Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Primitive Baptist Churches in Logan County, Illinois
CHURCHES:
LAKE FORK (MT. PULASKI)(1827)
Lake Fork (of Salt Creek) Church was organized on January 20, 1827, at the home of James Turley, by Elders William Kenner, Hiram Bowman, and Phillip Stevens. The charter members were James Turley, Charles Barney, James Scott, Carter Scroggin, Agnes Turley, Margaret Turley, and Phebe Scroggin. James Turley, the pioneer settler in the township, was chosen the first clerk.
Pastors included Elders Hiram Bowman (twice), Charles Harper, Michael Mann (for over 30 years), John H. Myers, and James H. Ring. Elders L. O. Davis and John C. Montgomery preached often for the church after 1889. Elders Charles Harper, Stephen Hukill, Hiram Bowman, Benjamin F. Davis, Michael Mann, John L. Ludwick, Joseph Richardson, Phillip Stevens, John B. Moore, and James H. Ring were all members of this church.
The church united with the Sangamon Association, and hosted the annual meeting in 1835, 1847, 1857, 1865, 1880, 1883, 1888 (held at friend Abram Lucas' grove), and 1898 (held at friend Charles Anderson's grove).
The earliest records state that the church met "at Lake Fork," but do not give an exact location. In March 1828, the church agreed to purchase the house where Boston Finders now lives. In April 1828 the church voted to "make a subscription for the purpose of raising corn to pay for said meeting house." In June 1831 the church selected a one-acre site near a spring on Bro. Copeland's land, which he deeded to the church on which to build a meeting house. In November 1831 the church agreed to sell the old house and use the proceeds toward building a new meeting house. In April 1841 the church agreed to move the meeting house to some convenient place to answer the purpose of a meeting house and a school house. In July 1856 the church agreed to build a new meeting house (the third); it was sufficiently completed to have the seats and pulpit installed by November 1857. The church met in the Copeland School during the winter of 1856-1857. In July 1868 the church agreed to move this meeting house to a place near the residence of Bro. Jacob L. Mann and wife, who in January 1870 gave the church a deed for the new plot of ground. It was located on the south side of the intersection of three roads in Section 1 of Township 17 North.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Ashhurst, Baldwin, Barney, Benson, Billings, Birkes, Bowman, Broadway, Burks, Burns, Campbell, Cast, Cheatham, Clayton, Collins, Copeland, Core, Curtis, Cutright, Davis, Deatherage, Dotson, Edwards, Elder, Finders, Foster, Friend, Gibson, Girtmon, Harper, Houston, Hukill, Landis, Lane, Lee, Lucas, Luckett, Ludwick, Lykins, Lynn, Mann, Martin, McLean, Metcalf, Milham, Mills, Moore, Peale, Piper, Ralston, Rankin, Reaves, Reed, Richardson, Ring, Roberts, Robertson, Scott, Scroggin, Shiver, Simpson, Skinner, Stevens, Taylor, Tipton, Tolbert, Turley, Turner, Turpin, Wade, Ward, Welch, Wheeland.
BIG GROVE (ATLANTA)(1830)
Big Grove Church was organized, at Atlanta, on August 14, 1830, with fourteen charter members, by Elders Hiram Bowman and Michael Mann. The church united with the Sangamon Association in September 1833, at which time it reported 17 members. Its meetings may have been held over the county line into McLean County, part of the time.
In July 1836, Elder Hiram Bowman moved his membership to Henderson Church, and in October 1837 Elder Michael Mann is named as moderator. Minutes (from a film of the part of the church which favored missions) dated August 1838, record the choice of a pastor who was favorable to the modern mission system. It is believed that this caused a division in the church, but little is known of the details of the trouble. Big Grove Church was still active in 1856, as several members were dismissed at that time to organize a new church at Highland Center, Iowa.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Atchison, Badger, Biggs, Bobbitt, Bowman, Cartwright, Dickerson, Francis, Hedges, Hoblit, Houchins, Howell, Johnson, Leggett, Long, McCormick, Miller, Rogers, Smith, Stevens, Vanwinkle, Wilcox (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
LEBANON (LINCOLN)(1853)
Lebanon Church was located in a scenic spot southwest of Lincoln - down Cemetery Hill and across a covered bridge at the bottom of the hill, then a short distance, turn right, and go about two miles on the Rocky Ford Road to the church. The church was organized in 1853, but the church records have not been located. Five members were dismissed in May 1853 from Lake Fork Church to go into the constitution, viz.: William Rankin, Jane Rankin, David P. Lee, Sarah Lee, and John Reed.
This church became a member of the Sangamon Association, soon after it was organized, and remained part of that body as long as the church existed. It hosted the association in 1882, 1894, 1901, and 1914.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Baldwin, Bateman, Baughn, Bond, Bowman, Campbell, Case, Coffman, Core, Dorman, Farris, Fleming, Green, Harris, Hendell, Humphrey, Lee, Lucas, Miller, Montgomery, Osborne, Piper, Putnam, Rankin, Reed, Rosebrough, Smith, Sparks, Trunton, Vann (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED RESOURCES IN THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST LIBRARY:
Minutes of the Sangamon Association; records of Lake Fork Church.
OBITUARY OF ELDER MICHAEL MANN
Elder Michael Mann departed this life, May 31, 1866. He was born in Pennsylvania, October 4, 1790, removed to Ohio when very young, was married October 5, 1809, became a Baptist at about that time, and commenced preaching shortly afterward, and moved to Sangamon Co., Ill., in 1828; remained near Springfield about eight years and then moved to Logan Co., where he remained until his death. He has been pastor of Lake Fork church more than thirty years, and that church has lost a father in the gospel. His firmness in the doctrine of Christ, and his fatherly care for the welfare of the saints generally, and prompt attendance has not been surpassed, in the judgment of any who knew him. He leaves a widow and eight children, a number of grandchildren, with many dear friends to mourn their loss; but we mourn not as they who have no hope. His daily walk and conversation have secured to him a name that will be remembered in many years to come. - Elder John H. Myers (copied from the Signs of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 19, p. 151, October 1, 1866.)
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