Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Primitive Baptist Churches in Pope County, Illinois
CHURCHES:
LUSK CREEK
Lusk Creek Church was one of the churches which organized the Muddy River Association, in October 1820, her messenger being Charles Johnson, who reported 11 members in fellowship. In 1821 the church reported 9 members.
BIG BAY CREEK
Big Bay Creek Church was first organized as an arm of Big Creek Church (see Hardin County) in July 1824, for the convenience of members living near the Bay, viz., Jacob Shelby, Esther Shelby, Charles Shelby, Joshua Teague, and Hannah Potter. A request to organize them into a new church was granted in December 1824. Big Bay Creek Church united with the Muddy River Association in September 1825, her messengers being Elders William Rondeau and Thomas Lee, and Bro. Isham Clay, who reported 22 members. The church continued to represent in the Muddy River Association until 1837 (the time of the trouble over the modern mission system).
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Baker, Clay, Curlee, Jones, Lee, Logan, Potter, Rondeau, Shelby, Teague (list is very incomplete due to loss of records).
GRAND PIER
Grand Pier Creek Church was organized on October 21, 1827, by Elders Stephen Stilley and William Rondeau. The following twenty members, had petitioned to Big Creek Church for letters of dismission for this purpose, in September 1827, viz., John Hamilton, Eleanor Hamilton, Grace Brown, Sarah Joiner, Sarah Joiner Jr., William Joiner, Reese Shelby, Clara Shelby, Sarah Story, Fanny Brown, William Neal, John Williams, Mary Williams, John Collier, Elizabeth Collier, Polly Ewell, Peggy Ewell, Betsey King, Strangemon Modglin, and Chloe Modglin. Nineteen of these (all but the last named, Chloe Modglin, who joined the following month) were charter members of the new church.
The church gradually increased in number, and experienced large additions by baptism in the years 1848-1850, and again in 1874, during the pastorate of Elder Richard Fulkerson. Brother Thomas J. Carr, in giving his experience of grace, said that eighteen were baptized, and over thirteen hundred people were in attendance. The church reported 80 members as late as 1902.
Early pastors included Elders Stephen Stilley, John Hamilton, John Morse (ordained here in September 1837), Charles H. Clay, and Richard Fulkerson. Elder Richard Fulkerson joined this church in April 1844, and was soon liberated, and was ordained to the ministry here in June 1848, and served as pastor for over fifty years (1848-1900). Later pastors included Elders Scott Cleveland (June 1900), B. D. Clark, T. J. Prince (September 1905), John Neal (May 1908), J. M. Perkins (May 1909), and N. A. Rogers (November 1915).
In July 1829, Grand Pier Church agreed to select a site for a log meeting house, with dimensions of 20' by 24', with a board roof made of boards 3 feet long, nailed on, and a plank floor. In February 1846, the church agreed to move the place of meeting to a new log cabin to be built near a Spring between A. Hathaway's and James Floyd's. In March 1846, it was agreed to haul the plank seats, pulpit, stove, door, and window shutters from the old church, to the site of the new meeting house, which was completed by October 1846. In February 1852, a committee reported that they had gotten logs, keepers, and joice for building a new log house, and in December 1854 trustees were appointed to receive a deed for the land on which this meeting house stood. In June 1872 a committee was appointed to build a new meeting house near the schoolhouse in District No. 7, T12, R6E, and a deed for the land was obtained from John and Charlotte Blanchard in September 1872. In July 1876, a committee was appointed to superintend making seats for the church house. In 1882, a committee of five was appointed to lay off a graveyard on the property.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Anderson, Armstrong, Ashford, Austin, Blanchard, Bonnell, Bosley, Brison, Brown, Brownen, Brush, Buchanan, Carr, Clarady, Clark, Clay, Cleveland, Clore, Cole, Collier, Collins, Cosby, Cowsart, Crank, Crenshaw, Cummins, Davidson, Davis, Dearmon, Dixon, Edwards, Elam, Elkins, Ellis, Epperheimer, Ewell, Ferrell, Finney, Flannery, Flick, Floyd, Fulgham, Fulkerson, Gibbs, Gowen, Gray, Grisham, Gullitt, Hall, Hamilton, Hammock, Hancock, Hart, Hathaway, Hedrick, Henry, Hogg, Hollomon, Hopkins, Howard, Hudnall, Jackson, Jennings, Joiner, Jones, Killingsworth, King, Langford, Lee, Lewis, Mathis, McMurphy, Mealer, Modglin, Morse, Neal, Newton, Parmley, Parton, Patterson, Pittman, Ragsdale, Rial, Rondeau, Rose, Rowan, Royal, Sandlin, Shelby, Shufflebarger, Smoot, Southern, Stephens, Stone, Story, Taylor, Thacker, Thorp, Turner, Upchurch, Vaughn, Walker, Wallace, Wasson, Weston, Williams, Womack, Wright.
HOPEWELL
Hopewell Church, in Pope County, is mentioned in the records of Big Creek Church (see Hardin County) in May 1830. In July 1831, Hopewell Church sent a request for ordained authority to help them dissolve. Little is known about this church.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST LIBRARY:
Manuscript records of Grand Pier Church; Records of the Muddy River Association; Pamphlet sketch of the life of Elder Richard Fulkerson. The History of the Regular Baptists in Southern Illinois by Elder Achilles Coffey has been republished by our library and is available to be purchased from us.
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