Text from Nathaniel S. Haynes, History of the Disciples in Illinois 1819-1914, pages 427 - 434.
online edition © 1997, James L. McMillan.
Baily.
Organized 1867, by Jas. A. Chowning; present membership, 65; value of property, $1,000.
For eighteen years this congregation met for worship in residences, groves and school-houses. In 1885 a chapel was built on the farm of Daniel Logan.
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To the ministry this little congregation has given Daniel Logan, Samuel and Charles L. Wood. The latter is reported as a strong and effective preacher and a member now (1913) of the State Legislature.
Beech Bluff (Fairfield).
Organized 1912, by Wylie H. Keen; present membership, 26; no church property; Bible-school enrollment, 70.
This congregation, located about six miles southeast of Fairfield, is one of its children.
Black Oak (Fairfield).
Organized 1909; no church building.
This is a mission point of the Fairfield Church. It is six miles east and north of there. It was organized with forty-five members and did well for several years. Then a traveling preacher of the ultra-conservatives came in and measurably crippled its usefulness.
Boyleston.
Organized 1890; va1ue of property, $800.
This is a child of the Fairfield Church; six miles west. In this small village five denominations sought to control. The house was completed in 1892 and the little church promised good until an ultra-conservative preacher came in and divided them.
Buckeye (Jeffersonville).
Organized 1840; present membership, 85; value of property, $500; Bible school began 1869; present enrollment, 73.
In 1839 a number of families emigrated from Columbiana Carroll and Stark Counties, Ohio, and settled in Lamard Prairie. All of these were Disciples. Among them there were Jesse Milner, Isaac and Edward Whitaker, Jonas and Fentore Lumm, John Morlan, Martin Emmons, Noah Towns, James McNeeley, John Skelton, James A. Maslan and Townsend Richards. About the same time a few families
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came from Tennessee and settled in the same neighborhood. Among them were the Butcher and Candle families, Edward Puckett and others, who were also members of the Christian Church. At that time Lamard Prairie was very sparsely settled, there being only a few squatters there. There was neither church nor school near this settlement. The first work of these settlers was to locate their homes, build their houses and clear up a little land for cultivation. Their next work was to build a house that would answer the double purpose of school and church. They called this house "Buckeye," and it still stands as a memorial of those royal pioneers. It is not now known all who went into this church, but among them were a number of preachers who did good work in establishing the primitive gospel in this and adjoining counties. Buckeye was indeed a glorious and fruitful mother. About thirty ministers have served here.
The chapel was built in 1871.
In 1850-52 another large immigration came from central Ohio and settled in the western part of Lamard Township. Among them were Isaac and George Brock and John Bunting. The two last named were preachers who helped much in building up the Christian Church.
Cisne.
Organized 1854 by Peter Stine and George Brock; present membership, 150; value of property, $2,500: Bible school began 1878; present enrollment, 140.
This church was organized at the Way School-house, where it met until 1874, when it moved to Cisne. The house was built the previous year.
George Brock, Peter and Stephen Stine, J. C. Ashley, Michael and John Flick and others came from Monroe County, Ohio, in the forties and early fifties and settled near the site of Cisne. They were all Disciples. They all knew the Bible. Many of them carried a copy of the New Testament in their pockets and were prepared to give a "thus saith the Lord" for all doctrinal questions. They wielded a
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molding influence in the community and left a rich legacy to their posterity.
Oscar Eaton entered the ministry here.
The congregation has steadfastly discouraged all games of amusement.
Fairfield.
Organized 1853, by J. C. Ashley; present membership, 320; value of property, $5,000; Bible school began 1878; present enrollment, 225.
The beginning of the record is this:
The names of the members of the Church of God in Fairfield Wayne County, Illinois. The following named persons met and organized upon the Word of God alone as the only Rule of Faith and Practice, constituted this the 18th day of October, A. D. 1853. Minister present, Elder J. C. Ashley. Names of Disciples: William McNeely appointed Deacon, Sampson Wickersham, George W. Turney, J. M. Kenner, America Kenner, Cyntha Ann Edmonson, Antha Wickersham, Bridget E. McNeely, James T. Organ, James Austin, R. P. King, Parlia Ann Ayles, Virginia Spooner, Edwin A. Spooner Ermess Organ, Charles Lichtenberger and Jane his wife.
Meetings for worship were held in residences, courthouse, opera-hall and Cumberland Presbyterian Church until 1883, when a building was erected.
Harry Holmes and J. C. Hall were given to the ministry.
This church has been exceptionally wise in establishing three congregations in its adjacent territory. It is still fruitful in all good works.
Frame (Mill Shoals).
Organized 1842; present membership, 65; value of property, $1,000; Bible-school enrollment, 60.
About 1842 a few Disciples from Tennessee settled in and around Turney's Prairie, about six miles south of Fairfield, and formed a congregation in the Walker School-house. This is now known as Frame. Some of the charter members were William Boye, P. J. and Thomas Puckett, Joseph Odell, John Shruseberry and Anderson Walker. They toiled
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together and met great opposition in building up primitive Christianity in their community.
Jeffersonville.
Organized 1861, by D. D. Miller; present membership, 83; value of property, $1,600; Bible school began 1871; present enrollment, 98.
The church was organized in the school-house and set in order when the house of worship was occupied in 1871. At this time, Jasper Branch, Jesse Ward and John Morlan were chosen elders and continued for many years true servants of the Lord.
The church has the honorable credit of giving to the ministry the Lappin brothers--S. S., J. C. and W. O. Lappin--also Daniel Logan, Jr.
Keenes.
Organized 1911.
Middleton (Keenes).
Present membership, 85; Bible-school enrollment, 100.
Mount Erie.
Organized 1911 , by O. M. Eaton; present membership, 52; value of property, $1,800; Bible school began 1911; present enrollment, 125.
This congregation was the result of a series of meetings held by Evangelist O. M. Eaton. The church building was erected in 1912. I. G. Williams is serving the church as minister.
Oakwood (Goldengate).
Organized 1895; present membership, 130; value of property, $2,000; Bible school began 1908; present enrollment, 250.
A congregation was organized in a barn in the village of Goldengate. The ministers present and participating were Z. A. Harris, H. H. Peters and C. L. Wood. Meetings for public worship were held in the public-school house, which after a time was closed against the Disciples. The congregation,
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being then without a house in which to meet, disbanded. In 1908, Min. I. G. Williams held a meeting in the Oakwood School-house, two and a half miles north of the village, and in the same year Min. W. H. Keen organized a congregation there. A good chapel was built.
Pleasant Grove (Jeffersonville).
Organized 1854, by J. C. Ashley; present membership, 200; value of property, $1,000; Bible school began 1870.
This congregation was a swarm from the old Buckeye hive. It is four miles west of Buckeye and was formed for the convenience of the members residing in the community and for the purpose of extending the gospel. Among the charter members there were George and Isaac Brock, Joseph Phillips, Townsend and Sylvester Richards, George Simmons, Robinson Lappin, Henry Henthorn and Jesse Ward.
This church is apostolic in its faith and practice. From the first there have been men in the congregation able to speak to edification. It has turned out a good many preachers, but not of the professional class. It has preaching one Sunday in the month, but the communion service has not been omitted ten times in fifty years, except on unusual occasions. Quietly and without discord, the work has moved steadily on through fifty years. A goodly number of the men and women who received their Christian training in this country church are now scattered from Ohio to the Pacific Coast, but they are in the front ranks of useful service.
A plain frame chapel, built in 1866, is still in use. About fifty preachers have served here.
Pleasant Hill (Cisne).
Organized 1873; present membership, 65; value of property, $1,000; Bible-school enrollment, 60.
This congregation is located four miles northeast of Cisne. There was preaching in the community from 1855 by Ministers Schooley, Jerry Butcher and Barney Robertson. When the chapel was built, the church was organized with
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about twenty charter members. Meets every Lord's Day for worship with or without a preacher.
Rinard.
Organized 1909, by E. E. Violett and Adam K.Adcock; present membership, 40; value of property, $1,700; Bible school began 1909; present enrollment, 48.
Church building occupied in 1910.
S. E. Fugate has entered the ministry.
Six Mile.
This is one of the oldest churches in the west side of the county. Willard T. Luther, Wm. Hill, H. Swan, Rose Rich and others did the early preaching. But its growth was due to John Wright, the first elder, and Samuel Wood, a young man and one of the first converts. Besides Samuel Wood, the congregation has sent out Charles L. Wood and W. W. Solomon as ministers.
Turney's Prairie.
Organized 1839, by Moses and Elijah Goodwin; value of property, $1,200, Bible school began 1845.
This congregation was formed at the Anderson Walker School-house. It is not known when the first house of worship was built. The present is a neat frame chapel, where the members meet regularly.
J. T. Purvis has entered the ministry.
Wayne City.
Organized 1887, by J. S. Rose; present membership, 125; value of property, $1,200; Bible school began 1888; present enrollment, 70.
The congregation was organized in the M. E. Church. There were sixty charter members. J. M. Lee, J. C. Ashley and W. W. Reid were chiefly instrumental in the formation of the church, and its first elders.
There is a ladies' aid and Y. P. S. C. E.
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Zif (Clay City).
Organized 1878, by J. C. Black and W. W. Weedon; present membership, 42; value of property, $1,000; Bible school began 1878; present enrollment, 31.
Congregation met in residences and schoolhouse till the chapel was built in 1896.
In former years there were churches at Barnhill, from which came W. W. Weedon;
Gum, that gave W. M. Garrison and Leander Harrington to the ministry;
at Brown's, at Blue Point, at Brush Creek, at Pleasant Hill, at Gethsemane and other points, but by reason of emigration and new congregations springing up in new villages grown by railroads, all these organizations have disappeared.
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