USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 48
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St. John the Baptist Catholic Congregation, Smithton, was organized in 1868. It consists of sixty families. The church was erected in 1868, was destroyed by fire on the night of February 5, 1899, but rebuilt and dedicated December 13, 1899. The new church and its furnishings cost about $15,000. The congre- gation is in prosperous condition. It owns a good two-story brick parsonage and a brick school building. The priests who have offi-
ciated during the last quarter of a century have been Revs. Wirtschoreck, Rosmueller, Ferbers, Hegemann, Mestrom and F. H. Bergmann, the present incumbent. The following societies are connected with the church: Frauenverein, Jungfrauenverein and Junglingverein.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Illinois- town was reorganized in 1868 as St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church.
A German Presbyterian Church was organ- ized at Lebanon in 1868 and was active for some years.
The Methodist church at New Athens was built in 1869, and the Catholic in 1870. New Athens has also a German Lutheran congre- gation.
A Protestant Episcopal church was organized in East St. Louis in 1870 by Rev. W. H. Tom- lins. Rev. John C. White is the present rector of St. Paul's.
The United Presbyterian Church of Marissa was organized in 1870 with thirty-two mem- bers. In 1869, the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian church and the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian church appointed delegates to confer and prepare a basis of union on which the two churches might unite. In 1870 the basis agreed upon was accepted by the United Presbyterian church, but the Re- formed Presbyterian church refused to accept it. In August, 1870, the Western Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian church agreed to enter the United Presbyterian church. The ministers of the presbytery present were Revs. Wylie, Harsha, McMaster, Bratton and Martin. Rev. Wylie opposed the movement. The pres- bytery was received into the United Presbyte- rian Church at a meeting of the Illinois Synod at Paxton in 1870. Then each congregatilon in the presbytery, except one, was divided, and part of each entered the United Presbyterian Church. Hill Prairie Church had no pastor at the time, but two members of the session, Rob- ert Wilson and Hugh Nairn, with thirty other members, entered the United Presbyterian Church as an organized body, thus forming the present United Presbyterian congregation of Marissa.
In 1871 and 1872 the congregation built and furnished a church. Rev. J. W. Glenn, the first pastor, served from January, 1872, to June, 1879, when he died. The congregation had at
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first thirty-two members, but in 1880 it had 123. In 1872, a Sabbath school was organized, which progressed with the church. This church is in flourishing condition. Several years ago the congregation built a handsome new house of worship. Rev. J. H. McCormick is pastor.
Christ Church was organized by Elder W. A. Manville and Mrs. Schwisser. Their meetings were held for a time in the Methodist church at Mascoutah and in the open air. They built a church at Rentchler Station and, in 1874, a $1,250 church in Southeastern Mascoutah. The first elders were Mr. Bridges and W. A. Man- ville, and the first clerk was Absalom Free. Later elders were Isaac Mulkey, R. L. McHat- ton and others. The church was dedicated by Elder G. H. Garrison, editor of "The Christian," October 24, 1875. A Sunday school was estab- lished.
The New Silver Creek Baptist Church was organized at Griffen's school-house on Silver Creek, March 5, 1872, with nineteen members. Sometime before, G. W. Darrow, of Oak Hill, had organized a Sunday school there; some- time later, he and Rev. H. S. Deppe conducted a meeting there, which brought about several conversions and the organization of the church. The pastors were: H. S. Deppe, W. A. Manville, and Mr. Roach. After a time, the church declined until in 1880 only four members remained.
The Lenzburg Evangelical Church was built in 1873, rebuilt in 1893.
The Marissa Baptist Church was organized March 9, 1875, by Rev. J. C. Wilson. The constituent members were: M. W. Borders, James W. and Mary Stewart, John W. Wells, J. S. Short, John W. and Louisa Hesker, H. J. and Josephine Steinheimer, Robert C. Wyllie, James W. Green, William Stewart, George W. Rector, Charles Gates, Samuel U. Morris, John Bredenhoeft, Jesse Campbell, Robert C. Vaughn, E. Alice Coulter and Mat- tie E. Burns. A church was built costing $3,- 500. The first trustees elected were: John W. Hesker, James W. Green and John W. Wells. The Rev. Mr. Malcolm is pastor.
CHURCH EXTENSION, 1880-1900 .- St. George's Protestant Episcopal Church at Belleville .- In 1880 application was made to the Right Rev. George F. Seymour, Bishop of the Spring- field Diocese; to establish a church at Belle- ville. This was signed by A. B. Russell, Mrs.
Mary E. Russell, Mrs. Jane C. Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ibbotson, Mrs. Isabella Coyde, Miss Mary A. Park, Mrs. Sarah Henkemeyer, Mrs. Catherine Campbell, Mrs. Collie McCul- lough, Dr. A. B. Gunn, Mrs. Mary E. Gunn, S. H. Ingham, Mrs. Caroline Ingham, Mrs. Charles A. Monk, Mrs. M. C. Mullen, Mrs. Fannie I. Schember, Miss Maria Challenor, Mrs. Thomas Challenor, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Niles, Miss Agnes A. Hallam, Dr. J. G. Hal- lam, Henry Davis and Mrs. Mary E. Davis. The church was duly organized, with the Rev. Clendennin as rector; Alexander B. Russell, senior warden, and Henry Davis, junior war- den. The present pastor is Rev. L. B. Rich- ards.
St. Luke's (Catholic) Congregation, Belle- ville, was divided from St. Peter's congrega- tion by a circular published in St. Peter's congregation January 1, 1883. The object of this separation was to organize a church in which the preaching should be in the Eng- lish language. About seventy persons formed the new congregation. The first mass was offered in St. Agnes' Orphan Asylum Hall, January 28, 1883; a generous donation was made to support the new pastor, Rev. James M. Gough; and a committee was appointed . to select a site for a church. The committee finally decided on the location now occupied, on the northwest corner of Church and C Streets. The corner-stone was laid July 4, 1883; the church was finished in 1884. There are now about 450 families belonging to the congregation. In 1884 the parochial resi- dence was built. In June, 1904, Rev. Bernard Monaghan came as assistant to Father Gough. He is also chaplain of the St. Clair County prison.
Rev. James Michael Gough was born in War- wick, R. I., May 19, 1851. He was educated in the schools of Providence, R. I., and in St. Joseph's Ecclesiastical College, Teutopolis, Ill. He then studied at the Grand Seminary, of Montreal; and afterward received from the University of Laval the Roman degree of "Sacræ Theologæ Baccalaureatus." In Decem- ber, 1882, he was ordained a priest in the chapel of the Grand Seminary, said his first mass in Providence, R. I., December 25, 1882, and was assigned to the new English parish of Belleville by Bishop Baltes, January 19, 1883, and is still rector.
The Marissa Methodist Episcopal Church
ANDREW J. MĘEK
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
was organized in 1886 with twelve members, and has now 150 members. The church building and parsonage were built at a cost of $3,000, and are situated near the central part of the village.
St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church (East St. Louis), was reorganized in 1887 as the Summit Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church.
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH .- About November 1, 1890, a small company of ladies met at the residence of T. J. Daniel and organized an aid society for the purpose of starting a Chris- tian Church in East St. Louis. Mrs. J. H. Neehan was elected president, and Mrs. Belle Metcalf, secretary and treasurer. Others con- nected with the movement included Mrs. Wil- liam Way, Mrs. V. B. Cash and Mrs. Clark. Within the same month, a series of successful meetings was held by Brother Boon, then of the Fourth Church of St. Louis, at Finke's Hall on Collinsville Avenue, which lasted about two weeks and resulted in drawing such a large crowd that the hall was too small, and the con- gregation had to go to Launtz's Hall on Mis- souri Avenue, where the church was organ- ized November 25, with thirty-four charter members. Through the kindness of the direct- ors of the Garfield School, the new church was permitted to use the school-house for church and Sunday school purposes, free of charge, and occupied that house until the erec- tion of the present building on the corner of Seventh and St. Clair Avenues, September 30, 1891. The pastors have been: Revs. Barrows, Stutzman, H. L. Fricket, Jennett, Malone, Hale, Filmore, L. W. McCreary and W. Henry Jones.
The church has now about 500 members. The present officers are: Dr. H. A. Cables, Dr. W. G. Carney, E. H. Yates, W. C. Thrasher, I. H. Foster, Walter Howie, T. A. Metcalf, T. J. Daniel and W. C. Coley. Two years ago, the church was remodeled, reseated, carpeted and decorated, but is entirely inadequate to accommodate the congregation; hence plans are being perfected to build in a new location a modern church, which will cost about $30,- 000. The Endeavor Society numbers thirty- five active members; the Sunday school en- rolls about 150.
The Marissa German Evangelical church
building is located on the dividing line be- tween Old and New Marissa. This is the youngest church organization in Marissa. It was founded in 1891, has steadily grown in membership, and is now in flourishing condi- tion. Rev. G. F. Moeller has recently re- signed this pastorate.
St. Mary's (Catholic) Church of Good Coun- sel, in the west end of Belleville, was estab- lished in 1893 by the present rector, Father August J. Sauer. The architecture of the house of worship is of the medieval cruci- form Gothic style. The congregation includes 200 families. Father Sauer was born at Ichen- heim, Baden, Germany, August 28, 1847, and came with his parents to New York in 1850. He studied in America and in Europe. After his theological course in Muenster, Germany, he was ordained priest in that city May 25, 1872. He then returned to this country and labored in St. Peter's church, Belleville, and at Petersburg, Carrollton and Shelbyville.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL CITRIST CONGREGATION OF BELLEVILLE .- The German Evangelical Synod of North America, the only officially recognized, though independent, daughter in the United States of the United Evangelical Church of Prussia and other German States, had, up to the year 1893, no permanently established congregation in Belleville, though there were many German Evangelical Christians in that city. Once before, indeed, a German Evan- gelical congregation had been organized in Belleville, and in 1858 a church had been built on South Jackson Street; but adverse cir- cumstances had led to its dissolution and to the sale, in 1864, of the church to the German Methodists, who still use it as their house of worship. A stone tablet in front of the Ger- man Methodist church with its inscription "Evangelische Kirche," still bears witness to that deplorable breakdown of the Evangelicals in their first attempt to build up a congrega- tion of their own in Belleville, especially de- plorable from the standpoint of an Evangeli- cal, as the church would have been sure to grow. Most of the German immigrants of that time in Belleville were neither Lutherans in strict confessional sense of the word, nor Free Protestants, but Evangelicals.
As the attempt to found a good standing
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Evangelical Church in Belleville proper had thus failed, the Board of Home Missions of the Southern Illinois District of the Evangeli- cal Synod directed its attention to West Belle- ville. Here, in a community of about four thousand souls, not a single church of this denomination existed, although a goodly num- ber of Evangelicals lived there; therefore, in the year 1893, the Southern Illinois District resolved to begin an Evangelical mission in West Belleville, and extended a call to Rev. Louis von Rague, one of the most experienced missionary workers of the Synod then stationed at Quincy, Ill., to take charge of it. On May 12, 1893, he accepted the call and soon moved to West Belleville. The first service was held on Pentecost Sunday of that year in the West Belleville fire-engine house. The first child was baptized June 11. On July 16, the new congregation was organized, naming itself "German Evangelical Christ Congregation," and accepting the constitution for Evangelical congregations as drawn up by the Evangelical Synod of North America. Twenty-four men of the Evangelical creed signed it in their own and in their families' names, thereby becoming the first voting members of the church. From their number, the following trustees were elected: C. G. Hoffman, J. Wolz, Charles Lenz and A. Dieckmann. As the first aim of the newly organized congregation was to pos- sess a church, a church committee was ap- pointed, consisting of F. Kaltwasser, Charles Sauer, and A. Wiesenborn. . After careful de- liberation, they bought two lots on North West Street, each fifty by 125 feet, and soon after awarded the contract for a brick church sixty- five by thirty-two feet with a ninety-five foot steeple. Meanwhile, a fast growing Sunday school had been started, and a Ladies' Aid So- ciety and a Young Ladies' Society had been organized and were working with great zeal for the church.
On November 5, 1893, the corner-stone of Christ Church was laid with proper ceremony, and on February 25, 1894, the church was dedicated. Dr. L. Haeberle, President of Evan- gelical Eden Seminary, St. Louis, preached the dedication sermon in the presence of a very large audience, and twelve other Evangelical ministers took part in the services of the day. This result was due, next to God, to the un- ceasing efforts and self-sacrificing labor of Rev.
von Rague, and then to the noble assistance of many Evangelical congregations near and far and the gifts of liberal minded citizens of Belleville, even of other creeds. In 1894 a two- story parsonage and a hall for educational and social purposes were built.
In 1898, after five years of hard and faithful labor, Rev. von Rague, the founder of the congregation, tendered his resignation as pas- tor of Christ Church to accept a call of Evan- gelical St. John's congregation at Naperville, Ill. J. H. Dinkmeier, who was elected his suc- cessor, came from Carlinville to take charge of the congregation September 15, 1898. In the foregoing years, a large church debt had been accumulating, but had not troubled the mem- bers, while the Synod was-according to her custom with mission congregations-paying, at first the whole, and later two-thirds of the minister's salary. But now the time for which the Synod had guaranteed this assistance had nearly expired, and the time was at hand when the congregation would have to maintain it- self. To meet this emergency, Rev. Dinkmeier advised that the congregation call a young minister who, satisfied with a small salary ($350 a year), would devote the strength and enthusiasm of youth to the difficult task before him. Rev. Alfred E. Meyer, who had just fin- ished his studies in Eden College, St. Louis, was called and began his work September 15, 1899. Rev. Dinkmeier then left to take charge of Evangelical Salem's congregation at Alham- bra, Ill.
The measure adopted by the church proved to be a wise one, as the church was able, in 1900, not only to communicate to the Evangeli- cal Synod that henceforth it would be able to support itself, but also to pay off a large part of the church debt. Since that time, the de- velopment of the church has been steady. In 1900, a Young People's Society was organized, whose foundation had been laid by the very effective work of Rev. Dinkmeier. In Febru- ary, 1904, in order to celebrate the tenth anni- versary of the dedication of Christ Church, a gallery was built, and a pipe-organ put in the church, at a total expense of $1,300, a part of which sum was paid by the church choir and the remainder by members and friends of the church.
To-aay, the congregation has 106 voting mem- bers (families, contrasted with twenty-six in
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
1899), a Ladies' Aid Society of 130 members (had sixty-five in 1899), a Senior and a Junior Young People's Society numbering seventy and a choir of thirty members; a Sunday school of 350 pupils; has had 562 baptisms, 173 of which were before 1899; 250 confirmations, 125 before 1899; 147 marriages, twenty-nine before 1899, and 249 burials, sixty-one before 1899. The number of communicants in the year averages 300. The church debt is $3,000.
Immanuel's German Evangelical church of East St. Louis has Rev. Henry Bode as pastor.
Belleville Baptist Mission .- This mission was established in West Belleville in 1896 through the efforts of Rev. Fuller, then pastor of Belle- ville Baptist church. It is now a growing and prosperous congregation.
Zion Baptist Church (Colored), at Belleville, is under the leadership of Rev. G. C. Wood- son.
Goodrich Congregational Church, East St. Louis .- The only Congregational churches in St. Clair County are in East St. Louis. From the very beginning of East St. Louis, there have been Congregationalists there; but be- cause of the weakness of the early churches, they thought it better policy to enter and sus- tain work already started by Christians of oth- er denominations. The first attempt to organ- ize a Congregational church was started by a Methodist minister, Rev. Royal Kellog, who sold a mission he had organized to the Con- gregational Church and became its first pastor, serving from April, 1897, to October 1, 1898. This work was reorganized and incorporated as the Goodrich Congregational Church. The second pastor was Rev. Neil McQuarrie, Au- gust 1, 1899, to August 31, 1903. During this pastorate, the present fine stone basement of the new church at Nineteenth Street and Bond Avenue was erected. The third pastor was Rev. J. H. Carr, who remained only six months. The movement to organize Plymouth Congre- gational Church was begun about this time. Rev. G. W. James preached here a short time in connection with his work as pastor of Plym- outh church. The value of the Goodrich and Plymouth properties is $12,200; the church membership is 108; the Sunday school mem- bership is 225.
RECENT EVENTS IN CHURCH HISTORY .- Lenz- burg has a Baptist church, built in 1900. There is also a Baptist church at Edgemont.
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of East St. Louis .- The preliminary work of open- ing an English Lutheran mission in East St. Louis was done by the Revs. E. T. Coyner and W. P. Sachs, of St. Louis, assisted by Student O. C. Kreinheder, of Concordia College, St. Louis. The first service was held on Sunday evening, December 2, 1900, in the so-called St. Mary's Chapel, at 512 Ohio Avenue, rented for this purpose. The Rev. W. P. Sachs of the Church of Our Redeemer, St. Louis, preached the sermon, to the thirty in attendance. The Sunday school was opened December 9, with three scholars to begin with, which number soon increased to over a hundred. April 19, 1901, after the work had proven successful, church organization was effected with three charter members, Messrs. George Fischer, F. J. Jost and H. H. Jost, all now in active mem- bership. On Sunday, June 16, 1901, the Rev. O. C. Kreinheder was ordained and installed as first pastor, in the presence of a full house.
So far, only evening services had been held. Beginning with September 15, 1901, regular morning and evening services were held. The congregation joined the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri and other States. Before long it was found that it would be ex- pedient for the congregation to own its own church property. In 1902, therefore, it pur- chased a lot on the northwest corner of Thir- teenth Street and Summit Avenue. The build- ing contract was awarded to John Owens for $3,554. The cornerstone of this church was laid November 23, 1902, by the pastor, and the sermon preached by Rev. Herzberger, one of the Lutheran city missionaries of St. Louis. On February 22, 1903, the new church was ded- icated, and it was a day of great rejoicing for the people of the congregation. Rev. E. T. Coyner, of St. Louis, preached in the morning, Rev. H. Meyer, of East St. Louis, in the after- noon, and Rev. Sommers, of Grace Church, St. Louis, in the evening. In September, 1903, however, the pastor accepted a call to St. Paul, Minnesota, greatly to the loss of the church. The church finally succeeded in getting for its pastor, Rev. Martin Kretzmann, of Vincennes, Ind., who was installed January 10, 1904, by Rev. L. Buchheimer, of St. Louis, and Rev. M. S. Sommer. Under his efficient charge there have been organized a Ladies' Aid and a Young People's Society. The congregation has grown
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
steadily. It now numbers 130 communicant members and over 260 souls.
Plymouth Congregational Church, East St. Louis .- Sunday school was opened at 1505 St. Clair Avenue, July 19, 1902, with an attend- ance of forty-nine. Previous to this time, the field had been canvassed by Rev. H. T. Wil- liams, of the Sunday School Society, and Rev. Neil McQuarrie, of Goodrich Congregational Church. January 29, 1903, preparatory steps were taken, at a called meeting, to organize a church, and on February 5, 1903, a church man- ual and confession of faith were adopted and officers elected. Ten surrounding churches were asked to form a council to extend to the new church the fellowship of the Congrega- tional churches. On February 16, 1903, the Plymouth Congregational Church of East St. Louis was formally organized with twenty-three . members, and on Thanksgiving Day, 1903, ground was broken for a church edifice.
In January, 1904, the little hall in which services had been held was converted into a saloon, and the church had to seek new quar- ters. The Masons then very kindly offered the use of their hall, on Eighth and St. Clair Ave- nues. On April 27, 1904, the first prayer meet- ing was held in the new church. On May 1 the congregation met in their building for the first time and on June 12 the church was dedi- cated and subscriptions amounting to $1,100, the entire debt, was pledged. March 12, 1904, Mr. James resigned; and May 17, Rev. R. Kid- der Stetson, of Chicago, was called, his accept- ance to take effect September 1. The value of these two Congregational church buildings is $12,200, the church membership, 108, and the Sunday school membership, 225.
The Bond Avenue Presbyterian Church, East St. Louis, was organized May 9, 1905. Rev. Charles Evans is the minister in charge.
The Second Presbyterian, East St. Louis, was organized in June, 1905. Rev. Howard Billman is the pastor. He also preaches in Winstanley Mission, which is soon to become an independent church.
The Landsdowne Christian Church began its existence in 1905, with about fifty active members, under the pastoral direction of the Rev. Mr. Rennard.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, East St. Louis, let a contract recently for the erec-
tion of a church building to be located in Wash- ington Place. The contract was awarded to C. Gunthert for $10,530, exclusive of the plumbing and heating plant, and will cost about $12,000 when completed.
The United Presbyterian Church, of East St. Louis, is prospering under the pastorate of Rev. James C. Warnock. The Winstanley Park and Piggott Street Presbyterian Missions are also advancing.
East St. Louis has the following named Bap- tist organizations: "First" church, Rev. Adam Fawcett, pastor; First church mission; "Sec- ond" church; "Third" church; Free Baptist church, Rev. John C. Tatum, pastor; Mace- donia Baptist church, Rev. Butler M. Herd, pastor; Mount Olive Baptist church; St. Paul's Baptist church, Rev. John De Shields, pastor; Baptist City Missionary church, Rev. William H. Barnes, pastor; Free-Will Baptist church (colored) ; Pilgrim Baptist church (colored), Rev. Benjamin Cade, pastor.
Some account has already been given of the organization of St. Patrick's Catholic and St. Henry's Catholic Churches. Other Catholic con- gregations in East St. Louis are: Sacred Heart Church, Revs. Charles Gilmartin and Robert A. Hynes, pastors; St. Adelbert's (Polish) Church, Rev. Simon Newrocki, pastor; St. Elizabeth's (German) Church, Revs. Charles L. Kuhlman and Henry Alberg, pastors; St. Joseph's Church, Rev. Thomas S. Bannon, rector; St. Mary's of Lourdes Church; St. Mary's Church, Revs. John P. Harkins and Joseph J. Taggart, pastors.
The First Methodist 'Episcopal German Church of Belleville is ministered to by Rev. F. E. Schleuter. That city has an organization of Afro-Methodists.
There are five churches in Sugar Loaf Town- ship. Two are Catholic, one at Cahokia and the other at East Carondelet-both limestone struc- tures-comparatively new and of modern ap- pearance. The old Catholic church of Cahokia is in a good state of preservation. It is one of the oldest houses of worship in the West. Built entirely of cedar, it has withstood the ravages of time and tempest and reminds us of the days of Cahokia's prime and vigor. The other churches mentioned are Free Baptist, Evangelical Lutheran and Protestant.
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