USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a tale of its evolution, settlement and progress for nearly a century, Volume I > Part 44
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of the church at Bethel. In Blount township the first Methodist Episcopal church was at the home of John Johns, and for seven years this society held their service at that place. About 1839 a small frame church was built near Mr. Johns home.
The Fairchilds church, usually called the brick, was built in 1849. It was built under the supervision of Daniel Fairchild, but all the people gladly helped to put up their house. The Lewman church was built in 1858. Mr. James Lewman and John Wattles were interested in getting the work along. Old Peter Hastings, an itinerant preacher, whose life was consecrated to his work, used to hold services in the Lewman home, organized the first class here and urged the building of "Lebanon."
On day, in 1826, a Methodist Episcopal preacher was passing the house of William Delay, in Newell township, and Mr. Delay invited him to stop. Be- fore he left he preached a sermon to the neighbors who had collected to hear him. The Delay class was immediately organized and the circuit preaching begun. Mr. Delay and his wife Susan were first members of this class. At different times between this date and 1835 the following with many others whose names have not been kept, went into this class: Mary Boston, Anthony Howard, John Brewer and his wife Lavina, Aunt Polly Makemson and her husband, James Makemson, Christina Brewer, Sarah Roderick, Jane and Jacob Delay, Aunt Polly Current, and her husband, William Current. This was the first Methodist class organized in Newell township, and indeed the first preach- ing as well. The next place was Peter Starr's. This was a stated place for worship for several years. The genuine piety and hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Starr endeared them to all the class. The services were begun there in the fall of 1829. The Eckler school house was used for services of not only this denomination, but of all others. The Methodist Episcopal preachers were the same as those in Danville. The Methodist Episcopal church at Myersville did not organize until about 1840. Meetings were held at Henry Wood's, John Humphrey's James Davison's and the Kerr school house. In about 1854 the meeting house at Myers mill was built and called Wesley chapel. This church has met the fate of the town of Myersville.
The Methodist Episcopal society was organized at State Line in 1857. In about 1865 they built their church. Samuel Beck, who afterward won dis- tinction in the pulpits of Indiana, was preacher at that time. The first Meth- odist Episcopal class formed in Butler township was organized in 1855. It It was formed at the house of Eli Dobb. It was an interesting class and grew' into three separate churches: that at Schwartz, at Rankin and at Pellsville. When this church was formed there were sixteen members. C. Atkinson was the preacher in charge, and John Vinson was his assistant. This church be- longed to the Danville circuit, and there was no church in all the country but the Wallace chapel and the old church in the bottoms called Partlow's church. The preaching appointment was each alternate week, and as it was a very cold winter, Atkinson did not reach his appointments all during the winter. Mr. Vinson was faithful, however, and there was service at every appointed day. Greenbury Garner, Milo Butler, and W. H. McVey, were on the Dan- ville circuit before 1861. Mr. Elliott was presiding elder and after him was
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L. Pilnor. The Blue Grass circuit was formed in 1865, and the Swartz school house was built. S. Shinn was presiding elder. The class was divided, and those living near here were provided with regular preaching at this school house, which appointment belonged to the Blue Grass circuit, and those over by Dobbs were in the Paxton circuit The class over at East Lynn was formed in 1869. The church was built in 1875, and although they had some help from Danville, the most of the expense was borne by the local church. It was built under the preaching of Rev. J. Muirhead. This was put into the Hoopeston circuit. The Methodist church at Rankin was built in 1874. The first preacher here was the Rev. W. H. Musgrove. This church really became the successor to the first class organized in the township, at Dobbs' house, which appoint- ment was in the Paxton circuit.
The Methodist Episcopal church was built in 1873 and 1874. It was put into the Rankin circuit and served by the same preachers that were at Rankin. The Baptist church of Danville was organized in 1873, and held meetings for that purpose on the first Sabbath of the year named in Robert McDonald's hall, over Freese & Bayles store on Main street. After a sermon preached by the Rev. T. S. Graham, he advised those present who felt at all so inclined to organize a church, the following persons signed the covenant: Mrs. F. B. Freese, Mrs. M. F. C. Swilbur, M. K. Gayle, Mrs. H. L. Holton, Mrs. S. Kimball, J. W. Parker, E. Wilkinson, Mrs. E. Wilkinson and Mrs. Eliza Davis. The church then call Rev. Graham to be their pastor. This church built their house of worship on the corner of Walnut and Madison streets. They very much need a new church which they expect to build soon and, indeed have had the means to this end for several past years. The Baptist church of Hoopeston was organized by Rev. G. T. Willis from Champaign in 1873, with twelve mem- bers. The church was put into the Gilman Association, and for a long time was kept in connection without a pastor.
The old Middle Fork Baptist church was organized in 1834, by Elder Free- man Smalley, with about twenty members. Freeman, Benjamin and James Smalley and their wives, Mr. Herro and wife, Polly Stearns, Levi Asher and wife, Mr. Pursell and wife, Mr. Stevens (a licensed preacher of English birth) and wife, Mr. A. Sowders and wife, Mr. Pentecost and wife, Samuel Copeland and wife, and Mrs. White were early members of this church. This church was prosperous until the war times, when questions arose and the people took strong sides, which resulted in disaster. In 1852 a church was organized called Hopewell, and included as many as possible of the parent church, together with newcomers, in and about Blue Grass. The pastors of the old church succeeding Elder Smalley, were Revs. Dodson, A. C. Blanken- ship and Benjamin Harris.
The Point Pleasant church was organized in 1866 by Elder C. B. Seals. who was a licensed preacher. Under his pastorate, the church was built in 1867. A word should be said right here about the Smalley family. They came among the very first to the northwestern part of Blount township, and have exercised a beneficial influence on society, as leaders in religion and edu- cational affairs. These earnest pioneer believers upheld the doctrine of the Baptist faith in and around Higginsville. They organized several churches in
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this vicinity. The good results of Freeman Smalley's labors are by no means forgotten, even to this day. The first Baptist church was formed at Mr. Smalley's house in about 1834. As no house used as a home could hold the people who wanted to hear him preach, the followers soon looked about to find a place of better accommodations. In 1837 the church was built at Hig- ginsville, a few rods west of where the store afterward stood. This church was the product of united labor. It was built as carefully as possible, and all the neighborhood was out ready and anxious to give of their best strength and skill. The siding was made of black walnut, and the floor was made of ash. This building stood in place until it went into such need of repair it was taken down. One of the preachers must have had great influence if he was as well rounded out as was his name. This was Elder Bartlett Dowell Crede Herro. Other preachers were Elder Smalley and the Blankenships. The regular Pre- destinarian Baptists were early in the field as a religious factor in Oakwood township. Their first meetings were in the neighborhood of Conkeytown. These meetings were in a school house near the old Aaron Dalby farm. Rhodes Smith was the principal man of influence in the church. At that time he was keeping a small store on the east side of Stoney Creek, on the state road. John Orr was the first preacher in this "hardshell Baptist" church. A little later Mr. Smith moved further up the creek near "Crab Apple Grove," and a society was formed and met at his house regularly. This was in 1858. The organizer and minister was Rev. John Orr. After some time the meetings were held in the Gormon school house. They continued to be held in this school house until the building of their church, one and a half miles north of Oakwood station. This was put up in the spring of 1876.
About 1854 the Missionary Baptists established a church on Stoney Creek. The first preachers were Carter and Blankenship. One of the prominent mem- bers of this society was Seneca Stearns. The church was built in 1857. This denomination is not largely represented in the county, and although there may be other societies of them in the past, this is the only one discovered.
Before attempting a history of the Church of Christ in this county, it is well to have the distinction made between what at first appears to be several denominations. The confusion of the churches, called the Church of Christ, the Christian, the Campbellites and the New Lights, all arise from there being real names and nicknames of the same societies. There are the two churches only : the one is the Church of Christ, which is sometimes called the "Camp- bellite" church, because its members are followers of the teachings of Alex- ander Campbell; and the Christian church which is sometimes known as the "New Light" church.
In Danville, there are four of the Church of Christ, and one of the Christian church. These churches are both represented in Vermilion County. Until Jan- uary, 1873, there were no churches of this denomination in Danville. John P. Rowe held service in the hall of the LeSeure block in that month, the result of which was the organization of a church of this denomination. Soon after this time, the church called the Rev. W. R. Jewell, as their pastor. He remained in charge for some time, being at the same time editor of the Danville News. During the time of his pastorate the church increased in numbers and put up
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH YET STANDING ON SOUTH WALNUT STREET
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a neat building. This beginning has resulted in establishing three churches of this denomination in Danville. These churches are not only strong in num- bers, but are able to report much good, having been done by them. Rev. S. S. Jones came to the First Church of Christ in 1894, and has proven to be a man of unusual strength in his church. After a pastorate of several years, he severed his connection with that church, but not to leave Danville. A second Church of Christ had already been organized and had a pastor. So popular were both Rev. Jones and his wife, that a third church was formed and he was called to it as its pastor. That church has proven a force for great good in the community. It has supported a mission Sunday school in both Oaklawn and South Danville. Oaklawn school is under the charge of the Second Church, more fully than that of this church at present, but the Sunday school in South Danville is the work of the third Church of Christ, without aid from any other church.
The Church of Christ was made popular and extended in its usefulness through the work of Raleigh Martin. What Rev. Ashmore was to the Cum- berland Presbyterian church, Rev. Martin was to the Church of Christ in Vermilion County. He located a church at Hoopeston in 1873. The Church of Christ was organized at Fairmount in 1877. Another church organized by elder Martin was at Marysville in 1860. Another of his successful churches was organized in a school house, north of Conkeytown, in about this time or earlier. The church organized at the Gormon school house, was yet another Elder Martin established. Several churches were early established in Blount township. The one which was formed in 1834 with Samuel Swisher, Samuel Bloomfield and James Magee, as the first officers, met from house to house for many years, and at last put up a building just east of Copelands. Elder Martin preached here once a month for fifteen years. This denomination was represented in Newell township as early as 1834. The church was called the Walnut Corners. When the meeting house was built in 1850, every denomi- nation was made to feel free to use it. Pleasant View Church of Christ was located in the Leonard settlement: There are other churches of this denomi- nation to be found throughout this section. This church had much to do in shaping the history of Vermilion County, particularly in the western part and the northern part.
The Christian church, or "New Lights" as they are often called, have societies throughout the county. There is one church of this denomination in Danville located on North Walnut street. The others which were formed at an early time in the history of the county are: the one at Tilton organized in 1872, the one at section 34, in Grant township, founded in 1870, the society at Finley chapel, the church at Conkeytown, and other parts of Oakwood township.
Churches which have determined history in the eastern states, such as the Congregational the Unitarian, and the Universalist society, are found com- pletely wanting in Vermilion County. The exception of the latter must be made, however, since there is a church of this denomination in Hoopeston. Up to the years 1863-64, there was no Protestant Episcopal church in Vermilion County. This is not such as strange thing as at first seems. Up to that time, the pioneer days had hardly passed and the church of this denomination did not
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appeal to the back woodsman or the hardy tradesman, or man of a trade. particularly as it was the church of a nation which this nation had hardly come to emulate. The habits of refined society rather than those of a new country builds up these churches, while those of the pioneer tend toward building up the churches as the Christian church, the Methodist Episcopal and the Cum- berland Presbyterian churches. So it is that the county was thirty and more years old, before there was a demand for a church of this denomination. And even when there were enough newcomers to make an organization of this kind possible, the church came and remained as a mission rather than an in- dependent church.
Rev. Osborn of Chicago held service during the years of 1863 and 1864. December 10, 1865, E. J. Puryt, at that time late of Logansport, Indiana, was here holding service. The following evening a meeting was called with the purpose of definite work. It was at this time that the founding of a church was brought about. A committee of general extension was appointed and consisted of the following: Mrs. Wm. Hessey, Mrs. Henry S. Forbes, Mrs. Matilda Holton, and Messrs. John Donlon, J. C. Winslow, Charles Cotton, J. R. Baker and R. W. Hanford. At the organization of this church there was only one communicant in town. With so unpromising a beginning the Holy Trinity Episcopal church of Danville has grown into a flourishing in- stitution which spared the number of communicants that swarmed from the hive, forming the St. Marks church. The Holy Trinity church is pleasantly housed in a small but very pleasing church on North Vermilion street. The church is as pleasingly furnished on the interior as on the outside, and shows good taste in every part of its building. Father Rochstroh has been the loved rector. St. Mark's church was organized in 1908. Their building is lo- cated in the northern part of Danville. A rectory was bought and service held in it while the building was in course of construction.
The policy of the Romish church is concentration. So it is there is no use in looking for this church in every village, while the great churches in a city are always of the Roman Catholic denomination. Danville has two Roman Catholic churches and they are both in the same part of town, and at the opposite end of Danville from where the largest church was organized. It was in 1852 that Father Ryan held service in the northwest of Danville at near what was the then I. B. and W. railroad bridge. In 1858 they built the first brick church, located on Chestnut near Elizabeth street. The cost of this building was about $1,500. The first priest was Father Lambert, and the first bishop who ever preached in Danville was Bishop Foley of Chicago. The congregation outgrew the church building by 1880, and another was put up on east Main street.
The Catholic churches in Danville have been organized by nationality. The largest church was what was called the Irish Catholic and the other is the German Catholic church. The Irish Catholic church has included Americans, while the service in the German church has been in a strange tongue for the con- venience of those from Germany, who have come to America. This church is located at the corner of Green and College streets. It was built in 1863. Previous to that date the congregation held service in the other Catholic church. This building was put up at a cost of $4,570, and was formally dedicated by the
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Rt. Rev. John W. Luers, bishop of Fort Wayne. The first priest in charge was Rev. A. M. Reck. This church is responsible for the St. Elizabeth Hospital, which is considered more at length in the chapter that includes this subject. The Germans have other churches in Danville.
The German Lutheran church is one of the strongest in the city. The first service of this denomination was held in November, 1862 at the house of J. Hacker. These meetings were continued from time to time until in February of the following year it was decided to organize a church. In 1865 they built a church and established a day school in which the elementary branches were to be taught together with the peculiar tenets of their religion. In 1857 Rev. G. Keiser was engaged in the Marshall Mission. His field included Marshall, Paris and Clarksville. He was the first one to be invited to come to Danville to preach to the Germans. He went from house to house of the Germans and ask them to go to the home of Mr. Jacob Shatz for a meeting. From the time of this first meeting Danville was considered as a regular appointment. In the course of time they built the brick church at the corner of Madison and Jack- son streets. This was the second church they had built. It was dedicated on Sunday, November 30, by Dr. Fowler, then president of the Northwestern University.
In 1862 the German United Brethern in Christ, built them a church at a cost of $600, but later built a larger one at a cost of $3,033. This church had been organized some time before any steps were taken to build a house of worship. The first preaching service held by the U. B. church was in the old German church in 1870. A church was built in the following year. Four years later this building was taken down and removed to North Vermilion street, where a better one was erected. The Welsh Independent church was organ- ized in South Danville, March 10, 1872. They bought the building formerly used and owned by the U. B. church. The former society disbanded and had no use for the building.
FRIENDS IN VERMILION COUNTY. (CONTRIBUTED BY BERTRAM REES.)
A society which has doubtless been the greatest factor in the development of Vermilion County, in the southern part of it is the Quakers or Friends. The Society of Friends was early established and from the very first start of the county its influence has been felt. Vermilion County, "Past and Present," con- tains a sketch of these peculiar people which is worth copying in full. It must be known that while the customs of the people are apparently being lost, there are many of even the younger members of the Society of Friends, who cling to its belief and ways of doing.
A wedding in which the two contracting parties were members of the So- ciety of Friends, took place but the other day in this community. The two young people made known to their respective monthly meetings their intention to marry. The matter was gone over by a committee appointed by the monthly meetings, and a favorable report returned. The two then proceeded about the matter. There were no flowers at this wedding, no decorations of any kind.
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The bridal party, which consisted of the bride, the bridegroom and four attend- ants, took their places on the front seats in the church, and after almost an hour spent in almost absolute silence, they arose and repeated the ceremony, no preacher being required. The marriage certificate was signed by a number of prominent Friends in the congregation and will be placed on the records in the county. Immediately after the ceremony, the bridal party went to their home, where there was a well furnished house and dinner was served. The ceremony is a beautiful and impressive one, and must be rehearsed until both are perfectly acquainted with all the requirements of it. All the young people of this society do not insist upon this quaint old ceremony, but many yet do use it.
In the early years of the nineteenth century the Friends or Quakers in the east and south became dissatisfied with their surroundings and began an exodus north and westward. The reason for this movement was probably twofold: first, to get away from slavery, which was very distasteful to them and which they considered a very wrong and vile business besides being contrary to their church creed; second, having never been very prosperous in the rocky and mountainous regions of Virginia and Tennessee, they determined to establish themselves in a more fertile and productive region where they could build for themselves a religious and educational community according to their own ideas and beliefs. Ohio and Indiana received a great number of these emigrants, some of which being still dissatisfied, pushed farther west and settled in the fertile plains of Vermilion County, Illinois, near what is now Vermilion Grove. This was soon after the grand old Prairie state had been admitted to state- hood, and since that time many communities and meetings have sprung up around this place.
The first of these settlers came by way of Indiana from Jefferson County, Tennessee, arriving at Vermilion Grove in 1822. Among the first families were those of John Haworth, Henry Canaday and John Mills, John Haworth settled on what is now known as the Academy Farm, which was donated to that institution by his son, Elvin Haworth, some years ago. On this farm was located a rude log hut, in which the first meetings for worship were held soon after the settlement was made. Henry Canaday settled on what is known as the R. H. Canaday farm, one-half mile west of the Grove. Henry Canaday was the first man to be appointed to the position as head of the meeting, a place of great importance in the carrying on of the Friends church at that early day.
John Mills settled on what is known as the old Mills homestead, two miles west of the station near where Richard Mills now lives. The country was wild prairie and timber lands at that time. Foxes and wolves were plentiful, and wild turkeys and prairie chickens furnished much food for the settlers. Indians, wild and fierce, still roamed over the prairie and timber lands and hunted the bison and deer and fished unmolested along the little streams. No roads were seen except the hunter's path. No bridges crossed the sluggish streams. No fences bound the traveler's way, but nature held complete con- trol and seemed to battle hard against invasions made by human hands. Ague and fever proved dreadful foes and pestilence made havoc among the little
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band, but push and perseverance which those early settlers possessed and which has been a predominant characteristic of their descendants, soon made the wild and barren lands "to blossom like the rose" and produce abundant crops. Ponds were drained, the land was cleared, roads were laid out, and soon the country assumed the appearance of civilization.
Following the first settlers, or families, came the Hendersons, in 1824, and the Reeses in 1830, and Hesters and Mendenhalls about the same time. Others whose names are not mentioned came early and helped to make up the neigh- borhood and subdue the wild country. The first "meeting house" was built in 1823 in the north end of what is now Vermilion cemetery. It was built of huge walnut logs, measuring from two to three feet in diameter. The roof was clapboards and the seats were hewn logs. It was here in this rude house that Friends for miles around came together regularly, twice a week for twenty- nine years to worship God and study of Him out of His word. At the end of this time, or in 1853, the first frame house was built near where the log one stood. This house had many more accommodations, but still the conven- iences were very meager compared with a modern church. The first branch meeting was established at Elwood, at which place a log house was built about 1830. This cabin served as a church until 1846, when a frame house with a stone foundation was built.
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