USA > Illinois > Edgar County > Our first one hundred and fifty years : Hunter, Stratton, Elbridge Townships, 1818-1968 > Part 4
USA > Illinois > Edgar County > Stratton > Our first one hundred and fifty years : Hunter, Stratton, Elbridge Townships, 1818-1968 > Part 4
USA > Illinois > Edgar County > Elbridge > Our first one hundred and fifty years : Hunter, Stratton, Elbridge Townships, 1818-1968 > Part 4
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A frame church building was erected in 1877, almost entirely by Mr. W.D. Marley. It cost $2,130.00, and was under the control of the Methodists. Rev. S.A. Long was the first minister here, and succeeded in establishing a good con- gregation.
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VERMILION EVANGELICAL UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH
The first church in the village of Vermilion was built by the United Brethren in 1856. The original cost was about $500, and the building was later sold to the Missionary Baptists. The present brick edifice was erected on a part of the old Raines property in 1862, at a cost of about $2,500.
Early ministers included the Reverends Muncie, Nye, Velander, Spencer and Peters. The membership roll is laden with the names of families that have been a part of the history of the community: Wilkin, Terhune, Jordan Tweedy, Sheets, Hornberger, Vansickle, Downing, Mason, Dodd, Newcomb, Cassle, Dustheimer, Nye, Carpenter, Stubbs, Givens, and Forster.
Frank Minton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Minton and a regular attendant in services at the United Brethren Church from childhood, was ordained at the 1958 June conference. He is now teaching in a Presbyterian college in New Con- cord, Ohio, and preaching wherever needed in that area.
On May 10,1877, a meeting of the ladies of Vermilion was held at the U.B. Church for the purpose of organizing a Women's Missionary Society. Twenty names were secured as charter members of what was later to become the oldest continuous- ly active Missionary Society in the State, celebrating in 1952 the 75th anni- versary of its founding.
The beautiful peal of the old church bell will no longer call the community to worship after July 1, 1968. Upon completion of the world-wide merger of the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren denominations, the membership of the oldest church in the village voted to join the sister church in Vermilion, forming a new strong union to be known as the Vermilion United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Herschel Brown.
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THE NEW PROVIDENCE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The Church was established in 1829, in the Ray and Ewing Settlement, The organization extends back into antiquity and its history is somewhat legendary. Tradition has it that five families, the Ewings, Rays, Mc Nutts, Arts and Tuckers came from Maryville, Tennessee, where they had been members of the Providence Presbyterian Church. The organization meeting was held in the Martin Ray home. At this time the name "New Providence" was given to the newly organized church. The first congregation worshipped in the homes of its members until 1836, when Benjamin Hunsaker and his wife, Sally deeded three acres of land to the Trustees. This land was three miles east of Elbridge and a quarter mile north of the lower Terre Haute road. It was here the first church was built of logs.
In 1850 a frame church was built to the east of the old log church. This new building served the congregation for over ninety years. In 1929, a large success- ful Centennial with a Home coming was held.
In 1944, the church congregation joined the Parish of the More Abundant Life, a group of nine churches in the Mattoon Presbytery. After this the church was served by student Ministers, from McCormick Seminary. Robert Hannon of New Franklin, Wisconsin was one of the student ministers who was ordained while he was serving the congregation, after which he remained and was the first full time minister in the history of the church.
In 1943 rumors were spreading the old church building was unsafe and was soon found necessary to be replaced. The entire community made pledges of money, timbers and labor were donated. With much hard labor and many prayers the new building was completed. It was dedicated May 16, 1949, the guest speaker was Rev. Harry Bicksler of Lakeworth, Florida, former director of the Parish. The church purchased the New Providence school building across the drive from the church and remodeled it into a beautiful six room Manse. In 1958 the church purchased 27 acres of timber land adjoining the church property. The men of the church and other churches of the Parishes cleared the site, and in 1960 a lake was constructed and a large shelter was built, used for retreats, picnics, reunions, and other
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occasions in and around the community.
Reverend David Fry is the present minister Graham Elliott is present Sunday School Superintendent. Church Membership 119 and Sunday School enrollment of 80.
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THE SUCCESS CHURCH
Soon after the erection of Success School (1884) it became a meeting place on Sunday for those desiring a place to "gather together in His Name."
"At 3 o'clock P.M. June 2, 1895, Elder Hezekiah Williams, a minister in the Church of Christ, called the members of the church together at the brick school- house, one mile West of Sandford, Indiana and preached, and did organize them together as a church with elders and Deacons."
Many conversions were made at these schoolhouse meetings, people travelling from miles around in wagon or buggy, or horseback or on foot. Often the building was filled to capacity and people were compelled to sit on the floor. We were told it was not an uncommon practice to take converts to the frozen streams nearby and break ice in order to conduct the baptismal services. From the inspiration re- ceived at these gatherings, stemmed the desire to erect a building and dedicate it as a regular house of worship. A site on which to locate this building was granted by Isaac Trogdon, less than a mile west of the school building site. The new church built entirely of native wood was dedicated in the spring of 1896, Pastor Dubber of Paris, Illinois officiating. Mr. Richard Fessant, a worker in the Methodist Church at Sandford, Indiana gave his assistance in the organization of the Sunday School. The first Superintendent was Benjamin Franklin Craig, also a teacher of day school. The first Elders were: T. J. Payne, A.J. Tweedy, A.B. Thompson and Uriah Vance; the Deacons: U.E. Thompson, John Davis, Charles Mc- Conkey and John D. Murphy, Also Clerk (Secretary).
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The first member listed on the church roll was Mrs. Ida Reed Tweedy, wife of Albion Tweedy. She died May 31, 1896; only a few weeks after its dedication. The 100th, member listed was Zella Reese Garwood; the 200th. Charles Stewart. The membership roll included such names as: Payne, Tweedy, Davis, Thompson, Reed, Reese, Trout, Bailey, Wright, Saders, Forster, Fuqua, Irish, Volkers, Trogdon, Harris, Cummins, Sims, Westerfield, Houston, Riley, Jared, Ballard, Morton, Knight, Lambdin, Childress, Maddock, Stewart, Sisson, Bergen, Landis, McCoy, McFarland, Price, Hill, Chew, Eastham, Miller, Johnson, Gross, Campbell, Ewing and others. Some of the Ministers serving the early church were: Ira Williams, Lewis Smith, James Stewart, W.W. Sniff, H.H. Feters, Mr. Crab, Mr. Pirtle and others. The present minister is Reverend Edward Furnas. Sunday School Superintendent Robert King. Church Membership 100 and Sunday School enrollment 75.
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NEVINS CHRISTIAN CHURCH
The Nevins Christian Church was established on April 17, 1858 at Franklin, Illinois, a small village then located one mile southwest of Nevins between what is now the Lower Terre Haute Road and State Highway One when 43 persons assembled under the leadership of Elder William Hartley and Elder Fillmore.
From the beginning the church grew rapidly and by 1878 the membership was 257. Each month saw new members added by baptism. This rapid growth did not last long. From 1878 to 1900 only 26 additions were recorded. For some unknown reason the flame of evangelism which at first had burned so brightly had been almost ex- tinguished.
In January of 1901 the church building was moved from Franklin to the small community of Nevins. The charter membership of this newly located congregation was 27. The new location did not help the church to grow and it continued its struggle. The building was moved on skids down the hill from Franklin to Nevins by horse and man power.
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Benjamin Tate, an ordained minister, came to the Nevins Church January 25, 1932, remaining as the pastor for six years. Following him the church secured the services of Frank Welton who was the pastor from 1938-1944. During the mini- stry of the two men, the church experienced a slow but steady growth. The average attendance in 1944 was about 45.
Paul Hesser followed Brother Welton and was with the church until 1945. The next year Bill Ransford began his ministry with the congregation and during the next 18 months there were 37 additions. Many came during the revival conducted by Reverend R.C. Mowery, Terre Haute. This was the start of the Church's upward climb. After Bill Ransford came Mark Weaver who served until 1949. It was during this period that the church purchased a former Baptist Church building, which was remodeled. It was a larger and better building which is being used at the pre- sent time. The Baptist building we believe was called the Old Liberty Church mentioned in the 1879 Edgar County History.
A three-year ministry was begun by Leslie Tucker in 1950. By the end of 1953 the Sunday School attendance was averaging 70. On September 27, 1953, the con- gregation hired Harry Orn, a young ministerial student, as its preacher. For the For the next three years he worked with the church and had fine results. The average Sunday school attendance by 1956 had grown to 98. It was during his mini- stry that for the first time in its history, the church had a full time preacher living in the field.
Gordon Nelson followed Brother Orn on November 25, 1956, and during the year 1957 many advances were made, the average Sunday school attendance being 105.
The adjoining property to the church was purchased and is now being used ad a parsonage. The building addition of five new classrooms and baptistry, which was begun under Brother Orn's pastorate, was completed under Brother Nelson's ministry.
Bernard Riley came to Nevins on November 23, 1958, a graduate of Atlanta Bible College. He received a Master of Arts degree from Butler University while serving the church. Cn May 5, 1963 Ed Jackson, a student at Lincoln Christian College,
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came to serve the congregation. On the 31st of October, 1963 Ed was ordained at Sebring, Ohio. Ron Reiss, a student at Lincoln Christian Seminary arrived on the field on February 6, 1968. During 1967 Leo Wineinger came to the church and the average attendance is now about 130.
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HISTORY OF PATTON CHURCH
It is hard to even imagine Patton Community without a Church, but there was a time in the late 1880's or early 1890's that those who lived there attended a church called "Old Independence", down on the state line road, somewhere close to the railroad. Eventually it burned to the ground and was not rebuilt.
One day, during this same period of time, Theodore Jumper from Asbury Commun- ity came through the neighborhood selling old-fashioned washing machines. This was the kind that the women pushed back and forth, using their own power. He saw the need of a Church. He visioned Christian meetings with people seeking and finding God. He felt the need of some kind of service for God and asked if he might start Sunday School in the school house. Formission was granted and services were held there for some time. Not only Sunday School, but Church services as well. Some of the ministers holding meetings in the school house were the Brothers Goudy, Collier, Bradley, McIntosh, Bennington and English.
Soon a need for a church - a building that was dedicated to God and sancti- fied. Everyone rallicd to the very great effort of raising money. The ground was donated by David H. and Nancy Patton, but the committee didn't think it a suit- able plot and finally chose the place where Patton Church now stands, and gave the sum of ten dollars for it. This was in the Fall of the year 1902.
The logs were cut from the Patton woods, and were donated by David and Will Patton. The sawing was payed for by the people. George Cummins brought in his saw mill and John Johnson had charge of felling the timber. Of course, the logs
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were for the frame, as the outside was made from red tile blocks with shingled ga bles.
Martha Taylor tells how scared the children in the school house were one day during the construction. They heard a terrible crash and knew that part, or all, of the building had fallen in. Their fathers were all working there at the time, but fortunately no one was hurt and construction began all over again.
The stone mason was Shepp Hoops and some of the men who helped to build the church and donated their time were the Misters' Storey, Ben Fears, Will Patton, Harve Ray, David Patton, John Johnson, Alex Taylor and perhaps even others whom I have not mentioned. According to my grandfather, Alex Taylor, it took somewhere in the neighborhood of $800.00 to build the church and he wasn't too clear as to whether Rev. Bennington or Rev. Waltz was the first minister in the new church.
After twenty-five years of continous service for God, with young men and young women finding each other and also finding God; with God calling to their re- ward the young and the old; one day in March of the year 1925, a big black cloud in the nature of a tornado came along and swept it all away. How good it was that that black cloud swooped down and took the church, for right next to it was a school house full of mighty scared youngsters.
Now, here we were again, a community without a church. Meetings were held in the school house once again and every one rallied to the effort of raising money for another church. Soliciting by some of the members began. The ladies held bak sales and many an old Dominecker and Rhode Island Red hen lost her head for the Church. Some of those who walked from store to store and door to door were Mr. and Mrs. Joe Dunlap, Mr. and I'rs. Will Patton, I'r. and Mrs. Ed Patton, Reverend and Mrs. Roy Purdue, George Taylor, Edna Hicks, Dr. Russell Patton and perhaps many more whom I have not mentioned.
In the Fall of 1925 enough money was raised to begin building again. With the exception of about eight feet, the church was built on the same foundation on which the first building had stood.
Mr. Wheeland and I. Finley from Marshall, Illinois, were employed to construct.
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the new church. In the carly Fall of this year we had a bad hail storm, and all the garden vegetables were ruined. The carpenters stayed in the neighborhood all week and it was quite hard for the ladies to find a variety of food for them. These were the days before freezers of course, and in those days one didn't slip off to the Burger Chef for lunch! By this time another year had passed and it is now 1926.
Reverend Roy Purdue was the first minister in the new church, and Mrs. Maude Dunlap was the first Sunday School Superintendent. Whereas the first church had been organized as Northern Methodist, the second church was organized as Methodist Episcopal South. Today, we are, of course, United l'ethodists.
Some of the Ministers since that time have been the Reverends O.A. Sweakard, T.M. White, F. V. Harwood, G. H. Morehead, E.B. Beatty, K.W. Kepner, John Payne, M.W. Smith, Russell Taylor, James Kelly, Walter Volkers, Owen Candler, Ezekill Haley, Gene Ham, H.W. Daughtery, and at present Ron Ozier.
On January 11, 1952, Betty and Hiram Ray became the first couple ever to be married in Patton Church. There has never been a funeral held there.
In 1965 the four churches of Dennison charge, Dunlap, Armstrong, Dennison and Patton, built a new brick parsonage at Dennison. Almost immediately after that was finished, Patton Church began another long needed building program. That was the building of four wonderful Sunday School rooms and a furnace room. The Don- ham Brothers built the chimney and layed the foundation, and Fenton Webb wos the carpenter, with a part of the work being donated by interested people in the neighborhood. The work was finished in December 1966, at a cost of $4,798.00, as Fenton cut the cost of his labor just as much as he could. After the rooms were finished, Roy Ray, Lewis Hedges, and Reverend Daughtery painted the outside of them, and Roy Farris hauled white crushed rock for the driveway, which also much improved the appearance of the church. That same fall Mr. and Mrs. John Laing, Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Ray, Anita Miller and Doris Farris painted the church.
Cur enrollment is small, not even fifty, and our Sunday School average is small - only fifty-six for this past year - but never-the-less, we who are of the
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church know that the building and organizing of the church has all been well worth while. Who knows, there may have been people who have found Christ there who may not have found Him otherwise.
There are times of great discouragement, but there are also times of great joy. On the years that we have looked back over, it is sad to think that all the older ones are gone to their reward. Those of us who are left are waiting, but in the waiting we want to be sure that we of the Church Triumphant are "found in Him, without spot and blameless." For we know that the Word of God tells us, "What is your life? It is but a vapor that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away." The church has been given to us as a trust - we are saved to serve. May we never grow weary in well doing, "for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."
Many names I have not mentioned, I know, who have helped Patton Church to grow. But their names are written, I am sure, in the Lambs Book of Life.
The early history of the Patton Church as told to Pauline Taylor Scott by her late Grandfather, Alex Taylor, while she wrote it down as a personal record.
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HUNTER TOWNSHIP
Hunter became a Township in the year 1861 by the division of Stratton and Brouillet Townships. The southern part of Brouillet and the northern part of Stratton, mostly from Stratton.
Atthe time the first settlers came to what is now Hunter Township, Illinois was not yet a State. The next year Illinois was organized and was soon divided into Counties and then Precincts. Wayne Precinct was the Precinct later divided into Townships and Hunter became one of these Townships.
As the early settlers came to the larger territory it is difficult to separate them to the proper Townships.
Early in the spring of 1817 Remember Blackman, John Stratton, Anthony Sanders, William Whitley and Aloysius Brown located and are acknowledged as the first white settlers in Edgar Connty. They arrived in time to prepare land and culti- vate small crops of corn. In the following fall the settlement of these above given, Col. Jonathan Mayo came to the county, during the winter Barna B. Reynolds came in. Brown and Reynolds were zealous Catholics and a brother of Reynolds at- tained quite an exalted position in that church, as well as a daughter of Brown's, who was at the head of the Convent of St Mary's near Terre Haute, Indiana.
In 1818 the little settlement was increased by the arrival of Augustin E. Boland, George and Daniel Beckwith and William Reed. The following arrivals occurred during the year 1819; Jacob Jones, Samuel Littlefield, Lewis Murphy, and Rev. Joseph Curtis, a Methodist Episcopal Minister and was supposed to have been the first minister to proclaim the word of God in Edgar County. He established a class at Col. Mayo's house. All the names given so far settled in what is now Hunter Township. The next year (1820), Joseph Lowry, John Lycan, James and William Murphy, Otis McCullock, Alonzo Laphram and James Dordley came to what is now Hunter Township. In 1821, Dr. Url Murphy, Hon. John B. Alexander and Nathaniel Morgan came. In 1822 James Lowry, John Thomas and David Gillam, James Hensly, Laban Burr, Edward Wheeler and Rev. W. McReynolds came to this community. In 1825, Rev. William Mayo, the father of Col. Mayo was one of the pioneer Methodist Preachers
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of the County, settled here.
Augustin E. Boland one of the early settlers of what is now Hunter Township came in 1818. He was crossing the Wabash River one day and his horse got into quicksand and but for the timely assistance of some Indians, who were near by fishing, he would have drowned.
The following is a true copy of a tax-receipt of Mr. Boland for 1820, when Edgar was a part of Clark County-"Received, October 1820, of Augustin E. Boland, $1.50, his State and County Tax for the present year. Signed John Welsh, Sheriff Clark Co. Illinois."
Lewis Murphy came to this County in 1819. He was the first Judge of Pro- bate after the formation of Edgar County. William Murphy, a brother of Lewis Murphy came here in 1820. The first session of Circuit Court in Edgar County was held at his house. James Murphy another brother built a horse-mill near the line between Kunter and Stratton Townships and afterward a water-mill in Hunter Township Still another brother was Dr. Url Murphy and the first practicing physician in this part of the County. He came to this settlement in 1821 and the next year he died, being the first death in the neighborhood. William Reed came here in 1818. He was a Lieutenant in the War of 1812 and the first Sheriff of Edgar County. James Johnson settled here in 1819. He was the first chairmaker in the County and made the first chairs Col. Mayo used after his settlement in this country, except some that he made himself with saw and auger. Elijah Austin came in 1818. He was one of the first Justices of the Peace and also one of the first County Commissioners.
James Hensley came from Kentucky about 1822. In February, after he came to this settlement, his neice, Ruth Hensley, who lived with him had gone on a visit to John Lycan's. She set out in the evening to return to her Uncle's. Soon after starting it began to snow - she became bewildered and finally lost her way. There were but few roads then nor any settlement west of the boundary line and north of Sugar Creek and it was several days before she was missed. But at length it was found that she was lost, and the neighbors at once turned out in search of her.
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They first went through the Sugar Creek timber, then through that of Brouillet Creek, and as far north as Stage's Point. The third day it commenced raining tak- ing off the snow and late in the evening her tracks were discovered in the"Sanba- ' mon Trace" near Cherry Point. Twelve of the party agreed to continue the search, while the others returned home. The twelve pressed on and about dark reached Hickory Grove, where they built a fire and cooked supper, When six of the party again took the trace leaving the others in camp. In about two hours they returned bringing the girl with them. She was in a rather deplorable condition. Her shoes and skirts were much worn and she was almost frozen. When she became warmed and thawed, she suffered the most intense pain from cold and hunger. When she left the Lycan's for her Uncle's she had on two linsey dresses, besides heavy under- clothes and when it began to snow and rain she took off one of them, tied the body together with her garters, and filling it with dried prairie-grass carried it on her back to keep from getting wet. A rather model umbrella but of considerable value at the time. From the time of her starting out until she was missed, and including the three days they were searching for her, she had wandered in the woods a bout a week, without food but such as she could pick up in the forest in midwinter. Though not at all frozen, she was so numbed and exhausted that, when brought to the fire, as above noted, her pain became almost unbearable. She finally married John Morgan, one of the men who took an active part in the search and afterward removed to Texas.
In the early days of the country, Henry Clay, the great Kentucky Statesman, entered two or three sections of land in this township, embracing what is still known as Clay's Prairie. He also entered Section 21 for Hon. William A. Burwell, member of Congress from Virginia and a warm personal friend. He caused his own land to be improved, well stocked with fine Kentucky blue-grass animals, and placed one of his sons, Thomas Clay, in charge of it, as a means, perhaps, of breaking and weaning him from dissolute companions, about his old home, at Lexington, Kentucky. But the change of scene affected little change in the course of his habits, and his father determined to take him home and sell the land. Negotiations were opened
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between him and the Hunters, the result of which was the sale of 1,600 acres of land on Clay's Prairie to John and S.K. Hunter. The sale was made about 1849 or 1850.
The first settlers of what was later Hunter used to go all the way to Shakertown to mill, which was near Vincennes, Indiana. Major Markel built a mill in 1818, on Otter Creek, six miles north of Terre Haute which drew most of the customers from this section after it commence operation. In 1819 John Beard built a mill near the mouth of Brouillets Creek. This was still more convenient to the people of this area. Still later, an ox-mill was built near where the Catholic Church now stands. The power was made by oxen on a tread wheel. Alonzo Lapham added a fulling-mill to the ox-mill, for the purpose of "fulling" such cloth as was manufactured by the inhabitants; and William Newcomb built a carding- mill near by, on which the people had their wool carded into rolls. In 1820-21, John Lycan opened a blacksmith shop, the first in the county. Tan yards were al- so among the early convenience to the settlement. In those days the people manufactured everything at home used by the family. Their tea was made of sassa- fras, and sweetened with maple sugar.
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