USA > Missouri > Lincoln County > History of Lincoln County, Missouri, from the earliest time to the present > Part 42
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Among these pioneer ministers of Lincoln County were An- drew Monroe, David Hubbard, Bethuel Riggs, Hugh R. Smith, Abraham Welty, Darius Bainbridge and Benjamin S. Ashby, all of whom solemnized marriages, as shown by the record of marriage certificates prior to 1830. And, commencing with 1830, the record shows the following: 1830, James W. Campbell and Thomas Bowen; 1832, Elder Thomas McBride of the Christian Church and Rev. Samuel Findley of the Presbyterian Church; 1833, Nicholas C. Kabler of the Methodist Episcopal Church; 1834, John S. Pall of the Presbyterian Church, Jacob Lanius of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Sandy E. Jones of the Chris- tian Church, John M. Hopkins and Robert Gilmore of the Baptist Church, and Fred B. Leach; 1835, Hugh L. Dodds of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and J. H. Hughes of the Christian Church; 1836, Ephraim Davis and Ezekiel Downing of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Peter P. Lefever of the Cath- olic Church, and S. G. Patterson of the Methodist Episcopal Church; 1837, Robert L. McAfee and Lewis Duncan; 1838, F. B.
30
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MeElroy and William Patton of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Nathan Woodsworth. Some signed their names as "min- isters of the gospel," and others as ministers of the churches to which they belonged.
BAPTIST CHURCHES.
Fee Fec Creek Baptist Church was organized with about seventeen members in 1807, by Elder Thomas R. Musick. It is located in a beautiful country, about fifteen miles northwest of St. Louis, and was the second Baptist Church organized in what is now the State of Missouri. Soon thereafter followed the organizations of Coldwater, Boeuf, Negro Fork, Upper Cuivre and Femme Osage Baptist Churches. These churches were or- ganized, in 1817, into the " Missouri Association," which is now the "St. Louis Association." Fee Fee Creek Church, having stood from the beginning, is now the oldest Baptist Church in the State. Of the Upper Cuivre, Rev. R. S. Duncan, author of the "History of the Baptists in Missouri," says: "This pioneer community was located several miles southwest of Troy, the county seat of Lincoln County; was gathered and formed by we know not whom, in about the year 1815 or 1816, and after an existence of some twenty years, dissolved." It was probably lo- cated near the present line of Lincoln and Warren Counties.
Stout's Settlement (now New Hope) Baptist Church was organized June 16, 1821, by Elders Bethuel Riggs and Jesse Sitton, the latter of whom is supposed to have been the pastor until 1828, when he was dismissed by letter, and left the State. Elder David Hubbard succeeded him, and continued pastor for some years.
In February, 1830, a serious difficulty was brought into the church, growing out of the marriage of a young sister to a man who had a living wife. On an investigation the sister was ac- quitted. The minority were dissatisfied with the decision of the majority, and asked that a council be called, which was granted. Sulphur Lick, Troy and Little Bethel Churches each sent three members, who sat as a council, and, after hearing the case, ad- vised that the sister be excluded, and, the majority refusing to do so, the minority withdrew from the church in June, 1830, and
Henry V. Mudd LINCOLN COUNTY.
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formed the Bryant's Creek Church, in the same neighborhood. In August, 1831, the name of the church was changed from Stout's Settlement to that of Union, and about the year 1836 a log meeting-house was built, 46x20 feet, about two miles north of New Hope. Elder Ephraim Davis became pastor in May, 1835. During this pastorate the church adopted "a resolution refusing correspondence with any society of Christians who hold to the present benevolent institutions of the day." Elder Davis, who was a good man, and much beloved by the church, died in Octo- ber, 1851, and left the church much divided on doctrine and the subject of missions. Finally, in 1852, a majority called Elder
A. Mitchell as pastor. Being dissatisfied with this action, the mi- nority withdrew, some getting letters and some not, most of whom united with Bryant's Creek Church (anti-mission). Soon after this the church rescinded all her acts and resolutions in opposi- tion to missions, and, under the ministry of Elder Mitchell, grad- ually grew in numerical and moral strength, and in 1857 the place of meeting was moved to New Hope, the church having built a commodious frame house in that town 40x60 feet, which it now occupies. By resolution the name was changed from Union to New Hope in July, 1867.
Sulphur Lick Baptist Church .- Dr. Mudd says, in his his- tory, that Rev. Bethuel Riggs organized the Sulphur Lick Baptist Church, in 1813, but this is evidently a mistake as to time, and most likely a mistake of the printer, as the sequel will show. At that date the few settlers and their families were con- fined in the forts, on account of the hostilities of the Indians during the War of 1812-15. A definite account of the organiza- tion of this church is given by Rev. R. S. Duncan, as fol- lows: "This church is in Lincoln County, eight or nine miles northwest of Troy, the county seat. It was organized by Elder Bethuel Riggs, in his own private house, near a large spring, called Sulphur Lick, close to the north fork of Cuivre, four miles east of the present site, in the year 1823, of four members, viz. : Bethuel Riggs, Nancy Riggs, his wife, Armstrong Kennedy and Polly, his wife. John Cox and his wife, Polly, were received by experience the same day of the organization, and were baptized by Elder Riggs. In 1826 or 1827 it moved to its
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present location, and a few years after erected a substantial brick house, which was replaced by its present frame building, in 1856. This church has been a fruitful vine in days that are past, but is now in a feeble state, having passed its semi-centennial. It is an ecclesiastical grandmother, and had in 1881 only nineteen members."
Cuirre and Troy Baptist Churches were organized some time prior to the year 1828.
New Salem Baptist Church was organized in 1843. In 1882 it numbered 161 members, with J. Reid as pastor.
Bethlehem Baptist Church (now Fairview) was organized in 1845, and for many years worshiped in a log house, with a dirt floor. It has now a substantial frame church building.
Cottonwood Baptist Church was organized in October, 1852.
Mill Creek Baptist Church, located about three miles south- east of the village of Whiteside, was organized in 1851, by El- ders Albert Mitchell and James Smith. Among the constituent members were John Cannon and wife, Jacob Whiteside and wife, Duncan Ellis and wife, William Ackers and wife, and Mrs. Han- nah Ellis. The present frame church was built in 1853, at a cost of about $1,100. It was dedicated by Rev. James Smith. Rev. Albert Mitchell was pastor of the church twenty-five years. He was followed by William Mitchell, W. M. Modisett and Patrick -the latter having served eleven years.
Corner-Stone Baptist Church was organized about the year 1874. It is located about two-and-a-half miles west of White- side, and was organized by Revs. Marcellus S. Whiteside, Will- iam Bibbs and Thomas Sanderson. Its constituent members were J. R. Gibson and wife, Hiram Hall and wife, Adam Hall, Robert Chasten, wife and daughter, Elijah Stephens, wife and daughter. A frame house, still in use, was built in 1876, at a cost of about $1,100 outside of work donated on the building. It was dedicated by Rev. Burnham. The pastors have been Revs. William Bibb, M. S. Mitchell, James Reid, F. M. Birkhead, J. N. P. Helper and William Tipton, the latter being the present pastor. This church has a membership of about eighty.
Ebenezer Baptist Church, situated in Township 51 north, Range 1 east, some seven miles north of New Hope, was organ-
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ized about the year 1869, by Elder M. S. Whiteside, with eight members. They first worshiped in the Methodist Episcopal Church building, and at Smith's schoolhouse, for about three years. The present house in which they worship was erected in 1876, at a cost of $600. It is 36x40 feet in size. It was dedi- cated by Rev. Pope Yeaman, D. D. The pastors of this church have been M. S. Whiteside, William Mitchell, W. H. Burnham, J. D. Robnett, M. P. Matheny, C. A. Mitchell, Bland Beauchamp, William Tipton and W. N. Maupin, the latter being the present pastor. The present membership of this church is about 100.
Star Hope Baptist Church was organized at Reid's school- house in May, 1867, with nine members, by Elder W. F. Luck. The first pastor was Elder M. S. Whiteside; Elder W. H. Burn- ham was his successor. In 1882 this church had 126 members.
The names of the other Baptist Church organizations in the county at this writing are Oak Ridge, Winfield, Highland, Silex, Mt. Gilead and Harmony Grove.
The Baptist Church at Elsberry was organized October 27, 1883, by Elder W. A. Bibb. The constituent members were J. R. Cannon and wife, J. W. Waters and wife, Landy Waters, R. D. Waters, Lena Waters, G. L. Gennie and wife, Mrs. Ada Mays, Mrs. Annie Powell and J. W. Taliaferro. C. A. Mitchell was pas- tor from 1885 to 1886, and J. D. Hacker, the present pastor, has served since 1887.
Bethuel Riggs, a pioneer preacher of Lincoln and adjoining counties, was born about 1760 in the colony or State of New Jersey. Not much is known of his very early life, he having spent more than half his life out of Missouri. At the age of seventeen years, while but a youth, young Riggs enlisted as a soldier in the War of the American Revolution, and for the services rendered therein he afterward received a pension. He married in early life. His wife was Nancy Lee, sister of a cele-
brated preacher by the name of James Lee, who used to preach under the trees with his gun by his side, apprehending an attack from Indians. At the age of eighteen years, Bethuel Riggs was converted to Christ and became a Baptist, and soon after moved to North Carolina and subsequently to Georgia, where he lived some years, and here he not only began his ministry but
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traveled and preached somewhat extensively. * While still a comparatively young man, he, in company with a large colony, came across the Indian country to Kentucky. This trip was made during the early Indian wars. Mr. Riggs settled in that part of Kentucky opposite Cincinnati. In the year 1809 he came to Missouri and first settled on Dardenne Creek, in St. Charles County, where he lived some eight years. He then moved higher up the country and settled north of Troy by the Sulpher Lick Spring. Here he organized the Sulphur Lick Church and spent much of his time itinerating. He preached over large portions of Lincoln and adjoining counties. Subsequently he moved to Monroe County, and from there to Illinois, thence to Ohio and back again to Missouri, where he died and was buried by the side of his faithful wife, the companion of both his youth and his old age .*
David Hubbard was also a pioneer minister of the gos- pel in Lincoln County. He was born in the year 1796, in the State of Kentucky, near where the celebrated Daniel Boone first settled. His father, Charles Hubbard, was a native of Virginia, and after spending several years in Kentucky, he moved to and settled in St. Louis County, Mo., in 1809, when David was a small boy. Charles Hubbard was an influ- ential Baptist, and while he lived in St. Louis County, filled the office of deacon in the old Fee Fee Baptist Church. David Hubbard grew up in the Territory of Missouri, in an age when schools were almost unknown so far west. He therefore secured few advantages from this source; but possessing a strong, active mind, he made the best use of his limited opportunities. He, however, never secured what would be called a good, common school education.
At the age of twenty-three he professed conversion, and was baptized by Elder Charles Collard, while he was a resident of Gasconade County. Soon after this he moved to Warren County, and about this time (1821 or 1822) commenced preaching, and was ordained by Little Bethel Church in 1824. After spending a short time in Warren County he moved to Lincoln, and settled about ten or twelve miles west of Troy. In 1829 he moved to the
*Duncan.
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neighborhood of New Hope, where he lived some ten or twelve years; thence he moved to Pike County, Ill., where he lived until he moved to Oregon, about the year 1853. He was popular in the pulpit and out of it. Wherever his name was known in Eastern Missouri he could get a congregation week-day or Sun- day. As a pastor he labored industriously with the Sulphur Lick, Bryant's Creek and Union (New Hope) Churches, all in Lincoln County. He was almost all the time pastor of four churches. He died at his home in Oregon, June 14, 1868.
Darius Bainbridge was a native of Kentucky, and son of Rev. Absalom Bainbridge, M. D. He moved to Missouri and set- tled in St. Charles County, about 1822. He was married in Ken- tucky to Miss Mary Wright, sister of Elder Thomas J. Wright. Darius Bainbridge commenced preaching as early as 1824, labored in Missouri twelve years, moved to Wisconsin, thence back to Missouri, and settled in Clay County in 1847, where he spent the remnant of his days. He was chosen moderator of Cuivre Association in 1828, and was re-elected for eight consec- utive years. He died in Clay County about the year 1862 .*
Rev. William Healey, a Baptist preacher, was an Englishman, who left his native country and went to Texas, and from there he came to Lincoln County, and did missionary work during the fifties, traveling on foot from place to place. John Snethen, tak- ing pity on the man, bought a horse and gave it to him. He died at Snethen's house.
Robert Gilmore, a pioneer preacher in Lincoln County, was born in 1792, in the State of Virginia, and subsequently moved to the State of Kentucky, where, in 1818, he married Mary Hans- ford. In 1819 he immigrated to Missouri, and settled in St. Charles County, where he remained for a brief period, then moved. to Lincoln County, and settled in the neighborhood of Old Sulphur Lick Church. Not long after his settlement in Lincoln County he professed religion, and became a member of the Baptist denomination, having been baptized by the old pioneer, Bethuel Riggs. He began preaching before 1830, but was not ordained until 1841. He was a most excellent man, had only a limited education, and was a real, old-fashioned preacher of the gospel.
*Duncan.
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His labors in the ministry were confined chiefly to Lincoln and Montgomery Counties. In the spring of 1849 he, with his fam- ily and many others from his adopted State, started across the plains for California. The cholera broke out among the emi- grants, and many were made its victims. Elder Gilmore, his faithful wife and one son, were among the sufferers. He died at the head of Sweet Water, on the 25th of June, 1849.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
The Missouri Conference of the Methodist Church was or- ganized in 1816, by the General Conference, while in session at Baltimore, Md. The first session of the Missouri Conference was held at Shiloh meeting-house, near the city of Belleview, in Illinois, commencing September 23, 1816. At this time there were two circuits only, in the territory of Missouri-Belleview and Saline-the former lying southward and the latter north- ward, and both together including all the settlements west of the Mississippi. The dividing line between these circuits was some distance south of St. Louis. At the first conference above men- tioned, John C. Harbison and Joseph Reeder were appointed " circuit riders " for these two circuits. The second session of the Missouri Conference was held at Goshen settlement, in Illi- nois, commencing October 6, 1817. At this session Rev. Thomas Wright was appointed circuit rider of the Belleview and Saline Circuits. The third conference was held at Bethel meeting-house, at the place of the meeting of the previous session in Illinois. At this session Thomas Wright and Joseph Piggott were appoint- ed to the Missouri Circuits. The fourth session of the Missouri Conference, and the first one held west of the Mississippi, was held at McKendree's Chapel, in Cape Girardeau County, begin- ning September 14, 1819. John Piggott and John McFarland were appointed to the Missouri Circuits.
The fifth session of the Missouri Conference was held at Shiloh meeting-house, St. Clair County, Ill., commencing September 13, 1820, and a new circuit, called St. Francois, was formed in Missouri. John Harris was appointed to Belleview Circuit, and Samuel Bassett to Saline and St. Francois.
The sixth session of the Missouri Conference was held at
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McKendree Chapel, in Cape Girardeau County, commencing October 17, 1821, and the seventh session was held it St. Louis, commencing in October, 1822. About this time the territory east of the Mississippi was cut off from the Missouri Conference, and thereafter the sessions continued to be held in the newly admitted State of Missouri.
New Liberty Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1818, at some private house (probably that of the father of Judge S. T. Ingram), near Corso, in the northwest- ern part of the county. It is believed that it was organized by Rev. John Scrips. The Ingrams, Owings and Hudsons were some of its constituent members. No church building was constructed until 1848, when a log chapel was erected.
The present frame building was erected in 1874, at a cost of $850. It was dedicated in July, 1875, by Rev. N. Shumate. It is located on Section 1, Township 50 north, Range 3 west. Among the pastors have been Revs. Henderson, Alderman, Hyde, Anderson, Thompson, McMaster, Shumate and Ferell. This is the oldest Methodist Episcopal Church in Lincoln County, and probably the first one organized therein. It is also among the first Methodist Episcopal Churches organized in Missouri Terri- tory. In the division of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which took place in 1844 and 1845, only about four members of New Liberty Church withdrew and went with their Southern brethren into the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The rest all re- mained true to the old church, but, after the division, owing to the many persecutions of the adherents of slavery, this church did not prosper well until after the Civil War closed, and slavery, the cause of the division, was abolished. At the close of the war she had about sixteen members-at the present time she has about fifty.
There is but one other organization of the Methodist Epis- copal Church in Lincoln County, and that is at the village of Truxton, where they have no church edifice, but worship in the schoolhouse. Rev. Smiley, probably the only resident minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Lincoln County, resides at Olney, at this writing. He preaches at Truxton, in this county ; at Pin Oak, in Warren County, and at Union Chapel, in
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Montgomery County. Prior to 1845 there were other Methodist Episcopal Churches in Lincoln County, which lost their identity when the division took place, their members going mostly in a body into the newly-organized Methodist Episcopal Church South.
METHODIST, EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH.
This church had its origin in name, as has been stated, when the people composing it withdrew from the old church. It has been fairly prosperous in Lincoln County, but owing to the large German population, among whom other churches have been organized, it has not become as strong as in some other portions of the country. The records not having been kept, it is not possible to give the dates and particulars of the several individual church organizations.
The Troy and Wentzville Circuit embraces a church each at Troy, Moscow and Slaven's Chapel, in Lincoln County, and at Wentzville, in St. Charles County. The membership of the cir- cuit, not including Wentzville, is 175. These are very old organ- izations. The church edifice in Troy, known as Monroe Chapel, was erected in 1859. It is a commodious brick building, and is well preserved. Brussells Circuit lies wholly within Lincoln County, and has organizations at Brussells, Old Alexandria, Fair- view. Winfield and New Church, the latter being about four miles east of Troy. This circuit has 380 members, according to the last conference minutes. Rev. O. B. Holiday is the pastor of the Troy and Wentzville Circuit, and Rev. W. J. Blakey of the Brussells Circuit.
Smith's Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church South, is sit- uated on Survey 1743, in Hurricane Township, and it be- longs to the Clarksville Circuit. It was organized, in 1869, by Rev. Thomas B. King, with twenty-nine members. It now has about 160 members. The pastors have been Revs. Thomas B. King, I. A. M. Thompson, J. M. O'Brien, Henry Kay, Jesse Sutton, S. D. Barnett, M. Williams, H. D. Groves and J. W. Ramsey, the latter being the present pastor. W. W. Jamison has been secretary of the church ever since its organization. The frame church building, in which this organization now worships, is 32x40 feet in size, and was erected in the year 1871, at a cost
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of $1,200. It was dedicated in the same year by Rev. William A. Tarwater. The church at this place had formerly been Metho- dist Episcopal, organized in a very early day, and lost its identity after the trouble in 1844 and 1845, and before the late war. When originally organized, services were held at the residences of the old pioneers, James Smith and Judge Pepators, who, with their wives, were constituent members.
The Methodist Episcopal Church South at Elsberry also belongs to the Clarksville Circuit. Another Methodist Episco- pal Church South, located about two miles northeast of Au- burn, belongs to the Prairieville Circuit, and the Olney Meth- odist Episcopal Church South belongs to the Ashley Circuit. The circuits of this denomination in Lincoln County belong to the conference district of St. Charles. An account of the pro- ceedings of the last session (the twenty-second) of the confer- ence of this district, held in the last week of April, 1888, was given in the Troy Free Press, as follows:
" The Troy Methodist Church had the pleasure of entertain- ing the members of the St. Charles District Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South last week. The session of the conference began Thursday evening, April 26. Rev. S. L. Woody, of St. Charles, preached a most excellent sermon.
" The conference met for a business session at 9o'clock, Friday morning, Bishop Hendrix presiding. P. P. Ellis, of New Flor- ence, Montgomery County, was chosen secretary. The usual committees were appointed, namely: on church records, on Sun- day-schools and on church finance.
" The next matter taken up was the reports from the manage- ment of the church schools of the district. St. Charles College, under the able management of President Meyers, was reported as having four teachers employed in giving instruction to 160 stu- dents. Prof. R. H. Pitman, principal of Woodlawn Seminary, at O'Fallon, reported his charge to be in a most encouraging condi- tion. The school has four teachers, is giving full courses in art and music, and has matriculated fifty students the present ses- sion, that being all that it can accommodate.
"The conference then heard from the different churches in the district, which is composed of twelve circuits, in the counties of
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St. Charles, Warren, Pike, Lincoln, Callaway and Montgomery. There was in these reports great cause for rejoicing among those who have at heart the interest of the church. The church mem- bership has had a steady growth, the Sunday- schools are flourish- ing, and the communicants show increased zeal in good works.
"Friday evening Bishop Hendrix preached a grand sermon on church growth. The auditorium of the Methodist Church was crowded, and all felt repaid for the ill conveniences of a packed house by the eloquence and logic of the Bishop.
"Conference met Saturday forenoon at 9 o'clock. After the reading of the minutes of Friday's meeting, W. O. Gray opened the discussion of the qualifications of a steward. A good number of members of the conference followed him in a very interesting and instructive treatment of the subject. The rest of the time before the hour for preaching was occupied by a discussion of the material interests of the church, led by Rev. S. L. Woody, of St. Charles, and participated in by Rev. H. M. Meyers and others. Rev. J. W. Ramsey, at 11 o'clock, preached an effective and pointed sermon on Christian service, when an adjournment was taken till 2:30 P. M.
" The afternoon session was opened with religious services, conducted by Rev. J. M. L. Hogan, after which Rev. J. W. Ram- sey made a report on the spiritual interests of the church.
"St. Charles was chosen as the next place of meeting. The next order of business was the choice of lay delegates to the an- nual conference, resulting in the election of O. H. Avery, of Troy, Rev. J. D. Vincil, of St. Louis, D. K. Pitman, of O'Fallon, and P. P. Ellis, of New Florence, with M. L. Cape, of Jonesburg, and W. O. Gray, of Louisiana, as alternates.
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