USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Peoria > Peoria city and county, Illinois; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 26
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An interesting fact in connection with this family and the Methodist church is, that from the coming of Daniel Brestel in 1835, when he became connected with the church, to the present time, there has been continuous service upon the official board of some Methodist church, by some member of the family. Daniel Brestel, by virtue of his being an ordained minister ; his son-in-law becoming a member of the board of trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal church; a grandson, first for about three years a steward of the Second church, from which he transferred to Hale Chapel in 1868, becoming one of the first trustees,
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in which capacity he has continued ever since; while a great grandson is now, and has been for a number of years a steward and treasurer of Hale Memorial church, a continuous period of more than seventy-six years.
In 1839, the Illinois conference held its session at Bloomington, and at that session, Stephen R. Beggs was appointed to the church at Peoria, by Bishop Morris. As some of the members of the church had set their hearts on securing another preacher, a relative of one of the then prominent members, Beggs' recep- tion on the part of some was not very cordial, in fact rather discouraging, but being a man determined to do his duty as he saw it, he went to work vigorously. He made his first appearance Sabbath morning. He says: "Our only place of worship was Brestel's" ( Beggs incorrectly spells the name Bristol) "carpenter shop, and there I preached among jackplanes and chisels." He took his first dinner in Peoria with Brestel's family. It soon became so that the carpenter shop would not hold the people who came to the services, so one evening Beggs proposed that they start in and build a church. As is always the case, there were doubtful ones, and they began to object. The period, the winter of 1839-40, was a season of gloomy aspect ; money was hard to get, and so the prospect was not very encouraging. Furthermore, it seems that about two years before, an attempt had been made to build a frame church, and some material collected, but a reverend brother thinking that a frame church would be out of keeping with certain ideas of dignity, and, possibly pride, discouraged the project, insist- ing on a brick church or none, and the materials collected had been sold and the little money received for it had been pocketed by a Mr. A.
In spite of all the discouraging circumstances and conditions and in face of all objections, Beggs insisted that a frame building would be better than none and carried his point. A place for the building having been secured, he per- suaded some of the men to take their axes and sleds, go into the timber and fell trees and haul them in on the snow, score and hew the timbers for sills and plates.
Quite a number fell in with his plans, and by the spring of 1840 they had the hewn timbers ready, Beggs having made a- "bee" for that purpose. He went to the sawmills and begged other necessary lumber and also secured bricks in the same way. One Sabbath he invited the men, as many as would assist, to be on the ground the next morning to frame the timbers so that they might have the frame raised by the next Saturday evening. Monday morning he appointed Daniel Brestel, foreman, and the men who came were set to work. About noon, however, the foreman was taken sick and the preacher had to secure another, which he did, presumably Samuel Markley, also a member of the church. At the time there was great stagnation and work was scarce, so Beggs went about the village and solicited every idle man he met to go and assist, which many did will- ingly. He found some masons who went at once and laid the foundation walls, and by Saturday evening the frame of the first Methodist church building was raised. Even then the croakers were not quieted and predicted that it would never go any farther ; but Beggs was of a different mind. He took his horse and buggy, and started out, soliciting one dollar or more from every man he met. He went as far as Alton, St. Louis and Belleville, and secured sixty-five dollars in all ; his largest subscription being twenty-five dollars. On his return, he again went among the sawmills, and secured donations of sheathing and flooring, and Josiah Fulton having given a large oak tree which was made up into shingles, he soon had the building ready for plastering. This work Leonard L. Loomis kindly agreed to do if some one would do the lathing. Lathing in those days was done by taking thin sawed boards, generally of oak, nailing one edge ; then split- ting with a hatchet and spreading, and nailing again, splitting and spreading and nailing until the board covered all the space it would, and then repeating the operation until all the walls were covered. This work Beggs found men to do, and Loomis plastered the building.
The doors and windows were gotten, presumably, with the money raised on the southern trip; and with temporary seats and pulpit, the building was ready
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for services, with less than ten dollars indebtedness, the total money cost being something over $70. This building was erected on a part of lot ten, block thirty, original town of Peoria, being 72 feet on Madison street by 71 feet on Fulton street at the west corner, opposite the present city hall.
It has been said and written that this lot was donated by Asahel Hale and Mark MI. Aiken, the latter a member of the church at that time, and the former becoming so later, An examination of the records of deeds, however, does not exactly bear this out. On page 515, Book G of Transcribed Record of Deeds in Peoria county, is the transcript of the deed which transfers the above described part of lot 10 to Mark M. Aiken and Asahel Hale, trustees, which explicitly pre- scribes the uses and purposes for which it is to be used, and directs that it shall descend to their successors in office, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church. This deed was made and executed by one William Pierce, and the consideration named was $500 in coin. This amount was probably fictitious, as the lot then was on the outskirts of the town, and lots on Adams street were valued less, many years later. This deed is dated March 2, 1837, acknowledged before William Mitchell, notary public and filed for record March 3, 1837. At the same time Pierce transferred to Hale and Aiken, in fee simple, the balance of lot IO, block 30. being 29 feet on Fulton street by 72 feet on the alley, consideration $100.
The whole transaction would seem to indicate that the plat 72 feet by 71 feet may have been donated to the church by William Pierce, probably at the solicita- tion of Asahel llale and Mark M. Aiken, and in consideration of the sale of the other part of the lot to them.
There is no deed on record from Mark M. Aiken conveying any part of said lot to the church, but he conveyed his interest in the other part of lot 10 to Asahel Hale, and on page six hundred and twenty-three, Book Y of Record of Deeds, is the transcript of a deed from Asahel Hale and Laura Ilale, his wife, to George Wilkenson, James R. Hazzard, Samuel B. King, Asahel Hale, Jesse L. Knowl- ton, Joseph J. Thomas and John Easton, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church, transferring part of lot 10, being 50 feet on Fulton street by 71 feet deep, commencing 71 feet from Madison street, for a consideration of $200. This deed is dated April 20. 1847, and was acknowledged before William 1I. Fessen- den, Justice Peace, April 30, 1847, but not filed for record until June 23, 1851. The provisions in this deed are the same as those in the deed from Pierce in 1837 and this plat was, no doubt, donated by Asahel Hale and Laura Hale, his wife.
Some nine years after the erection of the first building, which had been enlarged in the meantime, it was moved to one side to make way for the erection of a large brick church ; later the old frame building was moved to the corner of Harrison and Water streets, immediately in the rear of the board of trade build- ing site, and became part of a hotel owned and operated by James McFadden : which was afterward known as the Central House and operated under that name many years by John Phillips. Of late years it has given way to a large business establishunent.
Daniel Brestel died in November, 1859, aged sixty-six years and his remains lie in Springdale cemetery. Of his descendants there are now living, one daugh- ter, Mrs. Elizabeth Bowman, living at Los Gatos, California, aged about eighty- one years ; seven grand children, six of whom live in Peoria and one in Lincoln, Nebraska ; eighteen great grandchildren and about as many great great grand- children. The late Rev. David G. Stouffer was a nephew of Samuel Markley.
When Stephen R. Beggs arrived with his family in Peoria in the fall of 1839, the only house he could obtain was an old, dilapidated dwelling, long tenanted by rats and vermin, which vigorously contested the intrusion for several months. One time, while the preacher was away, Judge George B. Parker, not then a church member nor even a professor of religion, found and rented a good com- fortable dwelling and moved the preacher's family in before he returned.
That Daniel Brestel was an ordained minister is attested by the fact that he performed many marriage ceremonies, especially for German couples. We have
REV. STEPHEN R.BEGGS.
Who as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Peoria. built the first "Meth- odist meeting house."
REV. DANIEL BRESTEL Came to Peoria in 1835 from Penn- sylvania. First preacher assigned to preach to German-speaking Meth- odist-, 1×43.
REV. ISAAC KELLAR
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no record of just when he was ordained, but there are persons living who know of the fact, one of whom is Johnson L. Cole. Joseph F. Hazzard remembers of his performing marriage ceremonies. Ira E. Benton records that at the quarterly meeting held on the camp ground at Ten-Mile Creek, in Tazewell county, August 19, 1843, Daniel Brestel resigned as member of the official board to begin work as preacher to the Germans in Tazewell county.
The writer had the privilege of meeting and entertaining Stephen R. Beggs in 1868 and at that time obtained from him a copy of his "Early History" just then published.
With an interest engendered by family connections with the Methodist Epis- copal church, extending into three centuries, and more than sixty years of personal recollections; with associations and memories of nearly all of the persons and events, it has been the intent of the writer to give in a concise form, historic facts without diversions but surely the names of such arduous, energetic, self- sacrificing mien as Jesse Walker, Stephen R. Beggs, Peter Cartwright, Henry Summers, Richard Haney, John Chandler, the generous, far-sighted Asahel Hale, the willing, ever-ready carpenter-preacher, Daniel Brestel, and Samuel Tart, for many years a class leader, with many others mentioned, ought to be known and held in reverence by all Methodists in the city and county of Peoria.
It is said that in 1840 Bishop Beverly Waugh preached in the new church and wrote to the New York Christian Advocate, "The Methodists of Peoria have a new church building, but it is half a mile from the village."
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The building erected by the zeal and energy of Stephen R. Beggs and his willing supporters in 1840, was 31 feet by 40 feet in size. In 1843, the work having prospered greatly and congregations necessitating more room, the build- ing was lengthened by the addition of 16 feet to the rear. In 1841 and 1842 Rev. Nathaniel 1. Cunningham was pastor. Rev. Cunningham was the father of Mrs. J. D. McClure. By the general conference of 1840 the Illinois conference was again divided and the Rock River conference formed. According to assign- ments of ministers as given by S. R. Beggs, this conference included a large part of the state of Illinois, and the states of Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and enough territory. was included in one presiding elder's district to form two conferences now.
In the fall of 1842 N. P. Cunningham transferred to Chicago and was as- signed to the church there. By the same conference Chauncey Hobart was sent to the church at Peoria and served until the following fall, when Richard Haney succeeded him. Haney was a giant in stature, and a powerful preacher, who was well known in Peoria by many of the present generation. John Chandler was the pastor in 1845-46. In the latter year, the congregation was incorporated and James Hazzard, George Wilkinson, Samuel B. King, Jesse L. Knowlton, Joseph J. Thomas, John Easton and Asahel Hale were the members of the first board of trustees.
In the fall of 1846 Rev. F. A. McNeal was appointed to the church and in 1847 N. P. Heath ; but he being sent off on a financial mission, Rev. McNeal again served the people. In 1848 and 1849 Silas Bolles was preacher in charge, and it was under his administration that the second church building was erected.
The little frame church erected by S. R. Beggs, after having been enlarged had again been outgrown, and the congregations demanded more room, con- sequently, a new brick building 60x90 feet was erected, with an audience room, which, with a lobby, covered the entire second floor, a lecture room, 42x60 feet, and several class rooms in the basement. This building was. very plain. The brickwork was done by Card and Hazzard, and it is thought the carpenter work was done by Thomas & Bain, and the plastering by Loomis & Brown. Finances being short, no more than a base for a spire was ever built, and so remained Vol. 1-12
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until May 13, 1858, when a severe hurricane, which passed over the city, partly unroofed the church while it blew the spires off almost every other church in the city.
This building was dedicated in September, 1849, Bishop Edmund S. Janes preaching the sermon. The building had a gallery over the lobby so that the seating capacity was the entire interior size of the building. However, with the entering into the new building an innovation was introduced and musical instru- ments, and singers were installed in the gallery. The instruments were a bass viol and a flute, the latter of which was played by Edgar M. Banvard, and the former by George Thorpe, as near as can be ascertained.
Of the members of the choir, the following names have been obtained. Stark R. Reed, Joseph Brown, Joseph C. Parker, Edward Story, Mrs. Louise Reed and Miss Marie Banvard, sisters of E. M. Banvard; Miss Mary Reed, daughter of S. R. Reed, and Miss Mary Brown, daughter of Joseph Brown ; and Mrs. Leah Benton. Of these Edward Story is the only one of whom we have any information at present time. He resides with his wife and daughter at 212 West Armstrong avenue, Peoria. One rather comical feature, was that when the congregation arose for the singing, all turned their backs to the pulpit and "faced the music."
The Rev. Peter Cartwright was a rough, uncouth, plain-spoken man and a powerful preacher. One of his antagonismns was to instrumental music in the church. It is said that at one time when about to open services, he announced the hymn, and read it as was customary, and casting his eyes up, he saw the bass viol and said, "You will now please fiddle and sing the hymn as announced."
Edgar M. Banvard was about this time superintendent of the Sunday school, but not many years afterwards left for California, and was succeeded by Joseph Brown.
In 1850 J. C. Parks was assigned to this church, and he was followed by C. C. Best, who also was reappointed the next year.
About this time "The Wesleyan Seminary of Peoria" was started and a lease secured on the "Mitchell House," which had been built by William Mitchell, former county clerk, for a hotel, but which was not a success in that capacity and had been closed. It was located on the corner of Jefferson avenue and Fulton street, where the "Star" office and two or three other business buildings are now situated. The seminary was not a success, and the building was afterward remodeled and opened as a hotel, under the name of "The Massasoit House," and did quite a business for some time.
About this time William Jones taught a school in the basement of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. Some of the names, remembered of scholars who attended that school are : Henry B. Rouse, Walter P. Colburn, Edward S. Easton, Charles Easton, Edwin C. Ely. Selby Whittlesy, a cousin of Ely's, Joseph F. Hazzard, Miss Alice Hill, Emeline Shelly, now the widow of the late Martin Kingman, Mary Mossman, and Virginia Cunningham, now widow of Colonel J. D. McClure, cousins.
In1 1852 and 1853, J. W. Flower was pastor and during his pastorate a small mission church, known as Moffatt church, was built on lower Adams street, about opposite where the Barrett Manufacturing Company's plant is now located. This was used as a mission church by the First church for a few years and then discontinued. In 1855 Caleb Foster was appointed to the church.
The general conference of 1856 having divided the Rock River conference and formed the Central Illinois conference the new conference held its first ses- sion in the Methodist Episcopal church in Peoria, beginning September 19, 1856, being presided over by Bishop Edmund S. Janes. Since that time six other sessions of the annual conference have been held in Peoria, to-wit: 1871, 1886, 1895, 1900, 1905 and the last session held in Hale Memorial church, commencing September 6, 1911.
By the conference of 1856, Rev. William H. Hunter, who had transferred
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from the Erie conference of Pennsylvania, was appointed to the Peoria church. At first he was strongly objected to by some on account of his pronounced anti- slavery proclivities, but the events of the next few years wiped out all such objec- tions, and William H. Hunter became a tower of strength to Methodism, not only in Peoria and the Central Illinois conference, but in the nation. He was several times elected a delegate to the general conference. He was also a good business man and financial manager, and by husbanding the very small allowances of his earlier days and the somewhat more liberal income of later years, he accumulated quite an amount of property. He was, nevertheless, of a liberal turn of mind, and quite often assisted his less fortunate, or more improvident, brethren in the ministry, as well as giving of his means to worthy causes. Almost at the commencement of Rev. Hunter's ministrations to the church here, a mis- sion Sunday school was started in a small brick building on North Jefferson street, which stood where the three-story brick building, the "Annex" to the "Bailie." now stands. This building was formerly the Swedenborgian church. It had also been used for a private school. In 1857 George B. Parker was super- intendent, C. Dunham, secretary and James Hazzard, librarian of this Sunday school. Joseph F. Hazzard has in his possession several certificates of member- ship in this school, issued to members of his family in April, 1857. However, prior to this, probably in 1855 and 1856, there was a Sunday school, largely under the auspices of Methodist people, conducted in an old frame building which was originally a foundry and had afterwards been used as a schoolhouse, located on the northwest side of Perry avenue, between Fayette and Jackson streets, and which belonged to George C. Greenwood. In this Sunday school, Mrs. Mary E. Phenix was a teacher, and Joseph F. Hazzard and the girl who is now his wife were attendants. About the time of the opening of the Sunday school in the building on Jefferson street, the school on Perry avenue ceased to exist, and a number of the attendants transferred to the new location. A feature about this new Sunday school was that the library books, which were mostly for the younger grade of children were kept in a carpenter's tool chest, loaned by Wil- liam Comegys. Milton L. Haney, a brother of Richard laney, was assigned to Peoria mission, and this Sunday school formed a nucleus from which he or- ganized the Second Methodist Episcopal church, whose successor is Madison Avenue Methodist Episcopal church.
In 1857. R. C. Bolles was appointed to succeed W. H. Hunter and he in turn was succeeded by R. C. Rowley. In 1859, S. G. J. Worthington, one of the grand old men of the Central Illinois conference, and father of Judge Nicholas E. Worthington, was appointed to the First church, in Peoria, and remained till 1862, when Rev. J. S. Cumming, a son of Rev. William C. Cumming, who was on the Peoria circuit in 1836, followed. It is said that it was during Cumming's time that the first organ, what was known as a parlor organ, was installed in the church. Also at this time the first camp meeting was held at Oak Hill, and a camp meeting has been held there annually ever since. Rev. Cumming remained until the conference of 1863 again assigned Rev. Richard Haney to the charge, and the next year Rev. C. C. Knowlton. Rev. Knowlton was re-appointed but resigned in February, 1866, and James Tubbs supplied until the conference of 1866, which appointed Andrew Magee.
By the conference of 1868. J. P. Brooks was sent and in the fall of 1869, J. S. Cumming again was assigned to the work, and continued this time for three years. In1 1872 E. Wasmuth was appointed. He remained three years. In 1875 A. R. Morgan came for a three years' term, and was followed in 1878 by Selah W. Brown for two years. By the conference of 1880 James T. McFarland, now in charge of the Sunday school publication of the Methodist Episcopal church, was assigned as pastor, William Hunter as assistant, and they remained two years. This brings us to the end of the chapter so far as the brick church building of 1849 is concerned, for in 1882 it was sold and the next year abandoned for church services.
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The writer has thought it might be interesting to many to recall the names of many well remembered as being connected with the First Methodist Episcopal church and its activities at the time of, and immediately following its dedication in 1849. Among those best remembered are: Daniel Brestel and wife, and Eliza- beth Bowman, their daughter, now living in California, where she has been since 1853; Peter S. Shelly and wife; Enoch P'. Sloan, L. Keyon, Nathaniel Curtiss and family; Leonard L. Loomis and wife; James Ilazzard and wife, the latter a daughter of Daniel Brestel; Joseph J. Thomas and wife, and daughters, Mrs. Leah Benton and Miss Mary Thomas; Samuel B. King and wife; Samuel Tart and wife and daughter, the latter afterwards the wife of Colonel Chas. H. Deane ; Ira E. Benton and Caroline Chandler, who afterwards became his wife; Jesse L. Knowlton and wife; Edward D. Shutts and wife; Father Bowen and wife; Father Bunn and wife and J. H. Bunn ; Wm. Comegys and wife ; Mother Mark- ley ; Mother Slough ; Dr. Mossman; Dr. McNeal and wife; Edgar M. Banvard and wife; Mother Banvard and Mrs. Lizzie Sloan; Mrs. Louise Reed and Miss Maria Banvard, her daughters; Nathan Giles; Wm. Giles; Columbus Dunham ; Asahel Ilale and wife, the latter of the class formed in 1832; Wm. Hale, the first mayor of Peoria, and his wife; Henry Story and wife, parents of Edward and F. M. Story of this city; Levi B. Gibson; James M. Woodbury and wife; Mrs. Cunningham, widow of the Rev. N. P. Cunningham, and mother of Mrs. Colonel J. D. McClure ; Stark R. Reed and family ; and Clark B. Stebbins, for many years a justice of the peace.
By the conference of 1882, Rev. J. E. Keene was appointed to the First Methodist Episcopal church, and during his incumbency the present church edifice at the junction of Fulton, Franklin and Sixth avenue was built. Mr. Keene was quite a young man, at that time being only twenty-eight years of age. He was transferred from the church at Kewanee. When he arrived here, he found that the old church building had been sold, and the congregation was worshiping in what was known as "The Old Armory," at the east corner of Madison avenue and Liberty street. This latter was in fact built as a Cumberland Presbyterian church and known as the Glover church but not used long as such. Glover was the name of the pastor when it was built.
Mr. Keene found that the lot for the new church building had been purchased, and that his predecessor, Rev. James T. McFarland, had memoranda of some persons who had promised to make subscriptions. Plans had also been prepared and accepted, so that he started in at once to get the subscription in more tangible form, and of sufficient amount, which he found to be a most arduous task. In the meantime a most efficient building committee, consisting of Isaac Brown, J. H. Bunn, and H. C. Lines, now all passed to their reward, proceeded with the con- struction of the building, with James Bramble, as contractor. But the building was not completed until the fall of 1884. Mr. Keene preached the first sermon in the unfinished building in May, 1884, but it was not dedicated, according to Ira E. Benton, until 1888, when Rev. Peter A. Cool, had taken charge. The dedication services were held October 18, 1888, the dedicatory sermon being delivered by Bishop Charles H. Fowler. The cost of the building including site was about $35,000. Several years after the building was completed finding that there was not enough seating capacity, it was remodeled by tearing out the end walls of the wings of the transept, and extending them and putting in galleries over them.
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