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Thomas Searle was the minister of the Madison Presbyterian Church and the founding minister of the Hanover Presbyterian Church. It was his wife, who was from Hanover, N.H., who was responsible for the name South Hanover, the town's first name

Reprinted in The Christian Herald and Seaman's Magazine, 1821

From the Boston Recorder,

OBITUARY.
DIED, at Madison, Indiana, on the 15th of October, the Rev. THOMAS C. SEAELE, pastor of the church in that place, aged about 32 years. His excessive labours in preaching, brought on a fever, which terminated his life, to the irreparable loss of his church and congregation, and to the great affliction of all who take an interest in the promotion of sound learning and of pure religion among our brethren in the new settlements of the west.

Mr. Searle was a native of Rowley. Mass, and a graduate of Dartmouth College. He received his theological education at the excellent Seminary in Princeton, N. J. to which he ever felt a warm attachment, as well as to the doctrines and discipline of the Presbyterian church. He had many inducements to settle in the ministry among his friends in New-England; but the deplorable condition of our western brethren in respect to religious ordinances, weighed upon his heart, and made him
break away from the endearments of kindred and all his early attachments, that he might carry the gospel to the destitute. Without property, and with a small family, many discouraging considerations would naturally spring up; but being satisfied as to his duty,; he placed, the most entire confidence in the good providence of the Master whom he served. He went forth in faith, like Abraham, not knowing whither he went. At the distance of 1200 or 1500 miles from New-England, as he was descending the Ohio, he was induced, about two years ago, to stop at Madison, where he opened an academy, and was settled in the ministry.

If he was not the first Presbyterian minister established in Indiana, yet, it is believed, that not more than one or two ministers could have been settled before him. Unceasing in his labours in proclaiming, wherever was in his power, the glad tidings of salvation, with a zeal ever flaming, with many plans for advancing' the literary, moral, and religions interests of Indiana, he, in the mysterious, but righteous providence of God, has been called to a better world, leaving an afflicted widow and
infant son. He died in the peace of the believer, in the triumphs of assured hope. Like LARNED, he has fallen in early life, a victim to his zeal in cause of benevolence. In his short life he effected much in the cause of religion ; but his memory may do more for that cause than his life.