Untitled Document

THE CHURCHES.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1853, in the district school-house near the village of Orion. The following persons were among its first members: John McHenry, Mary McHenry, Henry Kyle, Mary Kyle and Eliza J. McWhinney. The exact membership is not known. The first regular appointed minister to this class was Rev. G. W. Brown: then came H. J. Humphrey. James Sheldon, J. N. Bartells. John Grundy. J. W. Odell, G. M. Morey, T. Hoagland. T. Head, P. Warner, H. C. King. J. Q. Adams and E. N. Bentley, present pastor. They held their meetings in the school-house until the year 1867. when they erected a church costing about S3.500. The membership has increased to about sixty. The Sabbath school numbers nearly seventy scholars.

The following persons are trustees, and have held their position since its first regular organization : J. A. Jordan. H. J. Jordan. Edmond Bell, John McHenry. Henry Kyle and Clawson States.

The Rev. F. M. Chaffee is the first resident presiding elder of the M. E. Church of Henry County, residing in the district parsonage built at Orion in 1873. and valued at 83.000.

The Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church was organized November 21.1843, at the house of V. W. Washburn, in Colona Township. This was the first Baptist Church organized in the county, and was the result of the missionary labors of Rev. Thomas Powell. At its organization the fol lowing persons united: Luke C. and Mrs. Mary A. Sheldon, from the Baptist Church of Sheffield, Connecticut, V. W. and Mrs. Elizabeth W. Washburn from the Baptist Church of Springfield, Mass. These four persons constituted the charge. Until 1856 the pastors were Rev. O. Adams. E. Fisher. J. W. Dennison. Robert Jordan. F. Ketchum and A. G. Eberhart. In 1856 Rev. William Talbott. from Cambridge, preached one-fourth of the time in the school-house about four miles northwest of Orion. Nine years after they commenced to hold services in Orion in the school-house. Rev. A. Edson was pastor. He was succeeded by Revs. T. Sheppard, C. T. Emmerson and the present pastor, Rev. J. C. Lewis. One year after coming to Orion they erected a house of worship, at a cost of $5,000. There are now about fifty members. The Sunday- school was organized about twenty years ago, and now enrolls about eighty scholars.

The United Brethren (Eden) Church

Located on section 16. in Western Township, and was organized in the year 1867. Meetings, however, had been held about a year previous under the charge of the Rev. St. Clair Ross and the Rev. D. F. Bair. At the organization twenty-eight persons united, and from these A. Norman, H. D. Keel and W. M. Cessna were chosen trustees.

Shortly after the organization they erected their church at an expense of $2,000. Services are held here each alternate Sabbath. The names of the pastors of this congregation are as follows: Revs. St. Clair Ross, E. Godfrey. P. R. Adams. W. B. Shinn : Rev. S. P. Davis is the present pastor. The circuit of this minister includes this church and those of Plainfield, Swedona and a class at Oak Ridge.

The Swedish Lutheran Church

Organized May 26, 1870, with a membersliip of thirty persons, among whom were W. C. Snider, Jonas P. Petterson, A. P. Larson, Andrew Petterson, A. Rost, C. Ericson, C. M. Lindwall. J. P. Carlson, J. A. Petterson, G. Haglund, and others. Rev. Victor Setterdahl has been located here as pastor since its commencement. They now number two hundred and seventy-five communicants. They held their meetings in the Baptist Church until 1871, when they erected a commodious'house costing $4,500. The Sabbath-school is generally well attended.

This congregation, in addition to their church, own a parsonage and church-yard.

History of Henry County

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Illinois Ancestors

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