A few years ago I wrote about the Mount Carmel EUB Sunday School Class of 1914. My paternal grandmother Gertrude “Gertie” (Brewster) Miller (1896-1973) was a member of that class.
Mount Carmel church, a frame structure, was located in rural Jefferson Township, Adams County, Indiana. It had a Geneva address and was located about two miles from the Indiana-Ohio state line, about 4-5 miles southwest of Chatt. Google Maps indicates that the address of the church was E 900 S, S 450 E. In 1914 it was an Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) church. Philip Brewster, Gertie’s father and my great-grandfather, was a janitor at the church for many years.
Here is a photo of the 1916 Charter Member organizational certificate of Mount Carmel church’s adult Bible class, with 25 signatures of the Bible class members.
1916 Mount Carmel EUB Bible class certificate.
THE INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION, Adult Department
On recommendation of the Indiana Sunday School Association this certificate is issued to the
Who Do? Bible Class of the Mt. Carmel Evangelical Assoc. Church of Adams County.
ORGANIZED ADULT BIBLE CLASS according to the International Standard.
In Testimony Whereof, we have affixed our hand and seal this 11th day of February 1916.
Approved by the Evangelical Association Church.
Signed, W.C. Pearce, International Adult Department Superintendent.
For the Indiana Sunday School Association. B. Cornelius, Adult Department Superintendent.
CHARTER MEMBER
Who Do? That’s an interesting name for a Bible Class. There must be a story behind that name.
My grandma, Gertie Brewster, was one of the 25 young women who signed the certificate.
Signatures of 1916 Mount Carmel Bible class certificate.
Their signatures:
Edna Brewster, Claudia Buckmaster, Adda F. Ketcham, Cora Arn, Clara Fogle, Eloise Reef, Indianola Snyder, Nellie Kerr, Blanche Beerbower, Cleo Rumple, Arveda Rumple, Ella Arn, Isabel Zehr, Marie Sprunger, Ida L. Kerr, Mary Champer, Gertrude Snyder, Anna Durbin, Gertie Brewster, Halie Evans, Bessie Ketcham, Leona Fetters, Alice Gerber, Jeanette Charleston, Zola E. Charleston.
Here is a photo of the 1914 Mount Carmel Sunday School class. My grandma Gertrude and her sister Alpha (Brewster) Derickson (1898-1968) are among the class members.
1914 Mount Carmel Sunday School class.
Several of those in the 1914 photo were in the 1916 Bible class and signed the certificate. Those in the 1914 photo, with their maiden and married names:
Seated, left to right: Iva (Irwin) Charleston, Edna (Brewster) Abnet, Alpha (Brewster) Derickson, Clara (Fogle) Becher, Blanch (Beerbower) Foreman, and Janie (Irwin) Arnold.
Standing, left to right: Lola (Charleston) Taylor, Anna (Ketchum) Durbin, Cleo (Rumple) Pyle, Jannette (Charleston) Striker, Ethel (Evans) Houseman, Mary Champer, Gertrude (Brewster) Miller, Augusta (Brewster) Rockwood, Addie (Ketchum) Hisey, and Eathel (Evans) Dailey.
The Who Do? Bible class, consisting of young women. I wonder if the young men of the congregation also had a Bible class.
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Iva Charleston was my husband’s Grandmother. Others in the picture were also related. Great picture.
Author
How interesting that you have a connection to some of the women in the photo! And that Iva would have known my grandmother. Thanks for writing.
I wondered about the name, and officially registered at that!
Author
It was a strange name indeed!
What a tressure!
Author
Certainly an interesting document.
Karen-my great aunt was Claudia Buckmaster daughter of J A Buckmaster and Harriet Brewster. Their children were Verlyn, Claudia, Lois Louella and son True Buckmaster.
My mother Harriet Lotz was named after her Grandmother Buckmaster. My mother went to school with her cousin Darrel “Pete” Brewster so we are related.
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Author
We certainly are related! I recognize some of the names you mention and I met Pete once. Thank you for writing and introducing yourself. I’ll keep you in mind if I need some Brewster information.