USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 17
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 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80
710
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
1SSS he was sent to Springfield to take charge of the S. S. Peter and Paul's Church and Father Ader succeeded him at Assumption. During his term Father Ader also made many improve- ments and when in 1895 he left the Assumption church was in good financial condition. Rev. J. Mahoney took his place, remaining until March, 1897. Until the appointment of a regular pastor the Rev. Thomas Carroll took charge of the congregation, doing excellent work. Father Dechene returned in October, 1892, to the con- gregation he had left sixteen years before. Since his return he has replaced the windows with new ones of artistic design. The main al- tar was replaced with a new one of pure Car- rara marble in 1898, the altar and a beautiful pulpit resulting from his personal generosity. He established the St. Mary's Catholic school and built the new brick schoolhouse which is a credit to the congregation and an ornament to the city of Assumption. An excellent parsonage and home for the Dominican Sisters have also been erected. With practically no money to begin with, all these have been paid for and there is a balance of $6,000 in the treasury. Besides Father Dechene's handsome gifts to the church other donations of importance were: the Bles- sed Virgin's altar by Edward Cocagne, Sr., de- ceased ; the St. Joseph's altar by Mrs. Hortense Sarran, deceased; the communion railing by Mrs. Damas Demers, deceased. Prominently identified with the church interests is the or- der of the Knights of Columbus, which was organized in 1905, with a membership of 125 men. Other organizations of importance are: men's and women's branches of Foresters, or- ganized in 1903; the Altar Society, organized in 1890; the Young Ladies' Sodality, organized in 1898, and the younger boys' and girls' sodal- ity. This brief sketch of the history of the church brings us from the pioneer settlement of Tacusah (afterwards changed to Assump- tion), through the dark period of hard times, with its many struggles, to the present; from the little frame church to the commodious and elegantly appointed brick edifices, house and beautiful grounds.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN RICKS TOWNSHIP. Intimately associated with the history and de- velopment of Christian County is the growth of the Catholic Church. After passing through the pioneer state with periodical visits from the larger cities by those sturdy men of faith, the Catholic clergy, each town vied with the other
in seeking the establishment of a local church and procuring a permanent pastor. In Ricks Township the growth of the Catholic community has kept pace with the increasing valuation of the territory. Branching out from the mother church at Taylorville, established about 1846, then under the jurisdiction of Chicago diocese, a Catholic congregation was established at Mor- risonville in 1870 by Rev. Father Lohmann of Hillsboro, who built the first church. The first resident pastor at Morrisonville was Rev. Father Claus, who moved here in 1873, and he built the first parochial residence in 1877. A zealous young priest in the person of Rev. Father A. Teppe was assigned to duty at Morrisonville, and after years of earnest work and hardships, with a small but none the less active congrega- tion, succeeded in building the present beautiful Gothic edifice at a cost of $17,000. This church, dedicated in 1895, rounded out eighteen years of arduous labor on the part of priest and people. The efficiency of the former was readily recognized by his superiors in his transfer to the city of Decatur, Ill. His work at Morrison- ville was continued by Rev. J. J. Driscoll in 1896, who transformed the old church building into a parish school, thus planting the seed of future harvest for the congregation, which is known as the St. Maurice school, now in charge of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Ill. For the past twelve years this school has been doing very effective work with the children of the parish, and its pupils rank with those of any similar educational institution in the coun- try. Rev. Driscoll was succeeded in 1897 by the very Rev. Ferdinand Stick, and he in turn by Rev. H. J. Hoven, both of whom have passed into the care of the Great Shepherd of Souls. The latter was succeeded by Rev. T. E. Cusack. In 1909 Father Cusack succeeded in having completed the present handsome parochial resi- dence. The parish is in a flourishing condition. numbering 115 families. The parish supports several organizations which aid in the maintain- ing the healthy condition of the congregation, among them being the Catholic Knights of Illi- nois, the Knights of Columbus. the Holy Name Society and the Women's Catholic Order of Foresters.
STONINGTON CATHOLIC CHURCH. The Cath- olic congregation at Stonington was incorpo- rated about the year 1873. Father Kane, at that time pastor of the church in Macon, was the first one to encourage the Catholics around Ston-
711
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
ington to organize themselves as a congrega- tion and build a church. Having obtained the consent of the Roman Catholic Bishop Baltes of Alton, a subscription was started, but for some reason the work failed at that time and was stopped until 1877. At that time Father Schulze came to Taylorville as a resident priest. For about half a year he visited Ston- ington one Sunday in each month and held mass service at different dwelling houses. An- other subscription was then made and the first steps taken toward building a church. The building of the new church was commenced in 1878 upon two lots donated by Mr. Covington, who was not a member of the church. Lyukas Pfeiffenberger of Alton made the designs and supervised the work. The contract was given to Cottom and Cromwell, two mechanics of Tay- lorville, who completed the work about June, 1879. The Stonington Catholic Church has made a steady growth since that time and is now one of the strong churches of the county. Rev. Father Corcoran is the present resident pastor.
ST. MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH was organ- ized and built in 1SS0. The persons present at its organization September 15, 1880, at the home of Patrick Butler in South Fork Town- ship were: Patrick Butler, John Gorman, Mi- chael Coady, James Bulger, Michael and Pat- rick Howard and Patrick Drea. Rev. Father Dan Ryan was first pastor and John Gorman and Michael Coady were trustees. The pastors succeeding Father Ryan were Rev. Fathers Fin- nigan, Loftus, Donahue, O'Reilly, Davis, O'Con- ner, Ryan and Wilson and Rev. Lupton, the pres- ent pastor. The present membership is 175. The church was a well built frame structure and in the year 1908 Rev. J. A. M. Wilson had it fres- coed inside, with inserts of oil paintings by his own hand, which were: the beautiful picture of the Ascension ; Our Lady, refuge of sinners ; the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Sacred Heart of Mary ; the Holy Family ; and Saint Michael. In 1916 Rev. John Lupton had it reshingled and painted, which helped its appearance enough to stand another thirty-seven years. On the night of May 27, 1917, it was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Immediate preparations were made by Father Lupton for rebuilding.
CHRISTIAN.
MT. AUBURN CHRISTIAN CHURCH. In 1836, A. D. Northcutt bought a farm near the present
site of the village of Osbernville in Mosquito Township. Mr. Northcutt was then a member of the Baptist Church. He disagreed with the Baptist minister because members of other re- ligious denominations were barred from the communion service. In 1840 Mr. Northcutt and his wife, William Hunter and wite, John Hun- ter and wife, and James Sanders formed them- selves into a Church of Christ. This was the beginning of the Mt. Auburn congregation. The people began at once to meet regularly on the first day of the week for public worship. At that time Mr. Northcutt had no thought of be- coming a minister, but, owing to his reverence for the scriptures and his aptness to teach, he became a leader. The congregation grew very rapidly and he was soon formally set apart for the ministry. The meetings were held in the Brush schoolhouse, some three miles northeast ot Mt. Auburn, for a time, where John W. Ty- ler, John Wilson and Mattie Brown preached. In 1866 the church was moved into the village. In that year a chapel was built, which was re- inodeled about 1898 and is yet in use. In 1875 the congregation tell to pieces and for a period of twelve years the house was opened only for funerals. In 1887 ministers M. L. Anthony and John H. McGuffin held a series of meetings and revived the congregation. During the years of depression Charles T. Cole was always faithful and helpful. The latter years of his life were spent in Parsons, Kas., where he preached the gospel which he loved so well, until his death. This church is now in a flourishing condition, the present membership being nearly 300. The value of the property, including a comfortable parsonage, is about $4,000. The Bible School enrollment is about 150. John W. Augur has been a source of spiritual and financial strength for many years. Among the ministers who have labored here are the following : Revs. John H. McGuffin, A. D. Northcutt, M. L. An- thony, J. O. Sutherland, Henry B. Easterling, C. T. Cole. William Kinney, Rev. Warner, J. E. Prophater. W. H. Anderson. F. C Overbaugh, F. B. Jones, Frank Shane, H. H. Wagner, Fred Gallager, F. G. Myrick. J. D. Williams, Frank McGee, and the present pastor, John M. Cross. formerly of Terre Haute, Ind.
THE TAYLORVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH Was organized in 1853 by A. D. Northcutt. There were thirty-five charter members, among whom were William Singer, B. F. Maupin and J. W. Thompson, who were chosen elders. and .1. J.
712
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
Sparks and Griffen Evans, who were chosen deacons. In about a year after the organization a frame chapel was built at a cost of $2,500, at that time the best church building in the county. The membership at this time was about 150. For a time the church was very prosperous but later it was disorganized by internal strife and its members were scattered. In 1879 S. R. Wilson effected a reorganization with thirty- three members. William Frampton, R. P. Lang- ley and W. N. Long were chosen elders, and A. S. Thomas, Morgan Milligan and Joseph Torrence, deacons. Among the early ministers of the church besides Mr. Northcutt, were Alexander McCullom, William M. Brown, Wil- liam Van Hooser, John L. Wilson, Thomas Cully, J. W. Tyler, W. T. Maupin and T. W. Dunkerson. Following the pastorate of S. R. Wilson the church was served by G. L. Apple- gate, S. M. Pruitt and James L. Stewart. In 1SS6 W. W. Weeden was called from Blue Mound and began a notable pastorate which lasted twelve years, closing 1898. During this pastorate the present church building was erected, the funds being largely furnished by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Davis. Since 1898 the church has been served by George L. Peters, W. E. Bolton, W. HI. Harding, Zwinglius Moore, M. L. Pontius, M. W. Yocum, G. H. Brown and the present pastor, Walter S. Rounds. During the pastorate of Zwinglius Moore the parsonage was built, this being the direct gift of Mrs. Cordelia Hoover, and her mother Mrs. Caroline Davis. In 1914, during the pastorate of G. H. Brown the church build- ing was overhauled and the Sunday school section greatly enlarged at an approximate cost of $15,000. During its history the church has had the evangelistic spirit. Following the erection of the present building G. W. Pearl held a meeting which resulted in about 150 additions to the church, many of whom have continued to be faithful and strong members. In 1914 F. B. Thomas held a meeting which resulted in over one hundred additions, and during which the Sunday school was very ma- terially enlarged. Other successful meetings have been held by W. F. Richardson, N. S. Haynes, R. F. Thrapp, J. V. Coombs, W. F. Shearer, E. M. Smith and W. H. Book. The present membership of the church, resident and non-resident, is 585. During 1916 $3,380.36 was raised for local work and $915.96 for mis- sions. The Bible school was organized in 1879
and has continued without interruption since that time. For the past twenty-five years there have been but two superintendents, A. D. Payton and H. L. Fowkes. The present enroll- ment is 375 and the average attendance over 200. The Christian Endeavor Society was organized for work among young people and for many years has maintained a continuous and prosperous life. The Woman's department is organized for work in the local church. It is just finishing the payment of a $3,000 pledge to the building fund. There are four missionary organizations for work among the women and children of the church. All are directly con- nected with the Christian Woman's Board of Missions. The regular auxiliary has a member- ship of sixty ; the Philathea Circle, composed of young women, has twenty members; the Every- land Circle is composed of twenty-five 'teen age girls, and the Triangle Club for smaller girls has a membership of twenty-five. The church owns property valued at $15,000.
THE EDINBURG CHRISTIAN CHURCH
was organized with thirty members, about 1856, by Elder A. D. Northcutt. It now has a resident membership of about 300. The first house of worship was built in 1872. Three years later this was demolished during a cyclone, but was at once rebuilt. This was remodeled in 1901, under the supervision of J. S. Rose, then pas- tor, and is the one now in use, which is not always adequate for the needs. A parsonage worth $2,000 adjoins. A small although good Sunday school is held the year around with graded work in the beginners, primary, and junior departments. In 1895 a Y. P. S. C. E. was organized which lived for many years as an active organization of the church, and which gave to the ministry A. O. Hargis and Homer A. Turner. In 1903 an auxiliary to the C. W. B. M. was organized by Mrs. S. A. Ennefer, the wife of the pastor. She became the first presi- dent, but on her removal Mrs. L. E. Swigert was elected and served in that capacity since, a total of thirteen years. This society has at present a membership of forty-five. Among those who have ministered to this congregation are: W. W. Weedon, J. O. Henry (deceased), Charles Laycock, J. S. Rose, D. W. Conner, G. W. Thomas (deceased) . Splendid revivals which added many substantial members to the congregation have been conducted by the fol- lowing (vangelists: W. F. Shearer, D. W. Campbell and F. B. Thomas.
Orlando. B. Fraley
713
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
BEREA MT. AUBURN CHRISTIAN CHURCH Was organized iu 1868 by John W. Tyler, who held a very successful meeting in the Sanders school- house, resulting in sixty-eight additions. The first officers were James Sanders and Benjamin Cross, elders ; William Pierson, John M. Abel and Oliver White, deacons. The present build- ing, the value of which is $2,500, was erected in 1869. J. W. Tyler, Dr. L. A. Engle, A. D. Northcutt, A. J. Nance were among the pioneer preachers of this thriving congregation. Rev. H. B. Esterling is the present pastor. There are about 100 members of this church at present. The officers are as follows: J. W. Bramel, Charles Bailey, elders ; J. A. Elder, T. J. Bramel and Wilmer McVey, deacons. The Bible school which was organized in 1869 now has a member- ship of seventy-five.
ASSUMPTION CHRISTIAN CHURCH. The history of the Assumption Christian Church dates from the year 1870 when Rev. J. M. Morgan con- ducted a series of meetings in the Baptist chapel. Several persons were converted at these meetings and they met frequently on the Lord's Day to attend the Lord's Supper and to hear the gospel preached by J. M. Morgan and A. D. Northcutt. In 1874 a congregation was organized with twenty-five members and with the view of building a house of worship. D. J. Watson, Dr. S. M. Benepe and J. J. Benepe were appointed trustees. In October, 1875, the church house was begun, and was completed in January, 1876, Elder N. S. Haynes dedicating it on the second Lord's Day of that month. The entire cost of the building and grounds ready for use was $3,800. It was a very pretentious structure for that period. In 1916 the building was remodeled and a base- ment, heating plant and toilets were added, the entire work costing $4,000. The church was rededicated on September 10, 1916. The following persons have been connected with the church as officers : W. P. Mauzy, D. J. Watson, William Abbot, Dr. S. M. Benepe, John J. Benepe, J. R. Milligan, L. T. Watkins, S. M. Coonrod, J. M. Birce, A. G. Chilton. The present officers are as follows: Trustees, Frauk Gandy, George Jenkins, Henry Harpold, J. C. Shafer, A. P. Townley, William Bond, William DeWolf; 'elders, Joseph Hoover, Dr. G. P. Walker, J. C. Shafer. Dr. Walker is the church clerk. Deacons, C. C. Owens, O. D. Hed- rick, David Hadwin, William Benepe, Otto Ross, Dr. O. L. Crow, Washington Clark. The fol-
lowing named persons have served the church as pastors : Revs. J. M. Morgan, O. Q. Oviatt, J. O. Henry, N. S. Haynes, George F. Adams, F. M. Quinn, D. P. Henderson, A. D. Northcutt, E. E. Cowperthwait, W. F. Richardson, T. L. Cartwright, J. G. Wagoner, J. S. Clements, evangelist; Ingram; L. M. Robinson; Deihl, evangelist ; D. H. Shanklin; Charles Downey, Ira Mason; L. M. Doughty ; R. V. Mollary, evangelist; I. G. Williams; W. H. Anderson ; J. H. Clements; G. W. Finnell; A. R. Spicer ; C. R. L. Vawter; W. W. Weedon; J. E. Teaney and H. J. Hostetler. The Sunday school has an enrollment of 115 with an average attendance oť seventy-six. The present officers are as fol- lows: Superintendent Joseph Hoover; assistant superintendent, Mrs. Eva Dixon, treasurer, C. L. Owens; organist, Mrs. O. L. Crow.
THE PLEASANT HILL CHRISTIAN CHURCH was called together and a partial organization effected in December, 1887, by Elder W. W. Weedon of Taylorville, at which meeting Jacob Milslagle was elected elder ot the congrega- tion. On January 5, 18SS, C. B. Byers was elected clerk. A complete organization was effected on December 6, 18SS, by Elder Isaac Beckelehyner of Bloomington Ill., when Dr. W. C. Johnson and C. B. Byers were elected elders, and Frank Wilson, James Blakey and Sandford Spindle, deacons. The present officials are as follows: Elders, George Murphy, Roley Clark, B. Baston, Jasper Seeders; deacons, Alfred Ward, George Edwards, Russell White, Alvin Baston ; deaconesses, Mrs. Eva Wisher, Mrs. Iva Edwards, Mrs. Grace White and Miss Hazel White, with Russell White as clerk. The present church edifice was dedicated November 20, 1887, the services being conducted by Elder W. W. Weedon of Taylorville, Ill. The present pastor is Rev. R. B. Fouts, a graduate of Eureka · College. There are flourishing organizations connected with the church, comprising a Sunday school and Christian Endeavor Society of about thirty members, and a Ladies' Aid Society of twenty-six members. The church edifice was built by all denominations in the vicinity, with the intention of using it as a common meeting place for religious worship, and the under- standing that it was to be dedicated by the Christian denomination, and that the Pleasant Hill Christian Church was to hold service in it half of the Sundays in the month. During 1917 it was decided by the board of trustees to turn the building over to the Pleasant Hill
714
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
Church for the use of its congregation. The information relative to this church was fur- nished by Mrs. J. M. Riddle of Pawnee, Ill., and Miss Hazel White.
CONGREGATIONAL.
ROSEMOND FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. Rosemond was first settled in 1856 by a colony of six families from Massachusetts. The first house was finished and the family of John Putnam moved in during March of that year. The following Sunday a Sunday school was organized and church services hield, one of the colonists reading a sermon. This was the real beginning of the Congregational Church. So faithful were those first settlers that for thirty years there probably were not five Sundays without church service in the community. As other houses were finished and other settlers came, the meetings were changed around from house to house. On the twenty-ninth of June at a meeting called for the purpose, it was voted to form a Congregational Church. On the seventh of September of the same year, 1856, it was formally organized. The Rev. A. T. Norton of Alton was presiding officer and the only minister present. Brainard Smith was chosen moderator for the year and Edward Hill elerk. O. M. Hawkes was already acting as Sunday school superintendent. There seems to have been no trustees appointed but instead committees appointed from time to time to attend to such financial affairs as might arise. There were twenty-two charter members, one of whom was Ophilia Putnam who is still living (1917) at Lockport, Ill. In the summer of 1858 was built the schoolhouse, said at the time to be the best in the county. From then until 1867 meetings were held in the schoolhouse. In Jan- uary, 1867, the present church building was com- menced and dedicated during the following May. The church has had the following min- isters. William C. Merritt, Timothy Hill, Edward Tuthill, Alfred Whitmore, John R. Barnes, Charles T. Dering. W. H. Smith, A. B. Pennaman, E. L. Hill, Grant Van Blarcorn, Eben Herbert, W. II. Bickers, J. Scott Carr, Ilans Bonnickson, W. H. Betts, W. J. Trueblood and Mrs. Jeanette O. Ferris. The present officers are: Charles Wilcox, clerk; George Scott, treasurer : W. E. Smith, Gus Lawson and W. II. Waddington, trustees: Henry Morrell, Charles Schmidt and W. O. Wilcox, deacons.
The present membership is about one hundred. This church like all other country churches has suffered much from its young people going to towns. But the church's influence is not lost for they have made good in almost every ill- dustry and every profession in the Union. It has always stood ior equal rights, temperance, and for the Union. In the Civil War out of less than one hundred members, it sent seven- teen into the Union Army, many of whom gave their blood and some their lives for love of country.
EVANGELICAL.
ST. JOHN'S GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH was founded in 1866. Rev. P. M. Galster, then having charge of a small congregation about nine miles northeast of Pana, occasionally preached for the German people in this city, and he must be given credit for the organization of this church. The congregation had as pastors succeeding each other as follows : Jacob Gubler, 1871-75; F. Pfeiffer, 1875-81; Frank Schaer, 1881-83; G. Mayer, 1883-87; Theo. F. Krueger, 1887-90; W. Kampmeier, 1890-92; John Bungeroth, 1892-93; K. Michels, 1893- 1901; Frank Hempelmann, 1901-06; J. S. L. Nollan, July, 1906, died soon after his arrival ; Philip Wagner, 1906, served the congregation five months ; Daniel Buchmueller, 1906-11; August Doellefeld, 1911-14; G. A. Kanzler, 1914, is the present pastor. The history of this con- gregation can briefly be told in a very few words: The congregation enjoyed a slow but constant growth, so that now her future ex- istence is assured. At present there are over 500 communicant members, sixty-eight voting members, 250 families affiliated with the church. Four societies have their regular charity and spiritual work in this church, namely : The Ladies' Aid, with fifty-three members; Willing Workers, with forty-two members ; Brotherhood, with forty-four mem- bers: Young Peoples' Society, with forty-seven members, all active and alive to the needs of the church and the community. A Sunday school with every modern arrangement, having 178 regular members, is the very foundation of this church. Up till 1914 the German language was used in all meetings of the entire church which, since the coming of the present pastor, has been changed to the actual needs of the people. Now all morning services are
alta Fraley
Dollie Fraley
Fannie Finaley
Av. DO. Finally
1
715
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
in the German, all evening services and the Sunday school are conducted in the American language. The congregation has a bright future, for her only creed is: "We acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ment as the Word of God, the sole and infallible guide of faith and life, and accepts the inter- pretation of the Holy Scriptures as given in the symbolic books of the Lutheran and the Re- formed churches, the most important being the Agsburg Confession, Luther's and the Heidel- berg Catechisms, in so far as they agree; but where they disagree the congregation adheres strictly to the passages of Holy Scriptures bearing on the subject and avails itself of the liberty of conscience prevailing in the Evangeli- cal Church."
METHODIST.
TAYLORVILLE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. There is no record of the first organization of the Methodist Society in Taylorville. There was a class for several years which was the head of the Taylorville circuit. It was made a station in 1866, and it is probable that the class was organized twenty-five years prior to that time. The first church building was erected in 1848-9. In 1869 a substantial brick house witlı a seating capacity of over 400 was erected. The present house of worship, a large brick edifice located on East Market Street, was built in 1892. It contains a large auditorium, a Sun- day school assembly room and eleven class-
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.