Our History

Dear Fairview Membership,

In 1820 the Rev. John Clark, his wife, Sarah Dent Clark, sons, William, John Jr. & Thomas, daughters Nancy & Ann. Rev Clark bought land near Leota, here he built his church, schoolhouse & graveyard. His son William was Scott County's first state rep. 1820 at Corydon, by 1825 John Jr. had married C. Colling and was Scott County judge, Nancy married Morrow Shield(s), Ann married Asa Carter. Rev John a twin, was from a line of educated early1600 Clark's from Maryland & Virginia. His wife Sarah Dent Clark was a cousin to Julia Dent Grant's father also a judge (wife President Grant. It was passed by lineage that school and church was moved to Scottsburg and then moved back to Leota area. William's son taught school at Underwood. Willam my line lived to age 96, I reset his stone with my beloved with Barbara in 2009, up the 39 route, Russel Chapel Cem. Scott County records show in 1830 - Sept 21 he was commissioned Captain of the 29th Indiana Regiment. Our Clark book was done by GEORGE MONROE CLARK- grandson of teacher, Henry Clark. When I saw that Collings had deeded land of the CLARK CHAPEL this could be your church's history, and now with your counties great records in Scottsburg---following the Rev. John Clark's records will be easy to prove. If this proves to be correct this lineage will be so honored as this website so dearly shows, their passion for CHRIST Is being passed today by your minister ,as Rev. John,and his famous grandson, Rev. William Dent Jr. passed.

Alan Clark Musselman

FOUNDING

In 1880, Elder Thomas Jones from near Little York, Indiana, began preaching in the Poverty Point schoolhouse in Scott County, Indiana.

This schoolhouse was in the extreme southwest corner of the county, about three miles west of Underwood. It stood on a hill overlooking the broad fields that surround Leota, and faced west toward where the knobs rise up as a great sentinel, keeping guard over the smaller hills and valleys.

This was a fairly prosperous farming community, but had no church when Elder Jones began preaching there.

Tom Jones, as everyone called him, led an interesting life. He was born and reared in Scott County just east of Little York. He began teaching school when he was seventeen years old. He enlisted in the Union Army in 1861, when the Civil War broke out. He attained the rank of Lieutenant. He spent four years in the army, and engaged in more that fifty battles, being wounded in the last engagement. He returned home and continued his teaching for twenty-two years in all.

He was ordained to the Christian Ministry in 1871, and preached until his death in 1907. Many souls were won to Christ and much good crown his efforts. He was a fiery preacher and a good promoter.

Jones preached at Poverty Point from 1880 until 1883. During the summer and fall, Jones would move the meeting place about a mile east of the schoolhouse to a large grove just south of where the present church now stands. The people in the community would clear away some trees, set up a platform, constuct some rude seats under the trees, hang lanterns in the trees at night, and listen to the Gospel as poured forth from the lips fo this earnest preacher. A few people in the Fairview community can still remember these meetings, and all testify that these meetings were grand times of great singing, preaching and fellowship.

On November 3, 1882, Joseph Collings and Sarah S. Collings, his wife, deeded to the trustees of the Fairview Christian Church a tract of land comprizing about one-half an acre more or less. This land lay just across the road north of where the meetings were held in the grove and about one mile east of the Poverty Point schoolhouse.

That fall the work began on the church building, which stands about one hundred yards north of the above mentioned grove. It faces toward the east overlooking Pigeon Roost Valley. It is a beautiful location for a church, one that should inspire worship of God. John J. Tobias was the carpenter foreman, and most of the work was donated, as was much of the material. That winter the work progressed slowly, people working when they could and when the weather permitted. By 1883, the church was ready for use and Tom Jones dedicated it either that summer or fall.

Jones organized the church either in 1882 or 1883. The original church record has been lost, and none of the charter members are living. The oldest living members think that the number of charter members was about twenty.

History 1883 - 1921

The history of this period is very meager. Diligent research yielded very little definite information. The Fairview church since its inception has had to fight for its very existence. During this period the church had its worst struggle, and little was done that was outstanding enough for men to record. However a brief history can be pieced together from the fragments that were found.

Tom Jones continued to preach for them off and on for the next twenty years. During this same period, F.E. Andrews, a schoolteacher from Jeffersonville, Indiana, preached occasionally for them. Elder Wesley Hartley, of Scottsburg, also preached at Fairview in the 1880's and 1890's. They seldom had a regular pastor. Roads were bad and preachers scarce, so they had preaching whenever one came along-which was not too often.

The church met for Bible School most of the time up until 1903. From the information found, they did not practice weekly communion. It was observed on the days that they had preaching, usually not over once a month. The reason for this was a lack of leadership and real interest on the part of the people themselves.

The reports sent in to the County Meetings will help us t a better understanding of the prevailing conditions at Fairview around 1900. The Churches of Christ in Scott County have had an annual meeting of the churches since 1853, for preaching and fellowship. They have kept a record of these meetings since 1894.

In the minutes of the Meeting for 1895, the secretary records the following: "These reports indicate a prosperous condition existing in all the churches except Austin and Fairview. These two churches were reported on the decline."

Again in 1897, Lamar Collins, an elder at Fairview, wrote to the County Meeting: "Our church has about fifty members. No new members during the past year. No regular preaching. We have a few sermons during the year. No deaths. Can you not intercede in some way to keep us from becoming extict?"

The Fairview church reported to the County Meeting in 1903, that they were having monthly preaching, but added that they had no Bible School or prayer meeting. The Bible School had been closed in July of that year. It was not unusual for a church to close its Bible School during the winter months. But when one was closed during the summer then something serious was behind it. It simply died of a lack of support and interest. There is no mention of any report coming from Fairview during the years 1903 to 1922. It drops completely out of the picture.

The church however did not close its doors completely. There is a record of an evangelistic meeting being held there in 1911, by preacher Cross, a traveling evangelist from near Marinsville, Indiana. The meeting however did not revive the church and it went out entirely in 1913.

The church was closed from 1913 until 1921. The building went to rack and ruin and so did the souls of men.

The reasons why this condition prevailed are difficult to give with absolute assurance. A few events did occur though, that might have caused this situation.

A few years prior to 1886, a Methodist church was built on Pigion Roost Creek about two miles southwest of the Fairview church. It was named "Clark's Chapel." In 1886, this church was moved to within a quarter of a mile south of Fairview. The reason for this is not clear. Most people think it was in order to place the church in the center of the membership. Whatever the reason was the result was harmful to both churches.

There was some enmity between the churches as might be expected. When "New Chapel," as it was now called, was dedicated some of the people wanted to invite Uncle Dent Broady to bring his singers and organ from the Christian Church to furnish music. One of the ladies spoke up and said, "No! We don't want any Campbellites helping dedicate our church!" Similar statements were probably made by the other group.

This feeling between the two churches though, did not do as much harm as the fact that the churches were too close together. The Fairview church lost ground more rapidly than did New Chapel, as it was practically gone by 1905. New Chapel went down with it and by 1922-23 the Methodist Conference decided to sell the building. The people where it had originally been, asked that it be moved back to that place. In 1925, their wishes were granted, and today is a fairly strong church.

The other main reason for the decline of Fairview was the lack of leadership. About 1896, Asa Hamilton, one of the leading men in the church since its beginning, moved to Scottsburg. Then in 1904-05, the two main elders, moved away. Lamar Collins, and Dent Broady, the two elders, moved to Hanover and Jeffersonville respectively. When these men moved back to Fairview, a number of years later, the work was too far gone for them to revive it.

The Restoration

In the fall of 1921, a movement was started to resurrect the Fairview church. Some members of the Scott County Evangelistic Commitee went out to survey the situation at Fairview. This was a commitee composed of representatives from all the churches of Christ in the county for the purpose of evangelism. The people living in the Fairview community, the few Christians that were left, a few Methodists, and non-church members, began to take interest in restoring the church. Noah Tash took the lead in calling a community meeting and laying before them this work. Mr. Tash, Zeb Rose and George Tash to serve as a committee to solicit funds for the remodeling fo the church building. The people responded freely both with money and labor and soon the house was ready for worship again. The church house had been so run down that it was unsuitable even for funerals. The floors were rotten, the doors sagged, and half the windows were out.

By January the house was ready and on the 22nd of that month, O.A. Trinkle, minister of the Scottsburg church began a meeting at Fairview. Brother Trinkle deserves much credit for the renewal of the work at Fairview. This meeting resulted in 25 confessions and 10 reclaimed. A Bible School was reorganized and in June, Brother Trinkle ordained elders and deacons for the church and they resumed the work of the Lord again which they have carried on ever since that day. This new group started with 38 charter members.

The other churches and ministers continued to assist Fairview a little for the next year or two. this assistance was small though.

In the Spring of 1928, a man and his wife move to Underwood and took membership at Fairview who have been a great help to them ever since. His name is Gilbert Matthews. He is a rural mail carrier and preaches on Sunday. Brother Matthews has not had the opportunity of much formal education but his private study and earnest efforts have made him a faithful and valuable servant of our Lord. He has worked with the Fairview church constantly even when preaching elsewhere. He has given them the leadership needed to help them over some rough places.

In the fall of 1935, Mr. and Mrs. C.T. Herod, ministers at Scottsburg, conducted an enthusiastic meeting at Fairview. The church has grown steadily since then. After this the Lord's Supper was restored to its rightful place in weekly worship instead of on preaching days only. They put a full basement under the church in 1936-37. In 1944, new pews and pulpit along with other inprovements were made in the auditorium costing $700. This was soon paid. The church now has one-half time preacher.

It is a real pleasure to close this short history of the Fairview Christian Church with the statement that the church is in the best condition it has ever known. It was the author's privilege to be with them in an evangelistic meeting in October 1946. The interest that was manifested in that meeting was a heartwarming sight. The church has an active membership of about 120 with a possible membership of 250. The Bible School attendance averages about 60 now. They have some good sound teachers and leaders in the church. From all indications the church should enjoy a happy growth in the years ahead.

Ministers Since 1922

1922               O.A. Trinkle and Otho Jackson supplied part time

1923               J.H. Walker - Indianapolis

1924               Howard E. Havron - Edinburg

1925               Lewis Roth

1926

1927-28          Charles W. Akers - New Albany

1929

1930-31          J.S. Jordan - Tampico

1932               George A. Ross

1933-34           S.E. Wells - Orleans, Indiana

1935              Joseph Burns - Indianapolis

1936              Mrs. C.T. Herod - Scottsburg

1937-39          L.E. Harris

1940

1941-44          Fred McCoy - Indianapolis

1945 (6 mo.)    Russell Bowers - Louisville

1945-46          Russell Houston - Indianapolis

1946-47          Gilbert Matthews - Underwood