Some Facts Regarding Richland Creek Church
and the Origin of the Emancipation Baptists in Illinois
Quotations showing the claims of Missionary Baptist historians regarding Richland Creek Church
Richland Creek Church first met as an arm of New Design Church as early as June 14, 1806, at the home of William L. Whiteside. It was organized as a separate church on September 12, 1807. Elders Joseph Chance, Robert Brazil, and Edward Ratcliff signed the constitution of the church, which took place at the home of Brother Isaac Enochs, one of the first four people baptized in Illinois territory. Richland Creek Church joined the Illinois Association, at its second session, in the fall of 1807. The earliest members included (males): Larkin Rutherford, James Lemen Sr., Joseph Lemen, Robert Lemen, Anthony Badgley, William Kinney, Isaac Enochs, John Capps, John J. Whiteside, Davis Whiteside, William L. Whiteside, John Steel, James Mason, Aaron Robinson, John Philips, Jacob Ogle, Benjamin Ogle, and (females): Mary Kinney, Elizabeth Luster, Polly K. Lemen, Hetty Lemen, Jean Mason, Ann Lemen, Medusa Mather, Sarah Enochs, Patience Basye, Elizabeth Badgley, Catherine Lemen, Susanna Rutherford, Sally G. Whiteside, Ann Whiteside, Clarissa Stout, Catherine Steel, Sally Shook, Margaret Philips, Hannah Miller, Anne Messenger, and Ann Simpson.Richland Creek Church was located on the northwest corner of the present John Messenger Cemetery plot on the Old Collinsville Road, about two miles north of Belleville. The cemetery is still used. In later years the church building was used as a school house, but no trace remains now.
In December 1809 the church split. The Minutes of the Association for 1830 give an account of the proceedings, as follows: "'James Lemen, Sr., (now dead) who, it is well known, was the leader and founder of the people called Friends to Humanity, was a member of the Association when the above rule was adopted. All things appeared to be peaceable and in order until 1809, when said Lemen gave distress to the brethren of Richland Creek Church, in which he was a member, and was taken under dealings by said church which then belonged to the Association; and while the church was investigating the several charges against him, he rent himself from the church and refused to be dealt with by her, and drew a part of the members with him, some of whom now are known and ever have been amongst the leaders of that people. And as further evidence that they went out or rent off from us, we quote the following extract from the records of said church: 'The Baptist church of Christ at Richland Creek, met according to appointment on Saturday the 9th of September, 1809, Bro. Best Moderator. First, - The business of the day to choose delegates to the Association. Second. - To exclude Brother James Lemen, Sr., for rending himself from the church and drawing a party with him, and other accusations too tedious to mention, and lay under censure all those who justify his conduct. Signed by order of the church. John Philips, clerk.' Also, 'The Baptist church of Christ met according to appointment on the second Saturday in October, 1810. Brother Samuel Best, Moderator. We the members of Richland Creek church have been accused of excommunicating Brother Lemen for the principles of emancipation, and in order to show the world and to convince him that we did not, we lay the excommunication of Brother Lemen down and set him on the same footing that he was before - that is, we hold him under censure for some distress which is not occasioned by the aforesaid principles which have not been removed. Signed by order of the Church, William Kinney, clerk.'"
Richland Creek Church continued to meet until at least 1864, at which time it reported 13 members in the minutes of the Illinois Association. Elders William Kinney, Joseph Chance, Thomas Deremiah, John C. Simmons, and Gideon Simpson were all members of this church, and most of them probably served as pastors here.
Copyright c. 2008. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
