USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Peoria > Peoria city and county, Illinois; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 25
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This society dates its organization from December 1, 1853, with twelve mem- bers. In the following year, 1854, a church building was erected on Sanford street but in 1863 a lot was purchased on the corner of First and Goodwin streets and the building removed thereto. In 1883 the church was rebuilt at a cost of $1,500 and in 1888 this was replaced by a new and commodious struc- ture, at a cost of $14,500. This church has been instrumental in founding sev- eral missions in this county and elsewhere. There is also a school and kinder- garten in connection with the church, a new building having been erected in 1898, to replace the old one, which was built in 1863. The present building cost $6,200. From the time the society was organized to 1877 seven pastors served the congregation and from that time to the present, Rev. Frederick B. Bess has served as pastor.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHIERAN TRINITY CHURCHI
This congregation was organized June 17, 1857, with thirteen charter mem- bers. The following year a small church at a cost of $2,000 was erected at the corner of Warner avenue and Maple street, where the parochial school is still located. In 1875 the old church gave way to a new structure, which was erected opposite the old structure on Maple street, at a cost of $8,000. This is one of the largest congregations of this denomination in the city. The first to serve as pastor of this congregation was Rev. Fred Boeling, who was installed June 17, 1858, and after two years was succeeded by Rev. Paulus Heid, who came in January, 1861, and remained until 1878, his successor being Rev. Gottlieb Traub, who remained until January 1, 1892, and was succeeded by Rev. Otto L. Hoen- stein, who remained for a long period. The present pastor is Rev. Ernest Flach.
CIIRIST EVANGELICAL LUTHIERAN CHURCII
This society was formerly a mission of Trinity church but was organized as an independent congregation December 9, 1894, with thirty-six charter members. In the summer of 1892 Trinity church erected a building for the use of the mission in the southern part of the city, on Malone avenue and Chandler street, at a cost of $5,000. This building was destroyed by fire June 25, 1895. This was immediately replaced by a new structure, at a cost of $8,000, together with a parochial school building, at a cost of $2,000. Rev. Frederick W. Jass has served as pastor from the time of its organization to the present.
SWEDISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SALEM CHURCH
This church was organized August 4, 1883, with thirty-four members. The first church was located on Easton street near the Vienna Mills. In the spring
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of 1888 the building was removed to Glendale avenue near Hamilton street. This building was sold in 1896 for $2,800, and the present church, built of brick and stone, at a cost of $10,000, was erected at Bluff street and Hamilton boule- vard. The pastors who have served the church are: Revs. August Norrbom, 1887-90; E. C. Jessup, 1891-93; Alfred Appell, 1893 --.
MISCELLANEOUS CHURCHES
The Universalist church was organized May 6, 1843, and among the first members were Orin Hanlin, Dennis Blakeley, Aaron Oakford, Moses M. Webb, J. P. Dennis, John King, Caleb Whittemore, and Norman Howe and wife. At first meetings were held in the courthouse. Rev. F. J. Briggs became the first pastor and his successor was Rev. W. B. Lindell, who remained about two years. The society eventually purchased the building which was located on Fulton street and had formerly been used by the First Presbyterian church. This con- tinued to be their place of worship until 1863. Rev. William Rounseville was pastor from 1853 until 1858 and was succedeed in the latter year by Rev. D. M. Reed, during whose pastorate the church was reorganized as the Church of the Redeemer, with eighty-three members. Subsequently they held services in various buildings until 1867, when a new church was erected and dedicated January 1, 1868, and named the Church of the Messiah. Rev. Reed was succeeded in 1865 by Rev. H. R. Nye, and when the new church was completed Rev. Royal H. Pullman was installed as pastor. His successors have been : Revs. H. B. Smith, J. Murray Bailey, S. A. Gardner, G. W. Kent, W. S. Ralph, George B. Stocking, R. B. Marsh, Frank McAlpine, T. B. T. Fisher and Barlow Carpenter, who is the present pastor. About 1885 the name of the church was changed to Bradley Memorial First Universalist church, in memory of Tobias S. Bradley, who had been a devoted member and liberal contributor to the church, and whose death occurred in 1867. The present church was erected about 1902 and stands on Hamilton boulevard.
THE NEW CHURCH ( SWEDENBORGIAN )
The First Society of the New Jerusalem church of the city of Peoria was formed a corporate body in January, 1846. The first church building was erected on Jefferson street, near Hamilton, about 1846. In 1855 this building was re- placed by a brick structure on Hamilton street, between Madison and Jefferson. In 1896 this building was condemned by the city inspector and the furnishings were sold. Since then no regular services have been held but the society still exists as an organization. The pastors who have served the congregation are: Revs. John Randolph Hibbard, Nelson C. Burnham, Thomas S. Storey, Jabez Fox, George H. Marsten, A. J. Bartels, George F. Stearns, George Nelson Smith, George Hardon, J. R. Hibbard, W. H. Schliffer and Samuel C. Eby.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST ( SCIENTIST)
On the 29th day of August, 1892, seven persons met together, taking the initial step in forming a church which would inculcate Christian Science, as taught by Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy. A board of three directors, a treasurer and a clerk were elected, and the name-Church of Christ, Scientist, of Peoria, Illinois, was adopted. On the 6th of October, 1894, the church was incorporated, and the name changed to First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Peoria, Illinois.
Beginning the year 1898, with eighty-seven members, efforts were directed towards building a church edifice on the lot on Hamilton boulevard, corner of Bluff street, which had been purchased the previous year. The building was erected during the latter part of the year at a cost, including the lot, of nearly $30,000. The first services, dedicating the building, were held on the 15th of January, 1899.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST
PUB
ART
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CIIRISTIAN CHURCHES OF PEORIA
The organization of the Christian church, or Disciples of Christ, was effected in 1845, with twelve charter members, the last of whom, Mrs. Eliza Wadsworth Smith, died in 1904.
William Tilford was the first elder and Sampson Schockley (grandfather of Mrs. John L. Miller ) the first deacon. For a brief period the congregation met from house to house, and later in the engine house in the 200 block, North Adams street. Subsequently the old courthouse was used for their religious purposes.
The first church building was erected at the corner of Seventh avenue and Franklin street in 1855, the building which still stands being converted into a dwelling some time later. The trustees of this building were James Maxwell, P. C. Reding ( father of Mrs. William Ford, Jr.), and Elias Randall. The present location at the corner of Monroe and Fulton streets containing an obsolete building was purchased from the New School Presbyterians and first occupied in May. 1875. The former location on Seventh avenue was thereupon rented and later sold to a congregation of Jews.
In the year 1894, the present edifice of the Central congregation was erected the entire property costing approximately $25,000. Some of the early preacher' who came with infrequent regularity were William Davenport, William Brow. . , Barton W. Stone, Mr. Young and Milton P. King, and often when without a preacher. Deacon Schockley spoke.
The first pastor of the congregation after the completion of the Seventh avenue building was John Lindsay, March 15, 1855 to August 17, 1856. He was followed by I. N. Carman, 1857: Elder Howe, 1861 ; John Miller, 1863; John O'Kane, 1864; William Thompson, 1866. Student preachers from the college at Eureka served the congregation from 1867 to 1872, among them Messrs. Wagner, Hart, Crow and Brunner. The next regular pastor was Ira J. Chase, 1872, later Governor of Indiana. Barton O. Aylsworth, now president of Colo- rado Agricultural college, followed in 1880; J. B. Mayfield, 1882; N. S. Haines, 1885: J. M. Kersey, 1892 ; J. P. McKnight, 1896; G. B. VanArsdall, 1900; H. F. Burns, 1905; and W. F. Turner, 1909.
The longest continuous memberships are today held by Miss Paulina White 1854. Mrs. Naomi Mounts, Mrs. Wm. Ford, Jr. (then Miss Reding), 1865 ; William Ford, Jr., 1867. The present number of communicants is 625.
The chapel at 224 Howett street, now the Howett Street Christian church is the outgrowth of a mission established by Alexander G. Tyng, Sr., of the Episcopal Church who conducted for six or eight years what was known as the "Tyng Mission" at the corner of Cedar and Brotherson streets. This effort was abandoned and was later taken up by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, assisted by a few of our people who conducted what was known as a temperance Sunday school. This likewise was abandoned after about three years' effort, the Disciples following in 1885. The superintendents of the Sunday school at the chapel and church have been F. M. Barrett-but recently deceased- Samuel Cunningham, Joseph Ray, William Reichel, J. A. Martin, G. W. Rey- nolds, Lewis Lawson, J. C. Murray, C. A. Brown and M. W. Rotchford. For twenty-three years Miss Lorena Simonson has been continuously a teacher at the Howett street church and its predecessor, the Tyng Mission. Regular preach- ing services (evenings) began in 1900, with B. C. Piatt, minister, followed by H. H. Jenner, C. A. Marsh, L. P. Schooling, and William Price. The present building was erected in 1890, the plant costing about $2,500.
Present number of communicants is 180.
The West Bluff Christian chapel the "church built in a day" was constructed May 30, 1910, by the brotherhoods of the Howett street Christian and the Central Christian churches, assisted voluntarily by about sixty members of the Local Carpenters Union, No. 183. William Price, minister of the Howett street church,
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laid the foundation. Earl D. Stout, superintended the construction of the build- ing. Ashley J. Elliott fathered the idea of building the church in a day and A. J. Buckwalter and A. W. Lew were presidents of the two brotherhoods. The building was dedicated June 10, 1910, by Dr. Arthur Holmes. A school was immediately organized and has continued since. The superintendents thereof have been E. J. Haney, A. J. Elliott and A. I. Buckwalter. A two weeks' preach- ing service was held in February, 1911, by W. E. Harlow. The building is lo- cated at the corner of Underhill and Main streets.
The Christian church in Peoria has had a slow but steady growth. The principal plea of the Disciples of Christ is "The Restoration of Primitive New Testament Christianity and the Union of God's People on that Basis."
CHAPTER XIX
CHURCH HISTORY CONTINUED
CONTINUATION OF CHURCH HISTORY-EARLY METHODISM IN PEORIA COUNTY- THE "SHACK" OR LOG CABIN HOME OF THE EARLY SETTLER TIIE MEETING PLACE FOR TIIE CIRCUIT RIDER AND HIS FLOCK
At the meeting of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, in May, 1824, the territory included in the states of Illinois, Indiana and Wis- consin, as indicated in Stephen R. Begg's "Early History of the West and North- west," which had been included in the Missouri conference, was separated there- from and designated "The Illinois Conference."
In the fall the Illinois conference, and the Missouri conference both met at the same place-Padfields, twenty miles east of St. Louis. At this session of the Illinois conference, Peter Cartwright and Andrew Monroe, elders of the Kentucky conference, were received by transfer.
When the assignments were made, Jesse Walker was appointed to the circuit which included Peoria, or Fort Clark, as it was then called.
When Jesse Walker arrived at the settlement, he found a few persons of the Methodist faith and formed the first class, consisting of sixteen members. Beggs, who was on the work in 1830 gives the names of the original sixteen members as Jesse Walker and wife; James Walker and wife; Mrs. Abner Eads; Sister Dixon, wife of the proprietor of Dixontown, on Rock river; Sister Hamlin. mother of John Hamlin and another sister. converts that winter ; William Holland and wife ; William Eads and wife; William Blanchard; Rev. Reeves McCormick, and Mary Clark.
The next summer Walker, assisted by his son James and others, one of whom was Rev. Reeves McCormick, who appears to have been a located preacher, held a camp meeting on the west side of the lake about a mile above the village, which was probably either just above the Galena road, now North Adams street, or in a beautiful grove on Plum Point, down on the bank of the lake.
William See travelled the Peoria circuit in 1827, and S. L. Robertson in 1828. The circuit then covered a very large territory. During the summer of 1828 a camp meeting was held at a place about three miles east of Peoria, in Tazewell county, probably, in the Farm Creek bottoms about where Farmdale is located. Samuel P. Thompson was presiding elder, and Robertson, Jesse Walker, and probably See assisted. At this camp meeting, Governor Edwards, the first gover- nor of Illinois, was present.
From the conference held at Edwardsville, Illinois, September 18, 1829, Stephen R. Beggs was sent to the Logansport Mission, embracing Logansport, Delphi and LaFayette, Indiana. After the first quarterly meeting, his presiding elder transferred him to the Bloomington circuit and at the next conference, which was held at Vincennes, Indiana, he was sent to the Tazewell circuit, which, from his description, would appear to be the same as the Bloomington circuit, barring some possible changes in preaching points. He describes the most prominent preaching places as Peoria, Holland's Grove, now Washington ; Mud Creek; Walnut Grove; Mackinaw Town; Stout's Grove; Dry Grove; Blooming
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Grove, now Bloomington ; Randolph's Grove; Big Grove; Cherry Grove; from thence down Salt Creek to the Falling Timber country ; Brother Beck's on Sugar creek; Hittle's Grove, and Dillon's, where there were two appointments; from there I went to Grand Prairie; from thence to several neighborhoods and back to Peoria." So it appears that he served the Methodist people at Peoria three- fourths of the conference year 1830 and all of the year 1831. He was united in marriage with a daughter of William Heath, September, 1831. He was succeeded in 1832 by William Royal, and he by Z. Hall in 1833. At this time it seems the assignment was called Fort Clark Mission, the boundaries of which are de- scribed as follows: Peoria, Lancaster, or LaSalle Prairie; Brother Jones' on Snack River; Princeville, Essex schoolhouse; Fraker's Grove, now Lafayette; thence to Princeton, some thirty miles distant ; to Troy Grove twenty-five miles farther ; to Brother Long's near LaSalle; down the river to Miller's school- house, five miles below Peru, then on to John Hall's one hundred fifty miles around. In the spring of 1833 there appears to be the added names of Sister A. Hale, a Sister Waters, David Spencer and some others. At this time John Sin- clair was presiding elder. The Sister Hale mentioned was the wife of Asahel Hale, who afterwards donated the lot at the corner of Madison and Fulton streets for the First Methodist Episcopal church and the property at Main and High streets for Hale Memorial church.
Hall was succeeded in 1834 by Joel Arrington, who seems to have re-vivified the membership and was by some given the credit of having established the first class, when in fact Jesse Walker was ahead of him by nine years. More- over, the forming of a class by Arrington would be no evidence that the former organization or class had lapsed or that there was no previous church, as under the system established by John Wesley, a Methodist church might consist of one class or an aggregation of classes. In each case the class had a leader and in early days these classes often met week day evenings at the homes of the leaders, when the members spoke of their religious experience and the leader advised or exhorted.
The quarterly meeting service was always accompanied by the love feast, or general class meeting. To be admitted to the love feast was considered a great privilege, and for a time during early times in Peoria, admission was only ob- tained upon ticket, which ticket was only given to faithful attendants upon class meetings and religious services.
Copies of love feast tickets :
"Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."-Matthew V-5. The Lord hath spoken good to mne, His word my hope secures ; He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures. (Signed) C. Hobart S. P. (Station Preacher). 1843.
Peoria Station. 3d Quarter.
James Hazzard "Blessed be the Lord: for He hath showed me His marvelous kindness in a strong city." Psa. XXXII-21.
3 Qr. April 20, 1845. (Signed) J. Chandler.
The tickets referred to are now in the possession of J. F. Hazzard of this city. Beggs says that upon one such occasion, feeling in good spirits while he was attending the door and being in a liberal mood he admitted several who had not the proper credentials. Good Brother K. came to him and said: "Brother Beggs, what do you mean by admitting so many to our love feast, you have even let in old man H." At the close of the service Beggs says he called for any who
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might desire to join the church to present themselves and old man H. was the first to come.
Referring to the original class formed in 1825, McCulloch, in his history of Peoria city and county gives the name of Rivers Cormack instead of Rev. Reeves McCormick as Beggs gives it. As Beggs was on the ground a few years after- ward he has probably given the correct name. McCulloch says H. H. Farkington travelled the Peoria circuit in 1820 and also gives the name of Isaac Scarrett for the same work the same year. By the conference of September, 1829, James Latta was assigned to the circuit in which Peoria was included, and as Stephen R. Beggs was transferred to the circuit from the Logansport mission about Janu- ary, 1830, it is probable that Latta was transferred also, but to what work we are not informed.
At this time Peter Cartwright was presiding elder, and his district extended from Chicago to Peoria, and from the Illinois river to the Mississippi.
The same author gives the name of Zadoc Hall, as the preacher on the circuit in 1832 and 1833. He, finding that several of the class formed by Walker had removed, re-organized the class and from that time the organization became per- manent. Joel Arrington came in 1833. By the conference of the fall of 1834, Rev. L. S. Walker was sent to this work, and by that of 1835 W. C. Cumming, who was the father of the venerable Rev. J. S. Cumming, now assigned to the Second Methodist Episcopal church at Moline, Illinois. While here Rev. William C. Cumming lived in the cottage on Washington street which belonged to Daniel Brestel. Peoria was made a station in 1836 and that fall the conference assigned James W. Dunahy to the work. He remained about six months, and N. G. Berryman was sent to supply the place. Beggs says John Sinclair also was here in 1836. It is probable he did his work on the circuit. It was in the year 1837 that Asahel Hale and Mark M. Aiken donated part of a lot, 71 feet by 72 feet at the corner of Fulton and Madison streets, as a site for a church.
Beggs, who was assigned to the Peoria church by the conference of 1839, says A. E. Phelps, was his predecessor and says he was a powerful preacher, and on account of being fully able in debate, to protect his faith and creed, became very popular. McCulloch says Phelps was assigned here in 1837 and William l'. Williams and William Cundiff in 1838. The dates have probably been reversed, and one of the latter was on the circuit work.
EARLY HISTORY
In the summer of 1835 there came to Peoria, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a young man, a carpenter by trade, and a local Methodist preacher, Daniel Brestel by name, who, with his family consisting of his wife and four young daughters had sought a home in the west, and had made choice of Peoria for such a home. He came well recommended and a letter, commending him as a man of high moral character and a competent mechanic dated Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, April 25, 1835, and signed by sixteen business and professional men, who are desig- nated by marginal notes as "State Clerk." "Congressman," "Station Preacher" and "Merchants" with several "Gentlemen" is still in existence and in the pos- session of one of his descendants. Upon the arrival of the family in Peoria, the only place of shelter they could get, was one or two rooms in Hunt's Row, a long frame, one-story building containing four or five tenements, located at the west corner of Adams and Fulton streets, where the B. & M. clothing store now stands. There was no chimney, or fire place in this tenement, only a hole in the floor and another in the roof ; and with such accommodations, or rather lack of accommodations, they were compelled to get along until more suitable quarters could be found. Mr. Brestel having brought some means with him, purchased for $1,000 a lot 72 feet front on the northwest side of Washington street, by 171 feet deep toward Adams street, on which was a small cottage of four or five rooms.
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The next year, perhaps, in 1836, he built a good, substantial carpenter shop ; and a substantial two-story franre building on the front of the lot and on the line of sidewalk. This building contained a large storeroom on the first floor and two large living rooms above, which were reached by a stairway on the outside of the building. The carpenter's shop was situated on the alley between Wash- ington and Adams streets and immediately in the rear of what is now the Schnel- bacher building, but across the alley, being between Main and Fulton streets. This property is now covered with business houses and worth, probably $75,000.
Daniel Brestel and his family came from Pennsylvania by wagon most of the way, and were from five to six weeks making the trip. Upon their arrival, being Methodists, they naturally fell in with that people, whom they found at that time worshiping in the old log court house on the bank of the river near where the electric light plant now stands. Stephen R. Beggs tells us in his "Early History of the West and Northwest." that at times preachers of other denominations occupied the court house, and consequently the Methodists were compelled to hold services in the houses of some of the members. After Daniel Brestel built his carpenter shop they had the use of it for services, and it was there and not in a shop on the alley between Washington and Water street, as stated in McCulloch's history, where their services were held.
Samuel Markley was also a carpenter and a partner of Daniel Brestel, later Markley built a house and lived on North Adams street, about where number 407 now is. A front part was built on since his death, and the old house remains there yet. It probably belongs to a grandson, C. M. Comegys.
Daniel Brestel's house was always open to the circuit riders and Methodist preachers, and Peter Cartwright, Stephen R. Beggs, Richard Haney, Henry Summers, Jacoby, of Cincinnati, and Winebrenner, of Pennsylvania, were among his guests.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania of French and German lineage, Brestel was able to read, write and speak English and German equally well, and was always in demand to serve in preaching and marriage services, especially among the Germans, who had no church organization of any kind when he first arrived. He was not averse to preaching the gospel to the colored people and frequently rendered such services for them in a schoolhouse which then stood on Walnut street, between Adams and Washington streets. As the German Methodists had no organization here then, he took great interest in them, and was to a large degree instrumental in organizing the German Methodist Episcopal church, and was a member of their first board of trustees, though himself a member of the English Methodist Episcopal church. He was a zealous student of the scrip- tures and was able to quote almost any passage he might be asked for, or if he heard a quotation, to locate the book, chapter and verse. However, not content, and desiring to better understand the Bible, he studied Greek and Hebrew after he was fifty years of age.
In 1840, about which time Peoria was considered a thrifty and promising young place, there came from Philadelphia a young bricklayer, James Hazzard, by name, seeking employment at his trade and a place to locate. Being a Metho- (ist he became acquainted with the Brestel family, and in 1842 was married to Margaret, the second daughter, the service being read by Rev. Chauncey Hobart, the then preacher in charge, and who but recently died in Red Wing, Minnesota, after nearing the century mark in years.
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