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 12
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" How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace."
CHAPTER IV.
SECTION 2.
"Behold! A sower went forth to sow."
We begin this section with the introduction of Metho- dism in the extreme southwestern part of the state. This year John Thompson, then on the Gasconade circuit, organ- ized a class on Osage Fork, fifteen miles east of where Leb- anon now is. Rev. J. H. Ross has sent me the following interesting account of events connected therewith :
OTTERVILLE, Mo., Feb. 17, 1885.
REV. W. S. WOODARD: DEAR BROTHER-I heartily approve your laudable undertaking to put the incidents of Missouri Methodism before the church in a permanent form, and if I can do anything to aid you in this labor of love I shall be happy to do so. My recollec- tions of Southwest Missouri cover a period of over fifty years, and Methodist history and incidents are blended all along. Not having the minutes of those early days, I propose to give my recollections of men and incidents as they occur to me, who was then only a small boy.
In the fall of 1828 my father and mother, mother's parents, John and Bethia Ilillhouse, and my uncle, Josiah M. Hillhouse, moved from Lawrence county, Tennessee, and on the 19th of November pitched their tent on the Osage Fork of Gasconade river, about fif- teen miles east of where Lebanon now stands, just above where Farris' mill was afterwards built. My parents and grandparents were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. My uncle, " Minter," as we always called him, and as he was afterwards known throughout this section of the country, was still out of the church,
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GASCONADE CIRCUIT,
but his wife, whose maiden name was Peggy Watts, and whom he had married in Tennessee a year or two before we left, was a thorough- going Methodist of the old type.
The country at that time was very thinly settled. A few enter- prising pioneers had already established themselves, generally in little settlements, with fifteen or twenty miles of unbroken wilder- ness between. Wild beasts abounded. The lonesome howl of the wolf was of almost nightly occurrence. It seems I can almost hear them now! Deer and turkeys could be killed almost any time when wanted, while bear were by no means uncommon.
I have often heard my father say that while hunting the next fall after he came to the country he saw where seven deer had been killed by panthers; that five of the seven were old bucks, and three of them were killed after the velvet had been shed from their horns. That winter he helped to kill five panthers.
Occasionally a band of Indians would stroll through, visiting their old hunting grounds, but they were always friendly. But my great fear was "Indians and Panthers!"
Just across the river from our cabin, in calling distance, lived Jacob Anderson and his young wife, whose maiden name was Duff, and his two sisters, Levisa and Polly, and a younger brother, Jesse J. Anderson, not yet grown. I think they came from the "Mine La Motte" country. Mrs. Anderson and, I believe, the two young ladies belonged to the church before they came there. I am satisfied Mr. Anderson did not, for I have a distinct remembrance of hearing him. curse old Buck, one of his steers, which did not do to suit him, and of how it shocked me. The Andersons were the great-uncles and aunts, on mother's side, of Rev. E. J. Stanley, of Montana. Just up the river a mile or two lived James Campbell and his wife, Ruth. She was an Anderson. They were both Methodists, and the grand- parents of Brother Stanley.
I remember being often at these two houses, and that I had an exalted opinion of "Aunt Ruth's" piety which was confirmed after I had grown to man's estate. I suppose Mr. Campbell was not very demonstrative; I only remember that he was very tall, fair-skinned and red-headed; that he kept a blacksmith shop and acted as deputy sheriff.
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1835.
I have a distinct recollection of how anxious the settlers were to have preaching in the neighborhood; of hearing Ma and Aunt talk of preachers and meetings back in Tennessee. Of the preachers they spoke of Jacob Ilearn, and longed to see him and hear him preach. They "hoped that he would come along." I think the first preaching in the neighborhood was by a local preacher named Jacob Alvice; I know that he was there, and think that he had meet- ing once or twice. J. Thompson came as an itinerant in 1831. IIe established preaching at Anderson's and gathered the scattered mem- ber's into a society. Ile was zealous and well received generally. Unfortunately he could sing nothing but Greenfield's "How tedious and tasteless the hours." Our family always attended. Father led the singing, and taught the young people to help, so they got on pretty well in that respect. Different ministers visited the neighbor- hood and preached. A religious interest was awakened. My uncle Hillhouse and Jacob Anderson both professed religion and joined the Methodist church. I remember seeing my uncle baptized; the water was sprinkled on him in the house of Brother Anderson. These two young married men, now brethren beloved, soon started out as local preachers, and labored faithfully in the work as long as they lived. They were never considered great men, but what is infinitely better, good men, and no doubt many will rise up and call them blessed. Brother Anderson only lived some seven or eight years; I think he died from home on one of his preaching trips in great Christian triumph.
The society consisted of Jacob Anderson and Peggy, his wife, Josiah M. Hillhouse and Peggy, his wife, James Campbell and Ruth, his wife, and his brother, Moses Campbell; I think he had been a member before and had license to preach or exhort, but was in a backslidden state and was restored; he afterwards preached occasionally. Also, Levisa Anderson, Polly Anderson, Jesse J. Anderson and Patsy and Nancy Hillhouse, and possibly some others. The society was soon strengthened by Dr. Brashear, an old loacl preacher, and his negro woman, Hagar, and Mrs. Duff, Mrs. Anderson's mother. These all came from Southeast Missouri.
I remember seeing Hagar's small girls come into meeting with waistbands made of rattlesnake skins. They looked natural but
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SPRINGFIELD CIRCUIT.
quite snaky. I think it was in the summer of 1829 that the Camp- bells, Andersons, Hillhouses, my father, and possibly others, threw up temporary camps at a good spring in the river bottom, and we enjoyed a real camp meeting; I know that there were two, if not three such meetings held there before we left, and we moved away in February, 1832. Jacob Hearne attended one of these meetings. Nearly thirty years after I heard my uncle Hillhouse and my father talk of the deep earnestness of a prayer which he offered on the occasion.
Although James Fork of White River, Missouri, appears on the minutes of last year, no preacher was sent to it till this, when J. H. Slavens was appointed thereto. He preached the first sermon ever preached in the town of Spring- field, in the house of a Mr. Fulbright, October 10, 1831, and three weeks thereafter preached in the same house and organized a class which was composed of Ruth Ful- bright, Isaac Woods and wife, Jane Woods, Bennett and Elvira Roberson, S. S. and Sarah Macky, all of whom have gone home. The mission embraced all the settlements in that part of the state. The nearest postoffice was at the county seat of the county (Crawford) which was at the mouth of Little Piney, one hundred and ten miles towards sunrise. The next year the name of the charge was changed to Crawford, then to Greene, and finally to Spring- field circuit, by which it is still known and which is still a good appointment.
The early preachers on the circuit were Slavens, M'Mahan, Joplin, Neil, Evans, Roberson, Dryden, Ashby, Wood, Perkins, S. Williams, Jones, Coleburn, J. Williams, Kelly, Roberts, Winton and Dines. Springfield was made a station in 1848, which has been served by Mathis, Ross, Porter, Holeman, Powell, Dines, Hawkins, Rhea,
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Proctor, Prottsman, Horn, Wharton, Law, Smith, Cobb, Poage, Briggs, and Margeson.
The first house of worship was built near a large spring about one mile east from the public square, and was erected in the spring of 1832, soon after the class was organized. It was a log house with puncheon floor and primitive seats and pulpit. William Fulbright was the architect who took the contract and built the house for $IS. This was the third built west of St. Louis county.
The next house built in Springfield was a frame erected in 1842, and located two blocks southwest from the public square. The present substantial brick was built in IS58. There are now four Methodist churches in the city, and, of all kinds, I suppose about one thousand Methodists. Three sessions of the annual Conference have been held there-in IS55, IS73, and ISSI.
The Ebenezer class was also organized in 1831, and the meeting house built in 1832, the fourth west of St. Louis, so far as known. The charter members were: The widow Roberson, her sons, Wm. and Allen, and their wives ; her son-in-law, Thos. Stokes, and wife, Joel Jenkins and wife, and probably a few others. The meeting house was located equidistant from two springs about one hundred yards apart, and there a camp ground was established in 1836, and camp meetings were held there annually for twenty years. (It was first located at Cave Spring in 1832, where four camp- meetings were held. This was half-way between Ebenezer and Springfield. ) There thousands have been converted, scores of whom have been called to the ministry, among whom I claim an humble place. I suppose this was the largest camp ground in the state. The annual Conference
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SPRINGFIELD CIRCUIT.
was entertained there in 1847. Since the war a new shed has been built, and though the log camps are missing, yet the people annually "pitch their tents" there and renew their spiritual strength as their fathers did forty years ago. Between IS31 and 1847-16 years -- the following persons were licensed to preach by the quarterly Conference of Springfield circuit: J. Kimberland, William and Edwin Roberson, M. R., J. N., and T. W. Mitchell, T. Glanville, E. F. Robards, R. A. Foster, J. D. and G. M. Winton, D. Ross, E. B., J. II., and E. E. Headlee, E. Tyler, W. Wharton, D. S. Malecoat, B. G. and B. D. Simms, W. James, J. W. Alvis, Cheesman (colored), W. M. and R. D. Rogers ; total. 25 ; ten of whom started from Ebenezer class. I know quite a number that have been licensed since. Could I give all the names I would do so. I think in all they would count fifty. I am almost sure that no other circuit in the state has licensed so many. Possibly Ebenezer recom- mended more for license to preach than any other class, but with the information at hand this honor belongs to another, of which a sketch will be given hereafter. During the same period the following names were entered upon the Quar- terly Conference Journal. the persons having been licensed elsewhere: J. and M. Mitchell, E. Perkins, A. and C. F. Bewly, S. Green, J. G. Walker, J. Newell, A. C. Calli- son, J. Miles, B. M. Roberts, D. Williams, and W. W. Jones-13. Of the thirty-eight, nineteen became itinerant preachers, and others in later years.
Salem meeting house was built in 1837, six miles east of Ebenezer, and a few years later Bethsada, six miles further east. These have been blended in Elm Spring church, where the dust of our martyred preacher, S. S.
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1835.
Headlee, who started from this circuit, rests in hope of the resurrection of the just.
The parsonage is at Ebenezer. The first house. of hewed logs was built in ISto. This was substituted in 1878 by a substantial and tasty frame cottage by Rev. J. L. Hagler, the parsonage builder. Bennett Roberson, who was king of Ebenezer, was for many years recording steward of this good old circuit. He had a worthy successor in the person of Elisha Headlee, who became king and recorder in IS.47, when his predecessor died. I boarded with him a year, and certainly never knew a better man, and his wife was as good as he. But for making this sketch too long I would write many other names that crowd upon my memory. E. Cook, Uncle Joe Evans and his son, Alex, who wears a scar for my sake.
This sketch of Springfield circuit, already long, must not be closed till the most illustrious name that ever bur- nished its journal shall have been sketched. I mean Rev. David Ross. He was born in Kentucky March S, 1813. When but four years old he came with his father's family to Missouri, which first settled in Cooper county, but in 1831, when David was eighteen years old, moved to the southwest part of the state and settled on Little Sac, six miles north of Springfield. His father, William Ross, was the first record- ing steward of the old circuit.
On the 20th of March, 1834, he was married to Miss Louisa Robberson. On the first day of September follow- ing, just after sunset, at a prayer meeting in the grove at Cave Spring camp ground, during the second camp meeting held there, he experienced the power of that blessed truth that "God can be just and justify them that believe on
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DAVID ROSS.
Jesus " ; and, " being justified by faith," he had " peace with: God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Then and there began a new-a divine life in his soul. Henceforth he was "a new creature in Christ Jesus."
After a struggle of six years over a call to the ministry he was licensed to preach at Ebenezer, having been recom- mended by the Ebenezer class July 25, 1840. At the annual Conference held at the same place in 1847 he yielded to the solicitation of his friends and was received on trial by the St. Louis Conference and sent to Osceola circuit.
He, however, discontinued at the next Conference. He was a local preacher; a true representative of that class of noble men of fifty years ago. True, he had served as a supply on circuits before his admission on trial, and subse- quently served Springfield station as a supply several years successively, acceptably and successfully, yet he was never in the true sense an itinerant preacher. He wasraised a "farmer. boy ;" had made himself a farm in Robberson prairie. Here he lived and raised a respectable family, some of whom still live on the old homestead. He was ordained deacon in 1845 and elder in 1854. At the time he was licensed to preach the quarterly Conference of this circuit required young preachers to be examined annually on a course of study it prescribed for them. By this means, although he was raised in " the back woods," and without any early educational advantages, he became " mighty in the Scriptures," a pro- found theologian and a polished preacher.
It was no uncommon thing for him to draw many of his congregation from a distance of ten miles. At camp mect- ings he was a host within himself. My deliberate opinion is, he was the most unctious preacher I ever heard. His neigh --
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bor, B. McCord Roberts, whom I would sketch but for want of space, was his superior in point of learning, of meta- physical disquisition, and in oratorical power, but, with this exception, the subject of this sketch was peerless in the pulpits of Southwest Missouri.
When yet a boy ( August 17, 1845), I gave my hand to him at Ebenezer for membership in the church. The next morning, passing by me, he laid his hand on my head and spoke words of encouragement to me that went to my heart, and linger with me to this day.
Mr. Ross, in person, was tall and slender ; had light hair, blue eyes, sallow complexion, and a large mouth. His voice was soft and musical ; his articulation was distinct and clear ; his delivery measured and slow ; his gestures appro- priate and graceful ; and his attitude in the pulpit was solemn and grave. His perceptions of truth were clear and correct ; his convictions of duty deep and lasting ; his piety consistent and fervid, and his personal magnetism drew all men to him. His presence was potently eloquent and subdued his audi- ence into silence, and thereby prepared his hearers to receive the gracious words that flowed so sweetly from his lips. His sermons were full of soul, and saturated throughout with soul-saving power.
The life of this good and truly great man came to a happy period at his home, surrounded with his family, his pastor, J. S. Frazier, and his lifetime friend, co-laborer, and pulpit peer, B. M. Roberts, January 6, 1869. 1832.
The Conference met this year at Pilot Grove on the La Mine circuit, in Cooper county. In 1828 Samuel Roe came from Maryland and settled at Pilot Grove. John Harris,
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LA MINE CIRCUIT.
then on the circuit. held a camp meeting that fall at Pilot Grove and organized a class there. My information is that Samuel Roe, Enoch Moss, W. Kirkman, S. Gilbert, Azariah Bone and Wooldridge-the last four local preachers -were the charter members. No females reported ; sup- pose there were some. It is not very strange to find all the members of a class females, but it would be strange to find all males. E. Moss was the first class leader. Not long after. S. Roe was appointed leader, and served the class as such for a quarter of a century. "Uncle Sammy" was known far and near as a pillar in the church in Central Missouri for many years. A log meeting house was soon builded, each member furnishing his quota of logs, and then all met and raised the house. A man was then hired to chink and point it, each male member (that indicates female members) giving him a hog. This house must have been built as early as 1830, but the exact date I cannot give. Camp meetings were held here for years with gracious results. My father, who then lived near where Prairie Home now is, attended the Conference there in 1832, which was a camp- meeting, and, though I was then but three years old, I remember that he greatly enjoyed the meeting. Alec. Roc, who was then a boy, says he felt under obligations to listen to Bishop Soule, though not particularly bound to hear the other preachers.
In IS25 a class was organized in the Walker neighbor- hood. The first members were Winston, Polly, Samuel, Nancy, and Reuben Walker; Peter B. and Sallie Cockrell ; Laban and Lucy Johnson ; and Samuel and Margaret Forbes ; total, 11. In 1826 a log meeting house was built-first-west of St. Louis county, and named Pleasant Green. The second
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1833.
house was built in 1836, and the present one in ISGS, and dedicated by Dr. McAnally. The neighborhood was always a good Methodist community, and a home for the early preachers, some of whom died there. M. B. Evans, who lived and died there, adhered North, and took a few mem- bers with him, and that church held an annual Conference there in 1852.
In 1836 a faction withdrew from the class at Pilot Grove, under the leadership of Bone, Kirkland, and Wooldridge, local preachers, and formed a class of seventeen Protestant Methodists. Bell Air class, composed of J. L. and Thornton Bell and their wives, and Mr. and Mrs. Schuller, was organized in 1850. The church was built in 1868, and dedicated by Dr. McAnally. Other classes of this old cir- cuit will be noted further on. The name of the circuit was changed to Boonville in 1834, to Bell Air in 1853, and to Pilot Grove in 1879. This cradle of Methodism in South- west Missouri still ranks among the best circuits in the Con- ference, having a membership of three hundred, and two hundred and twenty in the Sunday Schools ; three churches valued at $5,500, and a parsonage at Pilot Grove worth $1,000. Of this good old circuit Jas. L. Bell was many years recording steward. I had the pleasure of perusing two volumes of the old Quarterly Conference Journal some years ago, and regret that I cannot have access to them and many others, now.
1833.
The Conferenee met this year at Mountain Spring camp ground, in Arkansas, the first session ever held in that terri- tory. The name of Salt River circuit was changed to Paris, and St. Francois to Greenville, and four new circuits-Chari-
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KEYTESVILLE CIRCUIT.
ton, North Grand River, Mission, Selma and Farmington- appear. Jacob Lanius was appointed to Paris circuit, and of course the revival fires soon began to burn.
November 10, 1853 he organized a class of fourteen members in the town of Florida. I could give pages of interesting reading from his diary, but one quotation must suffice : "August 14, 1834, we commenced our camp meeting. Brothers Monroe Jamison and Reynolds attended. On Monday the work began in earnest, and continued thus till the close. Twenty-seven joined and about that number were converted. This closed my year's work on Paris cir- cuit. At every point the Lord has graciously revived his work. At Paris, a lawyer said to me that these revivals had well-nigh ruined his business."
Chariton first appears on the annals of Methodism in Missouri in December, IS17, when John Scripps, then on Boonslick circuit, preached in the house of "Brother Clem- mins, an old Methodist," at the mouth of the Chariton river. Now the Chariton river country, extending up to Grand river, is set off from Boonslick, and organized into a circuit. It took the name of Keytesville in 1836, by which it is still known, and is a good circuit.
Ancil Richardson, B. S. Ashby, Moses Trader, James Keyte, Joseph Reed, Joseph Devlin. T. Reed, and Lemuel King, local preachers ; Joseph Wright, Ed. Shanklin, J. N. Dryden and S. Milam, exhorters; and J. M. Baker, J. L. Wright, E. Richardson, Abe Lock, Charles Lisle, William Bruse and William Cable, stewards and class leaders, gave tone and character to this good old circuit.
It licensed Manoah Richardson and D. A. Leeper to preach, and recommended them and B. S. Ashby, Joseph
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Devlin, W. G. Caples and R. G. Loving-all men of marked ability-to the annual Conference for admission into the itin- crancy. It had two grand rallying places-camp grounds- Richardson's and Bluff school house, at both of which churches were built in 1837. I quote from "Annals of an Old Circuit," by Walton :
"The old Bluff church has been very often mentioned in these 'Annals' as being the scene of many historical incidents. It is, therefore, appropriate that in closing this series, we should indulge in reminiscences suggested by that old battlefield of Zion. It was erected in 1837, and soon after became a famous camp ground, where for twenty years it stood as the favorite resort of those old true and tried Methodists, and under the zealous guard of the veteran Ashby, whose home was in the vicinity. What memories are waked by the words, 'Old Bluff Church.' Names and forms graven on the tablets of the heart, come trooping up; and Green and Glanville, Redman and Robberson, Monroe and Lanius stand before us as we knew them in the body !
And the heroes of the local ranks, Ashby and Richardson, Keyte and Trader, with the younger men, asking to be accredited as ambassadors of Christ, of whom were Caples, Leeper, Devlin and Manoah Richardson. There they stand, or sit, fronting the great congregation. The song, the prayer, the sermon, the altar, the tears, the shouts, all pass in panoramic view before the glistening eye . of Memory. Then the solemn procession, the dead preachers, some in the vestments of martyrs, from beneath the Throne, the ascended multitude of the laity, who have fallen here and there, that were born at this holy place, stand out in Memory's picture of the 'Old Bluff Church!' Ah, soon, like cities of olden time and works of art hid- den in the debris of ages, a few years more, and the site of the old church will be effaced from view forever."
North Grand River mission arose out of a division of Fishing River circuit, this name being given to the eastern part, after which the western part was called Richmond. I have not been able to procure data from which to prepare
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. FARMINGTON CIRCUIT.
sketches of classes. Some of the early Methodists were the Pennistons, Martins, Leepers, Drydens, Scotts, Thompsons, Meeks and Peerys.
T. T. Ashby, C. F. Dryden, J. G. Dunleavy and J. T. Pecry, traveling preachers, started from that country.
Selma was taken from Belleview circuit, and was in Jefferson county. The name was afterwards changed to Hillsboro, then De Soto, then Platin, then Hematite, where the parsonage is located, and by which it is now known.
The town of Selma was on the Mississippi river, a little below Herculaneum, where John Clark preached in 1798. Clark may have organized classes in this neighbor- hood. If not, most likely John Travis did so in ISo7.
I traveled the circuit in 1860-64. I preached in old Joachum church, below Hematite, which must have been forty or fifty years old. Old Union above De Soto was built in a very early day. Also the Platin class must date back to the teens of this century.
W. G. Walker, who, I believe, was a brother of Jesse, made full proof of his ministry here. Though always local, he could be and was heard a long ways off. Those who ever heard him once will understand this statement. My! What. a voice. The Donnells, McCormacks, Nulls, McMullins, Burens, Smiths, Birds, Kendricks, Skeels and Wests were only a few Methodists remembered there. They were my friends when one needed friends.
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