The history of Buchanan County, Missouri, Part 47

Author: Union historical company, St. Joseph, Mo., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: St. Joseph, Mo., Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1104

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At the time of the organization of this class, the Rev. William W. Redman was the presiding elder of the district which included St. Joseph. The first permanent organization of the church in the town occurred in the early part of the year 1844, and the first preacher in charge was the Rev. E. Robinson, who effected the organization. The building occupied by the congregation at the time was a small frame on Main Street, once occupied by David J. Heaton as a furniture store and shop, and during the space of nearly two years the congregation met and worshipped in this humble and primitive structure. The number of the membership at that time we have been unable definitely to ascertain, but it was doubtless small, though from the beginning the blessing of God seems to have rested on the infant organization, which to-day has increased to comparatively giant proportions, and constitutes one of the leading Protestant churches of St. Joseph.

In the fall of 1844, the Rev. Reuben Aldridge was preacher in charge of the St. Joseph Circuit, and the Rev. Benjamin R. Baxter, was assistant preacher. The presiding elder during that period was the Rev. Thomas Chandler. Mr. Aldridge served until the year 1845, when he was succeeded as preacher in charge by the Rev. George W. Love, who served the church in that capacity for one year.

During that period, the Rev. William Keton 'was presiding elder. His term of office continued till the year 1847. From 1846 to 1847, the Rev. John A. Tutt had charge of the church. During that period the congregation having largely increased in numbers, began to feel the necessity of a more commodious and suitable house of worship. Accord- ingly on a lot on the corner of Felix and Third Streets, donated for that purpose by Joseph Robidoux, when he located the town, was erected a brick church, forty by sixty feet in extent. This was the first church building owned in St. Joseph by the Methodist Episcopal Church South. It was used as their only place of public worship for eleven years, and was vacated in the year 1857, when the building was sold for $5,700, and the proceeds applied to the erection of a new church, which the

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.

wants of a largely increased and increasing congregation urgently demanded.

From 1847 to 1848, the Rev. Edwin Robinson was preacher in charge, and the Rev. William Patton presiding elder. In the fall of 1848, the church in St. Joseph was made a station, with the Rev. Wm. M. Rush, as pastor, and the Rev. Wm. Patton, as presiding elder. At this time the Sabbath School was established, which is to-day one of the model institutions of our city. The following named persons appear on the records at that time as members of the official board : J. B. Smith, B. Sherwood, D. J. Morrow and Simeon Kemper, stewards; D. K. Harding, class leader. This arrangement continued from 1848 to 1849. From the latter period to the following year, 1850, the Rev. William M. Rush was pastor, and the Rev. William Patton presiding elder.

During that year, the same official list existed with the addition of D. J. Heaton and L. Stigers to the Board of Stewards. From 1850 to 1852. the Rev. Wm. Holmes was pastor and the Rev. Wm. Patton was presiding elder during the first year, succeeded by the Rev. Wm. G. Caples, during the second year of that term. During the year 1851, the following additions appear in connection with the official board : A. B. Lyon, class leader ; John Armour and S. K. Miller, stewards; James Kay, leader and steward. During the year 1852, George T. Hoagland's name appears as leader and steward. He was, at that time, with Dr. Silas McDonald, also added to the board of trustees. At the quarterly conference for the year 1852, George T. Hoagland was licensed to preach the Gospel. From 1852 to 1854, the Rev. C. I. Vandeventer was pastor, and the Rev. Wm. G. Caples wss presiding elder. During the year 1854, Wm. C. Toole was chosen local deacon, and Allen H. Vories, Esq., Superintend- ent of the Sabbath School. During the summer of 1854, the first par- sonage owned by the church in this city, was purchased for the sum of nine hundred dollars. It was a small, but new and neat building, lo- cated on the east side of Sixth Street, between Francis and Felix Streets and was first occupied as a parsonage by the Rev. C. I. Vendeventer. The building is still standing. In the same year, the two lots on the northwest corner of Francis and Seventh Streets, occupied as the site of the church building, now owned and used by the church, were purchased by the Rev. George T. Hoagland for the sum of $500, and sold to the trustees of the church for the same price. From 1854 to 1855, the Rev. B. A. Spencer was pastor, and the Rev. W. G. Caples was presiding elder. During this year, the name of B. S. Cox appears as licensed ex- horter. From 1855 to 1856, the Rev. Samuel W. Cape was pastor, and the Rev. Wm. Perkins presiding elder. During this year the name of Henry Dunster appears on record as local preacher. From 1856 to 1858, the Rev. E. R. Miller was pastor, and the Rev. Wm. Perkins pre- siding elder.

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.

In January, 1857, the old church building was sold to the St. Joseph Insurance Company for the sum of $5,375.

During the year 1858, the name of Dr. John Bull appears on the records as local preacher, and J. B. Jennings, steward.

During the administration of Mr. Miller, in the year 1858, on the lots on the corner of Francis and Seventh streets, before referred to, and deeded to the church by the Rev. George T. Hoagland, the present spacious and elegant edifice, known as the Francis Street Methodist Church, South, was erected, with the adjoining parsonage, at a cost of about thirty thousand dollars; the proceeds of the sale of the old par- sonage and church amounting to $7,375, having been applied to aid in the erection of the new building.

The new building is eighty feet long by fifty feet wide, and the basement forty-seven by fifty-seven feet in the clear. The audience room is sixty-seven by forty-seven feet in the clear, altogether, one of the most substantial and attractive ecclesiastical edifices in the city. The site of the old church is now occupied by the present (1881) Bank of St. Joseph, formerly the German Savings Bank.

About the year 1858, the name of Robert Kay, a colored man, is mentioned as an exhorter, although he had officiated in this capacity among his people for several years previous to that period. From 1858 to 1859, the Rev. W. G. Berryman was pastor, and the Rev. Wm. Perkins presiding elder. The church at this time numbered 230 communicants. At the conference of 1859, the station was left to be supplied. Two or three months afterwards, the presiding elder, the Rev. W. G. Berryman, secured the services of the Rev. E. G. Nicholson, who served as pastor from that time till the close of the year.

During the early part of the conference year, the pulpit was chiefly supplied by the Rev. George T. Hoagland, local preacher, who at this time, and previously, also, had frequent appointments in the country, and who, especially during the sessions of the annual conferences, in the absence of the regular pastors, as well as in connection with them, ren- dered much valuable service to the church, not only in preaching, but also in visiting the sick and in burying the dead.

From 1860 to 1861, the Rev. W. M. Rush was pastor, and the Rev. Horace Brown was presiding elder, while the Rev. John R. Taylor was in charge of the St. Joseph Mission. During the year, the name of Richard Fisher appears as Superintendent of the North St. Joseph Sab- bath School, and the names of Samuel Lockwood and Robert A. Britton as stewards.

From 1861 to 1862, the Rev. W. M. Rush was pastor, and the Rev. Jesse Bird presiding elder. During this year, the Rev. Wm. M. Rush was prohibited from preaching to his congregation by the military authori- ties, and soon after the church building was placed in the hands of a

IBA

BANK OF ST. JOSEPH.

FELIX STREET, ST. JOSEPH, LOOKING EAST.

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH ..

committee of its own members. The church was occasionally occupied by ministers invited by them, but was without any regular pastor until the services of the Rev. Henry H. Hedgpeth were obtained. The Rev. Middleton R. Jones was at this time presiding elder. The records fail to show what changes, if any, occurred in the official board about this time. From 1864 to 1865, the Rev. Wm. M. Leftwich was pastor, and the Rev. H. H. Hedgpeth presiding elder. In 1867, the names of W. R. Johnson, Samuel S. McGibbons, and Thomas Ashton were added to the official board as stewards, and, in 1868, the names of James L .. Hanna, Wm. J. Bigerstaff, Wm. H. Woodring and Isaac Owens. From 1868 to 1872, the Rev. C. I. Vandeventer was pastor, and the Rev. Wm. M. Rush, the Rev. Willis E. Dockery, and the Rev. W. A. Mahew, were presiding elders. Mr. Vandeventer served as pastor in charge until September, 1872, when he was succeeded by the Rev. E. R. Hendrix.

On the night of the 13th of July, 1871, a terrific storm did great damage to the church building, blowing down one gable end, and badly injuring the east wall. The cost of the repairs amounted to $6,000. During the repairing of the edifice, the congregation worshiped in the- Sixth Street Presbyterian Church.

From 1871 to 1874, the names of John C. Evans, W. H. Woodring, John B. Hundley, Samuel Campbell and Hiram Patterson were added to the official board. The Francis Street Methodist Episcopal Church South established a Mission Sunday School, in the southern part of the city, about the year 1867, during the pastorate of the Rev. Wm. M. Leftwich, which was conducted by Allen H. Vories and Wm. J. Biger- staff. This mission school met in Huxley Hall, and was the nucleus of the

TENTH STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH.

During the summer of 1869, the Rev. C. I. Vandeventer solicited and obtained subscriptions to purchase a lot on the southeast corner of Tenth and Patee Streets, at a cost of $1,000, which was afterwards sold, and a lot and a half on the northwest corner of the same streets purchased for $1,300, for the purpose of erecting a church building in that part of the city. During the next year, 1870, subscriptions were obtained to build a house of worship, which was put up and enclosed and the basement room completed about the first of January, 1871. This house is a two-story brick building 36x55 feet. The prospective organiza- tion was left to be supplied by Bishop H. N. McTyiere, who, in December, 1870, transferred the Rev. M. M. Hawkins from the North Alabama Conference to the North Missouri Conference, and appointed him in charge of the work. Mr. Hawkins served one year, and in the fall of 1871, the Rev. S. W. Atterberry was appointed to the charge. He served two years, to the fall of 1873, when he was succeeded by the Rev.

485

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.

A. V. Bailey .. The audience room of this church was completed during the summer of 1873, and dedicated by Bishop Marvin. The cost of the church, with the lots, was $6,500. The membership, in 1873, was 75, with a congregation of 220 in regular attendance. The Sunday school, at that date, numbered 190 scholars and 17 teachers. Rev. J. F. Linn was pastor in 1876-77. Rev. W. E. Dockery to 1881.

AVENUE CHAPEL. .

In connection with the Francis Street Church, a mission was estab- lished in 1872, on Frederick Avenue, known as Avenue Chapel. Preach- ing was held here once a week, the organization being at the time prop- erly under the Rev. Mr. Hendrix. This building cost $1,200. The Sunday school was conducted under the supervision of J. L. Hanna, and numbered 120 scholars, with 12 officers and teachers.

The ministers of the Francis Street M. E. Church South, who suc- ceeded Rev. Dr. E. R. Hendrix were, in turn, Rev. Thomas J. Gooche and Rev. E. K. Miller.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

We have given a history of the Methodist Episcopal Church South in St. Joseph, and in that sketch we necessarily included a portion of the history of the mother church, for the reason that the two wings of the church here were one until 1849. At that time Rufus Patchen, Clara Patchen, John Brady, N. B. McCart and the Rev. A. J. Armstrong, local preacher, reorganized the old church under its proper title, the "Metho- dist Episcopal Church," without any geographical distinction.

The preacher in charge of this church was the Rev. C. H. Kelley, a transfer from the Indiana Conference, and the presiding elder, the Rev. A. Still. They held their meetings sometimes at the house of Mr. McCart, and sometimes in the old log church, built and owned by the Presbyterians.

A lot was soon purchased on Fifth Street, below Slyvanie, and in 1850, under the direction of the Rev. J. W. Taylor, the ways and means for building a church were canvassed. With the Rev. G. W. Robinson, presiding elder from 1850 to 1854, and J. M. Chivington and Walter Perry, joint pastors in 1851 and 1852, a brick church, 35x45 feet, was erected and remained in their possession till 1863, when it was sold under a deed of trust, to satisfy a debt of $1,600.

In 1853, the Rev. M. T. Kleffer became pastor. During 1854 and 1855, the church was under the care of J. H. Hopkins, as presiding elder, the Rev. D. H. May, being presiding pastor. In 1856, the Rev. A. C. Clemens became pastor, and and J. M. Chivington presiding elder. In 1857, the Rev. James Witten was placed over the district and served but seven months, the time of holding the Missouri Conference being

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.

changed from fall to spring. During this year, St. Joseph was included in a circuit and the Rev. J. H. Hopkins and the Rev. J. W. Caughlan had charge. At this period, the church must have been very weak, for a newspaper dated July 3d, 1858, says of it: "For some considerable time this church has been without any distinct organization. The Rev. Wm. Hanley has now been appointed to the charge and his first ser- vices will be held to-morrow."

The Rev. T. H. Bratton, in 1858, succeeded Mr. Hanley, and remained in charge two years, the Rev. J. H. Hopkins being presiding elder from 1858 to 1862. During 1861, the church was left to be supplied and the Rev. Richard Haney, a veteran Methodist preacher, famous in the annals of Illinois Methodism and Chaplain of the Sixteenth Illinois Regiment, which built the fortifications on Prospect Hill, occupied the pulpit most of the time till March, 1862, when the Rev. Alpha Wright was appointed by Bishop Simpson, and took charge of the church till September, 1863. About this time, the church below Sylvanie Street having been sold for debt, new officers were chosen and a new board of trustees were elected. These at first rented the Cumberland Presby- terian Church, then situated on the corner of Sixth and Edmond Streets.

They afterwards fitted up and furnished in an attractive style, a large room in the Odd Fellows' Hall, where they remained till the 9th of May, 1866, when they dedicated and moved into the church on Fifth, between Francis and Jule Streets. In September, 1863, W. S. Wentz being presiding elder, the Rev. T. H. Hagerty, of the Rock River, Illi- nois, Conference, became pastor, and remained until May, 1865, when the Rev. J. T. Boyle, of Erie Conference, assumed charge, the Rev. Samuel Huffman being presiding elder, and holding that office from 1864 to 1868.

Under the united labors of the Rev. Mr. Hagerty and the Rev. Mr. Boyle, funds had been raised for the purchase and improvement of the present church property, and, soon after the Rev. W. G. Mattison became pastor, the church was solemnly dedicated to the service of Almighty God. The Rev. J. W. Flowers had charge of the church for two years, when the Rev. J. S. Barwick succeeded him in March, 1869, and re- mained for one year, exchanging places with the Rev. C. H. Stocking in March, 1870. In the meanwhile, the Rev. J. T. Boyle had been placed over the district as presiding elder, which office he filled until March, 1872, when the Rev. Z. S. Weller was invited into the cabinet of the bishop, and assigned to the St. Joseph District. The Rev. C. H. Stock- ing remained in charge three years-until March, 1873, when the Rev. W. H. Turner was appointed, but declined serving, whereupon Bishop Bowman invited to the position the Rev. D. J. Holmes. Under the pastorate of the Rev. C. H. Stocking, the Stocking Mission Sabbath School was organized.

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.

Rev. D. J. Holmes was succeeded in the pastorate in 1875 by Rev. S. W. Thornton. In 1877, he was succeeded by John Wayman, who became pastor. He was succeeded in 1880 by Rev. J. M. Greene.

GERMAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The congregation of the German Methodist Episcopal Church, of St. Joseph, was organized in March, 1849. The first pastor was the Rev. William Eliers, the communicants numbering ten. The ministers who followed in charge of the congregation, were in succession as follows : The Rev. C. F. Walther, Rev. David Huene, Rev. A. Holzbeierlin, Rev. Peter Hellweg, who assumed charge in 1852, the Rev. Wm. Schreck Rev. R. Haveghorst, the Rev. C. Dreyer, the Rev. C. Bonn, who suc- ceeded to the pastoral charge of the church in 1858.

The church building on Edmond Street, between Fifth and Sixth, was erected in 1852. A short time previous to the erection of the pres- ent brick church, on Third Street, this house, while undergoing repairs, was destroyed in a storm of wind. The lot on which it stood was then sold, and the site of the present church purchased. In 1858, the build- ing of the present church was commenced. This was during the pastor- ate of the Rev. Mr. Bonn. It was completed when the Rev. Charles Heidel took charge of the congregation, in October, 1859. Mr. Heidel served the church until 1861, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Philip Hener, who served one year. In 1862, the Rev. Gotleib Widman was appointed pastor. He died on the 23d April, 1863, before the term of his service expired. The remainder of his clerical year was filled by Rev. Frederick Rinder. He was succeeded by the Rev. Jacob Feisel, who served until 1865, and was succeeded by the Rev. Philip Merkel, who continued in charge till 1867. The Rev. John G. Kost was minister in charge from 1867 to 1870, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Wm. Shiveind, who retired in 1871, when the Rev. Louis Harmel assumed the duties of pastor of the church. In 1873, the Rev. Jacob Tanner was the presiding elder. The German Methodist Episcopal Church prospered from its first establishment in St. Joseph, and its course has been one of encouraging harmony. Its membership, in 1873, was about 150. The church building is a plain, but substantial and neat, brick structure, on the southeast corner of Third and Robidoux Streets. It is provided with an airy and commodious basement, which is used for Sabbath School and other church purposes. The parsonage is a neat brick building in the rear of the church. These buildings were com- pleted at a cost of $10,000, including the ground they occupy. Rev. E. H. Kriege, in 1876, had partial charge of this church. In 1879, he was succeeded by the Rev. Jacob Tanner. In 1881, Rev. Henry Reamer became pastor of this church.

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.

SOUTH ST. JOSEPH OR SECOND METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

was organized in 1875, before they erected a building for a place of wor- ship. The present neat gothic brick structure was erected on the corner of Twelfth and Renick Streets in the following year. Its value, with the lot on which it stands, is about $2,500. Rev. J. W. Newcomb was its first pastor. He was succeeded, in 1878, by Rev. L. A. Shumate. In 1879, Rev. Samuel Huffman succeeded to the pastorate of this church. In the following year, Rev. Mr. Hall became pastor. The report of Jan- uary, 1881, shows the Rev. J. P. Boyle pastor.

EBENEZER CHAPEL, AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH,

is a neat and commodious gothic brick structure, on the corner of Third and Antoine Streets. The seating capacity of the audience room is 650. A large Sunday School is connected with the church. The building was erected in 1868. Among the later pastors of this church were Rev. Moses Dixon, a distinguished minister of the.same, Rev. Anthony Morton, and Rev. Mr. Harrod.

One of the earliest religious associations established in St. Joseph was the

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.

This was first organized March 22d, 1845. It was an offshoot of what. was then known as the "Dillin's Creek Church."

The names of the members who constituted this, the original church in St. Joseph, were, Elijah Bush, Mrs. Jane Bush, afterwards Mrs. Pendleton, Mary J. Riney, Agnes Hall, John C. Hall, Emarine Hall, Rachael A. Eliot, Lucy Hall, Henderson Smallwood, Thomas Newman, Maria I. Newman, Lydia Adams, Thomas Price, Lucy Price, James J. Keaton, and Catherine Keaton. Henderson Smallwood was clerk at this meeting.

At a subsequent meeting, held Saturday, April 26, 1845, the clerk. not being present, the convention adjourned to the next evening, Sun- day, when it was agreed, first, that the church be styled " The St. Joseph Church." At this meeting, Elder Wm. Worely was received by letter. Thomas Price was chosen standing clerk for the St. Joseph Church, and H. Smallwood, treasurer.

The first minister to hold divine service for this church, was Elder William Worely. This was on March 22d, 1845, the day of its organiza- tion. He was succeeded as minister by Elder Jas. I. Robinson, in July .. 1847.

At a meeting held on the fourth Saturday in October of the same year, it was agreed that the church pay their pastor, Rev. Jas. R. Robin- son, one hundred dollars for his labors for one year, instead of the fifty

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.

dollars and his board, according to the first contract, and he pay all his own expenses.

During all this period, the Church was without a permanent place of worship of its own. Meetings were held in private houses and in rented rooms in different localities. At a meeting held on the fourth Saturday in February, 1848, a committee appointed to purchase the "old log church," originally built and owned by the Presbyterians, as referred to in our sketch of that church, reported that the sum of forty-four dollars and forty cents had been paid on the same, and that there remained due and unpaid fifty-five dollars and sixty cents. At this meeting, Joel J. Penick was added to the committee intrusted with the purchase of the church, in place of Robinson, whose resignation was accepted.

Among the earlier ministers who preached about this period, was Elder Neville Haycraft, being an active member of the church. At a · meeting of the church, held July 22d, 1848, Rev. Isaiah T. Williams was chosen pastor for the ensuing year.

At a regular meeting, held in October, 1849, Jonas D. Wilson accepted the position of agent to go abroad into Kentucky and solicit contributions for the purpose of building a suitable church in St. Joseph. The compensation agreed on was forty dollars per month and his neces- sary traveling expenses.

At a meeting held in April, 1850, Rev. Isaiah T. Williams resigned pastoral charge of the church. He shortly afterward visited California.

Saturday, September 28, 1850, the church directed the trustees to purchase and receive the title bond for a lot of ground on the corner of Francis and Sixth Streets, for the use of the church for a building.

December 28, 1850, at the regular meeting held on this day, the trustees were directed to apply to the Legislature of the State for an act of incorporation authorizing the church to hold property. On motion of J. M. Hawley, the name of the church was changed to its present (1881) style, the " First Baptist Church of St. Joseph, Missouri."

May, 1851, Rev. Squire L. Helm, of Kentucky, was called to the charge of the church. He accepted on condition of his not being required to enter upon his duties till the following fall, which was agreed to. This arrangement, however, it appears, was not accomplished.

In October of the same year, the church agreed to move its place of meeting from the old log church to Mrs. Burr's schoolroom, which was accordingly done. The compensation which she received was four dol- lars per month for the use of the room and fuel till May Ist, following.

At a special meeting, called December 3d, 1851, Rev. J. Hickman, of Kentucky, was invited to the pastoral charge of the church. On the 27th of the same month, the church agreed to pay him $150 for his ser- vices as pastor until the April meeting, and if he remained longer he should be paid at the rate of $400 a year.

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.

At a regular meeting, held Saturday, January 24, 1852, the trustees reported that they had sold the old log meeting-house at auction for $ 16.25, on sixty days' credit. Of this building they had held possession nearly four years. The ground on which it stood was never the property of the Baptist Church.

At a special meeting. held February 8, 1852, Robert W. Donnell, applied for membership upon relation of his christian experience, and was thereupon received into membership of the church, and entitled to its privileges so soon as baptized, which ordinance was administered by Elder Cline on the same day.

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The history of Buchanan County, Missouri, Part 47

Author: Union historical company, St. Joseph, Mo., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: St. Joseph, Mo., Union historical company Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Union historical company, St. Joseph, Mo., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: St. Joseph, Mo., Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1104