A Sketch History of Primitive Baptist Churches in Wisconsin

Early Settlement of Wisconsin

"Wisconsin Territory" was separated from "Michigan Territory," and the first session of the territorial government met at Belmont, in Lafayette County, in 1836. Later sessions of the territorial legislature convened at Burlington, Iowa. Wisconsin, the "Badger State," became the 30th State, in May 1848, and Madison became the permanent Capitol. Most of the early inhabitants of the territory lived in the lead mining region in southwestern Wisconsin.

Primitive Baptist Pioneers in Wisconsin

Most of the first Primitive Baptists in this state came to southwestern Wisconsin to work in the lead mines. As a result, at least five churches were organized in the counties along the southern border of the state, prior to Wisconsin statehood. Several ministers were pioneer settlers in Wisconsin.

Elder Darius Bainbridge was living eight miles from Snake Hollow (a place on the Mississippi River where steamboats landed) and was the pastor of Bethel Church, in Grant County, by July 1841, when the First Northwestern Association was organized. In September 1842, the First Northwestern Association was held at Bethel meeting house near his home.

Elder Benjamin Sallee (b. 1815) came to southern Wisconsin during the 1830's to work in the lead mines, and he states that "about the year 1840, two Primitive Baptists came to where I lived, and held some meetings; and during these meetings, it pleased the good Lord to awaken me to a sense of my duty."

Elder Thomas Davey (1820-1906) was born in Devonshire, England, and died at Delavan, Wisconsin. He came to Wisconsin in 1844 and settled near Elk Grove. He later lived at Warren, then Lena, Illinois. He first joined Bethlehem Church near Platteville; at the end of his life his membership was in Providence Church near Lena, Illinois.

Elder James Gholson, of North Fork Church, Hamilton Co., Ill., came to Jo Daviess Co., Ill., in 1844, and united with Little Flock Church near Scales Mound in 1845. He soon moved to Lafayette Co., Wis. He worked in the lead mines at New Diggings, as possibly others places. He died in 1850.

Elder Joseph D. Wilcox had moved to Milton, Rock County, Wisconsin, by 1845, as he is shown as an agent of the Signs of the Times, from Wisconsin, in 1845. "The First Old School Baptist Church of Centre" met in his home, in Milton.

Elder Titus Bishop (1787-1862) moved to Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin, in about 1847, where he spent the last fifteen years of his life. In 1849 he was living at Alcove, Wis., and was walking 76 miles each month and preaching twice each week. He later lived at Eden in the same county. There may have been Primitive Baptist churches in that area.

Elder Robert Jeffers (1786-1861) was a native of Kentucky, and was baptized in Cane Run Church in that state by Elder John W. Thomas; he was ordained and preached there for about ten years before coming to Crawford Co., Ill. He came to Wisconsin in 1846, and helped establish a church at Beloit the same year. In 1852 he moved to Lafayette Co., Wis., where he died in 1861. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.

Elder Andrew J. Norton (1818-1898), united with Little Village Church, Crawford County, Ill., March 21, 1838. He moved to Beloit, Wis., in 1846; from there to Scales Mound, Ill., in 1852; then to Lafayette Co., Wis., in 1853. He moved Hampton, Iowa, 1869, and helped establish West Fork Church in 1871.

Elder John Butler (1817-1886), was born in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, reared in Muskingum Co., and joined Licking Church in about 1838, and was baptized by Elder Thomas Harper. He moved to Green Co., Wis., in the fall of 1845. He was ordained by Honey Creek Church soon after he came to Wisconsin. He was a charter member of Honey Creek Church, and remained a member there until he moved to Iowa. He died May 27, 1886.

Elder William Stillwell came as an infant, with his parents, to Green Co., Wis., in the spring of 1840. In 1876 he joined Honey Creek Church. In the fall of 1880 he moved to Iowa.

In the Spring of 1869, Elder Lemuel Potter took a trip to Wisconsin for the sake of his wife's health; and during the six to eight weeks of their stay, he held services at Woodstock, in Richland County. There was interest in organizing a church, so he made a trip of three or four days, trying to find a preacher to serve them, but failing to do so, he returned to his home in southern Illinois.

The First Northwestern Association

According to a letter from Mr. John B. Kaufman, published in the Signs of the Times, in early 1842, The First Northwestern Association was organized in the Fall of 1841, in Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, with three or four churches. Mr. Kaufman wrote that the association was favorable to the benevolent institutions of the day, and that some of its members were rank abolitionists. In 1848, the association declared non-fellowship for Elder John P. Parsons, as a gospel minister, and in his acts in the constitution of the association. (John P. Parsons caused trouble by accepting an appointment of the Home Mission Board of the Mission System; we have copies of his appointments in our files.) By 1846 there were five churches in this association; by 1848 there were nine. The churches were located in Jo Daviess, Stephenson, and Ogle counties in Illinois; and in Rock, Grant, Green, and Lafayette counties in Wisconsin. The locations of two churches have not yet been determined, viz., Kentuck's Grove and Zion.

According to a letter from Ann Saltzman, published in the Christian Doctrinal Advocate, the First Northwestern Association was organized by four churches, all of which had been constituted within the past two years, one in Grant County, Wisconsin Territory, and the other three in JoDaviess County, Illinois. She says it was organized in July 1841.

This page maintained by: Robert Webb - (bwebb9@juno.com)