Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Primitive Baptist Churches in Cass County, Illinois
CHURCHES:
CLEAR CREEK (NEAR BEARDSTOWN, IN MONROE PRECINCT)
Clear Creek Church was organized at the home of John Ray, in 1827, or earlier, as it was already a member of the Sangamon Association in 1828. It may have been the first church of any faith organized in Cass County. The records of Union Church in Morgan County show that a request for help to ordain John Ray to the ministry was received from Clear Creek Church in March 1828. The church was a charter member of the Morgan Association in 1831, and remained part of that body until 1898.
The church met at first in the log cabin home of Elder Ray; then at the residence of Bro. William Shoopman, on Clear Creek, for which the church was named. Still later, meetings were held at the home of Bro. James and Sis. Elizabeth Davis, which continued for fourteen years. James Davis, William Shoopman, and John Bridgewater were elected trustees in August 1849. On October 1, 1849, John Shaeffer gave land to the church. In 1852, they built a church building in Sec. 11 of Township 17 North.
Elders Cyrus Wright and George W. Murphy, and later others, served this church as pastor after Elder John Ray. A county history says that the congregation claimed that Elder Wright could have taken up three days with one continuous sermon if the people would have remained to listen. He also served ably in the state legislature.
SURNAMES:
Bridgewater, Buck, Castellow, Crow, Davis, Epler, Hardy, Hill, Howell, Hudson, Huffman, Matthews, Murphy, Ray, Richards, Shoopman, White (very incomplete due to loss of records).
For Obituary of Elizabeth Davis, CLICK HERE
LITTLE FLOCK (7 MILES EAST OF CHANDLERVILLE)
Little Flock Church was organized July 17, 1831, by brethren and sisters who met for that purpose near the home of Elder Thomas Plasters, in Cass County. The presbytery was composed of Elder Thomas Plasters, George Spears Sr., and Ezekiel Campbell. The charter members were William Watkins, William Armstrong, Daniel Atteberry, James Watkins, Susanna Armstrong, Mary Watkins, Sarah A. Whitten, Christena Watkins, Mahaley Revas, Howell Sellars (and his wife Margaret, although she is not named until later, when they were both dismissed by letter in 1833), and Anna Dowel. Howell Sellars (1762-1844) served under Brig. Gen. Francis Marion (the Swamp Fox) in the Revolutionary War. Elder Thomas Plasters, who signed his papers to request a war pension, was also pastor at New Salem Church (Lincoln's New Salem).
Elders Cyrus Wright, John Fanshier, Aaron Wright, Noah Showalter, George W. Murphy, John W. Skaggs, Silas E. Hughett, and A. J. Witty were all members of this church during its history. Elders Thomas Plasters, Cyrus Wright, G. W. Murphy, Aaron Wright, E. T. Morris, A. J. Witty, J. L. Scott, Baxter Hale, J. A. Modlin, John Copelin, Orvel B. Prior, and B. T. Stevens, all served this church as pastor at different times. In 1886 Elder George W. Murray held services when the church was at a low ebb, and as a result the church revived. The church finally closed, however, in 1962.
The minutes of 1838 make reference to meeting alternatively at "Big Puncheon Grove" and "Little Grove." In April 1832 the church "agreed to pay Brother Daniel Atteberry $10 in good trade for his house to hold meeting in." In July 1840 the church appointed Bro. Jacob Bixler as a trustee to receive land from Bro. John Lucas, on which to build a meeting house, in Newmansville township. In January 1848 the church agreed to hold meetings in Big Puncheon Grove. Trustees were appointed for the frame meeting house in Big Puncheon Grove in November 1848. In 1853 the church appointed a committee to build a pulpit (stand), and another committee was appointed to build a plank fence around the acre of land on which the meeting house stands. In March 1855 the church appointed Elijah Watkins to obtain a deed for the acre of land where the meeting house now stands. We have not yet determined the location this refers to.
On July 31, 1888, Sarah and Pleasant Thomas deeded one square acre of land (SW Corner of SW 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 6, T18N, R8W, 3 P.M.) to the trustees of Little Flock Church for religious purposes (presumably on which to build a meeting house). The frame meeting house known in the community as Pontiac Church (in Richmond Township) was built at this time. A call meeting, to receive funds to pay off the debt was held in 1891.
On August 5, 1896, Charles and Sarah Lucas gave approximately one acre of land to the trustees of the Primitive Baptist graveyard, in the southwest corner of SE 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 7, T18N, R8W, 3 P.M. (Newmansville Township). This was to clarify the boundaries of the original 1840 deed from John Lucas.
Little Flock Church was a member of the Sangamon Association for several years, and hosted that body in 1849; by 1861 the church had joined the Morgan Association. In November 1843 the church voted that they felt it was their duty to practice the example of feetwashing.
For an account of Revolutionary War service by charter member Howell Sellers, CLICK HERE
For an account of (and some writings by) Elder Cyrus Wright, pastor of Little Flock Church, and Representative to the Illinois General Assembly from Cass and Menard Counties, elected in 1852, CLICK HERE
SURNAMES:
Adkins, Armstrong, Atterberry, Baker, Baldwin, Best, Bixler, Blunt, Bridges, Bridgewater, Briggs, Buck, Burrows, Butler, Chatham, Chessor, Colburn, Colby, Cook, Cooper, Cowan, Crow, Curby, Davis, Dearing, Dick, Dodson, Dowel, Dunbar, Edwards, Fanshier, Farmer, Garner, Garrett, Goble, Goff, Griffin, Hagans, Hall, Hickey, Hobbs, Hughett, Hunter, Ishmael, Ivans, Johnson, Jones, King, Lane, Lawson, Logue, Lucas, Lynn, Mangus, Masten, Matthews, Matthis, McHenry, McKinney, Miller, Milstead, Morgan, Morris, Mullen, Murphy, Nance, Nester, Newman, Nicholas, Ore, Overbeck, Phillips, Revas (Revis), Rose, Sellars, Sheppard, Showalter, Skaggs, Smith, Stover, Taney, Taylor, Thomas, Thompson, Underbrink, Wagoner, Watkins, Whiteley, Whitten, Wilkey, Wise, Witty, Wright.
ADDITIONAL REFERENCE MATERIAL:
The manuscript records of Little Flock Church (microfilm); Messenger of Peace and other church papers include obituaries of some of the members; Minutes of the Sangamon and Morgan associations; minutes of sister churches in the area.
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