OUR HISTORY

Friends (Quakers) were the first white settlers in Randolph County. Friends were also the first settlers in the Bear Creek neighborhood. Members of the Addington Family, a Quaker family with roots going back to early English and Pennsylvania Quakers, began arriving along Bear Creek in the early 1830s. Friends worship was held in the neighborhood as early as 1837, though regular services did not begin until 1866, under the direction of Friends from other nearby meetings. Services were held in homes and schoolhouses until the Olive Branch Christian Church was constructed in 1873.

In 1874 the Friends in the neighborhood were officially organized as “Olive Branch Preparative Meeting” under Poplar Run Monthly Meeting of Friends, including nearly sixty charter members. At least twenty charter members were members of the extended Addington Family. Another charter member, Eli Hiatt, Senior, was a widely-known Quaker who had been a noted stationmaster on the Underground Railroad. Another charter member, Nathan Hunt Williams, was the son of Daniel Williams, who was himself one of the best known Quaker ministers in Indiana in his day.

In 1883 the present site was secured by Benjamin Addington, and a frame meetinghouse was constructed. It was dedicated in early 1884 by Jehu Jessup, a minister from Wayne County, Indiana, and the name of the church was changed to “Bear Creek.” The meetinghouse was enlarged in 1905 and rededicated on November 26 by Albert J. Brown, President of Wilmington College. The meetinghouse was moved over a new basement in 1946-47, and an educational annex was added in 1959. In 1975 a new brick addition was completed, and a large fellowship hall was completed in 2001.

In the earliest years, pastoral and evangelistic support came from traveling ministers. The earliest pastors served intermittently. One of the first, a Quaker elder named Elijah Johnson, was a freed slave. In 1898 Fred Smith became the first regularly-serving, regularly-compensated pastor, serving Farmland, Parker, and Bear Creek Friends Churches. Twenty-six pastors have served in the years since, some serving more than one time.

At least ten persons associated with Bear Creek have entered the pastoral ministry. The most notable were brothers George E. Addington and Luther E. Addington, and several members of the Huffman Family, including our long-time pastor, Vernon Huffman.

Bear Creek Preparative Meeting was set off with Farmland Monthly Meeting in 1882. Schuyler C. Williams, a member of Bear Creek, served as clerk of Farmland Monthly Meeting for over thirty years, until 1938, when Bear Creek Monthly Meeting was set off, with him as clerk. Bear Creek has always been associated with Indiana Yearly Meeting of Friends. A number of Bear Creek's members have been active in yearly meeting affairs, including several who have served on the Executive Committee of Indiana Yearly Meeting. Bear Creek is currently one of the largest rural Friends churches in Indiana.

Today, Bear Creek is known as a vibrant, growing church with a comprehensive span of ages and a commitment to share the Gospel with our community.