USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough county, Illinois, its cities, towns and villages with early reminiscences, personal incidents and anecdotes and a complete business directory of the county > Part 54
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The Church building is located upon the northeast quarter of section five, Blandinsville township, and is valued at one thousand
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
five hundred dollars. Parsonage valued at twelve hundred dol- lars. Salary of pastor, eight hundred dollars. Present member- ship, two hundred and thirty-four. Annual contribution, twelve hundred dollars. Average attendance in Sunday School, one hun- dred and twenty. Annual collection, ninety dollars.
Mound Christian Church .- This church was organized in 1857, by Elder J. B. Royal; there were then sixteen members. Meet- ings were held regularly in school houses until 1864, when the present church structure was completed. It is located on section fourteen, of Mound township, and was built at a cost of $2,000. It is a good frame building 30 feet by 45 in size. The present men- bership is forty-five. At one time it numbered one hundred, but many have since moved away. The Elders are : Henry S. Gustine, and J. II. Langsford. The deacons are: Samson Hyett, H. Lind- sey, and F. Weston, and the trustees are . J. II. Langsford, P. H. Wilson, and H. Lindsey.
Since the organization the following ministers have served as pastors : D. Dunkeson, Thomas Thompson, A. K. Brown, H. C. Littleton, and J. B. Royal, the present pastor. The member- ship of the Sunday school is fifty; II. S. Gustine is the Super- intendent.
New Salem Christian Church .- The following is taken from the first page of the church record : "We the undersigned disciples of Christ, in obedience to the Great Head of the church, do now sol- emnly and joyfully agree with each other to walk together in the Lord with brotherly love, as a Church of Christ, and do also take the Bible as our rule of faith and practice. Done in Wetsel school house, in New Salem township, April 8, 1859. William A. Griffin, James D. Swartz, Daniel Wilson, Hugh Chapman, William Kelley, Jane Kerr, Julia Ann Chapman, Sarah Swearingen, Al- mira Hays, Josiah Herlocker, Margaret Herlocker, Mary J. Griffin, George Kerr, Caleb Hipsley, America MeVey and Jane Chapman."
The church edifice is situated on the northwest corner of section thirty-four of New Salem township, and was erected in 1867 at a cost of $2,400. It is a good, substantial frame building, thirty- two by forty-five feet, and well finished.
The congregation was organized April 8, 1859, by Elder J. B. Royal, of Vermont, Illinois. The number of original members was sixteen. The present membership is sixty-six. Previous to
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
the organization the Disciples held regular meetings in the school house near by, as also for several years after.
The present elders of the congregation are Richard Pennington and Eli Miller, and the deacons are David Miner and James M. Swearingen. The trustees are George Seaburn, W. A. Griffin and Jacob Grimm. Henry Smithers is the present pastor. J. B. Royal, J. C. Reynolds, William Griffin, A. P. Aten, A. Brown and A. Johnson have served respectively as pastors.
John A. Wetsel is the Superintendent of the Sunday school. The average attendance of the school is about sixty.
Colchester Christian Church .- The Christian Church at Col- chester was organized April 1, 1867, by Elders J. C. Reynolds and C. Ades, with 116 members. In the following year a good frame church building was erected at a cost of $3,000; its size is 36 by 56 feet.
The various pastors employed by this congregation from time to time have been Elders J. C. Reynolds, C. Ades, J. Il. Garrison, A. P. Aten, J. C. Winter, and H. P. Tandy. The present mem- bership is about ninety. The following are the church officers: Elders, S. T. Moore and Wm. Tandy; deacons, William Morrison and Adam Taylor; clerk, S. D. Mills. The average attendance in Sunday School is 122; the annual contribution $75. S. T. Moore superintendent.
Sciota Christian Church .- The church structure of this congre- gation was erected in 1869, before the organization of the church. It is a good frame building, 32x46 feet and cost $2,250. William H. Franklin was the prime mover in this work. The building committee consisted of W. H. Franklin, John Dew, and J. M. Russell.
Before the building of the church, meetings were held in a shed, built for the purpose, on ground near the church. Here Elders J. C. Reynolds and Coffee held a meeting, the first of this denomination in the town. Elder J. B. Royal preached the first ser- mon in the church, while Elder J. H. Garrison delivered the dedi- catory sermon. Elder S. K. Hallam was the first pastor, J. H. Seaton the second. Elder Thomas Goodnight preaches once each month. Elders, Samuel Dey and E. S. Agnew. The first elders were Larkin Osborn and William Smith. Deacon, Silas Wood- side. The congregation, which had run down considerably, was
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
reorganized January 27, 1876, with seven members. The present membership is thirty.
New Bedford, Christian Church .- The church edifice stands on the northwest corner of section seven of Walnut Grove town- ship, and was erected in 1876, at a cost of $2,500. The size is thirty-two feet by fifty-six. It is one of the neatest country churches in the county, and an honor to any community.
The society was organized by Elder J. H. Breeden, with four- teen members, in November, 1871. The present membership is eighty-six.
Elder George Brokaw is the present pastor. The elders are J. H. Painter, A. J. Clayton, H. II. Brady and W. Beckelhymer. The Deacons, J. S. Brooks, Alexander Beckelhymer and E. Dice. William Beckelhymer, clerk.
The pastors, since the organization, have been J. II. Breeden, John Huston and J. H. Painter.
William Beckelhymer is Superintendent of the Sunday School, of which there is an average attendance of thirty-five.
Bushnell Christian Church .- We have been unable to obtain a sketch of this congregation, and cannot say when or by whom it was organized. A large brick church was erected in 1867, and dedicated in the early part of 1868, by Elder J. C. Reynolds, of Macomb. This building is now valued at $2,500. It is plain, but comfortable and substantial. The membership of the congrega- tion is 120; annual contributions, $1,000; Sunday School-aver- age attendance, 65 ; annual contributions, $50.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL.
The Methodist Episcopal Church numbers more than any other body of christians in the county, having a membership of 1,374, in addition to a large number of probationers. Their system of itinerant work has much to do with their success. While others lagged in the work they have pushed boldly on, holding their meetings in public halls, school houses, private dwellings, barns, or any place where the people could be brought together to hear the proclamation of the gospel. Whatever may be said of the religious views of this denomination, its zeal is to be com- mended; and to the fact that its membership is zealous, in a great measure, is due its numbers and influence in this county. In the beginning of their work ;here, they had the services of' some of the best workers in their ranks, among whom was the
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGHI COUNTY.
old and eccentric pioneer preacher, Peter Cartwright, who labored in all parts of the county, and who was instrumental in the salva- tion of many souls. Following will be found sketches of the various congregations in the county, in order of their organiza- tion, together with a summary of their work :
Methodist Episcopal Church, Macomb .- The first regular preach- ing in Macomb, of this denomination, was in 1832, and by the Rev. Peter Cartwright, the celebrated pioneer Methodist preacher, who organized the M. E. congregation of Macomb the same year.
Meetings were held in the old court-house until 1835, when a very respectable brick building was erected on ground given by Hon. James M. Campbell, on the site of the present Church edi- fice, on Lafayette street, north of Carroll street.
In 1847 the Church building blew down, when services were held conjointly with the Presbyterians, in their Church building. A very earnest union revival was held by the two congregations, in this Church, which resulted in bringing many into it. The Church building was rebuilt in 1848.
In 1854, the circuit heretofore rather large, was divided, leaving Macomb only two appointments, viz. : Wolf Grove and Spring Creek. During this year the Church building again blew down, but the faithful members were not discouraged, only the more determined, and soon set about to erect another and larger build- ing. One 40x70 feet was built this time and dedicated in 1857. T. M. Eddy, editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate, deliv- ering the dedicatory sermon, During the interval spent in re- building, services were held in the Christian Church and in the court-house.
By 1858 the congregation had become so large as to require the undivided time of the pastor, and consequently Macomb was set off as a separate station.
The church building in 1875 was rebuilt and refitted at a cost of $4,076. A very tall and beautifully proportioned steeple towered far above the building, but not long after the new edifice had been dedicated-Bishop Simpson preaching the dedicatory sermon- and during a most violent storm the spire was blown down, caus- ing some damage to the front walls. Immediately the debris was cleared away, and a cupola of less pretensions was erected. The value of the church building, which is a neat and commodious brick structure, is $10,000. A large bell is swung in the cupola.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
On the corner of Lafayette and Calhoun streets, and just to the north of the Church, is the parsonage, a good frame residence worth $1,200. The following is a report for the year ending July 23d, 1876, prepared by the pastor, Rev. M. A. Head, and submit- ted to the quarterly conference :
In the beginning of the year there were two hundred and forty - four members and fifteen probationers. During the year we have received by letter sixteen, and from probation two. Organized a class at McNair's school house of fifteen, making a total of thirty- three. We have dismissed by letter ten. Died during the year, four, making a total of fourteen. Leaving a membership in full connection, two hundred and sixty-three. We have received on probation, thirty-five; dismissed from probatiou by letter, three; leaving forty-five probationers-in all, two hundred and sixty- three members and forty-five probationers. Our congregations have been good, and our prayer meetings well attended, averaging sixty. The benevolence of our church will cover the assessment, and we hope they will rise above them.
The spiritual condition of the church is healthy. The following is the number of periodicals taken within the bounds of this charge : New York Advocate, three ; Western Christian Advo- cate, two; Northwestern Christian Advocate, fifteen ; Ladies' Re- pository, one; Golden Hour, one. Our Sunday school is in a flourishing condition. We have a good attendance and good interest. We have made some valuable additious to our library. Our school will contribute about sixty dollars this year to the cause of missions. The average attendance is one hundred and sixty-one.
The following is a list of those serving as Presiding Elders in this circuit since 1832 : Peter Cartwright, Michael Taylor, Peter Atkins, N. G. Berryman, John S. Barger, R. Haney, John Morey, Milton Bourne, H. Summers, A. Magee, W. H. Hunter, W. D. Underwood, Henderson Ritchie, G. M. Irwin, and B. E. Kauf- man. The following is the correct list of all the various pastors in charge of this church : II. Summers, T. N. Ralston, P. R. Boring, William Window, D. B. Carter, Enos Thompson, John R. Richmond, Chauncey Hobart, E. Tracy, John Morey, R. W. Clark, William Hindall, Freeborn Haney, Samuel Pillsbury, II. Hadley, Geo. Whitemore, Seth Ford, B. Courtwright, B. C. Swartz, B. H. Courtwright, J. B. Quinly, William M. Clark, S. S. Robin-
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
son, W. II. Jackson, James Taylor, P. C. Brooks, Allen Head, W. S. Smith, W. J. Beck, Milton Bourne, Benjamin Applebee, Andrew Miller, P. T. Rhodes, William Wilson, G. R. Palmer, A. D. MeCool, William Watson, J. II. Rhea, J. C. Rybolt, Henderson Ritchie, Peter Warner, Mr. Zimmerman, B. D. Dennis, L. B. Kent, and the present pastor, M. A. Head. The present stewards are : R. H. Broaddus, J. T. Adcock, Levi Argenbright, B. D. In- gram, C. W. Slade, A. L. Sparks, G. W. Eyre, Samuel Knight, and David Knapp, recording steward. Composing the board of , trustees are : J. Hillyer, A. K. Lodge, J. Scott, R. II. Broaddus, B. D. Ingram, G. W. Eyre, and J. T. Adcock. The class leaders are : C. Case, W. Wilson, and W. Creel.
Tennessee M. E. Church .- The first meetings of this denomina- tion held in the neighborhood of Tennessee were at the residence of James Fulkerson, near Hillsgrove, in 1832. This locality is known as " Old Methodist Stamping Grounds." These meetings were held by missionaries Rev. Carter, Levi Springer and Henry Summers. In 1851 a society was organized south of Tennessee, at what was called the brick school house. Rev. James Taylor, J. P. Brooks, William Smith and J. B. Quinby served as preachers. After this the Society, which had heretofore been a part of the Macomb work, was transferred to the Blandinsville work, and the following ministers labored there : Rev. Joseph Cumming, G. M. Irwin, James Cowden, Rev. Beard, B. E. Kauf- man and H. Presson. In 1857 the class at the school house was moved to Tennessee, and about the same time the class at Hills- grove, also, moved to the same place, both uniting, Rev. B. E. Kaufman preaching the first sermon there in school house. From this time until the present, Tennessee and Colchester have been in the same circuit with the same minister, pastor of both churches, of whom are the following : B. B. Kennedy, Rev. McKee, J, Fate, John Cavet, Stephen Brink, W. B. Carithers, W. B. Frazell, D. S. Main, G. J. Luckey, William Haney, J. S. Kirk- patrick, B. F. Tallman, T. Pool, A. S. Atherton and T. P. Henry. The following are the names of the original members: John Jarvis, Mrs. Jarvis, Garrett Jarvis, William Delay, Absolom Parker, Mary Parker, C. L. Davis, Maria Davis, William Clayton, Louisa Clayton, L. C. Bacon, Honor Bacon, Lewis Mourning, Ann Mourning and Sarah Lawyer.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
The church structure was erected in 1864, under the supervi- sion of John McElroy, William Clayton and William Latimer, building committee. It is a good frame building, twenty-eight feet wide by forty long, and cost $2,000. Present Class Leader, L. F. Carson; the first was Samnel Knott; first Stewards were James Jarvis and Thomas Fulkerson; the present ones are J. Bradford, A. K. Owen and Thomas Fulkerson.
The Trustees are B. F. Thompson, A. K. Owen, J. Eaton, J. Jarvis and J. Jenkins. The first Trustees were John McElroy, William Clayton. J. Jarvis, William Lattimer and Thomas Ful- kerson.
Present membership, 100; average attendance, 150; contribu- tion, $175; average attendance in the Sunday School, 55; contri- bution, per year, $25.
Friendship M. E. Church .- This is one of the oldest religious organizations in the county, the society having been organized in 1833, by Rev. Cord, a missionary. The original members were Robert and Nancy Cook, Mrs. Penny and daughter, Esther Hunt, Malinda Hunt, Mr. Justice and wife, John and James Hammer, John and Nancy Kirk, John and Margaret Lyon. The following are among those serving as pastors: Revs. Cord, Carter, Levi Springer, Oliver Hindell, Freeborn Haynie, J. P. Brooks, Chauncy Hobart.
Of late years this appointment has been connected with the Blandinsville work, but is at present with the Colchester work.
Meetings were held first, at the residence of John Hunt, now known as the Kirk place, and for many years at the school house, which stood near the present site of the church The first camp- meeting held in the Military Tract was at Friendship, in 1833. People came from Quincy, Jacksonville, Beardstown, Burlington and other points equally distant. The church building is located on section 5, Tennessee township. It is a good frame structure, thirty feet by forty, and was erected in 1851. The value of church property is $1,500. The present membership is thirty-four. The present officers are : Trustees, A. Roberts, George Mourning, Robert Lyon, John Kirk, Jr., and S. M. Chipman; Steward, A. Roberts; Class Leader, S. M. Chipman. Contribution, $130 per year ; average attendance of the Sunday School, 35 ; contribu- tion $6; Superintendent, William Anderson.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
Pennington Point M. E. Church .- One of the oldest Methodist organizations in the county is the one at Pennington's Point; this church being organized in 1835 or 1836. A few years ago a good and commodious church structure was erected upon seetion 30, New Salem township. Its size is 32x56, and it stands upon a two- acre lot, the property of the church, and on which is also a good frame parsonage. The total value of church property is $3,000. The congregation, which is at present in a very prosperous con- dition, numbers sixty. The attendance at Sunday-school is seven- ty-five.
Bardolph M. E. Church .- The Bardolph society was organ- ized in 1836 at the residence of Joseph Kepple, about a mile south of Bardolph, and probably by William H. Jackson, as he was a local preacher of the M. E. Church, and one of those sturdy pioneers who not only desired to open up the beautiful country for settlement, that men might prepare comfortable homes for their families and their children's families, but to sow the good seed of the Gospel of Christ in the hearts of those who should be neighbors ; to make this people a religious and God fearing peo- ple, that the rising generations may be reared in the midst of the highly elevating influence of the religion he through life held so dear. The original members were William H. Jackson, Ann Jackson, Mrs. Jacob Kepple and Mrs. Culp. Meetings were held at Mr. Kepple's house for about two years, when they were moved to Mr. Jackson's residence, where they were held for sev- eral years.
This society has been in existence since the early settlement of the county, as before mentioned, part of the time in connection with the Macomb circuit, and a part with the Marietta circuit. It struggled for existence and success from the time of its organiza- tion until June, 1867, without any house of its own in which to worship, being dependent, after leaving Mr. Jackson's residence, on the Presbyterians for their church, and upon the school district for the school house, as places of worship. At that date the Methodist Episcopal and Cumberland Presbyterian congregations jointly had completed and dedicated a very neat and commodious house of worship. This arrangement affords the society a house of their own one-half of the time only, leaving them to work at a great disadvantage.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
The pastors sinee 1867 have been Revs. B. E. Kaufman, D. S. Main, A. P. Hull, J. Ferguson, Jacob Mathews and the present pastor, Rev. J. E. Taylor, who is now serving his third year here. J. E. Hendrickson and William Bailey class leaders; John Booth, Thomas A. Jackson, and J. E. Hendrickson stewards; John Booth, John W. Jackson, and J. E. Hendrickson trustees. The present membership is ninety-eight; the average annual contribu- tion is $500. The average attendance of the Sunday-school is sixty; the annual contribution $35; J. E. Hendrickson superin- tendent.
Stickle's M. E. Church-This congregation was organized in 1845 with twelve members and met in school house near the pres- ent church until a church was built. The present edifice was erected in 1854 at a cost of $1,700; its size is 30x45 feet; it is lo- cated in section 11 Emmet township. It was named in honor of Abraham Stickle, deceased, the prime mover in organizing the society. The membership is forty-five; the attendance at Sun- day-school is about fifty. George Stickle and Abraham B. Stickle are the trustees.
Blandinsville M.E. Church .- This church was organized by Rev. Barton Cartwright, then in charge of the Macomb circuit, about the year 1848. Previous to this time the few Methodists living in the town worshipped at the church in Hays' settlement, but there being enough to form an organization, it was thought advisa- ble to do so. E. R. Jones was the first class leader. The following were in the original organization : E. R. Jones and wife, A. I. Hopper and wife, and - Freeland. They have a good house of worship, valued at $3,000, and a parsonage worth $1,000.
Rock Creek M. E. Church .- In 1850, this congregation was or- ganized, with twenty-two members who met in school houses until 1875, when the present well finished church house was erected. It stands on the southwest quarter of section seventeen, Hire township and cost $2,000. It is thirty by forty-six feet. The men- bership is fifty-three. The trustees are: Isaac Oakman, S. K. Patrick, Mrs. Harriett Pedrick, Mrs. Katherine Hlainline, Solo- mon Hainline, Mrs. Susan Hainline, and Mrs. Margaret Hainline. Isaac Oakman, class leader ; William Anderson, Steward; S. K. Pedrick, superintendent of Sunday school. Average attend- ance twenty.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
Maple Grove M. E. Church .- The building is located on section nineteen of Emmet township, and was erected in 1865, at a cost of $2,500, Size twenty-six by fifty. The society was organized and held regular meetings in groves, and in school houses fifteen years previous. The present membership is forty-five. James Griffith, G. G. Guy, B. F. Guy, and Eli Murray, are the trustees; J. C. Guy, class leader; D. T. Guy, Steward. The membership of the Sunday school is forty. Eli Murray, superintendent.
Mound Chapel M. E. Church .- This church was organized at the residence of E. Dyer in 1854, with eight or ten members. The church building is located on section 22 of Mound town- ship; it was erected in 1868 at a cost of $3,200; is a good frame building, 35x55 in size; the location and grounds are beautiful. The present membership is sixty. John Holmes, class-leader; Joseph Melvin, steward. The trustees are J. Holmes, J. Gardner, Edward Mitchell, J. Melvin, Amos Hippskey, Ross Manly, J. Manly, Cyrus Head, A. Fleming, John Sheely, and William An- derson; Isaac Sheely superintendent of the Sunday-school.
Pleasant Grove M. E. Church .- The church building of this congregation is located on section 26, Industry township, and was built in 1857 at a cost of $1,200; it is 36x40 feet; the membership is about eighteen. John Bennett is both steward and class-leader; Marion Skiles superintendent of the Sunday-school, of which the average attendance is twenty-five. The trustees are Joseph Me- Clean, Marticia Springer, George Bennett, and George Meadows.
Liberty M. E. Church .- The church structure of this congrega -. tion stands upon the southeast corner of section 13, Blandinsville township, and is one of the best church buildings outside of the towns in the county. It is worth $2,500.
Prairie City M. E. Church .- The following facts in reference to the M. E. Church in Prairie City are collected from the memory of some of its oldest members. As the fathers of the church failed to transmit a written history, this is our only source of informa- tion. While perfect accuracy in all the details are in the nature of the case impossible, yet the following may be relied upon as substantially correct.
The Methodist preachers who assisted in laying the foundation of Methodism in Prairie City and vicinity were Revs. James Haney, R. Berryman, Richard Haney, William Haney, Benjamin Applebee, John Morey, Amos Morey, A. E. Phelps, Thomas
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
Kirkpatrick and C. Hobart, preaching occasionally at the houses of John Griffin and Thomas Brinks. After a school house was erected in Prairie City, it was used for holding meetings in, and until the building of their church. The names of the original members, as near as can be ascertained, were Thomas Brinks and wife, J. Griffin and wife, Vincent Goldsmith, David Griffin and wife, E. Sandford and wife, M. T. Hand and wife, R. C. Benedict and wife, Elijah Hoyt and wife, John Mann and wife, J. White and wife, E. G. Tally and wife, L. I. Washburn and wife, and A. Burr and wife.
The present church edifice was erected at a cost of about $3,500. It was dedicated in 1858. The pastors who have served the church in their order are as follows: A. Fisher, M. T. IIavermale, William Watson, M. C. Lewis, J. B. Craig, William Underwood, A. Me- Cool, J. C. Rybolt, A. Bowers, W. J. Peck, M. D. Heckard, D. S. Main, A. Magec and A. S. Atherton. The parsonage was erected in 1864. It is a good frame residence, costing about $500. The financial ability of the church is not so good as formerly, many of its noteworthy members having removed.
Its present officers are as follows: Pastor, A. S. Atherton ; Stewards, A. Burr, A. Mead, S. Davey, R. C. Benedict and W. F. Taylor; Class Leaders, A. Mead, A. G. Kreider and J. T. Mor- gan ; Trustees, A. Burr, A. Mead, R. C. Benedict, S. Davey and .J. T. Morgan. S. Davey, Superintendent of Sunday school. The attendance is from eighty-five to one hundred.
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