USA > Illinois > Perry County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 72
USA > Illinois > Randolph County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 72
USA > Illinois > Monroe County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 72
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282
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
in 1836. Rev. Jas. McAuley began his labors here in 1839, and continued them till the spring of 1847, when he re- signed. His successor from 1849 to 1854 was Rev. M. M. Brown, who was followed from 1855 to 1866 by Rev J. W. Glenn. Rev. John Todd was installed May 14, 1870, and released April 10, 1872. Their present pastor, Rev. S. M. Moore, has served the congregation since 1873. It is a noteworthy fact that not a single pastor of this congrega- tion, during its seventy years of existence, has been removed by death.
JORDAN'S GROVE.
This congregation was organized in connexion with the Associate Presbyterian Church of North America in the year 1828. It was known by the name of Unity until 1871, when it was changed to Jordan's Grove. Its first Elders were, Messrs. John McMillan, Moses Thompson and William Rutherford. Rev. James P. Miller, who made a tour of exploration westward through Indiana, Illinois, and into Missouri in the years 1324 and '25, was probably its first minister.
The late Rev. James Rodgers, D. D., preached here in- 1830. The first house of worship was a small log cabin ; afterwards it was enlarged by a small frame addition to one end. In 1847-'8, a frame church that would seat about one hundred persons was erected. In 1860 they built their present large brick church, 60x45 feet, with a seating capa- city for nearly 500 persons. It is located about six miles southwest of Marisza, in Randolph county. Rev. Thomas S. Kendall labored here about the years 1843 and '4 Rev Byron Porter was pastor from 1851 until 1856 Rev. J. P. Wright accepted a call in the spring of 1861, but returned it in October of the same year. He was succeeded in Oct., 1862, by the Rev. R. N. Fee, who remained until April, 1871, when he resigned. Sept. 1875, to August 1876, Rev. T. B. McKee was pastor. Rev. R. C. Hamilton was or- dained and installed in December, 1877, and remained till April, 1879. Their present pastor, Rev. W. J. Gillespie, took charge in December, 1879. The congregation is pros- pering under his efficient management. It was much weak- ened in 1870 by the organization of a church at Marissa, which received accessions from its members residing in the vicinity of that place. The present membership of Jordan's Grove is eighty-one.
UNION.
This congregation was organized May 31, 1830. Rev. John Reynolds preached there first in 1826. Its first elders were, Messrs. Arthur Parks, William McKee, Maxey Mc- Cormick, and James Morrow ; its first trustees, Messrs. Ar- thur Parks, James Morrow and James Baird Their first church edifice-a brick building 60x40 feet-was erected in 1832 for about $1,500 00, and would seat some 300 persons. This house becoming unfit for use, another, 70x40 feet, was erected in 1870-'71, about three miles southwest of Sparta, of the same material, costing $3,200. The first church stood in the northern side of Union cemetery. Its first pastor was Rev. Samuel C. Baldridge ; the second, Rev. James McAuley, from 1839 to 1843; the third, Rev. Wm. M. Graham, from the summer of 1844 until September, 1847 ;
the fourth, Rev. Samuel McDill, D D., from April, 1849, to the fall of 1856; the fifth, Rev J. F. Stewart, from April 2, 1857, until 1859, when Sparta became a separate congre- gation, after which he devoted his whole time there. The sixth pastor of Union was Rev. Henry Allen, from Dec., 1860, until May, 1865. Rev. M M. Marling was their seventh pastor, from Feb., 1866, until April, 1870. Their present pastor, Rev. T. P. Proudfit, was installed April 24, 1872. Its present membership is 109.
HOPEWELL.
This congregation was organized in 1832 with about thirty five members. The first minister who preached there was Rev. Samuel C. Baldridge. He was their first pastor, from the date of their organization until he left southern Illinois in 1837. In 1840, Rev. Joseph Thompson became their pastor. On account of some difficulties in the congre- gation, he resigned in the year 1846. In 1847 or '8, Rev. James Morrow began to labor there as a stated supply, and continued until about 1852. He was succeeded by Rev. William Wright in 1859, until Nov., 1863. Rev. T. D. Davis began work in Nov., 1864, but was not installed until early in 1865. He remained until the fall of 1867, and was succeeded by the Rev. John E. Richey, July 14, 1868, who continued pastor until his death, Dec. 30, 1874. The next pastor was Rev. Wm. L. Garges, from Sept. 6, 1880, until Dec., 1881, when he resigned, leaving the pastorate vacant. The first elders were :- Messrs. David Baldridge, Robert Woodside, James Steele and Hugh Brown. Their first house of worship was built in 1832 on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 19, town 5 south, range 3 west. It is a frame building (still, used), and will seat two hundred persons.
During the pastorate of Rev. William Wright, in 1860, they erected a second house of worship in Pinckneyville for the accommodation of members living in that village and vicinity. It was also a frame building and cost about $1300. Since its erection services have been held in each house on alternate days. In 1874 it had one hundred and fifty mem- bers; and now (in 1882) it has only one hundred and six- teen, and these widely scattered. They have recently sold their house in Pinckneyville, and contemplate building one more centrally located.
BETHEL.
This congregation was originally a part of Hopewell. In 1840 there were six or eight families residing in this vicinity who held their membership in that congregation. During the pastorate of Rev. Joseph Thompson he frequently preached for them in some of the farm houses in this neigh- borhood, and was the first preacher here. A plain frame church edifice was completed in the year 1850, at a cost of about $500, about a half a mile southeast of Swanwick. In 1873 and '74 it was repaired at a cost of $550. This congregation was organized October 12, 1850, by Rev. David McDill, D. D., with twenty members. Messrs. Joseph Craig and John C. Huey were its first elders. Messrs. John Clark and Daniel Fullerton were elected soon after its organization.
283
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Its first Trustees were Messrs. John McMillan, Samuel Huey and John M. Woodside. Rev. James Morrow preached as a supply, for two or three years, as also various other minis- ters for short periods. In May, 1859, Rev. Daniel Steele was settled as their first pastor. He remained until the be- ginning of the year 1866, when he was released. Aftertwo years vacancy, Rev. J. C. Elliott, as their second pastor, be- gan his labor July 1, 1868, but was not installed until the 15th of the following October. He is still, 1882, their pas- tor. There were seventy-five members when he took charge, and now there are one hundred and thirty-eight. It is now the senior pastorate in the U. P. Presbytery of Southern Illinois.
SPARTA.
As early as 1836, this was a preaching station in connection with Union congregation. A large brick church was completed here in 1-45 or '6, costing about 84200. It had a basement story. Its four basement rooms were in- tended for high school purposes, and one of them was so used for several years until Union Academy was built. A A defective foundation rendered this church unsafe for nse, and it was therefore replaced by the present handsome one crected in 1860 at a cost of $6000, October 5, 1859, the Presbytery approved of a separate organization in accor. dance with the report of a committee appointed in that be- half. Since then Union and Sparta have existed as distinct congregations. The elders of Sparta at that date, i. e. 1859, as far as we know, were as follows : Messrs. Aaron M. Allen, John McDill, John Taylor, George Brown, Matthew Gilles- pie, Heury Clendennin, and James A. Foster. Its mem. bership in 1860 was one hundred and seventy. Rev J. F. Stewart resigned his charge of Union in the fall of 1859 and gave all his time to Sparta until October 5, 1870, when he resigned. The congregation immediately called Rev. W. J. Gillespie, who was installed November 11th following. He resigned the charge May 10, 1871, on account of ill health. Ile accepted a call the second time August 7, 1872, contin- uing pastor until August 14, 1877. Rev. J. W. MeNary the present pastor, was installed May 14, 1878. The present membership of this church is 373.
PROSPERITY,
This congregation was organized in May, 1867, by Rev. J. F. Stewart, by direction of Presbytery. The fifty persons entering into this organization were members of the U. P. churches of Sparta and Mud Creek, and the R. P. Church of Coulterville. The first elders were Messrs. Samuel L. Boyd, James Kennedy, Samuel Gibson, John Pinekerton and Gavin Bieket. A commo lious brick church 60x50 feet was ereeted in 1867, near Tilden, in Randolph county, at a cost of a little over $5000, with accomodations for four hun- dred and seventy persons. May 1, 1868, Rev. James R. Finney was installed the first pastor. During his pastorate the congregation inereased from seventy-four to one hundred and fifty-five members. He was released in April, 1873, on account of failing health. November 20, 1873. Rev. J. M. McKitrick became their second pastor, remaining with them until September 6, 1830, when he resigned on account of
delicate health. The congregation was saddened greatly during his pastorate by the death of two of its aetive elders, viz : Messrs. Stevenson and Aitken. Since Rev. McKitrick's resignation they have been vacant. Its membership as reported to the last (May, 1882) General Assembly, was one hundred and sixty. eight
COULTERVILLE.
This congregation came into the United Presbyterian Church from the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the year 1870. The pastor, Rev. W. S. Bratton, four elders, viz. : Messrs. William Munford, David Munford, James R. McKelvey and James W. McMillan, and ninety members, came as an organized body, by virtue of the action of the Western Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, which accepted a basis for union that had been prepared some years before. A part of the congregation remained in their former connection, and held the church property. This entailed the burden of erecting a new church edifice on those who had seen fit to change their ceclesiastieal connection. Soon they had a new and beautiful frame church 60x37 feet, built at a eost all toll of 84641. It was dedicated July 7, 1871. Rev John McMaster, D. D, of Princeton, In- diana, preached the dedication sermon. Success in erecting this house of worship so speedily was due to the energy and faithfulness of the first three trustees, viz. : Messrs. John H. MeKelvey, Thomas MeDill and James Mark. The congre- gation continued to prosper, until its venerable pastor's death, January 11, 1873. He had served them sinee De- cember, 1859 and was sincerely lamented. They next called Rev. J. H. Peacock, who was installed pastor October 31, 1873, and continued to act in that capacity until February 1, 1875, when he was removed by death. A vacancy fol- lowed until Rev. J. H. Gibson was ordained and installed March 13, 1877 Their last report shows a membership of two hundred and eight. This compared with their first report in 1871, shows a gain of one hundred and fifteen mem - bers in eleven years.
CUTLER.
The original name of this congregatign was Concord. It also came from the Reformed Presbyterian Church in 1870, with its pastor, Rev. M. Harshaw, and foor elders, viz. : Messrs. Hugh Cooper, David Stevenson, Robert W. Cun- ningham, David S. MeClure and forty-eight members As at Coulterville so here the old church held the church pro- perty. Rev. Harshaw and his people however soon secured a piece of ground, and in the summer of 1871 erected near Cutler a neat frame church 46x33 feet, at a cost of $1900, with seating room for two hundred persons. August 11th, 1874, their venerable pastor died at the age of sixty-seven , closing a pastorate among them of nearly thirty-two years. This was a very discouraging event in the history of this church. Having made several unsuccessful attempts to secure a pastor, Mr. Theodore C. MeKelvey, a licentiate of our own Presbytery, was ordained and installed September 7, 1880. Finding their house of worship to be inconveni- ently located, they had it removed in December, 1881. to the village of Cutler, at an expense of $475. Their member- ship now numbers seventy-six.
CHESTER.
RANDOLPH CO.
HESTER, the county seat of Randolph county, began its growth as a town in 1829. As Alton bounds the American Bottom on the north, so Chester on the south is built where the bluff first touches the eastern bank of the Mississippi in a distance of one hundred and ten miles. Its location was considered most advantageous in the early days of river navigation, and its founders prophesied that a great and populous city would be built upon its site. It became the seat of county government in 1848. It is now the largest town on the river between St. Louis and Cairo.
The vicinity of Chester early attracted the attention of men as a suitable place for building a town. In the early part of the year 1819 a company was organized at Cincinnati, Ohio for the purpose of founding a town on the Mississippi near the mouth of the Kaskaskia. The projected town, it was thought, might become the future metropolis of Illinois. The company was composed of Major William Oliver, W. Bart, David Brown, Daniel D. Smith ard some others. Daniel D. Smith, as agent of the company, came to Illinois, and purchased a large tract of land near the mouth of the Kaskaskia, above the present city limits, on which to build the future town. It is the same spot where the Southern Illinois Penitentiary has since been built. The next year Benjamin A. Porter, under contract with the proprietors, erected a number of dwellings, and built a steam mill. The town was named Portland. It was likely thought that the new town would draw away the trade of Kaskaskia. The enterprise, however, languished, the town refused to grow, and in a few years a heap of ruins marked the spot which, it was hoped, might have resounded with the stir of commerce and the busy hum of labor. Of the persons connected with this scheme Benjamin A. Porter became the founder of the town of Helena, Arkansas. Daniel D. Smith removed to a more northern part of the State, and became the Recorder of Pike county. While at Edwardsville on a Saturday evening in November, 1824, he was killed by Palmon HI. Winchester, then practicing law at Edwardsville. Winchester was acquitted and for many years afterward practiced his profession at Carlinville, Macoupin county.
The earliest entry of land on the site of Chester was made by John McFerron who on the thirtieth of September, 1816, purchased from the Government fractional section twenty- five containing upward of forty-seven acres. This is a tri. angular tract, embracing the present depot and ferry land- ing, and extending up the river as far as Hancock street. October the eighth, 1824, MeFerron conveyed this land to
John Griffith for two hundred dollars, and June twenty- ninth, 1829, for a consideration of twelve dollars. Griffith made conveyance to Thomas Mather and James L. Lamb. The southwest fractional quarter of section twenty-four, running along the river front above Hancock street for more than half a mile, and taking in the site of the court house, was also entered by John McFerron. This tract, on the seventh of July, 1829, was deeded to Jacob Mayer of Kas- kaskia. It contained nearly eighty-nine acres, and the price paid for it was two dollars an acre. On the tenth of March, 1830, Mayer, for a consideration of one hundred dollars, conveyed the land to Samuel Smith.
From an early date there had been temporary residents on the site of the town. John McFerron, the original patentee of the land, occupied a cabin by the branch near the present railway station, previous to the year 1820. He represented Randolph county as State Senator in the first Legislature that convened after the admission of the State into the Union.
To Samuel Smith, however, more than to any one else, belongs the honor of being the founder of Chester. He was born near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He erected a dwelling, established a ferry, and began the construction of a mill. It is said that he erected his house in the summer of 1829, though the records show that he did not become the owner of the land till the spring of 1830. This house stood on lot three of the original town, on Water street, about mid- way between Wall and Ferry. His wife was a native of Chester, England, having come to Illinois with the Swan- wick family and from this circumstance the name of Chester was bestowed on the new town. He kept a hotel, and ferricd passengers across the river in a flat-boat Ile was a man of considerable education and intelligence and a good surveyor. In a few years he removed to Jackson county, where he took quite an active part in politics, and was elect- ed county surveyor and to other public positions. He there incurred the enmity of a man named Martin Harrison who, accompanied by his brother in-law, Blanton Brown, the latter's wife and her sister, met him on the road one day within half a mile of his house, and dragging him from the wagon on which he was riding, beat him in a terrible man- ner. A bound boy with Smith at the time ran to tell his wife of the occurrence and she reached the spot to find her husband dead. Brown and the women were confined in the jail at Brownsville, then the county seat of Jackson county, a couple of years, but were finally acquitted of the charge of murder on which they were tried.
The firm of Mather, Lamb & Co. were then carrying on a
284
RESIDENCE OF ISAAC MEREDITH, CHESTER , ILLINOIS.
NEW STORE PROPERTY OF ISAAC MEREDITH, CHESTER, ILL.
284C
HINH
FARM RESIDENCE OF HENRY WINKLEMANN, SEC. 23, T 6, R.6, RANDOLPH CO. ILL.
RESIDENCE OF WM SCHUCHERT, CHESTER, ILLINOIS .
285
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
large mercantile business at Kaskaskia. One feature of their operations was the packing of beef and pork, which they sold at New Orleans and other points on the river. Finding some difficulty in reaching the steamboat landing from Kaskaskia, they determined to erect a slaughter house and packing establishment where Samuel Smith had already projected the town of Chester. His plan was carried out in November, 1830. Directly afterward Stacy B. Opdycke, representing the firm of Mather, Lamb & Co., of which he was a member, opened a store in a building on the corner of' Water and Wall streets. This was the first store in Chester. In the spring of 1831 Samuel Smith laid off that part of his land below Wall street into town lots, and Mather, Lamb & Co. surveyed a few lots above Wall street. In 1830 Rich- ard B. Servant began the manufacture of castor oil. In the year 1831 Seth Allen began business as a cooper. The same year a blacksmith shop was established by Silas Leland. The next store was opened in October, 1833, by Holmes, Swanwiek & Co. in a building which the firm erected on lot five of the original town, at the corner of Water and Ferry streets. The building is the one now occupied as a store by Norris C. Crissy. The firm was composed of Joseph B. Holmes, Francis Swanwick, and Gabriel Jones.
Among the early residents of Che-ter were men of no small energy, enterprise, and business ability. The differ. ent members of the firm of Mather, Lamb & Co. were at times residents of the town. Thomas Mather was a native of New England, and a descendant of Cotton Mather. He came to Kaskaskia shortly after 1820. After the firm closed out their stores at Ka-kaskia and Chester, which was about the year 1533, he became a resident of Springfield. He was president of the State Bank of Illinois. He was elected from Randolph county to the state legislature in 1>25, 1832, and 1534, serving the first term as representative and the last two terms as senator. He died at Springfield. James L. Lamb attended to the pork-packing department of the firm's business. He was a man of bold and speculative mind, and made aud lost large amounts of money, but died wealthy. Ilis widow is still a resident of Springfield. Stacy B. Opdycke also died at Springfield. He was a native of New Jersey.
The firm of Holmes, Swanwiek & Co. began business in 1833 with a capital of less than two thousand dollars, and from the start transacted a business of fifty thousand. dollars a year, to which subsequently a material increase was made. After two or three years Dr. Lewis Morrison became a member of the firm. Their principal store was at Chester, and branches were established at Steelesville, then called Georgetown, Pinckneyville in Perry county, Frankfort in Franklin county, and Brownsville in Jackson county. Cas- tor oil mills were carried on at Chester, Pinckneyville, and Frankfort, and the product shipped by river from Chester. Very little cash was received for goods; ready money was then scarce. Beeswax, deerskins, castor beans, hides, and all kinds of produce were taken in payment for merchandise, and were disposed of in all parts of the country, but chiefly New Orleans, St. Louis, or Philadelphia. Sometimes ship- ments were even made to England. At one time a thousand
coon skins, costing twenty-five cents each, were shipped to Liverpool, and a dollar a skin realized. Joseph B. Holmes was born in Cumberland county, Pa. On a visit of Thomas Mather to Philadelphia to purchase goods from Barcroft & Co., which then to a great extent supplied the merchants in this part of the country, he inquired of Mr. Barcroft if he knew a capable young man to go with him to Kaskaskia. Holmes was recommended, and reached Kaskaskia about the year 1828. After coming to Chester in 1833 he carried on the mercantile business nearly till the time of his death in November, 1879. Francis Swanwick was born at Ches- ter, England. He came to Chester as elerk in the store of Mather, Lamb & Co. when it was first established. He was in business at Chester till about 1861. He was lieutenant- colonel of the Twenty-second Illinois regiment during the war of the rebellion, and now resides near Oswego, Kansas. Swanwiek and Holmes married sisters, the daughters of Gov. Shadrach Bond.
Col. Gabriel Jones, who was a member of the firm of Holmes, Swanwiek & Co., was born in Loudon county, Va., in 1790, and in 1810 went to Kentucky, and there married a Miss Ashby, who belonged to the Virginia family of that name. He was in the Kentucky troops who took part in the war of 1>12-14, and was present at the battle of the Thames, in Canada. November, 1817, he came to Randolph county, settling at Steelesville, where he taught school one winter. From 1825 to 1828 he was farming at Kaskaskia on land which he rented of Judge Nathaniel Pope. In 1828 he took charge for Mather, Lamb & Co. of a store at Steelesville, one of the first stores established in the county outside of the American Bottom. He sold goods about three years at Steelesville, and then was employed in Mather, Lamb & Co.'s store at Chester. He went to the Black Ilawk war in 1832 as captain of one of the three companies raised in Randolph county, and later in the campaign was elected colonel of the regiment to which his company was attached From October, 1833, till the close of the year 1839, he was a member of the firm of Holmes, Swanwick & Co. He was elected county commissioner in 1822 and in 1836, and a member of the legislature in 1824 and in 1838. He also served as justice of the peace and deputy United States marshal. He was killed in November, 1×64, in the severe storm which passed over Chester at that time. His house, which was on the spot now occupied by the residence of Capt. C. C. Williams, was completely demolished.
Dr. Lewis Morrison was born at Kaskaskia, and was the son of William Morrison. He was educated as a physician. His wife was a sister of Francis Swanwick. He was farm- ing in Washington county, previous to his becoming a mem- ber of the firm of Holmes, Swanwick & Co., and after 1840 was again a resident of Washington county for a number of years, and then returned to Chester and opened a store, which he carried on for some time.
On the last day of December, 1840, the firm of Holmes, Swanwick & Co. dissolved, and the new firm of Holmes & Swanwick began operations. In 1846 their mercantile bus- ness was disposed of to John Swanwick, a brother to Fran- cis, and the firm engaged in milling. They began the erec-
286
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
tion of the stone flooring mill, now being changed into an elevator, in 1842, and completed it in 1846. Among other merchants who did business in Chester, within the the ten years subsequent to 1834, was Thomas H. Campbell, who had charge of a stock of goods owned by Robert Shannon.
Col. Richard B. Servant came to Chester to engage in the manufacture of Castor oil He furnished farmers in the surrounding country with the seed and induced them to plant a crop, and then erected a mill for the manufacture of oil, and for several years carried on a large and flourishing business. At a period previous to 1840, he had more ready money at his command than any other citizen of the place. He was a whig in politics, and was appointed receiver of public monies at the land office at Kaskaskia. He after- ward established a conveyancer's office at Chester. He served as a member of the State Senate from 1836 to 1840.
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