In the United States during this time, we had six different presidents and the United States grew from 24 states to 30 states.
During this period of time, the Oregon Trail was established. The Battle of the Alamo was fought. Thousands of Native Americans were forced from their lands (including Indiana) and made to march 1200+ miles west in the Trail of Tears. Thousands died. The Mexican-American War was fought. There was a great influx of Irish people due to the Irish Potato Famine. The Panic of 1837 caused a financial crisis with the failure of banks and businesses, unemployment, and an economic depression. People moved west to seek their fortune during The Gold Rush of 1849.
Famous names and firsts of the time included: PT Barnum organized the first circus tour in 1835. Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber in 1839. Samuel Morse sent the message “What hat God wrought” over the first telegraph line in 1844. Elizabeth Blackwell earned the first medical degree awarded to a woman in 1849.
In Indiana in the early 1830s, the nickname “Hoosiers” was first used to refer to Indiana residents, The state motto “Crossroads of America” was also established. The building of the 460-mile Wabash and Eerie Canal began. It would become the longest canal in North America. The National Road reached Indianapolis in 1834.
Connersville was incorporated in 1841. Postage in Connersville was 25 cents for a letter. Mail came to Connersville three times a week. In 1831, Elmhurst or “Old Elm Farm” was built by lawyer Oliver Smith. The first school was built in 1832. In 1836 work began on the Whitewater Canal and it reached Connersville in 1845. Between 1838-1842 the first bridge was built over the Whitewater River so people no longer had to ford the river. Bentonville (in honor of Thomas Benton) was platted with 13 lots in 1838.
In 1840, a hand pump named Bluto was purchased to help fight fires instead of using a bucket brigade. In 1848 “the Ocean” was bought. Firemen sat on it and pumped it like a rowboat. In 1849 the first volunteer Fire Department for Connersville was established.
In 1842 the Canal House was built by the Whitewater Valley Canal Co. as the office building for this corporation. Alanson Roots and his two sons, Philander and Frances came to Connersville from Oxford, Oh to start the Roots Woolen Mill in 1846. In 1849 a combined jail/Courthouse/Jailer resident was built.
The Presbyterian Church congregation met in Temperance Hall which was the 2nd floor of the Courthouse. The first floor of the courthouse housed the City Hall and the 3rd floor housed the Masonic Lodge and Sons of Temperance. The first church building was built in 1833 by Sherman Scofield. It was a 25 x 35 brick building facing west along canal
between 5th and 6th St. A larger second building was built at 220 W. 4th St. in 1845. It was sold in 1872 to Central Christian. Rev. Jared M. Stone was our first full time pastor. He came in 1838 and stayed until 1841. Rev. Charles Sturdevant was pastor from Nov. 1844 to Sept. 1846. Rev. William Pelan was the pastor from April 1848-1868.
In 1851, several people withdrew from the original church and formed the New School or Constitutional group. It was later known as the 2nd Presbyterian Church. In 1855, they built a church at 7th and Central, the west part of our present building.
During these years, in the Session minutes, several men came before or were summoned before the Session. John Huston came before the Session on May 7, 1831 with his confession of drinking. Others were summoned before the Session for “willingly neglecting the public means of grace together with a refusal to sustain the interest of religion in
the church where you are a member.” Others were charged with “unchristian like” conduct. Many were then removed from the membership of the church. Others were suspended until “he shall give satisfactory evidence of repentance.” Typical Session business of the time consisted of having communion, the addition of new members by letter or affirmation of faith, the transfer of members to other churches, or dealing with church members who were not following the standards of behavior of the church.
— by Lisa Hazelrigg