In the US and in the world

  • 1898 – Start of the Spanish-American War after the USS Maine explodes in Cuba harbor
  • 1898 Start of the Spanish-American War after the USS Maine explodes in Cuba harbor
  • 1903 Wright Brothers first powered flight in Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk
  • 1906 San Francisco earthquake occurs
  • 1911 First Indianapolis 500 is run – Ray Harroun is the winner
  • 1912 The RMS Titanic Sinks
  • 1913 Henry Ford develops the modern assembly Line
  • 1914 Mother’s Day becomes a national holiday
  • 1914 – 1918 World War 1
  • 1916 First woman elected to US Congress – Jeannette Rankin
  • 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic begins
  • 1919 Prohibition, 18th Amendment passed. Repealed in 1933.
  • 1920 19th Amendment passed allowing for women to vote
  • 1920 NFL formed
  • 1922 Lincoln Memorial dedicated
  • 1927 Charles Lindbergh successfully completes the first transatlantic flight
  • 1927 The Jazz Singer is released- the first motion picture with sound
  • 1928 Amelia Earhart is the first woman to fly across the Atlantic
  • 1929 Wall Street Crash of 1929

In Connersville

  • 1890 Connersville city population is 4,548, Fayette County is 12,630.
  • 1890 A major facelift of the courthouse changed the style from classic Revival to Romanesque
  • 1895 The McFarland Hotel opens at 6th and Central.
  • 1898 Rex Buggy Company starts business
  • Dec.13, 1898 at 4:30 pm, there was an explosion at Mr. Henry Luking’s shoe store due to gas accumulation in the basement. Mr. Luking, his friend Patrick Ready, Dr. GW McNutt, Tom O’Neal, and JD McNaughton all died.
  • On Nov. 15, 1901 at 2 o’clock an Oldsmobile was driven down Central Ave at 12 mph. It was the first horseless carriage on a Connersville Street.
  • 1902 Roberts Park opens
  • In the early 1900’s Connersville was called “Indiana’s Little Detroit” due to the many businesses that made automobiles and automobile parts. Cars such as the Central Automobile, McFarland, Lexington, Empire, Howard, Kelsey Cycle Car, Van Auken Electric, Anstead, and Auburn were made here.
  • 1904 The first school building to house only High School students opened at 1600 Grand. It was used for 20 years until a new, larger building was built and opened in 1924 at 1900 Grand. The red brick building cost $65,000. There were 3 elementaries -Maplewood, 8th Street, and 5th Street.
  • 1905 “The Fill” built
  • 1906 Otto Meissner organized the First High School Band in the country in Connersville.
  • 1909 The Public Library dedicated at 9th and Grand.
  • 1911 Dale Cemetery opens
  • 1916 Clio Fountain presented to the city by the Clio Club.
  • 1917 During WWI companies in Connersville manufactured hemp rope, parts for submarine engines, artillery pieces, tool boxes, cushions for warships (life buoys), plotting boards, stretchers (cots), and ammunition boxes.
  • 1918 The Connersville area had more men in service than any other location the same size.
  • 1918 Fayette Memorial Hospital opens
  • 1922 East Connersville annexed
  • 1926 New St Gabriel School built

First Presbyterian Church

  • In reading through the Session minutes from 1990’s through the 1920’s, there were a lot of notations about the admission/baptism of new members, transfers of members to other churches, and election of various officers. Other than that, a few interesting facts were:
  • The Ladies Aid Society of the church which was organized in 1883 had just under 29 members in 1918. They made aprons, clothes, and bought hymnals for the church.
  • Pastors of the church during this time period included:
    • T.H. Hench 1884- 1894
    • Charles H. Little 1894 – 1898
    • H.N. Mount 1898 – 1903
    • George C. Lamb 1903 – 1909
    • W. H. Clark 1910 – 1914
    • W. D. Lewis 1914 – 1918
    • J. R. Bardelmeier 1919 – 1921
    • James S. E. McMichael 1921 – 1934
  • It was noted that Pastor Lewis earned a salary of $1700 per year with free use of the parsonage.
  • At Congregational Meetings, reports by the Board of Elders, Board of Trustees, Ladies Aid Society, Missionary Society, Roots Charity Fund, Martha Johns Fund, and the Superintendent and Treasurer of Sabbath School were received.
  • In 1914 a Special Offering was taken for the Emergency Fund for the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church.
  • During July and August for several years, the members of First Methodist Church, The Christian Church, and the Presbyterian Church would unite for the evening service at Hawkins Playground (Maplewood School area today).
  • 1915 Session approved the visit of Rev. John Steele, Associate Secretary of the Board of Temperance to come and speak. They advertised so as many as possible would be present to hear the address. The Anti-Saloon League was also given permission to use the building providing 40% of the proceeds be returned to the congregation for their own Presbytery Temperance Board.
  • In 1915, the church received $4000 from the estate of Martha Johns.
  • In 1922, Pastor McMichael explained to the Elders his plan to have “moving picture shows” at the church one evening each week.
  • At the June 18,1922 Session meeting it was announced that Colonel James E. Roberts willed $10,000 to the church (James E and Mary Claypool Roberts Fund). After moving to Connersville, Roberts had been in the hardware business, then a furniture manufacturer (Munk and Roberts) and then had real estate interests in Indianapolis. He was also Vice President of First National Bank. He had given Connersville 80 acres now known as Roberts Park. He also gave the city $15,000. This income was to be used for the improvements of the Park.
  • In 1927 the church’s yearly budget was $8000. The 1928 budget was also $8000. They had a “Every Member Canvas” to raise the money to cover the budget.