USA > Illinois > Effingham County > History of Effingham county, Illinois > Part 21
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Last winter (1881), the literary fever came on again, and Bradsby, aided by G. M. Le Crone, Caldwell, the Drs. Goodell, Virgil Wood, in short, all the old Forumers, organ- ized the "N. L." society, the greatest, per- haps, of all its predecessors. It was a purely literary club. The President was autocrat and Programme Committee in one. Brads- by, Wood and Caldwell drew up the consti- tution and by-laws. The performances at each meeting consisted of a paper read by some member designated by the President. A discussion of the paper then followed, each man to discuss that phase of it which suited him best. At the first meeting, Bradsby had been designated to read a paper on " Who is the greatest living man ?" In answer to this huge conundrum, he chose for his subject
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"Seth Green," and in a paper twenty min- utes long maintained his choice.
Tho pith of the joke was that half of the people in town thought it was "Uncle Billy" Green, the drayman, that Brad meant. But when he read his paper, and said all that he could say in behalf of Seth Green. the noted father of fish culture, all who heard him were more astonished than was ever By- ron when he awoke to his famo. They all had to agree with Brabsby that to develop this immense thing of filling all the waters that are now the waste places of three-fourths of the globe with good. choap, nutritious food was a project full of promise to cheapen food, reduce the hours of labor, lift all mankind up and do more for the cause of civilization than all else since recorded time.
Bradsby, in the conclusion of his paper, referred to the fact that each individual, if asked the question as to who tho greatest man was, would naturally think of his kind -- the plug ugly, of the prize fighter; the son of Mammon, of Vanderbilt, Rothschild or Gould; tho fledgling politician, of Jim Blaine or Conkling, and the young Esculapius of Dr. Gross, etc., etc. Soon after the read- ing of the paper was finished, Dr. Frank Goodell came in. He soon had a finger in the pie, and, true to the prediction ventured by the sage author of the ponderous paper,
he was on his foet proclaiming the veritable Dr. Gross, the truest, only, ownest, greatest of all the great moguls of the land. Audible grins were perceptible in all parts of the room, and the re-reading of that portion of the paper (which Goodell had not before heard) produced great fun and effectually squelched the Doctor, for that time at least.
The society flourished immensely under the fostering care of Gwin, Caldwell and others. One of the most interesting and highly entertaining meetings perhaps held while the society existed, was when the sub- ject of female suffrage was the theme of the evening. The speeches delivered npon the occasion, particularly by Caldwell, who " spake as never man spake," on female suffrage at least, are deserving of perpetual record. Mr. Caldwell advanced arguments upon that rather vexed problem, new, per- haps, to most of his hearers. Our space, however, will not allow us to follow the pro ceedings of this society further, and the reader is referred to the book of the records.
Several efforts have been made to establish a library in Effingham, but a few patent office reports and Legislative proceedings have been about as far as the matter has ever gone. and prove the extent of the collection of literature for the public use of the city.
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1
CHAPTER XIII .*
CITY OF EFFINGHAM-ITS RELIGIOUS IIISTORY-EARLY CHURCHES AND PREACHERS-ORGANI- ZATION OF DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS-SECRET AND BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS FREEMASONRY, ETC .- EARLY SCHOOLS OF THE TOWN-PRESENT EDUCA- TIONAL FACILITIES - MERCY HOSPITAL, ETC., ETC.
" Whilst politicians are disputing about monarchies, aristocracies and republics, Christianity is alike appli- cable, useful, and friendly to them all."-Paley.
YOCIETY, as it circles outward from a com- 2 mon center, has a tendency to degenerate from its original and higher type to one of a lower tone and standard. History reveals the fact that every receding circle of civilization has lessened the forces forming and complet- ing a perfect state of society. On nearly every wave of immigration some good seed is borne to grow up in the opening soil of the new country. The good seed is usually sufficient to begin the work of raising society to a higher level of civilization, and their trans- forming power counteracts those demoralizing influences which tend to social degeneration and disruption, as the lawless and vicious seek the frontiers, where there is less restraint from civil power. This good seed becomes the nucleus around which gather those loftier feelings necessary to carry society onward to a state of comparative perfection and happi- ness. Christian truth is the great super- structure on which every society that approxi- mates perfection must rest. Said an old minister of the Gospel once: "It used to make my heart sick in the early years of my ministry to dismiss members of my charge to churches in distant regions, and have brothers and sisters and neighbors leave ns for settle- ments in the opening Territories. But as I have grown older, and followed these emi- grants to their new homes, and have found
them far more useful iu church and State than they ever could have been in the regions they left behind, where others held the places of influence-as I have seen them giving a healthy and vigorous tone to society, while the separation caused a pang of sorrow, the good accomplished more than compensated for the pleasure lost." It was to such emi- grants as those mentioned in the above ex - tract that Illinois is indebted for her Chris- tian civilization of to-day. The good seed brought hither by these humble pioneers, have brought forth good fruit, and produced blessings more than a hundred-fold.
Effingham is well supplied with churches and church edifices. The following sketch of the Methodist Church is furnished us by the pastor, Rev. R. H. Manier. The earliest date of an organized Methodist Episcopal Church in Ewington, of which the church in Effingham is successor, was 1835. That there was preaching in Effingham County at a much earlier date is evident from the fact that there was then an organized circuit with regular preaching places; but no definite information is at command as to who were the ministers previous to this date. The follow- ing ministers were appointed to the Ewington Circuit. The dates are not given as abso- lutely correct, but approximately so: In 1835, Rev. Mr. Graham; 1837, Rev. Mr. Chambers; 1838, Rev. Leroy Lowery; 1839, Rev. Mr. Tennison; 1840, Rev Benjamin Newman; 1841, Rev. Mr. Wasburn; 1842, Rev. Mr.
*By W. H. Perrin.
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Blackwell; 1843, Rev. Mr. Hale; 1845, Rev. Isaac G. Barr; 1846, Rev. Mr. Pitner; 1847, Rev. D. Williamson; 1848, Rev. J. Gilham; 1849, Rev. J. M. Massey; 1854, Rev. J. Estep. About the year 1855, Effingham be- came a preaching place, and the circuit was thereafter known as Effingham Circuit. Af- ter this date the ministers in charge were: 1855, Rev. Mr. Mapes; 1856-57, Rev. G. W. Cullom, with Rev. Mr. Ayres, assistant; 1858, Rev. Mr. Whitsel; 1859, Rev. D. Williamson; 1860, Rev. G. W. Cullom; 1861, Rev. Mr. Butts; 1862-63, Rev. R. H. Massey; 1864-65, Rev. Mr. Brannon.
In 1867, the circuit was divided and the city of Effingham made a station; that is, was given the exclusive services of a pastor. Since then the church of Effingham has had for its pastors the following ministers: In 1867-68, Rev. J. H. Lockwood; 1869, Rev. J. Leeper; 1870-71, Rev. M. N. Powers; 1872-73, Rev. N. Hawley; 1874, Rev. M. H. Nichols: 1875, Rev. J. Harris; 1876-77. Rev. William Wallis; 1878-79, Rev. J. Gib- son; 1880-81-82, Rev. R. H. Manier, the present pastor. The membership is now 164, and eight probationers; total, 172 members. In 1866, the present substantial brick church was built and named "Centenary." that year (1866) being the one hundredth anniversary of the introduction of Methodism in America. A good Sunday school is kept up throughout the year.
The Baptist Church was organized in 1861 by Elder Uriah Mckay and an ecclesiastical counsel, composed of Rev. McKay, W. C. Mit- chell, John W. Cleveland, J. W. Billingsley and John Verplank. The original members were I. R. McMurry, Elizabeth McMurry, D. W. Bouland, Catharine Bonland, W. P. Sur- rells. S. V. Sorrells, P. P. McCain, Grace Mc- Cain, Giles Baldwin, Sarah Baldwin, Mrs. D. D. Bouland and H. N. Leland, together
with Elder Mckay. The pastors have been Elders Uriah Mckay Evans, E. S. Graham, I. S. McHan, A. Rhodes, Stephens and W. H. Wilson. The church is without a pastor at present. It was originally organized at the house of W. P. Surrells, where services were held for one month. A house on the west side of the Illinois Central Railroad was used -then the court house until 1866, when the present church building was erected. It is of brick, 20x60 feet, and stands on a lot do- nated by Alexander & Little, and cost about $6,000. The first officers were Rev. Mckay, Moderator, and W. P. Surrells, Clerk; Giles Baldwin, H. B. Wagner and Jesse Said, Dea- cons; A. Wilson. L. R. McMurray and Mr. Bradley, Trustees. The present officers are B. B. Miner, Clerk; W. C. Wright, W. P. Surrells, and Mr. Miner, Trustees The mem- bership is about fifty; Owen Scott is Super- intendent of the Sunday school.
St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church dates back to 1858. Prior to that year, the few Catholic families, and we learn from Father Jungmann, the present rector, residing in this vicinity, were visited from time to time by clergymen of the Dioceso of Alton. Services were held in a small log house which is still standing in the rear of Funkhouser's new store. The last priest who said mass in it was the Rev. Father Fortmann. In 1858. the Catholics, encouraged by Father Frauen- hofer, who resided at that time in the Green Creek settlement, and was rector of the con- gregation there, decided to build a respect- able church edifice. The plan was carried out under Rev. Father Bartols, the zealous rector of the congregation at Toutopolis, who, in the spring of 1858, laid the corner-stone of the old church of St. Anthony's congrega- tiou, at present the schoolhouse of the church. In the fall of the samo year, the Rev. Father of the order of St. Francis took
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charge of the congregation at Teutopolis, where a convent had been built. From the convent, the several Catholic congregations of the neighborhood were attended as missions by the Rev. Fathers. Among others, also that of St. Anthony's congregation at Ef- fingham was given to their charge. The Rev. Father Capestran said the first holy mass in the new church on Christmas morning. 1858. In succession the fol- lowing priests of the order of St. Francis had charge of St. Anthony's Church: Rev. Father Servatene, Heribert, Raynerius, Kill- ian, Ferdinand, then Rev. Killian again. In September, 1871, Rev. Michael Weis, sec- ular priest of the diocese of Alton, was ap- pointed rector of St. Anthony's congregation at Effingham, and, on the 23d of March, 1877, Rev. Father Jungmann, the present rector, took charge.
When the first church was built, the follow- ing Catholic families then lived around here: C. and Joseph Bloemer, and their mother (widow of Arnold Bloemer), Henry Herboth, Hille, Wilenborg, Peter Thoele, Ferdinand Messmann, H. H. Dust, Bernard Dassen- brook. Fred Braun, Joseph Feldhake, the Koesters, Buessing, Husmann, Matthias Mo- ening, J. F. Schwerman. Knage, Herman Fechtrup, Gerhard Osthoff, Mindrup, Vogt, Gebbon Vogt. Fredrick Hoffmann, William Messmann, H. Harmann, B. Kemper, Gerhard H. Ney, John Ney, Bernard Ney, Herman Ney, John Fechtrup. Arnold Kreke, Bernard Det- ters, Dreymann, Alshop, Mette-about forty families altogether. The congregation grew rapidly and in the course of time the church became too small to hold the faithful. Hence, under the pastorate of Rev. Father Weis, the erection of a large, beautiful church was agitated. In February, 1873, the first contract for material was made. The mag- nificent building as it now stands was finished
in 1875. Solemn blessing of the new church took place on the 13th of June of the same year, by the Right Rev. Joseph Baltes, Bishop of Alton, to whose diocese St. Anthony's be- longs. The church is an ornament to the city and an honor to the Catholic inhabitants. Its cost was about $40,000; its size, 66x165 feet- steeple, 181 feet without cross or vane. The present number of families who worship in it are 180, comprising about 1,000 persons. The Trustees are John J. Rickelmann, with the pastor. Bishop and Vicar General.
A parochial school was established in con- nection with the congregation, and has been in operation since about 1858. It was at first in charge of men teachers, but for nine years it has been under the supervision of the pastor, assisted by the Sisters of Notre Dame. The school at present consists of three de- partments, numbering about 180 pupils.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was organized by Rev. Mr. Luther in the year 1865. The original members were Samuel Fortney, Class-Leader, Mr. Bright and wife, T. J. Gillenwaters, Mrs. Filler, Thomas Thayer and wife. The society was organized in the court house, and services held there and at private residences until 1870, when the present church building was erected, 26x 40 feet, at a cost of $1,700. Judge Gillen- waters donated the ground on which it is erected, aud contributed the larger part of the money needed for its completion. The following pastors have been in charge of the church: Revs. Luther, Divender, Bigel, Deeds, Bigel, Bundel, etc. The society has become extinct, and the house is now owned by Judge Gillenwaters.
St. Mary's Mission Episcopal Church first held services in Effingham about twelve years ago, under the supervision of Rev. John W. Osborne, who organized a parish and remained with them about a year. The parish consist-
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ed of six families and met for religious wor- ship in the Southern Methodist Church, which they rented for that purpose. After Rev. Osborne left, no services were held until the fall'of 1879, when Rev. W. H. Steele, of Centralia, took charge of the mission and conducted monthly services to June, 1880, at which time he left and moved to Colorado. The Rev. Jesse Higgins succeeded Kev. Steele at Centralia, and continued the serv- ices at Effingham for a few months, when Rev. Mr. Gray settled here as resident mis- sionary, but had served the mission only three Sundays when he was taken sick and died in the hospital at this place. In May. 1881, Rev. Mr. Steele returned from Colorado and settled here as resident missionary, and has been with the charge ever since.
In the fall of 1879, Mrs. F. M. Bagg, Mrs. S. N Scott and Mrs. Mary Thielger, three estimable ladies of the mission, organized a Sunday school, into which they gathered the poor children of the city that had been unable to attend any of the other schools on account of clothing, want of shoes, etc. Their defi- ciencies were supplied by those three good Sa- maritans, who went out into the highways and byways, and gathered in the waifs and fitted them for school by a generous outlay of their own private means. The school has been conducted with the most remarkable success, and now has an attendance of over thirty-five children. Since the organization of the school thirty-one of these children have been baptized. Mrs. Bagg carried wood from her own wood pile during the cold weather to warm the house. Ah! reader, think you not that when these noble women reach the other shore, they will receive crowns bright with many jewels? It is under the influence of such as they that stern men of the world who have squandered life and innocence without a sigh, may see the distant gates of Eden
gleam and catch a foretaste of heaven. The mission owns no church edifice, but holds services in the Southern Methodist building. On the first visit of the Bishop, he consecrated the grave of Rev. Mr. Gray in the public cemetery, and two other private lots at the same time, and confirmed three adults. The mission is as yet weak in members, there be- ing but seven families and eleven communi- cants belonging to it. It is the deanery of Mattoon and in the diocese of Springfield. The first officers were Mr. E. R. Connolly, Senior Warden; S. P. Simpson, Junior War- den; F. M. Bagg, Treasurer, and S. N. Scott, Secretary.
The first Presbyterian Church of Effing- ham was organized November 13, 1864, in the court house, by Revs. A. T. Norton and S. R. Bissel. The following were the origi- nal members: Solomon Swingle, Mrs. M. E. Swingle, Mrs. Sarah Bissel, Isaac Bates and Mrs. Jane Bates. Previous to this, Mr. Bis- sel had been preaching to the Presbyterian congregation, and he still continued to sup- ply the pulpit in connection with his labors in conducting a private school. The services were held for one year in the court house, and afterward in Mr. Bissel's schoolroom. Mr. Bissel served the church until 1869. He was assisted in church and school work by his excellent wife, whose memory is still pre- served as a lady of superior education and perfect consistency in ber daily life. Under their united labors the church membership increased to twenty.
In 1869, Rev. Ernest A. Pollock accepted a call to supply the pulpit, and entered upon his labors in December. He came to this place under the appointment of the Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church. He gave one half of his time to Effingham, and also served other points in the vicinity. After he came to the church, services were
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held in the Baptist Church every alternate Sabbath. The members, however, soon be- gan a church of their own, which was com- pleted in October, 1870. It is a fine brick building, and cost, furnished, $4,300. It was dedicated to the worship of God on the 23d of October-Rev. Dr. Jewett, of Terre Haute, preaching the sermon on that occasion and the pastor offering the prayer. Rev. S. R. Bissel, former pastor, Rev. Mr. Powers, of the Methodist Church, and Rev. Mr. Rhodes, of the Baptist, assisting in the services. This church was partly unroofed and suffered other damages in a severe storm some years ago, but was immediately repaired. Mr. Pollock continued pastor for eight years- in the first four the church became self-sup- porting. He resigned in December, 1877, and accepted a call to Mendota. During his pastorate of eight years, 220 were added to the membership, and in the same period some $14,000 was raised and expended in the work of the church. After the departure of Rev. Mr. Pollock, a call was extended to Rev. Mr. Cort, then a student of theology of the North- western University of Chicago. After his graduation, he settled in Effingham as stated supply of the church, but the ill health of his wife caused his resignation at the end of one year. The church was then without regular preaching for a short time, when a call was extended to Rev. Moses Paisley, of Hillsboro, in October, 1879, for one year. He is now pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Lomonauk, Ill. Rev. Thomas E. Green was the next pastor, and remained six months, when he accepted a call to the First Presby- terian Church at Sparta, Ill. Next came Rev. George D. McCulloch, who took charge of the church July 1, 1881, and continued until the fall of 1SS2, when he accepted a call to the Presbyterian Church at Hillsboro, and there is at present no regular pastor.
The Sabbath school work began with the church's first existence, being carried on first in Mr Bissel's schoolroom, and afterward in the church. At present the corps of teachers numbers thirteen, and the average attendance 130 pupils. S. F. Gilmore is Superintend- eut, and Alex Phelon, Secretary.
" A history of this church," says Rev. Mr. McCulloch, who furnished us this sketch, "would be incomplete which did not recog. nize the efficient help the women have given in every department of its labors. They have been ready in every good word and work. The Ladies' Aid Society has existed since the beginning of the church. It has con- tributed largely to meet the expenses, and monthly "socials" have ministered to the life and the enjoyment of the congregation. A women's prayer meeting has met regularly for several years. A women's missionary so- ciety has been organized, and meets monthly in the interest of missionary work. The re- port given to Presbytery last year contained these items: Given to benevolent boards of the church, $5,500; expenses for all church purposes, $1,230."
St. John's Lutheran Church was organized in 1864, at the residence of Charles Hartman, with a membership of six families, viz .. Charles Hartman, Jacob Baner, Gottlieb Nol- ler, Christian Alt, John Lunow and Heury Shulte. The organization was effected through the influence of Rev. Charles Meyer, of Kankakee. For two years services were held at private residences and at the court house, and in the absence of ministers were conducted by Charles Hartman. The pres- ent church house was built in 1868, on ground donated by Christian Alt. The building is a frame, 30x50 feet, and cost $2,200. It was dedicated in December, 1868, by Revs. Charles Meyer and Henry Holterman. Rev. Meyer was the first pastor and served at in-
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tervals from 1864 to 1867. He was succeed- ed by Rev. Henry Holterman, from 1867 to 1870; then came Rev. G. A. Feustel, who tendod the flock until 1876. The church was without a pastor now for one year, but serv ices were held every Sabbath by the members. Rev. Lewis Frase came in 1877, and labored here until 1881, and, in February, 1882, the present pastor, Rev. W. Lewerens, took charge. The church has a membership of forty-two families. A Sunday school was or- ganized in 1864, at Hartman's residence, and has been an important factor in the church ever since. Mr. Hartman was elected Super- intendent, and the first attendance was some forty children
A parochial school was established in con- nection with the church by Rev. Holterman, who taught in Jacob Bauer's residence, with an attendance of about thirty scholars. A neat school building was erected in 1870 at a cost of $S00. It stands on the church lot and is an honor to the congregation. The present attendance will average about fifty children.
Benevolent Institutions. - Seeret societies and institutions have existed so long that no history tells of their beginning, and they will, doubtless, continue " until time shall be no more." The history of Freemasonry, the most ancient of these societies, is veiled and clouded by almost unwritten centuries; yet, amid the political fluctuations of the earth, and the downfall of States and Empires, its traditions have been borne to us on the cur- rent of time, and been gathered together by the Masonic student for the meditation and instruction of the craft. All who have con- sidered the origin of Freemasonry have been convinced that the germ from which it sprang was coeval with that wonderful command of Jehovah: " Let there be light," and from the coincidences found to exist between it and
the ancient mysteries, they were very similar in character. We know that the aims of these institutions are good, because the re- sults achieved are so grand and glorious. We believe the world is better for their ex- istence, seerot though they are in their work- ings, and agree not with those who believe that everything is evil which is veiled in se- erecy, and hidden from the oyes of the curi- ous.
Freemasonry is represented in Effingham by a lodge and by a chapter of Royal Arch Masons. The lodge was originally organized at Ewington, when that city was in the hoy- day of its glory and prosperity. The first record was as follows: " Ewington Lodge, U. D., Free and Accepted Masons, met in regu- lar communication February 10, 1854. At that meeting James M. Long was Master; Elisha D. Cunningham, Senior Warden; John H. Crocker, Junior Warden, and Eli Philbrook, Secretary. The lodge was char- tered by the Grand Lodge in the following October as Ewington Lodge, No. 149, and the first officers elected under the charter were James M. Long, Master; E. D. Cun- ningham, Senior Warden; James M. Healey, Junior Warden; D. Rhinehart, Treasurer; John S. Kelly, Secretary; Samuel Moffitt, Senior Deacon; John LeCrone, Junior Dea- con, and John G. Gamble, Tiler. After the county seat was moved to Effingham, the lodge was also moved, and at the session of the Grand Lodge, held in October, 1869, the name was changed to Effingham Lodge, and the number (149) retained. The present officers are: W. H. Barlow, Master; E. C. Van Horne, Senior Warden; W. W. Gibbons, Junior Warden; H. B. Kepley, Treasurer; A. W. LeCrone, Secretary; R. C. Harrah, Sen- ior Deacon; J. N. Murphy, Junior Deacon, and L. J. Harding, Tiler.
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