185 Church Histories in Allen County, Indiana

The first services where held in 1822 in the fort, and the first church was built in 1831. This is not an exhaustive list of churches in Allen County, Indiana, but a brief overview of early churches with histories that start before 1920 in Allen County, Indiana. If the church has a web site the denomination name is the link, or the church name on the township page. Some general church sites are Fort Wayne Associated Churches, FWChurches.com and USAChurch.com

Churches rarely maintain records of births and deaths, they do maintain registers of sacrament - baptisms, marriages, confirmations, and burials. Many early church records are now online on the Church tab on our eBooks page. The Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center has an Allen County Congregational Pathfinder blog discussing the local churches and points to their pathfinder Allen County Congregations pdf file.

Many churches have German origins and had German services in the Fort Wayne area until World War I, but was not completely changed to English until World War II according to the history of the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Click on colored names to go to that page. Records column shows: none - some churches never kept records, some were lost or destroyed. ACPL - the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center has many of the church records on microfilm such as births, baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths, etc, ACPL* indicates to click the specific church since ACPL may only have the history of the church, church indicates to contact the church for records, church* indicates early records may be at DePauw University Genealogy Collection, Greencastle, Indiana the official repository for the Methodist Church with newer records at the church, and FWHS is the Fort Wayne Historical Society. History refers to page number in the 2006 book Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana 1700-2005. Any updates to this information is greatly appreciated.

If you have questions about Lutheran Church families associated with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in Allen County, contact Allen Franz who will share his extensive knowledge of their history.

Allen County Church Burial Records at the Genealogy Center. Years of coverage vary by church.

Indiana Church Records on FamilySearch

Church Records Earlham College Archives: Society of Friends Archives http://legacy.earlham.edu/library/content/friends/index.html
DePauw University Archives: United Methodist Church Archives http://www.depauw.edu/library/archives/resources/forchurch.asp
Hanover College Archives: Presbyterian Archives Collections http://library.hanover.edu/presbyterian.html
Franklin College Archives: Indiana American Baptist Collection http://www.franklincollege.edu/academics/hamilton-library

  Church Township Cemetery Started Disbanded Denomination Records History
1 Lafayette   1917 1997 Christian none  
2 Wayne   1848 active Jewish ACPL 162
3
Amish - 3 brothers 1861 split into Defenseless, Evangelical, and Leo
 Cedar Creek   1853 1861 Mennonite none  
4 Cedar Creek   1862 active Apostolic Christian Church of America church  
5 Lake   1871 active Methodist church 155
6 Eel River   1875 active Church of God church  
7 Lake   1835 unknown Baptist none  
8 Aboite   unknown unknown Methodist none  
9 Lafayette   1865 unknown unknown unknown  
10 Wayne   1893 1997 Presbyterian merged  
11 Marion Yes 1838 1870 Baptist none  
12
Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1961 merged to form Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Springfield Township
 Maumee   1860 1961 Lutheran merged  
13
Bethel United Methodist Church formerly Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church
 Washington Yes 1837 active Methodist church 158
14
Bethlehem Church of the United Brethren - 1968 merged with the Shiloh Methodist Episcopal Church
 Monroe   1845 1968 United Brethren merged  
15 Wayne   1912 active Jewish ACPL* 132-133, 220
16
Bowers Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church - 1893 renamed Taylor Chapel
 Saint Joseph Yes 1865 1893 Methodist church  
17
Calvary Third Presbyterian Church - 1995 Third Presbyterian merged with Calvary Presbyterian
 Wayne   1995 2011 Presbyterian ACPL  
18 Wayne            
19
Calvary United Methodist Church - 1875 United Brethren - 1946 Calvary Evangelical United Brethren - 1968 current name
 Wayne   1875 active Methodist church  
20
Cathedral Of The Immaculate Conception - organized in 1836 as St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1840 changed to St. Augustine's, 1859 Cathedral
 Wayne   1836 active Catholic ACPL 161
21 Cedar Creek   1864 1922 Methodist none  
22 Maumee Yes 1898 active Lutheran ACPL  
23 Wayne   1917 active Apostolic church  
24 Wayne   1892 1936 Lutheran ACPL  
25 Wayne   1897 active Church of God - Anderson, IN none  
26 Wayne   1903 active Christian ACPL*  
27 Wayne Old & New 1899 active Lutheran ACPL 134-135
28
Crescent Avenue United Methodist Church - 1909 Crescent Avenue Evangelical - 1968 Crescent Avenue Evangelical United Brethren
 Wayne   1909 active Methodist church  
29 Monroe   1968 active Methodist church 163
30 Adams Yes 1858 active Lutheran ACPL  
31 Wayne   1867 active Lutheran ACPL 136-137
32 Marion Yes 1845 active Lutheran ACPL 165
33 Wayne   1900 active Lutheran ACPL 164
34 Pleasant   1881 active Church of God church  
35
Faith United Methodist Church - 1867 Bethel Evangelical - 1914 First Evangelical - 1968 current
Wayne   1867 active Methodist church  
36
First Baptist Church - first services held in 1822 fort
 Wayne   1837 active Baptist ACPL 138-139
37
First Christian Church - West Jefferson Street Church of Christ - 1952 current name
 Wayne   1871 active Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) church 166
38 FIRST CHURCH - see First Presbyterian Church Wayne   1831 active Presbyterian ACPL  
39 Wayne   1898 active Christian Science none 167
40
First Church of God - 1977 moved to Trier Ridge Community Church of God
 Wayne   1907 1977 Church of God unknown  
41 Wayne   1916 active Nazarene church  
42 Eel River Yes 1844 active Baptist church  
43 Wayne   1903 active Mennonite ACPL* 168
44
First Methodist Episcopal Church - 1939 merged with Methodist Protestant Church to form Harlan Methodist
 Springfield   1843 1939 Methodist merged  
45
First Methodist Episcopal Church - 1968 merged into First Wayne Street United Methodist with Wayne Street Methodist Episcopal
 Wayne   1840 1968 Methodist merged 122-125
46 Wayne   1905 active Missionary ACPL*  
47
First Presbyterian Church - First Church built in Fort Wayne 1831
 Wayne   1831 active Presbyterian ACPL 126-128
48 Wayne   1897 active Seventh-Day-Adventist church  
49 Wayne   1875 1880 Universalist ACPL*  
50
First Wayne Street United Methodist Church - 1968 merged from First Methodist Episcopal and Wayne Street Methodist Episcopal
 Wayne   1968 active Methodist ACPL* 122-125
51 Wayne   1918 1980's AMEZ unknown  
52
Flat Rock Evangelical Lutheran Church - 1924 with St. Mark's Lutheran Church
 Monroe Yes 1854 1924 Lutheran ACPL  
53 Lake   1852 1865 Baptist none  
54 Aboite   1842 1880 unknown none  
55 Gar Creek Mennonite Milan   1854 1910 Mennonite GAMEO  
56
German Baptist Church 1880 see Eel River German Baptist
 Cedar Creek   1876 1880 Brethren none  
57 Eel River   1875 unknown Brethren none  
58
German Evangelical Church - also known as Albright Church
 Lafayette Yes 1850 unknown Evangelical none  
59 Springfield   1880 before 1927   unknown  
60 Cedar Creek   1873 active Mennonite 1950's 221
61 Cedar Creek   1901 active Missionary church  
62
Grace Evangelical United Brethren Church - in 1968 merged with Monroeville United Methodist Church
 Monroe   1894 1968 United Brethren merged  
63 Wayne   1891 active Lutheran ACPL 172
64
Grace Reformed- 1934 renamed Grace Evangelical and Reformed Church - 1957 renamed Grace United Church of Christ - 1983 merged with St. John's United Church of Christ
 Wayne   1883 1983 United Church of Christ merged  
65 Wayne   1983 active United Church of Christ church  
66 Springfield   1902 active Church of Christ church  
67
Harlan United Brethren Church - 1968 merged with Harlan Methodist to form Harlan United Methodist Church
 Springfield Yes   1968 United Brethren church*  
68
Harlan United Methodist Church - 1968 merger of Harlan Methodist Church and the United Brethren Church
 Springfield   1968 active Methodist church* 140-141
69 Madison   1890 1995 Methodist fire  
70
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - from 1961 merger of Bethel Chapel, St. Mark's Lutheran and Salem Lutheran
 Springfield   1961 active Lutheran ACPL  
71 Aboite   1834 unknown Methodist none  
72
Hope United Methodist Church - 1995 merger of Poe United Methodist and Hoagland United Methodist of Madison Township
 Marion   1995 active Methodist church  
73 Perry   1836 active Methodist ACPL  
74 Wayne   1889 1994 Baptist FWHS  
75 Lake Yes 1850 active Methodist church 175
76 Cedar Creek   1861 1986 Mennonite lost  
77 Cedar Creek   1831 active Methodist ACPL*  
78
Lincolnshire Church of the Brethren - First Church of the Brethren changed name 1958
 Wayne   1901 active Church of Brethren church  
79 Washington   1873 active Free Methodist church 221
80 Jefferson   1871 active Methodist church* 177
81 Madison Yes 1882 active Lutheran church  
82 Adams Yes 1853 active Lutheran ACPL 178
83 Madison   unknown unknown Methodist none  
84 Pleasant Yes 1835 1880 Methodist unknown  
85 Springfield   1880 before 1927 Methodist unknown  
86
Methodist Protestant Church - 1939 merged with First Methodist Episcopal Church to form Harlan Methodist
 Springfield   1851 1939 Methodist merged  
87 Springfield   1880 before 1927 Methodist unknown  
88
Middletown Methodist Episcopal Church - 1876 merged with Hoagland Methodist Church, Madison Township
 Marion   1835 1876 Methodist merged  
89 Milan   1905 1954 Methodist DePauw  
90
Milan Evangelical Lutheran Church (Barnett Chapel) - 1921 merged with St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Harlan Springfield Township
Milan Yes 1864 1921 Lutheran merged  
91 Monroe Yes 1847 active Methodist church 150-151
92 Lafayette   1852 1948? Methodist lost  
93 Perry   1850s 1922 Methodist none  
94
Mount Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church - 1994 merged with Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 1995 named Risen Savior Lutheran Church
 Pleasant   1864 1994 Lutheran merged  
95 Wayne   1897 active Catholic ACPL  
96
New Haven Methodist Episcopal Church 1939 Grace after merger of Episcopal and Protestant Methodist Churches
 Adams   1861 1942 Methodist ACPL*  
97
New Haven Methodist Protestant Church1939 Calvary Methodist after merger
 Adams   1838 1942 Methodist ACPL*  
98
New Haven United Methodist Church 1942 after merger of Calvary and Grace
 Adams   1942 active Methodist ACPL*  
99 Wayne   1913 active Church of God church  
100
Nine Mile United Methodist Church - 1986 name changed after merger of United Brethren Church of Christ with Methodist
 Pleasant   1986 active Methodist church 180
101
North County Line Church of God - 1896 Brush College Church of God
 Cedar Creek   1896 active Church of God none  
102
North Scipio United Methodist Church formerly Scipio Methodist Episcopal
 Scipio Yes 1840 active Methodist church 182
103 Wayne   1919 active Baptist church  
104 Madison Yes <1880 unknown Baptist none  
105
Plymouth Congregation United Church of Christ - 1870 name was Plymouth Congregational Church
 Wayne   1870 active United Church of Christ ACPL 186
106
Poe (Williamsport) Methodist Episcopal Church -1995 merged to form Hope United Methodist Church
 Marion   1842 1995 Methodist merged  
107 Wayne Yes 1850's 1913+ United Brethren none  
108 Aboite   1890's 1920's Methodist none  
109 Wayne   1892 active Lutheran ACPL 187
110
Risen Savior Lutheran Church - 1994 merged with Lord of Life Lutheran Church and 1995 name was changed
Pleasant   1994 active Lutheran church  
111 Perry Yes 1850 active Methodist church  
112 Pleasant Yes 1858 active Catholic ACPL  
113 Adams   1909 active Catholic ACPL  
114 Wayne   1910 1955 Polish Catholic ACPL  
115 Adams Yes 1861 active Catholic ACPL  
116 Adams Yes 1857 1871 Lutheran merged  
117 Wayne Yes 1853 active Lutheran ACPL 144-145, 192
118 Madison Yes 1849 active Lutheran ACPL 194
119 Lake   1877 active Lutheran ACPL  
120
St. John's Lutheran Church disbanded 1880 records with Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church Wayne Township
 Marion Yes 1858 1880 Lutheran church  
121 Cedar Creek   1906 1917 Reformed none  
122
St. John's Reformed - 1934 St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church 1957 - St. John's United Church of Christ - 1983 merged with Grace United Church of Christ
 Wayne   1844 1983 United Church in Christ merged  
123 Wayne   1913 active Italian Catholic ACPL  
124 Marion Yes 1841 active Catholic ACPL 195
125
St. Joseph United Methodist Church - 1863 St. Joseph Episcopal Methodist Church
Saint Joseph   1863 active Methodist church 196
126
St. Leo Catholic Church originally St. Bonifacius - see St. Vincent Catholic
 Cedar Creek   1850 1880 Catholic ACPL*  
127 Jefferson Yes 1851 active Catholic ACPL 197
128 Monroe   1864 active Lutheran ACPL 198
129 Pleasant Yes 1855 active Lutheran ACPL  
130
St. Mark's Lutheran Church Harlan - 1961 merged with Bethel Chapel and Salem Lutheran to form Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
 Springfield   1886 1961 Lutheran ACPL  
131 Wayne   1848 active German Catholic ACPL 129131
132 Saint Joseph   1869 1880 Catholic ACPL  
133 Wayne   1890 active Catholic ACPL 200
134 Lake Yes 1867 active Catholic ACPL* 222
135 Marion Yes 1845 after 1864 Lutheran   165
136 Wayne   1864 2004 German Catholic ACPL  
137
St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church - originally First German Evangelical Lutheran Church
 Wayne   1837 active Lutheran ACPL 201
138 Milan Yes 1880 active Lutheran ACPL  
139 Adams   1887 2000 Methodist ACPL*  
140 Wayne   1872 active Catholic ACPL 202
141 Saint Joseph Yes 1855 active Lutheran ACPL 203
142 Monroe Yes 1868 active Catholic ACPL  
143 Washington Yes 1846 active Catholic ACPL 146-147
144
Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church - merged with Bethel Chapel and St. Mark's Lutheran forming Holy Trinity Lutheran
 Springfield Yes 1852 1963 Lutheran ACPL  
145 Perry Yes 1876 1940s   ACPL  
146
Salem United Church of Christ - 1934 Salem Evangelical and Reformed Church - 1957 current name
 Wayne   1868 active United Church of Christ ACPL  
147
Shiloh Methodist Episcopal Church - 1968 merged and became East Liberty United Methodist Church
 Monroe   1845 1965 Methodist merged  
148
Simpson United Methodist Church - 1866 Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church - then Simpson Methodist Episcopal
Wayne   1866 active Methodist church  
149
South Scipio United Brethren in Christ Church - 1881 was named First United Brethren Church in Christ
 Scipio   1881 active United Brethren Church in Christ church  
150 Wayne   1890 active Baptist church 205
151
South Wayne United Methodist Church - 1919 South Wayne Evangelical United Brethren - 1968 current name
 Wayne   1919 2004 Methodist church*  
152 Washington Yes 1882 active Lutheran ACPL  
153
Taylor Chapel United Methodist Church - 1893 renamed from Bowers Chapel
 Saint Joseph   1893 active Methodist church 207
154
Third Presbyterian Church - 1995 merged with Calvary Presbyterian to form Calvary Third Presbyterian
 Wayne   1867 1995 Presbyterian merged  
155 Adams   1907 active formerly First Church of God church 210
156 Wayne   1846 active Lutheran ACPL 148-149
157
Trinity Episcopal Church - 1839 Christ Church - 1844 Trinity Church
 Wayne   1839 active Episcopal ACPL 208
158 Adams Yes 1846 active Lutheran ACPL 209
159 Wayne   1893 active Lutheran ACPL 211
160
Trinity United Methodist Church - 1875 Ninth Ward Methodist Episcopal - 1876 Third Street Methodist Episcopal - 1884 Trinity Methodist Episcopal
 Wayne   1875 active Methodist ACPL* 212
161 Wayne   1849 active African Methodist Episcopal fire 1979  
162 Wayne   1876 - 1939 active Unitarian Universalist church  
163 Cedar Creek   1845 1876+ United Brethren lost  
164
United Brethren Church - 1874 building sold to Wesleyan Methodist
 Eel River   1853 1874 United Brethren none  
165
United Brethren Church of Christ (Liberty Chapel) - 1986 name changed to Nine Mile United Methodist Church after merger of United Brethren and the Methodist Church
Pleasant   1853 1986 United Brethren merged  
166 Wayne   1997 active Presbyterian church  
167
Union Baptist Church - started as Mount Olive Baptist - 1925 split into Greater Mount Olive Baptist - 1946 merge into Union Baptist Church
 Wayne   1905 active American Baptist ACPL*  
168
Union Chapel Methodist Church - 1919 moved to Waynedale Methodist Episcopal Church now Waynedale United Methodist Church
 Pleasant   1874 1919 Methodist merged  
169 Perry Yes 1858 active United Brethren church  
170 Aboite   1849 <1880 Open none  
171 Perry   1850 1917   none  
172 Cedar Creek Yes 1880 unknown Lutheran none  
173
Village Green Free Methodist Church 1873 Fort Wayne Free Methodist then 1911 Bower then 1963 Village Green
 Adams   1873 active Methodist ACPL*  
174 Springfield Yes 1845? unknown Lutheran unknown  
175 Wayne   1849 1968 Methodist merged 122-125
176 Wayne   1903 active Methodist church 214
177 Eel River   1837 active Methodist ACPL* 215
178 Eel River   1874 unknown Methodist none  
179 Wayne   1896 2007 Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) ACPL 223
180 Wayne   1907 1997 Presbyterian merged  
181
Westminster Presbyterian Church - 1844 was Second Presbyterian, 1894 name changed, - 2000 merged with North Highlands to form Grace Presbyterian Church
 Wayne   1844 2000 Presbyterian merged  
182 Maumee Yes 1893 active Mennonite church  
183 Maumee   1906 active Missionary church  
184 Maumee   1871 active Methodist church*  
185 Wayne   1883 active Lutheran ACPL 218
186 Maumee Yes 1888 active Lutheran ACPL 219
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