USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Mount Morris > Mount Morris : past and present, an illustrated history of the village of Mount Morris, Ogle County, Illinois > Part 30
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THE ABOVE picture was taken on the occasion of the first air mail to be sent by plane direct from Mount Morris, on May 20, 1938. There were 1,100 letters in the pouch and Pilot Raymond Young de- livered the pouch to Moline, Ill., where it was transferred to a Chicago plane.
This was during National Air Mail Week, celebrated all over the United States. Those in the picture are, left to right, S. J. Campbell, J. W. Watt, H. G. Kable, D. S. Sharer (postmaster), Raymond Young (pilot), and E. J. Wolf (assistant postmaster).
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General, and the principal speaker was Senator William H. Dieterich.
The present employes of the post office in addition to Postmaster Sharer are as follows: Assistant postmaster, Emmert Wolfe; clerks, Walter W. Waddelow, Dale M. Lizer, Ray Holsinger, George E. Neher, Edna Neher, Ivan Rothermel,
THEODORE BRUNER died August 4, 1910, aged 50 years. He was the son of Hiram and Elizabeth Bruner and was born July 5, 1860, at Somerset, Pa., and came to Mount Morris in 1893. In 1879, he married Etta McCoy, to whom were born one daughter, who died in infancy, and three sons-Ernest, Otho and Nelson. When rural free delivery was started out of Mount Morris, Mr. Bruner became the first carrier on Route No. 2, which he continued for six years until the time of his death.
JOHN M. LEEK was the first mail car- rier on Rural Route No. 1 out of Mount Morris, established in April, 1904. He had formerly been engaged in farming near Mount Morris.
Raymond Young; city carriers, Jay Bechtold, John S. Buck; rural carriers, Walter S. McNett, George Emmert; sub- stitute carrier, Maurice S. McNett; janitor, Raymond P. Moore; assistant janitor, LeRoy Garman.
The first rural mail routes out of Mount Morris were established April 1, 1904. John L. Leek and T. L. Bruner were appointed as the first rural car- riers. The first deliveries were made with horses for transportation.
City mail delivery was first estab- lished during the term of Postmaster B. S. Price.
G
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A SHADY STREET in Mount Morris. This picture was taken in 1900, before the street was paved, and is looking north on Ogle Street.
Chapter 15
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
F OUR Protestant denominations are well represented in Mount Morris and each has a commodious place of worship. And though they differ somewhat in faith and practice, still they dwell together in perfect harmony.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
O F the four churches in Mount Mor- ris, the history of the Methodist Episcopal dates back the farthest.
The first preaching in this part of Ogle County, at least the first under Methodist auspices, was by the Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, father of Hon. R. R. Hitt, a cultured and earnest local preacher, who came to Mount Morris in 1837. He entered a large tract of land, but devoted his time very largely to the development of the religious and educational interests of the country. He was in frequent demand for funerals, weddings, church dedications and edu- cational meetings. He was largely in- strumental in securing Rock River Seminary for Mount Morris, for which he contributed liberally, and by his in- fluence and eloquence raised large amounts of money. As a pioneer preach- er he did faithful work, and laid the foundation from which many strong churches have grown and prospered.
One who recollects Rev. Hitt as he was in vigorous manhood describes him as follows: "As a speaker he was in- teresting, with a clear musical voice, which expressed every shade of feeling. His language was choice and copious. In bearing he was dignified and easy and his gestures were natural and graceful. He stood six feet tall and seemed under all circumstances, in pub- lic or private, perfectly possessed."
He died September 23, 1852, having successfully planted Methodism in this section and giving its religious and edu- cational interests an impulse that has been felt ever since.
Rev. Barton Cartwright was appointed to the charge, then part of a large cir- cuit, in the fall of 1837.
August 20, 1840, Rock River Confer- ence was organized, at a camp-meeting held in the grove two miles northwest of town. Bishop Waugh was the pre- siding bishop and Rev. B. T. Kavanaugh, secretary.
The location of Rock River Seminary at Mount Morris, under the control of
REV. BARTON H. CARTWRIGHT was pastor of the local Methodist Church in about the year, 1837. He later became a famous preacher. He was born in 1810 and died in 1895.
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THESE were prominent Methodist bishops in the year 1839 and doubtless were instru- mental in locating Rock River Seminary in Mount Morris. At the lower left is Bishop Morris, after whom Mount Morris was named. In the center is Bishop Hedding and at the right is Bishop Waugh. At the upper left is Bishop Janes and at the right is Bishop Hamline. It is not known how many of these bishops visited Mount Morris, but Bishop Waugh was present at the Rock River Conference held in August, 1840, in a tent near Mount Morris, at which time he preached a sermon.
the Conference, gave the local church quite an impetus. When the first semi- nary building was completed in 1840, the north portion was used for church purposes, until the erection of the sec- ond building called "Old Sandstone," when the two lower stories of the east part were fitted up as a chapel and used by the church for about 25 years.
The location of the school gave the church considerable prestige during its earlier history and some of the strong- est men of those times served it as pas- tors.
Beginning in 1837, the pastors that served the congregation were as fol- lows: James McKean, Barton H. Cart- wright, Thos. S. Hitt; 1840, G. G. Worth- ington and Luke Hitchcock; 1841, Asa McMurty; 1842, Jonathan Snow; 1844, Leander S. Walker; 1846, John Wager; 1847, David L. Winslow; 1848, Philo Judson; 1849, George L. Stuff; 1850, Luman A. Sanford; 1851, Bryant Cone; 1852, Samuel Jewett; 1853, Wm. Kee- gan; 1854, J. C. Stoughton; 1855, Free- born Haney; 1856, Richard Parks, and 1857, R. A. Blanchard.
Rev. J. H. Vincent was appointed pas- tor in 1859. Vincent was later elected a bishop and was the principal founder of the Chautauqua and Epworth League
movements. He was the first secretary of the Methodist Sunday School Union.
REV. JAMES McKEAN was pastor of the Methodist Church in Mount Morris about the year 1838 or 1839. He was also the first Methodist minister at Buffalo Grove, now Polo.
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He was resident minister at Galena at the outbreak of the Civil War, helped Grant raise the first company, and came from Chicago where he was preaching at the close of the war, welcoming Grant home as general of the armies, deliver- ing the address of the day.
In 1860, L. L. Anderson was pastor; 1863, W. A. Smith; 1865, J. H. More; 1867, W. A. Stout; 1868, C. R. Ford; 1869, S. H. Adams; 1872, Lewis Curts, and 1875, E. M. Battis.
In Civil War times, the location of the church was contemplated at the north- east corner of Wesley avenue and Cen- ter streets, where the Sprecher grocery building stands. It came about in this manner: "The Mite Society (the prede- cessor of the Ladies' Aid) decided they would like to have a church building of their own, instead of meeting in "Old Sandstone." Accordingly they raised $600.00, intending to buy the lot, and start building operations at once. This represented a great deal of hard work, most of which was earned serving din-
REV. LUKE HITCHCOCK, who later be- came a famous Methodist preacher, was appointed agent of Rock River Seminary in 1841 to assist in soliciting funds for the school. He also served as pastor of the local Methodist Church in 1840. He was born in 1813 and died in 1898.
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REV. E. M. BATTIS was pastor of the Methodist Church in Mount Morris in 1875. While a student at Rock River Semi- nary he rang the bell in the old seminary cupola.
ners at 10c each, the usual price of those days for a square meal. However the seminary induced the ladies (with the probable assistance of the men), to con- tinue to meet at the same old place.
In 1877, during the second year of the pastorate of E. W. Adams, the pres- ent church edifice was built at a cost of $8,000.00. When the church was completed, the contractor, a Mr. Bull, refused the members admittance until a balance of $300.00 was paid. This they were unable to do, due to the heavy expense of building. A group of officials of the church attempted to take possession of the building late at night, but found to their dismay that the con-
REV. F. W. NAZARENE was the Metho- dist pastor in Mount Morris from 1898 to 1902. He was the youngest son of Fred- erick and Mary A. Nazarene and was born in Washington County, Md., Jan. 25, 1856. He came to Ogle County with his parents in 1864. He graduated from the Polo High School in 1874. He spent some time teaching and then attended Rock River Seminary. He studied for the Methodist ministry and his first charge was at Davis, Ill. He served a number of charges in Illinois and the Dakotas and was appointed to Mount Morris in 1898. Rev. Nazarene was mar- ried in 1880 to Amy S. McHoes and they had two daughters: Mary (Mrs. Charles Eigenbrode, deceased) and Ida (wife of the late Dr. M. O. Brush, Shenandoah, Ia.) Rev. Nazarene has retired from the ministry and is living at Rochelle.
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REV. B. A. DICKENS came to Mount Morris in 1921 to assume the pastorate of the Methodist Church. He served one year and had just been reappointed for another year when he died on November 23, 1922. He was born at Amboy, Ill., June 7, 1857, and died at the age of 651/2 years. He served a large number of charges in the Rock River Conference of the Meth- odist Church. In 1879, he married Sarah Skinner and they had five children.
tractor and workmen were sleeping in the church. Both factions sought legal advice the next day. The lawyer told them whichever group got to court first, getting the title to the building, to that person would possession be legal. Both parties raced madly to Oregon. The contractor must have had the fastest horses, for he won, much to the dismay of the other side. The matter was finally adjusted when Frank Stonebraker do- nated the balance to be paid.
On July 14, 1877, the dedication serv- ices lasted all day, including an address by Bishop Wm. L. Harris. The bell for the new church, which is in use today, was personally selected by Mrs. Maria Newcomer, a daughter of Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. This bell has a beautiful tone.
Two old time ministers are buried in the old cemetery: Spencer Mattison, who died Nov. 5, 1853, and William H. Gloss, who departed this life, April 8, 1880.
Among those who lived here as pre-
siding elders were: Richard Haney, Hooper Crews, John Clark, Lewis Cur- tis, L. L. Van Horne, Philo Judson and Luke Hitchcock.
The sixtieth anniversary of the church was honored by special serv- ices, beginning Dec. 4 and closing Dec. 11, 1898. This was during the first year pastorate of F. W. Nazarene, who lives in Rochelle.
The conference of 1902 sent W. L. Whipple to the church. In 1906, N. R. Hinds received a call to the church. C. W. Thornton was sent to the pastor- ate in 1911.
During the 5th year pastorate of Rev.
REV. WILLIAM CLARK WILLIAMS was pastor the Methodist Church in Mount Morris from March, 1930, to Octo- ber, 1932. He is the son of William C. and Mary (Harms) Williams and was born Nov. 14, 1892, at Sabula, Iowa. He graduated from the Savanna Township High School in 1910. He engaged in in- surance and newspaper work until 1923, when he entered the Methodist ministry, serving charges at Thomson, Argo, Cher- ry Valley and Irene before coming to Mount Morris. While serving the local Methodist Church, he took special work at Mount Morris College and completed his theological training at Union Theo- logical College at Chicago in 1934. Since November, 1935, he has been pastor of the Wittemberg Congregational Church which serves a rural community five miles north of Newton, Iowa. He is a Mason and Kiwanian. Rev. Williams married Grace B. Lanning in 1911 and they have seven living children: William C., Ernest R., Paul E., Ruth E., George A., David E., and Mary L. Three children died in in- fancy.
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THE METHODIST CHURCH as it appeared many years ago before the steeples were removed.
THE METHODIST CHURCH as it appeared after the large south side addition was erected during the pastorate of Rev. Dickson.
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REV. CHAS. LYONS was pastor of the Methodist church for 31/2 years, beginning in 1927. He was the son of Cornelius and Susan Lyons and was born Sept. 25, 1875, at Alton, Ill. He was educated at North- western University. He served in the Spanish-American War. He was married Aug. 27, 1903, to Ina Helen Pierson. They have three children, Elva, who married Paul Trump; Clifford, who is head of the English department of the University of Florida; and Charles, who is a mortician at Savanna, Ill. While Rev. Lyons was in Mount Morris the church debt was paid and the street paved around the church. Rev. and Mrs. Lyons are now living at Lemont, Ill.
Thornton, on the 26th of August, 1916, the large boulder standing today, in front of the church, was dedicated by Bishop Thomas Nicholson, in memory of the founding of Rock River Confer- ence in our town. The boulder with its bronze tablet was unveiled by Miss Margaret Newcomer, a great grand- daughter of Rev. Thomas S. Hitt.
Rev. H. P. Barnes was appointed pas- tor in October, 1916. The present pipe organ was installed and fully subscribed for, due to the efforts of Rev. and Mrs. Barnes. In 1918, E. S. Nicholas came, filling the pulpit for three years. In 1921, Bertram A. Dickens answered the
call of the church. Mr. Dickens was taken sick in the pulpit and died later, on Nov. 23, 1922. He was a relative of Charles Dickens, the celebrated English author.
The first parsonage was a grout build- ing erected in 1852, during the pastorate of Nathan Jewett. It was located on Center Street west of Seminary Avenue. The present parsonage was built in 1889, during the ministry of Rev. Brown.
Rev. J. L. Dickson came to the charge on Jan. 1, 1923. Under his pastorate the south addition to the church was built in 1923-24. The enlarged quarters were dedicated Dec. 21, 1924. The enlarge- ment greatly aided the church, the church school, and the various societies. Rev. Dickson is now radio minister over station WGN, Chicago.
In the fall of 1926, W. E. Royston was assigned to the church. In 1927, Charles Lyons was designated pastor and W. C. Williams was sent to the charge on March 1st, 1930.
Rev. Reynold N. Hoover was ap- pointed in 1932 and remained five years. He was followed in 1937 by Rev. Wil- liam N. Manny, who is the present pastor.
REV. WILLIAM L. MANNY, pastor of the Methodist Church in Mount Morris in 1938, is the second son of James and Elizabeth (Bergen) Manny and was born Feb. 13, 1899, in Rogers Park, Chi- cago. The name Manny is the outcome of a series of alterations of the French
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name De Magne, which belonged to a Huguenot ship captain, who took up res- idence in what is now New York State, before the Revolutionary War. He at- tended the Chicago public schools, through the first year at The Nicholas Senn High School. By this time both Mr. Manny's mother and father were deceased, and a first cousin, Miss Susie Manny, who had made her home with the family for many years, continued to keep the home for the brothers. In the fall of 1915, the family moved to Urbana, Ill., so that the older brother, Theodore, could enter the University of Illinois. Mr. Manny graduated from the Urbana High School in 1918. In the fall of the same year he entered the University of Illi- nois, volunteered, and was enlisted in the Student Army Training Corps there, which was a branch of the regular army. The armistice was signed in November and the men of this unit were dis- charged just before Christmas. Mr. Manny continued his studies at the Uni-
versity of Illinois, in the department of mechanical engineering, and received the degree of Bachelor of Science in 1922. In September of that year, Mr .. Manny was united in marriage with Miss Edna Ward- low of Champaign. He entered the Gar-
rett Biblical Institute in preparation for the Methodist ministry, and was graduat- ed with the degree of Bachelor of Divin- ity in 1925. During his theological studies Mr. Manny served two churches, the Vermillion Heights Methodist Church in Danville, Ill., and the Methodist Church in Lake Villa. Rev. Manny was or- dained an elder in the Methodist Church in 1926, and was appointed the resident minister of the Pawpaw Methodist Church, which church he served until 1929. The following five years he served the Methodist Church at Walnut, Ill. His last appointment before coming to Mount Morris was to the Epworth Church in Elgin, which he served for three years. Rev. Manny was appointed to the Mount Morris Methodist Church in the fall of 1937, succeeding the five-year pastorate of Rev. Reynold L. Hoover. The Mannys now have four children: Clara, a stu- dent in the Mount Morris Community High School; and Mary, James and Charles, who are in the grade school. Rev. Manny is a member of the Urbana Lodge No. 157, A. F. & A. M., a member of the Ogle County Farm Bureau, is district advancement officer for the Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the local Kiwanis Club.
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
FOR almost one hundred years, this congregation has stood as a bulwark of the faith it represents in the northern part of Illinois. The church was born in the desire of a small group of people who having come to the new country had been denied the ministration of the Gospel in the Lutheran form and man- ner. The history of the congregation is written in the language of the service which it has rendered to this commu- nity. As is usual in the church in a pioneering community the early records of the church are very obscure. How- ever enough is known to make possible the piecing together of a rather accurate story of its beginnings and its early struggles.
In the year 1846, the Rev. Nicholas Stroh of Oregon began preaching serv- ices in the old chapel of Rock River Seminary. These services were held every two weeks. Because of the nu- merous services held in the Seminary and the resulting conflicts with his services, Rev. Stroh moved his services to a schoolhouse on the road between Mount Morris and Oregon. When a school building was erected in Mount Morris, the services were held in it
until the first church was dedicated in 1856. This building is still in use being occupied by the Christian Church. This building was erected at a cost of $3,000.00, which in those days was quite a burden. However the obligation was promptly met by this small but conse- crated group of Christians.
The first constitution was drawn and adopted in 1853. The Rev. A. A. Trimper was pastor at that time. Those signing the roster of the constitution at that time were A. A. Trimper (pastor), Peter Knodle, Catherine Tockey, N. J. Stroh, Nathaniel Swingley, Andrew Schecter, Ann McCreary, Mary M. Baker, Eliza- beth McCoy, Elizabeth Nikirk, Cornelia Sharer, Mary Swingley, Elizabeth Stroh, Sarah Newcomer, Urilla Swingley, Re- becca Potter, Ann Sharer, Susan Farm- er, Elizabeth Allen, Mary Virginia Knodle, Catherine Sprecher, Elizabeth Corgant, Jacob Beard, Eliza Swingley, Elias Malone, Amelia Sharer, Philip Sprecher, Catherine Kennedy.
Many of these names have been and are familiar landmarks in the story of the development of this community. Not only are these names familiar to those who have studied the history of
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Mount Morris but the roster of its pas- tors contains names that are bright lights in the history of the Lutheran Church in America.
The list of these pastors with the im- portant events of their pastorates:
Rev. Nicholas N. Stroh began the services that led to the formation of the congregation. He came in 1846 and was followed by Rev. Ephraim Miller, who became the first president of the Synod of Northern Illinois. Between Rev. Stroh's pastorate and that of Rev. Miller the congregation was served for a short time by Rev. Nicholas Burkett.
Rev. A. A. Trimper became pastor about 1851. It was during his pastorate that the congregation became a corpo- rate body. The records in the recorder's office show that the first trustees were Andrew Schecter, Elias Malone and
REV. NICHOLAS J. STROH, pioneer Lu- theran minister, was born May 5, 1798, in Halifax, Pa. He preached for a num- ber of years in his native state and came to Ogle County in the fall of 1845. He first located at Oregon and then moved to a farm a short distance north of Mount Morris, but continued active ministerial work in the vicinity, his last charge being at West Grove. He retired from active work in 1880, having served in the min- istry more than 60 years. He married Elizabeth Givler in 1827 in Pennsylvania and there were ten children born to them: Maria, Luther M., Meulenberg, Martha E., Rhenius, Alfred E., Gustavus A., Au- gusta C., Cecelia A. and Josephine (Mrs. H. C. Clark). Mrs. Stroh died in 1894. Rev. Stroh died Jan. 1, 1897, aged nearly 99 years.
REV. LEANDER FORD probably served as a minister in Mount Morris longer than any other pastor in the village. He served the local Lutheran Church for two different terms, a total of 17 years. He was born Oct. 23, 1836, at Orleans, N. Y., and died at Mount Morris, Sept. 9, 1913, at the age of nearly 77 years. He was edu- cated at Hartwick Seminary, and after graduation taught school several years, meanwhile preparing himself for the min- istry. His first pastorate was at Black Lake, N. Y. Subsequently he filled pas- torates at Sharon, Wis., Argusville, N.Y., Minden, N.Y., Frey's Bush, N.Y., Oregon, Ill., Sharon, Wis., a second time, and final- ly Mount Morris again. In 1863, he mar- ried Amy Baldwin, and they had two children, Mrs. A. H. Knodle and Chas. F. Ford. During his second pastorate at Sharon, his first wife died after 39 years of married life. Later he married Mrs. Mary Sloat, a sister of his first wife. He is buried in Riverview Cemetery at Ore- gon.
Samuel Hanes. Under Rev. Trimper's direction the lot was secured and a building was started. The cornerstone of the new building was laid on June 17, 1854.
Dr. George Bowers became the pastor of the struggling congregation in the year 1854 or 1855. He remained as pas- tor until 1857. Dr. Bowers became one of the finest preachers and rhetoricians that the Lutheran Church has ever pro- duced. It was during his pastorate that the congregation separated itself from the Oregon congregation and became a separate charge.
Rev. Cornelius Reimensnyder came in the year 1858 and served for one year. He left to go east, where he be-
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
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THE LUTHERAN CHURCH and parsonage as they appeared in 1900 before the steeple was taken down.
Interior of the Lutheran Church, showing the altar and pipe organ.
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REV. L. L. LIPE was pastor of the Mount Morris Lutheran Church from 1872 until 1879 and again from 1897 to 1903. He was the son of Daniel and Matilda Line, who came to Illinois from North Carolina in 1834, and settled on a farm near Hills- boro, where 10 children were born, the subject of this sketch being the sixth child. He secured his theological train- ing at the seminary at Gettysburg, Pa., and was ordained into the Lutheran min- istry in 1871. His first charge was at Mount Morris, from 1872 to 1879, and he later held pastorates at Dixon, Ill., Lin- coln, Nebr., West Point, Nebr., Sharon, Wis., and then back to Mount Morris again from 1897 to 1893. He died in May, 1895, at Sharon, Wis., at the age of 80. While pastor in Mount Morris in 1872, he married Miss Flora Stager, to whom two children were born, Olive, who married Chas. Wolfe, and a son who died in in- fancy.
came one of the best known preachers of New York City and a great leader in his denomination.
Then came a series of short pastor- ates. Rev. Daniel Schindler was fol- lowed by Rev. Ephraim Miller, who came back for a second pastorate (1859- 1862); Rev. Rufus Smith (1864-1865) ; Rev. R. B. Whitehill (1867-1869); Rev. A. C. Frick (1869-1871). It was during this pastorate that the church at Ade- line became a part of the Mount Morris charge.
The congregation at this time was having severe difficulties financially and otherwise. To help save the church, Rev. L. L. Lipe came as pastor in 1872. He remained until 1879, making this the longest pastorate of the congrega- tion to this date. Rev. Lipe came to the charge when he was president of the
Northern Illinois Synod. The congre- gation prospered under the leadership of Rev. Lipe and on May 6, 1877, de- cided to build a new church. The cor- nerstone was laid on September 30, 1877. This building after extensive al- terations and enlargement is still in use by the congregation.
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