USA > Illinois > Fulton County > Canton > Canton; its pioneers and history : a continuation to the history of Fulton County > Part 5
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On the 21st of July, 1849, the ehureh formed a short time be- fore at Independenee presented itself in a body and was merged into the Canton ehureh, from which it had been formed.
On the 19th of January, 1850, the church extended a unani- mous call to Rev. E. Marsh, a New-School Presbyterian minister, to the pastoral charge. Rev. Edward Marsh was thus made the fourth pastor of the Congregational Church. He was a gentle- man of culture, kind and genial in his character, and a fair speaker. He filled the office very acceptably to the church and congregation, until in August, 1865-a period of fifteen years. During his administration the church continued to increase in numbers and influenee. He left Canton with the general good- will of the community, as well as of the membership of his church and congregation.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
On the 2d of January, 1866, the committee on ministerial sup- ply announced that they had secured the services of Rev. Henry Mills for an indefinite period. Mr. Mills, however, declined to take the pastorate, but consented to remain until the new churchi could be finished. Mr. Mills was a gentleman of more than average ability, an cloquent pulpit orator, and it is to be regretted that he was not willing to remain in charge of the church.
During Mr. Mills's stay, the present Congregational house of worship was completed, at a cost of $18,000. It is not exaggera- tion to say that to Mr. Mills is due very much of the credit for the carly and successful completion of the church edificc. It is situated on the east side of Fourth strect, between Union and Illinois streets, and in point of architecture is not surpassed by any church edifice in the city. It was dedicated to thic service of Almighty God on Tuesday, the 15th day of January - Rev. Edward Beecher, of Galesburg, a brother of Henry Ward Beecher, delivering the Dedicatory Sermon.
Rev. Edward Bates, the present pastor of the church and its first Congregational pastor, was called to and accepted the posi- tion of pulpit supply with the pastorate in view, on the first Sab- bath in January, 1867, at a permanent salary of $1,250 per an- num. Mr. Bates was from Grass Lake, Michigan. He is a plain, unostentatious man, a fair pulpit orator, a gentleman of culture, deep, earnest piety, and eminently adapted to the discharge of the delicate duties of the pastoral office. He lias continued from the first to grow into the affections of his congregation, until he is now endeared to them as a pastor, a friend, and a counselor, to an ex- tent that secures for him great opportunities for uscfulness. Mr. Bates was, by vote of the church, on the 15th of August, 1867, elected and installed pastor.
This church has been blessed, from its organization, with a con- tinued prosperity. Constant accessions have been made to its membership, until at present it is one of the leading church or- ganizations in the city. The present membership is 130 resident and a large list of non-resident members.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
JOSHUA TOWNSHIP.
THE first settler in Joshua township was Joshua Moores, who immigrated to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1819, and to Fulton county in 1824. Mr. Moores settled on the place well known as the Moores farin, west of Canton five miles. Mr. Moores was ae- companied by his son-in-law John Walters, who was killed at Stillman's defeat in 1832. Mr. Moores was a Methodist, and at his house were held many of the earliest Methodist meetings. Here, surrounded by a few of the pioneers, David W. Barnes, the Sergeants, the Buffums, John Hannan and his family, old Father Fraker, John Owens, Jacob Ellis, and a few others, Rev. - Ran- dall, Smith L. Robinson (the one-eyed preacher) and Peter Cart- wright would preach sermons full of primitive fire and religious zeal. At his house were held the class-meetings and love-feasts, and here were held the merry-makings wherein those present had rarer sport than is known to the silk and velvet gentry of the present fast age.
Joshua Moores gave his name to the township in which he re- sided, and died in 1853.
John Walters left a widow and four children, who still survive him. Jennie Walters will be remembered by all the old settlers as a devoted Methodist, a warm-hearted, impulsive woman, a strong Democrat, and a good neighbor. The author desires here to express his obligation to her for valuable information fur- nished for this work. Mrs. Walters now resides in Rushville, Illinois.
THE PUBLIC SQUARE.
THE Public Square formed a portion of Nathan Jones's First Addition to the Town of Canton. It was proposed originally to give to the public for a public square one whole block, extending from Main to Prairie street east and west, and from Union to Elm street north and south. This proposition,however, from some un- known cause, was not carried into effect, and when the survey was made the Public Square was limited to one-half its present arca, extending from Union street south to the alley which divides
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CANTON : ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY. 1
the block. The two lots south of the alley were given as a dona- tion to the Presbyterian house of worship which was erected up- on one of them. It was not until in about 1841, after the removal of the church from the Public Square, that Deacon Jones - who had not previously deeded the lots, although intending so to do,- by an arrangement between the two branches of the Presbyterian Church after the separation, deeded the lots in question, thereby making the square its present size. The deed to these lots was not immediately put upon the records, and as a result of this neg- lect they were assessed and sold for taxes, and purchased by Ahira Saunders. Mr. Saunders undertook, in about 1842, to ob- tain possession, but was met by the deacon's deed to the public, and, as public property was not taxable, his speculation failed.
Prior to 1830 the business of the town, as well as most of the residences, were on Wood street; and in that year, when Joel Wright and Childs & Stillman commenced business, they located their stores on that street. In about 1830 the first building was erected on the Square: it was a log house, built by Richard Stevens, a brother-in-law of Isaac Swan, and was about where Mansfield's brick store-house now stands, on the south side.
In 1832 Joseph Anderson built a cabin on the lot now occupied by Ingersoll's store on the west side. Mr. Anderson moved into this house to be near the Fort at Esquire Wright's, during the Black-Hawk War. ·
In 1833 Louis Bidamon erected the first frame house on the Square. This house was a very low one-story house, long and narrow, and stood about where the house of Mrs. Graham now stands on the east side.
In 1834 Messrs. Tryon & McCutclieon built and occupied the first store-house on the Square. This was a frame building, and a part of it is still standing, on the west side, near the original location, and is occupied by Chauncey Webster as a grocery store. Messrs. Tryon & Mccutcheon sold out, a few years later, to Messrs. Markley & Solomon. The property afterward passed into the hands of Dr. J. R. Walter, who remodeled it and occu- pied it as a residence for many years.
Messrs. Tryon & Mccutcheon sold out to Messrs. Markley & Solomon in May, 1836. The Mr. Solomon of this firm was the well-known-to old settlers-Joel Solomon, for many years cir- cuit clerk of the county. He now resides in Mills county, Iowa.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
Judge David Markley was the senior partner. In November, 1836, Mr. Markley purchased Mr. Solomon's interest in this store, and became sole proprietor, continuing in business until 1839.
Mr. Markley was a man eminently fitted for pioneer life. A large, powerful man, a wit, and at the same time a man of sound judgment, he soon became prominent among the pioneers. He had filled the offices of county judge in Champaign county, Ohio, and of colonel of a regiment in the War of 1812, previous to his emigration, and was very soon after his immigration identi- fied with the public interests of the people with whom he had cast his lot. In 1838, two years after his settlement in the county, lie was elected to fill a vacancy in the State Senate, caused by the resignation of Judge Hackleton, and was twice reelected, making his term of service ten full years. In 1847 he was elected a member of the Convention to form a new Constitution for the State of Illinois, and was one of its most influential members. About the same time Governor Ford appointed him a member of the Board of Canal Commissioners. While acting in this capacity, he selected the lands granted by the United States Government to the state in aid of this enterprise. In 1844 Judge Markley re- moved from Canton to Banner township, near Monterey, where he remained until 1856, when he again removed to Nebraska; but, not satisfied with that territory, he soon returned, and settled in Stark county, near Rochester in Peoria county. He still re- sides in the same neighborhood, although at present in Peoria county. Mr. Markley now, at 80 years, still preserves his mental vigor.
In about 1836 Messrs. Brooks & Cogswell opened a,store on the Public Square, in a long frame building which stood on the east half of the lot now occupied by Bell's block. They con- tinued in business until about 1839.
In the fall of 1835 Jno. C. Willis erected a frame building for hotel purposes on the Public Square, on the lot immediately soutlı of the lot now occupied by the Graham building, on the west side. This hotel was rented to a Mr. Williamson and David Russell, who run it a short time and then gave place to Frederick Mennert, who, in his turn, was succceded by Hugh R. Smith. Mr. Smith's successor was David Collins. In about 1841 Thos. Wills took the house, and remained its proprietor until about 1853 or '4.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
In 1836 Messrs. Steel & Ballard occupied one of the ground- floor rooms of this house as a store-room. Mr. Steel was the son- in-law of Ossian M. Ross. He came in 1836, and remained a resident of Canton until his death, which occurred very suddenly in 18 -. His widow, a very estimable lady, still resides in the city.
In 1836 Messrs. Shinn & Vittum crected a store-house on the southwest corner of the Public Square, as a business house. This store was occupied by Mr. Shinn up to the time of his death.
The first brick store-room on the Public Square was erected by Mr. John Blackadore, in 1845. It was on the south side, on the lot he now occupies. This was an old-fashioned brick, two storics high, and was burned in 1865.
In 1848 Mr. S. Smith built the second brick on the Square, on the lot east of Mr. Blackadore's building. This building was afterward purchased by the Messrs. Babcock, and was known as the "Regulator." It was burned in 1865, in the same fire that destroyed Mr. Blackadore's building.
.The same season, T. Maple erected the first three-story brick block in the city, on the southeast corner of the Public Square. It is the building now known as Odd-Fellows' Block. In this building were the first box window-frames ever put into a build- ing in Canton. The fall of the same season Mr. Jno. G. Graham and A. H. White each erected thrce-story business houscs- White the building now occupied by D. A. Bell, and Graham that occupied by Mr. Gleason. Mr. White disposed of his build- ing by lottery in 1856.
In 1838 a Mr. Squires built a house on the northeast corner of the Square, and established a grocery-store. This establishment did not run long before Squires sold out to Joncs & Wecks, who turned it into a dry-goods store. Jones was either a Spaniard or Portuguese, and, from his complexion, was known as "Black Jones." IIc spoke several foreign languages, and was quite a shrewd man, but not suspected of honesty to any great extent.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
THE Baptist Society now worshiping at Canton was organized at the house of Wm. Spencer, in Banner township, about three miles cast of Canton, and recognized as a regular Baptist chureli by a council that convened at the residence of Father Spencer on the 14th day of June, A.D. 1833. The council proceedings are signed by Elder John Logan, President, and Elder Gardner Bartlett.
The names of the constituent members of this society, as ap- pended to their articles of organization, were Elder John Clark, Anna Clark, Betsey Breed, Roxanna West, Wm. Spencer, Rachel Spencer, Nathan West. The name adopted by the so- ciety was, "The United Baptist Church of Deer Creek."
The first regular church-meeting after the organization was held at the residence of Father Spencer, on the 13th of July, 1833. Elder John Clark was chosen moderator pro tem. Ozias Hale was received into fellowship by letter, and presented a license as a regular ordained preacher of the Gospel, and the church ordered that he be licensed to preach by this church.
On the 26th of October the church appointed Brother John Clark to bear a letter to Schuyler county to meet a convention to form an association. In the same year Ira Mills-afterward known as the Hermit of Utica Hill-was received into the " watch-care of the church."
January 25th, 1824, the church met for business at the residence of Father Spencer, and gave a license to Nathan West to preach.
On the 26th of July Rev. Ira Mills withdrew from the watch- eare of the church, and at the same meeting messengers and a letter were sent by the church to Salem Association, with power to at- tach the church to that association. Ozias Hale and Nathan West were the messengers.
On the 27th of September Nathan West was ordained as an Elder in the Baptist Church, and was the first minister ordained by this church. The ordination sermon was preached by Elder Jacob Bowers, the ordaining prayer offered by Elder G. Bartlett, the charge given by Elder John Logan, the right hand of fellow- ship by Elder John Clark, and the concluding prayer offered by Rev. Ozias Hale.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
The first person received into the church by baptism was Mrs. Eunice Hale, who was baptized on Sabbath, March 2d, 1835.
The meetings of the church continued to be held at Father Spencer's until it was resolved to change the place of meeting to Canton; and the church-mceting convened on the last Saturday in December of that year at the residence of Nathan West in Canton. At this time, while the church numbered in its mem- bership Rev. John Clark, Rev. N. West, and Rev. O. Hale, it was still without a pastor; and therefore, on the 9th of April, 1837, Elders Clark, Logan and Miner were invited to preach for the socicty as often as convenient.
The membership at this time amounted to only 17 persons. The church was at this time connected with the Salem Associa- tion, and in July of that ycar (1837) voted to assume the name of the "Regular Baptist Church of Canton." In September of the sanc ycar the church removed its connection from the Salem Association to the Illinois-River Association, which convened in Peoria. During the latter part of 1837 and a portion of 1838 the meetings of the church were held in the Methodist Chapel in Canton, which had extended to them that courtesy.
Early in 1838 Rev. Gideon B. Perry, LL.D., removed to Can- ton from Hopkinton, Rhode Island, and assumed the pastoral care of the church, being its first regular pastor. The acquisition of Dr. Perry infused new vitality into the feeble and struggling church. IIc was a man of superior education, a finished orator, and a man of more than ordinary enterprise. He became at once a leader in religious and educational matters in Canton. He was also a physician, and eked out the scanty support the feeble church, aided by the Baptist Homc-Mission Society, could give him by the practice of medicine and by his salary as President of Canton College. At the first meeting presided over by Dr. Perry, a committee was appointed to superintend the location and plan of a house of worship. This committee consisted of Isaac C. Johnson, Samuel Hannan, and Thompson Maple. This committee reported, and a building committee was appointed, consisting of Wn. M. Spencer, Isaac C. Johnson, and Thompson Maple, on the 23d of June, 1838.
The first organization of the church as a body-corporate under the laws of the state was consummated on the 16th of July, 1839; and the first board of trustees were Wm. M. Spencer, Isaac C. Johnson, and Thompson Maplc.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
The first deacons elected by the church were Jonas P. Cutler and John G. Piper, who were ordained on the 25th of August, 1839. Deacon John G. Piper is still a deacon of this church, having served about thirty-one years, and it is to be hoped the term of his service will still be extended for very many years.
The new meeting-house was finished and dedicated on Sab- bath, October 26th, 1839. This house was situated on Fifth street, between Elm and Main streets, just north of the present Baptist Church. At this time the church numbered 38 members, and was considered to be in a very flourishing condition. Under Dr. Perry's charge the church had prospered. He was now, how- ever, to dissolve his connection with the church, having received a call from the Baptist Church of Alton, Illinois, to become their pastor. Accordingly, on the 4th of October, 1841, he resigned his pastoral charge, and Rev. Isaac D. Newell was elected his successor. Mr. Newell's salary was fixed at $500 per annum. Under Mr. Newell's administration the church continued to pros- per. When he took charge the membership had increased to 113, and during the first year of his ministry it increased to 131, and had the pleasure of sending two of its young members - Charles West and G. S. Green,- as students for the ministry, to Shurtleff College; and soon after three more, viz., John M. Spencer, F. O. Campbell, and William M. Freeman, were licensed to preach, and all were recommended to the Baptist Educational Society for an education at Shurtleff, preparatory to the ministry.
Mr. Newell remained with the church until in November, 1843, . when he closed his connection with the church as pastor. The membership had now increased to 145 communicants, and had be- gun to take the first rank in numercial strength among the churches of Canton. Mr. Newell had labored successfully, and was parted with regretfully by the larger part of his congrega- tion.
From the time of Mr. Newell's resignation until in June, 1844, when Elder Alva Gross was elected pastor, the church was with- out a pastor. Mr. Gross on that date assumed the pastoral charge, in response to a unanimous call of the society. He was a genial, warm-hearted man, a fair pulpit orator, and an excellent pastor. He is still remembered by the old citizens of Canton for his wit and geniality, as well as for his virtues.
On the 18th of May, 1845, the church granted license to
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
Wm. W. Freeman, who had graduated at Shurtleff College, to preach.
At the church-meeting held January 3d, 1846, the subject of " hooking timber" was taken up and discussed at length, and the following preamble and resolution upon the subject were adopted :
WHEREAS, The practice of taking timber from non-resident lands has hitherto been praetieed to an alarming extent, and as many of the professed followers of Christ have been engaged in the business, much to the grief and loss of others, and believing it to be incompatible with the true princi- ples of Christianity and demoralizing in its tendeney ; therefore,
Resolved, That we will discountenanee the practice in others, and advise our brethren to desist from it.
"Hooking timber" from the " stump quarters" was thus dis- couraged; but then most of the non-resident land had. been stripped. There being no more timber to hook, it was time to stop the practice.
On the 7th of June, 1846, Elder Gross terminated his eonnee- tion with the church as pastor, from which time until the 19th of June, 1847, the church was again without a pastor. At that time Elder Erastus Miner was called to the pastorate.
Elder Miner, in December, 1846, called upon Elder Morgan Edwards -The Sailor Preacher -to assist him in a series of meet- ings, which were the first of the series of remarkable revivals with which the Baptist Church of Canton has been blessed. Over sixty persons were added to the Baptist Church, and many who had grown lukewarm renewed their zeal. The candidates for baptism were baptized in Big Creek. The stream being frozen, the ice was eut, and immense concourses of people witnessed the solemn ceremony.
Elder Erastus Miner only remained with the church one year, when Elder Simon G. Miner, on the 19th of August, 1848, was eleeted pastor by a unanimous vote. Elder Miner found his ehureh with a membership of 190 and in a prosperous condition. he labored zealously to keep up the prosperity of the church, and with a success for many years remarkable and unabated.
On the 5th of January, 1850, it was, at u regular business meet- ing of the church,
Resolved, That Elder Newton, Bro. Matthew J. Seott, George Efnor, Sis -. ters Mary Ann Seott, and Susan Putnam, be and are hereby set off and con- stituted into a braneli of the First Baptist Church of Canton, Illinois, at Ellisville, with power to administer the ordinances and report quarterly at Canton.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
About the 1st of November, 1850, Elder Jacob Knapp, the cele- brated evangelist and revivalist, began his first protracted meet- ing here, in the old Baptist Church. This revival was one of the most powerful and extensive, perhaps, ever known in a village of less than two thousand population. Soon after the meeting began, it became apparent that the house was much too small to accommodate the immense concourse of people that nightly assembled to listen to the eloquent and powerful minis- .ter. One evening, at the close of the services, Thompson Maple announced that on the next night the church would be large enough to accommodate all who might come. The apparent im- possibility of the fulfillment of this promise attracted an increased crowd the next night, and lo! there was room. The male mem- bers had assembled at dawn, torn off a part of the weather- boarding and plastering from the south side of the building, and erected an immense tabernacle of boards on the south side, seated it and put in stoves, all in one day. That night every body-slip in the old church was full of mourners, and for several days-even weeks -there was no abatement in the interest. All the churches in town received considerable accessions to their numbers from those converted at this meeting, while to the Bap- tist Church were added, including a few backsliders restored, two-hundred and thirty-one persons.
The effect of this revival on the temporal prosperity of the church was such as to lead to the erection of the present Baptist Church, the corner-stone of which was laid on the 30th day of April, 1850, with appropriate ceremonies. In the corner-stone was deposited a document giving the date of the organization of the church, of its removal from Duck Creek to Canton, its mem- bership for each year of its organization up to that date, and the names of pastors; also, the names of the President of the United States then in office-Millard Fillmore, Governor of the State of Illinois-Augustus C. French, President of the Town-Corporate of Canton-John W. Shinn, and a statement that the population of Canton at that date was "1,853 souls." The membership of the church for that year was stated at four hundred and fifty-three (453).
Of course, after this revival, there was a falling-off of such as had joined without sufficient evidence of conversion, but the fall- ing-off was not nearly so great as might have been anticipated,
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
and was very nearly balanced by the additions made from time to time.
On the 1st of January, 1852, the first service was held in the new church- Elder Jacob Knapp preaching in the lecture-room to a large congregation.
On the 20th of February, 1853, the new church was dedicated -the dedicatory sermon being preached by Elder H. G. Weston. A protracted meeting was begun, wherein the pastor, S. G. Miner, was assisted by Elder Henry G. Weston, then of Peoria, now President of Crozer Theological Seminary, near Philadelphia, during which fifty-three accessions were made to the church and the old members revived and strengthened greatly.
In December, 1853, Elder Morgan Edwards was again called to Elder Miner's aid during a series of revival meetings continuing six weeks, during which seventy-nine persons were admitted to church fellowship.
On the 22d of February a council was convened with the church for the ordination to the ministry of Richard S. Johnson, a mem- ber of this church.
During the latter portion of February, 1854, Elder Miner held a series of meetings at Overman's School-House, northwest of Canton, which were the means of adding ten more to the church membership. Another protracted effort at the same place, where- in Elder Miner was assisted by Elder Joel Swect, of Trivoli, re- sulted in ten more additions; and the same series of meetings re- moved to Canton, wherein Elder Ichabod Clark was assisting Elder Mincr, gave thirteen more additions to the membership.
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