BLOOMING GROVE CHURCH

BLOOMING GROVE CHURCH

Pictures and history donated by Kyle Shoultz

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Church History

In the State of Illinois in Hamilton County on April 19, 1850 some brethren of the Ten Mile Baptist Church sat in council at the school near Anderson Daily's home. A grant was received from the Ten Mile church that we be constituted into an independent body. A motion proceeded to call a presbytery, to wit--Elders: R. Lee, R. Shirley and C. R. Pitman.

At the may 1850 meeting the record certifies that on May 19 the undersigned presbytery presented themselves for constitution and examination and were pronounced orthodox according to the faith of the United Baptist Denomination—Elder Lee, Elder C. R. Pitman, Elder R. Shirley, and Deacon J. A. Ingram.

The first building was completed in 1850 and Elder R. Shirley was called as the first pastor. Mr. Daily, a hardware merchant in McLeansboro, donated nails for the privilege of naming the church, Blooming Grove, for his native community in Kentucky.

The first meeting house was completed in March 1850 at the cost of $65.00. The house, said to be log, was located in the cemetery grounds and also served as a school.

The first Deacons were Lofton Echols, Johon Echols, P. M. Echols, Pressley Maulding, A. D. Bettes, F. Daily, and William Henson Trustees were: Levi Daily, W.A. Compton, A.D. Bettes and William Daily. Discipline consisted of Lofton Echols, John W. Echols, Pressley Maulding, A.D. Bettes, and T. Daily. W.M. Maulding was the church clerk. The collection was small in the early years, averaging from $0.50 to $1.00 each meeting, which usually was held monthly.

In January 1867, the second building, (above) a frame house, was constructed near the front of the present cemetery. A Sabbath school was added in 1869 and an organ was admitted in 1862.

In 1905 a third building was built across from the cemetery on top of the hill. (pictured below) For 66 years this structure, know as Blooming Grove, served its congregation. During this time improvements included a basement, hardwood floors, Baptistry, educational annex and air-conditioning.

Inside the church in 1957

On January 16, 1971 the building was destroyed by fire, and for the first time in its 121 years there was no meeting place on the hill. Services were held the day after the fire and the following three months in the Senior Citizen Center in McLeansboro. The educational wing of the new building was ready for Easter Sunday, April 11, 1971- The new structure has several class rooms, kitchen, reception hall, nursery, restrooms and large auditorium. In 1978 an additional wing was added with more classrooms and a library. This addition gave the building a "T" shape with the auditorium in the front.

Inside the church in 1978

Additional Information

The church has 3 Bells. Lower bell on the outdoor bell tower is the original purchased in 1900.

Top bell on bell tower is from Belle City M.E. Church and was purchased in 1971 for a price of $50.00 and is still rang on Sunday mornings.

Bell in Belfry/Steeple (enclosed-not visible) was given to the Church in 1971 by Marie Cullins and it was believed to be in the very first Blooming Grove building in 1850 and, after that, in the Elm Grove School House just west of Blooming Grove.

Mastin Bond's Millstone (lower on bell tower)

The buhr stone on the bell tower is said to have come from the gristmill of Mastin Bond, early settler of Hamilton County. This stone was used as a step for the first log church building. It was separated from the church at one point but found it’s way back to the church in the 1940’s after being found in a feedlot of George Rawls. It laid in the churchyard until the completion of the new building and tower.

DECEDANTS OF LOFTON ECHOLS

Mr. Echols built the table (pictured below) in the 1850’s around the time the Blooming Grove Church was founded. After being refinished and rededicated, the table is now in the back of the Church Auditorium along with the Church quest register.