USA > Missouri > Mercer County > History of Harrison and Mercer Counties, Missouri : from the earliest times 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 28
USA > Missouri > Harrison County > History of Harrison and Mercer Counties, Missouri : from the earliest times 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 28
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his burning building in 1863. Four small children killed in a burning building in the northern part of the county in 1861. John Lay, drowned at Cainesville, May, 1867; body found five days later. Miss Nevada Hill and a little daughter of Mrs. Harrison, drowned June, 1867, in Cat Creek, near the southern boundary of the county. In 1868, Miss Delilah Plymer, of Bethany, while attempting to kindle a fire with kerosene oil, was burned to death. Jackson White, accident- ally shot and killed himself while hunting, January, 1871. In March, 1871, J. G. Bryant, of White Oak Township, was killed by the falling of a tree. On the 26th of May, 1870, a little daughter of Daniel Thomas was burned to death about two miles west of Bethany. December 14, of the same year, a three-year-old daughter of C. J. White was burned to death at his home, east of Eagleville. In May, 1860, a son of Mr. Burl, aged twelve years, was drowned in the creek near Bethany. August 1, 1876, Warner Burris, a little son of Judge George Burris, was crushed to death beneath a large pile of lumber which was blown down by the wind. This sad affair occurred at the village of Mitchellville. December 3, 1876, a little child of Charles Paine was accidentally burned to death in Bethany. A son of Ransom D. Hook, of Union Township, was killed by a falling pole March, 1877. July 12, 1878, Mr. Foster, an old gentleman, was found dead on the road leading from Eagleville to Iowa -- supposed to have been sunstroke. In July, 1878, a little child of Augustine Stoner, of Madison Township, met with a violent death by running against a pitchfork with which it was playing. The prongs of the fork pene- trated the little fellow's breast, causing his death within a couple of hours after the accident occurred.
A few years ago, P. A. Brooks, who lived several miles west of Bethany, met with a fatal accident under the following circumstances: Early in the morning he harnessed a pair of mules to do some hauling, and led them to a well to water, and in so doing looped the halter strap around his arm to hold them. While at the well the animals became frightened, and started to run, dragging Mr. Brooks over the ground, and kicking him in the face at almost every jump. They ran quite a distance, and only stopped on reaching some timber and thick brush, which arrested them. The gentleman who owned the team, not knowing what detained Brooks, went to look after him, and saw the blood-stained path made by his body being dragged over the ground. He followed the path and soon came to where the mules were, with the unfortunate man's arm still fastened in the loop and not yet dead. He lived but a few minutes after found, dying
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in great agony. His face was horribly cut, and his body badly marked.
In April, 1881, while attempting to extinguish the fire of a burn- ing fence, a young lady, daughter of William Stone, of Martinsville, was horribly burned, from the effects of which she died in about eight hours. William O. Thomas, a little son of Leonidas Thomas, was crushed to death by a saw-log, August 19, 1874, at West Bethany. November, 1882, a boy by the name of Levi Roach, accidentally shot and killed himself while hunting near the village of Martinsville. Some time in the seventies a young man by the name of Linville, an employe in Smith's mill, at Bethany, while at work was caught in the machinery, which so mangled him that he lived but a few hours.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
Churches of Bethany .- The subject of Christianity occupies a conspicuous place in the history of every enlightened community, and it is to the credit of the early settlers of Harrison County that they were in the main a moral and God-fearing people. 'Tis true there were among the pioneers, as is the case in all newly settled countries, a rough element, ignorant, vicious and worthless, but this element in Harrison County was the exception, and com- prised only a few of the people. Of the majority their moral char- acter was good, and scarce was the nucleus of a settlement formed ere steps were taken to counteract in some way the influence of the lawless and evil-minded. This early led to efforts at religious organi- zation and instruction, and often hymns of praise were mingled with the sound of the pioneer's ax. The Baptist and Christian denomina- tions were the pioneers of religion in Harrison, and the latter is still the strongest church numerically in the county. Elders A. B. Hardin, of the Baptist, and John S. Allen, of the Christian Church, are supposed to have been the first ministers of any denomination to proclaim the "good tidings that should be to all men " in the wilder- ness of what is now Harrison County.
The former held religious worship as early as 1841, in the South- ern part of the county, and to the earnest efforts of the latter the first church society in Harrison was organized the same year. This was the Bethany Christian Church, which during a long period of years has been one of the strongest and most influential religious organiza- tions in northern Missouri.
Soon after Elder Allen located in the new country he began hold- ing meetings at Harris' mill, and a little later at the residence of
.
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John H. Poynter, about two miles southeast of Bethany, where, in the summer of 1841, an organization was effected with the following members: John H. Poynter and wife, Thomas Tucker and wife, Miss Tobitha Tucker, Miss Nettie Tucker, Ephraim Stewart and wife, W. R. Allen and wife, John S. Allen and wife, Thomas Brown and wife, John W. Brown and wife, A. W. Allen, William C. Allen, Levi Reeves and Mary Jennings, all of whom had formerly belonged to the same branch of the church in the State from which they emigrated. Philip Harris and wife united with the congregation, a short time after the organization, and it was at their residence that services were held at intervals for several years. John W. Brown and Ephraim Stewart were elected elders of the congregation, and "Big Creek " was adopted as the name by which the church should be known. Elder Allen continued to preach at stated intervals, and, during the progress of a series of revival meetings conducted by him in the fall of 1842, the congregation was increased by over twenty additions, among whom were many of the leading citizens of the community. For two or three years meetings were held alter- nately at the residences of David Buck and Philip Harris, and after the latter moved from the country Mr. Buck's dwelling was the prin- cipal place of worship until the erection of a house for church and school purposes in 1846. This building was a comfortable hewed, log structure 20x24 feet in size, and stood about one quarter of a mile east of Bethany, upon a tract of land donated for church and burial purposes. It answered well for what it was intended, and for several years was the only building of its kind in the vicinity of Bethany. It was destroyed by fire in 1849.
The society under the faithful ministrations of Elder Allen, assisted by Ephraim Stewart, who began preaching soon after the organiza- tion was effected, continued to increase in numbers and influence, and from 1849 to 1855 met for worship in the courthouse at Bethany. In the latter year a substantial brick edifice 30x50 feet was built on Alder Street, where the parsonage now stands, at a cost of $3,500. Here the society met and prospered until the year 1870, at which time the rapidly growing congregation foreshadowed the necessity of a more commodious house of worship. Accordingly, in that year, at the close of a series of successful revival services, resulting in ninety additions to the church, it was decided to erect a new building of enlarged pro- portions, work upon which commenced a short time thereafter. A lot on Alder Street, adjoining the one occupied by the first building, was procured from John S. Allen, and work upon the new structure was
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pushed forward as rapidly as the nature of the enterprise would admit. The building was completed in 1872, at a cost of $7,000, and is by far the finest specimen of church architecture in Harrison County. It is 40x70 feet in size, elegantly finished and furnished, and from its elevated position in one of the finest parts of the city commands an extensive view of the surrounding country.
Elder John S. Allen continued to look after the interests of the church from the time of its organization until 1870, during which inter- val the membership increased to about 400. Aside from his pastoral labors Elder Allen did much missionary work in Northern Missouri, and assisted in the organization of quite a number of churches in vari- ous parts of Harrison and neighboring counties. His life and works are too well known to need especial mention in this connection. He is a man of splendid powers, a fine pulpit orator, and has much more than a local reputation as an energetic and successful preacher.
In 1872 Elder W. H. Williams became pastor, in which relation he continued about two years. His successor was Elder Turney, of Trenton, under whose ministrations the church made substantial prog- ress. The next pastor was Elder James Dunn, of Bethany, W. Va., a young man of fine abilities, and a good preacher. He ministered to the church one year, at the end of which time Elder W. M. Browder became pastor. As a preacher Elder Browder had few superior in the west, and as a writer his name is known wherever the Christian Church has an organization. In connection with the pastorate Elder Browder for some time published a religious journal in Bethany, which obtained a good circulation. Elder A. F. Parker succeeded Elder Browder, and served the church with great acceptance for one year. His suc- cessor was Elder Alexander Elliott, who preached two years. Will- iam P. Summers was the next regular pastor. He served the church one year, and was followed by the present incumbent, Elder W. H. Hook, who began his labors in the spring of 1887. Elder Hook is an earnest and effectual preacher, a good pastor, and through his instru- mentality, quite a number of members have been added to the church.
Besides the regular pastors, several eminent ministers of the gospel from abroad have visited the church from time to time, and broken to them the bread of life. Among them, and chiefest, the distinguished Benjamin Franklin may be mentioned. He visited the church dur- ing the pastorate of Elder Williams, and assisted in a revival which resulted in over ninety accessions. Elder M. M. Goode, of St. Joseph, preached a series of discourses a few years ago, and by his able pres- entation of the truth did much toward building up and strengthening
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the congregation. Among others who held meetings at different times were Elders Benjamin Lockhart, D. T. Wright, Benjamin Smith and Aaron Walker. The membership at this time, owing to deaths and removals, is not so strong as formerly, the records of 1887 containing the names of about 250 communicants. The church officers are M. S. Gillidett and W. H. Hook, elders; Winfield Eads, M. Carnelison, John Rupe, George W. Phillips and A. D. Stubbs, deacons. The elders of the church act as trustees. M. S. Gillidett is superintend- ent of the flourishing Sunday-school, which has an average attendance of eighty-five scholars.
Methodist .- The history of Methodism in Harrison County dates from the first settlement of the country by white men. Since then it has maintained a firm and steadily increasing hold on the people, until it is one of the strongest and most useful church organizations in the county, with an actual active membership of over 1,000, and property valued at a high sum. Although the settlement in the county of a number of Methodist families from the older States secured the presence and attention of traveling ministers, and doubtless the tem - porary formation of classes or societies, as they are called, and in that way unquestionably gave to the church here a historical existence, dating from a very early day, yet it is not certain that the denomina- tion had any permanent foothold in Bethany until the lapse of several years after the founding of the town. From the best information obtainable it appears that traveling ministers of the church visited the locality in an early day, going from house to house and from neighborhood to neighborhood, holding meetings until their influence was felt and impressed upon the people long before any organization was effected or house of worship built. But little is now known of these early preachers except that they were eminently pious and use - ful in their day. Their very names meant the Methodism of the times, and their lives were bright examples of goodness and holiness, which exerted an influence for good in the community for many years after they had passed away. While it cannot be stated with precision when meetings were first held in Bethany, it is pretty certain that a society was formally organized some time in the fifties if not
earlier. The first records of the church not being accessible it is impossible to give the precise date of the organization, the circum- stances which led thereto, or the names of the original members. For a number of years the society was regularly supplied with preach- ing, and worshiped in the first courthouse on the public square. The earliest record now obtainable dates from the year 1863, at which
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time Rev. Stephen G. Anderson was pastor. In the year following Rev. John Morehead ministered to the society, and the class continued to meet in the courthouse. In the intervals between 1864 and 1873 the church was served by the following pastors: Revs. Mahan, Spur- lock, Hale, Dill, Graham, Cave, Rozzell, Hollingsworth and Beards- ley. It was during the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Beardsley, in 1870-71, that the church building, now used by the congregation, was erected and dedicated. Building material at that time was quite expensive, and had to be hauled by teams from Chillicothe, making the structure cost over $4,000. The building is a commodious edifice with a seating capacity of 400, but upon special occasions, with the use of chairs, has accommodated many more than that number. In the three years which followed the erection of the building the church was served a second time by Rev. Mr. Morehead, and also by Rev. Isaac Hallock, both of whom labored zealously for the upbuilding of the society. In the year 1875, during the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Hallock, the church was blessed with a gracious revival, in which some twenty-five or thirty united with the congregation. Mr. Hallock was assisted in the work by Rev. Mr. Bennett, of Mercer County.
From 1878 to 1881 Rev. J. G. Thompson was pastor, at the expir- ation of whose term Rev. Isaac Chivington took charge of the circuit. He labored two years, and was successful in maintaining an interest in the church. Up to the year 1883 the district in which Bethany is situated was served by the following presiding elders: Wence, Huffman, Hopkins, Thompson, Warner, Bayle and Powell. In March, 1883, Rev. William Reuter was appointed to the work of the circuit. He served two years, during which time fourteen members were added to the congregation. The work at that time included the church at Ridgeway, eleven miles north of Bethany. Rev. F. T. Stevenson became pastor in April, 1885, but resigned the position the following September. His successor was Rev. J. B. Grove, who served the unexpired term. Rev. F. W. Pierce was appointed in the spring of 1886, and served until the spring of 1887, at which time he took charge of the Cainesville work in the northeast part of the county. In March, 1887, Rev. R. L. Thompson, the present incumbent, became pastor, since which the church has enjoyed a degree of prosperity unparalleled in any previous period of its history. During a series of revival meet- ings held by Mr. Thompson in the fall of 1887 there were over seventy conversions and fifty accessions to the church. Rev. Mr. Thompson is well known to the Methodists of Northwest Missouri, and occupies a leading place in the ministry. He is a man of fine abilities, an
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impressive pulpit orator, and has few equals and no superiors as a pastor. He has already won an abiding place in the affections and confidence of the people of Bethany, irrespective of church or creed, and by his earnest and untiring efforts has induced many to abandon the ways of sin for the better way leading to life and holiness.
Bethany was made a station in 1887, since which time services have been held every Sabbath to the great advantage of the congregation; present membership is 140. The officers of the church for 1887 are as follows: Class leaders, Z. T. Rose and J. W. Smith; stewards, Mrs. Hattie Myers, Mrs. J. Wightman, Mrs. E. Papineau, George W. Wanamaker, George W. Barlow and Miss Lou Lewis; trustees, G. W. Barlow, V. Price, J. M. Simms, M. A. Ford, John W. Kenyon, C. Crossan and C. W. Myers. The Sunday-school, under the auspices of this church from the time of its organization many years ago, has been regularly and successfully kept up, and has proved not only of inestimable value to the young, but a great blessing to the church. At present it is in a prosperous condition, with an average attendance of 120. The officers are as follows: Michael McCollum, superintend- ent; Mrs. Dr. Vandivert, assistant superintendent; Henry Moulton, treasurer; Will Cover, librarian; Miss Hattie Dunn and Mrs. Anna Spencer, organists. Teachers, A. Cushman, William Myers, J. L. Thompson, Mrs. J. L. Thompson, Mrs. Bonser, Miss Blanche Simms, Miss Morgan, Miss Lou Lewis, Miss Annette Cover and Henry Moulton.
Cumberland Presbyterian Church. - The history of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church in Bethany dates from the 10th of Sep- tember, 1865, at which time an organization was effected through the labors of Rev. Robert Speer with the following members: Bethuel Buck, Mary Buck, Robert Speer, Margaret Speer, Nancy D. Speer, Samuel P. Speer, John Holland and Margaret Holland. Bethuel Buck was elected ruling elder, and the following year William G. Lewis was chosen elder, a position he filled with great acceptance for several years. The courthouse was used by the congregation until 1868, when a lot was procured, and the present handsome brick edi- fice erected. The building is a commodious structure, 40x50 feet in size, with a seating capacity of 350, and represents a capital of $2,000. The building has been greatly improved from time to time, and is now a very comfortable and creditable temple of worship. Among the pastors and stated supplies of the church from time to time have been Revs. Robert Speer, J. W. French, J. M. Reagan, Henry Tharp, Levi Henshaw and J. F. Rogers.
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February, 1867, the following trustees were elected: Bethuel Buck, William G. Lewis and B. C. Batton. Marquis Gunn was elected treasurer of the church, November, 1869, and at the same meeting James A. Brewer was chosen clerk. Among the ruling elders of the congregation were the following: Bethuel Buck, William G. Lewis, James A. Brewer, Marquis Gunn, M. K. Howell, H. L. Schnatterly, James Berry and Thomas Alexander. The ruling elders at this time are M. K. Howell, James Berry, Thomas Alexander and Marquis Gunn. Trustees, M. K. Howell, Marquis Gunn and William O'Neil.
Cainesville Churches .- The Cainesville Baptist Church was formally organized in March, 1845, at what was known as Goshen Prairie, in Mercer County, about six miles southeast of the present site of the town. The record of the organization reads as follows: "We, Will- iam Prewett, William Chambers, Rebecca Chambers, his wife; Rebecca Mullins, Sarah Wolf, Catherine Mullins and Sarah Griffith, having met at the house of David Mullins, in Mercer County, Missouri, on the third Sabbath of March, 1845, and having been formerly members of the Baptist Church, after public worship conducted by Elder William Henderson, do agree to form ourselves into a United Baptist Church capacity."
After drafting and adopting articles of faith, William Chambers was elected clerk, pro tem., and the name Zoar given to the church. Among those who united with the congregation in an early day were Mary Davis, Jane Keefer, Hannah Hart, Elmira Nordyke, Susannah Chambers, Elizabeth Chambers, Almira Chambers, Elizabeth Burns, Eliza Bunyard, Deborah Lyall, Isaac M. Seay, Israel Nordyke, James T. Chambers, Isaiah Chambers, Franklin Burns, Elijah E. Bruce, Henderson Dagley and William J. Nordyke.
After holding meetings at private residences a few years, a house of worship was erected about one and a half miles southeast of Caines- ville, on land donated for the purpose of a church and cemetery by B. F. Burns. The building was a frame structure, 28x40 feet in size, the interstice between ceiling and weather boarding filled with soft brick, and the room furnished with seats manufactured from split linn trees. These seats were merely rude benches without backs, and served as an excellent means of testing the spirituality of an audience during the long discourses for which public worship in the good old days was noted. Rev. Mr. Blakely served the church as pastor dur- ing the early period of its history, and is remembered as a very pions and successful preacher. Rev. John Woodward was perhaps the next to sustain the pastoral relation. He accomplished a good work for
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the church, and was succeeded by Rev. Chesley Woodward, an able and highly esteemed preacher, under whose ministration the congre- gation enjoyed seasons of great prosperity. He filled the pulpit at stated intervals for five or six years, during which time the member- ship was increased by numerous additions. In 1867 Elder John Woodward, successor of Chesley Woodward, and assisted by Elder W. R. Goodell, held a series of revival meetings, the immediate result of which was about fifty accessions to the church. The following year Elder Woodward was assisted by Rev. J. H. Burrows, who entered the ministry immediately after his conversion, and who has since earned the reputation of being one of the ablest and most successful ministers in the Baptist Church in Northwest Missouri. Mr. Burrows accepted the pastorate in 1870, and continued in that relation with great accep- tance for a period of some three years. About 1870 the wants of the congregation foreshadowed the necessity of a house of worship of en- larged proportions; accordingly a movement was inaugurated to erect a suitable building, for which a lot in the southeast part of Cainesville was donated by Rev. Mr. Woodward. The house, a beautiful frame, 30x45 feet, was completed in due time, at a cost of $1,200. It has been remod- eled at different times, and with additional improvements is the most commodious and comfortable church edifice in the town, seating com- fortably over 300 people. Upon removing to the town the name Zoar was dropped, and since that time the society has been known as the Cainesville Baptist Church.
Since the expiration of the pastorate of Rev. John Woodward, with the exception of about one year, during which the pulpit was filled by Rev. James M. Woodward, Elder J. H. Burrows 'has minis- tered to the church. Revs. J. F. Moody and V. M. Harper preached at intervals during the absence of Elder Burrows, but were not called to the pastoral relation.
The church is one of the most flourishing societies in the West Fork Association, numbering at this time over 150 communicants, the largest membership since the organization. The church officers are Ralph Woodward, senior clerk; John W. Chambers, treasurer; B. F. Burns and R. Woodward, deacons.
The Sunday-school under the auspices of the church is in prosper- ous condition, the average attendance being about ninety-five. M. F. Oxford is superintendent. The teachers are S. R. Cleveland, John Burrows, John Woodward, Roy Chambers, W. C. Frazier, Jane Ox- ford, Katie Wilson and Herbert Rogers.
Cainesville Methodist Episcopal Church .- The history of this soci-
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ety dates from about the year 1859, at which time an organization was effected by Rev. Mr. Morton, with eight or ten members, among whom are remembered the following: Barney Baker and wife, Mrs. Keturah Tucker, Mrs. Nancy Frazee, Mrs. Laura Bailey, Mrs. Rhoda Pierce, Ellen Pierce, Oliver Neal and Mrs. Patsy Neal. The old village schoolhouse was used as a meeting place, where, for a number of years class and prayer meetings were regularly held by a few of the faithful members, the attendance frequently being but three or four. The society did not increase very rapidly during the early years of its history, and at one time during the dark days of the war the member- ship became somewhat indifferent. There were several, however, whose faith remained strong and steadfast and whose efforts kept the congre- gation from being disorganized.
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