Missionary Baptist Claims Regarding
Bankston's Fork Church and Elder Wilson Henderson
Regarding Bankston's Fork Church
History of the Franklin Association, 1880, by W. P. Throgmorton, pp. 228-229.
Throgmorton's history, pages 228-229, says, "BANKSTON'S FORK. This church was organized in July, 1854, with about twenty-five members. The following were in the council: Elders W. S. Allen and Edmund Vincent and Bros. T. M. Cook, H. Goldsborough, J. Holland, E. Hampton, J. Dodds, William A. Harris, J. E. Russell, Alva Hampton, J. C. Ozment, and W. D. Russell. This body is located about six miles west of Harrisburg. Though first a member of the Franklin association, it now belongs to Big Saline.
Regarding Elder Wilson Henderson
Harvestime on the Prairie, 1996, by Myron D. Dillow, pages 48-52.
Wilson Henderson --- One of the controversial and little-noted, but influential, pioneer preachers and Revolutionary War veterans was Wilson Henderson (1762-1847).... Before coming to Illinois, Henderson moved first to Overton County, Tennessee, where he resided for about three years. Then he moved to Allen County, Kentucky, where he stayed for about three more years. After that he moved to Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, sometime between 1807 and 1808. Here he joined the Hazel Creek Baptist Church and was ordained as a United Baptist minister on June 8, 1808. He became the first pastor of the Cypress Baptist Church.... He moved to Illinois about 1818, and entered at the Shawneetown Land office, Gallatin County, Illinois, on April 2, 1819, for 160 acres of land, west of the present town of Harrisburg and north of Carrier Mills.... He participated in organizing the Bankston Fork Baptist Church (then Gallatin County) in Saline County between 1818 and 1820.... Henderson was an organizer. He and the Bankston Fork Church participated in the organization of the Muddy River Baptist Association on October 20, 1820, at the Bankston Fork Church. Wilson Henderson was elected moderator; John Wren was elected clerk.... Some years later Henderson, a United Baptist minister, became involved in the mission controversy and was kicked out of the association he had helped to organize because of his missionary alignment. He had organized some churches like Bankston Fork with a "fifth article": "We believe in the doctrine of election by grace" as opposed to "We believe in man's impotency to recover himself from the fallen state he is in by nature of his own free will and ability." ... Sometime during 1833 or 1834, Henderson decided to form a new association. He led in organizing the "United Baptist Union Association." Although no minutes of this association have been discovered, references to it appear in the Little River Association of Kentucky (1834, 1836-1839), and the Muddy River Baptist Association in 1836. According to Nelson's and Harrelson's research, some of the churches which doubtless affiliated with the United Baptist Union Association included Bankston Fork, Block House Creek, Big Bay Creek, Big Creek, Union, and Mill Creek. The United Baptist Union Association was apparently short-lived. These churches either disbanded or became affiliated with the Franklin Baptist Association in 1841-1842 or later. ... Henderson affiliated with missionary Baptists for most of his latter years, believing that men are saved by grace through faith plus nothing else. But during his last days, as an old man and perhaps weary with fighting with his brethren, Henderson left Bankston Fork Church and joined the Bethel Creek Regular Baptist Church. Why he took this action is uncertain. But in June 1846, the minutes of the Bethel Creek Church relate that "Elder Wilson Henderson was received by recantation." About a year later, May 1847, the Bethel Creek Church officially reordained Wilson Henderson - the venerable old veteran who had assisted in organizing many of the churches and the Muddy River Association! Four months after this action, Henderson wrote his last will and testament, September 12, 1847. Sometime between September and November 1847, he died. Achilles Coffey related the following: Elder Wilson Henderson was also an early pioneer in this then wilderness country. He zealously labored and assisted in the constituting of some of the first churches in Southern Illinois. He was especially gifted in experimental religion. He died in the triumphs of a living faith. Just before he expired, he requested that the author (Achilles Coffey) of this work preach his funeral, which he did, to a large congregation at a stand erected for that purpose, in the shade of his beautiful orchard. This untiring pilgrim was usually known by the appellation of Daddy Henderson, and . . . he was dearly beloved by all who knew him. ... On November 28, 1983, Wilson Henderson was ceremoniously moved from the old farm site to the Bankston Fork Baptist Church cemetery. An appropriate memorial marker was made possible by the Henderson family and private donations. The inscription reads:
ELDER WILSON HENDERSON, Pioneer Baptist Minister, born 30 Oct 1762, Person Co., N.C. Married Sarah Frost. Served as Sergeant in Rev. War. Moved into Ill. in 1818. Helped in organizing the following churches and associations: Bankston's Fork, Bethel's Creek, Ten Mile Creek, Lick Creek, Middle Fork of Saline River, Blockhouse Creek, Union (now Raleigh FBC), Muddy River Baptist Association, 1820, and the United Baptist Union of Ill., 1834. He died in the fall of 1847 and was buried on his farm. His grave was moved to this site Nov. 28, 1983.
A dedication service was conducted for Wilson Henderson on June 28, 1983, at the Bankston Fork Baptist Church (ca. 1820), Saline County, west of Harrisburg. Baptist preachers and historians Ronald L. Nelson and Ralph S. Harrelson led in the dedication service of this pioneer soldier and preacher.
Minutes of the Bankston Fork Baptist Church 1854-1931. 1985. Doris Nelson. Contains documented record of Wilson Henderson born in 1762 son of Edward Henderson. Copyright by Ronald L. Nelson, P.O. Box 179, Elizabethtown, IL 62931.
