Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Primitive Baptist Churches in Moultrie County, Illinois
CHURCHES:
LYNN CREEK (SULLIVAN)(1829)
Lynn Creek Church was organized in Whitley Township, in 1829, with ten charter members. It was probably the first church organized in what is now Moultrie county. Among the first members, who were also early settlers in the township, were Isaac Waggoner, Emsey Waggoner, Caleb Shaw, Margaret Shaw, Rachel Smith, William Walker, and John Edwards and wife. In 1835, a log building, with three windows and one door, was erected along the banks of Lynn Creek, on Elder William (Uncle Billy) Martin's place. This was in Sec. 8 of Whitley township. A small cemetery was started at the site. The log structure was also used for a school during the week; and Gideon Edwards, a member of the church, was the first teacher at the school.
Lynn Creek Church joined the Okaw Association during its first session in May 1831. In September, 1831, the church sent messengers Gideon Edwards, Caleb Shaw, and William Walker, to the association, who reported 11 members in fellowship. Elder William H. Martin was the first pastor. Other ministers who were members of this church, many of whom probably served as pastor, included: Elders B. B. Piper, S. H. Pullin, Rezin Martin, Jasper Dalby, G. W. Payne, W. E. Harpster, and Fred Elder.
In the 1860's a new frame building was erected on land purchased from James Hostetter and James Cook. It was located some little distance west of the log church and across the creek. At the same time, a new cemetery was started near the new church. The church building has been gone for many years, but there is still a small cemetery at the site. Gilbert Waggoner bought the old log church building and moved it to his farm, about a mile west and a mile north of the first location. Sometime in about 1906, the frame building that had been built to replace the old log church was in need of extensive repairs. It was decided not to repair the church, as it was located a long distance from the main road. For about ten years the church met in the old "Whitfield church" about a mile west of the Lynn Creek church building. Beginning in about 1916, the church met for a few years in private homes. In 1920, when the Palmyra country grade school was to be replaced with a new one, the Lynn Creek members bought the old school building and moved it a very short distance west, to a location on the W. T. Martin farm. It became known as Lynn Creek Church.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Clark, Cotner, Dalby, Davis, Edwards, Elder, Ethridge, Fulton, Harpster, Harrison, Hostetter, Howard, Jenkins, Lane, Martin, Moore, Munson, Niles, Owens, Payne, Piper, Pullin, Reeves, Shaw, Smith, Stephens, Sutton, Thompson, Vanderen, Waggoner, Walker, Warren, Yarber (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
MT. ZION (WINDSOR)(1879)
Mt. Zion Church first began meeting as an arm of Concord Church, in November 1877, with Elder Shields preaching. Mt. Zion Church was then constituted on April 26, 1879, with sixteen charter members, viz., Thomas P. Carnahan, John Daugherty, Henry Clay Waggoner, Joseph Walker, Gilbert Waggoner, Isaac Waggoner, Narcissa Waggoner, Nancy Waggoner, Mary Waggoner, Elizabeth Waggoner, Sally Waggoner, Perlina Walker, Mary Robison, Nancy Hostetter, Celia Waggoner, and Martha Waggoner. The presbytery was composed of Elders D. G. Watson and John Shields, and brethren Jesse Shields, P. Wilson, James Cross, Anderson Blystone, J. Ellis, and Roger Cross.
In 1881, the church constructed a meeting house on land donated by Bro. Gilbert Waggoner. It was 24 feet wide by 58 feet long, with double doors in the front.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Armstrong, Atteberry, Brown, Carnehan, Cross, Daugherty, Davis, Duhamel, Ellis, Gilbreath, Graven, Harrison, Hostutter, Howard, Lane, Lewis, Martin, Mattox, Maxedon, McDale, Moore, Munson, O'Neal, Piper, Powell, Ridgeway, Riner, Ripley, Robison, Scoby, Shaw, Smith, Stewart, Sutton, Vandeveer, Waggoner, Walker, Weldon, Williams.
ADDITIONAL REFERENCE SOURCES IN THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST LIBRARY:
Minutes of the Wabash District and Okaw Associations; minutes of the Mt. Zion ("Waggoner") Church. We would appreciate help in finding the records or minutes of the Lynn Creek Church, or photographs of its meeting house(s).
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