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History of Two Methodist Episcopal Churches (1885):

“The Methodist Episcopal Church [in Amo] was organized in 1867. The church was completed

in that year, having been begun in 1866, at a cost of $2,000. Among the first members were William

H. Tush, Winfield Hines, John McAninch [14], Wesley Johnson, M.W. Cosner, John M. Champion,

Harbert Fencer, John Gasper, S.F. Tincher, James E. Ralston, with their wives, Mrs. Martha A.

Tincher, Mrs. Lucinda Stanley, Mrs. E. Cosner, George W. Fencer and Mrs. Nancy Newman.

The pastors have been in succession, Revs. F.M. Pavy, B.H. Bradbury, Thomas Bartlett,

J.F. McDaniel, W.C. Davidson, Nelson Green, D.W. Risher, Nelson Green, Jesse Hill, J.B. Combs,

Elihu Mason. The last named, the present pastor [1885], lives at Coatesville, and conducts services

here [at Amo] every two weeks. The present membership of the church is thirty-five.” [page 549]

“The Methodist Episcopal Church [in Coatesville] has been organized at least forty years [1845].

Services were held for many years in the schoolhouse and in 1850 they built their present church,

at a cost of $1,600. It will seat about 200. Among the early members were Isaac Smart,

William Cline, John Clark, John Richardson, James Borders, Joseph Bishop, Edward Jackson,

Elisha McAninch [10] and their wives. The ministers have been, in order, James Williams,

Joseph Woods, J.E. Woodruff, Elias Gaskin, ___ Bridges [sic], Miles Woods, W.W. Pewett,

William Ginnis, Asa Beck, and J.V.R. Miller. The last named, the present pastor, commenced his

labors here in the fall of 1884. The present membership of the society is about fifty.” [page 594]

Also, there was another Methodist Episcopal Church in Stilesville, Franklin Twp., Hendricks Co.

History of Hendricks County, Indiana, 1885, Inter-State Publishing Co., Chicago; reproduction by

Unigraphic Inc., 1973, Evansville, Indiana, for Hendricks Co. Historical Society, Danville, Indiana.

Notes (Notes 5-30, individual McAninch’s, in alphabetical order by given name):

[1] “RFC” is standard Methodist Episcopal phrase for “Received in Full Connection” (membership)

[2] Samuel McAninch, from Kentucky, son of Daniel [O.?] McAninch, was the patriarch of

McAninch families in Pleasant Hill and Coatesville, Hendricks County. Samuel married (2nd)

Polly Skidmore, 1813, Lincoln Co., Kentucky. During 1831-1832, Samuel McAninch left

Kentucky, moving first to Putnam County, and then settling in adjacent Hendricks County.

Samuel had 13 children, all of whom grew up in Hendricks County. Samuel was a founder of,

and donated the land for, the (Old) Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal Church ~~and cemetery~~,

in Franklin Township, Hendricks County. Samuel died in 1859, with no will recorded, and

the subsequent division of his lands was recorded in the Hendricks County Court Records

[see McAninch Family History Newsletter, Vol. III, No. 4, Dec. 1995, pg. 8, land partition,

and Vol. 5, No. 4, Nov. 1997, pg. 31, Pleasant Hill M.E. Church].

[3] Elias Grimes was a Trustee of Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, and Commissioner in

the partition of Samuel’s lands, after Samuel died in 1859 [Hendricks Co. Court Records, Note 2].

[4] Isabelle Ridpath, daughter of James and Sabrina (Stevens) Ridpath, was the first wife of Enoch

George McAninch, married Jan. 1, 1852, Putnam County. She died in 1860, and was buried in the

(Old) Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal cemetery [McAninch Family History Newsletter,

v.V n.4, Nov. 1997, pages 31-32-33]. There is no known connection to this Albert Ridpath (and

Cynthia Ridpath, his wife?); it merely shows that some Ridpaths were members in the Church.

[5] A[unreadable] McAninch, [Ahmanah? Hannah?], Hendricks Co., Member 1861, “[Removed?]

by letter”. Could be Araunah Knighten, 2nd wife of Enoch G. McAninch, married 21 March 1862?

Methodist Episcopal Church, Coatesville, Indiana	M E Coates .doc, page 4 of 7
McAninch Family History NL, VI-1 January, 1998 Copyright Frank McAninch page 1998-11