HCGS - 'Lick Creek' Regular Baptist Church

Henry County Genealogical Services New Castle Indiana

'Lick Creek' Regular Baptist Church

     The following is taken from the original church records of the 'Lick Branch Regular Baptist Church,' which are located in the Henry County Historical Society Museum. The church gets its name because of the location. It was located on the Lick Creek branch of the Big Blue River, which runs through the county.
     One of the earliest Baptist churches in Henry County was the Lick Branch Regular Baptist Church. This church was located in Prairie Township, Henry County, Indiana, just north of where the Evans family burial grounds are today. It was actually started in sometime in June of 1835 when a few of the early members met in their homes until they had a large enough congregation to organize on the 29th day of August 1836, with the consent of the Nettle Creek Association into a legitimate organization.
     "State of Indiana, Henry County, We, the undersigned do covenant and agree to give ourselves up to the Lord and one another, to live and keep a Godly discipline according the rules of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Entered into this 29th day of October A. D. 1836."
     The members listed as of that date were; Aaron Ballard, Nancy Ballard, Abel Chaney, Edith Chaney, Larken Clelean, Aaron Evans, John Evans, Samuel Evans, David Frazier, Sarah Frazier, Samuel Freeman, Abigail Gaugh, Charles Gaugh, Martha Hambleton, David Harter, Mary Ann Harter, Deacon John F. Mays, George Koons, Mary Koons, Lucinda Lighthizer, Mary Longfellow, William Longfellow, Deacon John Mays, Deacon Arthur Mellett, Charles Mellett, Jesse Mellett, John G. Miller, Henry Millikan, Elizabeth Millikan, Ralph Shaw, Right Shradlin, Elizabeth Simmons, Andrew Stewart, Nancy Stewart, Stephen Taylor and David Taylor.
     Their first meetings were held in different members homes for the next couple of years until May of 1838 with various members being chosen to be the moderator and Pastor. The one selected to be the Pastor most often was John Evans, with Aaron Ballard as Clerk and Treasure; David Frazier as the Deacon.
     On the 1st Saturday of December 1836 Joseph Nixon, Lorancy Luce and Jonathan Longfellow were admitted as members of the congregation.
     Over the next few years other members were admitted into the congregation: Anna Barnard, James Barnard, Jemima L. Barnard, William Crawford, Lucinda Crawford, Rhoda Crawford, James Evans, Mary Freeman, Mary Ann Iddings, Jonathan Longfellow, Lorancy Luce, George Millikan and Joseph Nixon.
     In May of 1838, the church decided to acquire land upon which to build a house of worship for the congregation. They elected the following members to be church trustee for the purpose of accepting a deed to the property. Those elected were James Barnard, Samuel Evans and Aaron Ballard. On 27 Oct 1838, Samuel Evans, Hannah Evans, Samuel Evans Jr., Aaron Evans and Rosanna Jarrett, Deeded ½ acre of land to the trustees of the Baptist Church called 'Lick Branch' for the purpose of a 'Burying Grounds,' they also deeded one acre of land just north of the burial grounds for the purpose of building a house of worships for the Baptist church known as "Lick Branch."
     The little church struggled for several more years, attempted to associate with the White Water Association of Baptist churches while losing members to other churches and a few disagreeing with the 'doctrine' of the church and being dismissed.
     On October 3 of 1862 the following entry was made in the church records.
     "The Lick Branch church met in peace and after the usual manner proceeded to business
1st. On motion brother Aaron Evans was chosen moderator for the day and brother Ballard clerk for the day
2nd. On motion the church agreed to dissolve and grant a letter for each member."
     Dismissed in order, Aaron Ballard, Clerk.
     Many of the members had withdrawn their membership, had been dismissed for various reasons or had become members of other congregations, such the Lebanon Baptist church, churches at Mt. Summit and James Barnard helped organize the Zoar Regular Baptist church in Henry township in 1847, with some of the members joining that congregation
     So ended the short history of the 'Lick Branch' Regular Baptist church of Henry County, Indiana. The little cemetery is still there today with many of the early members of this church interred within and it is being maintained by the Prairie Township trustees.