USA > Illinois > Johnson County > A history of Johnson County, Illinois > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
There are two General Baptist churches in this county. They belong to the Ohio Association, which was organized in 1854. Bethal is the name of one church. It is situated in the northern part of the county and was organized in 1864.
120
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Friendship church, of this denomination, was organized the same year and is located three miles northwest of Goreville. No names of ministers or members can be obtained except that of Isiah Lowery, a prominent farmer, of Tunnell Hill Township, who kindly gave the above information.
There are four Christian Churches, sometimes called the Disciples of Christ in this county at the present time. There was one church of this denomination in 1850. The following data is from N. S. Haynes' History of this church, Miss Lilly Parker and J. F. Hight. Bethlehem church was organized in 1847 by Minister Wooten. It is thought to be the oldest church of the county. Their first meetings were held in a brush arbor. A log house was built and later a frame was erected. Norman Mozley, Sr., was the leading spirit and associated with him were other faithful men and women, the Carltons, Helms, and Hights. There has been little increase in this church in the last twenty years. Elder J. F. Hight went into the ministry from this congregation. Marshall Starks, Matthew Willson and Rev. Heap were some of the first ministers.
Berea church of this faith is located about five miles southeast from Vienna, organized a few years after Bethle- hem by Matthew Wilson. Its history is very similiar. The families of Pickens, Starks, Gage, and Albritten were prom- inent in the work at Berea. Beverly Albritton was a local preacher who came from the south and settled in this neighborhood. He and his son, George served the church as elders almost continuously since its origin. Wiley F. and Daniel M. Mathis were two ministers who went out from this church.
New Burnside church, another of the Christian denom- ination, was organized in 1875 and a house of worship built. Some of the first members were James Hester and wife, Frank Graham and wife, John Clymer and wife, Dave Shearer and wife, and Mrs. Asher. Some of the first min- isters were Stanton Fields, R. B. Trimble, Jesse Higby and Rev. Curfees.
There was a church of this denomination at or near West Vienna as early as 1860, called Gum Springs. They had built a log house and an evanglist John Lemon, as well as Dr. Bundy, and Matthew Wilson visited them and
121
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
held meetings about the year 1865. Some of the members at that time were Mr. and Mrs. Dick Venable, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Glassford, Mr. and Mrs. John Racy and Mrs. Ann Calhoun Lemon and his son Josephus came as refugees from the south. They were the leading mem- bers of the Gum Springs church. Many of the other mem- bers were refugees and after the close of the Civil War many of them returned to their homes and the church was dormant for sometime. The remaining members, however, formed a nucleus for the founding of a church at Vienna. The first meetings at Vienna were held in the C. P. Church, later in the hall in the Chapman and Hess building. Some of the charter members of this church were Felix Boyt and wife, Benjamin Bellemy and wife, B. Jones and wife, Ber- ton Sexton and wife, Duke Smith and wife, beside the mem- bers from Gum Spring. Two of the early ministers were Rev. Banteau and Duke Smith. Rev. R. R. McCall, who came here in 1860, and Rev. I. A. J. Parker who came a little later were helpful in building up the church at Vienna. In 1871 the present brick building was erected. S. M. Glassford and wife were most liberal givers, also Mrs. Mary (Frances) Mackey. November, 1884, I. A. J. Parker was ordained by R. R. Trimble and preached for this con- gregation eight years. J. T. Alsup, Willis A. and B. E. Parker have gone out from this church as preachers of the gospel.
Belknap Christian church was organized in 1895 by Elder G. Lay Wolf. Some of the charter members were W. H. Gibbons, A. M. Kean, J. B. McDowell, W. C. Wyatt and A. M. Wilson. They have had as ministers, Elders I. A. J. Parker, Sheak, Karker and Freeman. They worshiped in a rented building for some time. Later they built a beauti- ful little frame church home, which was dedicated by Fred Jones, Illinois State Secretary for Christian Missionary Society.
Grantsburg Christian church was organized in 1902 by John U. Cowan, with the help of W. B. Bivins.
There was a small congregation of this belief in Elvira in 1879. When minister Shelton moved away the congre- gation scattered. There was also a small band at Union Hill in 1900, but it continued only a short time. In the
122
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
seventies J. W. Bradley of Clay County, Stanton Fields and J. W. Radcliff did good work in the county as revivalists.
In 1869 Clark Braden a Christian minister, and G. W. Hughey of the Methodist Episcopal church debated at Vienna on Baptism, the work of the Holy Spirit and the Methodist discipline. If any kindlier feeling was created or any Christians made from this discussion it has not been recorded.
The Catholic church, a small frame building was dedi- cated at Vienna in 1896. There is also a Catholic church at New Burnside. The membership of these churches Is very limited in this county. For a short time there was a resident priest in Vienna who also held services at New Burnisde, but at present the priest resides at Stone Fort, coming here every two weeks. He also holds services at New Burnside.
A Congregational Society was organized at Vienna in 1893 and the cornerstone of their building was laid the same year, and it was dedicated in 1899. Some of the charter members of this church were Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Bridges, Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Slan- kard, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Thacker and family, Mesdames Edith Smith, Delia Head, Matilda Mahl, Margaret Ballow, and Ann Jones. Some of the ministers serving in this church were Revs. Mosslander, Perdue, J. H. Lippard, C. L. Westman, Murry, Knighten Bloom and Evan Wiggle. The church became inactive several years ago and the building which stood on the corner of Second and Green streets was razed in 1920.
The Pentacostal church was organized in Vienna in 1908 by Mrs. Humphrey, with forty members. They have a frame church but seldom have services. Some of their first members were Mr. and Mrs. Henen Russell, Aldred Hooker, Mrs. Stewart Sutliff and the Furguson families.
There is a church of this denomination at Belknap. William Sutliff is the pastor, with about twenty members, some of whom are Mrs. Mercher, Mrs. Payne, Dick Smith and family, and Mrs. Evers. There is also a small group of this faith in Goreville. Rev. Sutliff estimates the whole number of Pentacostal members in the county as one hun- dred.
123
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
There were at one time a few United Brethern churches in the county. Fairview, Ballow, and Number 9; they were established about 1903. These churches seem to have gone down, and there is not, at present, a pastor of this denomination in the county.
Southern Methodist churches were organized at one or two points in the county about 1912, but there are no living churches at present unless there is one at Foreman.
The Church of Latter-Day Saints
The church in Johnson County is in strict harmony with the church as re-organized, April 6, 1860, by Joseph Smith, the son of the prophet. After the death of Joseph Smith, the prophet, at Carthage, Illinois, a band of saints went to Utah under the leadership of Brigham Young, and here in the desert land they founded the Church of Jesus Christ as they styled it, and introduced the plurality of wives or polygamy in this country.
The re-organized church has never been connected in any way with any of the movements or practices of the Utah church. It may be well to state here that separate headquarters for each church are maintained, and that neither organization is responsible to the other for any pub- lications or appointments made. The re-organized church has its headquarters at Independence, Missouri.
The initial movement of the church in Johnson County began about 1861 and 1862, when William H. Kelley, son of Richard Y. Kelley, came to Illinois on a mission, and while here, baptised a number of people. Later in the six- ties, Bejamin H. Ballowe did ministerial work in this coun- ty and added some names to the list of members of the church.
But the beginning of the work, properly speaking, be- gan in the summer of 1874, when Joseph C. Clapp came into the county and established objectives at Tunnel Hill and what was known as the Webb school house.
This movement was followed in December of the same year by Geo. H. Hilliard and Issac A. Morris, both of Wayne County, Illinois. A number were baptised at this time. The next year, in August, 1875, the church was organized by Geo. H. Hilliard and some others at the Webb school
124
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
house in Tunnell Hill Township. Leander H. Kelley was chosen presiding elder of the organization, Elisha Webb, presiding priest, and Issac M. Smith, teacher.
A movement was started to erect a church, and the building was completed in the autumn of 1879. Some of the first members of the church were: Richard Y. Smith and wife; Leander H. Kelley and Rhoda Kelley, his wife; Elisha Webb and Nancy C. Webb, his wife; Daniel Webb Sr, and Rebecca Webb, his wife; Caroline Burklow; Joseph Smith, Sr., and Samuel H. Simmons.
There is only one congregation of this church in the county. It has a membership, local and scattered, of about two hundred persons. Among the ministers going out from this church are Elders Issac M. Smith, associate editor Zion's Ensign, Independence, Missouri; Elders Thos. N. and William R. Smith, Knobnoster, Missouri, Elder Thos. C. Kelley, Independence, Missouri; Elder Peter G. Mc- Mahan, Tunnel Hill, Illinois; Elder Lloyd C. Moore, Mt. Carmel, Ilinois and E. W. Sutton, Vienna, Illinois.
This church functions in the different departments of church work. It maintains a Sunday School, and Zion's Religio-Literary Society for the benefit of, not only its own members, but for all who will assist in these activities. The church is also supported by a ladies' aid whose mem- bership is representative of the leading women of the church and community.
(Contributed by Rev. E. W. Sutton. )
In 1805 there was only one M. E. Church Conference in the Mississippi Valley. It was called the Western Con- ference. It had four circuits, Holstine, Cumberland, Ken- tucky and Ohio. This county was in Western Conference territory, but whether we had any M. E. Church here at that time or a church of any denomination is not known. Joseph Lillard is given as the first M. E. preacher in the state, coming to New Design, in Monroe County, in 1793, but there is no record of his having visited this section. The Western Conference was divided into the Tennessee and Ohio Conferences in 1816. Johnson County became a part of the Tennessee Conference. We remained with this division until 1824. . We were then placed in the Illinois Conference where we held our membership until 1851, when
125
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Southern Illinois was set apart and we naturally fell into their territory and are still a part of this division.
J. M. Peck, an Illinois Historian says that Josiah Pat- erson, an M. E. minister, preached in settlements near the Ohio River in 1814 and 1815. There were four circuits in 1815, namely, Illinois, Okaw, Massac and Wabash. From the history of the Methodist Conference, we find that Jesse Walker was presiding elder of the Illinois Circuit in 1806, and John Clyman was pastor of the same circuit in 1807. Amos Abrahams was pastor of this circuit in 1809 and Samuel Parker was Presiding Elder. The M. E. Notes de- scribes the Illinois Circuits as follows, "To the east of New Design, which was in Monroe County, at various points on Big Bay and Cache River, Illinois." Jacob Whiteside, of Western Conference served on Cache River and Big Bay from 1815 to 1818. In 1817, W. R. Jones served with Jacob Whiteside. Thomas Davis was assigned to Big Bay in 1815, and Francis Moon was pastor of Cache River Circuit in 1820. Joseph Paterson in 1824, Asa D. West in 1825 .- M. E. Church Notes.
Peter Cartwight says Mt. Carmel, Wabash, Carmi, Mt. Vernon and Cache River circuits were known as Wabash district in 1826, and Charles Holiday was the presiding elder.
The first M. E. Church mentioned in history that could have been in this county is Massac church, which was formed in 1810 with fifteen members, and was attached to Kaskaskia Circuit. The location of this church is not known, but it must have been within the bounds of the first Johnson County. Cache Creek Circuit was formed in 1810, with Thomas Kirkham given as pastor .- (M. E. Church Notes.)
From the census of 1850 there were four M. E. Churches in this county but their names and locations are not given. Tradition points strongly to West Eden as one. The founder of the West family was a Methodist minister, who probably thought after the founding of a home the next duty he owed his family was to establish a church. Heze- kiah West's house was the home of the church until it was possible to build a place of worship. They first erected a large log house and called the church Eden. It was
126
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
located where the West Eden School house now stands and was the gathering place for all the settlers for many miles around. This church and neighborhood was so vitally associated with the West family that it was finally called West Eden. The exact date of organization is not known, but must have been before 1813. The names of the pastors will be found in the conference list. The first members were the West, Carter, Axley, Peterson, Mercer and Martin families. A little later came the Deans, Peelers, Caspers and others. Many of the descendants of these families are still connected with this church. A neat frame building has long since replaced the log one. This church has an un- broken record of activity for more than a century and is still filling the purpose for which it was organized.
Mt. Pisgah is another old church, a little farther west and near the county line of Union. Rix Carter, a son-in-law of Hezekiah West raised a large family in that neighbor- hood and was one of its founders. Two of his sons, Revs. Moulton and William Carter were M. E. ministers. The Mulkey Brown, Joel Dubois, John and Linsfield Shadrick families and Mrs. Robert Hood were some of the members of this early church. It was organized before 1860 and the first house was built during the Civil War. A second one was built in 1892 and they are now erecting a third, (1923). Exemplifying the interest that is alive in this church; some of the later members are John and Samuel Brown, James Enos, W. Y. Davis, Frank Wilkinson, their families and others.
Cedar Grove was also an M. E. Church of that section, which must have been organized before 1860. There can be no definite data secured except that in 1900, Mr. J. C. Carter had been a member of this church thirty-five years. Some of the leading members who with others formed Cypress church that year were W. J. Hartman, J. C. Carter, J. W. Hunter, T. M. Bean, and their families. Two of the pastors of Cedar Grove church were Dr. O. H. Clark and Rev. Root. Some serving Cypress have been Revs. C. E. Connett, Davidson, S. S. Smith, Bernieking, and Todd. This is one of the live churches of the county.
Reynoldsburg church was organized in 1833 at the home of William Harper and must have been another one of the M. E. churches given in 1850. It was first called
127
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Cross Roads and a log house was erected the year of its beginning, and in 1853 a frame church was built. The builder was a Mr. Epperson, who was an adept carpenter. The frame work was hewed out instead of sawed.
The Presbyterians worshipped with the Methodist in this building for some time with Lewis Simpson as pastor, after his death the Methodists bought out the Presbyterians. In 1891 the present building was erected Lewis Epperson, a son of the first Mr. Epperson was the builder. Hon. L. O. Whitnel, who was raised in the neighborhood donated the bell. Some of the first members of this church were William and James Harper, T. J. Cook and their wives, some later ones were Wesley Reynolds, F. M. McGee, Thomas Reynolds and their families and Mrs. Mary (Gray) Peterson with her family, Dr. Josiah Whitnel lent his influence. This church is not far from the century mark and still doing good work. It was at one time the head of a circuit, has been on the Vienna circuit and is now on the Burnside circuit.
The Vienna class was formed in 1842 under the leader- ship of Dr. Stewart, who was a local preacher. It is first given on the conference records as the head of a circuit in 1852. Some of the first members found were John Bain, A.J. Kuykendall and their families. The old church records have been lost and only names found in the Quarterly meet- ings and Conference records could be obtained. Dr. J. N. Gray and wife are found on early records, Dr. W. A. Looney and Dr. J. H. Norris are found faithful attendants at the business meetings and among the financial supporters. John and Winnie Bain were members of this church from its beginning and were faithful in attendance and support throughout their lives. A memorial window was placed in the church after their death as a most appropriate tribute. It was destroyed in the recent fire (1924). The first pastor of this church was R. E. Chase with C. R. Mc- Intire, as Presiding Elder. The list which follows is as near correct as could be obtained and those up to the time of Reverend J. G. Dee, also served the circuit. Reverends R. E. Chase, S. W. McGinnis, P. C. Lopas, J. L. Thomas, E. Joyce, J. W. Love, V. D. Lingenfelter, J. G. Hardy, L. Walker, H. Chapman, W. Williams, O. Bruner, J. P. Rutherford, John Thacker, U. C. Dickerson, F. M.
128
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Van Treece, I. E. Driver, J. B. F. Hill, H. Delicate, W. B. Foster, I. D. Peterson, A. L. Downy, J. H. Garret, J. W. Fields, J. H. McGriff, P. L. Hooker, R. P. Hammons, N. Crow, W. M. Powis, E. Barnes, J. G. Dee, J. W. Jackson, J. R. Royce, J. H. Ford, A. J. Littell, W. D. Margrave, O. H. Clark, L. S. McKowan, J. G. Harmon, C. S. Tritt, W. W. Kemper, J. B. Jones.
Up to 1886 the M. E. church had worshipped in the old Union church. A building committee was appointed that year composed of W. A. Looney, M. A. Smith, Mrs. May Chapman, F. M. Simpson, and Mrs. Emma Benson. In 1887 the building committee was changed to W. A. Looney, A. K. Vickers, F. M. Simpson and P. T. Chapman. The building was begun under the pastorate of W. M. Powis and finished under the regime of J. G. Dee who rendered most valuable aid, and it was dedicated by Bishop Bowman in 1889. About this time Mrs. A. K. Vickers and Mrs. P. T. Chapman circulated a petition and secured enough subscribers to make Vienna a station. The first Epworth League was organized during the pastorate of J. G. Dee in 1888, with Mrs. Ruth Chapman First Vice- President, J. H. Carter, Jr., Second Vice-President, Mrs. May Jackson, Secretary and Will F. Perkins, Treasurer. The Ladies' Aid Society of the M. E. Church was organized at the home of Mrs. Lide Kuykendall in 1885.
There have been a great many revivals in different churches in the town, but the most far reaching ones were those held by Reverend Oscar Lowery, who was born and raised near Cypress, this county. He was assisted by a Mr. Moody and wife, who lead the singing. There were three hundred conversions. This meeting was held in 1909. Reverend Roy Mitchell assisted by a Mr. Preston and wife held the second one in 1916, with one hundred seventy- seven conversions.
The M. E. churches were placed on different circuits from time to time and they were not always all in this county. The first circuit (given in the conference records) was Vienna as a mission circuit in 1853, at the first South- ern Illinois Conference which was held at Belleville that year. The following appointments were given on Vienna circuit about ten years later at a quarterly meeting held at Cummins schoolhouse, March 14, 1863; Vienna, Harrells,
129
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Cedar Bluff, Zion, Cross Roads, Finley, County Line, Hooker, Sutliff, Mt. Pleasant and Cave Creek, Union Hill, Casey Springs and Central Schoolhouse, although classes were not formed at all these places. Vienna is given first and recorded as giving two dollars for the support of the Gospel for that Quarter, the amount was turned over to the pastor's wife, Mrs. Williams.
Cedar Bluff M. E. Class was first held at the residence of J. M. Benson, but later held in the Cedar Bluff school house in Tunnel Hill Township, which was located just be- yond the present home of Frank Carson. J. M. and I. M. Benson and C. C. Damron, John Albright, Daniel Rendle- man, John Carson and their families early Methodists of that section, were the founders. A little later A. E. Francis, Lee Chapman, and their families, together with some mem- bers of W. H. Whittenburg's and D. C. Chapman's families had joined this class. There was a church class at the Miller school house a few miles south of Cedar Bluff. Wesley Miller was one of the main members. The two classes combined and built a church in 1872 naming it Wesley Chapel. In 1886 there were nine Bensons belonging to this church out of a membership of twenty-one. This was for many years a flourishing church, but the members have died or moved away, until A. G. Benson's family is all that is left of this once influential organization, and the pretty little white chapel, now deserted sits quietly beside the road, among the beautiful forest trees and silently waits the dawning of a new day for country churches, or final de- cay. This building was sold to F. C. Thomas to be em- bodied in a dwelling, 1924.
Finley M. E. Church was organized about 1855. William Finley and J. S. Whittenberg were the moving spirits in this church for many years. A log church was built in 1866, about two miles west of Parker, in Burniside Township and called Finley Chapel. This was quite a large congregation for many years .. Elihu Vaughn and wife were also among the first members. Rev. L. L. Vaughn, a local preacher of that community was ordained from this church, and still holds his membership there. In 1900 under the leadership of Rev. W. G. Hale, they raised the money to build a small chapel, which is located about one mile west of Parker. The church has lost many of its members
130
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
by death and removals and consequently much of its old time vigor. It is still an appointment on the Burnside circuit (1924).
Central M. E. Church is situated in the southeast part of the county. A class was formed about 1850, perhaps earlier. Jason B. Smith was one of the founders and church meetings were held at his house until the free school law was passed, when it was continued to be held in the Central school house, till 1870, when a building was erected. It was dedicated by the Reverend Peter Cartwright. Zackariah W. Calhoun was associated with J. B. Smith in this early church work and was an earnest and faithful member, un- til his death, about 1865. Some other members were, C. A. Bain, J. J. Pierce, William Helm, Charles T. and W. L. Reed, William T. Cagle, J. A. Smith and W. H. Horner with members of their families. This is still a live church.
Benton M. E. Church was organized about the same time as the Central class and located in the same section of the county. The Marberrys, Fishers, Cummins, Culvers, Moses Comer, W. M. Helm and their families were some of the members forming this church, and many of the descen- dants of these families are carrying on the work at present. This church is known as "the home of the Cummins." A home coming was held in this church in 1917, under the management of Reverend C. A. Campbell, which lasted a week. It was a unique and pleasant gathering. This church has sent out seventeen ministers in thirty years and fourteen are still in the work. Johnson County has sent out more ministers than any other county of its population, in the United States. Mrs. A. E. Cummins, daughter of Jason B. Smith, was a member of this church and has five sons who are M. E. ministers. In 1886 there were thirty Cummins and nine Marberrys belonging to this church.
Mt. Pleasant M. E. Church is situated about five miles northeast of Vienna at the Taylor Cemetery. It was organized sometime before 1863. James Peterson was one of the first members. The Peterson, Taylor and Simpson families formed the larger quota of the membership there. It is a live church at the present and belongs to the Burn- side circuit.
Casey Springs is another M. E. Church bordering on
131
A HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.