First United Methodist Church (Bourbon, Marshall County, Ind.) records

First United Methodist Church (Bourbon, Ind.) was formed from the merger of Faith Methodist Epsicopal Church and Terrace Lawn United Brethren Church in Bourbon, Indiana.

Faith Methodist Epsicopal Church: In the fall of 1841, the Plymouth Mission sent Rev. William Forbes to Bourbon. Class meetings were held east of Bourbon. In 1850, a log school, then 1854, a frame building in what is now the west part of Bourbon served as the church. In 1861 and 1862 a House for Public Worship was constructed on the present site. In 1913-14 this was torn down and a new church built.

Terrace Lawn United Brethren Church: The United Brethren began missionary work in and about Bourbon in 1848. All faiths worshipped together in a log school house. The school was abandoned in 1854 when a larger one was erected, Union Sunday School was held regularly for eight years. The religious meetings were conducted by Presbyterians, Methodists and United Brethren. As population increased denominational lines began to be followed and a development of three churches resulted. The United Brethren purchased ground from Mr. and Mrs. William Jackson in August, 1860. Here they erected a white frame church. In 1864 it was burned to the ground. For two years their sister church opened her doors and the United Brethren me in the Methodist Episcopal Church between 1864 and 1866. Liquor traffic created many evil influences. In 1890 the church was dynamited the night before a temperance meeting was to be held. The furniture was completely wrecked, but damage to the building was not great. In 1905 work began to rebuild the church.

In April of 1968 the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church became the First United Methodist Church.