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role in the development of the local Christian Church. The Christian Church of South Bend was first organized on Portage Prairie at a point about four miles north of the city limits.[17] In the Spring of 1851, soon after the old South Bend seminary was purchased, Gideon Drapier was chosen as a church elder.[18] Drapier died on November 8, 1860. Other members of the Drapier family buried at Tutt -Stuckey are Ebenezer Drapier, who died March 3, 1853, Gideon's wife, Polly, who died August 17, 1852, and their daughters, Lydia and Betsy. Lydia Drapier died on May 12, 1885. Miss Betsy Drapier was born in Perry County, Indiana on October 26, 1819. In her early life she was a teacher in the schools here. Like her father Gideon Drapier she was also a member of the Christian Church.[19] THE GELTZ FAMILY Another significant pioneer family buried in Tutt -Stuckey are the Geltzs. George Geltz was born in Germany in January, 1826. He came to America when he was a young man and took up his abode in Ohio. In 1849 he moved to South Bend and made Clay township his home. in 1852 he returned to Ohio for his family; upon his return to South Bend he was employed as a blacksmith at the Studebaker Brothers Company. in 1853 he accompanied J.M. Studebaker to the gold fields of California where he remained for three years at the end of which he returned to South Bend and resumed work with his former employers.[20] George Geltz died October 23, 1903 at the age of seventy-five. Mrs. Catherine Geltz, wife of George Geltz, was born in Germany on June 17, 1832. She moved to South Bend with her husband in 1862. She was the mother of four children. Mrs. Geltz passed away on October 23, 1897.[21] From among her children, three were buried in Tutt -Stuckey, while the other, William E. Geltz, served as County Assessor.[22] Among other members of the Geltz family interred in Tutt -Stuckey are: Regina Geltz who died November 7, 1904 at the age of seventy-three; Aaron Geltz who died on January 15, 1889 at the age of sixty-nine; John Geltz who died February. 28, 1896 at seventy-seven years; Elizabeth Geltz who died February 17, 1899 at eighty-one years; Christian Geltz who died on March 3, 1893 at the age of sixty-nine; Andrew Geltz who died on October 27, 1865 at seventy-seven years of age and his wife Elizabeth, who died March 8, 1871 at the age of eighty-seven. THE CHALFANT FAMILY The Chalfants were another prominent pioneer family interred in Tutt -Stuckey. The family was of Irish -Welsh -Dutch descent.[23] 7