USA > Missouri > Annals of Methodism in Missouri : containing an outline of the ministerial life of more than one thousand preachers, and sketches of more than three hundred ; also sketches of charges, churches and laymen from the beginning in 1806 to the centennial year, 1884, containing seventy-eight years of history > Part 10
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Cooper chapel is near where the old Cooper fort stood.
Clark chapel, named for Dr. Adam Clark, can be traced back to 1822. My opinion is that the class was organized in an earlier day. Isaac and Margaret Lowtham, Ada Pull- iam, Keziah Ferrell, Jerusha Monroe, and Laurena Wil- coxen were some of the first members. After these came the Bernards, Wolfscales, Browns, Lees, Kingsburys, Canoles, Smiths, and others.
A great revival in 1840, in which many souls were saved, ultimated in the building of the first church house, which was erected in 1841, and dedicated by Jesse Greene. The present house-one of the best country churches in the state-was erected in 1879, and dedicated by E. R. Hen- drix. This church produced one preacher, in the person of J. C. Heberling.
William Stipps and wife joined the church in Franklin in 1829.
He tells me that he does not remember who were mem- bers before that, except the parents of W. F. Bell, of the Missouri Conference. Burkhart came soon after. Yet we know that the church was organized in Franklin in the 'teens.
Dr. J. M. Peck, the Baptist church historian for Mis- souri, says that there was a Methodist church in Franklin in IS20. This was in Old Franklin, which was then the cap-
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FAYETTE CIRCUIT.
ital of Howard county, then embracing all of the Boonslick country. I presume Jas. Piggot organized a class here in 1816 or IS17. The river pushed the town back to the hill, where the church is now housed in a brick building. The Alsups, Todds, Kingsburys, and others, are Methodists. This and Clark chapel make a delighful charge. The par- sonage is in Franklin. Dr. Jackson was a useful local preacher of this class.
A class was organized in the bottom, between Franklin and Rocheport, in an early day. David Fisher, who had been a traveling preacher fifteen years, located and settled seven miles south of Fayette, in 1847. Under his influence and largely by him, a church house was built in 1849, and called Ebenezer, which was the outcome of the class in the bottom. Ridgeway, Thurman, Shaw, and Philips, were names of some of the early members. Mr. Fisher was to this neighborhood what W. Shores was to the Washington neighborhood-king and leader. He preached the gospel fifty years, and went to his reward in IS77.
Freedom, east of Fayette, was a Methodist appoint- ment in the early days, but the church was union, and the class disbanded many years ago, in lieu of which we now have Moniteau chapel and Bethel. In 1836 a class was organized in a private house, which is now known as Smith's chapel. The charter members were: J. P. Horner; D. Smith, Sr., and wife; D. Smith, Jr., and wife ; Col. Hor- ner and wife; N. S. Gilliam and wife. In 1838, Joel Wayland became a member, and has ever since served as class leader. The first church was built in 1843. The present one in 1872, under the ministry of D. H. Root, and was dedicated by W. A. Mayhew. This class gave S. L .. Woody to the ministry.
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IS29.
Camp meetings were held in the long ago on the river, above Franklin, near Fayette, and at Bethel.
I give the following list of those who have been licensed to preach in Howard county. It may contain a few names of persons licensed elsewhere, but more likely names are omitted that ought to be in it: Thomas, B. R., and Wm. Johnson ; W. T. Lucky, N. Scarritt, H. Dofflemeyer, H. L. Boon, J. C. Heberling, W. H. Lewis, H. II. Craig, G. W. Rich, J. F. Shores, Lindsy Fisher (colored), S. L. Woody, S. W. Atter- bury, J. O. Swinney, W. Jordan, J. W. Adkisson, J. H. Pritchett, C. C. Woods, F. A. Taylor. H. D. Groves, E. W. Woodward, J. L. Taylor, A. J. Morely, T. G. Mumpower, J. R. A. Vaughn, M. J. Groves, H. M. McKnight, L. P. Nor- fleet, W. F. Kerdolf, M. T. Fulcher, Alex. Falkner, Z. M. Williams, Boone Keeton, N. M. Dowdy, J. M. Settle, J. W. Bean, V. M. Crutsinger, E. M. Barringer, W. II. Roper, and W. A. Davis. Most of the above persons were students in Central College when licensed, and are not prop- erly the product of Howard county Methodism. Really, the Fayette church has sent out but very few preachers in the last fifty years, and one of them-E. R. Hendrix-was licensed away from home.
Young men whom God calls to preach ought to be . licensed by the churches where they are raised and con- verted.
1829.
The annual Conference met this year in Potosi, which was then quite a Methodist town. A class must have been organized there in the 'teens of the century. The church, which is still occupied and in fair repair, was built in the twenties. Except McKendree chapel in Cape Girardeau
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PALMYRA CIRCUIT
county, it is, I think, the oldest church house in Missouri. I have preached in it often. G. W. Wallace was a member and trustee of it for half a century. The Brickeys, Scotts, Johnsons and many others were members of it in the long ago-some of them before I was born. Dr. Lem Hall is a good man and member. ] It gave Jacob Lanius to the min- istry.
Union circuit takes its place among the charges this year. Increase, twenty per cent.
1830.
St. Louis entertained the Conference again, and was honored therefor by being placed at the head of a district, since which time the district has never changed its name. Buffalo circuit disappears, in lieu of which come Palmyra and Salt river ; also West Prairie in the southeast and James Fork of White river in the southwest are entered on the list of appointments. Increase, 13 per cent.
The church was organized in Palmyra by B. S. Ashby . in 1828. The first members are not known. Probably Mrs. . Lee was one.
A brick church was erected the year the class was organ- ized. Good for Brother Ashby. In a few years this was sold and the present edifice was built. The charge owns a substantial two-story brick parsonage. The foundations of the church were laid broad and deep, and it has had a vigor- ous, continuous and healthy growth.
The present pastor, Rev. J. S. Frazier, under the inspira- tion of a recent revival in which fifty souls were converted, writes me : " The outlook is grandly hopeful." The Cen- tenary Collegiate Institute is located there. I must not close this sketch without saying that T. Thompson, who was for
IS30. 93
more than forty years continuously a Sunday school superin- tendent and once a member of the General Conference, was for many years Sunday school superintendent there. One of the best Sunday school speeches I ever heard, I heard him make at Chillicothe in 1869. The Conference was enter- tained there in IS41, 1853 and IS71.
" Both he that soweth and he that reapeth rejoice together."
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CHAPTER IV.
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SECTION I.
"The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ve, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into his harvest."
1831.
In IS31 the Missouri Conference admitted seven preachers on trial and received three by transfer from Ken- tucky.
JUSTINIAN WILLIAMS was born in Virginia April, 1789, converted in 1809, licensed to preach in ISTI, ordained dea- con in 1819, elder in 1823, and joined the Conference in IS31. He traveled La Mine and Cedar Creek circuits, and located in 1833. He re-entered the itinerancy in the Ten- nessee Conference in 1839, served stations and circuits for nine years, then took a supernumerary relation, in which he was continued till his death, which occurred in February, IS59, aged seventy-one years, less two months.
Although Mr. Williams did not enter the itinerant ranks till 1831, he was nevertheless one of the pioneer preachers of Missouri. He came to, and settled in, Boonville at an early day, where he found an open field for his ministry, and, being industrious, he diligently cultivated it. . He traveled far and near, preaching to almost every neighborhood within his reach. It may not be amiss to say that he was the father of Methodism in the bounds of what is now the Southwest
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IS31.
Missouri Conference. He was a good man, and more than an ordinary preacher. He blew the gospel trumpet forty-nine years, then committed it to his son Marcus, and went up " the shining way" to receive his reward.
RICHARD H. LEE, who served La Mine, Lexington, and Richmond circuits, superannuated in 1834, and died of con- sumption in Cooper county, at the house of W. Walker, Esq., March 15, IS35.
Mr. Lee was a deeply pious and gifted young man, and although his race was so quickly run he obtained a crown, having accomplished much for his Master.
JOHN THOMPSON traveled Gasconade circuit, and discon- tinued at the end of the year. Rev. J. A. Ross says of him : "He was zealous and well received generally. Unfortunately he could sing nothing but-
How tedious and tasteless the hours
When Jesus no longer I see,
To the tune Greenfields."
Certainly it was a blessed thing that he could sing that. Thousands of souls have been stirred by that grand song.
JACOB LANIUS, a native Virginian, born January 9, 1814, came to Potosi, Mo., when quite a youth. I think he learned the saddler's trade with Brother Wallace, a Methodist for half a century in that goodly town. He was converted and joined the church when about sixteen years old, the first of his family. His ministry began in IS31 and closed in IS51- twenty years. Bowling Green, St. Charles, Paris, Rich- mond, Merrimac, Belleview, and Palmyra circuits, Hannibal station, Springfield, Cape Girardeau, and Hannibal districts were the fields cultivated by him. His last appointment was .Columbia district. But his work on earth was done, and soon
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JACOB LANIUS.
. after his last appointment was announced he was changed, by divine appointment, from work below to rest above. He died at home in Fayette, October 8, 1851.
Mr. Lanius kept a journal of his life, which was given to the public some years ago through the St. Louis Advocate. This journal reads more like that of Jesse Greene than any- thing I have seen. He did not toil in vain. His labors were crowned with success. Take a few extracts : "After a jour- ney of two hundred miles on horseback we reached the circuit early in October. Although a mere boy, not yet eighteen years old, far from home, a stranger among strangers, yet I found, according to the Savior's promise, 'fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers.' During the year we had an extraordi- nary revival on Indian creek, at which almost every person in the settlement joined the church ; so that, from two men- bers at the beginning of the year, we increased to thirty." On closing his work on Belleview circuit for the first year he says : "I have preached 245 times and taken 201 members. into the church."
During his second year on that circuit he studied medi- cine with Dr. Bruffy, of Caledonia, intending to locate the next fall and attend lectures in Louisville, Ky. Just before the year closed he had a severe spell of fever. This caused him to change his purpose. It spoiled a doctor, but pro- longed the efficient ministry of one of the most successful preachers that ever traveled in Missouri.
I make the following extracts from the year he traveled the Springfield district : "Jan. 9, 1839. This day I am twenty-five years old. Is it possible I have spent twenty- five years on earth? Oh, how swiftly time flies! How little good I have done ! How much of my time has run to waste !"
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IS31.
"May 7. Rode thirty-five miles and spent the night with a Mr. Simpson. Found that the landlord and lady were Methodists, but, alas! the hour of retirement came and I was ordered to bed without prayers. The following dia- logue then ensued : Traveler : 'Sir, if you intend to attend to family devotion, I will unite with you.' Landlord : 'I do not attend to duty.' Traveler: 'Ah! indeed! I did not know, sir, but my presence would interfere with the order of the family, as prayer is not agreeable to some trav- elers, and I hope, sir, that my presence will not have this embarrassing effect, as it will be very agreeable to me to have the privilege of uniting with you.' Landlord : am not in the habit of attending to family prayers.' Traveler: 'I thought, sir, that it was customary for your church to attend to this duty.' Landlord : 'I believe it is ; if you will attend to prayers I shall be glad.' Traveler: 'I have no particular objection, sir, but it does seem to me to be more in order for the man of the house to lead in family worship.' The books were presented ; I led the devotions, and prayer was the first thing next morning."
"July 1. I have now closed my third round on Spring- field district. I held nine quarterly meetings, and preached a number of times between them ; traveled about eight hun- dred miles, and had a fair opportunity of enduring hardships as a good soldier. We look for a glorious harvest during the next (camp meeting) round." He suffered much with chills during this round.
"July 23. On this auspicious day I was united in holy wedlock with Miss Nancy Tong, of Fredericktown."
Sickness prevented him from attending his quarterly meetings the next round.
JAMES M. JAMISON.
He was a member of the General Conference of 1850. Missouri has produced many faithful heralds of the Cross, but probably no one who was more deeply consecrated to his work nor successful in it than was Jacob Lannius. He had a vigorous intellect, and was full of "faith and the Holy Ghost." I was but nine years old when I saw him. My recollection of his personal appearance is; he was a small, dark skinned man, with piercing black eyes.
JAMES M. JAMISON, of this class, served on Missouri circuit, Salt River, Palmyra, Canton, Danville, Palmyra, Cape Girardeau district, St. Louis district, three years ; Lex- ington district, three years; Lexington circuit. His name disappears in 1845.
Mr. Jamison was a strong man, and ranked among the leading preachers, as indicated by his appointments. He was conscientious. He was opposed to the division of the church, and, as it was his right to do, adhered to the North. But, being a good man, he loved peace ; hence, he did not stay in Missouri to stir up strife, as some others did, but went North, I think to Illinois. He was secretary of his Confer- ence in 1836 and 1837, and was a member of the General Conference of 1844. Is still living in California.
MICAH CASTEEL traveled two years, and discontinued in 1833. His appointments were : St. Francois and Helena.
R. W. OWEN served Saline, New Madrid and Canadian School No. 3. He discontinued in 1834.
The transfers this year were W. A. H. Spratt, J. S. Barger and Andrew Peace, all from Kentucky. The first had traveled two years in Kentucky. He traveled four in
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1832.
Missouri, and located in IS35. In Missouri his appointments were : Cedar Creek, Fishing River, Lexington, and Farmington.
John S. Barger was a classmate of Bishop Kavanaugh, having entered the Kentucky Conference with him in 1823, where he traveled eight years. He was stationed in St. Louis one year, and transferred to Illinois Conference in IS32, where he spent the residue of his useful life on the best circuits, stations and districts of the Conference. His name and fame belong to Kentucky and Illinois. But as-'
"A little fun, now and then Is relished by the best of men,"
And a good laugh is healthy, the reader shall have one.
During his second year-the year young preachers gen- erally fall in love, Mr. Barger fell in love with Miss Sarah L. Baker, a young lady of fervent piety, and well calculated for the position of a preacher's wife. On the Sabbath before the marriage was to take place he preached in the neighbor- hood in which Miss Baker resided. His text was Mat. xviii, 3. Just as he announced his text the young lady entered the church, when the discomfitted preacher said, 'My text is the eighteenth chapter and third verse of Sally Baker.' The lady blushed, the audience smiled, and the sermon was remarkably brief."
ANDREW PEACE entered the Kentucky Conference in 'S, where he traveled Greenville and Yellow Banks circuits as junior preacher. He was transferred to the Missouri Conference in 1831, and sent to Boonslick with W. Ketron ; IS32, Saline ; 1833, Belleview; 1834, White River, IS35, Selma ; IS36, located. His name reappears in 1841 on Cape Girardeau circuit. He located again in IS4S. Readmitted
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ANDREW PEACE.
again in 1866. His last appointment was announced at the Arcadia Conference of IS72. But he was then sick, and in a few days was removed from his boarding place to his Father's House on high.
He itinerated twenty-two years, and labored in the local ranks just as many. Mr. Peace was a fair preacher and a most excellent exhorter. I have heard him quote pages from Pollock and Milton with telling effect. He was familiar with the Course of Time and Paradise Lost, and but few preachers could use those matchless epics so happily as he. Hundreds of souls were lifted into a higher plane by his ministry.
He was a medium sized man ; had a lively temperament, pleasant countenance, and, particularly, a charming voice. I suppose the gospel trumpet was never blown through a fitter instrument than the voice of Andrew Peace before he ruined it by the use of snuff. Alas! A large per cent. of the usefulness of hundreds of preachers has been destroyed by the use of tobacco.
After forty-four years in the ranks, the veteran soldier received his discharge and left his armor in charge of one of his sons. The beautiful valley of Arcadia, where he had lived so long and preached so often, was a fit place for the sepulture of his dust. Only a little while after his depature his second wife, a daughter of the old pioneer preacher, John McFarland, followed him to the "place where many man- sions" be.
1832.
ROBERT W. KELLY, whose name first appears in the class of this year, traveled Chariton, and discontinued.
J. V. WATSON, admitted this year, was received, ordained, and located in '34. His appointments were West
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IS32.
Prairie and Farmington. He was, or became afterwards, a fluent writer, and in subsequent years drove a racy pen.
JOHN P. NEIL traveled Spring River and Helena circuits in Arkansas, and Greene in Missouri. He died July, 1835.
LEARNER B. STATELER joined the Kentucky Conference in 1831 and was that year transferred to Missouri, so say the minutes. But his name does not appear here until 1832, when he was appointed to Bowling Green circuit; 1833 Sells school, No. 2 ; 1834, St. Louis City ; 1835, Canton ; 1836, Cape Girardeau ; 1837, Delaware mission, three years; 1840, Shawnee, four years. He was Presiding Elder seven years ; 1851, superanuated three years; 1855, effec- tive three years, during which time he served in Kansas ; 1858 superannuated again one year ; 1859, effective and again still working in Kansas. In 1866 he was appointed superin- tendent of missions in Montana and Colorado territories, since which he has been actively engaged traveling districts and circuits in the mountains. He is now Presiding Elder of Montana district. Stateler has been a member of seven annual Conferences west of the Mississippi river, and yet has never been transferred since his transfer from Kentucky. He has been kept on the frontier so constantly that every conference that has been organized between the "Father of Waters" and "Backbone of the Continent," has included him. The rolls of the following Conferences have contained his name : Kentucky, Missouri, St. Louis, Indian mission, Kansas mission, Western, Denver and Montana, of all of which he was a charter member, save three. He has been an itinerant preacher fifty-three years, forty-nine of which he has been effective. He never located. Except Andrew Monroe and D. R. McAnally, no other man in the west has been effective
1
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JAMES M'MAHAN.
so long. Including the year of his transfer, he spent five years in Missouri. He has been "out west" forty-eight years. If the Bishops want a man for Alaska, and will say to Learnei B. Stateler go, that will be enough. He is now far out towards where the sun sets. When his sun goes down, may he find even a brighter day.
JAS. M'MAHAN, of the class of 1833, traveled North Grand River mission two years ; was received into full con- nection in 1835, ordained and located.
JOHN H. RUBLE was appointed to White River in 1835, where he had traveled the previous year under the direction of the presiding elder ; 1834, Lexington ; 1835, Burlington. This was his last appointment. He was translated early in 1836 to the better land.
LEMUEL W. WAKELY, of the class of 1832, served part of that year on Mt. Prairie circuit, and the rest on Pine Bluff ; IS33, Greenville ; 1834, Helena; 1835, Big Creek and Franklin ; 1836, supernumerary ; IS37, located. Mr. Wakely is still living in Arkansas, and must be on his way to the world above, as his post-office is New Moon. He has traveled a good deal as a supply by the direction of his presiding elder. In March, ISS5, he wrote me a letter, in a legible hand, giving minutely a list of his appointments to which he adds: "P. S. I was seventy-five years old the 9th of this month and I feel the love of God deeper in my heart every day." This is the fifth living man I have sketched, all of whom have been preaching over fifty years.
ALFRED W. ARRINGTON joined the Illinois Conference in 1829, came to Missouri in 1833, and was appointed to Boonslick. He was expelled that year.
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IS31.
NELSON R. BEWLEY also began his itinerant career in IS29, but in the Tennessee Conference, whence he came to Missouri in 1833 and served on St. Charles circuit ; 1834, Union ; 1835, superannuated, and died of consumption, January 25, 1836. He was a brother to G. W. Bewley.
HARRIS G. JOPLIN was a class-mate of N. R. Bewly, he also having entered the Tennessee Conference in 1829. He was transferred to the Missouri Conference in 1831, and stationed on Hot Springs circuit in Arkansas ; 1832, Creek Indians ; 1833, Greene circuit ; 1834, Washington ; 1835 and 1836, Greene circuit again. He located in 1837, having married Miss Simms, and settled on a small stream near the Indian Nation, which took its name from him, and transfered it (his name) to what is now one of the largest cities in Southwest Missouri. He re-entered the Conference in 1845 and traveled Neosho circuit two years. The next year he was among the Indians again, but his fourth and fifth years were spent on Springfield circuit (formerly Greene ) in 1848 and 1849. His appointment in 1850 was Osceola. In 1851 he located again and died the next year.
Mr. Joplin was not regarded a first-class preacher, but by all was esteemed the best exhorter in the country. In those days it was the custom to have a sermon by one man and that followed with an exhortation by another. Espe- cially was this the rule at the two days' quarterly and camp meetings. Brother Joplin was almost invariably reserved for the exhortation.
Thousands of persons, almost spell bound, have listened to his ringing appeals, and many hundreds have been influenced by his captivating eloquence to forsake the ways of sin, to ground the arms of their rebelion against the Lord
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HARRIS G. JOPLIN.
of Hosts and bow at the foot of the Cross, yield to the sceptre of the Prince of Peace and take upon them the obli- gations of a holy life. Many in the morning of eternity will rejoice that they ever heard him plead with them so pathet- ically to be reconciled to God.
Brother Joplin was not only a powerful exhorter, but he was also a diligent and faithful worker. He went into the regions beyond ! As new settlements were formed he hunted them up, and if there were Methodists among the newcom- ers he organized them into a society. He was on the Greene circuit when my parents moved to Polk county in 1836. He took us into the circuit and organized a class in my grand- father's house.
The data furnished by the old Journal, though imper- fect, justifies the belief that he did as much to give Metho- dism the firm foundation it has in Southwest Missouri as any other man, if not more. Had some slow, plodding preacher been here at the time he was, possibly other denominations would have outstripped us in numbers and influence, and the Methodist church would not have been, as it now is, the lead- ing denomination of the land.
Much depends on a good start in anything. The man who starts on a journey at 6 o'clock is hard to overtake by one who starts at 8. This difficulty is increased when the equipments of the first are as good or better than the second, and he consumes the forage along the way. The Methodist church has made some woeful blunders by sending the wrong men to new countries. The picked men of the church should lead the van, be in the front, and on the frontier. This order, however, has often been reversed. Inefficient, raw recruits have been sent to "spy out the land," while the
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trained and brave soldiers have been "left with the stuff." The pioneers of Methodism in Southwest Missouri, however, were true and faithful soldiers. Most of them were work- men that need not be ashamed. Brother Joplin did not only go into "the regions beyond," but he attended to all the duties, both great and small, of a Methodist preacher. He was the first traveling preacher whom I can remember. IIe was a small man and quite lame ; had dark skin, with black eyes and hair. Literally he had many ups and downs in this world, and was not altogether exempt therefrom figura- tively. He lived but a short time after his last location. To me, one of the saddest things in this world is for a preacher, who has devoted the prime of his life to his " loved employ," to be forced by inexorable necessity, when age draws apace, to locate and die out of the regular work.
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