Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Christian County, Illinois
CHURCHES:
HOREB
Horeb Church was one of the nine new churches organized in the bounds of the Sangamon Association in the year 1829. The church united with the Sangamon Association before 1831 (minutes for 1829 and 1830 are missing). Elders Aaron Vandeveer and Charles Vandeveer were messengers from Horeb Church to the Sangamon Association in 1831, at which time they reported 50 members in fellowship. In 1832, the church was not represented by letter. The membership reported in 1833 was 36; in 1834, 32; and from 1835 through 1838 the church was not represented by letter or messenger. The church was finally dropped from the list of churches in 1839. Other messengers were Claiborn Matthews and Martin Hanon. It is probable that the church had a log meeting house, but its location has not been determined. It is possible it was located in Sangamon County.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Hanon, Matthews, Vandeveer (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
SOUTH FORK (SHARPSBURG)
South Fork Church was organized in 1831, or earlier. The church united with the Sangamon Association in 1831, her messengers being Elder C. B. Stafford and Jewett Stafford, who reported 7 members. In 1832, the church failed to represent; in 1833, she reported 17 members; in 1834, 11 members; between 1835 and 1838 the church was not represented; in 1839, Elder Aaron Vandeveer was a messenger from this church, and reported 14 members.
The first record book has been lost. The oldest records available, 1847, list Elder Aaron Vandeveer as a member and pastor of this church. After his death, the church had the services of Elders William Crow, G. W. Murphy, Miles Abbott, Charles Alsbury, John Montgomery, James H. Ring, William J. Wheeler, E. T. Sanders, and possibly others. Elders who were members of this church included C. B. Stafford, Aaron Vandeveer, Miles H. Abbott, George W. Murphy (ordained here in November 1857), John M. Ward (ordained here in 1866), and J. F. Pyatt (ordained here in May 1871).
In July 1856 South Fork Church dismissed five members to organize Mt. Zion Church, on South Fork. Center Church at Beck's Creek is also mentioned in the records a few months before this.
In April 1851 the church agreed to build a meeting house on the site selected by Martin Hanon, Joel Potts and Eli Matthews. The meeting house was located in South Fork township. There is a cemetery at the site, but the building has been gone for many years.
The record of this church closes in January 1891, at which time the church had eleven members. They may have held services after that date.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Abbott, Baker, Bourland, Braner, Day, Dunn, Elgan, Firey, George, Hand, Hanna, Hanon, Harris, Harriss, Hartman, Hayward, Hazlett, Hufford, Hunt, Husey, Lee, Lemmon, Lemmons, Little, Matthews, Mattox, Miller, Minnis, Mitchell, Moore, Murphy, Overby, Pearce, Peek, Polston, Poore, Potts, Prather, Pyatt, Ralston, Richardson, Robb, Seaton, Slater, Snodgrass, Spencer, Stafford, Stokes, Valentine, Vandeveer, Walcut, Walker, Ward, Webb, Welch, West, White, Whitehead, Yuchler (incomplete list due to loss of part of the records).
LIBERTY ON MOSQUITO CREEK
Liberty Church on Mosquito Creek was organized in 1844 or earlier (one source says 1837), but the earliest records have been lost. The church united with the Apple Creek Association in 1844, and reported 28 members. Elder Chester Carpenter was the messenger from the church at that meeting. However, at that session the Apple Creek Association broke its affiliation with the Primitive Baptists, and consequently Liberty Church did not represent therein again. Instead, the church united with the Sangamon Association in 1845, the messenger being Elder Martin White, who reported 20 members in fellowship.
The oldest records now available of the church meetings are for March 1870. In 1869 this church was meeting in the Montgomery School, about three miles south of Mt. Auburn. The pastor at that time was Elder D. G. Watson. He was followed by Elder John Montgomery. In the Fall of 1901 the congregation purchased the present building (then known as Good Hope Church) from the members of the First Baptist church of Stonington. This building had been constructed in 1881. In recent years, this building was moved to the grounds of the Paublo Agricultural Museum, between Stonington and Blue Mound, one half mile south of Illinois Highway 48, but the church still meets there.
In 1905, this church dismissed twelve members to help organize a Primitive Baptist church in the city of Springfield.
Pastors of this church have included the following, viz., Elders Martin White, D. G. Watson, John Montgomery, J. B. Dobbs, and W. A. Chastain.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Allen, Alsbury, Atterbury, Boaden, Brewer, Brookshier, Calkins, Davis, Dobbs, Flanigan, Fletcher, Ingolls, Kohl, Masters, Modlin, Montgomery, Ralston, Rigney, Smith, Snyder, Watson, White, Younker (very incomplete list due to lack of records).
CENTER
Center Church, at Beck's Point, or on Beck's Creek, is mentioned in the records of South Fork Church as early as April 1856.
MT. ZION
Mt. Zion Church, near Taylorville, was organized in July or August 1856. The names of the presbytery are not available, but among the charter members were James and Elisabeth Pearce, and William and Susan Welch, and James Dunn, who had been dismissed for that purpose from South Fork Church. The church united with the Sangamon Association, and remained a member of that body until the church dissolved. In 1858, S. B. Anderson and R. Welch were the messengers from this church, who reported 8 members, a loss of three during the year. The membership gradually increased, however, so that by 1876, the church reported 20 members. The church failed to represent by letter and messengers after 1877, and in 1882, the Association minutes state that a committee appointed to visit the church had decided to dissolve it. Elder William H. McDonald was a member of this church at one time.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Anderson, Card, Cully, Dunn, Harris, McDonald, Pearce, Vandeveer, Welch (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
MT. GILEAD
No information is presently available on this church.
CLEAR CREEK
Clear Creek Church was constituted in 1886, by the following members, viz., M. A. Jones, William M. Blakey, Lodema Blakey, Rebecca Jane Russell, Samantha Mebigin, and Susan Jones. The presbytery was comprised of Elders William J. Wheeler, E. T. Sanders, A. J. Sanders, S. A. D. Sanders, and Deacon T. E. M. Sanders (all of Horse Creek Church); Elder J. L. Ludwick (of Bethel Church, Sangamon County); and Deacon P. Stout (of Salem Sugar Creek Church, Sangamon County). After being constituted, they chose Elder William J. Wheeler as their pastor and moderator.
ADDITIONAL REFERENCE SOURCES IN THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST LIBRARY:
Minutes of the Sangamon and Kaskaskia Associations.
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