We have lately received, through the politeness of Col. Richardson, the Census of 1850, or Statistics of the United States. To us it is an invaluable work, and we intend to resort to it frequently for the benefit of our renders. The following, relative to the churches in Pike in 1850, will be interesting : Baptist - 5 Churches - 1,290 Members Christian - 2 Churches - 300 Members Congregational - 2 Churches - 700 Members Free - 1 Church - 400 Members Methodist - 4 Churches- 1,200 Members Presbyterian - 2 Churches- 550 Members Total - 16 Churches - 1,640 Members The above, of course, does not exhibit the true state of the churches at this time.— They have advanced much within the past four years, and several have been built within that time that we know of. For instance, the Roman Catholics of this place, and the Episcopalians, have each now comfortable houses. A large meeting-house has lately been erected by the Christian denomination of Barry—so with the Baptists there—and the same is true of the Methodists and Congregationalists of Griggsville. Possibly others have latterly been erected in other places in the county that have not come under our notice. But, in any event, statistics of this kind are useful. They enable one to see how we are progressing. Pittsfield Union. Contributed by Sandi Donaldson Source: The Alton Weekly Courier(Alton, IL) March 30, 1854 Bethel Cemetery