China, Indiana
Encyclopedia
China is an unincorporated community in Shelby Township
, Jefferson County
, Indiana
. It spans Shelby and Madison Townships and was for years largely defined by the existence of a general store
in Madison Township and the former St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Shelby township. Razor's Fork runs between the two sections. Indiana State Road 62 runs parallel to Razor's Fork in Madison Township, and then crosses the stream and heads north to Canaan.
The origin of the name is not known. In her history of St. Anthony's Church, area resident Elma related a story, which she said was confirmed by Catholic priests, that China stemmed from the name of Father Munnschina, a priest. In the late 1960s, Mrs. Frances Ringwald, whose daughter Edith and son William "Bud" Thomas, operated the China store, said she was told that the site had mulberry trees, which suggested silk
, which suggested China
.
However, China post office opened on January 30, 1833 and closed on November 29, 1838 and that was years before the arrival of the German Catholics who founded St. Anthony's and who were served by Munnschina. In fact, the first China postmaster was Moses Wilder, who was a Presbyterian Minister had arrived in nearby Madison, by 1830, as an agent of the American Tract Society
.
Wilder may have been associated with the Center or Central (Presbyterian records use both names) Presbyterian Church was founded by February 4, 1833 when deeds from two families transferred land to church trustees. The site was on the east side of the West Fork of the Indian-Kentuck creek and on the north side of Dry Fork at their meeting. Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. showed 36 communicant in 1834. Minutes are unclear as to whether it lasted to 1852 since in 1851 and 1852, the church issued no record and prior member records were reiterated.
A paper mill
, which operated as the China Paper mill, was located near the church site. It may have been founded by Samuel Demaree who died in 1826. A local history indicates two of his sons-in-law, James Hamilton and Henry Jackman. They sold the property Demaree's grandsons, William U. and Samuel B. Demaree, with the 1850 U.S. Census of Manufacturers listing W&S Demaree as a paper maker. They sold the mill property to Henry James on June 4, 1855 and he sold it back to the Demarees in 1860, with the mill's engine sold off.
After German Catholics began arrive in the mid-1840s, St. Anthony's was founded. In his history, William J. Kremer says that the first Mass was read on St. Anthony's Day, June 13, 1849, in a brick house the farm home of Hans Weber. The farm house was described by a tornado
in 1974. Land for the church building was sold to the Bishop of Vincennes on April 15, 1851.Records of the Diocese of Indianapolis show that a log church was erected in 1861 on the south section of the present building with the sandstone church building, that is still standing, constructed in 1869. The church operated until 1993, when it was made part of the combined Prince of Peace Parish. It is now owned by a Catholic retreat, which offers masses and which also operates a religious store in the garage of the former China store.
Shelby Township, Jefferson County, Indiana
Shelby Township is one of ten townships in Jefferson County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,052.Shelby Township was created from the northern part of Milton Township and the remnant of Pittsburgh Township on Feb. 12, 1823 by the Jefferson County commissioners. The action...
, Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Indiana
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 32,428. The county seat is Madison.-History:Jefferson County was formed in 1811...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. It spans Shelby and Madison Townships and was for years largely defined by the existence of a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
in Madison Township and the former St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Shelby township. Razor's Fork runs between the two sections. Indiana State Road 62 runs parallel to Razor's Fork in Madison Township, and then crosses the stream and heads north to Canaan.
The origin of the name is not known. In her history of St. Anthony's Church, area resident Elma related a story, which she said was confirmed by Catholic priests, that China stemmed from the name of Father Munnschina, a priest. In the late 1960s, Mrs. Frances Ringwald, whose daughter Edith and son William "Bud" Thomas, operated the China store, said she was told that the site had mulberry trees, which suggested silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
, which suggested China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
However, China post office opened on January 30, 1833 and closed on November 29, 1838 and that was years before the arrival of the German Catholics who founded St. Anthony's and who were served by Munnschina. In fact, the first China postmaster was Moses Wilder, who was a Presbyterian Minister had arrived in nearby Madison, by 1830, as an agent of the American Tract Society
American Tract Society
The American Tract Society is a nonprofit, nonsectarian but evangelical organization founded on May 11, 1825 in New York City for the purpose of publishing and disseminating Christian literature. ATS traces its lineage back through the New York Tract Society and the New England Tract Society to...
.
Wilder may have been associated with the Center or Central (Presbyterian records use both names) Presbyterian Church was founded by February 4, 1833 when deeds from two families transferred land to church trustees. The site was on the east side of the West Fork of the Indian-Kentuck creek and on the north side of Dry Fork at their meeting. Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. showed 36 communicant in 1834. Minutes are unclear as to whether it lasted to 1852 since in 1851 and 1852, the church issued no record and prior member records were reiterated.
A paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
, which operated as the China Paper mill, was located near the church site. It may have been founded by Samuel Demaree who died in 1826. A local history indicates two of his sons-in-law, James Hamilton and Henry Jackman. They sold the property Demaree's grandsons, William U. and Samuel B. Demaree, with the 1850 U.S. Census of Manufacturers listing W&S Demaree as a paper maker. They sold the mill property to Henry James on June 4, 1855 and he sold it back to the Demarees in 1860, with the mill's engine sold off.
After German Catholics began arrive in the mid-1840s, St. Anthony's was founded. In his history, William J. Kremer says that the first Mass was read on St. Anthony's Day, June 13, 1849, in a brick house the farm home of Hans Weber. The farm house was described by a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
in 1974. Land for the church building was sold to the Bishop of Vincennes on April 15, 1851.Records of the Diocese of Indianapolis show that a log church was erected in 1861 on the south section of the present building with the sandstone church building, that is still standing, constructed in 1869. The church operated until 1993, when it was made part of the combined Prince of Peace Parish. It is now owned by a Catholic retreat, which offers masses and which also operates a religious store in the garage of the former China store.