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Claims concerning 1837–1943
(a) Oldest church — the Methodist claim. SUPPORTED at county-history strength. Chapman: the Methodist Episcopal church is the first church in the township, erected in North Liberty in 1851. Howard concurs — the Methodist Society built the first church in the township, in North Liberty, in 1851, replaced in 1878. Chapman's own framing alternates between organisation and building; both are dated 1851 by the carriers. The institution's own course is the religion file's; this verdict tests the claim only. (b) Oldest business — no claimant. Tested negative: no business in town was found printing an "oldest" claim. The record's firsts are not oldest-surviving claims: Chapman's store succession gives the first store to Daniel Antrim, 1837, followed by E. S. Reynolds, then A. P. Richardson (1840), then James Harvey to 1867 — a succession of firsts, none a surviving "oldest." (c) The bank's 1943 line — the date TRUE, the independence FAILS.Any telling of an independent bank "since 1943" fails on its second half: the bank merged without assistance, effective 1 April 1987, into 1st Source Bank (Certificate 9087), South Bend, and the FDIC locations endpoint returns zero current locations for Certificate 15942. Corroboration at town size: the North Liberty News, 21 April 1960, carried "New Home for Community State Bank," and the 1960 building at 109 N. Main St. houses the 1st Source branch the town's links page lists today. The bank's whole course is the banks file's; the claim is tested here.