Jasper County, Missouri - Chapter 16: Churches and Societies, 1912

The Congregational Church - The Methodist Church (South) - Grace Episcopal Church - The Swedish Church - C<xx)red Churches - The Methodist Church (North) - ^Presbyterian and Baptist Churches - Red Ribbon Movement - ^E[nights op Pythias - The I. 0. 0. F. Lodges - The Masons - Carthage Light Guard - The Carthage Pioneer Club,

The year 1870 found Carthage with four organized churches - ^the Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist and Episcopalian. During the next decade five more churches were established and one more was in course of formation. We present here a sketch, of the religious work of Carthage during the decade of the 'seventies.

On the first Wednesday in January, 1870, twelve people met in council in one of the churches of Carthage. When a company of Christians desire to form a Congregational church they adopt their constitution and send invitations to two or more of the nearest Congregational churches which elect a delegate who, with the pastor, responds to the invitation. When the delegation meet they examine the articles of faith the church has prepared and, if found consistent with the Word of Qod and the Congregational usuage, they are, by vote of this council, declared a Congregational church. The council called to meet at Carthage was composed of a delegate from the church at Neosho, Rev. C. C. Caldwell, and one from the church at Lamar, these being the only Congregational churches then organized in the southwest. This council examined the constitution «nd decided that the society should be known as a Congregational church. H. B. Fry, a graduate of Oberlin College and then the agent of the American Home Missionary Society, was chosen pastor and duly ordained. Rev. C. C. Caldwell of Lamar preaching the ordination sermon.

The sermon of the Rev. Caldwell was the last he ever delivered, having exposed himself by the long drive from Lamar to Carthage in a severe storm and dying a few days after his return home from a sickness brought on by this exposure.

church by invitation of that denomination which were then without a pastor. After occupying this building until the society secured a regular pastor they moved to the Presbyterian church, in response to an invitation published by the session of that church inviting the newly organized Episcopal and Congregational churches to worship with them until a house of worship was secured.

In January, 1872, just two years after the organization of the church work was commenced on a chapel. Rev. Pry labored the entire year with the workmen helping to build the church, writing his sermons and making his pastoral calls at night. On November 24th the church was occupied for the first time. A Sunday school was organized on December Ist and had at its first meeting on attendance of forty-one.

The congregation continued to worship in the unfinished building until 1874, when it was completed, the cost up to that time being $3,600 - $600 for the lot and $3,000 for the building.

Rev. Mr. Pry resigned the pastorate in July, 1873, and for the next six months the pulpit was filled by J. H. Harwood, special agent of the Home Missionary Society, and Prof. G. H. Ashley of Drury College. In 1874 E. P. Pales from Andover Seminary was called to fill the pastorate and during his service the membership was greatly increased. An additional room called the Tabernacle was built and at the annual meeting of 1879 the church-roll showed one hundred members.

During the spring of 1874 I. P. Gardner and family, of St. Louis, located in Carthage. Mr. Gardner was a member of the South Church having been one of the prominent workers of the Centenary church in that city. On arriving in Carthage he set about to organize a church of Southern Methodists and by his ceaseless labor got together a congregation of thirty-one who called, as their pastor, the Rev. W. Harris of Denver, Colorado. The date of formal organization was October 21, 1877.

Rev. Harris died after a year and a half of work and for a short time Rev. W. S. Woodward and Rev. J. B. Landreth filled the pulpit as supply, when Rev. Geo. H. Williamson was called and took regular charge of the church.

Mr. Williamson was a most zealous worker and a splendid Christian gentleman and soon drew about him a large congregation. The Carthage Patriot, in speaking of him, says : * * Mr. Williamson is a man of far more than passing power. His experience is wide, his sympathies true, his emotions deep, his diction pure, his voice cultivated, his Biblical study profound, and his thought clear. His utterance is unusually rapid, but his enunciation distinct. He speaks not to a class, but takes it for granted that, as Mark Twain says, 'there is a common chord of human nature running through the lives of all men, and that which is beneficial to one will not prove injurious to another.' He recognizes no classes in his work, but considers the whole earthly family as the children of God. Mr.

Williamson is too broad for a creed and too independent to be a hired man. He looks upon every man as his brother, the philosophy of his Christianity would swing inward the door of eternal felicity to all, and he speaks as one having authority and not as one who in a spirit of doubting begs permission. He deals not in pyrotechnics of oratory, and labors not even by innuendo to make himself greater than the cause he pleads for or the Master he serves. He is one in life past the mile-stone labelled 'popularity and notoriety,' but his pathetic earnestness and zeal will unconsciously win for him what is sought for by others less gifted, in vain."

On Easter Monday, 1870, the members of the Episcopal church met at the residence of W. S. Tower and organized the parish in due form. The vestry consisted of the following : William S. Judd, senior warden ; Thos. B. Martin, junior warden; Thomas M. Garland, clerk, and Amos H. Caflfee, treasurer. Rev. D. Estang Jennings, the missionary who had temporarily served the church, was elected rector. On the 12th of the year the church building which was being erected was used for the first time, although not then completed. During the next decade the following reverend gentlemen served the church as rectors : Rev. John Serbold, S. Locke and Rev. Robert Wall.

The Swedish church was organized in June, 1877, the original members being John Carlson, Harland Peterson, August Modice, 0. B. Johnson and Christian Olson. A neat little frame church was built on Mound street costing $1,100. Charles Roos was the first pastor and increased its membership to thirty-five.

The first colored church to be organized in Carthage was the Second Baptist Colored. An organization was effected during 1873. J. T. Thompson was the leading spirit in the organization. A church building was erected at a cost of $700 and the congregation at the close of the 'seventies numbered thirty-four.

Wesley Chapel M. E. (Colored) was organized in May, 1878, with twenty-five members. A. Colman was its first pastor and so zealously did he labor that $1,000 was raised for a church building.

The Methodists opened the year 1870 with the most promising future. Their new church which had just been dedicated was the best religious edifice in the city. During this year a parsonage was also built. The following pastors served the congregation during the 'seventies:

In March, 1875, this church entertained the annual conference of the denomination. During the 'seventies the Methodists was in point of numbers the strongest church in the city.

In August, 1872, Rev. John W. Pinkerton, after five years' service as pastor of the first Presbyterian church, resigned and accepted a call at lola, Kansas. During his pastorate, ninety-eight new members had been brought into the church. Rev. Hiram Hill succeeded Rev. Pinkerton as supply until October, 1873, when Rev. T. 0. Rice of Des Moines was installed as pastor and remained with the church for two years, when in May, 1875, he was obliged to resign on account of ill health.

Rev. W. S. Knight was invited to the pastorate and accepted, serving for ten years. He was greatly interested in education and was a literary power in the city.

In 1872 the Baptists sold their church edifice to the county for $8,000 and a new church was then commenced on a lot which had been donated to them by the North Carthage Land Company. The church at this time under the direction of Elder Cruther. In 1877 Rev. J. M. Smith was called to the pastorate and during his administration the church was completed and the society greatly increased in membership. Rev. Smith remained with the church for three years.

During the winter of 1877-8 a great temperance wave swept over Carthage and a society, known as the Red Ribbon Club, was organized. The club was so called in honor of Francis Murphy, the great temperance evangelist, who designated his crusades as the Red Ribbon Movement, his followers all wearing a little red ribbon as significant of their zeal for the temperance cause.

Sixteen hundred men joined the Red Ribbon Club at Carthage. The following were the first oflScers of the club : President, D. A. Morrison ; vice presidents, R. A. Cameron, J. R. Smith and M. H. Clark ; secretary, Jesse Rhodes; financial secretary, A. W. St. John; treasurer, W. H. Smith; executive committee - J. W. Campbell, W. H. Stewart, J. W. Miles, A. E. Gregory and John N. Wilson.

virtue, friendship, and in its initiatory ceremonies teaches the lesson by an exemplification of the beautiful story of Damon and Pythias. Justin H. Rathbone, the founder of the order, conceived the idea of forming this society while a country school teacher during the winter of 1859, and on February 19, 1864, while employed in the war department at Washington, called together a few of his intimate friends and read to them a ritual he had prepared and proposed the organization, hoping, through its medium, to help reunite in the bonds of friendship, the north and the south. After the dose of the war the order grew rapidly and in 1871 was established in Missouri. Fraternal Lodge No. 14 of Carthage, being organized early in 1872, with W. H. Picher as its chancellor commander.

order. Lodges from Neosho, Granby, Newtonia, Pierce City, Sarcoxie, Lamar, Midway (Jasper), Avilla and Joplin participated in the parade and there were more than four hundred Odd Fellows in line. Al Cahn was grand marshal and O. H. Travis of Springfield, orator of the day.

After the parade dinner was served in the Grove by the Carthage ladies to the visiting hosts and the following toasts were proposed and responded to : '' Our Order, ' ' Peter Myers ; * * The Day We Celebrated, ' ' L. I. Matthews; **The Sisters of Rebecca,'' R. Thornton; ** Friendship, Love and Truth," Al Cahn; *'Our Invited Brothers,'' R. F. Brooks.

After supper a dance and general good time were enjoyed at Regan's Hall and prizes were voted to the most beautiful woman, the homeliest man and the most popular Odd Fellow. Mrs. T. A. Wakefield was voted the most beautiful woman and Al Cahn captured the booby prize.

On December 18, 1871, the Carthage Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was organized, with seven charter members. During the first decade the lodge membership was increased fifty, making its membership at the close of the 'seventies, fifty-seven.

Carthage Lodge, No. 197, A. F. & A. M., continued to prosper during the 'seventies and contained upon its rolls some of the most substantial citizens. The following gentlemen served the lodge as masters during the decade : Peter Beard, 1870 ; A. H. Caflfee, 1871-2 ; Lyman J. Burch, 1873 ; Josiah Lane, 1874; John T. Ruffin, 1875-6 ; Charles C. Allen, 1877 ; Julius Cahn, 1878; Thomas Buckbee, 1879.

The patriotism of our country is symbolized by the citizen soldiery. It was the colonial volunteers in the French and Indian War who made freedom a possibility and it was the volunteer patriot of the Revolution who made it a reality. It was the American volunteers in the War of 1812 who made the United States Navy the mistress of the seas and defeated the British veteran who at Waterloo had crushed the greatest military genius of his day, ** Napoleon The Great.*' It was the Missouri volunteers under the gallant Doniphan who in the Mexican war marched eleven hundred miles across the almost uninhabited country of the southwest and gave to t*he United States a territory whose richness has added luster to the nation's greatness. It was the volunteers of both the north and the south who made the campaigns of the Civil war the most brilliant military achievements of modem times.

As the volunteers in our several wars have reflected the national spirit, so in the state does the organized militia stand for the highest type of citizenship and keeps alive the glorious memories of our military achievements.

The Carthage Light Guard was organized January 3, 1876, and for years typified the flower and chivalry of the city. The following is a list of the original members, who composed this once famous military organization: Captain, Benjamin F. Garrison; first lieutenant, Albert Cahn; second lieutenant, John A. Hardin ; first sergeant, James Degan ; second sergeant, W. K. Caffee; third sergeant, M. Lawrence; fourth sergeant, T. B. Tulle ; fifth sergeant, Eber Budlong ; corporals, L. M. Miller, C. H. Murry, W. B. Myers, Jesse Rhodes, W. B. Brobect, Chas. Brown, T. B. Haughawout, E. P. Cassell; privates. Miles Mix, C. P. Ball, Joseph W. Hall, J. B. LaForce, C. E. Mathews, Julius Mass, W. B. Farewell, R. P. Cassell, M. P. Keem, B. F. Gunneson, T. Wakefield, Warren Woodward,

Prank Chaflfee, John P. Grubb, John N. Wilson, Robert Mitchell, R. C. . Priend, Chas. 0.. Harrington, Prank Beebe, M. Wilson, C. C. Crippen, W. H. Smith, A. W. Onstott, A. T. Setterley, P. S. Yeager, Edward MUlard, Chas. Hubb, A. M. Hurty and James A. Bolen.

Until the 'nineties there was no prescribed uniform for the State Militia and each organization chose and paid for its own equipment, except the rifles which were furnished by the state and were of the same pattern as the United States army used.

The Carthage Light Guard uniform was of cadet gray and the company presented a neat appearance. Capt. Garrison was a good drill master and the company attained a high state of proficiency under his captaincy.

On July 6, 1876, a beautiful silk flag was presented to the Light Guard by the citizens of Carthage, A. L. Thomas making the presentation speech. The company gave an annual military ball on the 22nd of Pebruary and it was always the social event of the year.

Captain Garrison resigned in 1878 and was succeeded by T. B. Tuttle, who after serving as captain about two years resigned, and W. K. Caflfee was chosen his successor. Purther members of the company will be made in our chapter on the 'eighties.

On January 1 , 1878, a number of old settlers of Carthage met at the residence of A. M. Drake and formed the Carthage Pioneer Club. The first reuiiion of this society was held January 5th at the residence of J. T. RuflSns and was a very pleasant aflfair.

According to the Constitution of the club those who had been residents of Carthage for ten years were counted as pioneers and therefore included those who came to Carthage prior to January 1, 1868. The following were the members of the club who attended the first reunion : J. D. Kendrick, Elizabeth H. Kendrick, Emma E. Kendrick, Geo. Bader, Wm. HuflFer, H. H. Stewart, A. M. Drake, Sarah M. Drake, Charlie E. Dirake, Sherwood A. Drake, Harvey See, Chas. Weed, Cordelia Weed, Annie Weed, R. H. Rose, Doshea Rose, R. H. Rose, Jr., G. A. Rose, Bessie Rose, G. Blakeney, Kate Blakeney, Robert I. Blakeney, Emily P. Blakeney, John T. Blakeney, John Easton, Caroline Easton, W. H. Phelps, Lois Phelps, Maud H. Phelps, Plorence P. Phelps, M. Pearl Ruffin, Alta Ruffin, A. H. Caffee, Lacie A. Caflfee, Wardie J. Caffee, Edna E. CaflFee, Isaac N. Lamb, Sarah J. Lamb, Prank H. Lamb, Ettella Lamb, Thos. M. Garland, Alice V. Garland, Geo. E. Garland, Ada P. Garland, Willie W. Garland, Jeremiah Casey, Ellen Casey, Josiah Lane, Mary E. Lane, Leona B. Lane, Emma Lane, Joanna Lane, Jennie A. Lane, Thos. A. Wakefield, Carrie C. Wakefield, Wm. E. Wakefield, Chariie Wakefield, Pred Wakefield, G. A. Cassil, Emily Cassil, Lucy H. Cunningham, Birdie Cunningham, Esther Y. Hood, Amanda Glass, Sterling Glass, Elvira B. Kendrick, Electra A. Kendrick, Ellen Stockton, Nannie Stockton, D. J. Bliss, Bettie Bliss and Joshua Bates.

M. C. McGregor was called to the chair and E. P. Searl was chosen temporary secretary. Upon taking the chair Mr. McGregor said it was with feelings of great pleasure and pride that he consented to preside over such a gathering as this, and to meet here so many of the early settlers of our beautiful city with whom he had lived from the first of the present growth of the place called back many fond associations of the past when they all used to live in tents upon the grounds now covered by the finest city in the southwest. He said his understanding of this meeting was that it was for the purpose of meeting to perfect an organization of the old settlers of this town.

Judge Lane then stated that he was one of a committee from an organization formed in January last for the same purpose as this meeting, appointed to confer with this meeting. He went on to state that the pioneer society which he represented was organized on January 1, 1878 ; that his opinion, and that of the first organization, was that there should be but one such society and that all should act in accord in this matter ; the first organization was willing to consolidate with any organization that this meeting might perfect and adopt any suitable name, constitution and by-laws. He insisted upon but one such society.

R. H. Rose in a happy little speech of conciliatory terms poured oil on the troubled waters, by moving that a committee of five be appointed by the chair to confer with the like committee already appointed by the first organization, to the end that these ten persons might amicably adjust all differences and place matters in such a light that nothing would hincler the successful and harmonious forming of one genuine perma- nent organization of the early settlers. Mr. Rose's motion carried unanimously, and the chair appointed the following as the committee: E. W. Harper, Peter Hill, John Brownsill, Mrs. I. N. Lamb and A. B. Parkell. The committee from the prior organization consisted of Josiah Lane, R. H. Rose, Amos Caflfee, M. M. James and W. H. Phelps.

At a meeting of the Pioneer Club held a few days later they unaniimously voted to accept the constitution of the Jasper County Pioneer Club provided that they accept the latter 's name, which was done, and the two societies united in an annual reunion January 1, 1879. The meeting was held at Regan's Hall and was presided over by Col. W. H. Cloud who acted as toastmaster.

The constitution was amended so as to admit to membership all who came to Carthage prior to January 1, 1870, and after electing officers the society adjourned to meet on July 4th, all having had a most excellent time and having done ample justice to the supper.

The following were elected officers for the year : John Onstott, president ; J. M. Richardson, first vice president ; George Rader, second vice president; Mrs. M. P. Ruffin, treasurer; A. E. Gregory, recording secretary ; W. F. Cloud, corresponding secretary ; M. M. James, A. H. Caffee, Mrs. Drake, Mrs. Cunningham and Mrs. Lamb, executive committee.