USA > Illinois > Stephenson County > History of Stephenson County, Illinois : a record of its settlement, organization, and three-quarters of a century of progress > Part 55
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In 1878 a revival was experienced in the circuit in which the congregation is included, conducted by the Revs. W. F. Manly and A. F. Ferris, through whose labors ninety-one were converted and additions made to the congregation.
The history of the church since that time has been marked by continual changes in pastors, an unusually large number having occupied the pulpit. The congregation has not increased very extensively in size, but remains about the same, having a membership of between thirty and forty. The church property, including a frame edifice, 28x40 capable of seating two hundred and fifty per- sons, is valued at a little less than a thousand dollars. The present pastor in charge is the Rev. D. W. Finch, who has been in Freeport since last year. The parsonage is located at 92 American street.
FIRST ENGLISH REFORMED CHURCH.
Freeport is the center of a group of Reformed churches in Stephenson and the adjoining counties, and being a growing city there is a natural field for the organization of an English Reformed church. It was not until 1906, however, that the present church was conceived. There had been a German Reformed church in the city for many years, but there were also many English adherents of that religion which dates it origin to the Reformation and stands for the principles of that great historic movement. Some of these attended the German church; others were scattered in other congregations.
In the summer of 1906, Mr. Chalmer Beaver, a student from the Heidel- berg Theological Seminary, under the auspices of the Sunday school board of the Reformed church, opened a Sunday school which had for its meeting place the old Third Presbyterian church on South Galena avenue near Pleasant street.
In the fall of the same year, the Rev. R. F. Schultz, of Dayton, Ohio, or- ganized a congregation of twelve members, heads of families: Mr. and Mrs. George Scoeney, Mr. and Mrs. John Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Simon Brown, Mr. and Mrs. John Richard, Mrs. Potter, Mrs. Frank Shelley, Mrs. Rebecca Ditzler, Mrs. George Springman. These constituted the charter members.
Rev. Schultz remained through the year, and in November was succeeded by the present pastor, the Rev. C. M. Rohrbaugh, who took charge of the pastorate on December Ist, having come to Freeport from Germantown, Ohio. For two years services were held in the old Third Presbyterian church, during all of which time the building of a permanent church home was talked over and discussed. In 1908 the first decisive step was taken.
In the early part of that year a lot was purchased on the corner of Carroll street and South Galena avenue, on a portion of the Barnes property. In the summer of that year the present edifice was erected. The cornerstone was laid on the fourteenth day of June, the speakers on the occasion being Hon. L. H. Burrell of Freeport, and the Rev. W. D. Marburger, of Dakota. The church
448
HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY
was immediately finished and the dedication conducted on the twenty-ninth day of November. Rev. Charles E. Miller, D. D., president of the Board of Home Missions, was the principal speaker of the day. The church has now been oc- cupied for nearly two years.
The building is a handsome structure of glazed brick, trimmed with Bed- ford sand-stone. The interior is finished in oak and is modern in every respect, with an auditorium having a seating capacity of four hundred and fifty, on the main floor. There is also a splendid basement designed for Sunday school rooms and social purposes. The equipment represents an investment of ap- proximately $15,000. $5,000 of this sum was donated by the local church and its friends in this community, and $10,000 was provided by the Board of Home Missions.
Although so recently founded the church is in a flourishing condition at present, and is rapidly increasing in membership. The original twelve families concerned in the organization have now increased to over fifty. The Sunday school enrolls one hundred and forty members, with an average attendance not so large. The church property is valued at $15,000 the cost of the present structure.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST.
First Church of Christ, Scientist, was organized in 1899, Mrs. Elizabeth Fry Burchard being especially instrumental in its organization. For a few years previous to that time, a society composed of Christian Scientists had held meet- ings, but nothing had been done in the way of effecting a church corporation. At that time a charter was secured from the First Church of Boston, Massa- chusetts, of which Mother Church the Freeport society is a branch church.
For a year or more after organization the church held meetings in a hall in Fry's block. The names of about fifteen men and women appeared on the original charter of the church, and as the organization grew and quarters be- came crowded a larger room was secured in the Wilcoxin building.
Sunday services and Wednesday evening meetings continued to be held in the Wilcoxin building. A reading room was established in connection with the church and also a Sunday school. Later an adjoining room in the building was rented and united with the original room in order to accomodate the needs of the read- ding room and Sunday school.
In the fall of 1908 the property belonging to Mrs. H. E. Bogar at 229 Ste- phenson street was bought at a price of $6,000, most of the amount being im- mediately raised by subscriptions entirely within the church. A recent bequest of $2,000 by an interested outsider more than leaves the church free of debt. Services are at present being held in the house which was purchased, the interior having been redecorated and remodelled for church purposes. A church edifice is contemplated for the future on the same lot. The church reading room is now maintained in the church building at 229 Stephenson street.
The affairs of the church are at present in a prosperous condition and gratify- ing developments are expected. The services of this church are not conducted by a pastor, but by two readers who read selections from the Bible and the Chris-
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TRINITY CHURCH, FREEPORT
ENGLISH REFORM CHURCHI
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LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY
tian Science text book. The readers are elected for terms of three years, those in office at present being Miss Silena Gransden, and Mrs. S. C. Porter. The church property is valued at about $7,000.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH.
U
The United Brethren church of Freeport was organized in 1892, and is con- sequently of comparatively recent origin. Previous to 1892 a number of ad- herents of the sect had lived in the city, but not in sufficient number to warrant the formation of a church. A number of attempts to establish a church were made, but nothing permanent was accomplished and the project had been repeat- edly abandoned. In the early spring of 1892, on the 13th day of March, nineteen members of the brotherhood met together and adopted resolutions organizing the United Brethren church of Freeport. These nineteen members, some of whom are still with the church, were: Rev. N. G. Whitney, Mrs. M. L. Whitney, Dr. L. B. Peck, Ira Long, Eva Long, Sarah Whitehead, George R. Ringer, Anna M. Ringer, A. E. Peck, Lizzie De Jongh, Anna M. Myers, Ezra Durling, George Brown, M. C. Brown, O. P. Spielman, Noah Peck, Mrs. E. A. Peck, M. Adleman and Mrs. M. Adleman.
The succeeding years were marked by prosperity and rapid growth. No sooner had the congregation organized than they began to look about and find a suitable spot for erecting their church edifice. A lot on the corner of Galena and Locust streets, at the western extremity of the former was found procurable, and the present building was erected and dedicated the following spring. It is a handsome structure, unassuming in appearance, but substantially built of brick, and quite competent to fill the needs of the congregation. The style of architecture is Gothic and a beautiful tower and spire crowns the pile. On the second story is the auditorium which will hold about one hundred and fifty per- sons. The first floor is given over to lecture rooms, Sunday school rooms, etc.
About four years ago, a parsonage was built on Galena street, next to the church. This parsonage, the cost of which was about $4,000 is one of the finest in the city, and a great credit to the church.
At the present time the membership of the church has risen to one hundred and ninety and a Sunday school is maintained, the roll of which numbers one hundred and sixty, with a regular attendance somewhat smaller. Since the founding of the church in Freeport, the pulpit has been occupied by a large number of pastors, all of whom have remained in the city for a very brief term. The present incumbent, the Rev. D. E. Bear, has been in Freeport for about a year, having come here from the southern part of the state.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
For a long time East Freeport had been designated by the mission workers as a "neglected field." It was repeatedly brought to the notice of missionaries, and as often forgotten owing to the pressing needs of other localities equally neglected. On May 24, 1908, the Rev. B. M. Southgate came to investigate the field with the result that an organization known as the East Freeport Sunday school was started in one of the buildings in Taylor's Park. Much interest was taken in the project by the Second Congregational church of Rockford,
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY
whose members had long been desirous of establishing a church in Freeport. The success of the Sunday school which was begun with only six or eight mem- bers led to the discussion of plans for a church.
Mostly through the instrumentality of the Second church of Rockford, the First church of Freeport was established less than a year after the founding of the East Freeport Sunday school. On the twenty-fifth day of January, 1908, a band of interested workers met and organized formally the First Congre- gational church. A rented house on Taylor avenue was at first used for church purposes. The Sunday school was moved here from the Taylor Park location and all the machinery of the organization was set in motion.
It was at once decided to erect a church building and a suitable lot was bought across the street from the rented house on the corner of Taylor avenue and Sheridan street. The cornerstone of the edifice was laid in August, 1908, the officials of the day being the Rev. H. L. Moore, of the First Presbyterian church, the Rev. Mr. Puddefoot, superintendent of missions of the state of In- diana, and the Rev. J. G. Brooks, the local pastor who had succeeded the Rev. B. M. Southgate earlier in the year.
The work of building was continued through the winter and the next year, and by May, 1910, it was ready for use. On May 9, 1910 the church was dedi- cated. The building cost $7,700, which sum was raised partly by the local church and partly by outside subscription. A number of extensive additions and improvements have since been completed raising the total cost to about $8,000. The old church building on Taylor avenue is still rented and is at present utilized as a parsonage.
In January, 1910, the Rev. J. G. Brooks was succeeded by the Rev. W. G. Jones, the present incumbent. The membership of the church has risen to about fifty-six, the original number of organizing members being twenty-three. The Sunday school is somewhat larger. It was started with an enrollment of about six members and now consists of over one hundred and twenty regular attendants.
The new church building is a modest structure of frame construction, cov- ered with pebble-dash. A small tower and spire crowns the pile, and a hand- some stained-glass window in the front, as well as smaller ones on the sides add to the beauty of the whole. At the present time the First Congregational church is the newest building built exclusively for church purposes in the city of Freeport. The Second Presbyterian church, which is about completed, will presently be the newest building.
The outlook for the church is very bright at the present time. The con- gregation is not only a growing one, but it is composed of members who are sincere and indefatigable workers. Owing to the fact that the Congregational church has come to supply a long felt want in Freeport, the growth should be rapid and gives every indication of being so.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
1
Four years ago, in 1906, the First Christian church of Freeport was estab- lished by the Rev. Jordan, of Rockford, who came to Freeport as a missionary
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY
of the state association. A meeting was held at the county courthouse, to which all representatives of the denomination, as well as others interested in the faith, were invited. A church organization was there effected, about forty me and women becoming members of the church.
In the same year, the Rev. J. A. Barnett was called as pastor, and the place of worship was transferred from the courthouse, where a number of meetings had been held, to the audience room of the Masonic Temple. Rev. J. A. Bar- nett stayed only one year, and then left to accept a call from Galesburg, Illinois.
His place was taken by the Rev. F. W. Emerson, under whose pastorate the little band of workers prospered wonderfully and became greatly increased in numbers. Rev. Emerson remained only two years, but the impress of his work is still felt. There has been talk of building a church edifice at various times, but the church has never felt itself strong enough to attempt this. The member- ship has increased to fifty, and a Sunday school of about twenty members is maintained under the superintendency of Mr. Johnson. After the departure of Mr. Emerson the church was for some time without a pastor. Last year his place was taken by the Rev. C. O. Livingstone, who has recently accepted a call elsewhere, and the pulpit is again unoccupied.
Although with one exception the youngest religious organization of the city, the Christian church is in a thriving condition and gives promise of steady and continued growth. Without doubt, a church will be built in the near future. At the present time, various plans have been adopted, but nothing definite has been accomplished.
THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.
The Freeport Theosophical Society was organized in Freeport in the year 1898 by C. H. Little, who became its first president. William Brinsmaid be- came the first secretary. Meetings were at first held at the home of Mr. Little on West Stephenson street and in his parlor the fourteen original members gathered to hold their regular meetings.
Afterwards it became inconvenient to hold meetings at Mr. Little's resi- dence, and a room was rented in the Rice building, now the Mackay block. A few years later the society procured a suite of rooms in the Wilcoxin Block, which they used for some time.
For the past few years the lodge has met at the home of F. J. Kunz on West street. From the original number of fourteen the society has increased to twenty-five. The officers of the Theosophical Society for the current year are: President, T. D. Wilcoxin; vice president, F. J. Kunz; secretary, Miss Alma Kunz.
PEOPLE'S INSTITUTE.
The People's Institute grew out of the People's Independent church, which was organized in February, 1909, by the Rev. William H. Beynon, formerly minister of the First Baptist church.
The People's Independent church sought to teach and preach a universal Christian religion, without creed or restrictions as to individual convictions.
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY
During the year the People's Independent church was merged into a larger in- stitution called the People's Institute. The institute had three departments ; viz., religious, educational, and fraternal. It has no creed, but only a "Bond of Union," which members are expected to sign. The "Bond of Union" is a line of action, not a creed, and consistency of action therewith is expected. The "Bond of Union" reads as follows :
"We join ourselves together in service to God and man through serving man, as supremely exemplified by Jesus and the teachers of humanity, endeav- oring thereby to acquire power to bear one another's burdens, wisdom to pro- mote justice, truth and righteousness, and spirit to establish peace, purity, and love in the world."
Under the auspices of the three departments the following organizations are established :
Public religious Sunday service, at which sermons and lectures touching on modern day problems, religious, moral, economic, and political are delivered.
The Sunday school, where the Bible and religion are presented under most modern instruction. The Sunday school is graded according to the public school grades.
The Sociological Club, which deals with social problems.
The Labor Forum, which devotes itself to the study of industrial problems as related to the working classes.
The Municipal Club, which studies municipal problems, and exerts its influ- ence for municipal reform.
The Political Forum, which is open to all political types of faith and parties to present their claims publicly.
The Ladies' Institute League, composed of the ladies of the institute, whose object is to further the interests of the institute socially and 'educationally.
The Young People's League, which is devoted to the development of the youth morally, socially, and educationally.
The People's Institute was founded by Mr. Beynon for the purpose of meet- ing the greater needs of the masses in a religious, moral, social, educational, economic, and political manner. "Believing that man is larger than any creed or any human restriction or formality imposed upon him by religious denomina- tions or sects, and that man cannot rise to the height of the Jesus ideal, nor attain to the real brotherhood of man while hampered by factional creeds and religious restrictions, which are oftentimes the cause of dwarfing rather than developing man," Mr. Benyon conceived that an organization such as he founded would more readily help man to attain the highest ideal individually and so- cially, and therefore struck out to reach such a goal. Services were for a time held in the Masonic Temple, but have since been transferred to the old Salem church on Pleasant street.
SCHOOLS AFTER 1860.
September 1, 1859, the school directors of Freeport, Heald, Buckley and Smith called an election and the people voted a tax to build the River school. The ground was purchased and the building completed in the spring of 1860.
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First Ward School
Lincoln School
East Freeport School
River School
Third Ward School
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Center Street School
Union Street School
SCHOOLS OF FREEPORT
LIBRARY , OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
453
HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY -
In August, 1865, another special election was held and it was voted to build a new school in the third ward at the corners of Liberty and Williams streets. This building cost $17,000.00 and was completed in 1866. It was known as the Wright school.
The site for the Lincoln avenue school was brought for $1,200,00, January I, 1868. The building was completed at a cost of $12,465.77 in the fall of 1868. The directors at that time were C. J. Fry, H. M. Barnum, F. W. S. Brawley, Ezrom Mayer, treasurer ; and L. W. Guiteau, alternate.
The school directors for 1877 were J. M. Bailey, Jacob Krohn and Frederick Bartlett. July 7, 1877, they decided to erect a new building for the High school. This building was built at the corner of Cherry and Exchange (then called Bridge street) at a cost of over $14,000.00. The High school was maintained in this building till -, when the present High school (the old part) was erected.
SCHOOLS OF FREEPORT.
In 1867, F. W. S. Brawley, C. J. Fry and H. M. Barnum were the school directors. Formerly the principal of the High school had been given the general supervision of the city schools. But September 2, the board of directors decided that such an arrangement was not adequate to meet the demands of a rapidly growing school system, and created the office of superintendent of city schools. The board then elected Mr. G. G. Alvord, superintendent. From 1867 to 1910, Freeport has had seven superintendents, Professor C. C. Snyder serving eighteen years. Professor Snyder was a graduate of Northwestern University, and came to Freeport after teaching in Belvidere and Lyons, Iowa. The best evidence of the worth of this educator is the fact that he held the position of superin- tendent for eighteen years. His son, Dr. K. F. Snyder, is one of the prominent physicians of Freeport.
City superintendent R. W. Burton was elected county superintendent in 1893. Superintendent F. T. Oldt came to Freeport in 1893, after fifteen years experience in Lanark, and left here in 1895 to take position of superintendent of the city schools of Dubuque, which position he held till February, 1910. Su- perintendent R. S. Page, an educator of considerable experience, having been a teacher for years in Ohio and Indiana, came to Freeport in 1895 and served as superintendent till his death, January, 1904.
On the death of Superintendent Page, Professor S. E. Raines, who had been principal of the High school since 1897, was elected superintendent and is now in his seventh year in that position. Mr. Raines is a graduate of the Indiana State Normal School and of the University of Indiana. Before coming to Free- port, he was superintendent of the Sullivan, Indiana, Schools. He is a mem- ber of the National Educational Association, has been president of the Northern Illinois Teachers Association, and his mastery of the detail and his successful experience have given him a high rank among the city superintendents of the United States. Under his supervision, the schools of Freeport have made re- markable progress.
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY
Summary of Superintendents : G. G. Alvord, 1867-1872; C. C. Snyder, 1872- 1890; A. O. Deubelt, 1890-1891; R. W. Burton, 1891-1893 ; F. T. Oldt, 1893- 1895; R. S. Page, 1895-January, 1904; S. E. Raines, January, 1904.
To go back to the beginning it may be said that Nelson Martin, who taught the first school in Freeport in the little log store-room on the river bank in 1837, was the first principal. The place of High school was filled by private schools, subscription schools, academies and seminaries till the Union school was built in 1852. Among the Select school principals were George Scoville, Messrs, Coon & Dickey, Mr. Bentley, A. B. Campbell, Geo. W. Lutz and Louise Burchard. Mary A. Potter. Mr. A. B. Campbell was principal in 1850.
When the Union school was established in 1852, Mr. William J. Johnson was principal. Hon. H. C. Burchard was principal in 1854-5; Henry M. Free- man, A. M., 1855-1858; A. N. Marriman, 1859; George L. Montague, 1860- 1861; M. W. Tewksbury, 1862-1863 ; H. V. Barnum, 1863 ; W. H. V. Raymond; 1864; David Parsons, 1865-1866; G. G. Alvord, 1867-1869; S. C. Cotton, 1870; Miss E. R. Beckwith, 1871; C. C. Snyder, 1872-1874; Miss F. E. Weed, 1874- 1875; Miss S. L. Stocking, 1875-1876; A. W. Green, 1876-1884; J. H. Hutcheson, 1884-1889; F. A. Rosebrugh, 1889-1893; R. E. Loveland, 1893; W. D. Hawk, 1893-1895 ; J. E. McGilvrey, 1895-1896; J. W. Bray, 1896-1897; S. E. Raines, 1897-January, 1904; H. E. Adams, January, 1904-June, 1904 acting principal; L. A. Fulwider, 1904.
TABLE OF GROWTH OF FREEPORT HIGH SCHOOL.
ENROLLMENT. GRADUATES.
YEAR.
.
1879
I30
I6
1880
78
26
188I
81
24
1882
125
9
1883
I2I
8
1884
50
4
1885
I30
I4
1886
148
II
I887
I45
18
I888
I46
I2
1889
61
20
1890
II5
I5
1891
I32
IO
1892
I25
14
1893
I25
I3
1894
I54
23
1895
I7I
18
1896
185
20
1897
212
22 .
Year.
Graduates.
1898
216
23
1899
236
27
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY
1900
246
32
1901
260
36
1902
265
44
1903
305
52
1904
308
46
1905
323
55
1906
334
51
1907
354
52
1908
357
53
1909
'398
49
1910
430
66
The graduates of the Freeport high school have now high places in the world's work, and have reflected much credit and honor on the school and the county.
In 1882 a four-year high school course was established, a three-year having been maintained up to that date.
ALUMNI.
Almost one thousand students have been graduated from the Freeport high school since 1863. There were four in the class of 1863; fifteen in the class of 1870; sixteen in the class of 1880; fifteen in the class of 1890; thirty-two in the class of 1900; and sixty-six in the class of 1910.
Among those who have won more than average success are the following: Dr. Charles R. Sheetz, Algonia, Iowa; Hon. Homer Aspinwall, Freeport; Rev. Niles W. Neermans, De Kalb, Illinois; Thomas W. Woodside, Takanjimba, Africa; Flora Guiteau, teacher, Freeport; Clara S. Hawes, librarian, Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Mrs. Elida J. Pattison Bently, Freeport ; Addison Bidwell, Free- port ; Dr. Eugene Rockey, Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Lizzie E. McCoy Flanagan, Freeport; Oscar E. Heard, circuit judge, Freeport; Eliza L. Murphy, Freeport ; John S. Collman, Freeport; Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Burrell, Brooklyn, New York; Mrs. Alice Serfass Towslee, Freeport; Mrs. Alice Sanborn Brown, Freeport ; Mrs. Kittie Buckman Mitchell, Freeport; Professor Thomas Hunt, Dean of the Agricultural Department, State College, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Carrie Gund Tag- gart, Freeport; Thomas Rockey, Freeport; Mathias Hettinger, Freeport; Ida Galloway, teacher, New York City; Henry M. Hyde, editor of Technical World, Chicago; Hazen S. Capron, banker, Champaign, Illinois; Harvey Zartman, Freeport; Mary Hosmer, Freeport; James Hyde, lawyer, Chicago; Marion Pot- ter, librarian, Minneapolis; Rev. James Benson, Peoria, Illinois; Mrs. Edith DeVore Tiffany, Freeport; Alpheus J. Goddard, Freeport; Douglas Pattison, Freeport ; Rev. Paul Jenkins, Milwaukee; Dr. Fred H. Bowers, Freeport; Ed- win H. Smythe, Chicago; Fred M. Gund, insurance, Freeport; Rev. Wm. E. Ruston, Fairly, Iowa; Wm. H. Staver, Mexico; Chas. F. Stocking, Chicago; Bertha C. Bidwell, Freeport; Frank C. Fuerst, Freeport; Charles Green, at- torney, Freeport ; Ida I. Voight, Freeport ; Charles Bentley, judge of police court, Freeport; Oscar Dorman, Freeport; Joseph Johnson, Freeport; Dr. Karl F. Snyder, Freeport; Clara Dorman, Freeport ; Dr. Louis Voight, Freeport; Philip Moogk, Sparks, Nevada; Dr. R. O. Brown, Forreston, Illinois; Rev. Wm B.
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