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Author: clawsons
Surnames: Sharpe, Wallace, Clapper, Darland, Parke, Warrick, Perrin, Brand, Miller,
Gaddis, Landes, Kern, Roth, Bolyard, Dunk, Mills, Paul, Moyer, De Long, Yundt
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
I found a very nice little book called "Horn Book of Early History of Perry township,
Tippecanoe County, Indiana 1810-1860." Compiled by George E. Howard. Privately
printed. No date.
The book includes a history of the churches of the township. I will summarize the
information in the booklet about the Oxford church. The first paragraph is info that has
already been posted, although there are a few more family names:
The Oxford Presbyterian Church was constructed in 1830 about a quarter of a mile north of
the southeast corner of Perry township. It was probably the first church building in the
township. It was known as the Oxford Meeting House. It was a log structure with a dirt
floor. The founder of the church was Rev. James A. Carnahan, who founded several churches
in this part of the state, including Dayton Presbyterian church. After a few years the
Oxford church closed and the members transferred to Dayton. Members of the Presbyterian
church included the following families: George D. Sharpe, William Wallace, Henry Clapper,
Daniel Darland, William C. Parke, George Warrick, Aaron Perrin, Samuel Brand, Henry
Miller, and William Gaddis.
The Reformed Church moved into the building when the Presbyterians vacated it. The German
Reformed Church was organized in 1840. In 1928 the church was closed and most members
transferred to the Reformed Church in Mulberry. A Lutheran congregation also used the
Oxford church building. Reformed Church families included: Fred Landes, Aaron Kern, J. B.
Roth, John Bolyard, Roy Brand, Russell Dunk, Floyd Bolyard, Nathaniel Landes, Elmer Kern,
Albert Mills, Wallace Paul, Charles Moyer, Frank De Long, and Harry Yundt.
How it came to be a Baptist church, I don't know. I suppose the Baptists moved in when
the German Reformed and Lutherans moved out.
I don't know why it was named Oxford, but if I had to guess, I'd say it had
something to do with either Oliver Cromwell, the Puritans, and Oxford University in
England, or the Old School/New School split in the Presbyterian Church that took place in
1837.
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