History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 15

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 704

USA > Illinois > Clay County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 15
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 15

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

His religious impressions were of the deepest cast, and of that intense character that fixed them as settled facts in his mind and heart, and were so indelibly stamped upon his life, that their influence was felt by all who came into his presence. If men were

boisterous and hilarious before, they became hashed and quiet. as he passed along. If riotous and threatening, a motion of his hand, or a word of admonition from Charles Slocumb, would calm the raging sea of pas- sion. But, in the midst of his career of great usefulness, in the prime of life, as it were, he was stricken down by the fell de- stroyer in 1844, and his ashes repose on his old homestead in Concord. White County. With his life-long friend, Rev. John Shrader, he had arranged that when one of them should die, the other should preach his funeral, and Shrader came from Indiana on the occasion, and attended to the last sad rites of his lamented friend. It was re- marked of him at the time of his death, that " the sword was too sharp for the scabbard." To many it was a matter of wonder why one so greatly useful in the world, should be called away so early by an overruling Provi- dence. It may be answered that "death loves a shining mark, " and that Charles Slo- cumb was fully ripe for the kingdom, and it was not meet that he should longer tarry, or remain away from his Master's abode.

His family have all passed away, and are, doubtless, with him, enjoying a rich reward and brighter rest above. His life, like a celestial meteor, shown with brillianey upon all the surrounding horrizon:

"He sleeps the sleep of the just."

Regular Baptist Church .*- In attempting to write the history of this church in this county, we have had to encounter several ob- staeles, among which is the loss or want of sufficient church records, and the treachery of memory in the older persons. If this sketch should fail to come up to what some might desire they must attribute the failure to the want of sufficient facts on which to

* John Keene, Jr.

120

HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

base it, and not for want of a desire on the part of the writer to do them justice.

The earliest organization of the Baptist Church in this county which we have been able to gather, was at what was then and still is known as Hopewell, in the southern part of Barnhill Township. This church was or- ganized Angust 5, 1820, by Elders William Hanks and Benjamin Keith. The persons entering into this organization at that time were James Bird, Susan Bird, William Wad- kins, Polly Wadkins, Stephen Coonrod, John Coonrod, Anna Blissett and Naomi Close, all of whom most likely have long since passed away. The church record from which we gather these facts, after giving the organiza- tion, articles of faith, and rules of decorum, makes a skip of some twenty years, that is from 1820 to 1840, and this interval we are unable to supply, except from what few stray items we have been able to gather from per- sons who were living here at that time. We presume this congregation had no house of worship at the date of their organization, as we find in their record at the time of their organization this entry: "Done at the place of George Close's, Wayne County and State of Illinois." They afterward, however, but at what date we do not know, erected a house of worship. As to who their early preachers were we are not informed. We find in 1840 that William Wadkins was their pastor, and Asa Atteberry, clerk. This parent church flourished and prospered for some years, and the membership lived in harmony until prob- ably from 1830 to 1835, when one Daniel Parker, from somewhere in Illinois, came amongst them and began to preach doctrines which some of the members could not relish. Just what those doctrines were we were not advised, but one thing we find they were in- duced by Parker and his adherents to take upon themselves the name of " Regular Bap-

tists." By what name they were known be. fore this we are not advised. From a short history of this church which was written some years after this, by one Carter J. Kelly, we find this statement made by him: "The churches were then known universally as United Baptist, the original having emi- grated from Kentucky and Tennessee, where they were universally known as United Bap- tist." We; only give this as we find it, and do not wish to be understood as endorsing or rejecting it as true, as it is not our province to attempt (were we able to do so) to settle church disputes. We find, however, that the breach already made continued to widen, until March, 1845, it culminated in a division of the church, one party taking the name of United or Missionary Baptist, the other tak- ing to themselves the name of Regular Pre- destinarian Baptists. Both factions claim to be the genuine original Baptist Church, and to have descended in a regular line from the Waldenses, and the contest has been long and bitterly contested, and is still unsettled, and we do not feel called upon, neither do we desire to take sides in the matter, but to leave it where we find it, unsettled.

After the organization of the Hopewell Church, we have no record of the organiza- tion of any other church of this denomina- tion until July, 1846; at this time there was organized by Elders Richard Gardner, Jere- miah Doty and C. S. Madding, a church in Mt. Erie Township, then and still known as Providence Church.

The persons entering into this organization at that time were Jesse Williams, Thomas Traverse, John Meadows, Nathaniel Traverse, Reuben Whitaker, William H. Harrelson, Nancy Williams, Hannah Vandaver, Mary Rice, Elizabeth Collins, Christina Traverse, Catharine Harrelson and Belinda McCollum.

From the best information we can get, the

121

HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

larger part of those entering this organiza- tion are now dead; but others have united with the church from time to time, and it is still kept up. They have a house of worship and regular preaching.

The next church organized was in Decem- ber 1848, in Hickory Hill Township, and known as Little Flock. This church was organized by Joseph Hartley, John Martin, Barnes Reeves, Solomon Blissett and Brady Meeks. The persons entering this organiza- tion were Sarah M. Crask, Stout Atteberry, Fanny L. Atteberry, Alfred Wilson, Joseph Crask, Nancy Crask. Abraham P. Witter, Sarah M. Wilson. Enos K. Wilson, Wilkins Dewees and Eleanor Dewees: of this number only three are now living, to wit: Fanny L. Atteberry, Joseph Crask and Abraham P. Witter.

This church, like many others, has had its days of prosperty and its days of adversity. They have a comfortable house of worship, and regular preaching; and notwithstanding nearly all the old members who "bore the heat and burden of the day" have passed away, yet others have come forward and taken their places; and though they are few in number, yet they may be said to be in a fair condition of prosperity.

There have probably been other churches of this denomination organized in the county, but they have gone down. and only these three so far as we are advised. now exist.

As to who the earlier preachers were, we are at quite a loss. We will, however, give the names of a few we have been able to gather :- Dewey, Robert Eskridge, Samuel Dickens, William Wadkins, Joseph Hartley, Jeremiah Doty, Isaiah Walker, Charles H. Clay, William Lawson and others.

As a people the "old Baptist," as they style themselves, are honest and sincere; and whatever the world may think of their doc-

trines, manners and customs as a church, still all must admit that they are honest in their views.

One of the main reasons for the split in the Baptist Church, not only in this county, but elsewhere, was on the missionary ques- tion. The "Regulars" claim to be the true missionary church as organized by Christ and his apostles. They maintain that when God calls a man to preach, that the man so called feels that a necessity is laid upon him, and that he feels as did the Apostle Paul, "Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel," and that feeling thus, they are compelled to go wherever the Lord directs, and that with- out "stave or script." So, taking their own version of the matter, they are not opposed to missions, but to the manner of sending them ont; or, in other words, they believe a preacher should go and preach, and not be sent out by a board.

Numerically speaking, they are a weak church, and likely to remain so, as their doc. trines and customs are not in keeping with the fast age in which we are living; and in churches, as in all other institutions the ma- jority want to be on the popular side.

Free-Will Baptists. - The first church was organized in this county about two miles west of Jeffersonville, September 2, 1854, by Rev. S. S. Branch, and consisted of six members: S. S. Branch, Elizabeth Branch, Densy Tubbs, Samuel Branch, Jacob S. Hawk and Mary Hawk. Of this number the last three are still living, and active members of the church. S. S. Branch was chosen pastor; J. S. Hawk, clerk, and Sam- nel Branch, deacon. The Saturday before the third Sabbath of each month, was ap- pointed for covenant meetings. Regular services were held on the Sabbath. Rev. S. S. Branch was born in Vermont,lin 1794, re- moved to Ohio in 1820; professed religion

122

HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

in April, 1831; baptized by Rev. Steadman, a powerful preacher of Southern Ohio; or- dained in 1841; removed to Illinois, 1853; died January 29, 1862, leaving a wife and eight children. At last accounts his widow was living in Rock County, Minn., with her BOD, Joseph. Of the ten children of this family, four are living. The oldest, Sirenus Branch, is living in the northern part of this county, and is a carpenter by trade. The second child of the family was the second wife of Titus Buffington, of Xenia, Ill., who is well known to many of our readers. Stephen Branch is living at Sandoval, Ill .; Joseph Branch in Rock County, Minn .; Levi B -- , in Kansas. Of the other orig- inal members, Densy Tubbs is living another life in the "bright beyond;" J. S. Hawk is living on a good farm, enjoying the rounds of life: Samuel Branch is living in Jeffersonville, Wayne County, in a ripe old age.

The church flourished for a time under the efficient labors of its pastor, who was an earnest, practical preacher of Gospel truths. After his death, Rev. John Rhodes, of Bone Gap, Edwards Co., Ill., preached to the church for a time.

The church struggled on, but removals, death and dissensions ere long reduced the number and disheartened all.

The " lions by the wayside " caused many to retrace their steps to the enticing shades of sinful pleasure.

Years rolled by, and although the church had almost lost its visible form there were some who still stood firm to the faith, and kept alive the coals from which, since then, a bright fire has been kindled.

In 1872, Rev. G. H. Moon, having located in the county, the church chose him as pastor, but its progress for a few years was not rapid. although its life blood pulsated with more regularity. Dr. Talmage has sald:

" A prayer never goes heaven high that does not go pocket deep," and history affirms that the progress of a church is in proportion as its means are consecrated. In the early spring of 1878, the church enjoyed a sweep- ing revival under the labors of the pastor. Members were quickened, back-sliders re- claimed and sinners brought to Christ. From that time on it has been such as to merit the best regards of'all Christians. Upon the re- signation of G. H. Moon, Rev. J. C. Gilliland was chosen pastor in January, 1880. An- other revival made sad havoc among the workers of iniquity, and the church was greatly strengthened.

A church house was soon talked of, and soon stood upon its foundations in a beauti- ful place, about two and three-fourth miles west of Jeffersonville. It is a structure that honors the church and the community where it stands.

J. C. Gilliland having moved away, Rev. W. R. Moon was selected as pastor, June, 1883. He had been licensed to preach, but on October 21, he was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry. Another revival was now enjoyed under the labors of Rev. Harry Thompson, of Lebanon, Ill. A young man, writing to the pastor said: " The whole community is love." The Sunday school which was already large was fired with new zeal and interest. A public prayer meeting was held every Sunday night, and a young people's prayer meeting every Wednesday night. The membership at present (January, 1884) is ninety-two.

In June, 1872, another church was organ- ized at Big Mound, by Rev A. J. Hoskin- son, of Odin, Ill., consisting of ten members: G. H. and Mrs. Moon, Joshua Davis, Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, H. N. Moon, Mrs. Lillie Moon, Mr. and Mrs. E. Scranton, Betty Vir- den and Flora Moon.

123

HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

The biography of some of these will be found in another chapter of this volume.

Of this number four have removed to other localities, one has died. The other five, Joshua Davis, Mrs. Davis, G. H., Mrs. M. B. and Flora Moon are still standing with shoulder to the wheel.

H. N. Moon has removed to Ohio, and is residing in Marion County. E. Scranton removed to Lamard Township, and Betty Virden silently closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful slumber to awake again on the farther shore.

G. H. Moon was chosen pastor at the time of organization, and held the position till 1880, during which time different revivals were enjoyed by the church. Upon his res- ignation, Rev. J. C. Gilliland was chosen pastor. but, owing to ill-health, his labors with the church were not regular. After his removal to another locality, G. H. Moon again ministered to the spiritual wants of the church until the spring of 1881, when a good revival was had, and W. R. Moon was chosen pastor.

The difficulties through which this church has passed have been many and grievous, but they have only cemented more firmly togeth- er the sturdy hearts that crowd around the helm.

Although its career has not been the most brilliant, yet no jar of discord has ever marred its ebb and flow. It now numbers thirty-seven members, and sustains a regular prayer meeting.

The local church is always an independent body so far as relates to its own government; chooses its own officers, and disciplines its own members; that immersion is the only mode of baptism; do not believe in fore. ordination; believe in unrestricted communion with all true believers; takes an active part in educational work, as it shows the remark-

able record of an institution of learning to every 6,000 members of its order. It also stands high in missionary work, and has about thirty workers; eleven well established schools, and also a printing establishment in the foreign held.

General; Baptist Church .- The religious organization that maintains that there is a possible general atonement for all mankind, and that all good people have a right to the communion, regardless of whatever religious creed they may belong to, is known as " The General Baptists," and had its origin in the United States in 1637, twenty-six years prior to any organization of the kind in England.

The first church of the above denomination that was organized in Wayne County, was so effected by Elder R. Stinson in the fall of 1853, and was known as the " Old Arrington Prairie Church." The original members were H. H. Brown and wife, John Wheeler and wife, James W. Gwin, C. C. Ayres, Thomp- son Fares and Samuel Rogers. At this or- ganization, James W. Gwin and Thompson Fares were ordained Elders by Elder Stin- son, assisted by Elder Samuel Branch.

Elder Givin possessed but a limited edu- cation, yet was endowed with strong natural qualities, and at once set out with earnest ef- forts in his ministerial labors, and on March 26, 1859, he organized Mt. Pleasant Church, when, assisted by Elder S. Branch, he or- dained H. H. Brown and W. M. Montgall. Later, by the efforts of H. H. Brown and W. M. Montgall, the Johnson Prairie and Wil- son Branch Churches were organized from persons who held their membership with the Liberty Association, General Baptist Church, in Indiana. It was in 1863 that they ob- tained permission from the mother church in Indiana to effect an association in Wayne County, and accordingly the Union Grove Association was organized by Elders Brown,

124

HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

Branch and Stinson. The organization has continued to grow from the beginning, and at present thirteen churches are numbered in its list, which are in Wayne County. Elder Gwin, who was instrumental in bringing about the above organizations, moved to Ar- kansas soon after the Union Grove Associa- tion was established, where he subsequently died, after having organized other associa- tions. Elder William M. Montgall was an earnest worker, but was taken with consump- tion soon after having been ordained, and his short but useful career was abruptly end- ed. The writer could obtain but little data relative to the life of Elder Fares, but H. H. Brown is living in Johnsonville, and has served well his religious organization in va- rious places, and has been entrusted with some small but important offices in the gift of the general public where he resides. He, like the other originators of the General Bap- tist Church in Wayne County, had but a limited education, but with such energies as he could "muster up " he has, like them, done a noble work, notwithstanding the mem- bership of the various churches where they have labored in this county is composed of persons of limited circumstances, such that they are not, even now, able to compensate the various Elders as largely as other asso- ciations. Upon the whole, the vicissitudes of the church in this county have been vari- ous. Sometimes they had marked prosperity, which would last for a short time, and this frequently followed by a decade of lingering apathy, or at least a state of comparative quiescence, but the average has been a vital- ity that is not at all discouraging to the many members who in the long ago learned to love it as the child does its protecting and cher- ishing mother.

United Baptists .*- Pleasant Grove Church

was organized September 25, 1853. with twelve members, as follows: Samuel C. Pendleton. James Hearn, John R. Carter, Eliza R. Pendleton, Hannah Carter, Lidia Doris, Susan Fitzgerald, Phebe Butler, Ma- hala Boyce, Rosanna Meritt, Mary Butler, Sarah A. Robinson. Two of these are still living, James Hearn and Rosanna Meritt.

The ministers composing the presbytery were Elders Joseph P. Ellis, Carter J. Kel- ley, William P. Sneed and Solomon M. Webb. At the close of the meeting, which lasted about ten days, there were twenty-four converts baptized into the church, and eleven others united with the church by letter and relation.

There have been about five hundred names enrolled on the church book since its organi- zation. 'Three churches have been organized from this church, viz., Bethel Church, in White County; Providence Church and Barnhill Church in Wayne County, and a portion of the members that went into the third organization at Fairfield, were from this church in the thirty years that the church has had an existence. A great many have drawn letters and moved away; some have been excluded and others died, leaving at the present writing about one hundred and forty-six members. The church has set apart three to the ministry, viz., Revs. B. S. Meeks, D. C. Walker and S. C. Pendleton, all of whom have served the church as pastor, B. S. Meeks for a number of years, perhaps half the time since the church's organiza- tion. The above- named ministers have all departed this life.

Three other ordained ministers have be- longed to the church-Revs. C. J. Kelley, E. W. Overstreet and Gideon Tenison, besides licentiates that have been ordained by other churches after receiving letters from this church, J. M. Madding and S. M. Tenison,

*D. K. Felix.

125

HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

while others have been licensed and or- dained since.

Pleasant Grove Church might properly be called the mother of the Baptist Churches in the southern part of Wayne County and the northern part of White County.

Of the six ordained ministers that have belonged to the church, none are living. The church has no minister of its own, and has to be supplied from abroad.

We give the names of the ministers that have served the church as pastors since its organization :

Carter J. Kelley, E. W. Overstreet, B. S. Meeks, J. B. Smith, S. C. Pendleton, D. C. Walker. J. H. Murray, K. G. Ilay. Elder S. A. Martin served as pastor a few months.

The following deacons were ordained :

B. S. Meeks, J. R. Carter, D. W. Atte- berry and D. K. Felix. William P. Whiting was ordained by Salem Church of White County, and is a member of this church. Four different ones have served as clerk, viz. :

D. C. Walker, D. K. Felix, J. R. Carter, D. W. Atteberry.

population, and in the vicinity of this settle- ment the land was all vacant, being but a few squatters residing in a radius of several miles. No schoolhouses or churches within several miles of this settlement. The first work was to locate their homes, build their houses, and get a little land opened up for cultivation. As soon as this was done, the next work was to build a house that would answer the double purpose of a schoolhouse and a place of public worship.

The church was not properly organized un- til the fall of 1840. The writer has at this time, no means of knowing the names of all that went into this organization. With this first emigration, there were a number of preachers that did good work in establishing the cause in this, and adjoining counties, among whom were Jones Lumm, Fenton Lumm, Isaac Whitaker and Cornelius Ades. This church at its first organization, besides the labors of the above named brethren, had the labors of the Goodwin brothers-Moses and Elijah-of William Bristow and David R. Chance, although these brethren have all long since gone to their long home, where they are resting from their labors. Three names are fresh in the memories of all the brethren.

Christian Church .-- In the year 1839, a number of families emigrated from Colum- biana, Carroll and Stark Counties, Ohio, to this county, and settled in Lamard Prairie . As these old soldiers and pioneers have and vicinity. All of these families belonged one by one passed away, new ones have sprung mp in their places, among whom will name Jeramiah Butcher, E. J. Hart, Joseph Skelton, and more recently Brother Rose, Brother Wall and Brother D. Logan. The school that was first taught at the Buckeye Schoolhouse (this was the name given the house and also the name given the church), was tanght by Gibson B. Davis ; he taught there for several years, and by his labors in his school, in the Sunday school and the church, assisted largely in building up the cause of morality and religion in the neighborhood. to the Christian Church, among whom we name Jesse Milner, Isaac Whitaker, Edward Whitaker, Jonas Lumm, John Morlan, Mar- tin Emmans, Noah Towers. James McNeely, John Skelton and James A. Maslan, Fenton Lumm and Townsend Richards. About the same time a few families settled in the same neighborhood from 'Tennessee, among whom were the Butcher family and the Caudle family, and Edward Puckett and others, who were members of the Christian Church. At the time that these parties settled in this neighborhood, the county had but a very light About the years 1850, 1851 and 1852, an-

126

HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

other large emigration came into the county from the central part of Ohio, and settled in the west part of Lamard Township, among whom we will name: Isaac Brock and family, George Brock and family, John Burton and family. The two last named were both preachers and assisted largely in building up the Christian Church. This old Buckeye Church by emigration and proselyting had spread over so much territory, and had be- come so strong numerically, that it was thought advisable for the convenience of its members, and for the purpose of extending its influence, to organize from its membership other or- ganizations. The first move in this direction was to cut off the west portion of the body and organize a new congregation about four miles west of the old organization. The new organization was called Pleasant Grove. This took place about the year 1855. After this, several years, the Cisne congregation was organized first at the schoolhouse near Brother Levi Cisne's. After this, when the Shawneetown branch of the Ohio and Mis- sissippi Railroad was built, and the town of Cisne was laid out, the brethren built a neat church house at the town of Cisne aud moved the membership there. About the same time the brethren in and around Jeffer- sonville, "thought it best to establish the cause there and went to work and built a good house of worship in that town, and or- ganized a congregation under the name of the Christian Church, at Jeffersonville. The membership that composed this new organi- zation was taken from the membership of the old Buckeye Church and Pleasant . Grove Church, the same year that the church was built at Jeffersonville. The brethren at the Buckeye Church erected a new church house, about one-balf mile north of the old school- house, where the church was first organized. About the year 1873, a little band of breth-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 15

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 704

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 704