USA > Illinois > Edwards County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 47
USA > Illinois > Wabash County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 47
USA > Illinois > Lawrence County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 47
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Yours fraternally,
N. BRISTOW.
SHILOH CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Was organized November 2, 1870, by Erastus Lathrop, of Olney. The following are the names of the charter members: John Brown, Jarvis Crackle, John Hen- derson, G. W. Bussell, Thomas Dukes, J. R Newman, Sarah Rotramel, John Rotramel, Jermelia Garner, Hannah Newman, Alice Newman, Maria Brown, Al- mira Bussell. This church, after doing well for a season, has, to a great extent, declined.
" THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
At Kitchen Bridge, is one of the old churches of our county. It has usually had regular preaching, and still has, but I have not been able to get any definite infor- mation concerning it.
We formerly had a church known as the Church of Christ, at Friend's Grove, but it declined, being situated within a few miles of the Lick Prairie church. The whole membership of the Christian church, in Wabash county, Illinois, reaches nine hundred at the present time.
M. E. CHURCH.
In 1818 three Methodist ministers then residing in the State of Ohio came to the then "far west " for the pur- pose of founding a town, as described in a circular issued shortly afterward ; "at the confluence of the Wabash, White and Patoka rivers." Two of these, Rev. Thos.
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
S. Hinde, a local preacher, and Rev. William McDow- ell, who had served seven years as an itinerant preacher, were the proprietors of the town site, while the third, Rev. William Beauchamp, who had faithfully served the church in the active ministry and as editor of a reli- gious paper, came in the capacity of a surveyor. While busily engaged with this new enterprise, upon which (it would appear from the original articles of association and towo plat) they embarked with great faith and zeal. Such men could not be forgetful of the interests of the church, and it was, in fact, a part of the original plan to found a place which should be distinctly marked by its moral and religious character. Hence we find in seeking a name for this new town in the wilderness, they selected a Bible name, sug gested not only by the natural surface of the town site, but also by the meaning of the very name-Mt. Carmel-signifying " the garden of the Lord." Such it was their ambition to make it. As evi- dence of their activity and their devotion to the interests of the church with which they were connected, we find from the records that in 1819 was established Mt. Car- mel Circuit, embracing all the country from Terre Haute, Indiana, to the mouth of the Wabash river, and extending into the interior of Indiana and Illinois-a territory which now includes five districts. But " there were giants in those days," who knew not weariness or fatigue in the service of their Master, and though the circuit was immense in extent, and the difficulties in traversing this new circuit were formidable, there were men ready to say, " Here am I ; send me." According- ly, we find that in 1820 Charles Slocomb was the first to enter this new field of labor, and preach salvation to the straggling settlers wherever they could be found. He was followed in 1821 by Robert Delap, in 1822 by Samuel Hull, in 1823 by Wm. McReynolds, in 1824 by Thomas Davis and Samuel Basset, and in 1825 by / John W. McReynolds. Such had been the growth of the new town, and of the membership of the Methodist church, that in the latter year they proceeded to erect a house of worship, and earned for themselves the honor of erecting the first brick church in the State of Illinois. This building, creditable to their efforts and liberality, continued to stand as one of the old landmarks in the community until destroyed by the cyclone of 1877- though it had long since ceased to be used for church purposes. In the following year, 1826, John W. McReynolds was returned to Mt. Carmel circuit, and continued his faithful and efficient labors, until the fall of 1827, when he was succeeded by Rev. Aaron Wood. The year 1827 is noted in the local church history as being the time when an annual Conference was first held in Mt. Carmel. The Illinois Annual Conference, in whose bounds Mt. Carmel circuit was then included, convened at this place, and was presided over by Bishop Roberts. There were assembled at this Conference many men, mighty in faith and power, whose names are remembered with reverence and honor in the Methodist church. Few, however, survive to this day. Among
the survivors prominently remembered is Adam Wood, who at this Conference received his appointment to the Mt. Carmel circuit, and labored so faithfully and accep- tably that in the following year he was returned to the same field. This devoted servant of the Lord, though ripe in years, continued to labor actively, and is now traveling a circult in northern Indiana. In the years 1824-1828, Rev. Chas. Holliday served in the capa- city of Presiding Elder, of the district in which Mt. Carmel was included, and in the latter year the General Conference, recognizing his fitness and qualifications, elected him to the position of book agent at Cincinnati, Ohio. His successor in the Presiding Eldership was Geo. R. Locke, who continued to discharge the duties of Elder for the full term of four years.
In 1829 Rev. Aaron Wood was succeeded in the cir- cuit by Revs. John Miller and A. F. Thompson, who labored together one year, when in 1830 Rev. John Miller was returned to the circuit with Rev. John Fox as his colleague. In 1831, John Miller, having served the full limit of time permitted by the rules of the church, was assigned another appointment, and Rev. Jas. Mckean with Rev. John Fox were assigned to Mt. Carmel circuit, and continuing one year, were followed in 1832 by Rev. James Massey, in 1833 by Rev. Wm. S Crissey, and in 1834 by Rev. A. McKintry. In the latter year Mt. Carmel was again the seat of the Annual Conference, with Bishop Roberts as Presiding Officer. At this session of the Conference Mt. Carmel was made a station, and Rev. P. W. Nichols was appointed pastor- in-charge, while Rev. Michael S. Taylor, who had suc- ceeded Rev. Geo. Locke as Presiding Elder, was con- tinued in that position, and remained Presiding Elder until 1837. Rev. P. W. Nichols was succeeded as pas- tor-in-charge of Mt. Carmel church by Rev. Jas. Hadley in 1836, and the latter in 1837 by Rev. A. L. Risley. In the latter year Rev. Hooper Crews was made Presi- ding Elder of the district. It was about this period that the growing interests of Methodism found " the little brick church in the corner " too limited for their needs, and the question of building a larger edifice was actively discussed. At a meeting held for the purpose of considering the matter, it was resolved to build a church capable of seating fifteen hundred people. After further deliberation, however, a committee was appoint- ed to procure plans, etc. for the new building. This committee, however, did not appear to regard so large a structure as required by the needs of the church, for at a subsequent meeting they reported that they thought " a building 50 x 70 with an end gallery " would be sufficiently large to accommodate the congregation. After procuring subscriptions to the amount of several thous- and dollars, and after considerable material had been purchased, the effort to build was abandoned, as, we suppose, the effects of the great financial panic began to be. felt and defeated their designs. In 1835 Rev. J. M. Massey was appointed to Mt. Carmel; in 1839 Rev. W. C. Cummings. In 1840-41 Rev. John Van
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Cleve, with Geo. W. Robbins as Presiding Elder in 1840, and Bartou Randle as Presiding Elder in 1841. In 1842 Rev. Jas. H. Dickens. In 1843 Rev. Robert Ridgeway. In 1844-1846 Rev. C. J. Houts, with Rev. John Van Cleve as Presiding Elder. Some time prior to the latter date Lebanon, Stonis, Riggs, Rochester, Centerville, Pleasant Ridge and Newley were regularly designated preaching places in Mt. Carmel circuit with- in the bounds of Wabash county. At the first four of the places mentioned, Sunday-schools were organized, and at several of these places there have grown up quite strong societies which have become established on a permanent basis. In the Fall of 1846 Rev. E. H. Hib- bard was sent to Mt. Carmel, and was followed in 1847 by Rev. E. G. Falcuier, and in 1848 Rev. S. Elliott re- ceived the appointment. During the term of the latter there was a gracious revival, and the church was largely increased in numbers. As a result of this revival and growth in membership, we find the question of build- ing a larger house of worship again agitated, and a resolution to build was passed by the Quarterly Confer- ence. This resolution was carried into effect, though the active work of building was somewhat delayed, and in the course of a couple of years a commodious brick structure, two stories in height, was erected, and is still used-being the main building of the present church edifice. This structure, in honor of Rev. Wm. Beau- champ, one of the pioneers of Methodism in this county, was called Beauchamp chapel. In 1849 Rev. John Birland was appointed to Mt. Carmel. In 1850 Rev. J. W. Caldwell received the appointment; at the same time Rev. Norman Allyn was made Presiding El- der of the district, succeeding Rev. Wm. M. Taylor, who received the appointment of Presiding Elder in 1847. In 1851 Rev. Wm. Cliffe was sent to Mt. Carmel ag preacher-in-charge, and was returned to the charge again in 1852. In the following year the Southern Illinois An- nual Conference, which had now been organized, held its session at Mt. Carmel with the late Bishop Scott as presiding officer. At this Conference Rev James Lea- ton received the appointment to Mt. Carmel, and was succeeded in 1854 by Rev. Nelson Hawley, in which year also Rev. Wm. Cliffe, whom we have seen had served two years as pastor-in-charge at Mt. Carmel, received the ap- pointment of Presiding Elder of the district, which po- sition he continued to fill until 1858, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. R. J. Nall. Rev. Hawley was re-ap- pointed to the charge in 1855, and during his two years of service did much to promote the spiritual interests of the church. In 1856 Rev. A. B. Nisbett was appointed to Mt. Carmel, serving one year, and was succeeded by Rev. J. P. Davis, who served two years, when at the Conference of 1859 Rev. A. B. Nisbett was again re- turned. At the session of Conference held in 1860, Rev. R. J. Nall, who was then filling the position of Presiding Elder, received the appointment to Mt. Car- mel, and A. B. Nisbett was assigned to the district. In the following year Rev. G. W. Compton received the
appointment to Mt. Carmel, and was again returued in 1862, but remained only a part of the year, when he resigned as pastor-in-charge to accept the position of chaplain in the army. The vacancy caused by Rev. Compton's resignation was filled by Rev. D. Chipman, local preacher, who, by appointment from the Presiding Elder, continued to supply the place of preacher in- charge during the remainder of the Conference year. In 1863 the Southern Illinois Annual Conference again con- vened at Mt. Carmel with Bishop Baker as presiding officer. At this session of the Conference Rev. Hiram Sears received the appointment to Mt. Carmel, and was re-appointed in 1864, and during his two years of ser- vice, labored with abundant success. At the Conference of 1865, and again in 1866, Rev. A. B. Morrison was assigned to Mt. Carmel. In the latter year the Sunday - school connected with this charge received a donation of $800 from the Mt. Carmel Division, Sons of Temper- ance, which fund has since been increased, and the inter- est arising from it serves largely to defray the expenses of the school. In 1868 Rev. G. W. Hughey was assigned to Mt. Carmel, and Rev. L. S. Clifford was appointed Presiding Elder, succeeding Rev. N. Hawley, who had received the appointment in 1804. At the Conference held in the fall of the following year, 1869, Rev. Hughey was returned to Mt. Carmel, and Rev. R. H. Massey was chosen Presiding Elder. During the pas- torate of Rev. Hughey the church erected their present brick parsonage at a cost of about $3,000. In the fall of 1870 Rev. T. A. Eaton was assigned to Mt. Carmel, and having been returned to the charge by the Confer- ence of 1871, continued faithfully to discharge his duties until the fall of 1872, when at the annual Conference held in that year Rev. B. R. Pierce was asisgned to Mt. Carmel, who was also re-appointed in 1874, at which time Rev. W. T. Davis was assigned to the district as Presiding Elder. Under the leadership of Rev. Pierce the church undertook the work of enlarging and remod- eling their building, which they successfully accom- plished at a cost of over $7,000, notwithstanding the fact that the financial panic which occurred shortly after the work was commenced exercised a very de- pressing influence. The success of their efforts was due largely to the wise and prudent labors of the pastor, who labored untiringly until success had crowned his efforts, and in the summer of 1874 he witnessed the re- opening of the building for worship with appropriate services conducted by Rev. Bishop Bowman. The year 1874 was also marked by the annual Conference again holding its session at Mt. Carmel, with the venerable Bishop Scott as presiding officer. It was at this session of the Conference that the late Dr. Eddy delivered his last address save one, for only a couple of weeks later he joined the church triumphant. At the same session of Conference the pastor assigned to Mt. Carmel was Rev. W. J. Grant, who served one year, and in the fall of 1875 was succeeded by Rev. J. L. Wallar, who contin- ued as pastor-in-charge until the fall of 1878, when
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Rev. Herdman was assigned to Mt. Carmel. After two years' service in this charge Rev. Herdman, in accor- dance with the usage of the Methodist church, was sent to labor elsewhere and Rev. J. Earp was by the Confer- ence of 1880 assigned to Mt. Carmel, and like his pre- decessor was appointed to the same charge again for the second year. In the fall of 1882 Rev. R. M. Carter was appointed to Mt. Carmel, and at this date is rendering effective and acceptable service as pastor- in-charge.
While we have so far followed mainly the history of the Methodist church in Mt Carmel, we have seen that the interests of the church in other localities were not neglected. Whenever and wherever a few settlers are found in new localities, there will be heard the voice of the Methodist preacher, ministering unto their spiritual needs. Among the earliest Methodist organizations in the county, outside of Mt. Carmel, was the society or- ganized in 1825 or 1826 in a hickory-pole cabin on what is now the Alfred Rigg farm. This society was or- ganized by Rev. John McReynolds and others. Of the the original members of this society all are now dead excepting one. Services were held in private dwellings and school-houses until 1858, when the society, under the ministry of Rev. A. B. Nisbett, erected a neat and commodious house of worship to which was given the appropriate name, " Bethel." The society continued to prosper and grow in numbers so that in 1880, realizing the need of a larger and more convenient house of wor- ship, and the village of Bellmont growing up in the im- mediate vicinity, the society determined to erect a new house of worship in that vilage. A suitable site having been donated by a member of the Mt. Carmel church, the society proceeded at once to put their resolutions into execution, and now have an elegant frame church 34 x 60, erected at a cost of about $2,000, and a mem- bership of about 125.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
BY SAMUEL C. BALDRIDGE.
The Presbyterian churches in Wabash county, in the order of their organization are :
1. Wabash .- Organized March 5th, 1822, by Rev. D. C. Proctor, with 5 members. Number now enrolled 78. Ruling Elders : Henry Thompson, J. R. Corrie, Wm. Greenhood, Charles Anderson and Wm. Hershey.
2. Mt. Carmel .- Organized May 5th, 1839, by a com- mittee of Palestine Presbyterians consisting of, Revs. S. Bliss and Isaac Bennet, with 11 members. Number now on roll 43. Ruling Elders, Hon. Robert Bell and R. T. Wilkinson, Esq.
3. Friendsville .-- Organized August 29th, 1857, by a committee of Palestine Presbyterians consisting of, Revs. J. Crozier and S. C. Baldridge. Elders, Hon. James McDowell and S. W. Bliss, with 28 members. Number now on roll 82. Ruling Elders, J. P. McNair, Esq., G. C. Kingsbury and M. D. and A. A. Gould.
4. Allendale .- Organized February 26th, 1867, by a committe of Palestine Presbyterians consisting, of Revs. S. C. Baldridge, W. H. Smith and John Mack. Elders, Thomas Buchanan and H. Thompson, with 9 members. Number now on roll 15. Ruling Elder, Isaac F. Price, Esq.
Presbyterian Pioneers .- Among the settlers who began to come into the country at the close of the war of 1812, was Thomas Gould, Esq., who settled in Timber settle- ment. He reached there in the spring of 1816, with a large family. He was from New Jersey, but had emi- grated to Springdale, Ohio, near Cincinnati, and from there to Illinois. They came to Evansville by a flat- boat, sold it and came across by wagon. It may give us an impression of the state of things then, to know that Evansville was a group of cabins, with not one shingle roof in it. In his house the first sermon by a Presbyte- rian preacher was delivered. The preacher was the Rev. Samuel Thornton Scott, pastor of the Indiana church, Knox county, Indiana. He afterwards came frequently. He would aim to reach Squire Gould's early in the after- noon, and the boys would be put on horses and sent out to invite the neighbors to meeting, and by early candle- light the house would be full. By and by William Crane, a sweet singer, who was chorister for many years to the Presbyterian congregation, came and settled in the neighborhood. He also had a large and most interesting family, and they could everyone sing like nightingales. Then came the McClains, Cisels and Pitmans, etc., all of cordiai Presbyterian preferences, and most excellent citizens. But no church was organized in this rich and fallow field until 1867. A Sabbath- school was opened about 1824, in Squire Gould's house, and was maintained with varying fortunes, but with considerable usefulness for years. The school was especially useful in teaching many to read, parents and children often sitting together in one class. The Bible Society gave Squire Gould the liberty of giving Bibles and Testaments as a reward for commit- ting Scripture to memory. The poor and the diligent were thus supplied in a very destitute field.
The next Presbyterian pioneer to the county was Cyrus Danforth, Esq. He came from New York state in the summer of 1817. Hestarted for Terre Haute, Ind., but God who appoints the bounds of our habitation stopped the voyagers in their keel-boats at the Grand Rapids, by the low waters. Afraid of sickness on the river, he took his family out on Barney's Prairie to await the rise of the stream. Once there on the gentle height that swelled up from the lovely plains around, all said, we shall never find a fairer land than this. And Mr. Danforth stopped, and bought the great tract of land, still in the hands of his descendants, at Friendsville. He had four sons and two daughters. Mr. Danforth was a man of God; of unflinching devotion to his convictions, and of heroic mold. His views were not borrowed, nor - would they even take hue from the sentiments prevail- ing around him.
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Policy was never thought of apparently. Truth was truth, and right was right and duty was duty. In breadth of views and comprehension of the great questions of that day, in church and state, he was wise beyond his genera- tion. His speech was slow and measured, his words weighed before uttered and spiced with more than Spar- tan ters ness, but what he said was oracular. For years he and his family stood alone in the community, but by and by the impulsive, and whole-hearted Charles W. McNair came, and the Knapps and the Wardels, and in 1829, John F. Youngken, who became his son-in-law, and Dr. C. W. Miller, and in 1837, William R. Wilkin- son. The next Presbyterian pioneers, were two New Englanders, Stephen Bliss and George May. They settled ou Decker's prairie. They were both graduates of Middleburg college, Vt., Mr. Bliss in 1812 and his friend in 1814. They were men of judgment, candor, industry and of pleasing manners, thorough Christian gentlemen. What added to the interest of this new establishment, was, that in 1820 Mr. Bliss walked back to Boscawen, N. H., and married his affianced, Miss Elisabeth Worcester, daughter of Dr. Noah Worcester, of Brighton, Mass , and cousin of Jos. Emerson Worces- ter, LL D., the lexicographer. They came to the cabin under the five whispering oaks, in June 1821. It was graced with no luxuries when they set up house- keeping, but it was bright with intelligence, thrift, taste and sweetest piety. Wordsworth's plain living and high thinking was realized there. God meant much for this untamed wilderness, when he planted such a stock as that on Decker's prairie.
The work of the Presbyterian church in this county, may be said to have begun in earnest with the coming of Messrs. Bliss and May, April 11th, 1819. They opened a Sabbath-school in their cabin and later a Prayer meet- ing, the first Monday in each month-the monthly concert of New England. But more still was in store for them. On Friday, March 1st, 1822, a stranger stopped at Mt. Carmel to lodge. In the night his horse was injured in the stable, so that he could not travel the next morning. The stranger began to look around to see why he had been stopped. He inquired about the people in town and county. Heard of some Presbyterian families settled on the prairie to the north, and set out at once to visit them. Some sort of a trail led him to some cabins, and he knocked at one of the doors. It was Mr. Danforth's. As he caught sight of the faces, and the air of things, he stalked right in shaking hands with each he met, and exclaiming, I feel quite at home here, I am on Presbyterian grounds I know. His enthusiasm was reciprocated, as he introduced himself. It was the Rev. David Choate Proctor of Conn. a Missionary of the Conn. Missionary Society. What a feast was this inter- view to these exiles, a rill from the New England hills. The next day they took their noble guest up to Mr. Bliss. And there, in that house of prayer shrined in the wild, rank wilderness, that home of puritan piety and simplicity, with those rare guests, the Presbyterian 25
church in this county was born. Three of these men were graduates, and Mr. Danforth was peer of either in wisdom and sterling worth.
The organization of the "First Presbyterian church of Edwards county was effected on Tuesday, March 5th, at the Dauforth school-house, a log building standing on the edge of a swale a half mile east of D.'s cabin. The members were Mr. Bliss and Mr. Danforth and their wives, and Mr. May. In August Mr. Bliss, who had studied Divinity with Dr. Samuel Wood of Boscawen, N. H., received a license to preach from the Hopkington Congregational Association. He was abundantly quali- fied, but of such an humble and conscientious spirit, that he hesitated for a year to take this step. But August 3d, 1823, he preached his first sermon in that same log church and school-house, by the edge of the swale. The Danforth school-house is thus strangely identified with the origin of the Presbyterian church. Mr. and Mrs. Gould united with the church that day.
The Presbyterian churches, out of Mt. Carmel, are in the neighborhoods where these good men lived, Bliss, Danforth and Gould.
Some notice of the ministers longest in charge, will close this sketch. Rev. Stephen Bliss was for many years the only Presbyterian preacher in the county. He was born at Lebanon, N. H., March 27th, 1787. Graduated at Middleburg College, 1812. Studied Divinity with Dr. Samuel Wood, of Boscawen, N. H. He taught with great acceptance in central New York until 1818, when he and his friend George May left with broken health, and came to Decker's prairie, found the mild air and cheap land they were hunting, and settled. The accom- plished May died August, 1822. August 3d, 1823, Mr. B. began to preach. 1824 he was nominated by theanti- slavery party for the State Legislature. His judgment moderation and ability turned all eyes upon him in this crisis. In the furious campaign he took no part, but was elected. By the election of 1824, Illinois was made a free state. He returned from Vandalia in January. In April, 1825, he was received by the Salem Presbytery as a licentiate and was ordained Angust 4th, 1825. He la- bored in the same field during all his ministry. He died December 6th, 1847. He was a clear, calm, instructive preacher, sound in the faith, a most upright, humble, godly man. He was a leader everywhere by his weight of character. (See life of Rev. Stephen Bliss, A. M.)
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