200 Years At Corydon Presbyterian Church

1819–Church formally established 1819 by Rev. John Finley Crowe, the founder of Hanover College.

1825—First church building erected on what is now South Capitol Avenue.

1863—Church building used as hospital to care for wounded and dying confederate soldiers

1869—Church building expanded and improved

1906—New church building erected on Walnut St

1923—First women deacons elected

1959—Church building renovated

1986—Rev. Marion Garret, CPC’s longest serving pastor retires; Rev. C. David Cliburn installed as pastor

1995—New church facility on HWY 62 West is dedicated

1999—Rev. Cliburn is instrumental in organizing response to Ku Klux Klan rally in Corydon; this effort grows into Community  Unity organization, which subsequently yearly holds World on the Square events 1999-2014

2003—Rev. Scott Hill installed as pastor

2005—Mortgage note burned after being paid off within ten years

2014—Rev. Mark McDaniel installed as Interim Pastor

2017—Rev. Phillip Dennis installed as Pastor

Timeline based on information from Fred Griffin

 

The Corydon Presbyterian church is one of the oldest continuing churches in Corydon and Harrison County. It has served the community for 200 years in 2019, having been officially organized January 1, 1819. The church was organized under the Louisville, KY presbytery, Synod of Kentucky; this was before there was any presbytery or synod in Indiana.

At the time the church was founded, Corydon was the cultural and political hub of Indiana, being the capital of the state; the three governors who resided in Corydon while it was the capital were all Presbyterians: Gov. Posey, the last governor of the Indiana Territory, and Govs. Jennings and Hendricks, the first two state governors. Prior to owning its own building, Presbyterians held services in the first State capitol building.

In 1820, Henry P. Coburn, Clerk of the Indiana Supreme court, and an ardent Presbyterian, established a Sunday school for the children of the community. Clocks being scarce, church services were often scheduled “at the ringing of the bell” or at “early candle light.”

The Presbyterian Church was first built on South Capitol Avenue in 1826. It was a small, substantial brick building, and was built by Henry Rice, an elder of the church and builder of the finer houses in early Corydon. Partitions down the middle of the church separated the men from the women of the congregation. Each of the high-backed pews had its own door. The Presbyterian Church building was used as a hospital to care for the wounded and dying confederate soldiers following the Battle of Corydon, fought between John Hunt Morgan’s Rebel Cavalry and the local detachment of the Indiana Legion militia, commanded by Col. Timberlake. In 1868-9 the original brick building was remodeled and enlarged. A steeple was added. Robert Leffler, a local merchant and member of the church donated the bell for it. When the bell cracked 30 years later, it was re-cast and hung again in the steeple July 9, 1900.The original church building on South Capitol was sold to the United Brethren congregation (the EUB razed the old church and built a new brick structure that still sits on south Capitol Ave. After the EUB church abandoned it, it was most recently occupied by an auto parts business. It currently sits empty). The Presbyterians moved to a new location on East Walnut at Elm St. (It now serves as the Cordon Historical Interpretive Center). Dedication services were held in the new church building on February 10, 1907. George W. Applegate, a local banker, and member of the congregation, subscribed $4000 toward the building fund, provided that the congregation raised the remaining $3000 to build the church.

The new church was named the Anna M. Applegate Memorial church building in honor of Mr. Applegate’s first wife. A large bell, formerly from the Leavenworth M.E. Church was purchased and placed in the steeple following the 1937 Ohio River flood. This bell had a deep tone and was tolled as well as rung.

In 1959, there was a major renovation of this building. Hot water heating was installed; the church was completely re-wired, and new lighting fixtures were placed in the sanctuary. The basement was improved for more extensive use by the congregation; the pews in the sanctuary were refinished and the sanctuary was carpeted. Another, new pipe organ replaced the one installed at the time of the church’s construction.

Rev Marion Garrett has the distinction of holding the longest pastorate, from 1966 to 1986. Rev. Garrett retired on May 31, 1986, and was replaced by Rev. C. David Cliburn, who was installed June 7, 1989. The years of his pastorate heralded a season of membership growth and increased focus on the social gospel and service to the community. The issue of whether to build a new church had not gone away, and in September 1989. a motion was put before the congregation that the church should “purchase the property on Highway 62, known as the Williar property.” The congregation voted to approve this motion 62 to 16.

By the time the groundbreaking ceremony was held in July, 1994, the congregation had grown significantly. The building cornerstone was laid on July 23, 1995, and August 27 was declared Procession Sunday.

On that day, 250 persons walked up the hill from the old church to the new church for a celebratory gathering.

On December 16, 2007, Rev. Cliburn’s pastoral relationship with CPC was dissolved, as he answered a call from a church in the Kansas City, MO area. On May, 5, 2002, Rev. Wayne Willis, a long time hospital chaplain in Louisville, assumed duties as Interim pastor of the church. His warmth, wisdom, and down to earth preaching made him quickly loved and respected by the congregation. He helped guide the church in the process of calling a new installed pastor, and on August 17, 2003, Rev. Scott Hill preached his first sermon as pastor. In August of 2005, the church had a mortgage-burning ceremony after paying off the building loan on the new facility in just under 10 years.

Rev. Hill subsequently left CPC in May, 2011 to become Interim Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Indiana.

Rev. Mark McDaniel was called to be Interim Pastor. Beginning on January 15, 2014. His charge was to help the church make the transition in leadership, support and minster to the congregation’s spiritual needs during the interim period and help them search for a new installed pastor.

The search ended successfully on April 2, 2017, in the calling of Rev. Phillip Dennis to be installed pastor. Rev.Dennis commutes from Indianapolis, where his wife is associate pastor of a large Presbyterian church. He resides in Corydon four and a half days a week, spending time with his family the remaining days of the week. He is bringing fun and humor and skill as a drummer to the congregation, preaching thoughtful sermons, and practicing spirituality as a daily way of life.

Corydon Presyterian Church is looking forward to another two hundred years of service to the community, pursuit of Jesus’ Social Gospel, study and practice of the teachings and examples of Jesus. and worshiping Him.

Written from information compiled by Frederick P. Griffin (1915-2008), Harrison County historian and lifelong member of Corydon Presbyterian Church. Revised and updated by CPC Elder John James