Our pages give a brief overview of early churches with histories that start before 1920 in Allen County, Indiana. Some of these older churches no longer exist, some changed their names, and others merged into other churches. There is a short history on each church, a list of what records the church keeps, and how you may obtain these records. Many churches records have been copied and are available at the
The Genealogy Center at the
Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They have a twenty-page list of publications in their collection called ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA, CONGREGATIONAL RECORDS, HISTORIES, AND DIRECTORIES, IN THE GENEALOGY CENTER COLLECTION ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY General and Denominational Histories on their website. A Church Burial Records Index is also at the ACPL Genealogy Center. Please Contact Allen INGenWeb for additions or corrections. Their is a growing list of Church records in the Members Only section Records page on the ACGSI.org . All indexed names can be found using the Search box at the top of any page.
Photos of: St. Mary' Catholic Church--Rev. J. H. Oechterins, Pastor. Salem Refored--Rev. Phipip Ruhl, Pastor. Third Presbyterian--Rev. J. A. P. M'Gaw, Pastor. First Baptist--Rev. J. N. Field, Pastor. West Jefferson Street Church of Christ-Rev. E. W. Allen, Pastor. St. Paul's Catholic Church--Rev. H. F. J. Kroll, Pastor. Plymouth Congregational--Rev. J. Webster Bailey, Pastor. Emmaus Lutheran--Rev. Philip Wambscanss, Pastor.
There are forty-seven religious congregations in Fort Wayne, distributed denominationally as follows: Baptist, 2; Christian, 3; Congregatonal, 2; Episcopal, 2; Evangelical Association, 1; Hebrew, 1; Evangelical Lutheran (English), 3; Evangelical Lutheran (German), 4; German Lutheran, 3; Methodist Episcopal, 6; African Methodist Episcopal, 1; Presbyterian, 4; United Presbyterian, 1; Reformed (German), 2; Reformed English, 1; Roman Catholic, 7; United Brethren, 1; Baptist Brethren, 1; Christian Science, 2. Fort Wayne is the see of the Fort Wayne Roman Catholic diocese.
Photos of: Concordia Lutheran--Rev. August Lange, Pastor. First Presbyterian--Rev. D. W. Moffat, Pastor. St. Paul's Lutheran--Rev. Jacob Miller, Pastor. Catholic Orphan' Home. Emmanuel Lutheran Church--Rev. William Moll, Pastor. Westminster Presbyterian--Rev. J. B. Fleming, Pastor. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception--Rev. P. F. Roche, Rector. Espiscopal Residence Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne. Precious Blood Catholic Church--Rev. Chrysostom Hummer, Pastor. Redeemer English Lutheran--Rev. Theodore Hahn, Pastor.
Photos or drawings of: St. Paul's Lutheran School. Grace Reformed--Reve. A. K. Zartman, Pastor. St. John's Reformed--Rev. J. H. Bosch, Pastor. United Brethren--Rev. G. F. Byrer, Pastor. Bethel Evangelical Church--Rev. D. E. Zechiel, Pastor. Wayne Street M. E.--Rev. A. S. Preston, Pastor. First M. E.--Rev. J. K. Walts, Pastor. Bethany Presbyterian--Rev. Dubois H. Loux, Pastor. St. Patrick's Catholic--Rev. J. F. Delaney, Pastor.
Allen County Begins
On the 17th of December, 1823, the legislature of Indiana passed "An act for the formation of a new county out of the counties of Randolph and Delaware, to be included in the following limits: Beginning at a point on the line dividing the state and the state of Ohio, where the township line dividing townships twenty-eight and twenty-nine, north, intersects the same; thence north with said state line twenty-four miles; thence west to the line dividing ten and eleven, east; thence south to the line dividing twenty-eight and twentynine, north; thence east to the place of beginning.' Which new county, at the suggestion of Gen. John Tipton, the leading spirit in the movement toward organization, was from and after the 1st day of April, 1824, to be known and designated by the name of Allen, in memory of Col. John Allen, of Kentucky, who was killed at the battle of River Raisin on the 22d of January, 1813.
By the third section of that act Lot Bloomfield and Caleb Lewis, of Wayne county; Abiathar Hathaway, of Fayette county; William Conner, of Hamilton county, and James M. Ray, of Marion county, were appointed commissioners to determine and locate the seat of justice for the new county. The section referred to further provided that these commissioners should convene at the house of Alexander Ewing, therein, on the fourth Monday in May, thereafter, and proceed immediately to discharge the duty assigned.
Pursuant to the provisions of the first section of the act "for carrying the laws into effect in new counties, William Hendricks, then governor of the state of Indiana, by commission dated April 2, 1824, appointed Allen Hamilton sheriff of Allen county; until the next general election, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified should he so long behave well." Under that appointment and in compliance with a further provision of the said section, Mr. Hamilton, as such sheriff, gave notice to the qualified voters of Allen county, authorizing and directing them to hold an election on the 22d day of May, 1824, "for the purpose of electing two associate judges of the circuit court, one clerk of the circuit court, one recorder and three commissioners of the county." Accordingly that election was held. The electorate of the community appear to have been moved by the single purpose of procuring to fill the offices of the county the best and sturdiest of their citizenship, as witness the men who were chosen to fill for the first time the offices of Allen county: Associate Judges--Samuel Hanna and Benjamin Cushman. Clerk and Recorder--Anthony L. Davis. Commissioners--William Rockhill, to serve for three years; James Wyman, to serve for two years, and Francis Comparet, to serve for one year.
Fort Wayne: A City of Faiths? Known as the City of Churches, the city also is home to many non-Christian faiths by Kevin Kilbane October 9, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
PrimeTime39 - October 11, 2019 Season 2019 Episode 31 | 27m 33s Associated Churches 75th Anniversary. Guest - Roger Reece and Kelley Bawmann. This area’s only in-depth, live, weekly news, analysis and cultural update forum, PrimeTime 39 airs Fridays at 7:30pm. This program is hosted by PBS39’s President/General Manager Bruce Haines.
Indiana Church Records Dec 19, 2022 by Allen County Public Library on YouTube
The Genealogy Center This talk will examine the historical records of a variety of denominations that existed in Indiana in the nineteenth century. Though most of the examples are from Indiana, the talk will have applications for other states where those denominations also existed and where the records were similar. Presented by John Beatty. Handout: https://static.libnet.info/frontend-i...
Oct. 14, 2023 show “Frontier conflicts about religion in pioneer Indiana” Our guest Randy Mills, a retired professor and author, will tell us about the various reasons why the churches and communities in the West (including Indiana at that time) became divided by their counterparts in the East due to the education level of ministers, money distribution, and more. Listen Sat. Oct 14, 2023 from noon to one ET at WICR 88.7 fm in Indianapolis, stream at www.hoosierhistorylive.org, or download the WICR HD1 app on your phone or computer and stream live from anywhere.
The first church services where held in 1822 in the fort, and the first church was built in 1831. If the church has a web site the denomination name is the link, or the church name on the township page.
Churches rarely maintain records of births and deaths. Churches often maintain registers of sacrament - baptisms, marriages, confirmations, and burials. Many early church records are coming online and links will be found in the township pages.
The Genealogy Center at the
Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indianahas an Allen County Congregational Pathfinder discussing local churches and points to their pathfinder Allen County Congregations pdf file.
Many local churches have German origins and had German services in the Fort Wayne area until World War I. Most changed to English services after World War II according to the history of the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Romanian Heritage. The first Romanian Church in Fort Wayne was St. Michael and Gabriel established in 1910 and was located “pe Lunca” presently the location of Slater Steel. The immigrants started their journeys from the hills and cities of Transylvania then part of Romania a part of the Habsburg Empire. They grew up near Sibiu or Brasov, Sighisoara or Fagarasi. Many of them went to work at the GE, for Josyln Steel or for city government. A photo and longer post May 23, 2010 discussed this church on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
A circuit rider in early Indiana by Robinson, Reuben D; Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, 1954, on Archive.org.
The Foreword states: In the early days on the frontier, the spiritual needs of the settlers were served by circuit riders. These itinerant preachers traveled from one settlement to another usually on horseback. Among the circuit riders in early Indiana was Elder Reuben D. Robinson of the Methodist church. The following interview iith Elder Robinson, reprinted from an Indianapolis paper, appeared in the Fort Wayne Sentinel on December 28, 1880.
The 1889 book by Brant and Fuller Valley of the Upper Maumee discusses township churches beginning on page 456 of this Google book.
Modern Day Monks Create Biblical Masterpiece video by Indiana NewsCenter. They’re the most valuable books on the planet, illuminated bibles, hand printed, hand decorated by medieval monks 6 to 800 years ago…expressions of faith that are priceless works of art. Archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
A circuit rider in early Indiana (1954) - Robinson, Reuben D, reprinted from an Indianapolis newspaper, it appeared in the Fort Wayne Sentinel newspaper December 28, 1880
A mission to the Indians, from the Indian committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, to Fort Wayne, in 18O4 - Hopkins, Gerard T; Never offered for sale, but presented to Friends and others interested in Indian affairs. cf. Field, T. W. An essay towards an Indian bibliography. After receiving farming implements from the Friends, Miami Chief Little Turtle and Pottawottamie Chief Five Medals request assistance to teach the Indians farming. This is the account of that mission to Fort Wayne in 1804.
Tridentine Mass at Sacred Heart In Fort Wayne August 6, 2009 - Manga1, This is the first half of a Tridentine Latin Mass on the fest day of the transfiguration which is was also my 29 th birthday. Mass is with Father George Gabbet FSSP, At the Saint Mother Thodora Gurrin Latin Mass Society in Fort Wayne Indiana.
Methodist Churches in Fort Wayne on Facebook. United Methodist Church in Indiana splits by Rosa Salter Rodriguez posted November 19, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. Scores of Indiana congregations left the United Methodist Church on Saturday, concluding years of dispute over the denomination’s stand on homosexuality. About 80 congregations statewide are disaffiliating, according to a list read during the online meeting. About 1,000 congregations make up the Indiana Conference. About 300 of the denomination’s 30,000 congregations nationwide were approved to leave earlier this year, according to the Associated Press.
ARCH Preserving Our Churches published Mar 13, 2018 by Access Fort Wayne on YouTube. Cornelia Schulz and Charles Pratt give an ARCH lecture about taking caring care of our architectural heritage focusing on churches here in Northeast Indiana. If you want to find out more about ARCH visit archfw.org.
In a little under a week, Lent begins, when Christians prepare for the celebration of Easter by fasting and praying for approximately 40 days. In many Christian communities, it starts with Ash Wednesday, with burnt palm leaves from the prior Palm Sunday being used to mark the forehead with the sign of the cross. In the City of Churches, it seems fitting to highlight our neighborhood's connection to one of the few US Catholic Saints. Today is the story of a Sister, Catholic education, and a small chapel on Arlington.
Today's story begins in France in the late 1700s when Christians were heavily persecuted. Ann-Thérèse Guérin was born to a naval officer under Napoleon Bonaparte, Laurent, and Isabelle. Tragedy struck, though, when her father was murdered, forcing Ann-Thérèse to raise her sister and take care of her grieving mother. Ann-Thérèse spent the next decade supporting her family, forgoing the inner desire to enter the religious life.
Once she became a Sister, she was asked by Bishop Brute to join other sisters in starting a congregation in the wilderness of Indiana. In 1840, she and five sisters traveled by boat for two months and many weeks by carriage, eventually arriving in remote Vigo County. There, Sister Guérin founded the Sisters of Providence, which became pivotal for the proliferation of Catholic education across the Midwest.
It was through this mission of education that Saint Theodora Guérin was able to impact our local community. The Sisters of Providence were responsible for leading Central Catholic, had those who taught at the newly formed Bishop Luers High School, Saint Patrick's Catholic Church on Harrison, and were part of the group that helped establish the school at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and School on Fairfield. Fort Wayne and the 07 truly became one of the few areas in the country with the lasting impact of a Saint.
This lasting impact can also be found in a small Arlington Avenue chapel called Guérin Chapel. In the late 1930s, the Sisters of Providence maintained a convent on the grounds of Saint John the Baptist Church, and a chapel was built in honor of their foundress, Saint Theodore Guérin.
The First African-American Woman To Pastor In Fort Wayne:
A very wise woman once said, that people catch visions in...
The First African-American Woman To Pastor In Fort Wayne:
A very wise woman once said, that people catch visions in three different ways. There are those that will receive the vision and move on it. There are those who will receive the vision and sit on it.
