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 16
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McKnight, Cravens, Wilson, Scott, James, Webb, Mc- Bride, Hagler, McAndrews, Turk, Osborn, Holeman and Hunter are not a tithe of the names that ought to be written. But they are in "The Book of Life." This circuit licensed W. W. Jones and J. W. Tuttle to preach.
1839.
Fayette was again the place for annual gathering.
IS2
FORSYTHE CIRCUIT.
The old Cape Girardeau district was restored. The Lexington was divided, and the territory north of the river was named Richmond.
St. Genevieve first appeared this year. This town, the oldest in the state, was (and yet is) a Catholic town. Still, there was for many years a good circuit in the county. But the name has long since disappeared from the calendar of appointments.
White River mission appeared last year, but was over- looked. It was in the mountainous country south of Spring- field, on White River, and James' Fork. Later it was called Forsythe. The old preachers used to tease the boys by tell- ing them that they would be sent to Forsythe mission. It was a wild, romantic country, very rough and rocky, inhab- ited largely by hunters.
John Wheeler and his son, J. M., were useful local preachers. Father Wheeler was known far and wide as a "wheel-horse."
In the northwest we find, for the first time, Gallatin and Chillicothe circuits. These two appointments came in lieu of North Grand River, which disappeared. Both have been expanded into districts.
Chillicothe has three times entertained the Missouri Conference. I regret that I have no data out of which to construct a sketch of these charges.
Bloomington circuit and Goshen mission are also new charges, both in the Richmond district. A new district, four new charges (two only one year old), and two well organized circuits. An organizer was needed. Bishop Morris had him under his command. W. W. Redman, the Conference sec- retary, was the man. The bishop said, "Go." Redman
1839. I83
went. The old Richmond has been divided three times, from which have come St. Joseph, Chillicothe and Gallatin districts, and is yet (Plattsburg), in some respects, the best district in the Conference. I doubt if there was ever a man who excelled Redman in the office of presiding elder.
This year was the centennial of Methodism. Arrange- ments were everywhere made for a proper observation thereof. I give a sample, taken from the minutes of the fourth quarterly Conference of Springfield circuit for that year :
"Conference resolved itself into a committee of the whole as to the manner of celebrating October 25th as Centenary day."
"Resolved, I. That the classes at Woodard's, Boyd's school house, and Pleasant Prairie meeting house, meet at Pleasant Prairie, and E. Perkins preach.
"Resolved, 2. That James Mitchell preach at Bolivar and Mitch- ell's meeting house.
"Resolved, 3. That James Lee, Jr., preach at Anderson's meeting house.
"Resolved, 4. That Thomas Glanville preach at Donnell's and Weaver's.
"Resolved, 5. That J. H. Slavens preach at Ebenezer, Salem and Price's.
"Resolved, 6. That R. A. Foster preach at Springfield and Roper's. "Resolved, 7. That M. R. Mitchell preach at Whittenburg's.
"Resolved, 8. That E. F. Roberts preach at Owens."
Those were preaching local preachers. Thirteen ser- mons on one circuit in one day.
That was the centennial of the Methodist society. The centennial of the Methodist church was celebrated in ISS4, forty-five years later. Only one of the above eight preach- ers-J. H. Slavens, the founder of Methodism in Springfield fifty-three years before-lived to see that day. '
IS+
FREDERICKTOWN CIRCUIT.
Centenary Church, in St. Louis, was the outgrowth of the centenary celebration. So was Hickory Grove, of Spring- field circuit.
1840.
Conference met in St. Louis. No change in the dis- tricts. The name of Farmington circuit was changed to Fredericktown, this becoming the center ; the northern part of the circuit having been given to St. Genevieve, and the circuit now reaching across Castor to White Water.
Fredericktown has always been a good Methodist town. It is now a station. The Newberrys, Tongs and others were the first members. Further east and south we find the names of Albright, Bess, Helterbrand, Knowles, Biffle, Smith, Tidwell, Watts, Yount, and many others. The ministry has received several recruits from this field, some of whom have finished their work, and others are yet gathering sheaves. Proctor, Turner, Ritchie, Knowles, Batten, Biffie, McClintock and Smith are some of them.
Spring River, Warsaw, Deep Water, Carrollton, Noda- way, Fulton and Warrenton are new circuits, and Boonville is made a station-the first in the state, outside of St. Louis. Warsaw was taken from Versailles, and Deep Water from Clinton, and both are historic. Warsaw still abides, though but few of the old relics remain. Sister Drake, a mile north of Warsaw, remains to tell "The Old, Old Story, of Jesus and His Love."
"Uncle" Pony Miller and his "good old wife," at McIntire Chapel, can tell of times long ago. I suppose this circuit has made some preachers, but I do not now think of one.
IS40. . IS5
Deep Water class was organized in 1839. "Uncle Jimmy" Wilson, still a member of the class (now Montrose), and "Old" Brother Bruce, of Chalk Level, are all that are left.
Bear Creek class, organized in 1838, still flourishes. It has given off two hives, Teay's Chapel and LaDue. "Old" Sister Guthridge is the only member of the old panel left to tell how J. L. Porter organized the class. This circuit (now Montrose ) has always been a good one, and now ranks among the best in the Conference. The churches at Montrose, Stone Chapel, and may be Bear Creek, have their second houses of worship. The other churches are new and sub- stantial. There is a good parsonage at Montrose. Most live circuits have representatives in the ministry, but I cannot now think of one that started from this charge.
Carrollton developed from a mission to a first class cir- cuit, and is now a good station. It entertained the annual Conference in 1873.
1840.
Fulton circuit was organized in 1840 out of territory that had once belonged to Boonslick, then Cedar Creek, then Columbia circuits. Most likely classes had been organized in Callaway county in the 'teens, but I have no means of as- certaining such facts.
In 1820, Cedar Creek circuit was set off from Boons- lick. Possibly one of the earliest classes was on Miller's Creek, afterwards called Miller's Creek Church. Mrs. Polly Miller, who lived on Miller's Creek, was a sister of Rev. Reuben Hatton, a local preacher who settled in Boone county in IS17. This was the preacher's home. Early in the thirties Jesse Greene, then presiding elder, stopped there. A new
IS6
FULTON CIRCUIT.
comer had just made his appearance. Sister Miller requested her presiding elder to name her boy. He did so, calling him Wesley Greene. The mother was a gifted woman, of a gifted family and her gifted son may yet make a bishop.
Pleasant Grove is another prominent church in the "kingdom of Callaway." From this class J. O. Edmonson, B. D. Sipple, W. A. Hanna and Wm. Fish entered the ministry. Prairie Chapel, Prospect, Shiloh, Mt. Pleasant, Bethel and Williamsburg are all more or less prominent churches in this county. Methodism had somewhat of a struggle in the good Presbyterian town of Fulton, but it is now an excellent station. The present church was built just. before the war and dedicated by W. G. Caples. C. A. Emmons was licensed to preach by this circuit. Also W. G. Miller.
Warrenton circuit immortalized itself the first year of its organic life by producing the grandest preacher that ever filled the Methodist pulpit since Wesley. I mean Enoch Mather Marvin. If ever travailing pains came upon her again and she gave birth to other preachers, some other scribe will have to chronicle the fact, as I know it not. Yes, B. F Johnson was licensed there.
CHAPTER VI.
-
SECTION I.
1841.
The roll was augmented this year by the addition of twenty-one names ; six by transfer and fifteen by admission on trial, all of whom, save one, were subsequently received into full connection. This was the largest class that had ever been received by the Conference. Of the twenty-one, seven became presiding elders, one of whom was promoted to the episcopacy.
Of the transfers, two, J. L. BENNETT and ASA M'MUR- TRY, came from Illinois. The first was stationed at Jefferson City and transferred to Rock River in 1842. The other traveled Paris and Columbia circuits and located in 1843.
DAVID KINNEAR, who had been among the Indians for a number of years, served Independence circuit this year and located in 1842. He began his itinerary in the Ohio Con- ference.
WILLIAM P. NICHOLDS entered the Tennessee Conference in 1824, where he traveled two years and was local three ; then traveled four and was local two. Was re-admitted in 1836, came to Missouri in 1841 and was appointed to Arrow Rock circuit, which he served two years; 1843, Independence ; 1844, Cape Girardeau ; 1845, Fayette ; 1846, Fulton ; 1847,
ISS
RICHARD BOND.
transferred back to Tennessee Conference where he continued to labor until iS5S when he superannuated and died May 13, IS59. Mr. Nicholds is remembered in Missouri as a faithful, earnest, useful preacher.
JOHN SWAHLEN came from Pittsburg, served a German Mission two years and was transferred to Indiana Confer- ence in IS43.
RICHARD BOND was born in Baltimore county, Mary- land, October IS, ISoo; was converted and joined the Meth- odist Church in ISIS ; joined the Baltimore Conference April, IS24; was transferred to Missouri in 1841 and appointed Presiding Elder, of St. Charles District, which he served two years ; after which he traveled Danville circuit two years ; in I845 he was appointed agent of the American Bible Society for the State of Missouri, in which agency he was continued until March 7, 1853, when he "at once ceased to work and to live." He was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun in his own hands. Dr. Bond (he was an M. D. ) was a cultivat- ed, true, devoted, good, faithful man and preacher and did much good in the world. It was my good fortune to travel with him, in his buggy, from Bolivar to Boonville on my way to my first Conference. The associations of those five days in June IS51 did me great good and will never be forgotten.
JOHN READ, admitted on trial this year, was appointed to St. Louis circuit and discontinued in 1842.
L. S. JACOBY served the German Missions, of St. Louis, three years and was made Presiding Elder of the German Mission District in 1844, after which his name disappears. It is proper to state here that the German Missions were given to the Church North in the division of 1844.
IS41. 189
DAVID W. POLLOCK'S first appointment was New Madrid circuit; IS42, St. Louis African Charge; IS43, Mound Church, two years; 1845, Palmyra; 1846, Wesley Chapel, St. Louis, two years ; 1848, Cape Girardeau Dis- trict ; 1849 to 1852, Missionary to California; 1853, trans- ferred to Alabama, where in a short time he finished his brief but brilliant career and went up the "shining way" to meet his Lord.
Though he died so young, he impressed himself indel- ibly upon his co-laborers in the ministry and the churches he served in Missouri.
BENJAMIN F. LOVE was a twin brother of George W., whom we have met. His fields of labor were : Bloomfield, Charleston, St. Genevieve, Selma, Steelville and Platte. He located in 1847, and subsequently went to Texas and engaged in the practice of medicine. He returned to Missouri after the war, and died at Carthage in 1866.
JOHN H. HEADLEE is a Tennesseean. He came to Missouri when about 16 years old; was licensed to preach August 21, 1841, at Ebenezer camp ground, in Green county, and recommended as a suitable person to be admitted into the traveling connection. His first four appointments were : Greenville, Bloomfield, Crooked Creek and Charles- ton. After this see appendix. He located in 1849, was readmitted in 1851 ; located again in 1860, and readmitted again in 1870. He is now the presiding elder of Charleston district, in which office, but on different districts, he has served ten years. Except two years, his entire ministerial life has been spent in the bounds of St. Louis, Charleston and Poplar Bluff districts.
190
THOMAS GLANVILLE.
THOMAS GLANVILLE was an Englishman, a brother of John, whom the reader met on a previous page. He came to Missouri in an early day, and settled in what is now Dallas county ; was licensed to preach at Ebenezer, July 29, 1837 ; joined the Conference in 1841, and was sent to White River mission ; 1842, Niangua ; 1843, Buffalo; 1844, located. He wasreadmitted in 1855, and continued in the field, save one year he was supernumerary, till September, 1863, when he was most cruelly murdered in his own house by soldiers, for being a Southern Methodist preacher. Mr. Glanville was a true man and a good preacher. His mantle has fallen on his son James.
JOSEPH DINES is a brother of Tyson. His first appoint- ment was junior on Independence circuit ; 1842, Crooked Creek ; 1843, Greenville ; 1844, St. Genevieve ; 1845, located, Since then he has been readmitted three times, and has located as often.
He is now a local preacher, living in St. Louis and serving one of the city Charges as a supply.
JOSEPH WILLIAMS served Keytesville part of the year, but was removed for meddling with slaves. (He was an abo- litionist). He traveled Sarcoxie, Springfield and Bolivar circuits, and disappears in 1845-went north. He was a strong preacher, and did much good in Springfield by check- ing the tide of Campbellism that threatened to overflow the town. Because of his service in removing difficulties from Jordan, he was styled the "Snag Boat," by which cognomen he is known in that community till this day.
MONOAH RICHARDSON was born in Tennessee, June 21, 1814. He came with his father to Missouri in an early day, and settled in Chariton county, where he was converted, and joined the Methodist church in 1831.
191
1841.
He was licensed to preach January 16, 1841, and in the following October joined the Conference and traveled six years ; was superannuated one. and located in 1848. His first four appointments were Gallatin, Grundy mission, White Oak Grove mission, and Bloomington circuit. (See appen- dix). After being local twenty years, in which relation he was diligent, and preached much, he reentered the itinerant ranks in 1868, and continued therein until the Master signed his release and removed him from labor to rest, which event occurred in Bloomington, April IS, 1871.
Mr. Richardson was a true, good man and faithful preacher of the word of life. When dying, he sent this mes- sage to his Conference : "Tell my brethren I die in the faith ; that the gospel is all sufficient." He left the heritage of a good name to his children and church.
ENOCH MATHER MARVIN was born June 12, 1823, in what was then Montgomery, but now Warren county, Missouri. Here his youthful days were spent, and here in the house of William McConnell, in the month of December, I840, he was "born again." In the same house he was bap- tized, received into the church and licensed to exhort. Soon after, the class at McConnell's recommended him for license to preach, and he was licensed by the fourth quarterly Con- ference of the first year's history of Warrenton circuit. Wm. Patton was the presiding elder. By the same Confer- ence he was recommended to the annual Conference for admission on trial. He was admitted at Palmyra and sent to Grundy mission which, like the preacher, was made that year ; 1842, Oregon mission ; 1843, Liberty circuit ; 1844, stationed in St. Louis. Henceforth, the appendix will show him in charge of circuits, stations, districts, agencies, till
.
192
ENOCH MATHER MARVIN.
IS66. when he was elected to the episcopacy-elevated" from the rank and file of the ministry to the general superin- tendency of the church, In this enlarged sphere of useful- ness, and under this increased weight of responsibility, he continued to labor incessantly until November, 26, 1877, when his great soul was released from prison and joined Monroe and Caples, and hosts of others whom he loved and with whom he had toiled "on the other shore."
The above outline shows that he commenced preaching when he was eighteen years old, and was engaged therein thirty-six years, just two-thirds of his life given to his "loved employe," given exclusively, continuously, unremittingly, zealously, lovingly. No man ever devoted his time and talents in attending to his "Father's business" more consci- entiously than did he. Bishop Marvin, take him all in all, was the greatest man Missouri has ever produced. I do not- mean by this statement to contradict what I have said about Caples. As a speaker, Marvin may not have equaled him. But Caples' great powers were thrown upon humanity through but one channel-the living voice. To feel his . On the quickening, elevating power, he had to be heard. other hand, Marvin "wielded the pen of a ready writer" and augmented his power by the use of the press. He laid his hand upon this agency in the first months of his ministry, nor did he cease to employ its potency as long as his right hand retained power to move a pen.
Seven volumes were begotten by his active, incisive brain, and born of his great, loving heart, any one of which would have entitled him to immortality as a writer.
His "Work of Christ" is the best presentation of the Atonement I ever read, and his book of Sermons the best_ volume of Divinity in my library.
193
1041.
He seemed to have an intuitive perception of truth, and his presentation thereof was so clear, and perspicuous, and his language so pure and elegant that his hearers and readers readily embraced it. There seemed to be no necessity for him to argue propositions like other men. His logical acumen was so apparent that his statements were accepted as true without being called in question.
He was a philosopher. He reveled in metaphysics. Sometimes he ventured to speculate, but so cautiously that he could be safely followed. He was the most unctious preacher I ever heard, except David Ross. As a preacher he was hardly equal to Bishop Kavanaugh in lofty flights of eloquence, nor Bishop Pierce as a word painter, nor to Bishop Doggett in the faultless polish and purity of his style ; yet in many essential elements of a great preacher, including personal magnetism, he was the grandest one in the College of Bishops.
If I were called upon to designate the leading lights of the world, the stars of the first magnitude that have passed the range of my vision, I would not hesitate to write Abra- ham, Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Paul, Luther, Wesley, McKendree, Marvin.
This man's wonderful power with men came largely from his entire and continued consecration of himself and all he had to God. He never turned aside "to serve tables." He was always engaged "about his Father's business." He was a man of one work, and that was to save souls. With this his heart was so burdened that at times he was in an agony of travail.
He wrought so diligently that his day's work was done while it was yet noon, and before age and feebleness came.
194
WM. M. RUSH. -
He passed "over the river to rest under the shade of the trees."
I have not written a tithe of what I would like to say about this good man He is the second Missouri preacher on whom the title of D. D. was conferred. He was subse- quently honored with that of L. L. D., but his life has been written by abler pens than mine, and these volumes, with his own, will make his name and fame immortal.
W.M. M. RUSH, like his illustrious class-mate, is a native Missourian. and was also about eighteen years old when he entered the ministry. Adair, Merrimac, South St. Louis, and Plattsburg, were his first appointments. The appendix will show the rest. He has served twelve years on districts and been elected five times to the General Conference. He was eight times elected Secretary of his Conference.
Since the death of Andrew Monroe he has been, and is still. the leading member of his Conference. He was continu- ously effective forty-two years, but by reason of affliction, took a superannuary relation last fall.
JACOB SEIGLER wrought nine years and located in IS50. Up to 1845 he had traveled Auburn two years; Bowling Green and Fulton circuits. I have no knowledge of him, but his appointments show him to have been a worthy member of this illustrious class.
RICHARD P. HOLT traveled Bowling Green and Selma two years ; Potosi, (see appendix. ) He superannuated in IS49 one year. Then effective till IS61, when he superan- nuated again ; 1864 finds him again on the circuit. He located in 1865 ; in 1867 his name appears in the Illinois Conference, where he continued effective till IS74, when his name again appears on the superannuated list, in which it still remains.
195
1842.
WALTER PRESCOTT received the following appointments : Danville, Jr. ; Fulton, Jr. ; Columbia and Rocheport, two years. His name disappeared in 1845.
JOHN A. TUTT was born in Culpepper county, Va., September 3rd, 1819; came to Missouri on reaching his majority and was licensed to preach and joined the Conference in 1841. Richmond, Carrollton, and Plattsburg 'circuits enjoyed his first years of labor. Then St. Louis. (Sec appendix. ) After eight years of itinerant labors he found rest. Mr. Tutt was a man of fine mind; a respectable scholar: a good preacher, and one of great purity of purpose. He was twice elected Assistant Secretary of his Conference and filled the office to the entire satisfaction of his brethren. He died October 25, 1849, in Platte county.
1842.
Seventeen new names greet us this year, seven of which came upon the roll by transfer ; one readmission, and ninc admitted on trial.
JOSEPH BOYLE was born in the city of Baltimore, Mary- land, May 7, 1812. His parents were Irish and Roman Catholics and he was educated in that faith. In his eighteenth year he was converted in a Methodist revival in Summersville, Va., and joined the Methodist church. When twenty-two years old, in IS34, he joined the Pitts- burg Conference and soon rose to distinction and was appointed to the best stations.
In 1842 Bishop Soule selected him for the work in St. Louis, where he remained four years-two each at Fourth street and Centenary churches. Although he served the church in Jefferson City, Boonville, Lexington and Inde- pendence, yet his life was mostly spent in St. Louis as
196
JOSEPH BOYLE.
pastor and Presiding Elder. I reckon no one man ever served the church there longer than he, and but few, if any, more efficiently.
Dr. Boyle had a commanding physique, being about five feet ten inches high, with light complexion-exceedingly fair-blue eyes, full broad forehead, large head properly clothed with curly hair, which in his later years was very white. He shaved cleanly, dressed neatly, and always pre- sented an impressive presence. He was further endowed with a fine intellect, a liberal education, refined manner, and a heart purified by grace divine, and surcharged with love to God and men. This picture is yet incomplete. He had excellent social qualities, was a superior preacher, and as a pastor had but few equals.
No wonder that the people of St. Louis loved him and in their official notice of his death say :
"His piety was unaffected, sincere, active, deep, ardent. It was conviction, and principle, and experience. Hence, it was energetic, practical and fruitful. It inspired confidence; it allured; it won. Whose influence was larger, or more con- trolling, or more elevating than was Joseph Boyle's? Can we mention any other name to whom our beloved church in Missouri owes more than it does to him? In all the relations of life he was good and exemplary-as the head of a family, in society, as a citizen, as a member of the church of God, as a minister of the Gospel. The value of such a life as was Joseph Boyle's is beyond all human esti- mate, and his death was an irreparable loss to all except himself."
The life of this great and good man came abruptly to a conclusion. While on a visit to Lexington, at the house of William Morrison, between the hours of 12 and I o'clock in the night, without scarcely a note of warning, the summons came.
197
1842.
"The voice at midnight came; lle started up to hear.
A mortal arrow pierced his frame; He fell; but felt no fear. Tranquil amid alarms, It found him on the field,
A veteran, slumbering on his arms, Beneath his red cross shield.
At midnight came the cry, 'To meet thy God prepare!'
He woke and caught his Captain's eye. Then, strong in faith and prayer,
His spirit, with a bound, Left its slumbering clay ;
Ilis tent, at sunrise, on the ground A darkened ruin lay."
Dr. Boyle had preached at Mt. Carmel on the Sabbath preceding his sudden departure to his "everlasting home." His remains were taken to St. Louis and deposited in Bellefontaine Cemetery.
JOHN T. W. AULD joined the Pittsburg Conference in 1836, came to Missouri in 1842 and was transferred to the Tennessee Conference in 1846. He was stationed in St. Louis, St. Charles and St. Louis circuit. His name disap- pears from the Tennessee Conference in 1847.
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