USA > Illinois > Warren County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Warren County, Volume II > Part 40
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For nearly three years the congregation met for worship in the Presbyterian church, and in the court house. Early in 1856 such quarters were found to be too strait for them, and in April of that year the trustees called for bids for the erection of a house of worship. The church was built and dedicated July 4, 1858. In the meantime, after the chapel in the old col- lege was finished in the fall of 1856 that was their regular meeting place. The Associate and Associate Reformed Churches having formed a denominational union in May, 1858, the dedica- tion of the new church on July 4 was made the occasion of a Union Communion in joyful recognition of this long desired consumma- tion. The surrounding congregations of Hen- derson, Smith Creek and Spring Grove, with their pastors, Revs. John Scott, Samuel Millen and James C. McKnight, and their respective sessions, joined in the service, Dr. Scott preach- ing in the morning. One writes of it, "It was a grand occasion and a day never to be forgotten by very many." The first regular pastor of the congregation was the Rev. David A. Wallace of East Boston, Mass., who took charge of the congregation on the first Sabbath of October, 1856, and held it in connection with the Presi- dency of Monmouth College, till by the request of the trustees of the college he was released in 1860. In 1857 the Associate Reformed Theolog- ical seminary in Oxford, Ohio, was removed to Monmouth, the Rev. Alexander Young, D. D., a professor in the institution, coming along with it, and in July, 1858, he was elected co- pastor with Dr. Wallace, and after the latter's
release had sole charge till December, 1862, when his whole time was given to the seminary and the college. Dr. R. A. Brown was then of- fered the pastorate, but felt called to accept the chaplaincy of the famous Roundhead Regi- ment of Pennsylvania volunteers for service in the Civil war. The Rev. R. A. McAyeal was called, but his presbytery would not consent to his transfer. The Rev. D. G. Bradford took charge in June, 1863, and served until August, 1867. The Rev. R. B. Ewing, D. D., was pastor from April, 1868, to January 1, 1870. The Rev. J. G. Barnes was installed in May, 18/0, and served until his lamented death March 16, 1880. The present incumbent, the Rev. Thomas H. Hanna, D. D., preached his first sermon as pas- tor September 1, 1880, and was installed in the following month. The first house of worship stood on what is now the corner of West Broad- way and North B street. it was a frame struc- ture, with tower, commodious anu fine for its day, and cost about $6,000. The present building is of Colona sandstone, of subdued Gothic de- sign, 124x84 feet, with a seating capacity of about 750, and occupies a fine site at the corner of East Broadway and North Second street. Ex- clusive of the lot, which was the gift of Mr. William S. Weir of precious memory, the cost was over $28,000. The church was dedicated February 8, 1890, the sermon being preached by the Rev. R. B. Ewing, D. D., of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and Prof. W. G. Moorehead of Xenia theological seminary, President J. B. Mc- Michael of Monmouth college, and the pastor taking part also in the exercises. The present enrollment of members is 470, and last year the contribution for congregational, missionary and educational work averaged $16.26 per member. The Sabbath School was started in March, 1d55, with Nathan Brown, Sr., as superintendent. Prof. J. N. Swan is the present superintendent. The church also conducts a mission school in the west part of the city, organized in Febru- ary, 1895, with Prof. W. T. Wiley as superin- tendent. Prof. J. H. McMillan is now in charge, and the membership of the school is about 100.
The Second United Presbyterian church of Monmouth was organized October 25, 1862, by President David A. Wallace of Monmouth Col- lege and Elders William Gowdy and W. J. Thomson. The meeting was held at the home of A. Y. Graham, and the charter members were all previously members of the First United Presbyterian church. They were twenty in all,
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
and were: A. Y. Graham, Mrs. Catherine Gra- ham, M. D. Campbell, Mrs. Mary A. Campbell, Miss Esther J. Campbell, Robert M. Campbell, Miss Lizzie Campbell, Professor J. H. Wilson, Mrs. Lizzie W. Wilson, Professor J. C. Hutchi- son, Mrs. Lizzie Hutchison, W. C. Brown, James Findley, J. D. Wolf, J. F. McCrery, Mrs. Eliza- beth McCrery, James Strain, Mrs. Nancy Strain, Mrs. Mary A, Robison and Mary C. Wolf. Of these only Mrs. Mary A. Robison remains in connection with the congregation at this time. At a meeting of the congregation November 12, 1862, it was decided to call Rev. D. A. Wal- lace, D. D., and Rev. Alexander Young, D. D., to become its pastors. They accepted and served the congregation for several years, at the same time continuing their work as pro- fessors in the college. Dr. Wallace retired De- cember 31, 1868, when Dr. Young assumed the entire work of the pastorate, and continued until June 11, 1871. He was succeeded as pas- tor August 11, 1872, by Rev. D. M. Ure, D. D., who served the congregation until August, 1874, November 28 of that year a call was extended to Rev. W. T. Campbell, then pastor of the United Presbyterian church at Little York. He accepted and was installed February 25, 1875, and was pastor until September 1, 1901. The present pastor is Rev. Thomas C. Pollock, who came to the congregation from Cambridge, Ohio, and was installed December 17, 1901. The early meetings of this congregation were held in the house of A. Y. Graham and later in the college chapel. Their first house of worship was com- pleted in the spring of 1867. It was a frame structure, erected on the site of the present building at the corner of South Eighth street and East First avenue, and cost about $10,000. It. was torn down in 1879 to make room for the present building, which was completed in the fall of 1880 and dedicated September 12 of that year, Rev. Alexander Young, D. D., one of the first pastors of the church, preaching the de- dicatory sermon. The building is or brick, 53 x84 feet, with audience room above and Sabbath school rooms on the ground floor. It cost about $15,000. The building had a seating capacity of 690, but this has been added to by a gallery built in the church a few years ago. The clock in the tower was provided by private subscrip- tion. The congregation sent off a swarm of more than 100 of its members to form the Ninth Avenue United Presbyterian church in 1895. It now has a membership of about 280.
The Third United Presbyterian church of Monmouth was organized at the South Ward school house January 12, 1867, by Rev. Robert Ross and Elders W. A. Robison and M. D. Campbell of the Second church and W. J. Thomson and - Struthers of the First church. Thirty-seven members were received by letter and three by profession of their faith, mak- ing a charter membership of forty. William Cannon, William Graham, Samuel S. Findley and David Inches were chosen elders, and W. J. Black and Alex M. Patterson deacons, and they were ordained and installed January 19. In March, 1868, the congregation purchased Lot 12, Block 12, in the South addition, and soon afterward erected a frame house of worship at a cost of $2,500. Rev. J. M. Henderson was called that year as pastor, and served until 1873, being succeeded the next year by Rev. David Inches, who remained in the pastorate until the fall of 1876. Soon after his departure the congregation was dissolved by direction of Presbytery. A mission Sabbath school was organized then and carried on chiefly by stu- dents of the college and members of the Sec- ond church. Later the mission was given into the care of the Second church and carried on successfully until the organization of what is now the Ninth Avenue United Presbyterian church. June 9, 1890, Samuel Montgomery, Edley Z. Paul and Parker B. Harper, as surviv- ing trustees of the old congregation, deeded the church property to J. H. Wilson, J. A. Tem- pleton and W. A. Robison, as trustees of Mon- mouth Presbytery, and on July 12, 1897, they deeded it to the new Ninth Avenue church.
The Ninth Avenue United Presbyterian church grew out of a mission Sabbath school conducted under the direction of the Second United Presbyterian church. After the aissolu- tion of the old Third church, the mission school was carried on for a long time in the old church building, but without any pastoral over- sight. In June, 1894, Mr. H. P. Espey, a theo- logical student from Xenia Seminary, was se- cured as assistant to the pastor of the second church, his work being especially in connec- tion with the mission school. He remained through the summer, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. F. Jamieson, who came from Castro- ville, Cal., and took charge of the work. The mission prospered so much that on April 24, 1895, it was organized into the Ninth Avenue church by Dr. W. T. Campbell, of the Second
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church and a committee from his session con- sisting of S. C. Hogue, Geo. B. Davis, R. E. White and H. R. Moffet. Eighty-six of the 110 charter members were from the Second United Presbyterian church, thirteen from the First church, one each from the Presbyterian and Methodist churches, six from other churches outside of the city, and two were received on re- profession of their faith. Rev. J. F. Jamieson, who had been in charge of the mission pre- vious to its organization as a church, remained in charge of the congregation after organiza- tion, and on September 12, 1895, was duly in- stalled as its pastor. He has continued to serve in that capacity to the present time. Thus far the old church building occupied by the mis- sion had been used by the new congregation, but it was found to be inadequate for the grow- ing church and at a meeting October 2, 1895, it was decided to proceed to raise funds for a new building. The next month a site was pur- chased a block west of the old church, at the corner of South Third street and East Ninth avenue, and during the summer of 1896 the present edifice was erected at a cost of $7,500. It was dedicated December 13, 1896, Rev. J. T. McCrory of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, preaching the dedicatory sermon. The church has en- joyed a vigorous growth, and has never been handicapped with debt. The final payment was made on the building October 1, 1899, and each year has closed with all bills paid. During the seven years of its history there have been con- nected with the congregation 349 persons, 199 being on the roll of active membership at the present time. The average attendance in the Sabbath school is 210. The church occupies a needy field, and has been felt as an excellent moral force in the city.
The First African church of Monmouth was organized September 4, 1865, by Rev. D. A. Wallace, D. D., and Elders M. D. Campbell and W. J. Thomson, who received into the mem- bership of the organization the following per- sons, all by letter from the First United Pres- byterian church: George P. Morris, Mrs. Clar- issa J. Morris, Mrs. Matilda Catlin, George Penyx, Mrs. Harriet Penyx and Champion Mil- ler. George Penyx was chosen elder and Champion Miller deacon. Several years earlier, a mission Sabbath school had been formed in the home of Champion Miller, with W. A. Rob- inson as superintendent. Sessions were held first at Mr. Miller's then in the old college build-
ing, at the Presbyterian church and elsewhere. In July, 1864, the mission was organized as the First African church of Monmouth, independ- ent of any denominational control, and merely for the purpose of securing and holding a build- ing in which to meet. Richard Murphy, Cham- pion Miller, John Thomas, W. J. Thomson, R. B. Catlin and George P. Morris were chosen trustees, but they and all the other members continued their former denominational connec- tions. Upon the reorganization in 1865, the old name was retained, but the church became subject to Monmouth Presbytery of the United Presbyterian church, members of that denom- ination having always had general supervision of the mission. The ministers serving the church were also all United Presbyterians. Among them were Dr. Black, Moses R. John- son (colored), Rev. J. H. Montgomery and others. March 25, 1865, before the reorganiza- tion, the mission bought from the Second Bap- tist church the house of worship on South Sixth street and East Sixth avenue formerly used by the latter congregation, paying $600 for it. The congregation disbanded in 1871, and after that time a Sabbath school was conducted in tne building, with W. A. Robison as superintend- ent, until the summer of 1882, when the build- ing was sold to D. R. Shelton for $150 and made over into a residence.
The first Catholic services in Monmouth were held by Rev. Father O'Neil of Galesburg in 1856 or 1857, at first in the old court house, and later at the residences of Stephen Canning and "Billy" Shields. In 1864 Father Powers of Galesburg built the first church, the Church of the Epiphany, at the northeast corner of C street and Boston avenue, at a cost of $3,000, and from that time Monmouth was regularly at- tended as an outmission of Galesburg. Father Howard succeeded Father Powers, and Rev. Joseph D. Bowles was made first permanent rec- tor in November, 1869. He was followed by Rev. Michael Luby in 1872, he by Rev. James Halpin in 1873, and he by Rev. Thomas O'Far- rell in 1876. Early in 1878 Rev. M. Weldon, now pastor of Holy Trinity church at Bloom- ington, and vicar general of the diocese of Peoria, was made pastor at Monmouth, but re- mained only a little more than a year, being followed by Rev. Wm. Murphy. In the fall of 1882 came Rev. F. C. Duffy, now at Danville, Ill., and during his administration the present handsome Church of the Immaculate Concep-
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
tion, on the corner of West Broadway and North B street, was erected. It was dedicated October 5, 1884, by Bishop Spaulding of Peoria and cost complete about $25,000. After five years Father Duffy was replaced by Rev. Mar- tin Kelly, and in January, 1892, the present rector, Rev. P. P. Owens, was placed in charge. The Church of St. Patrick at Raritan was erected during the administration of Father Halpin about 1875, and the church of St. Teresa at Alexis by Father O'Farrell in 1878, and both have ever since been served from Monmouth. About 125 families at present attend the Mon- mouth church, fifty-five the Alexis church, and forty at Raritan, about 1,000 souls in all.
Trinity Episcopal church was organized as a mission July 15, 1878, at the home of Victor H. Webb, 220 South C street, by Rev. George H. Higgins of Chicago. The mission started with about a dozen members, among them be- ing Mr. and Mrs. V. H. Webb, Mr. and Mrs. E. I. Camm, Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Rupp, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Sipher, W. T. Leader, Mrs. John Spriggs, James R. Marshall and Mrs. Frances A. Downs. Messrs. Rupp, Camm, Webb and Sipher com- posed the vestry. Services were held first in the room over Morton & Gettemy's restaur- ant (now Hodgens) on South Main street, after- ward in the room over Warren Wright's tail- oring establishment on the east side of the square, then in the room over Hickman's shoe store on South Main street. A pretty little church building was erected during the sum- mer of 1883 on the corner of North Second street and East Archer avenue at a cost of $3,600 including the lot. The church was consecrated November 22 of that year by Bishop Burgess of the Quincy Episcopal diocese. The church was supplied during its early days by Rev. Geo. H. Higgins of Galesburg, and Revs. C. W. Leffingwell and E. H. Rudd of Knoxville. Rev. W. F. Lloyd was rector for eighteen months from January, 1881, and after him Rev. R. G. Walker and Rev. G. W. Gates were in charge for short terms. During all this time Mr. V. H. Webb had acted as lay reader. He was ordained as deacon June 23, 1885, and since that time has had charge of the church.
The present membership of the church is forty. Efforts had been made twice before this to or- ganize an Episcopal church here. May 20, 1861, St. Paul's parish was organized at a meeting at the Christian church, with W. P. Rupp and T. S. Gordon as wardens, and Solon Burroughs,
A. H. Griffith, H. G. Harding, Jno. Langdon, A. W. Noe, J. S. Clark, F. W. Bracket and C. C. Williams as vestry. In the summer of 1876 also a church was formed with W. P. Rupp, president; Geo. R. Barbour, secretary; Miss Fannie Tucker, corresponding secretary, and J. W. Sipher, treasurer.
The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran church of Monmouth was organized in 1859 by Rev. T. N. Hasselquist, D. D., then of Galesburg, who had been holding meetings with the Swedish people of the city at times as early as 1852 and 1853. Among the members were John Beck, Mons. Cassel, A. Nelson, Louis Nelson, James Olson, James Skibber, Olof Johnson, T. Swens- son, Jorgen Hansen and their families. Occa- sional services were held in private houses by Dr. Hasselquist until 1866, then by Rev. A. W. Dahlstien, also of Galesburg until 1868. The church was reorganized February 2, 1868, and by the next year had a membership of about sixty. For the next year or two preach- ing services were held in the court house, the basement of the Presbyterian church and in the second story of John Beck's shoe store. In 1870 a church building was erected on West First avenue and South E street at a cost of $1,600. It was remodeled during the summer of 1893, and rededicated on August 16 of that year. The sermon was preached by Rev. N. Nordgren of Galva, Illinois. The property is valued at $5,000 and the congregation also owns a parsonage. Among the pastors have been: Mr. N. Nordling, a layman; Rev. C. Walleen, Rev. A. W. Holmgren, Rev. Elias Peterson, Mr. L. Swanson, Prof. O. Olson, Rev. J. Floren, and the present pastor, Rev. August Johnson. Mr. Johnson came in September, 1887, and the church has prospered under his charge. It has a present membership of 230.
The First Church of Christ (Scientist) was organized April 27, 1899, with ten members: Mrs. Mary Wolff, James Wolff, Harry M. Car- ringer, Mrs. Rebecca Smilie, Samuel Hunt, Mrs. Christina F. Hunt, Wallace Messner, Mrs. Maria Carringer, Mrs. Missouri Richey, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Shellenberger. The present membership is seventeen, and James Wolff is the reader. Ser- vices are held regularly in an upstairs room in the Zimmerman building on South First street and Market Place. A reading room supplied with Christian Science literature is carried on in connection with the church.
The Swedish Baptist church of Monmouth
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
was organized in 1888.
It has always been a weak organization, and much of the time has been without a pastor.
Rev. Uno Brewer was the first, and Rev. R. A. Jacobsen was ordained and installed December 15, 1893. In the fall of 1890 a neat little church building was erected on West Archer avenue and North E street at a cost of $1,200. It was dedicated December 14 of that year, Rev. John Engstrom of Chi- cago preaching the sermon. The present mem- bership of the church is small, and it is with- out a pastor.
The First Full Bible church was organized November 22, 1896, by Rev. J. G. Stewart, its distinctive doctrine being that of divine heal- ing. There were twenty-six members, and H. Herbert was chosen clerk. Rev. J. G. Stewart is pastor. The church has no regular meeting place.
The Unity Society was organized in March, 1882, by about twenty-five persons who were members or adherents of the Unitarian and Universalist churches. J. H. Pattee purchased for their use the old Presbyterian church on South Main street, which had been sold to Mrs. Susan Harding when the Presbyterians abandoned it for their new church on East First avenue. The building was re-opened for public service October 8, 1882, with Rev. Arthur Bevis as minister. He remained about two years, and was followed by Rev. C. K. Gibson, and he by Rev. S. B. Loomis. The society af- terwards disbanded, and Mr. Pattee overhauled the building, and it is now the Pattee opera house.
The Salvation Army located a post in Mon- mouth and commenced work here October 1, 1890. Mrs. Stillwell, wife of Major Stillwell, commander of the Indiana and Illinois divis- ion, Capt. Williams and Lieutenant Hey were the leaders in the movement. They rented the old W. C. T. U. hall on North Main street, got the meetings started, then left Captain Mackey and wife and a young cadet in charge. The work languished after a while, but was resumed June 17, 1898, by Ensign Campbell and his wife. They rented the upstairs room at 113 South Main street, which was the ar- mory for a while. The army now occupies quar- ters in the Maple City steam laundry building.
The first sermon in Monmouth was preached by a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. A congregation of this denomina- tion was organized at South Henderson, in
what is now Henderson county. April 3, 1843, Daniel McNeil deeded to the trustees of the South Henderson congregation, or to such mem- bers of that church as might meet in Monmouth for worship, as a site for a church building, lot 6, block 30, the property on South Second street on which W. H. Sexton's residence now stands. No church of the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination was organized here, and the trus- tees conveyed the lot to other owners in 1875.
The first Sabbath school in Monmouth was started by Daniel McNeil in 1831, soon after his coming from Oquawka, and its sessions were held in the court-house. Lack of work- ers caused its discontinuance in a short time, but it was re-opened in 1832 and carried on with a good measure of interest and success.
Y. M. C. A.
The Young Men's Christian Association of Monmouth was organized February 18, 1882. A preliminary meeting had been held the prev- ious evening at the college, following a relig- ious conference held there under the auspices of the College Christian Union. Seven men were present at the first meeting, but ten signed the roll when the constitution was adopt- ed on the 18th. They were: W. P. White, J. A. C. McQuiston, A. S. Miller, E. E. Douglass, T. F. Campbell, Dr. E. C. Linn, W. J McQuis- ton, J. A. Wiley, Charles Westerfield, H. M. Graham. Officers were elected February 20 as follows: H. M. Graham, president; E. C. Linn, vice president; A. S. Miller, recording secre- tary; Charles Westerfield, treasurer. A board of directors was added a few days later com- posed of J. Ross Hanna, T. G. Peacock, Ivory Quinby, H. W. Bosworth and W. L. Bailey. Rooms were then rented on the west side of the square and Prof. W. T. Wiley was chosen general secretary. In 1889 Mrs. Chauncy Har- din bought the old Methodist church and do- nated it to the association. It was remodeled, the cupalo taken away, a gymnasium added to the rear, bath rooms and lockers put in the basement, and other changes made in the in- terior. The audience room is 40 by 45 feet, with a seating capacity of about 400. The new home was dedicated February 22, 1890. The present membership of the Y. M. C. A. is 125, and the officers are: J. J. Milne, president; E. I. Dains, recording secretary; I. M. East- man, treasurer; A. T. Cooper, general secre-
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
tary. The general secretaries have been: W. T. Wiley, H. P. Zimmerman, A. V. Sturgeon, J. B. Dysart, J. M. Burdge, W. P. England, J. A. Hanna, T. W. Stewart and A. T. Cooper.
The Ladies' Auxiliary was organized in Oc- tober, 1882, with Miss Maggie L. Wiley as presi- dent, but became disorganized and was reorgan- ized December 22, 1885, with Miss Belle Webb, president; Miss Lizzie Douglass, vice presi- dent; Miss Marion Embleton, secretary; and Miss Matie Holmes treasurer. There are now about thirty-five members, and Mrs. W. M. Hogue is president and Mrs. J. A. Spriggs sec- retary.
The Junior Y. M. C. A. was organized April 11, 1885, for boys between the ages of ten and sixteen years. T. H. Hanna, Jr., was the first president; R. R. Murdock, vice president; Fred Lowther, secretary; and Clinton Huey, treas- urer. The organization disbanded years ago.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The Banking Interests of Monmouth-First Banks Were Private Institutions-Three National Banks now in Operation, and all are Prosperous and Sound.
The Monmouth National Bank (now the Na- tional Bank of Monmouth) was an outgrowth from the private banking firm of Claudius Jones & Co. It was organized in 1870 by Chauncy Hardin, A. C. Harding, H. G. Harding, W. F. Wiley and Claudius Jones, who were the only shareholders and all served as directors of the institution. The capital of the bank was $100,000, and its place of business was the southeast corner of the intersection of South First street and East Broadway. A. C. Hard- ing was made president; Claudius Jones, vice president; and W. F. Wiley, cashier. During the first few years of its existence, changes both in the management of the bank and its stock- holders appear to have been rapid. Before the end of the first year, W. F. Wiley was succeed- ed as cashier by Claudius Jones, and during the
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