USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Peoria > Peoria city and county, Illinois; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 28
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The Rev. Joseph S. Cumming was appointed by the session of the Central
REV. WILLIAM A. SPENCER
First Pastor of Hale Chapel. Methodist Episcopal Church. Peoria, in 1568-69-70
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
Illinois conference, in the fall of 1870, to the pastorate of the First Methodist Episcopal church. On the 4th day of December of that year he, accompanied by a number of members of the First church and some Presbyterians, among whom was the late William Reynolds, went to Knowlton's little church, which he had called Wesley Mission, and dedicated it. The next Sunday a school was organized with Jesse L. Knowlton as superintendent. Rev. Cumming attended at three o'clock Sabbath afternoons and often preached. In 1871 he held meet- ings every evening for three weeks, having about twenty-five conversions. With these and about ten members of the First church, a society was organized which was the origin of Wesley church.
The building erected by Knowlton was a low, L-shape building, built with the idea of accommodating a mission Sunday school. July 24, 1878, the lots were deeded to the First Methodist Episcopal church by M. Griswold. In 1883 Rev. George J. Luckey, then presiding elder of the Peoria district, secured John W. Dieffendorf, a local preacher, then living on a farm, to come to Peoria and undertake the task of raising the means and building a more commodious church building.
Dieffendorf made a success of the church enterprise and was in charge a little less than three years. Succeeding Dieffendorf, the following pastors have served this church: David Tasker, two years; W. P. Ferguson, one year ; IV. W. Carr, two years; James Johnson, about one and a half years; and G. M. Webber, six months as a supply. In the fall of 1893 David B. Johnson was assigned to this church and remained three years. He was succeeded by the late Rev. J. B. Dille for about one year ; and then came G. M. Boswell, who re- mained two years; Rev. E. II. Alford followed and served three years; A. C. Kelly, one year; Alfred Dixon, three years. Rev. R. H. Figgins two years; Charles Fitzhenry as a supply less than a year; Henry T. Shook two months. Commencing September, 1909, Isaac Woodrow, two years and he was succeeded by the present pastor, F. E. Ball, who also serves the Mossville church.
The report of the conference of 1911 showed that these churches were quite prosperous. Membership, including thirteen probationers, two hundred sixty- five; Sunday school officers and teachers, twenty-five; scholars, three hundred fifty-nine; an Epworth League of fifty-six members and a Junior League of forty-three. Two churches were reported valued at $9,200 and one parsonage valued at $1,600, which belongs to the congregation of Wesley church.
GRACE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
In 1896 some of the members of the Hale Memorial church who lived in what is now the extreme northwest corner of the city near the corner of Uni- versity street and Knoxville road, believing that a Methodist church could be maintained in that neighborhood, being joined by a few from the First Methodist Episcopal church, on the evening of the rith of December of that year, formed an organization by electing as trustees, Henry Apple, J. E. Sherwood, James Flan- agan, W. E. Hack and Mr. Miller, and as stewards Sisters Sherwood, Hack, Apple, Flanagan, Peters, Neff and Mable Nelson, and J. E. Sherwood as super- intendent of the Sunday school. Rev. W. F. Merrill was presiding elder and he secured J. F. Bliss to act as pastor.
At the present time O. T. Dwinell is district superintendent and Rev. Black- man, pastor. This church reported to the conference of 1911: Membership, sixty-nine; Sunday school, teachers and officers, sixteen ; scholars, one hundred sixty-three; church property, $3,000.
The church is now prosperous, with everything paid up to date and money in the treasury and its members are contemplating improvements in the way of a basement and an extension of the wing to better accommodate their increasing Sunday school.
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
FIRST GERMAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
On August 19, 1843, Daniel Brestel resigned his membership on the official board of the First Methodist Episcopal church to accept the appointment as preacher to the German people, principally in Tazewell county, a German mission having been formed. The assignment was probably made by the conference of 1843, the session of which was then at hand. He probably preached the first sermons in the German language in Peoria and Tazewell counties.
In September, 1851, several German Methodist families moving from Cin- cinnati, Ohio, to Peoria, resulted in the establishment of a German Methodist Episcopal church here, H. F. Koeneke being pastor. Especially active in this direction were the Oechsle, Venneman and Buehner families, all of whom the present writer remembers well. The initial meetings were held in a schoolhouse on the west side of Monson street, just south of Fifth (the Hinman schoolhouse, where Bob Burdette was a scholar ). A German Methodist Episcopal Sunday school was organized here, and as a result of this, and preaching services, Casper Westemeyer, Herman Albrecht, H. Ludwig and others were brought under the influence of the gospel, and became pillars in the church. After little more than two years of successful labor the first church building was erected at the corner of Fifth and Monson streets, which was completed in 1854, Frederich Fiegen- baum and F. M. Winkler being each a part of the time pastor. The dedicatory sermon was delivered by Rev. G. L. Mulfinger. The site is now occupied by the African Methodist Episcopal church. Several years later, during the pas- torate of William Zuppan, this first church was sold and the congregation leased, temporarily, the Cumberland Presbyterian church building, located at the east corner of Madison and Liberty streets. Here the centennial jubilee of Methodism was celebrated in 1866. A short time later the congregation purchased a lot at the corner of South Adams and Chestnut streets for $3,500, and erected thereon a two-story frame church building, at a cost of $7,000, under the pastor- ate of Rev. C. Schneider. This building is still standing, being used at present by the Salvation Army, and formerly by a German singing society. A stirring revival took place in this church, during the pastorate of Rev. M. Roeder. Under Rev. Chas. Becker a mission chapel was built on the triangular plot at the head of Cedar street near the Webster school, where Sunday school and preaching were held for a number of years; the property then being sold, and the proceeds applied on a new Mission church on the corner of Sanger street and Oakland avenne, where is now an active congregation. The old mission church at the head of Cedar street was transformed into a dwelling which still stands in the same location.
During the pastorate of Rev. W. H. Traeger, another notable revival oc- curred in the Chestnut street church. A frame parsonage, fronting on Adams street, and costing $1,700, was erected on the church property during his term of service. The congregation having outgrown the capacity of this building, plans were made for obtaining larger quarters in a more suitable location and. in the following pastorate of Rev. E. E. Hertzler, the property corner of Fifth and Sanford streets was purchased and the present church edifice erected. repre- senting an outlay of $20,000. Previous to this mission, Sunday schools were conducted for a time, one in the north end of the city by Herman Albrecht, and another in the lower end, on Garden street, by Brethren George E. Green and Jacob Hoffmann.
During the pastorate of Rev. C. A. C. Achard, a sweeping revival took place, conducted by Evangelist Hilmer.
In May, 1903, the fiftieth anniversary of the church was celebrated with an appropriate series of meetings, concluding with the dual celebration of the two- hundredth anniversary of the birth of John Wesley and the semi-centennial of the founding of the congregation, by a union service in the First Methodist Episcopal church, corner Sixth and Franklin streets, on Sunday evening, May
.
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
10, 1903, which was addressed (in English) by Dr. George B. Addicks (now deceased ), then president of Central Wesleyan College, Warrenton, Missouri, his theme being "John Wesley and his times.'
The following pastors have served this church :
Henry F. Koeneke, 1851 to 1852; Christian Koeller, 1852 to 1853; Friederich Fiegenbaum, 1853 to 1854; F. M. Winkler, 1854 to 1855; R. Fickenscher, asst., 1855 to 1856: Christian Holl, 1856 to 1857; H. F. Koeneke, 1857 to 1858; John Haas, 1858 to 1859; Jacob Young, 1859 to 1861; A. F. Korfhage, 1861 to 1862; Chas. Holtkamp, 1862 to 1865; Wilhelm Zuppan, 1865 to 1866; Karl Schneider, 1866 to 1868; Heinrick Thomas, 1868 to 1871 ; Heinrick Lahrmann, 1871 to 1872; Julius Franz, 1872 to 1874; Gerhard Tinken, 1874 to 1877; Michael Roeder, 1877 to 1880; Phillipp Kuhl, 1880 to 1881; Chas. G. Becker, 18SI to 1884; William H. Traeger, 1884 to 1887 : E. E. Hertzler, 1887 to 1891; C. A. C. Achard, 1891 to 1894 : Wilhelm Balcke, 1894 to 1897; J. L. J. Barth, 1897 to 1900; William H. Schwiering, 1900 to 1904; E. C. Margaret, 1904 to 1909; William H. Schwier- ing, 1909 to 1910; E. H. Muelder, 1910 and the present pastor.
Church membership about one hundred sixty ; Sunday school, fifteen officers and teachers, and one hundred twenty scholars. This church owns a parsonage property adjoining the church, valued at about $4,000.
The German churches are not connected with the Central Illinois conference, but are under the jurisdiction of the St. Louis conference of the German Meth- odist Episcopal church.
The mission church heretofore referred to at the corner of Sanger street and Oakland avenue is known as the Sanger Street German Methodist Episcopal church. The organization dates from February 3, 1889. The church edifice is a very neat, tasty, little building and there also is a very comfortable parsonage on the same lot, the whole being worth, probably $8,000 to $10,000.
The pastors have been: G. Schuch, C. W. Hertzler, L. Hermann Kosiski, G. L. Zocher, Karl Buch and H. Schlueter, the present pastor. This pastor also serves a mission church in Jubilee.
THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-WARD CHAPEL
Thus church was organized in the year 1846 by Rev. Philip Ward, of Bloom- ington, with ten members. William Gray (commonly known as "Uncle Billy"), was local preacher, class leader, steward and a great deal of the time janitor, all in one. "Uncle Billy" was a good man, and quite a gentleman. He was also very industrious. At first these people, like others of their day, held their meetings in the homes of the members and friends; then they rented a small schoolhouse on Walnut street below Adams, where their meetings were held until 1848, when they transferred to the schoolhouse on Monson street between Fourth and Fifth streets, known as the Hinman school. This school was on the site now occupied by the Heneberry Apartment building.
In 1850 they were compelled to find new quarters, and for some time again held their meetings at the homes of their members. About this time a circuit was organized, composed of the churches of Peoria, Bloomington and Galesburg, with Rev. William Brooks as pastor, William Gray still being local preacher and class leader.
In 1853, Rev. William J. Davis was appointed to this charge and proved to be quite an energetic and acceptable pastor ; a small frame church on Chestnut street, above Adams, was bought, and answered their purposes until 1866, when they purchased the little brick, at the corner of Fifth and Monson streets, from the German Methodists.
In the early days of their existence, it sometimes happened that these people could not at all times secure the services of a preacher of their own people, and under such circumstances, Daniel Brestel, the carpenter-preacher of the First Methodist Episcopal church, would frequently preach to them.
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
This congregation purchased the little brick church on Fifth and Monson streets for $2,600. In 1889 the old building was torn down and a more modern and commodious building erected. The building is still in use by them. The following pastors have served them. In 1856, Rev. A. T. Hall; 1857, Rev. J. Mitchem; 1858, Rev. William J. Done; Rev. Mitchem reappointed for 1859. In 1866, when the little church was purchased from the German Methodists Rev. Myers was pastor. The following are without dates : A. T. Hall, Nathan Mitchem, J. Perkins, James Semis, J. M. Perkins, H. Brown, M. M. Beckley, George H. Hand, A. W. White, J. W. Daneson, Henry Simmons, T. A. Clark, A. J. Mc- Cracken, Jesse Woods, B. M. Lewis, J. W. Wilkerson, Charles Sheen, S. J. Johnson, S. A. Hardison and H. W. Jamieson the immediate predecessor of the present pastor Rev. J. T. Morrow.
Number of members, one hundred thirty-four. Sunday school officers, seven ; teachers seven and scholars one hundred twelve.
TIIE FREE METHODIST CHURCH
In the fall of 1880, William A. Huston and his wife Mary, members of the Free Methodist church of Paxton, Illinois, removed to Peoria, at which time there was no organization of that church here, and they were the only members. They commenced holding neighborhood prayer meetings in the home of the people and seeing good results, and securing a number of conversions, they were encouraged to send for Rev. William Manley, chairman of the Galva dis- trict of the Illinois conference of their church, who came in the month of December, 1881, and held a ten days' revival meeting, which resulted in the organization of the Peoria society in the building known as the Olivet Mission, on Walnut street, between Washington and Adams street, which had formerly been Calvary Presbyterian mission, and at which place the late William Reynolds had for many years conducted a Sunday school. The society was organized December 29, 1881, with the following six charter members: Wm. A. Huston, Mary E. Iluston, Jonathan Haley, Belle Orr, Eliza Ward and Cynthia Morris.
In 1882, Revs. W. G. Hanmer, William Kelsey and P. C. Hanna, held a series of revival meetings in the Mission building on Walnut street, which re- sulted in an addition of fifty members. William A. Huston was the first class leader, and has served continuously in that capacity to the present date,-a period of more than thirty years.
Rev. Manley, who organized the church, has passed away. William Kelsey is now pastor of the Englewood Episcopal Methodist church, Chicago, and P. C. Hanna is the United States minister plenipotentiary to the Republic of Mexico.
The organization of the Free Methodist church is very similar to the organiza- tion of the Methodist Episcopal church, including the itineracy ; consequently, pastoral changes are frequent.
The following pastors have served this church: Rev. J. D. Marsh, 1882-84 ; G. W. Whittington, 1884-85; F. A. Arnold, 1885-86; James Sprague, 1886-87; J. T. Taylor and Jolin Ilarvey, 1887-89: J. D. Marsh, 1889-92 ; D. M. Smahey, 1892-93; J. T. Taylor, 1893-95; B. D. Fay, 1895-98; W. H. Winter and Lizzie Haist. 1898-1901 ; Henry Lenz, 1901-03: W. C. Willing, 1903-06; John Harvey, 1906-07; W. J. Bone, 1907-08: R. G. Wilkin, 1908-10; H. J. McKinnell, present pastor since 1910.
The society worshiped in the building on Walnut street ten years. The church building on the corner of South Underhill and Windom streets, West Bluff, was built during the second pastorate of Rev. J. D. Marsh and was dedi- cated by General Superintendent ( Bishop) B. T. Robberts, December 6, 1891. The parsonage on Windom street was built during the pastorate of Rev. B. D. Fay in 1897. The society has a mission church at the corner of Broadway and Nebraska streets, built by members of the parent society. A district parsonage has recently been built on Underhill street, under the charge of District Elder
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
E. G. Cryer. The number of members at the present time, February, 1912, is forty-six. The Sabbath school at Underhill and Windom streets numbers thirty, while the school at Broadway and Nebraska streets numbers eighty. This so- ciety is also conducting a Sabbath school at 2021 South Washington street, which has a membership of forty.
They have an active Women's Foreign Missionary society, which raised and paid for foreign missions last year $156.
CHILLICOTHE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Some of the records of this church having been destroyed it is not possible to ascertain to a certainty the earliest date at which Methodist ministers preached at Chillicothe, but September 29, 1851, John Chandler was appointed presiding elder and R. H. Moffitt pastor of the circuit to which Chillicothe was attached and it is said there was then quite a flourishing class, and that the church organ- ization was formed about 1850 with about twenty members. Services were at first held in a schoolhouse. In 1852 the congregation purchased a lot on the corner of Beech and Fourth streets upon which a parsonage was at once erected. Later they erected a church, which was dedicated December 28, 1856, Rev. Milton L. Flaney preaching the dedicatory sermon. The parsonage continued to be used in its original form until 1892, when it was remodeled. The first church building continued in use until 1898, when during the pastorate of Rev. D. B. Johnson, the present church was built on the corner of Chestnut and Sixth streets, at a cost of about $8,000 and at the time of building, was the largest and finest church in the city.
While it is uncertain as to just when the earliest services were held, and consequently the names of pastors prior to September, 1851, cannot be ascer- tained, since that time the following have served in that capacity : R. H. Moffitt, William Atchison, I. B. Craig, James Cowden, A. J. Jones, J. S. Millsap, D. S. Main, S. L. Hamilton, Benjamin Applebee, J. A. Windsor, J. C. Price, W. B. Frazelle, M. H. Shepherd, G. I. Bailey, J. H. Sanders, H. I. Brown, J. A. Windsor, Thos. Chipperfield, E. N. Bentley, G. M. Webber, R. W. Ames, Wm. Crapp, A. R. Jones, A. M. Lumkin, O. M. Dunlevy, B. E. Kaufman, D. B. Johnson, T. A. Beal, John Rogers, B. F. Eckly and the present pastor W. D. Benjamin, who is now, January, 1912, serving his second year.
The church is in a prosperous condition, the number of members reported to the conference of 1911 being one hundred eighty-five; Sunday school officers and teachers sixteen and scholars, two hundred seventy-eight, with an Epworth League of fifty members, and a Junior League of fifty members.
In connection with the Chillicothe church and served by the same pastor is the
HALLOCK TOWNSHIP, BLUE RIDGE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
This is probably the most peculiar church in the Central Illinois conference. To the conference session of 1911, it was reported as having eight members with a Sunday school consisting of ten officers and teachers and forty scholars. Nevertheless, it is an old organization which has been maintained for more than seventy years. In 1841, a schoolhouse was built in the north part of Hallock township, a short distance southeast of Lawn Ridge, and a revival service was held in it, which resulted in forming a Methodist class, and Blue Ridge has been an appointment in the conference ever since.
On April 14, 1849, John Ferguson, Isaiah Nurse, Jacob Booth, George Nurse and William R. Will were elected trustees and empowered to secure funds and build a church. They secured in cash and labor $787.80 and the church was enclosed and used for worship, but was not completed and dedicated until 1856, when it was dedicated by John Chandler, P. E. This structure served the people more than forty years when on February 22, 1898, a farewell service was held
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
and the time worn and weather beaten old building was torn down. A new structure was built by the combined energy of Rev. D. C. Martin and the loyal people and was dedicated September 4th, 1898, by F. W. Merrill, P. E., now of the Rock River conference. John Chandler was the first preacher and W. D. Benjamin the present pastor.
In the summer of 1856, a church was built on the land of David Shane, Sr., about three miles south of Lawn Ridge, and was dedicated under the name of Mount Hedding Methodist Episcopal church, by Rev. Henry Summers. The principal movers in this project were, David Shane, Sr., Isaac Weidman, and John Ferguson. Some years later it was decided to move the building to Lawn Ridge, which was done in the spring of 1871, and it was re-dedicated July 22d of that year, and was afterward known as the Lawn Ridge Methodist church. For some reason this church seems to have ceased to exist, as no mention is now made of it in the conference minutes.
NORTHAMPTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
This church is in Hallock township at the village of Northampton a few miles west of north from the city of Chillicothe. A Methodist class was organ- ized here in 1851 and services held in a schoolhouse until 1871, when a church was built. The circuit relations of the church were changed quite often and no records are available.
Services are not now held in the church building, which is controlled by the trustees of Chillicothe church, and the people probably worship with the mem- bers of that church.
PRINCEVILLE TOWNSHIP PRINCEVILLE METIIODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
From the days of the early '30s Princeville had the preaching of the circuit riders. In those days, known as Prince's Grove, it was on the Peoria circuit, which extended to Lafayette, Princeton, and near to La Salle and back to Peoria.
Stephen R. Beggs states that the first preaching service was in 1833 by T. Hall. However, there must be an error in the name and it must have been Zadoc Hall who was on the Peoria circuit at that time. However there was no class formed at that time.
On the 2d of April, 1838, Rev. John Hill came from the state of New York to Illinois and arrived at Princeville. At the time of his arrival he found but one Methodist sister in the neighborhood. He found here a great opening for minis- terial work and commenced work in good earnest and preaching in the neigh- borhood, he soon formed a class of nine persons.
In 1841, William Pitner was appointed to Peoria circuit and held a camp meeting at Princeville. At the first the circuit riders preached in Aunt Jane Morrow's fine log cabin, on the northwest quarter of section 30, of Akron town- ship ; then in the old log schoolhouse; then in the stone schoolhouse. In March, 1842, at a two days' meeting in the house of Ebenezer Russell. a boy a little less than ten years old was converted. That boy matured into the grand old minister Joseph S. Cumming, now, January, 1912, pastor of the Second Methodist Epis- copal church, Moline, Illinois, at the age of about eighty-one.
'The first Methodist church building was commenced in 1853 and completed the following year on lots 1 and 2 block 16 and was later sold to the Seventh Day Adventists. The next church was built in 1867 on lots 7 and 8, block 24 (Edward Anten's Academy building) and used until the erection of the edifice corner of South and Clark streets in 1889.
The preachers, many of whom were circuit riders, have been Z. Hall, J. Hill, Pitner, Whitman, William C. Cumming, Beggs, Chandler, B. C. Swartz, T. F. Royal, J. W. Stogdill, John Luccock, U. J. Giddings, J. B. Craig, H. N. Gregg,
DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY 1834 TO, 1909.
1835 -1838 Corner Adams & Jackson SI5 The First Church Building in
1838-1940 services held in the Court House
M
EEEF
Dedicated Sept 2. 1009 Cort ressent Que und Hamutan Boulevard
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PEORIA ILLINOIS ORGANIZLD DEC. 22-1834
1840-1851 309-311 FULTON ST
1852-1886 LOR MADISON AND MAIN STS
Prior to ENLARGEMENT 1860. The front of building was similar to court House as shown above
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
C. B. Couch, P. T. Rhodes, J. B. Mills, J. S. Millsap, Ahab Keller, W. J. Beck, G. W. Brown, S. B. Smith, John Cavett, M. Spurlock, G. W. Havermale, E. Wasmuth, J. Collins, W. B. Carithers, W. D. H. Young, Stephen Brink, J. S. Millsap, M. V. B. White, H. M. Laney, F. W. Merrill, Alexander Smith, R. B. Seaman, J. D. Smith, J. E. Conner, J. Rogers, R. L. Vivian, L. F. Cullom, N. J. Brown, T. A. Beal and the present pastor J. W. Pruen. Princeville was made a station in 1889.
The membership of the church September Ist, 1911, was two hundred eleven ; of Sunday school, eighteen officers and teachers, and one hundred thirty-five scholars; Epworth League, thirty.
BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP
BRIMFIELD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
On November Ist, 1836, Rev. Zadoc Hall organized the first Methodist class in the village of Brimfield. The members of the first class were: L. L. Guyer, who remained a member of the church continuously until his death a few years ago, Isaac Harrison, Francis J. Hoyt, Ephraim Hoyt, Benjamin F. Berry and Polly W. Berry, Sarah Harrison, David Stansberry, Susanah Stansberry and Susan Stansberry, Martha Johnston, Margaret Johnston, Catherine Johnston, Jacob Snider, Catherine Snider, Samuel Snider, Eliza Martin and Susan Wills. Samuel Snider was chosen class leader.
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