Name of Style or Amount or Value of Meeting Abchitbctueb Real Estate Chubch Pbopebtt Blue River Frame 4 acres $1200 00 Lick Creek Frame 6 acres 1600 00 Driftwood Frame 1 acre 1300 00 Sand Creek Frame 3-J acres 1400 00 •HOpewell Log i acre 300 00 Beechgrove. : : Frame li acres 1000 00 Newberry Frame 1 acre 1200 00 1 ' WHITE LICK QUARTER. White Lick Brick 2 acres 2000 00 Bethel ' Frame 2 acres 1100 00 North Branch Frame 3 acres 1000 00 Beech Grove Frame 2 acres 1000 00 Easton Frame 3 acres 1209 00 Fairfield Frame 4 acres 1500 00 "West Branch Frame 1 acre 700 00 Spring Frame 2 acres 800 00 Mill Creek Frame 4i acres 1000 00 West Union Frame 6 acres 1500 00 Highland Frame 2J acres 1000 00 West Grove Frame li acres 800 00 Plainfield Frame i acre 900 00 Indianapolis Frame 1-10 acre 10000 00 Sugar Grove Frame 3 acres 2500 00 Bridgeport Frame li acres 1800 00 WESTERN QUARTER Bloomfield Frame 2 acres 850 00 Rockyrun Frame 2 acres 550 00 Union Frame 1 acre 500 00 Rush Creek Frame 2 acres 600 00 Poplar Grove Log 1 acre 250 00 New Loadon Meeting House Of Western Yearly Meeting 123 Vermilion Frame 6 acres 1000 00 Elwood Frame 4 acres 800 00 Hopewell Frame 4 acres 800 00 Pilot Grove Frame 5 acres 850 00 Pleasant Grove Frame 1 acre 600 00 UNION QUARTER. Hinkle Creek Frame li acres 1000 00 West Grove Frame 2 acres 1100 00 Sugar Grove Frame i acre 800 00 Richland Frame 3 acres 1600 00 Poplar Ridge Log 5 acres 1200 00 East Branch Frame li acres 1000 00 Oak Ridge Frame 1 acre 900 00 Westfield Frame li acres 1800 00 Chester Frame 1 acre 1000 00 Pleasant View Frame i acre 900 00 CONCORD QUARTER Sugar River Frame 5 acres 700 00 Center Log 5 acres 400 00 Gravely Run Log 1 acre 250 00 Flint Creek Frame 12 acres 1000 00 Poplar Grove Frame 1 acre 700 00 Pleasant Hill Log 3 acres 300 00 Honey Creek Frame 5 acres 800 00 Lynn Frame 2i acres 500 00 Reserve Log 2 acres 300 00 New Salem Log 1 acre 300 00 New Hope Frame 1 acre 450 00 124 Semi-Centenial Anniversary Description op Church Property in Western Yearly Meeting and its Value in 1908. blue river quarter i*AMB or Style or AMOUNT OF Vi ilub or Meeting ABCHITBCTUBH Kbal Estate Chubch Fbopebtt Blue River Frame 4 acres 3000 00 Paoli Frame 1 acre 6000 00 Xitck Creek Frame 6 acres 2500 00 Newberry Frame 1% acres 1500 00 Beech Grove Frame 1% acres 1500.00 Lost River Frame 1 acre 1200 00 Hills Chapel 1 acre 150 00 WHITE LICK QUARTER .Mooresville Brick 7 acres 11200 00 .Bethel Frame 2 acres 1600 00 .Fairview Frame 1 acre 1000 00 West Union Frame 6% acres 3200 00 ^Highland Frame 2 % acres 1500 00 Hazelwood Frame 1 % acres 2000 00 .North Branch Frame 3 acres 1800 00 BLOOMINGDALE QUARTER Bloomingdale Frame 9 acres 6000 00