Fatch Chapel

Fatch Chapel
Fatch Chapel

“During August, 1888, plans were begun for the erection of a church building and James JENKINS, the Longanecker school teacher, wrote the ‘I do herby pledge to give such amount as herein indicated for the erection of a church,’ These subscriptions amounted to $124.25. The names appearing on the paper were: James JENKINS, R. S. HOBBS, John FERNSEL, Dr. GANTZ, W.L. RADER, N. T. BUSKIRK, N. E. BAUMONK, Joseph JENKINS, J. H. GRAYSON, Len GLASS, Ora E. HOPKINS, William MAURBARGER, Wm. TURNER, Thomas SULLIVAN, James K. MOSS, George W. FATCH, Wm. HELTON, A. M. MOP, J. H. MITCHELL, Wm. SMITH, ROYER Brothers and Wm. T. BARNETT. Doubtless other pledges were given but they have been lost with the passing of the years….Mrs. Mary Elizabeth FATCH made the community a gift of one acre of ground to be used for church purposes, the edifice was built there, hence the name Fatch Chapel in honor of Mrs. FATCH….Other highly esteemed citizens who are recalled as being instrumental in keeping the church together besides those already mentioned were William HELTON, Mrs. JOHNS, Mile CAMPBELL, Clara and George FATCH, Vincent LOUDERMILK, William LASALLE, Belle DAVIS, and Ora HOPKINS….In the summer of 1907 Ora HOPKINS promoted a community Singing School under the able direction of John FISCHER, a music graduate of DePauw. The course consisted of fifteen lessons at one dollar per member. Some who participated were: Edity McINTYRE, Herman CAMPBELL, Henry & Marie WALDBIESER, Bulah, Ruth, and Valora HOPKINS, Mary GILTZ, Ethel LOUDERMILK, Charles & Ernest FISCHER, Bonnie, Clara, and George FATCH, Oscar, Audry, and Herman LaSALLE, Edna, Clena, and Leatha MATTHEWS.” The foregoing information was excerpted from the interesting little Fatch Chapel booklet found in the file cabinet under “Churches.”
November 27, 1969: “Fatch Chapel Burns”

“Fatch Chapel United Methodist church burned to the ground last night as the result of a fire of unknown origin. The church burst into flames around 10:30 p.m. according to eyewitnesses to the blaze. The church, one of the oldest such buildings in the county, apparently caught fire as the result of an overheated furnace, although the exact cause was has not been determined. The church, which was remodeled in 1946, has a congregation of some 65 members and is located three and half miles south of Center Point.”

The Fatch Chapel folder also contains several news articles, photographs, and clippings from the Fatch Chapel column in the August 20, 1935, Clay City newspaper: “The King’s Heralds met Wednesday afternoon at the home of Wm. HARDEN. The following officers were elected: Pres. Cleota NICOSON; Vice Pres. Ruth BRANT; Sec. Geneva HARDEN; Pianist Thelma FRODERMAN. After the meeting refreshments of ice cream and cake were served to: Virginia LOWDERMILK, Ruth BRANT, Virginia FISHER, Marjorie SWANK, Cleota and Arola NICOSON, Geneva and Lois HARDEN, Marvin WALDBEISER, Joy HARDEN, Quentin CAMPBELL, Galen HARDEN, Hila Mae MAURER, Betty BRAND, Bane and Merlin CAMPBELL, and the leader, Kathleen CAMPBELL.” Miss Kathleen CAMPBELL wrote the article.

Clay County Indiana