Near Stone Bluff in Fountain County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Osborn Prairie Church - - Built 1892
Gothic Revival Church
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 24, 2009
1. Osborn Prairie Church - - Built 1892 Marker
of Fountain County, Inc.
Award
Presented to
Osborn Prairie Church
for the Restoration
and Preservation of the
Gothic Revival Church
Built in 1892
Erected 2009 by Historic Landmarks of Fountain County Inc.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Churches & Religion • Landmarks. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.
Location. 40° 10.288′ N, 87° 16.905′ W. Marker is near Stone Bluff, Indiana, in Fountain County. Marker is on Osborn Prairie Road west of County Road N70W, on the left when traveling west. Marker is on the right side of the Church's front Entrance. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Veedersburg IN 47987, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Progressive Friends Church Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); Birch - Colvert Cemetery (approx. 2.1 miles away); Boyhood Home of Daniel W. Voorhees (approx. 2.9 miles away); Troy Township, Layton Station (approx. 3.8 miles away); Curfew Bell (approx. 3.9 miles away); Veedersburg " Scout Cabin " (approx. 3.9 miles away); Booe - Inlow - d'Arlier Cultural Center
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 27, 2009
2. Front Entrance - - Osborn Prairie Church
Marker on right side of the front entrance in photo.
this page online
Additional commentary.
1. Church Bell::
It would be interesting to know the history of the bell that hangs in the Osborn Prairie Church's belfry. (If there is ever a need to get into the belfry, photos of the bell and any markings on the bell may hold yet more history.)
Bell foundries hold many threads of interest and importance. Their weight determined the pitch of the musical sound of the bell.
This Church is too old for the following. BUT, knowing that Paul Revere (in his latter years) also cast bells - - make it exciting to read inscriptions on who made a given bell. Many of the bells in the U.S. were made in Europe.
— Submitted June 27, 2009, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.
2. Rev. John S. Boord's "History of Osborn Prairie Church"
http://www.hittle.info/photo/displayimage.php?album=9&pos=20
The link above will take you to a .pdf of John S. Boord's "History of Osborn Prairie Church" which appears to be a turn of the 20th century look at the first 70 years of the Christian Church at Osborn Prairie.
Absalom and "Aunt Betsy" (Boord) Jenkins, mentioned in the pamphlet, are my 2-Great Grandparents. Their daughter, Mary Ann, married James
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 24, 2009
3. Osborn Prairie Church - - Built 1892
(Click photo to see details.) Marker is on right side of the front doors.
2 of Absalom and Elizabeth (Boord) Jenkins' daughters are buried at Osborn Prairie. Elizabeth (Jenkins) Crane, 1st wife of Joel Crane, and Delilah (Jenkins) Warrick were interred near the west end of the old cemetery, west of the Church.
Absalom Jenkins was born in Monongalia County (now Preston), Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1794. The course of his life took him from there to Warren County, Ohio, and from there to Fountain County. He, and several of the original Osborn Prairie congregants were part of a communal society in the Stone Bluff area before the experiment failed, and the people assembled first into "New Light" Christian fellowship, and then the later 1830's transition to the Christian organization outlined in the piece by John S. Boord.
The Jenkins, as the book by Boord explains, left the Osborn Prairie area and settled into the Rossville, Illinois rural community. As the piece says, they passed away in 1872 (Elizabeth) and 1874. A marker to their memory is erected in the Red Top churchyard about 3 miles north of Rossville.
Elizabeth (Boord) Jenkins was the sister of Elijah Boord. Other pieces by John S. Boord (who descended from Elijah) identify their parents as George and Susan (Gadd) Boord. Susan died shortly after Elijah's birth. George later remarried and ended up in Edgar County, Illinois where histories identify him as the first Coroner of that county.
Elijah Boord settled into the Stone Bluff
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 24, 2009
4. East Side - - Osborn Prairie Church - - Built 1892
— Submitted June 4, 2011, by Joseph A. 'Joe' Hittle of Milo, Iowa.
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 24, 2009
5. West Side - - Osborn Prairie Church - - Built 1892
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 24, 2009
6. Long View - - Osborn Prairie Church - - Built 1892
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 27, 2009
7. Above Front Entrance - - Interesting Dates....
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 27, 2009
8. Osborn Prairie Church
Photo taken from North Corporation Line Road across corn field. This is indeed prairie land....
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 27, 2009
9. Osborn Prairie Church
Getting closer to the Church driving West on Osborn Prairie Road.
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 27, 2009
10. Close East Side - - Osborn Prairie Church
Photographed By Al Wolf, June 27, 2009
11. Long View of West Side - - Osborn Prairie Church
Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 24, 2009, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 2,893 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 24, 2009, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 2. submitted on June 27, 2009, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 24, 2009, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. submitted on June 27, 2009, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
