USA > Missouri > History of Platte Presbytery; or, Presbyterianism in northwest Missouri > Part 3
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"J. M. C. Inskiff preached for them the first year, and J. L. Yantis the second year. They had preach- ing once or twice per month by various ministers as stated supply until, on October 15, 1903, J. E. Flow was ordained and installed pastor for all his time. Since then the church has built a manse and become self- sustaining and supporting all the causes.
"The present (September, 1906) elders are : George R. Denny, Albert Holt, Edgar Laffoon, John Morrow, H. C. Scudder and William Taylor. Deacons: John Crossett, Fred Holt and C. Schoolfield. Our house of worship is situated fifteen miles northeast of Liberty, six northwest of Excelsior Springs and four east of Kearney. .
"Among the elders who rendered most service to the church we might mention Caleb Wilson, in the early days; Sidney Morrow, of more recent date, and William Taylor, our present senior elder. Lawson and Barnesville churches were offshoots of Bethel."
It seems that though the Bethel Church did not be- come ecclesiastically separate from the Liberty Church till 1842, it was known by that name and had a sort of semi-independent existence earlier, for it is stated in Dr. J. B. Hill's History of Kansas City Presbytery, page 46, that "Bethel, Clay county," was supplied by Dr. Yantis in 1838.
The early history of the Cumberland Ridge (C. P.) Church, sometimes called Savannah, is involved in ob- scurity, there being no early records extant. Rev. Henry Eppler, who was present at the organization of Platte Presbytery in 1845 (page 4), removed in 1837 from Clay to Andrew county, and settled on Dillon creek, where was born his son Jonathan, who says: "He organized the Cumberland Ridge Church in the Cumberland Ridge neighborhood, between 1840 and 1844. Eli Hughes, Logan Maxwell, Martin Sutton, John B. Thompson and Clinton Young were some of the members of that organization. The above is all
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hearsay evidence, as we moved to Flag Springs in the spring of 1844." The fact that Mr. Eppler organized a church at Flag Springs only two years after his re- moval there warrants the conclusion that he probably organized the Cumberland Ridge Church earlier than 1843, the usually accepted date. It was doubtless one of the four churches existing at the formation of Platte Presbytery in 1845. One of these four churches was named Platte and that may have been the original name of this church.
Mrs. Priscilla Roberts, who joined the church about two years after it was organized, says the first two elders were Elias Hughes and Alex. McDonald.
Miss Etta Breit writes: "The Savannah (C. P.) Church was organized about 1843 by Rev. H. Eppler, on the site of the old Camping Ground, and was al- ways known as Cumberland Ridge. The church thrived for several years, then dwindled down, because of deaths and removals, till in 1874 there were but few members and no elder. So on December 19, 1874, it was reorganized by Rev. Leander F. Hayes, with forty- two members, of whom William Deakins, Eliza H. Maul, Sarah E. Maul, William M. Maul, Priscilla Roberts, Polly H. Rodgers, Mary C. Terhune, Emily A. Young and Mary Young were old-time members, and twenty- two were received on the profession of their faith. Elias Hughes, William A. Pyle and Joseph Terhune were elected elders, and William Ketring and Matthew Thompson, trustees. John Erixson, W. Ketring and John Roberts were elected deacons, on February 7, 1875.
"Since that date the following have been elected elders: W. A. Singleton, Matthew Thompson, Charles Maxwell, James Montgomery, J. F. S. Breit, Benj. U. Bowman and Jacob Nuckols; J. F. S. Breit. Jacob Bowman, John W. Fuller, Aaron Bowman, Pearl A. Breit and Edward Miller as deacons. The church has been served by the following ministers: L. F. Hayes, F. M. Miller, Martin Hughes, Allen Guthrie, W. O. II. Perry, D. H. Murray, H. W. Fisher, J. T. Hood,
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Charles Parsons, M. P. Eller, H. R. Norris, J. H. Nor- man, D. M. Boyer and George Engler.
"Rev. Mitch. Miller, better known as Old Uncle Mitch. Miller, was one of the best workers and will be remembered longer than any other. He took charge of the church soon after it was reorganized and was pas- tor for several years. He used his influence in the building of the church, and after he ceased being pas- tor he preached off and on till he died, about eighteen years ago. Another pastor, faithful to this church, was Rev. W. O. H. Perry. He was helped by his son, Arthur, in revival meetings, in which three of our household were converted. All the people regretted the leaving of our last pastor, Rev. D. M. Boyer, the President of the Platte School. He had been with us almost three years and in that time the church had made great progress. It was through his influence that we are having these big tent meetings which are bringing the hearts of so many into touch with Christ. "The church building, standing among large and beautiful trees and erected in 1880, is located on the main road from St. Joseph to Savannah, ten miles north of the former and three and a half miles south.of the latter, and an eighth of a mile northeast of the Old Camping Ground and Cemetery."
The Mars Hill Church was organized February 11, 1843, by either Rev. T. S. Reeve or Rev. E. A. Carson, and was disbanded by Lexington Presbytery April 23, 1853 (its membership being reduced to three), and its records ordered transferred to Savannah. It was lo- cated about three miles from Oregon, eastward. Prob- ably the Oregon Church had absorbed the most of its members. In 1846 it had a membership of eight, and in 1850, when Rev. John Dunbar was its pastor, twenty- four were reported.
The data for the Platte City Church has been mostly furnished by Hon. W. M. Paxton (in fragmentary form) in his Annals of Platte County and extracts from the
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records of the church. Mr. Paxton united with the church a few months after its organization, and served as Clerk of Session from April, 1851, till recently.
It was organized April 27, 1843, by Rev. John M. Fulton, M. D. (who was its pastor till his death, June 3, 1851), with the following members: William B. Almond, John Clark, M. D., and Ann, his wife; John Y. Cooper, N. H. Hope, S. T. S. McCurdy, Joseph Pat- ton, Allen Sloan and Anna M., his wife, and James E. Walker.
"In October, 1847, W. B. Almond, Joseph Clark, J. Y. Cooper, Preston Dunlap and A. Sloan are elders." "Meetings were held in the Old Court House; after- wards in the Old M. E. Church." "In February, 1857, Bros. J. G. Fackler and Robert Scott held a successful protracted meeting." In 1852, the congregation, in connection with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, erected a church on lot 6, block 31, "valued at $200 and given by S. A. Jack and M. N. Owen." "The church prospered until the war in 1860. Nothing was done during the war. The house was burned by Fed- eral 'Redlegs,' July 12, 1864." "The next recorded meeting of the Session is March 5, 1874, with Rev .. J. G. Fackler, moderator, and Allen Sloan, John R. Swain and W. M. Paxton, elders. Several joined the church." "In 1873 the church consisted of twenty-three men- bers and is said to have reorganized under the General Assembly of the United States." In 1867 the Method- ists and Presbyterians began building a church on the old site. This was dedicated in April, 1868. The church was never large, but was very influential, espe- cially in its early days when it was largely officered by such men as Judges Almond and Dunlap. No con- plete list of elders is at hand, but to those given above, James A. Baldwin, M. D., and John T. McRuer can be added. No recent information has been furnished, but the present pastor and clerk of session are J. M. Camp- bell and G. K. White McGee.
William McClurg Paxton was born in Mason county, Kentucky, March 2, 1819, and married Mary
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Forman October 1, 1840. He came to Platte county in. 1839, and since that time his acknowledged legal talents have been at the service of every good cause. Intensely loyal, he was between two fires during the civil war. Having the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens, he has been honored with positions of trust and responsibility, as that of Public Administra- tor. As an ardent temperance man he has been of great service to the cause. He stands most prominent as one active in every good work. At times he has seen dark days and has been the only elder in the church, but has never given up during the darkest days. The infirmities of age alone have retired him from his wonted active service.
Allen Sloan was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, May 15, 1816, and died April 16, 1889. He came to Indiana in 1842, and two years later settled two miles west of Platte City. He was a just and upright citi- zen and a zealous Presbyterian. He always loved the little church he had helped to plant at Platte City, and over which he was a ruling elder for forty years.
Much of this account of the Clear Creek Church is taken from the Historical Sketch, prepared by Elder Farrington B. Staats for the Semi-Centennial Celebra- tion of the organization of that church.
The organization was commenced Saturday, August 12, 1843, by Rev. Moses W. Henderson, at the residence of Mr. William Brown, near Clear Creek, Daviess county. After a sermon the following persons, James Arter, Phoebe Arter, James K. Brown, Sarah Brown, William Brown, Sarah Brown and Mrs. Margaret C. Price, presented their certificates of membership in good and regular standing, and were organized into the Clear Creek Presbyterian Church. J. Arter and J. K. Brown were duly elected ruling elders. The next: day the organization was completed by the ordination and installation of the elders, after which a meeting of the session was held, which received into com- munion and fellowship James Ward and Elizabeth, his
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wife, from Mt. Pleasant Church; Mrs. Nancy Hagins, from the Presbyterian Church of Richmond, and Mr. and Mrs. Francis Hudgins, from the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceburg, Ky.
, On March 10, 1844, Rev. T. S. Reeve presiding, the session elected J. K. Brown as clerk and chose him to represent the church at the meeting of Lexington Pres- bytery, to be held in Weston in May. On Sabbath, „July 20, 1845, the first baptisms took place-six chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Miller and three of Mr. John and Mrs. Sarah Ann McClurg. On October 19, 1845, the six children of Mr. and Mrs. Price were bap- tized by Rev. T. Morgan.
James Harper was elected elder October 15, 1848, and William Allen, September 23, 1855. There was no meeting of session from the last date till April 28, 1871; first, because of the lack of a, pastor, and later because of the civil war. April 29, 1871, the church resolved to change its name to Bethel and "to under- take the erection of a house of worship on the lot do- nated by John H. McNeill for that purpose." This house was dedicated March 24, 1872. Before it was built the services were held at private houses, notably those of Messrs. J. Arter, J. K. Brown, W. M. Brown, J. McClurg and R. Miller.
The church has been served by Revs. M. W. Hen- derson, T. S. Reeve, T. Morgan, E. B. Sherwood, J. A. Pinkerton, W Kendrick, J. Gillespie, W. Asdale, G. A. Mckinlay, E. M. Palmer, J. Kirkwood, C. McCain, D. C. Davies and N. McA. Tatum. Mr. Henderson, a most lovely young man, died very soon after the or- ganization.
The elders, in addition to those named above, are : A. M. Barrett, Samuel D. B. Poage, S. L. Doty, P. H. Hawkins, Reuben Wetzel, F. B. Staats and Wm. C. Poage.
Bethel and Hopewell (C. P.) churches were happily united August 26, 1906.
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November 19, 1843, a church was organized at the home of Francis Wilkinson, on Castile Creek, near where Stewartsville now stands, by Rev. Lewis Thomp- son, with the following members: Alonzo Beck, James G. Claywater, James Gragg, Mrs. Jane Gragg, Mrs. Elizabeth Venable, Geo. C. Venable, John Venable, Joseph Venable, Mrs. Mary Venable, Mrs. Mary Walker, Mrs. E. C. Wilkinson, Miss Fannie Wilkinson and Frank Wilkinson. Joseph Venable and Frank Wilkinson were elected elders.
The following ministers served the church: T .. Thompson, William Dixon, Robert Scott, Chas. Stew- art, R. H. Allen, Robert Canfield, C. A. Wylie, A. P. Forman, H. P. S. Willis, H. F. Albright, David Coulter, J. P. Forman, C. W. Price, J. A. D. Hughes and J. M. Campbell. The full list of elders is: Frank Wilson, Joseph Venable, Robert Stewart, Robert Clark, A. W. Pickett, Joseph Clark, W. C. Wilkinson, J. L. Wylie, J. D. McCroskey, John Sanders, F. M. Dixon and W. A. Wylie; and of deacons: Geo. Venable, Samuel Clark, John Jones, J. H. Wylie, Thos. Coe and William Wil- kinson.
The name of the church was changed from Castile to Stewartsville, September 3, 1870. Elder J. L. Wylie, clerk of session, kindly furnished the above informa- tion.
"The Richmond Presbyterian Church (O. S.) was organized on the first Saturday of February, 1843, by Rev. Drs. J. L. Yantis and Lewis W. Green, with twenty-six members." "In November, 1869, a brick church costing $10,000 was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Na- than I. Rice. This was destroyed by a cyclone, June 1, 1878, and no services were held till the fall of 1880."
The above was taken from a local history in the Kansas City Library.
This very early and interesting church is not among the "defunct," but we have failed to get fuller infor- mation, which has been diligently sought.
The present pastor and clerk of session are J. A. Gray and R. B. Kirkpatrick.
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1844-8.
In 1843, the year in which St. Joseph-previously known as Robidoux Landing-was laid out, Rev. Tap- ping S. Reeve preached the first sermon ever delivered . there, in a log tavern kept by a Mr. Beattie, "corner of Main and Jule, where the Occidental Hotel now stands." In the spring of 1844 he began building a log church on a lot owned by George Brubaker, "on Francis, about 150 feet east of where the Pacific House now stands." Mr. William Langston donated the logs (in the tree). His timber was on a bottom about a ' mile above town. Parson Reeve, shouldering an axe, went with his helpers, cut down the first tree himself, and worked with them day by day amidst the clouds of mosquitoes, at noon bringing their dinner, which Mrs. Reeve had prepared The building was finished ready for occupancy in the winter of 1844-5. "It was of hewn logs, twenty by forty feet. D. Hardy, George and John Brubaker, Israel Landis and others helped to build it. It was used for some time conjointly as church and school house. Mrs. Israel Landis was the first teacher, the school being known as 'St. Joseph Female Academy.' " In 1844 a very successful Union Sunday School was organized, towards the support of which Mr. Joseph Robidoux contributed ten dollars, and of which Mrs. Reeve was the leading spirit.
September 15, 1844, a church was organized con- sisting of Abraham Brubaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Bru- baker, George Brubaker, Miss Julia A. Brubaker, Mrs. Harriet Castle, Mrs. Nancy McMunn, Mrs. Jane Mc- Munn, Mrs. Laura Postel, Mrs. Jane E. Reeve and George A. Smith. George Brubaker was elected rul- ing elder. In 1847 a brick building, fifty by sixty feet, was begun at the corner of Fourth and Francis. It was completed in the winter of 1849-50. Mr. Reeve re- mained with the church till 1855. Revs. Fred R. Galla- ger and Franklin E. Sheldon followed him.
The excitement previous to and during the civil war, which affected this whole section so disastrously,
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caused the church to die- out gradually. But we have no further information, as Lexington Presbytery, with which it was connected, furnished the General As- sembly with no reports between 1858 and 1863. Elder Israel Landis, who held on till the last, after giving letters of dismission to two applicants, said : "That
leaves me as the last member of the church." The church building, on which the Board of Church Erec- tion had a mortgage, was sold, and was occupied by a German congregation till quite recently.
"The only sense in which Westminster succeeded the First Church was that it represented the same opinions and had its pulpit Bible." Therefore the history of the former is given separately and in its chronological order.
From the records of the Parkville Church, which are complete, and remarkably and ideally full historic- ally, we gather the following :
In November, 1842, Rev. Edmund Wright, then of Weston, preached the first Presbyterian sermon in Parkville (which was laid out and named in 1844). A permanent Sabbath school was established in 1843, and a temporary union was had with the Methodists, it be- ing thought not expedient to organize a church at that time. In this year Licentiate Charles Lord, a mission- ary of the American Home Missionary Society, settled at Independence, gave a part of his time to Parkville. April 27, 1845, Messrs. Lord and Wright organized a church with the following members: Alfred and Mary Painick, George S. Park, Harriet Parsons and Romulus R. and Mary A. Stephens. G. S. Park and R. R. Stephens were elected elders.
December 3, 1845, Licentiate Charles D. Herbert, a very devoted missionary of the American Home Mis- sionary Society and late of Bangor Theological Semi- nary came to Parkville. April 26, 1846, he was or- dained and installed pastor of the church, at a "pro re nata" meeting of Lexington Presbytery held "under
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the roof of the new warehouse of Messrs. Park & Par- sons." Some extracts from a letter of Mr. Herbert's, written to Dr. Timothy Hill, soon after his arrival, may be of interest. "After they decided" (in St. Louis) "that I should go to the Platte country, Bro. Lewis and myself put off together by stage early Monday morn- ing for Independence. The first two days, being on the great thoroughfare from the metropolis to the capital of the greatest state in the Union, we might have ex- pected a good road, but it was just a path cut out over the hills, without having even a dollar of work wrought upon it. Sometimes it was so bad that it would be hard to tell where the road was. Every man went the best way he could. We walked much and had to get out every little way and get the stage through some deep ravine. The public houses were of a piece. The first night we stopped at a house that had no window and was about eighteen feet square, and there we were, some fourteen of us, and only two beds among us! As beautiful and as fertile a country as the sun ever shone upon, and yet men will live fifteen years like dogs in a kennel-black, white and gray. After we passed Jefferson we found things better, and it was a most splendid country with its timber and open lands all combined together." "There are but few Presbyteri- ans here, and no preaching at all. Mr. Park, the pro- prietor, is from New England and is very anxious to have a minister permanently located. He and his brother-in-law, Mr. Parsons, will supply all my imme- diate wants of board, horse, etc. I find this place where I am to board to be one of the pleasantest places in all the Platte. Yes, will you believe it, it is in a cor- ner of the State of Maine! Mr. Parsons is from Maine. Mrs. Parsons is the very life of the church."
Mr. Herbert left -in January, 1848, and in March, 1849, when there were only three members, Mr. Park being the elder, Rev. George S. Woodward, of Pennsyl- vania, came, dividing his time equally with Weston, where he remained till November, when "he moved to Parkville and took up his residence with Mr. Park, who kindly boarded him and his wife during the winter without charge." Mr. Woodward gives a glimpse of
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the simplicity of those days when, in describing the first communion, he says: "Our good elder came to the service, clad in his red blanket overcoat with black fringe, a bottle of wine in one pocket and two blue tumblers in the other, with the bread wrapped in a paper." January 12, 1850, eleven were received, four of them from Cumberland churches.
January 15, 1850, the following Board of Trustees was elected : G. S. Woodward, Chairman; Geo. S. Park, Roderick G. Stevens, Thos. Aspling, Mason T. Summers, William P. Burney and James Bowie. Major Levi Hinkle and Samuel Akin, Jr., were added to the Board soon after. In 1851 a movement was made to build a church and parsonage. The latter was of brick. The former was of stone and was dedicated December 12. 1852. "The whole expense of the church as finished and furnished for use was $2,544.70." Mr. Park gave $500 of this, and he raised nearly $800 of it from friends in Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, on a trip East. In June, 1855, the trustees received from Mr. Park a deed for the four lots on which the church and parsonage stood.
October 4, 1858, the church was received under the care of Platte Presbytery (page 2), and its records were examined and approved by that Presbytery at Platte City in April, 1861. Mr. Woodward remained the beloved pastor till the church was scattered by the Civil War in 1861. After that the Sessional Records give December 13, 1867, as the date of the first meeting of the Session, Rev. John M. Moore, having come by invitation and commenced his labors the previous June. The church had a slow and normal growth from that time till the coming of Rev. Dr. John A. McAfee and his "Family"-Park College in embryo-in the spring of 1875, since which time its size and influence have continually increased. It has carried on Sabbath School and evangelistic work very largely in the surrounding neighborhoods. The large part which its members have taken in home and foreign missionary work will be spoken of later in the notice of Park College.
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Rev. John Moore has been followed as pastor by E. B. Sherwood, J. A. McAfee, Edmund M. Palmer, E. P. Foster, W. F. Matthews, Lapsley A. McAfee, Cleland B. McAfee, J. Aikin Smith and Silas Evans.
The roll of elders has been kindly furnished by the successor of the lamented Prof. Charles F. Winchell, Prof. John W. Stephens, who has served most efficiently as Clerk of Session for twelve years, and also as Sun- day School Superintendent for the last ten years. They are: Geo. S. Park, R. R. Stephens, W. P. Burney, L. Hinkle, John H. Bueneman, W. G. Gano, Thos. D. Rob- erts, D. S. Eccles, W. C. Day, D. M. Wyncoop, W. E. Voss, Robert Watt, B. B. Holter, Fred Kahm, Chas. W. Blake, Reuben Brown, Prof. William S. Nelson, Prof. Lee S. Pratt, Robert Irwin, David R. Todd, Prof. Ed- ward Fitch, J. N. Covert, H. H. Winchell, Prof. William H. Tibbals, Prof. George A. Knapp, Pres. L. M. McAfee, William Y. Jones, Prof. Arthur L. Wolfe, Howard B. McAfee, Prof. Geo. H. Minor, Prof. Chas. F. Winchell, Prof. Arthur M. Mattoon, Jesse Bell, John Creighton, Prof. J. W. Stephens, Prof. Merlin C. Findlay, William M. Dager, Arthur M. Sharrocks, Prof. Thos. G. Burt, Henry A. Kehn, James D. Dean, James Brown, Geo. H. Venard, William-L. Palmer, Prof. John H. Lawrence, E. Allen Prouse, Robert Buchanan, J. Will Harris, Frank R. Zugg, James S. Bailey, Fred Chase, Harlan M. Roberts, Geo. M. Johnston, Prof. W. H. Cooper, J. Ernest McAfee, Benj. L. Myers, E. B. Stevenson, James W. Chapman, Prof. R. V. Magers, Prof. Howard A. Dean, Grant Merchant, Prof. John W. Hornbeak, David J. Orr and Dr. C. S. Benham.
The fact that the Session has, for several years, in- cluded twelve members accounts in part for the large number. The long-time custom of always having in the number one advanced student, who shall thus get one year's experience of Session work, counts also. Many of these student elders are now in the ministry or missionary work, some as physicians.
For many years the Sabbath School has been very large, being attended by all the students connected with "The Family," as well as the most of the children
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of the village. It would be inexcusable not to speak, in this connection, of the long-time services of Elder H. B. McAfee. Officially and non-officially, he has had the charge of the primary department for over twenty years, and the children delight in him as much as he does in them. His unwearied labors in encouraging, developing and uplifting the very important colored Sabbath School of the place are much appreciated.
Most that relates to the Flag Springs Church has been obtained from Mr. Jonathan Eppler and Elder James R. Dunn, Clerk of Session for twenty-two years. The former says: "The organization took place in 1846, at the home of Washington Means, but this is only the dim memory of childhood. Clayton Boyles, Jehiel Boyles, Fletcher Cowen, John Francis, James Irwin, Samuel Irwin, Clemens Means, Clarence Means, Harry Memahan, James Memahan, Washington Memahan, William Memahan, Geo. Taylor, Joel Taylor, John B. Thompson and their wives were members of that early church. Newton Cowen, Adam Means and Ahija Means were the first elders. Later on, between 1850 and 1860, John A. Clark and Thompson Barnette were elected."
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