USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a tale of its evolution, settlement and progress for nearly a century, Volume I > Part 43
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It was very early in the life of the church that Rev. Enoch Kingsbury was made the pastor. This was in 1831, and his was the pastorate which insured the life of the society, and to which all writers of the early history of Vermilion county give greatest credit. His first year here was rather uncertain, but the following year he settled permanently in Danville. Rev. Enoch Kingsbury was a power in Vermilion County in its early development, and without him the his- tory would have been very different. He was always a great force for progress and his was a life well worthy emulation. He was a tall fine looking man with a powerful frame and a decided manner which made it impossible for his con- viction to be questioned.
Rev. Kingsbury has been described briefly in the following words : He was a hero, a patriot, a philanthropist, a Christian and an enthusiast in the work chosen by him. He served the Presbyterian church of Danville faithfully for twenty years and then left the active work only because of failing health and strength.
Rev. A. L. Brooks, a man of the old school style of manners and viewpoint of matters and things, came to the pastorate in 1870 in December. He remained for several years and was followed by Charles Little.
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Mr. Brooks was a man of unusual ability in the way of loving ministering to his flock and at the same time he was a logical and convincing preacher, win- ning souls to his Master and friends to himself by his gentle manner of thought and action. His pastorate ended by his death. Rev. Brooks was buried in Springhill cemetery.
Rev. A. L. Brooks was born in Madison County, New York, the son of Jesse and Olivia (Lyons) Brooks. His father was a native of Connecticut, and in his early life, was a merchant, but in the latter part of his life he was postmaster and magistrate of Mayville, New York. His mother was a native of Vermont. The principal part of Mr. Brooks' education was had at Trenton, New York, where he graduated in 1844. He continued his studies and graduated at Auburn two years later. He was ordained a minister of the Gospel in 1846 and settled at Hamilton, in the state of his birth. Ten years after he was first or- dained he came west and accepted a call to the Third Presbyterian church, where he remained minister of that church for seven years. From Chicago he answered a call to Peoria, as pastor of the Fulton Street Presbyterian church; thence to Decatur as pastor of the New School Presbyterian church of that place for three years. The next move he made was to the Presbyterian church at Danville. He left a New School Presbyterian church in Decatur to come to Danville, but lie came to a New School church when he made the change of location. During the war the Presbyterian church split on the matter of slavery. Those of the south and some localities of the north held with the larger number in an attitude of, if not sanction, then tolerance, of the institution, while the more radical went to themselves and established a communion, which was called the New School Pres- byterian church. In the country through the central and southern part of Illi- nois and Indiana, that political borderland of the northern and the southern sen- timents, there were many of these new churches and in some of even the smaller villages a church of both the regular and the New School were to be found.
In Covington, Indiana, the village on the other side of the state line, this was the case and the two churches were supported until some time after the war, when the New School church, no longer needing to exist, disbanded and the membership sought other homes. In Decatur the New School church was the stronger than was the regular church, and it held its own. In Danville there was but the one church and it was of the New School. This church was, as it is now, located on the corner of Franklin and North streets.
The church building was a frame house and yet remains standing on S. Walnut Street. During the first six years of the life of the Presbyterian church at Danville the meetings were held at the old log court house, in private houses, and in vacant rooms wherever circumstances made it best to go. In 1835 by means of much personal sacrifice, a church building was put up on the site of the present location of the stone church. This building is supposed to be the second Presbyterian church building in eastern Illinois.
This church building became really historic; it was used for everything that needed a hall in which to hold meetings. It was used for many years for almost all public gatherings, Sunday schools and other schools. On account of the prosperity of the church, a new house of worship was needed and built in 1858. This house was dedicated to the worship of God, December 24, 1865, the ser-
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mon on that day being preached by the Rev. Joseph Tuttle, president of Wabash College. The cost of that building was $12,000. In 1879, the Presbyterian church celebrated the semi-centennial of the organization of the society. In 1904 the Presbyterian church of Danville celebrated its seventy-fifth anniver- sary.
The ministers of this church can easily be numbered, so few changes have been made. Beginning at the first there are: Rev. Samuel Baldridge, the first minister who was employed to serve but half the time, he being a man of other employment. He was a physician. Rev. Kingsbury was engaged in 1831 and served the church continuously for twenty years. After that he continued his service as supply for seven years more. After so acceptable a service as was rendered by Rev. Kingsbury it was not to be expected that the next pastorates would be as extended. So it is that the years between 1850 and 1870 the church was served by Nathaniel Kingsbury (a brother of "Father" Kingsbury) and Orrin Cooley, Chas. H. Palmer (son of the first elder Palmer and brother of Mr. Eben Palmer), Wm. R. Palmer, James W. Stark, W. A. Hendrickson (who supplied two months in the summer of 1864), David R. Love, Charles P. Felch and William R. Powers.
In 1870 Rev. Asahel Brooks came to the pastorate of this church and was the beloved minister until his death in 1879. Rev. Brooks was pecularly fitted to be a minister in this locality and a citizen of Danville, at that time. In 1880 Rev. Chas. H. Little was called to this charge and served the church until 1893. Dur- ing the term of his service the Presbyterian church extended the bounds of its charge by doing some local missionary work which resulted in the forming of the Bethany church and Kingsbury chapel.
In 1907, by act of the higher organizations of this denomination, the Cum- berland Presbyterian churches were united with the regular Presbyterian church and the churches of that, at one time, distinct church in Vermilion county, must be considered under the same general head. There was a large number of accessions to the First Presbyterian church in Danville, from the Cumberland church before this union, however. That was during the pastorate of Rev. Little.
Rev. Little was followed in his pastorate by Rev. Willis E. Parsons who was installed pastor in 1893. Under his leadership the interest in Foreign Missions which this church had always held, was extended to the calling of a missionary to the field, the church had decided to take under particular care. It was then Rev. Wittemore was put in charge of the church in Korea which the Danville church supported. Rev. Parsons left the pastorate of the church in Danville to be- come president of the Parson's College in Iowa, a school established by his grand- father. Rev. Parsons was followed to the church in Danville by Rev. H. H. Shawhan. The first sermon was preached by the new pastor on Christmas day, 1904.
The Cumberland Presbyterian church has always been a strong church in Vermilion county, particularly within the southern part, owing more than in any other way to the energy and unceasing efforts of Rev. Ashmore. This branch of the Presbyterian faith appealed to the needs of the pioneer more force- fully than did that of the regular church. The greatest difference in the two
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churches were always the question of fatality in the Westminster Confession of faith, and the objection to an educated clergy. Believing that a man should preach whether he was educated or not, brought a class of preachers to the front who in no way were calculated to awe the people, and the early settlers of Ver- milion county, excepting those of the Society of Friends, many of them felt the power of this church and many chose the Cumberland church, so that large con- gregations were ready to go into the Presbyterian church where the union was affected in 1907.
Through the untiring efforts of Rev. Ashmore in the early days, the Cumber- land Presbyterian church had a phenomenal growth in the southern part of Vermilion County. It was not long after he began his work in Vermilion County that Rev. Ashmore was invited to preach in the northeast part of Elwood town- ship. He was a powerful preacher and formed a church there in 1842, which took the name of Liberty church.
Foster Elliott and wife, Alexander Campbell and wife, Andrew Davis and wife, Mrs. Kiturah Whitlock, Mrs. Baldwin and James Walls were among the first members. Elliott, Campbell and Davis were the first elders.
The old log meeting house was built on Foster Elliott's land in 1843 and stood about a half mile southwest of the building, afterward put up for the same purpose. In 1871 there was a more pretentious church built. The man who served this church as pastors during the early days of the life of this church were Rev. James Ashmore, Rev. A. Whitlock, Mr. Vandeventer, J. W. Jordon, James McFerrin, H. Vandyne and again Rev. Ashmore. This church is at present on the circuit with the church at Georgetown.
The Yankee Point Cumberland Presbyterian church was organized by Rev. Ashmore, November 5, 1853. The beginning of this church was interesting. Rev. Ashmore was in the midst of a series of fervent meetings which he was holding in the school house, and having them at the noon hour so as not to disturb the school, when one of the directors forbade the continuance of the meetings. The evangelist and his congregation were in no wise daunted but went to the house of James Thompson and had their meetings. The next day Rev. Ashmore had a deed for a lot put into his hand upon which to put up a house of worship, and a subscription with which to build it. The people made quick work both in organizing a society and in building a church in which to have their meetings. William Shark, William Golden, Arthur Patterson and James Long, were chosen elders and Isaac McPherson and William Carmichael, deacons. The membership was fifty to begin with, and comprised many names of the prominent early settlers. Of these, five went into the ministry. Allen Whitlock and his two brothers, (James and Thomas), Elam Golden and J. H. Milholland.
James Ashmore and Allen Whitlock preached for this church twenty years, and were followed by Revs. W. O. Smith, L. P. Detheridge, Jonathan Cooley, Mr. Groves and G. W. Montgomery. This church was built almost in the exact geographical center of Elwood township as it was before its division. Another church in this township was the old Gilead.
It was organized about the year after that at Yankee Point. The Fairmount Cumberland Presbyterian church was organized by Rev. G. W. Jordon in 1866.
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This church was largely made up of those who came to this place to live from the neighborhood of Mt. Vernon church. The church was built in 1871. It had both Rev. Ashmore and his son as preachers.
The Olive Branch Cumberland church was first built at old Homer, but when that town moved the church was located on the state road on what was then Wm. Hardin's land. All these Cumberland Presbyterian churches are united in cir- cuits under the management of the regular Presbyterian government.
Rev. Enoch Kingsbury was the pioneer Presbyterian preacher in Vermilion County, and Ross township reports his preaching from the time of its first settlement. In the southern part of the county the Cumberland Presbyterians had possession of the field, and no early communions of the regular Presbyte- rian church were established. It was in Danville and Ross township and Newell township that they are to be found.
When Alvin Gilbert went to Ross township he carried the devotion to the Pres- byterian church and to Rev. Kingsbury which came from personal knowledge. The Presbyterian church was organized at his house in 1850 by Rev. Kingsbury. There were six members united to form the church: Joseph Hains, Millie Bicknell, Eliza Kingsbury, David and Elizabeth Strain and Mrs. Nancy Gil- bert. Mr. Gilbert did not himself join the church until some months after- ward. Services were held in Mr. Gilbert's house until the Odd Fellows built their hall when, in common with all other denominations, services were held there. Rev. Kingsbury's long service was terminated in 1868, when Rev. W. N. Steele was employed, and continued to minister to the church until 1874. At this time Rev. John H. Dillingham, who had been for several years city mis- sionary in St. Louis, was employed in this Rossville church, where he remained for some years. The church building was erected in about 1869. It was a neat frame building 32x54, and cost $3,000. It had a vestibule at the corner surmounted by a belfry. It was dedicated October, 1870.
The first appointment made by the Methodist Episcopal church in Danville was in 1829, although probably some meetings had been held a year earlier. Danville was a part of the Engene circuit, and covered also appointments in Indiana, and all of what is now known as Vermilion County and Champaign County. It was a four weeks' circuit, the preachers on it holding service every day in the week. Rev. James McKain and Rev. J. E. French were the first preachers in this circuit. After them came Rev. William Harshy and Rev. Cotton James.
In 1836 G. W. Wallace made a warranty deed to the county commissioners (in trust) for the lot on corner of North and Vermilion streets. There seems to have been no trustees at that time, hence the deed being made to the com- missioners. In the interim, service was held in private houses, the school house, and in the groves. Among the first class leaders was Isaac Mckinney, who lived near Kyger's mill. He would walk to town and back again for the pur- pose of holding the meetings. Among the members of the first class were Samuel Whitman and wife, Harvey Luddington and wife, James Hulce and wife, Mrs. Mary Sconce, and a few others. The first church building was put up soon after the deed was made and cost $800. Later a new house of worship was built on the same lot at a cost of $13,500, which served the North street
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church as long as it remained on that location. When this church was built, it was called the finest house of worship in eastern Illinois.
In 1869 a division of the North Street church was effected, and a new so- ciety formed. This was in February of this year, and by the following month Rev. Enoch Jones was officially appointed by the presiding elder as preacher in this charge. Rev. Sampson Shinn was the presiding elder. Rev. Jones con- tinued in this relation until the following April, when he was succeeded by Rev. Nelson R. Whitehead, who was the preacher until the meeting of conference the following fall, when Rev. James Rucker assumed the pastorate. At the date of its formal organization, this society had twenty members. Its first quarterly conference was held June 7, 1869. The first board of trustees com- prised John McMahan, John M. Mann, Jacob L. Hill, George W. Hooton, Thomas Neely and J. G. English. The board of stewards were: Thomas Mc- Kibben, E. C. Abdill, G. W. Hooton, T. Neely, J. L. Hill, J. M. Lamm, J. G. English and J. Moody. Mr. English was appointed recording steward. As soon as the society was organized, the building of a house of worship was un- dertaken, and the dedication was November 18, 1869. The sermon was preached by Rev. Granville Moody of Kentucky. This church was named soon after its organization, in honor of Rev. I. C. Kimber. The pastors of Kimber church has been as follows: Rev. J. C. Rucker, Rev. George Stevens, Rev. William S. Hooper, Rev. Wm. S. Musgrove.
The Methodist Episcopal church is preeminently the popular pioneer society. In Vermilion County, Illinois, the Society of Friends and the Cumberland Presby- terian church divided territory in the southern part of it, and the Christian church competed for ground in Blount and Pilot townships, yet the Methodists were by no means crowded out. Elijah Yager went from Tennessee to teach in a family of Friends in Elwood township, and held regular meetings of those leaning to this other faith, before there was any circuit made in connection with any conference. The first regular meetings of this church in connection with any conference, were conducted by Rev. James McKain and his assistant, Rev. John E. French. These men had charge of the Eugene circuit. Services were held in the house of Samuel Graham. This was in 1828. These two men divided the circuit, thereby going to every charge once each fortnight. Each of the two preachers preached every day. They preached at Georgetown and at Cassadys. A class was formed at Mr. Grahams house, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Graham, Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Shires, Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Standfield, and Miss Graham. Mr. Shires was the first class leader. Mr. French was an English- man. The circuit rider has become a thing of the past; his sufferings would seem more unendurable these days of luxury, but at that time were taken but as a matter of course. Constantly on the go to meet appointment, never considering the meagre wage, his life is a marvel of unselfish helpfulness, al- most beyond the understanding of a young person of the present day.
Among the local preachers who kept up the work in this community were Joseph Allison, Mr. Cassady, Patrick Cowan, Arthur J. Jackson, and Wm. Stowers. Of the traveling preachers, those on record are Mr. Bradshaw, Asa and John McMoultry, and Mr. Anderson and others. There was a class formed at Ridge Farm in 1852. This grew out of the class formed four years
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before this, about a mile to the south. At the time the class was moved, Rev. G. W. Fairbanks was the presiding elder, and Rev. R. C. Horton was the preacher in charge. J. J. Donavan was class leader. Rev. Horton was a man of more than usual fearlessness of speech, and it is said that when he found that many of the class, did not attend class meeting, he expressed himself in a characteristic way. At the end of the quarter he found that but 17 of the 35 whose names were on the class book had attended, he set for- ward the 17 names and made this entry in the book: "I have only set for- ward the names of those people who have been to meeting; this is the best I can do. N. B. If any more of the members wish to be considered members, they must show their wish by their coming forward and claiming their mem- bership, and being Methodists." At this time Ridge Farm belonged to George- town circuit. The first meetings were held in the Hardscrabble school house. Among the early members were David Ankrum, Israel Patton, Joseph Kuns, Thos. Robinson, William Foster, J. R. Green, Jesse Smith, David Little, Jonah Hole, Thos. Henderson, and Cyrus Douglas. Old father Robinson never failed to be on hand when it was meeting time, and if there were no others there, would sing and pray as though the house was full. The first church was built in 1856, at which time S. Elliott was presiding elder, and Simpson Shinn was preacher in charge. The building was 35 by 55, and was a very comfortable house. In 1859 Levi C. Peters was presiding elder and Rev. G. W. Fairbanks, preacher. J. Hole and Thomas Henderson were class leaders. In 1863 it be- came Ridge Farm circuit. It was at this time that the church was burned, and the society bought a store building, where they worshiped until 1872, when another church was built. This church was built 35 by 60, at a cost of $3,000.
Another Methodist church was organized at the house of Joseph Allison, who lived on section 25, at Quaker Point as early as 1831 or 1832. The preachers of the Danville circuit preached here with considerable regularity, and this was the beginning of the Bethel church. A log church was built near the state line in 1842, by Mr. Allison, Wm. Kendell and others. Mr. Galladay wished to build it further north, and had some logs hewn for that purpose.
A Methodist church was built in Rossville in 1869. It was built of brick and cost $5,500. . It was dedicated by elder Moody, who was called the "fight- ing parson." This reputation he made in the army when he would fight all day and pray all night, with equal power and faith. There was a union church building put up on section 34, about two miles from the south and two from the eastern line of the township, in which any christian denomination was free to worship. The Methodist class made use of this, having the preachers who belonged to the Hoopeston circuit to be their pastors.
The Methodist church of Hoopeston was organized in 1872, by Rev. B. F. Hyde, of Rossville, and with Rev. Preston Wood as presiding elder. The preach- ing was first in McCracken's store. The circuit at that time included Schwartz, East Lynne, and Antioch, Rev. A. H. Alkire being pastor. In 1873 Rev. W. L. Lang was pastor, J. W. Phillips was presiding elder. Dick school house and Bridgemans school house were added as regular appointments. In 1874 Rev. Muirhead was pastor, and it was during his pastorate that the church was built. The first class in Middle Fork was organized at the house of John Johns in
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1829. It was in this year that Mr. Reuben Partlow went with John Johns, who lived ten miles southeast of the Partlow neighborhood to Danville to attend meeting and to ask the preacher, Rev. McKain to send an appointment to their neighborhood. They were successful, perhaps to the extent of hav- ing the circuit extended to the Partlow neighborhood. That, however, is a question not fully settled at this time. At the time the circuit was extended to.Johns, it was the Eugene circuit, and extended to Big Grove in Champaign County. Rev. Hershey, it is remembered, followed Rev. McKain and during his pastorate the circuit did extend to the Partlow neighborhood. Ten years later this class grew to be the Partlow church. During the pastorate of the preacher next following these classes became a part of the Danville circuit. For at least ten years there were no church buildings, but preaching was held in homes. Where there were two rooms in a house, the preacher could stand so as to be heard in both rooms. The preaching points were Blue Grass, Part- lows and Moreheads. The list of preachers were identical with those of Dan- ville, which are given on another page. Of these, Mr. Risley was a good man, but he got into trouble through a desire to see one party win the election; he was too much of a partisan to suit his people. Mr. Little was a talented preacher and a very acceptable pastor, but got into debt and did not have the courage to face it out. Few of these preachers if any, had any education, but were popular with their people. Rev. Harshey lived and died in Danville, and has always been spoken of with respect and praise.
In 1840 Mr. Partlow begged to contribute land upon which a church could be built. This added one more reason for the gratitude of the people to this pioneer in Methodism in the country included in Middle Fork township. This little church on the Middle Fork bottoms was a rude affair. The studding, beams and rafters were poles; the laths were rived out and the shingles were home made ; in fact it was all homemade material except the door, windows and siding. The seats were slabs with legs stuck in them. This building was used for the first school held in town. In 1865, another church was built and called the Partlow chapel. For a long time this was a part of the Vermilion cir- cuit, but in 1865 the four appointments were set off and became Blue Grass appointment.
In 1877 the parsonage at Myersville was built. The church at what was called Blue Grass, was built in 1854 during the administration of Rev. Wallace, and was named for him, being called Wallace chapel. It stands in section 28, one- half mile south of Blue Grass postoffice. The first church built at Marys- ville was put up in 1870. An old Methodist Episcopal church which stood about one-half mile south of Newtown, was built in 1835 or 1836. It was later called old Bethel. A class had been formed some time before this time and inet in private homes. The prominent members of this society at that time were Eli Helmick, Stephen Griffith, Mr. Haston, and many others. The Bethel circuit included a vast territory. People came for remote points in order to go to church. Twenty miles was not considered a great distance to go to quarterly meeting. In 1873 a new church was built in Newtown. The New- town circuit included the stations of Pilot, Chapel, Emberry, Finley and Bethel. Nearly all the first organized societies of Oakwood township were the outgrowth
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