USA > Missouri > History of Platte Presbytery; or, Presbyterianism in northwest Missouri > Part 4
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This church, like so many others, ran down during the Civil War. Elder Dunn, who has been a member since 1885, says : "This church, organized in 1846, was the result of a campmeeting held by Rev. Henry Eppler near the Kirtley residence, close to the Means neigh- borhood, about two and a half miles south of Flag Springs. They met, held meetings in a log school house about a mile south of the village, on the farm of Geo. Boyles, near where the old church was built.
"The congregation was reorganized, I think, in 1873, by Rev. Isaac Chivington, with T. Barnett, Joseph Laning and T. C. Simpson as elders, and Jasper A. Dungan as clerk. Eli Knappenberger, who came here about forty years ago and who has been the mainstay of the congregation and the Sabbath School for the last thirty years, was elected elder in the early seven-
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ties, and Geo. Rodecker, Joseph M. Glick, Edward R. Speaker and James R. Dunn since then. Since 1873 the pastors have been : I. Chivington, C. B. Powers, J. H. Tharp, J. Froman, A. S. McDaniel, C. E. Wright, W. E. Vanhorn and W. O. H. Perry twice.
"The old church house was torn down in the winter of 1872-3 and rebuilt in the village, and the Methodists were given a half interest in it for helping to rebuild it.
"Mrs. Hannah B. Eppler, E. A. Dungan, Aunt Mary Knappenberger and Mrs. Ailsie Eppler Munroe were among the 'Mothers in Israel.'
"By deaths, removals and other causes the congre- gation has dwindled from a hundred communicants down to six or seven members at present, but remen- ber, and so state in your History that we are still loyal Cumberland Presbyterians."
The disappearance of the earliest records and the burning of the later ones account for the incomplete- ness of the above.
We are indebted to Elder Ralph K. Denny, Clerk of Session for twenty-two years, for the following extracts from the records and for the sketch of "Father Denny:"
"According to previous appointment, a congrega- tion assembled in a grove on Crooked River, in Clinton county, on Saturday, June 14, 1847, and after a sermon by Rev. Robert Scott, the committee appointed by the Upper Missouri Presbytery for the purpose of organiz- ing a church, he proceeded to discharge that duty. The names of those present prepared to enter into the orga-
nization were enrolled and are as follows: David Cooper, Rachel Cooper, John Crossett, Geo. Denny, Jane Denny, Newton Denny, J. B. Green, Benj. F. McClain, Eliz. McClain, Kizzie McNeeley, James Riley, Margaret Riley and Mary Riley. The con- gregation then proceeded to the election of ruling elders. B. F. McClain and D. Cooper were duly
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elected. Crooked River was the name chosen by which they wished to be known."
Very soon after the church was organized a con- gregational meeting was called at which the money was raised to purchase forty acres, "being the north- east quarter of the southeast quarter of section eleven, in township fifty-four, range thirty." On this a church was soon erected, and later a manse.
The following extracts from the records are given because such items are of very unusual occurrence : "November 25, 1849, Armilda, a colored woman, the property of D. F. Green, was received with others." "July 20, 1851, Nathan and Charity, persons of color, were received as members."
Like most others, this church suffered greatly dur- ing the Civil War. Its name was changed to Barnes- ville in the early seventies.
Among the pastors of this church have been : J. W. Canfield, John P. Fox, James C. Barnes, William Dick- son, Charles Price, J. P. Foreman, Edward M. Yantis and J. W. M.cClure.
The original elders have been followed by D. Find- lay Green, Portius Clark, Cyrus E. Green, James Mor- row, Thos. Paisley, Erasmus Estill, James B. Green, Henry B. Moberly, Geo. B. Tuggle, R. K. Denny and Chris. W. Stratford.
Mr. George Denny-"Father Denny," as we used to love to call him-was born February 15, 1784, in Guilford county, N. C., in the palmy days of George Washington. His ancestors were part of the Presby- terian colony which settled in that county and organ- ized the Buffalo Presbyterian Church, noted as being for over sixty years under the pastoral care of Rev. David Caldwell, D. D., who was also an M. D. and a surgeon in General George Washington's army. Mr. Denny was married January 14, 1808, to Jane Kenady, who died January 10, 1866, in the seventy-seventh year of her age. Shortly after this marriage they
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united with the Buffalo Church. He emigrated to Missouri with his family in 1835, settling on a farm in Clay county. He moved thence two years later to a place near Barnesville, and, erecting a log house, opened up the farm on which he lived till his death, March 34, 1879, in the ninety-sixth year of his age.
He greatly prized the privileges of the sanctuary. That front seat of his had to be occupied even though the ninety odd years old man (who never needed or used a cane) had to walk five miles to fill it, which he did on several occasions. Through nearly a century his quiet, happy and useful life flowed on. Almost to the last he was free from the infirmities of age, his form was erect and his eye had but little of the dimness of years. Always bright, sunny and cheerful, he waited calmly for his change, and passed away sweetly trust- ing in the dear Savior whom he had served so long.
"None knew him but to love him ; None named him but to praise."
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/ HISTORY OF PLATTE PRESBYTERY.
1849-1854.
The following account of the Lawson Church was furnished in July, 1907, by the pastor, Rev. J. B. Car- penter :
"The Lawson Church is a continuation of New Salem church, which was organized June 18, 1849, at the request of members of the Liberty, Richmond & Bethel churches, residing on or near Crooked River in Ray county. Revs. Richard H. Allen and Robert Scott were sent by the Presbytery of Upper Missouri to perfect the organization. The new church building was built jointly with the Kellyites (now known as the Christian Union denomination) about five miles cast of Lawson.
"For some cause worship ceased till '62 or'63. when it was resumed at the Jefferson school house just south of where Lawson now stands. In '70 the town of Lawson was established, and the Methodists and Presbyterians joined together in building the first house of worship. In '88 the former built a new church, selling out their interests in the property to the latter, who remodeled the old house and continued to use it until last August when it was torn down to make way for the new building, costing about $5,000.00, which was dedicated free of debt on May 26, 1907.
"The first ruling elders in New Salem were Jedediah Smith and William Murray. I think the pastors are not all enumerated in the following list, but it is the most complete catalog of them that I have been able to compile from the records: R. H. Allen, J. W. Canfield, David Coulter, J. M. Scott, Jas. Mor- ton, E. M. Yantis, J. G. Fackler, D. D. Evander McNair, H. B. Boude. D. D., R. W. Wilson, G. T. Thompson, D. D., Joshua Barbee, J. S. Sibley, H. M. . Kerr, R. A. Cook, R. Brown, J. D. Massey and J. B. Carpenter." -
More recently, James M. Morrow, Clerk of Session, gives this additional information: "The old records
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are not to be found. Joseph A. Smith succeeded his father, Jedediah. When the church moved from Jef- ferson school house to Lawson, S. D. Wharton and J. M. Morrow were elected elders; and Ambrose Griffith, later."
The Presbyterian Church of Oregon was organized on Saturday, January 1, 1853, by Revs. William Ham- ilton and S. N. Irwin, members of the Presbytery of Nebraska and missionaries to the Iowa and Sac Indians, in the old court house, with ten members: Samuel Dunn, Margaret Jane Dunn, Robert G. Emmerson, Jane Emmerson, Joseph Evans, Hila Evans, John Meyer, Sarah F. Meyer, Henry W. Peter and Jane Peter. John Meyer and Dr. H. W. Peter were elected elders.
The first Presbyterian preaching in Oregon was between 1840 and 1845, by Rev. E. A. Carson. On one occasion here in Oregon there being no convenient or suitable place for a public service, by permission of the owners, he held religious services in a saloon. It was the same drinking place that was afterwards struck by lightning and in which several persons lost their lives in the flames of the burning liquid and timbers, the liquor being set on fire by the lightning.
A very neat brick church, the first in Oregon, was erected in 1853 at a cost of $4,000, without any aid from the Board of Church Erection. It has been in use ever since, its seating capacity having been raised to 400 by an addition. There is a comfortable manse of seven rooms; also a neat frame church, seating about 250, for the Woodville auxiliary congregation, about three miles east. Services are held in both churches every Sabbath.
The church has been served by Revs. W. R. Fulton, C. McCain, N. H. Smith, W. M. Cummins, James Lafferty, J. S. McClung, George Miller, W. E. William- son, T. D. Roberts, H. A. Sawyers, James McFarland and James A. Walton.
The elders who have served the church are John Meyer, Dr. H. W. Peter, Francis Irwin, William Zook,
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James L. Allen, George P. Luckhardt, James Scott, Geo. Anderson, James A. Keeves, George Tritt, Rob- ert Montgomery, John N. Menifee, Joshua D. Tritt, William A. Kleinpeter, Nicholas F. Murray, Charles Kurtz, Alexander Van Buskirk, Thos. L. Price, Silas N. Bucher, F. E. Markt, J. W. Buntz and J. H. Mur- ray.
The above is condensed from a very complete his- tory furnished by Elder Van Buskirk, Clerk of Ses- sion.
Hon. N. F. Murray, who was translated May 26, 1908, from the General Assembly in session at Kansas City, to "the general assembly and church of the first- born enrolled in heaven," was for thirty years an active and efficient elder. His daughter Minnie, Mrs. J. S. Cunningham, is a missionary in West Africa. He was born in Virginia, March 17, 1839.
A church was organized in the Plum Creek school house November 26, 1853, by Revs. J. M. Canfield and J. B. Harbison and Elder Samuel Rannels, with Hugh Cochran and wife, Mrs. Frederick, Mrs: Jane Marquam, Samuel Rannels and wife and William Stockton and wife. The next day John McBride, Sarah Morton, Malissa Jane Rannels. George Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Stoffel were added. S. Rannels was the first elder. A frame church, costing $325, was errected in 1854. The name was changed from Plum Creek to Mirabile in 1855. The Civil War suspended the church, which was reorganized in 1866. In 1879, the old church was replaced by one costing $1,600.
The above is from a local history in the Kansas City Library.
The early records being lost, the present incomplete record was gathered by Rev. John Wilson.
What follows is from a very full account fur- nished in 1906, by Mrs. Mary C. (Wm. H.) White.
"Among our papers we find a deed, given Septem- ber 29, 1857, by William E. Marquam and Jane Mar-
-
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quam, his wife, 'proprietors of the town of Mirabile,' conveying to the 'trustees of Mirabile Presbyterian Church and to their successors forever.' the land on which our present church was erected. In connection with it he also deeded land (five acres) for a ceme- tery, to be held in the same manner. It still remains in charge of the trustees who, at present, are Thos. Wilkin, W. H. Stillwell and W. H. White. The trus- tees whose names appear in 1857, are George Smith, John McBride, Simon Stockton and W. E. Marquam.
"The church here was reorganized in 1866, and the application for a charter is dated June 29, 1874, and bears the names of E. Fort, H. M. Cooper, Jacob Clute, Geo. Fort, Geo. M. Treat, Nicholas F. Clute, Hugh. C. Stockton, Elias Lankford and James Mylar. The oldest members of our church in point of age are Mr. and Mrs. William Stillwell who joined the church by certificate in 1877. The latter is in her 86th year. 'l'o her wonderful memory and kindness of heart we are indebted for much of the information we are able to give. Another venerable member is Mr. Daniel Fort, whose father, Elderet Fort, was the first elder of whose election we find any account. The elders elected since 1882 are J. H. Conley, Geo. Wilkinson, J. N. Matchett, Robert Marquis, Thos. Virtue, Thos. Wil- kin and W. H. White. Prior to that we know of E. Fort, Cyrus Hartpence, Elias Lankford, Nicholas F. Clute, Joseph Mylar and Hugh C. Stockton.
"This church was for years the only Protestant one in or near Mirabile. It is grouped usually with that at Kingston or Hamilton, and has preaching only once or twice a month. Our present building was erected in 1874 on the site of the old church."
Since the above was written. H. C. Matchett has been added to the Session.
Rev. Geo. A. McKinlay, who served the Mirabile Church from 1872 to 1875, writes :
"Among the worthy members of this church special mention may properly be made of the three elders, E. Fort, Uncle Joe Mylar (as he was often familiarly
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called) and Hugh Stockton. A young minister could wish for no more appreciative and wisely critical hear- ers, affording a balance and stimulus that theological seminaries do not always give. Mr. Fort was of the old. solid Dutch stock of New York, reared on the Heidelberg catechism and unbend- ing as the five points of Calvinism. Still he
was not hypercritical of the vagaries of a novice in the ministry. The practical good sense of the man is seen in an incident taken from his own lips by the present writer. He had from boyhood been addicted to the use of the weed, and would often be on the streets of the village with a pipe. One day he espied two young boys puffing away at their pipes, when the thought came to him with great force that his own example might be the means of influencing such boys, and he immediately threw away his pipe.
"Mr. Mylar came of the good old Presbyterian stock of Ohio, strong on the matter and proof texts of the Westminster catechism. His religion often partook of that emotional type seen in men of large heart. One Fourth of July, a few of the neighboring families were quietly enjoying a picnic. As they were about to separate Mr. Mylar proposed that they sing and have a season of prayer. Immediately some one struck up 'There is a fountain filled with blood,' all joining in the refrain. As they proceeded Uncle Joe could , not restrain his emotions, being; visibly affected to tears at the closing lines,
'When this poor lisping, stammering tongue Lies silent in the grave.'
"Hugh Stockton was the young man in the elder- ship, genial, earnest and pure hearted, a true type of the practical, Western-born Missourian."
"Any sketch of the Mirabile Church would need to include the names of the two sisters, 'Mothers in Israel,' Mrs. Cochran and Mrs. Stockton. Their sweet and placid faces always greeted the minister from the same pew, giving assurance of hearts engaged in prayer for a blessing on the service. Southern in
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birth, training and sympathy, their kindness embraced all, whether hailing from North or South. They used to tell an amusing episode of the war time. The whole country was infested with bands of guerrillas of both sides. One Sabbath religious services were being held in a school house, the Poages attending. A company of men came along, and placing the stars and stripes over the door, proposed to force the whole congregation to come out under its folds at the close of the service. But Mrs. Poage, scorning to sub- mit to the dictation of irresponsible guerrillas, though large of form, promptly bolted out of an open win- dow, cheating the band of a portion of their triumph.
"One of the most interesting times in the life of the Mirabile Church, was the short ministry of the Rev. Joseph H. France, D. D. After a brilliant course in college, Mr. France had come west from Washing- ton, D. C., his home, to practice law in Kansas City. It was not long till he was convinced that he must preach the gospel, and he came at the opening of the seventies to the churches of Lathrop and Mirabile. Those country farmers knew a good sermon when they heard it, and gave Brother France their whole heart. Congregations filled the church and a spirit of revival was soon manifest. The tradition of those grand sermons is writ large in the history of the Mirabile Church."
A Presbyterian church was organized, January 12, 1854, at the house of Mrs. Susan N. Combs, by Rev. W. R. Fulton of Oregon, commissioned by Upper Mis- souri Presbytery, with the following members: Dr. O. Brown, C. C. Carson, Mrs. S. N. Combs, Mrs. E. Car- son, James Dysart, Mrs. L. Dysart, Mrs. L. Fore, Mrs. L. Fulkerson, Dr. James E. Hewlett, Mrs. Lucy A. Hewlett, Francis Irwin, James M. Irwin, Mrs. Lonisa C. Irwin, Mrs. N. D. Langford, Mrs. Hettie Monroe, John Montgomery, Mrs. E. Montgomery, Wm. Sublette, Mrs. S. S. Sublette, Wm. Vanarsdale and Geo. C. Venable. Dr. Oscar Brown, C. C. Carson and Tas. Dysart were elected elders; and Dr. J. E. Hew-
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lett, W. Sublette and G. C. Venable, deacons. They worshipped in various halls till the first of January, 1860, when they moved into the basement of the church on the southwest corner of Sixth and Faraon streets, and by the vote of the congregation the organization took the name of the Sixth Street Presbyterian Church.
The church prospered under the ministrations of Revs. A. C. V. Schenck, John G. Fackler and Aaron P. Forman. In the winter of 1862-3, notwithstanding the excitement of those troublons times, there was a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. "During that revival of ten weeks, 134 persons were added to the commun- ion of the church."
In 1867 there was a division in the church, with a friendly and equitable division of the property. The large majority forming the present First Church (whose history immediately follows this) took the parsonage. The minority retained the name and also the building, still only a basement. In this building Platte Presbytery was organized in July, 1870, and not long after a brick church was completed on the walls of this basement. But to do this, they borrowed $8,000, and being unable to pay even the ten per cent interest, in October, 1872, they turned the building over to the Westminster Church, which met all claims, then amounting to $12,000, by giving its property on Felix street. The church was dissolved by Presbytery in the fall of 1872. They had been served in the mean- time by Revs. E. P. Cowan, H. A. Newell. Wm. H. Gill and Wm. H. Hillis.
"John Colhoun, who seldom missed a meeting of the session and was probably the most reliable of the body of elders, joined the Westminster Church, and then removed to the First Church in 1875. Elders C. T. Gaugh and Wm. Zook united with the West- minster Church: C. C. Carson and James Dysart be- came elders in the Walnut Grove Church; and James McConnell and Alex. Smiley ceased to appear on the records after the organization of the Willow Brook Church."
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HISTORY OF PLATTE PRESBYTERY.
A portion of the preceding and the whole of the following are taken from a very full and interesting manuscript history of the First Church, kindly loaned by Elder W. T. Sanders, Clerk of Session.
During the pastorate of Dr. Forman, in 1867, the congregation of the First Church started a movement looking to the erection of a new church .building. In 1868 the work was so far advanced that the lecture room was completed and fitted up, and used for services till the main auditorium was finished. Prior to this the services were held in a large hall known as the "Academy of Music."
In April, 1870, Dr. Forman was compelled by fail- ing health to resign, and in September, 1870, Mr. Fack- ler, to the universal delight of the congrega- tion, returned and resumed the pastoral charge of the church. During the fifteen months following his return the congregation contributed for the completion of the church building and the pay- ment of some debts about $13,000, and within the same period there were added to the mem- bership of the church, ninety persons, mostly on con- fession of their faith. The new church, one of the largest, most substantial and tastefully finished church buildings in the city, was dedicated on Sun- day, January 21, 1872.
In 1873-4, protracted or revival meetings were held in the church and more than a hundred members, some of them our most prominent citizens and business men, were received.
Mr. Fackler was compelled by ill health to resign in July, 1875, and was followed by Rev. R. S. Campbell who served until December, 1890. During Dr. Camp- bell's pastorate several mission Sunday schools were supported by the First Church, and in 1888, a Mission Church -- the Third Presbyterian Church-was organ- ized with fifty-three members, two elders and two deacons, the officers and some of the members going from the First Church, which, in 1889, erected -4.
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for them, at 24th and Faraon streets, a church build- ing costing about $2,600.
After being briefly supplied by Rev. A. A. Pfan- stiehl and Dr. T. J. Hendrick, the church called Dr. Geo. A. Trenholm who "was an excellent preacher, a kind and tender minister, and was beloved by the entire congregation." Dr. Trenholm was taken ill in the summer of 1898, and lingered till May 25, 1899, when God in his mysterious providence called this good and powerful preacher of the Gospel of Christ unto himself. Dr. W. E. Boggs supplied the church till the coming of Rev. W. R. Dobyns who preached his first sermon as pastor-elect December 3, 1899 and was duly installed January 28, 1900. "The pastoral rela- tion still continues to the entire satisfaction of the con- gregation. The good work that has been accomplished during his pastorate is known and felt throughout the whole church."
During the last eight years the church has in- creased in efficiency along all lines. Five foreign and four home missionaries are now maintained, and three other churches and chapels have been put up and sup- ported in whole or part, in this city. The contributions to all causes have increased to something like five-fold. In contributions to foreign missions this church leads all others connected with our General Assembly. The church numbers among its officers, leading business and professional men of the city, and these have not been selected on that account, but because of their superior qualifications for the place. The Sabbath School has a larger average attendance than ever before.
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HISTORY OF PLATTE PRESBYTERY.
1855-1860.
Religious work in this section, especially in Platte county, was seriously affected by the excitement and disorder consequent on the virtual repeal of the Mis- souri Compromise by the passage of the Kansas- Nebraska bill. Elder George S. Park, compelled by the conditions of society, had long been a slaveholder, having intelligent Presbyterian slaves, but he made himself. especially obnoxious to the pro-slavery men by insisting, in his paper, The Industrial Luminary, that the Missouri people should not do the voting for the Kansas people. These men, termed "Kansas Leaguers," came to Parkville, April 14, 1855, and threw his press into the river. Mr. Park was away then, but two days later they came again to hang him, but his friends, fully armed, forbade that, and so they spared his life on condition that he leave the country. He did so and the Presbyterian Church was broken up for a time.
About a year before his death, Mr. Park inci- dentally gave the writer the following facts: On the morning of April 15, Mr. Park arrived home from Manhattan, Kans., to find his type scattered in the street and his press at the bottom of the Missouri. IIearing the whistle of a steamboat, he went to the landing and spied the Rev. Fred Starr, of Weston, on the hurricane deck. As all the steamboats wooded up at Parkville and thus there would be ample time, he invited Mr. Starr to come and take dinner with him. Mr. Starr replied that he could not, as he was a prisoner and being deported to St. Louis. Mr. Park went on board in order to go up to him, but at the foot of the stairs he was met by a sentry and ordered back. So they could converse only at a distance. Mr. Starr pro- posed that Mr. Park go to St. Louis with him -- a journey which he soon took.
The Fillmore Church was organized, in the Metho- dist Church, June 25, 1855, by Revs. W. R. Fulton and
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Robert Scott, with the following members : Andrew and Maria Chambers, Isaac and Eleanor Cowan, Joseph and Eleanor Gilmour, Mrs Mary Gresen, Catharine and Sarah McCallen. Angeline McCreary, Mrs. Meagher, Wm. Nickles, Wm. and Martha Ousley, Car- oline Ousley and Upton and Amanda Rohrer. Messrs. Cowan and Nickles were elected elders; and Chambers and Ousley, deacons.
The church was served by W. R. Fulton, W. D. Symington, J. N. Young, E. B. Sherwood and N. H. Smith. The imperfect records make the elders, in ad- dition to the above to have been Robert Muir, Hugh W. Gilchrist, Dr. W. E. Brown, Philip W. Anderson and Benj. S. Jackson. The church dwindled through re- movals, the last recorded meetings of session being solely to give letters of dismission. The little handful left gave up the fight finally and sold the church about 1887, passing the proceeds, equal in amount to what the church had received, over to the Board of Church Ercc- tion, which had helped to build it.
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