USA > Illinois > Macoupin County > History of Macoupin County, Illinois : biographical and pictorial, Volume I > Part 25
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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY
The then scattered pioneers who had settled on the water courses in the county and had built log cabins lived many miles apart and when a preacher happened along in a neighborhood he would stop with a pioneer and consent to preach on some future named Sunday, generally at the house where he was stopping, if notice could be given to a sufficient number of pioneers and their families to form a congregation. The father and his family would mount horses and ride for miles notifying the families of the neighborhood of the time and place where the meeting was to be held, and when the time came for the preaching every pioneer and his family within ten or twenty miles of the place would be notified, and they all, if possible, attended the meetings, especially the boys and girls of the neighborhood. The girls often walked to the place to within a few hundred yards barefoot, carrying their shoes and stockings with them, and would stop and put them on at that point and then "stockinged" and "shoed" march proudly up to the cabin where the meeting was being held.
When my father moved to Carlinville, there were but two cabins in the village and they were located, one on the block of lots where this church building now stands and was occupied by Major Winchester and his family, he being the first lawyer in Carlinville and had just moved from Edwardsville, Illinois, and settled in the village. It was on the spot where Mrs. John P. Matthews now resides, and the other cabin stood very nearly at the same place where Hugh Minton's fine residence is now located, and was occupied by Ezekiel Good and his family. My father, with the aid of other pioneers who volunteered, built the third cabin in the village. It was located where the Carlinville Democrat is now situated and since that date I have continuously lived in Carlinville-a long, long life for anyone in one place. And now, having brought you within the wilderness wherein we settled and acquainted you with the surroundings and the people who were here, let us proceed to the history of the church organization and especially of the Baptist church, and before I forget it, let me tell you that the first funeral that I ever attended and one that has left a deep and never-to-be-forgotten im- pression on my memory, was that of a young Sunday school scholar, a beautiful little girl whose father and mother lived just across the street from your church where we are now assembled, and let me assure you that where this church now stands, was at that day a heavy oak and hickory forest. When the day came for the funeral the few Sunday school children were dressed, the girls in white, and the boys in the best that their mothers could dress them. We were, of course, all barefoot, as we had no shoes to wear, our fathers having no money to buy us shoes. Oh, that I could remember the name of that minister and the words that he used in that sermon at the burial of the little girl that lay in the small walnut coffin, dressed in white. So much did it impress me, a mere boy, I can to-night in my mind's eye see her as she lay in that little walnut box. I think that was either the first or the second death that occurred in Carlinville.
During the fall of 1817, John Coop moved to and erected a log cabin on what was afterward known as Coop's Mound in this county. There the Rev. William Jones, a Baptist minister, during that fall, preached the first Baptist sermon ever delivered in the territory constituting Macoupin county. The sermon was preached in Coops' cabin to a small number of pioneers living within a radius of twenty miles of the Mound. I have heard that at that meeting a Baptist church
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was organized. I do not think this possible, as there were not a sufficient number of settlers in that part of the county from which a church could have been or- ganized, and especially Baptist pioneers. The great Indian trail from the head- waters of the Wabash river to the Indian post of Cahokia ran at the foot of the Mound on the west side, and after my father settled in Carlinville, was used by the Indians traveling between the two points. I have often discussed with the old settlers the early settlement of that part of our county and have never heard them mention the organization of a Baptist church at or near the Mound at so early a date.
During the year 1821, James Lemon, a Baptist minister, preached the second sermon in the log cabin erected by Telemachus Camp, one and a half miles southwest of Staunton. The Rev. Lemon belonged to a noted family of Baptist preachers who had emigrated into the then territory of Illinois from the south. My mother was well acquainted with the Camp family in North Carolina. After we moved to Illinois I have often accompanied her on her visits there. One of the attractions to me was the apple and peach orchard that Mr. Camp had on his farm-the only orchard then in central Illinois. The old farm still has charms for me, as one of the sons of Telemachus Camp owns and resides on that farin, and no better Christian gentleman than Peter Camp now lives in our county. He is a true and devoted Baptist, as was his father before him.
If I have not been misinformed, the Concord Baptist church was organized June 13, 1829. I have some doubts as to the organization of this church at that early date, as that would give it the oldest organized date in the county. The church stands about two miles south and east of Palmyra and was organized by the Rev. James Solomon, who was a member of the well known Solomon family of our county, a family of noted men who were leaders in the up-building of the county. Their father was a large, portly man of more than usual intelli- gence and influence, who settled near where the town of Scottville in this county is now located. He was known and always referred to as "King" Solomon. It has, since its organization, been a very strong church and is today a live, active organization, with a large membership.
May 10, 1835, your church was organized. Elder E. Rogers acted as moder- ator and Andrew Wilber as secretary. Elder E. Dodson was your first pastor.
In 1837, a great upheaval of religious enthusiasm was manifested in the church under the able preaching of the Rev. James Lemon and others who assisted him in conducting the revival. The meetings were held in the old log court house situated in the public square, at which about sixty parties were converted and about forty of the converted were baptized at the baptizing pool in Borough's branch, just south and east of Carlinville. That carries me back to that long, long past occurrence in my boyhood days, for be assured I was there at that bap- tizing, as were all the other tots then living in our little village. The pool of water afterwards became our swimming hole where many of us learned to take care of ourselves in the water. This small stream where the baptizing took place was so named by Joseph Borough, who as an early pioneer had settled and built a log cabin where the old Kennett and Hadley Head dwelling now stands.
Another reason that I have for so well remembering it was that a number of our playmates were then and there baptized, and you will excuse me if I give
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from my memory the names and characteristics of some of the leaders and newly converted parties who took part in that meeting. The then elders of the church were: Haskins Trabue, Samuel Lair, Tandy Caulk, Emanuel Sutton, who were charter members of the church.
Haskins Trabue was a Kentuckian and was proud of it. He had settled on a farm now owned by August Hacke, and was at that early date ready and will- ing to aid in the settling of the county by emigration from his native state. He had a numerous family of boys and girls, some of whose names as I remember then were Fenlon, Joseph and Ben. One of the girls married Barnabus Boggess and lived for a number of years in Girard in this county. I understand that one of his grandsons gave a talk this morning.
Samuel Lair was one of the commissioners in the organization of the county. He left a numerous progeny that have greatly aided in the building up of our county.
Tandy Caulk, a son of Peggy Caulk, who moved from near Staunton to Car- linville in 1832, had a large family of boys and girls. Peggy was never married.
Edmond and Sarah Sutton gave to the church many good and useful mem- bers, who were converts at that revival. Some of their names were as follows: John Sutton, Jesse Sutton, Sarah Sutton and Rebecca Sutton, who were all respectable and true Christians and died in the faith as faithful members of the church.
Martin Ryan, who was a carpenter by trade and not deeply versed in Pro- fessor Murray's book, was in the habit of using big words, and in whom the boys of the town took great delight in playing jokes on, was another of the converts. He had left our village, and in about thirty years returned on a visit. In a con- versation with Oliver Hall about the history of the people who had lived here when he was a resident, my name was mentioned by Oliver, giving him my his- tory as a lawyer, and as Oliver was always a good friend of mine, I suspect he was putting up my ability pretty strongly. It seemed to surprise Ryan and he turned to Oliver and said, "Why, Oliver, that can't be true. I tell you that Gus Walker could have not made an able lawyer, as he was one of the most uncom- promising boys in the town and the worst one of all of them." Ryan was a pro- fessed convert at that meeting, but fell from grace when we boys were after him in his sleigh with his girl. We had cow bells, tin horns and other instruments of noise. As I now recollect, his horse ran away and threw him and his girl out in a snow bank.
Our first schoolteacher was a Mr. Wilson, who taught the first school in Car- linville. He taught in the old log court house. He was an eastern man and a very hard taskmaster as we boys thought, who, not from choice, were his pupils. He was another of the converts and proved a great help in building up your church.
Mrs. Ruth McWhorter was another of the converts, in whose after history we will go no further.
Now we will come to the Walker family (not related to our family) but say- ing the least for them were characteristic pioneers. James R. Walker was the head of the family if it had not been that Delilah, his wife, was a member of the family. They had numerous progeny, of whom Nancy Ann was a member.
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She married Alex Glessner and when put under the water by the minister was kept under long enough to wash away all her sins as was said by the on-lookers. 'Another was Mary, who, in boasting of a new pair of shoes, said they were im- ported for her, and were the only pair of "Magator" ever brought to Carlin- ville. She went by the name of "Magators" ever afterward. She married a very good man.
Little Johnny Hull and his wife, Sarah, were noted members who were bap- tized at that baptizing.
Harbird Wetherford and wife joined the church and were baptized at that revival. He belonged to the large and influential family of Wetherfords who had settled as pioneers in and around Carlinville at an early day. They (Har- bird and wife) had two of the prettiest girls that John Hamilton or I had ever found up to that date. "Dorind" and "Lizzie" were their names. Well, of course, we both found prettier ones afterward.
In those pioneer days your church and the Methodist Episcopal church had the only church organizations in the town, and both were very active in church work. The Rev. Stith M. Otwell was a splendid specimen of true manhood. He was tall and inclined to be slim at that date. He was possessed of keen, black eyes, black hair, dressed well and was active and gentlemanly in all his dealings with the pioneers, and with all these advantages, besides having a good education, was very popular with the people of our town and county. Under such condi- tions the inevitable happened. Quite a rivalry soon manifested itself as to which of the organizations should have the larger membership, and in such rivalry great good was accomplished in the furtherance of Christianity and the morals of the people. In 1831 the Rev. Otwell organized the first Methodist church in the village and preached the first sermon in the log cabin of Rev. English, in which, he, English, was keeping a tavern. Bill and High English were his sons, and had gained a reputation as "bad ones."
The church organizations of that day were composed of earnest devoted fol- lowers of the "Man of. Nazareth," the Lowly Jesus. The preaching as a gen- eral thing was done by devoted Christian ministers, without money or price. The leaders of the church organization were fervent workers in God's vineyard and talked and sang with a will not known at the present day. When assembled in their church for the purpose of worship the congregation would be enthused when such brothers as old John Andrews, an Englishman, would start up the hymn "The Old Ship Zion is About to Sail," or the portly brother Jarrett Dug- ger would break in with
"Come thou font of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing thy grace, Streams of mercy never ceasing Call for songs of loudest praise ;" or "On Jordan's stormy banks I stand And cast a wistful eye To Canaan's fair and happy land Where my possessions lie."
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The entire congregation would join in and in loud voice almost raise the roof of the church or cabin in which they were worshiping. It was not the present kind of fashionable church music that we pay for today.
The first organ that was placed in the church in our town had not been her- alded before the services commenced and when the hymn was given out and the organ began to play, a number of the old and stanch members got up and marched out of the church, declaring it was the devil's doing and that they would no longer stay and hear the music.
The Rev. Stith M. Otwell became the pastor of the Methodist church and held services in the old log court house and in 1836 a revival was conducted by that church led by the Rev. Otwell in the log court house, at which I as dis- tinctly remember seeing my father and mother get up from their seats and walk up and kneel down at the mourner's bench as I remember any other in- cident in my long life. And now looking back at that long recognition of the obligations of man to God I rejoice in their action.
From the organization of the church to the present time, the following pastors have served the church: 1881-7, B. B. Hamilton; March 14, 1887-December 31, 1887, T. M. Metcalf; December 31, 1887-88, the pulpit was supplied by H. L. Derr and a part of the year 1889 it was supplied by A. L. Griffith; 1890- 92, H. S. Black; 1892-96, J. W. Primm; 1896-97, C. A. Rice ; 1897-1900, T. H. Marsh; 1900-07, O. E. Moffet : 1907, A. H. Rhodes, who is the present incum- bent, 1911.
BRIGHTON BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Brighton Baptist church was organized November 26, 1833, by Elders Elijah Dodson and Alvin Bailey, with eleven members, Joseph Richardson, dea- con and clerk. The early pastors and supplies were Elders E. R. Fort, Amos Dodge, Z. B. Newman, Ebenezer Rogers, H. T. Chitten, William Roberts, O. L. Barber, John E. Moore, Jacob V. Hopper, Joel Terry, Rev. Manning, Herman S. Lowe, Frank M. Ellis, A. L. Cole, P. Erving and others.
BUNKER IIILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
This church was organized, January 9, 1841, in the presence of the following ministers: Amos Dodge, R. Kimball, William H. Briggs and John M. Peck. The original members were Daniel Rice, Avolin Church, James M. Cooper, Noah H. Flanagan, Charles Johnson, Johnson McGilvary, Willis McGilvary, David P. Kelsey, Sarah Wright, Maria Church, Elizabeth Cooper, Maria S. Flanagan. Abigail R. Johnson, Elizabeth S. Flanagan, Abigail Pettingill, Christiana McGil- vary, Catherine McGilvary, Noah H. Church. The first pastor was William H. Briggs. The Baptists joined with the Congregationalists and built a church in 1849, in which both congregations worshipped until 1854, when the Baptists built an edifice of their own. In 1858 the church was organized under the name of the Berean Baptist church of Bunker Hill. The old church had in recent years
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been remodeled and the value of the property, including the parsonage is about $5,500. The present pastor is Rev. T. C. Coffey. -
BAPTIST CHURCH OF GIRARD.
The Baptist church of Girard, Illinois, was organized March 17 and 18, 1855, with a membership of fourteen. The first pastorate of the church seems to be somewhat in doubt. The minutes, which are preserved, do not indicate that a regular pastor was called until a year and a half after its organization. How- ever among those constituting the council at the organization of the church was Rev. James Harvey, who, it seems, served the church as moderator during this period and to the minutes of a meeting held August 18, 1855, his name is signed as pastor. Whether during that time he was the regularly settled pastor of the church cannot be determined by the records. So far as the first minutes show, the first regularly called pastor of the church was Rev. M. V. Kitzmiller, who with a number of others, moved to Girard from Tennessee in the fall of 1856. His pastorate began November 8th of that year and continued until September, 1865-a period of almost nine years. Having the care of the church practically from its inception, Rev. Kitzmiller was able to mold it largely after his concep- tion of what a church ought to be. It was the period of foundation laying in doctrine and in all else that makes for a virile body of Christ. And the after success and prosperity of the church was due largely to the good work done during this period. The membership grew steadily during this pastorate until it numbered a hundred or more.
Rev. Kitzmiller was succeeded by Rev. J. M. Wells, who was called in Sep- tember, 1865. He remained for one year, during which time the church com- pleted and occupied its new house of worship. Prior to that time the church had held services in the union meeting house, generally known as the old Cumber- land Presbyterian church. The movement to secure a building of their own had begun four or five years previously, but does not seem to have taken definite shape until 1865, when the construction of the building was begun. This was a substantial and commodious house of worship, reflecting great credit upon the enterprise and generosity of the church at that time. It was dedicated in July, 1866. This building was used until April, 1902.
In 1866 the Sunday school was organized, the average attendance being sixty.
With the beginning of the year 1868, Rev. M. V. Kitzmiller was recalled for half time service. This second pastorate covered a period of four years, and was followed by the shortest pastorate in the history of the church, Rev. A. H. Scott, serving for six months. He was succeeded in May, 1873, by Rev. B. F. Humph- rey, who was succeeded by Rev. Scott, who returned and remained one year. At the end of that time Rev. M. V. Kitzmiller was recalled to the pastorate, his ser- vice beginning in September, 1875. This proved to be the longest pastorate in the history of the church, for he continued until his retirement from the ministry, in January, 1889. In many respects the service Rev. Kitzmiller rendered this church and the sacrifices he made for it, were phenomenal, having few parallels in the Baptist history of the state.
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Rev. Kitzmiller was succeeded by Rev. J. C. Combes, who served as a supply during a part of the year 1888. In March, 1889, Rev. J. W. Hawkins became pastor and after a service of less than one year, he was succeeded by Rev. A. J. Donaldson, who remained four years. He was followed, in June, 1894, by Rev. B. W. Wiseman. Upon the resignation of Rev. Wiseman in September, 1896, the services of Dr. A. K. DeBlois, president of Shurtleff College, were secured. He served until May, 1897, and was succeeded by Dr. J. R. Day, who, after serv- ing one year, was succeeded by Rev. T. J. Giblett, who came in September, 1898. He served the church three years and was succeeded, December 1, 1901, by Rev. A. H. Harnly.
In January, 1902, the need of improved facilities for aggressive work began to be seriously agitated, and the church resolved to arise and build. Suitable lots were purchased, the church building was moved, a lecture room and other im- provements added and a parsonage erected, all at a cost of about $8,000. The entire cost having been previously provided for, the church was dedicated Sep- tember 20, 1902, Dr. Harvey preaching the dedicatory sermon and President Stanley A. McKay preaching at night.
The records do not make it possible to determine the exact growth of the church during any particular period of its history. It would appear that there was no phenomenal growth at any time, but rather a constant, healthy growth from the beginning. Since its organization the church has received more than eight hundred members. Many of these have closed their labors here and have gone to join the church triumphant. Others have moved away and are now scattered over various sections of the country. The present membership is 340.
The list of pastors and their terms of service are as follows: M. V. Kitzmiller, 1856-65; J. M. Wells, 1865-66; J. Bulkley, 1866-67; M. V. Kitzmiller, 1867-72; A. H. Scott, six months in 1872; B. F. Humphrey, 1873-74; A. H. Scott, 1874-75; M. V. Kitzmiller, 1875-89; J. H. Hawkins, 1889-90; A. J. Donaldson, 1890-94; B. W. Wiseman, 1894-96; A. K. DeBlois, 1896-97; J. E. Day, 1897-98; T. J. Giblett, 1898-1901 ; A. H. Harnly, came in 1901 and was succeeded by Rev. Rumsey, who is the present pastor.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, VIRDEN.
This society was organized April 30, 1854, with seventeen charter members, as follows: W. W. and Sophia A. Cox, Robert and Mary Hobson, Orin and Armanella Chaffee, J. E. and Amanda Walker, Alexander and Melvina Hord, C. T., Sophia E. G. and M. J. Sage, J. C. and Minerva Harvey, Daniel Wise and A. Malsbury. The first sermon was preached in the old Methodist church, Rev. Justice Buckley officiating.
In 1855 a small church was erected and on the 10th of November of that year Rev. J. B. Jackson was sent as the first pastor of the church, the building being dedicated on the following day, November II, 1855. Rev. Jackson min- istered to this congregation until June 23, 1860. He was succeeded by F. M. Ellis, who came in the fall of 1861 and remained until 1863, when, in September of that year Rev. John Sawyer became pastor of the church. The latter was succeeded by Rev. W. C. F. Hempstead, who, after serving for more than three
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PUBLIC SCHOOL AND CHURCHES OF VIRDEN
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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years, resigned July 25, 1868, and in September of the same year Rev. Gray came as supply, remaining until February 27, 1869. Rev. H. M. Carr came in December of that year, remaining as pastor for five years. From December, 1874, until April 28, 1875, the church was without a pastor and then came Rev. E. E. Bayliss, who remained until October, 1876, when he resigned. In Decem- ber of that year Rev. T. F. Borchers was called to the pastorate and remained until March, 1879, when he resigned on account of ill health. Rev. J. L. M. Young was called September 2, 1879, and remained until August 7, 1881. He was followed by Rev. H. G. James, who came in March, 1882, but remained for only five months. From that time to the present the regular pastors have been as follows : 1883-87, D. T. Morrell; 1887-89, D. L. McBride; 1890, J. F. Foley, who acted as a supply until 1892; from the summer of 1892 until 1893, A. J. Col-
well; 1893-95, J. M. Titterington; from that time until 1896 the church was with- out a regular pastor, when C. W. Webb came, remaining until 1899; at the be- ginning of the year 1900 J. E. Reynolds was called and 1901 was followed by B. F. Duncan, who remained until his death in 1904. In 1905-06 L. W. Sloan was the pastor and in February, 1907, J. L. Watson came but remained for only a brief period, and was succeeded in that year by T. C. Coffey, who served until 19II and in May of the latter year O. W. Shields came and is the present incumbent.
The church membership having increased to such an extent that the old build- ing was inadequate, the structure was moved away and replaced by a larger and more modern structure in 1899. In 1910 extensive improvements were made, the interior being handsomely decorated, while in 1911 the building was newly painted on the outside. It is centrally located one block west of the public square. The present membership is 287.
In 1855 James Hall donated to the church a parsonage, which is still owned by the congregation but has been added to and repaired since that time. The church also owns a cottage, which it rents. The value of the church property, including parsonage and cottage is $9,500.
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