USA > Missouri > DeKalb County > History of Andrew and De Kalb counties, Missouri : from earliest time to the present; together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and family records. besides a condensed history of the state of Missouri, etc > Part 53
USA > Missouri > Andrew County > History of Andrew and De Kalb counties, Missouri : from earliest time to the present; together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and family records. besides a condensed history of the state of Missouri, etc > Part 53
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W. S. Moore is superintendent of the flourishing Sunday-school, which has an average attendance of sixty-five, including scholars and teachers. The teachers are Agnes Moore, Mrs. Bessie Hitt, Mrs. Dollie Hughes, William Carr, Miss Minnie Morse and Mrs. Tena Tanquary.
The first Sunday-school in Osborne was organized some time in the year 1866, at the residence of Abel Lee. The school was under the auspices of no particular denomination, but was simply the result of a combined effort on the part of several ladies and gentlemen, who were desirous of providing religious instruction
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for the children of the village and neighborhood. Upon the ap- pointed day quite a number of neatly attired juveniles with their parents gathered at Mr. Lee's residence, and with much less formality than is now witnessed, the school was opened and duly organized for work.
It is related that a certain gentleman, who was called upon to introduce the exercises with some appropriate devotional ceremony, opened the Bible, and after reading a lengthy chapter therefrom surprised those assembled by the startling but unintentional exclamation, "there, by G-d, my part of the work is done; somebody please pray."
N. J. Harvey was elected superintendent of the school, and Mrs. Harvey, Mrs. Charles McPherson, Fanny Howard and Mrs. Abel Lee chosen as teachers. The school proved quite success- ful, and for a period of two years was quite well sustained. In 1868 it was merged into a Sunday-school, organized under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, by Rev. C. W. Higgins.
Five miles and a half north of Osborne, in Colfax Township, is Marvin Chapel, an organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, established in the year 1880. A fine frame house of worship was erected the same year, and from a small beginning the society has increased numerically, until there is now quite a strong and flourishing congregation. The pastor is Rev. Mr. Mc- Donald.
Ridgeville Methodist Episcopal Church, six and a half miles northwest of Osborne, is an aggressive congregation, ministered to at this time by Rev. P. L. Hooker. The house of worship, a substantial frame edifice, representing a capital of several hundred dollars, was erected and dedicated about the year 1878.
Fairview Baptist Church, in Colfax Township, is a small society organized at the Fairview schoolhouse, in 1885, by Rev. Mr. Brunk. The congregation still meets for worship in the schoolhouse, and has services at regular intervals.
CHURCHES OF UNION STAR.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Union Star was organized by Rev. Mr. Warner, in the year 1882, with seventeen members. The first meetings were held in a vacant store building in the old
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town, but shortly after the organization, the Methodists, Presby- terians and South Methodists combined and erected a union church building in the new town, which was formally dedicated in May of the above year. The building is a substantial frame structure on Cedar Street in the western part of the village, has a seating capacity of about 400, and cost the sum of $1,500.
The Methodist class, while not strong numerically, has a membership of about forty, and is constantly increasing in num- bers and influence. The pastors have been Revs. Edmunds, Wolcott, Willison and Showalter. Church officials-James Ibson, class leader; Charles Ruby, James Simpson, George Moyer and George H. Prince, trustees. A large and flourishing union Sunday-school is maintained by the three churches, the average attendance of which is over 100 scholars. The present officers. of the school are George H. Prince, superintendent; Martin Casto, secretary; Samuel Stewart, treasurer; Mollie Franklin, assistant superintendent; Mary Harmon, organist. The following is a list of the teachers: Jennie Casto, Emma Hill, Mrs. W. S. Earls, Charles Ruby, Lewis McManus, Kate Ogden, Juletta Ogden, L. P. Franklin, James Landers, Mary Harmon, W. S. Earls, Samuel Stewart, Mrs. Ruth Jenkins and Nettie Shaffer.
Union Star Presbyterian Church was organized September 29, 1882, with the following original members: A. A. Dough- erty, Margaret Dougherty, J. L. Ogden, Mariah C. Ogden, Katie Ogden, Juletta Ogden, George Moyes, Jennie Moyes, Rebecca Low, Harriet White, Annie Millen, John Patterson, Agnes Pat- terson and Mary Teenor. The first person to join the church by profession was Maggie Hudson. The organization was effected. by Rev. E. B. Sherwood, and the first pastor was Rev. F. E. Thomp- son, who ministered to the congregation from 1882 until Octo- ber, 1883. Rev. J. F. Carson became pastor in November, 1883, and sustained the relation until May 1, 1885, when he was suc- ceeded by the present incumbent, Rev. Willis Weaver. The church has the names of forty-one communicants upon the rec- ords, and is enjoying a fair degree of prosperity.
A society of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organ- ized in Union Star in 1882 by Rev. C. C. Luce, with a membership of fifteen, a number which has since increased to thirty. Rev. W.
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O. H. Perry was the second pastor, after whom came Rev. J. H. Tharp, who was in turn succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. J. H. Thomas. The elders of the congregation are J. G. Williams, Reece Bowman and George H. Prince.
In January, 1887, a class of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, numbering fifteen members, was established in the village, since which time services have been held at stated intervals in the Union Church building. The society is gaining a footing, and has before it a promising future. The Christian Church is rep- resented in the village by quite a number of members, who are. at this time engaged in the construction of a temple of worship, which promises to be the finest church edifice in De Kalb County. The building stands upon a commanding eminence in the south part of town, and with its commodious proportions and graceful spire can be seen for a distance of many miles. Steps are being taken to organize a society, which will be accomplished as soon. as the building is completed.
There are several religious organizations in Polk Township outside of Union Star, prominent among which is the Christian Church in the southeastern part, which has a very strong mem- bership and a substantial house of worship. Services are regu- larly held, and the majority of the citizens of the community be- long to the organization.
Oak Grove Methodist Episcopal Church, about one and a half miles southeast of the town, is an old society, organized some- time in the sixties. The congregation meets for worship in a frame building erected a number of years ago, and is minis- tered to at this time by Rev. Mr. Showalter.
In an early day the Free-Will Baptists had an organization in the southern part of the township, the members of which met for worship in the cabins of the settlers. This was the first re- ligious organization in the northwestern part of the county, and maintained an existence for several years. Among the early preachers are remembered Revs. Mr. Kearns and Antle.
GRANT TOWNSHIP.
Kingsley Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church, at the village of Fairport, was organized in 1868 under the ministerial labors
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of Rev. Mr. Hanley. The original membership numbered about twenty-five or thirty, and for eight years after the organization the society met for worship in what was known as the Union school- house. In 1876 a plat of ground adjoining the village of Fairport, which had been donated for burial purposes by John G. Barton and Isaac Ross, was secured as a site for a church building. Work upon the same began at once, and some time during the year a fine frame house, valued at $1,500, was erected. When first organized the church was attached to the Maysville circuit, but subsequently became the head of Fairport circuit, by which name it has since been known. The following pastors have had charge of the congregation at different times: W. H. Turner, Isaac Hill, Mr. Bovee, O. Bruner, George Stocking, Rev. Cooper, Mr. Clayton, George Wolcott, C. T. Phillips and the present in- cumbent, Rev. George Hill. Present membership, eighty-nine. The stewards are Charles Wingate and Charles Bird; Sunday- school superintendent, Dr. J. M. Harmon.
Mount Hope Methodist Episcopal Church, in the south- west corner of the township, is a good congregation, which meets for worship in a schoolhouse. The society is in a good condition, numbering at this time about sixty members; pastor in charge is Rev. George E. Hill, of the Fairport circuit.
In the western part of the township is an organization of the Missionary Baptist Church, which has a good membership under the pastoral control of Rev. William Turnage. The Liberty schoolhouse is used for a meeting place, and the congregation is reported as constantly gaining in numerical strength. The Bap- tists have also a small organization in the southeastern part of the township, to which Rev. Mr. Campbell preaches at stated times. Meetings are held in what is known as the Strong schoolhouse.
Among other churches in the western and northwestern part of the county is the New Prospect Baptist Church, near the vil- lage of Union Star, organized about the year 1876 or 1877. A building was afterward erected at a cost of about $1,100. The membership numbers fifty or sixty. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Ball.
There are several churches in Sherman Township, among which the Baptists, Christians and Methodists are represented.
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The Haydenville Christian Church is an old organization, its house of worship having been erected as early as 1866 or 1867. The society has sustained regular services during a long series of years, and is still in fair condition. About two and a half miles south of Haydenville is a Christian Church, which meets for wor- ship in a substantial frame building erected about the year 1886. The congregation is large, and numbers among its members many of the leading citizens of the community.
New Hope Baptist Church, situated in the northeast part of the township, about eight miles west of Maysville, is an old organization, but one of the leading religious societies in the county, at the present time numbering over one hundred commu- nicants. The first house of worship was a box building, and answered well the purposes for which it was intended until the erection of the present frame edifice, a few years ago. The pres- ent pastor of the church is Rev. W. G. Ball.
Prairie Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church, in the eastern part of the township, is a large and flourishing society, the mem- bership of which extends over a large area of country. A house of worship was built some time in the seventies.
In the northwest part of the township is a union church build- ing, erected a few years ago by the citizens of the community for the use of all denominations. Services are regularly held there- in by different religious orders, ministers of three or four sects preaching at stated intervals. A union Sunday-school is also maintained by the citizens of the community.
CHURCHES IN ADAMS AND GRAND RIVER TOWNSHIPS.
The Methodists, Baptists, Christians and United Brethren have religious organizations in Adams and Grand River Town- ships, the majority of which have been in existence for a number of years.
Hodge Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church South, is a flour- ishing congregation in the southwest part of Adams, which meets for worship in a substantial frame building. The present pastor is Rev. J. T. McDonald.
In the southern part of the same township is a large society of the Christian Church, known as the Christian Chapel, at this
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time under the pastoral control of Elder Smith. The congrega- tion has a good frame house of worship, and is reported in a pros- perous condition. The Regular Baptists have held services for several years near the central part of the township, but have no church edifice. The organization was moved from Daviess County in 1873, since which time public services have been reg- ularly conducted in what is known as the Johnson or Sunny Side schoolhouse. The membership is not large. The pastor, Rev. C. C. Moore, holds services once a month.
Recently the South Methodists organized a society near the southern border of Adams Township, and erected a frame house of worship, in which services are held at regular intervals. The congregation, though small, is in a prosperous condition, and promises to become a strong church in the future.
In the northwest part of Grand River Township is a congre- gation of the Christian or Disciple Church, which has met for a number of years in the Garden Prairie schoolhouse. The pastor is Rev. Mr. Smith. In Section 13 of the same township is a United Brethren Church, which at one time had quite a flourishing con- gregation. The leading spirit in its organization was Rev. Jacob Smith, who built and donated for church purposes a substantial frame edifice, in which the society still meets for worship.
Garden Prairie Baptist Church, several miles northeast of Osborne, was organized about the year 1871, by Rev. Mr. Living- ston, who sustained the pastoral relation for some time. Revs. D. G. Saunders and C. C. Carter preached for the society at different times, which at one period of its history numbered over one hundred members. The church is not as strong numerically as formerly, but services are regularly held in a schoolhouse, which is used for church purposes. Five miles north of Cameron is the Delena branch of the Latter Day Saints, established about the year 1879. The membership at this time is about seventy-five, and a good frame house recently erected is used for a meeting place. Rev. W. T. Bozarth is pastor.
The Congregational Church, at Amity, was organized April 6, 1871, with thirteen members whose names are as follows: Edward Moore and wife, Sidney Bull and wife, H. C. Nichols and wife, Elder George and wife, George N. Dency and wife, together with
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members of their respective families. The leading spirit in the movement was Edward Moore, who as early as 1869 organized a Sunday-school which had much to do in developing the church. The church edifice, a frame structure, was erected in the spring of 1871, Charles Wilcox donating about $100 toward the building, on the ground that it be used for school as well as church purposes. He suggested the name of Amity from a small village of that name in Orange County, N. Y. The ground upon which the building stood was donated by Capt. James Benedict with the stipulation that the house should be open to general religious worship. From the fact of the Con- gregationalists being in the majority, and organizing the first society, the church was given that name by which it has since been known. The original location was about three-fourths of a mile from Amity, but in May, 1887, the organization and building were moved to the village. Rev. R. S. Stafford was the first pastor, succeeded in 1874 by Rev. I. T. Hull, and he in 1876 by the present incumbent, Rev. J. P. Field. Present membership, eighty-four.
CHURCHES OF DALLAS TOWNSHIP.
The church history of Dallas Township dates back almost to the earliest settlement. The Baptists, Methodists and United Brethren were early represented, and religious services were held in the cabins of the settlers a number of years before churches were organized or houses of worship erected. At this time there are five religious organizations and three church edifices, one of which is a union building, used jointly by three denominations: United Brethren, Methodist and Christian.
The United Brethren class was organized about the year 1872 by Revs. Alfred King and Brundage, who held a series of meet- ings in the Hebron schoolhouse, resulting in over one hundred con- versions. The society met in the Hebron schoolhouse until the erection of Greenridge Union Church in 1879 or 1880, at which time it was moved thither, where services have since been held. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Bratcher.
The Christians have a good congregation which meets for worship in Greenridge Church, the present pastor of which is
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Elder O. D. Hyder. The congregation is in a flourishing con- dition, and has been the means of accomplishing much good in the community. In the same building is a Methodist class, which is perhaps the strongest in numbers of the three societies. The pastor is Rev. Hugh Teal.
Hopewell Baptist Church, in the southeastern part of the town- ship, has a fair congregation, ministered to at the present time by Rev. W. Savage. The house of worship erected several years ago is a frame structure, representing a capital of several hundred dollars.
Recently a Baptist Church was organized in the northeast. part of the township, where in the fall of 1887 a good frame house of worship was erected. The congregation though small is steadily increasing, and the future outlook of the society is en- couraging.
EDUCATION.
No question is of more vital importance to a people than that of education. Nothing for which the State pays money yields so large a dividend upon the cost as the revenue expended upon the public schools. From the humble scene of the teacher's labors are radiated into the heart of society the great influences that kindle its ardors for activity, lights civilization on its widen- ing way, and which hold the dearest interest of humanity in its hand. The statistics are the smallest exponents of our schools; these are values that can not be expressed in dollars and cents.
In the early development of Missouri there were a great many obstacles in the way of general education. The settlements were sparse, and money or other means of remunerating teachers scarce, as the pioneers of new countries are nearly always poor. There were no schoolhouses nor were there any school funds, either State or county. All persons of both sexes who had physical strength enough to labor were compelled to take their part in the work of securing a support, the labor of the female being as heavy and important as that of the man, and this continued for many years. In the last place both books and teachers were scarce. Taking all these facts together, the wonder is that the early settlers made such commendable progress as they did in educational work.
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It will be impossible within reasonable space to trace the course of Legislature upon this most important subject of public schools. Almost every session of the Legislature has witnessed the passage of some special or general law in relation to the school interests of the State. The difficulties in the way of the early progress of the system were numerous, and for a time al- most insurmountable. Funds for the pay of teachers and for the erection of schoolhouses were lacking, qualified instructors could not always be found, the districts were sparsely settled, much of the legislation was found impracticable, funds were mismanaged, and more fatal than all was the strange and unrea- sonable prejudice entertained by many against popular educa- tion under the name of "free " schools. Against the various hindrances, however, the system has gradually made its way, until at this time Missouri enjoys the proud distinction of having one of the largest school funds of any State in the Union, amounting in 1886 to $10,587,961.81.
EARLY SCHOOLS.
The early schools in De Kalb County, like the whole of North- ern Missouri, were of the humblest kind, and for many years the cause of education was in anything but a flourishing condition. The buildings as a general rule were small log structures with puncheon or dirt floors, and furnished with rude benches made from the split trunks of trees. A wide board fastened to the walls by wooden pins extended around the room and answered the purpose of a writing desk during certain hours of the day. The apartment was heated by a large open-mouthed fireplace, which occupied almost an entire end of the building, while light was admitted through small window glass and sometimes greased paper fitted into an opening made by removing a section of a log from the wall. The lone remains of few of these humble tem- ples of learning are occasionally found in portions of Missouri - eloquent of an age forever past. The early pioneer schools were maintained altogether by subscription, and it was not until after the lapse of a number of years that any substantial good began to be realized from the general system of public instruction.
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
SCHOOLS IN WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
One of the first schoolhouses in this township stood on the corners of land belonging to Jesse Todd, William Thornton and William Adams, and was erected early in the forties, by the citizens of the locality for the two-fold purpose of church and school. The building was substantially constructed, and withal compara- tively comfortable and convenient for a schoolhouse of that time. It was in use until about the year 1854, and within its walls many of the hoary-headed citizens of the present day were in- structed in the mysteries of the alphabet, first reader and pen- manship. One of the early teachers in this building was David Barrow, who is remembered by old settlers as a man well quali- fied to wield the birch, and take the advanced pupils to the " double rule of three." Isaac Sullivan taught in the same build- ing in an early day, as did also Owen P. Stout, Henry Devore and Bettie Stone.
As early as the year 1845 a school was taught in a small vacant cabin, which stood on the land of John F. Doherty, a short distance northwest of Stewartsville. The teacher was a Mrs. Holmes, and her school numbered about ten or fifteen pupils, some of whom came distances of two and three miles. Of Mrs. Holmes' qualifications and scholastic attainments we are obliged to rely upon the remembrance of an old and trustworthy citizen, who says she was a most estimable lady, and a good teacher.
A lady by the name of Nancy Wilson was employed to teach a small subscription school as early as 1846, in a little cabin that had formerly been used as a dwelling by a squatter. It stood on Dr. Allen's land, and was used for school purposes but the one term.
A log schoolhouse was built in an early day in the northwest part of the township, and was in use for a number of years. It was replaced about the year 1855 by a frame building, in which schools were taught at intervals by Samuel Rally, Bettie Stone, James Hall, Wood Walker and others.
The Breckinridge schoolhouse on the Breckinridge land, about three miles northeast of Stewartsville, was erected in an early day. It was a log building, and among the first teachers was Thomas Baxter. The building was subsequently replaced by
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a frame structure, which for a number of years went by the name of the "Lone Oak schoolhouse." Another early building stood on the Clark farm, four miles north of Stewartsville, and was known as the Clark schoolhouse. It was torn down several years ago and replaced by a frame building, which is still standing.
Washington Township is now supplied with a number of good substantial school buildings, all of which are well finished and furnished, and supplied with modern educational appliances.
SHERMAN TOWNSHIP.
It is not definitely known when and by whom the first school in what is now Sherman Township was taught. As early as the year 1847, however, a small round log building was erected on the Turner land, in the eastern part of the township, and among the first pedagogues to wield the rod of authority therein is re- membered a Mr. Jackson. His successor was George Bell, whose term is said to have run through the winter of 1848-49. An early school was taught near the central part of the township by Daniel Ellis, who used for the purpose a diminutive log build- ing erected by the citizens of the neighborhood. It was known as the Ellis schoolhouse, and was used for educational purposes several years, Mr. Ellis doing the greater part of the teaching therein.
The McCormick schoolhouse in the northwestern part of the township was built as early as 1847 or 1848, and stood until 1855. Nathan Farris was an early teacher. The building was torn down in 1855, and replaced by a frame house, which burned a few years later. The Sharp schoolhouse, a log building, was erected in the northeast corner of the township, some time in the forties, and answered the purposes for which it was intended until 1855.
Not far from the Washington Township line there stood many years ago a log schoolhouse, in which children from both town- ships met for instruction. Among the first to use the building in the capacity of teachers are remembered Warren Wilkin- son, George W. Ford and a Mr. Cwaker. At the adoption of the public school system in 1855, the township was divided into four
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