Church and Family History Research
Assistance
for Clark County, Illinois
CHURCHES:
MILL CREEK (LATER BIG CREEK)
Mill Creek Church was organized no later than 1820, and perhaps as much as two or three years earlier. Elder John Parker (father of Elder Daniel Parker), Brethren James W. Parker and Joseph A. Parker (brothers of Elder Daniel Parker), and James Martin, Charles Neely, and Zacheus Hassle, were among the messengers from this church to the Wabash District Association. It was probably located on Mill Creek, where the Parker's operated a mill, in the southern part of what is now Clark County. The name of the church was given as Big Creek in the Association minutes of 1825. In 1826, the minutes list Big Creek church as not represented, and in 1827, some of its members appeared as messengers from the Embarrass Church at Charleston, in Coles County, from which we presume Big Creek Church dissolved sometime between 1825 and 1827.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Hassle, Martin, Neely, Parker (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
CONCORD ("RICHWOODS")
Concord (better known today as "Richwoods") Church was organized September 4, 1831, by Thomas Frozier and wife, Absalom Kester and wife, and Rebecca Davis. The presbytery was composed of Elders Thomas Murphy, Daniel Parker, Benjamin Parker, Charles Harper, A. Sutherland, Nathan Kester, and perhaps others. Elder Daniel Parker served as moderator.
The first pastor was Elder Richard M. Newport, and during the twelve years in which he labored, the membership increased to 103. The church maintained about the same number of members until after 1900. Other pastors included Elder John Shields, C. B. Dawson, Levi Lee, C. W. Kemper, M. B. Moffett, James M. True, W. E. Gill, F. M. Pope, H. J. Gwaltney, J. C. Hampton, Delbert E. Baker, W. A. Chastain, O. L. Weatherford, J. D. Vandeveer, Cecil Fuson, and Mervin Drake.
The church became a member of the Wabash District Association in 1832, and their messengers were John Bennett, Joseph Redman and Isaac Daughette.
The church met in the homes of its members until a log house was built on the plot of ground now used as the cemetery near the present location. In 1853 a frame house 24 by 35 feet was built; it was replaced in 1886 by a large brick building with dimensions of 36 by 50 feet, which is still in use.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Barbee, Barricklow, Bartaness, Bastmas, Beler, Bennett, Berkley, Biggs, Bird, Black, Bowlin, Boyer, Bremmer, Briscoe, Brown, Burgess, Burkley, Cary, Comstock, Corneill, Cornwell, Darnall, Darriharty, Daughette, Davis, Dawson, Devers, Dick, Dicken, Dickerson, Doke, Drake, Duncan, Ennis, Farrow, Fish, Frasier, Gard, Gilbert, Gill, Goble, Grant, Hawkins, Hearn, Houton, Humphrey, Husted, Hutton, Johnson, Jones, Keath, Kemper, Kester, King, Lee, Linn, Louthan, Low, Marrs, McGahan, McNary, Mills, Mink, Moffett, Moffitt, Moore, Morgan, Neal, Newlin, Newman, Newport, Nokes, Pagit, Parker, Petty, Pinnell, Pittinger, Poulter, Randle, Redman, Redmon, Reed, Reynolds, Rhodes, Sallee, Scorey, Siler, Siner, Smith, Stamback, Standley, Stark, Steely, Swan, Swisher, Taflinger, Tambleson, Tibbs, Tichener, True, Turner, Tyler, Veach, Walker, Webright, Whiden, Wilhoit (incomplete list due to most recent members not being included).
GOOD HOPE
Good Hope Church was organized on July 28, 1832, by Elders Abraham Stark and William Stancil, with six charter members, viz., Lewis Walker, Stanley B. Walker, Daniel Goble, Martha Walker, Mary Walker, and Sitha Goble. The original site of this church was about a mile southwest of Westfield, Illinois.
Good Hope Church was received as a member of the Wabash District Association in about 1836. In 1839, Good Hope church hosted the annual meeting of the Wabash District Association. At that time, Elder Stanley B. Walker, Elder John M. Doty, and Lewis Walker, were the messengers, and the church reported 52 members. Good Hope Church was dropped from the Wabash District Regular Baptist Association in 1841, for retaining the name "United Baptist," by a unanimous vote of the churches. The church then became identified with the modern mission system, and was no longer recognized by the Primitive Baptists.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
SALEM
Salem Church united with the Wabash District Association in the late 1830's or early 1840's, and hosted the annual meeting in 1847. Masten Doty was a member of this church. The church ceased to represent in the Wabash District Association in about 1865.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Davidson, Doty, King, Newman, Odom, Piper, Weldon (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
BETHEL
Bethel Church was first organized as an arm of a faction of Sugar Creek Church, in Edgar County, for some of her members to meet at the Sassafras School house, in Clark County, in 1879, there being seven members of Sugar Creek Church living in the locality. In July 1880 requests were made for letters of dismission for them, as well as for one member of Mt. Pleasant Church, at Paris, and for Elder G. W. Payne and wife, who were members of the Bloomfield Church in the Vermilion Association. Bethel Church was formally organized on Saturday before the second Sunday in August, 1880, with ten members. The presbytery was composed of Elder John Skeeters, moderator, and Bro. W. E. Rhoads, clerk, and Bro. J. R. Canine of Indian Creek Church in the Danville Association. Elder G. W. Payne served Bethel Church as pastor.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Ashmore, Jones, Maloney, Mullins, Payne, Rhoads (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
ADDITIONAL REFERENCE SOURCES IN THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST LIBRARY:
Minutes of the Wabash District Association; records of Concord Church.
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