Methodist Church - 109 N. Main

The present building at 511 North School Street was opened in 1955 up until that time the church was on the southwest corner of Washington and Main street at 109 N. Main. Methodist history to 1955

The first minister assigned to Culver was Rev. Carson in 1852.

It is said that there is evidence of purchase of land for a parsonage was in 1856.

In 1862 it is said that Moses Wood was pastor for Marmont

The Marmont Congregation is heard of as active in the year 1863, but may have had its inception at an earlier time.

In 1867, the people of the Marmont community were mostly Methodists and Baptists, worshiping alternately in the old school house.

A movement was started in the winter of 1867-8 to erect an M. E. church. Religious services were held, at more or less reg ular intervals, in the school house, and there was a Methodist organization and a resident pastor - Rev. B. H. Beall

The first church building was built in 1868. It was a wooden frame structure located in the village of Marmont on the southwest Corner of Main and Washington Streets. The lot on which the building was erected was purchased for $50.

Among these is Ezra Hibray of Maxinkuckee, who recalled in 1934/5: "that the church at Marmont was originally of frame construction, and was painted white. "The lumber for the church," he adds, "was bought right down in the hollow here, at Maxinkuckee, and was rafted across the lake." That lumber was milled at Fizzletown, or what is now called Maxinkuckee. There used to be two saw-mills here."

In the furnishing of material, one tree, a large poplar, furnished by Edward Medbourn ("Uncle Teddy," as he was called) supplied all of the necessary siding. It was a large tree, purchased by Bro. Medbourn of Jeremiah Mosher for $30, and the trunk was cut into sawlogs. It was converted into lumber at Berlin's sawmill, northeast of the lake. The snow was so deep that winter that falling in the tree was buried in the snow. The siding for this building was cut from this single poplar tree in Maxinkuckee and rafted across the lake. It is a tradition in the Medbourn family that the siding of the original Methodist Church edifice in Marmont was all made out of one poplar tree, which came from the Thomas Medbourn property.

Other members of the building project were: John Buswell, William Dinsmore, James Duddleson, Oliver Porter, Thomas Redden, James Houghton and Lorenzo Wizeman. Lorenzo WIseman built the church pews.

So it was that the Methodist services were first held in the school house in the Marmont community. Then, for many years the wooden church structure served the congregation faithfully and well as a meeting house

Early leaders of this church body were Dr. Lorenzo Wiseman and song leader John Buswell.

In 1886 it is said that J. W. Loder was pastor at Marmont

Culver Methodism grew until the original structure was inadequate for the congregation's needs.

In 1898 the church membership rolls stood at 61.

Finally, the need of a more commodious and pretentious edifice was felt, and, accordingly, the present brick building of the Methodist Episcopal denomination was erected in the year 1898, at a cost of five thousand dollars, on the original church site at the southwest corner of Main and Washington Streets.

A remodeled and enlarged edifice was dedicated in 1899. The church was turned on its base. A basement and additions on both the east and the west side were added. The entire works received a brick veneer and a clock/bell tower was added. Rev. Fraley was pastor of the church during this period.

Names of the community added to the membership were: Benedict, Bigley, Crumley, Ferrier, Flagg, Henderson, Lendley, Keen, McLane, Norris, Osborn, Overmyer, Schilling, Speyer, and Warner

1903 - Nov. 12 - Eli Spencer put a new cement walk in front of the Methodist church this week...

By 1904 this number had climbed to near 100.

In 1905 the church was composed of about one hundred members and had a flourishing Sunday School, with an average attendance of seventy-five pupils. The Epworth League and the Junior League had about forty members apiece. The Ladies' Aid Society, "fund raisers" for the church, then was headed by Mrs. CALLIE MEDBOURN as president. Mrs. O. A. REA, wife of the doctor, was secretary, and Mrs. WILLIAM PORTER, treasurer. Rev. WAYNE NICELY, a recent appointee of the Northwest Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a graduate of DePauw University, was the pastor (1905-1907). Reverend NICELY had succeeded Rev. GEORGE RANSOM STREETER as resident pastor. Reverend STREETER went to Wheeler. Ind., in 1905. FRANK C. BAKER was superintendent of the Sunday School and president of the Epworth League.

1907 - Apr 25 - The improvments scheduled for the Methodist church include the painting of the outside of the building.

1909 - Oct 14 - Church Improvements - Work on the remodeling of the Methodist church basement will be under taken at once. The plan is to convert the basement into a suite comprising a recption roon, dining room and kitchen. The floors will be concreted, the walls plastered and the ceilings covered with pressed steel. The work will be done under the auspices of the Ladies' Aid society.

The Culver Citizen issue of 11 Nov. 1909 proclaimed - That the relic of prehistoric times, the wooden sidewalk along the north side of the Methodist church, was yanked out and a cement walk is taking its place.

1911 - Feb 9 - New Lighting Plant - The Methodist church has given a contract to A. M. ROberts to install an acetelyne gas plant of 26 lights - 16 upstairs and 10 below. The present gasoline plant is worn out. The improvement will cost $255.



Note the original placing of the stairs almost in front of the church verses the photos below that by 1912 or soon after this phot was taken the steps were at an angle from the church to come down to the corner of Main and Washington. One can see a building in back of the church also where the library parking lot is today and to the left is a building or building. Below is a 1912 era post card showing the changes in stairway structure. could this be a picture of the re-construction period for this stairway?

Classes received charters. The first of these was the Wide Awake class taught by Mrs. Osborn; other classes of men and women followed. The charter for the first Men's Class was granted in 1914.

Methodist Congregation Fitting Observe Fiftieth Anniversary of Organization
Sunday was a great day for Culver Methodism. If celebrated a twofold achievement-the anniversary of a 50 year existence as an organized local church and the raising of a fund of $1,200 for the liquidation of the old $560 church debt and the installation of a new furnace and leaving a surplus of $150 or more for future needs. The money was secured from the members of the church and congregation.

The Sunday program started off with a fine presentation of a Children's day cantata by the Sunday school. This was followed by a sermon by Dr. H. L. Davis of the First M. E. church of South Bend. Dr. Davis spoke to a f ull house on the theme of the church's mission and accomplishments, partic ularly in its relation to the war. He regards the church as the greatest agency in the winning of the war and In the establishment of a permanent peace. While he believes in peace and in the principle of arbitration for the settlement of International differences he is no pacifist, and he bluntly declared that a "damnable country that says you can only sail upon such waters as we dictate and use only such ships as we approve should be sent back into the hell from which it sprang".

At the close of the service the congregation was conveyed in automobiles to Thayer's grove at the south end of the lake where a great picnic dinner was served on two long tables. It is estimated that between 250 and 300 were present. An interesting program filled in the remainder of the afternoon. Addresses were made by Revs. H. L. Davis of Leiters Ford, and Clouse of Culver . Mrs. Slonaker recited several selections. The most important feature of the afternoon was assigned to Dr. Wiseman who read a caref ul and intelligently prepared paper on the history of the Culver church. We append this paper and suggest that it be filed away by every reader of the Citizen - Culver Citizen June 26, 1918

Dr. Wiseman's Address: The groves were God's first temples, and we meet today in this lovely temple to celebrate the planting of one of the not insignificant milestones in the onward march of Methodism in Indiana.

Maca ulay said, more than half a century ago, "A people which takes no pride in the achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything to be remembered by remote descendants."

Among the beautiful customs that have come down to us from the past few are more pleasing or valuable than the celebrations with which we mark the epochs in our lives, or in the lives of our great institutions. We enjoy these events in their anticipation and in their realization, ad we treasure the memory of them after they are over. They have a certain ministry of education for us, and they always help to commit us anew to our better ideals.

Thus we celebrate the graduation of our children and youths from school and colleges: thus we emphasize their confirmation in religion; thus we solemnize their marriage; so we mark their entry into a new profession. In this way we dedicate churches and institution, and men and women; and all concerned feel more or less an inspiration, and are given afresh to saner and loftier ambitions.

In reviewing the history of any achievement - though in a brief manner, as in the present instance-it would seem to be proper, if not imperative to devote at least some little time to mention of conditions underlying or relative to, a consideration of the principle theme, such as environment and predisposing social, industrial and economic features affecting the community and contiguous territory, which might make for the success or failure of the enterprise.

When I came, in November 1867 with my father's family to Culver (then known as Marmont) there were, within what was generally considered as its limits, fourteen dwellings, one effete and almost defunct pump factory, one blacksmith shop (built of tamarack poles and standing where the bank now stands), one general store, one drug store (on a small scale), and a district school house (standing where the Street now is, between Uncle William Osborn's residence and the hotel). There was a post office (mail received once a week by hack route from Plymouth via Wolf Creek and the village of Maxinkuckee), and one physician, Dr. Gustavus A. Durr.

A movement was started in the winter of 1867-8 to erect an M. E. church. Religious services were held, at more or less reg ular intervals, in the school house, and there was a Methodist organization and a resident pastor. I am unable to say what other points he served besides Marmont, but I remember him and his family quite well.

There were two denominations dominant in the community-the Baptists and the Methodists. The leading members of the Baptist congregation were Elder Fo (a superannuated minister and a man of erudition, John Bumstead, James, John & Jacob Green, John, Riley and James Robbins, William Thomas and Jonn Horgesheirr. The formost workers in the Methodist organization and those most concerned in the erection of the church building were Oliver Porter, Thos. W. Redden, Edward Medbourn, James Duddleson, William Dinsmore, Albert Duddleson, John Buswell ad Lorenzo D. Wiseman. One of these men is still living, Albert Duddleson of Argos, Ind. To the foregoing list should be added the names of the worthy Christian wives of these men; also the name of Dr. G. A. Durr who, thoug not a member of this branch of the church, contributed generously his time, energy and substance to the success of the undertaking and was, in the years following, a loyal supporter of the church organization.

The lot on which the building was erected (during the summer of 1868) -- that on which the present building stands -- was purchased for $50, which was regarded as a fair price, indeed, for that much real estate in that day. It would seem that, assuming that other necessaries connected with prosecuting the enterprise to a successful issue were as cheap as the real estate, the burden these men assumed was not so heavy after all; but, be it remembered that the echoing thunders of the civil war had scarce more than died away and that prices of such material as had to be bought were still high; that the country was still to some extent, in the throes of the reconstruction period, and that the resources on which the projectors of the movement had to rely were more or less uncertain on account of the economic, industrial and commercial status which prevailed.

Much of the subscription had to be paid in such raw material as could be furnished by the farms owned by the subscribers; some by such work as the subscribers were able and could find time to do. But notwithstanding this a not insignificant amount of cash had to be furnished, mostly by the parties named, and right nobly did each perform his duty. In the furnishing of material, one tree, a large poplar, furnished by Edward Medbourn ("Uncle Teddy," as he was called) supplied all of the necessary siding. It was a large tree, purchased by Bro. Medbourn of Jeremiah Mosher for $30, and the trunk was cut into sawlogs. It was converted into lumber at Berlin's sawmill, northeast of the lake. The snow was so deep that winter that falling in the tree was buried in the snow.

The building was 56x48 with an 18 ft. ceiling. It had the bell tower and spire common to that day surmounting the front (east) end of the building. The seating was after the manner of country churches of the time, with long seats lengthwise of the building on either side of the p ulpit and altar, furnishings an "amen corner" on each side of the west end of the room. These seats were all made by my father, L. D. Wiseman, who was the architect and the foreman of the carpenter work. His principal assistants in the latter were J. S. Bernie and August Hoppe. Several of the old seats are now in use in the basement of the present building. It will be of interest (to know that the old frame is encased within the brick work of the present modern structure. It was used there from motives of sentiment which you will readily understand -- and I think it was a great and noble sentiment, indeed, that suggested the idea of thus perpetuating the memory of those who built the first church erected in our township.

The singing for some years after the church was built was led by either John Buswell or my father. Father had a very smooth, melodious voice partic ularly in his younger days, and was able leader, but it was to Bro. Buswell that the congregation looked for power of tone. He was also a very ready and rapid reader of music.

The church was dedicated in 1869. Rev. W. R. Nickels, then stationed at Plymouth, preached the sermon at that occasion. The hymn sung on that occasion was "From Greenland's Icy Mountains." The house was f ull, and I have never, before nor since, heard such earnest singing by a congregation.

The prayer and class meeting services held in the earlier days of the old church were very interesting and elevating. It is said that on one occasion the prayer meeting on Thursday night had been so exceptionally interesting that "Uncle Teddy" Medbourn forgot that he had come horseback and walked home, a distance of more than two miles, leaving his horse in the village. Such a spirit of interest in those days.

As this landmark of Methodism was planted at a time when the dying embers of the "Lost Cause" were emitting their last spark, it seems partic ularly appropriate that the final removal of the last vestige of debt from the newer and modern structure -- of which we are so justly proud -- should be accomplished as the arms of our country, borne by its heroes on the fields of France and Belgium, are preparing to give the finishing stoke of victory to the war against brutal autocracy and for the rights of man. It is an inspiring thought that the descendants of those pilgrims who came to this continent to plant the banner of freedom and human rights thereon are marching as crusaders on the land of their ancestors vvhere, may God grant, they may establish the principles of liberty for which our Revolutionary fathers fought and died.

I wish to close with a word of eulogy and fidelity and perseverance of those "hears of oak" who planted the seed that has brought forth and blossomed out into this loyal energetic and progressive band of adherents to our beloved church, and faithf ul workers in the vineyard of the Master. Strenuously did the battle under the banner of the Cross -- through discouragements most depressing and at times, through poverty dire and privation most grievous -- yet amid it all they lived their devout lives with fortitude, and quietly walked with God. would it be transcending the limits of imagination to feel that, in their present state of existence, we are the objects of their earnest solicitude; or that, as we stand in an atmosphere vibrant with the irradiations of love and devotion, we become cognizant of a presence we can only feel or, mayhap, voices which we cannot hear -- corning to us o'er mystic cable: "Do-your-work-well; ours is -done; God-bless-you; goodbye."

Letters were received from Revs. Fraley and Nicely, conveying good wishes.

At the Children's day service a collection of $17.84 was taken for the educational fund -- a most beneficent branch of church work which enables young men and young women to borrow $500 without interest for the purpose of paying college tuition, the indebtedness to be liquidated within five years after graduation.

Closely affiliated with the Methodist Church in Marmont, and later in Culver , were JOHN and BETSY MATTHEW, and no history of the church would be complete without mention of this attachment. JOHN MATTHEW, a native of England, who died in Culver , January 15, 1916, settled in Marmont around 1886. The family's first residence was in the old Methodist parsonage. The entire MATTHEW family became members of the M. E. Church when the original frame building stood on the present location. Mr. MATTHEW and his wife were for many years known as Uncle John and Aunt Betsy. They took a great interest in the church and were ever intimately associated with its affairs and progress. JOHN MATTHEW died in 1916, Betsy in 1926, just ten years later, and they were buried side by side in the Culver Cemetery.

In outward appearance, the present church has changed but slightly since its erection (1934/5). The faces of the clock in the tower are gone now. They were there, doing duty at the beginning of the century. Today only the blank spaces they used to occupy mutely bear witness to the former existence of the big timepiece, the "old town clock." Also, in those days, surmounting the tower was a weathervane supported by an ornamental device of wrought iron. At the street corner stood an old fashioned lamp-post.


1939 - Aug 16 - Clock Faces On Metodist Church, Old Landmarks are Removed

The faded clock faces on the Methodist church tower are gone, and their passing will recall to many the days when they attempted to give the time of day to the town.

Maybe there was a time when the four clocks were accurate, by many a reference is made in the Citizen of 30 years ago of the clocks either being behind time or stopped entirely. They seemed to have the inspiration for many a jibe in those days.

For over two decades the clock mechanism has been removed and only the dim faces reminded passersby of those bygone days. To put it midly, they have not been a thing of beuty and joy forever.

Now modern incention has caught up with three of the faces and they have been removed to allow the installation of four louds speakers, which are connected with the church chimes.

The installation made two months ago has been changed to give better coverage and an automatic unit has been installed that plays eight numbers without human attention. The chimes are now being played at noona as well as in the evening.

A speaker has been placed in the church auditorium so that the unit can be used in connection with the services, making it the most complete outfit of its kind in the midwest.

The chime library has been increased among the new numbers being "Maxinkuckee Moon" by Herbert Keller and Paul Fogerty, the academy song, and the state song "On the Banks of the Wabash".nter>

1949 - Best guess, by what was writtem on the back : Culver was organized in 1844 as Uniontown. In 1851 renamed Marmont. In 1896 renamed Culver City in honor of Henry Harrison Culver, founder of Culver Military Academy. In 1949 the town officially Culver. The present Methodist Church was organized by Rev. W. R. Nickels, year, 1863 A frame building was constructed 1868. The siding og which was made of one nactive poplar tree. Size of the building 36 by 48 ft with 18 ft, ceiling, cost $Rev. B. H. Beall pastor Earliest families of the church were: Porter, Redden, Medbourn, James and Albert Duddleson, Buswell, Wiseman, Matthew, Houghton and Morris This "Keepsake plate", a project, Daughters Ruth S. S. Class organized 1944. World Wide Art Studios - Covington, Tenn, - - Stamp reads: eggshell Thama Homer Laughling Made in U.S.A.

1956 - Jun 20 - Steeple Comes Down with a Bang - Shown here is the steeple of the old Methodist Church as it was being pulled down last Wedensday after noon by Don STubbs with his tractor and with the aid of the Culver FIre truck. The church was built in 1869 and later remodeled in 1899. Work was begun Tuesday, June 12, in tearing the building down to make way for a new Northern Indiana Service Office.

Wesley Methodist Church - The bew building was built at 511 School Street and was opened in 1955 under the leadership of Rev. Kendall Sands. The membership at this time stood at over 600.