THE LIFE AiND LABORS 
 
 OF-- 
 
 
 REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 
 
 i»p ' -. ^ J . 
 
 
^s 
 
 ?>^w?^ 
 

s) THE ® 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS 
 
 OF- 
 
 REV. HENRY S. GORDON 
 
 Founder of the Free Baptist Church 
 in Southern Illinois 
 
 TOGETHER WITH 
 
 PICTURES AND SKETCHES 
 
 -OF- 
 
 One Hundred Other Free Baptists, 
 Dead and Living 
 
 — BY- 
 REV. GEO. A. GORDON, 
 Campbell Hill, ----- Illinois. 
 
 \90U 
 
 (Copyrighted 1900 by Rev. Geo. a. Gordon.) 
 
THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 CONGRESS, 
 Two Copies RecEtvto 
 
 MAR 15 1901 
 
 Copyrigmt entry 
 
 i). 
 
 CLASSet ^Mct- N*. 
 
 ,5/ O 6 7 
 COPY B. 
 
 
Yours truly, 
 
 REV H. S GORDON. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Fifty years ago Rev. H. S. Gor- 
 don, familiarly known as "Uncle 
 Henry," organized, near where 
 Campbell Hill now stands, the 
 Looney Springs Free Baptist 
 Church, the first church of what 
 is now known as the Central Illi- 
 nois Yearly Meeting of Free Bap- 
 tists. That this work was of God 
 and has been blessed of Him is 
 certainly evidenced by the results 
 accomplished and the fruits borne. 
 
 In fifty years this movement so 
 small in its beginning has grown to 
 considerable proportions till at 
 present our yearly meeting is com- 
 posed of five quarterly meetings, 
 as follows : Looney Springs, Leba- 
 non, Franklin Co., Wayne Co., and 
 Makanda, with fifty-four ministers, 
 fifty-six churches and four thou- 
 sand members. 
 
 The official organ of the Y. M. 
 is the Illinois Free Baptist, edited 
 and published by Rev. G. A. Gor- 
 don at Campbell Hill, 111. 
 
 Rev. H. S. Gordon died January 
 loth, 1898, after watching the 
 growth for forty-eight years of 
 this vine that God through his in- 
 strumentality had planted. 
 
 While living his counsel and 
 help was sought by his sons in the 
 Gospel and ministry and never 
 sought in vain. 
 
 Since his departure from us we 
 have asked many times how can we 
 most fittingly honor him and com- 
 memorate his life and deeds? 
 
 The honor paid to kings and 
 nobles, a marble shaft, would be 
 insufficient, for that would appeal 
 only to passers by. 
 
 But desiring to do something 
 that shall be more in keeping with 
 the life of him whom we desire to 
 honor, more far-reaching, uplift- 
 ing, ennobling and God-honoring 
 among men than shafts of brick or 
 stone, we concluded to send forth 
 this little volume containing the 
 portrait, life and labors of "Uncle 
 Henry" Gordon, written by his 
 oldest son, who for 32 years stood 
 side by side with him in the sacred 
 desk. And also of a few at least of 
 the many who have been helped 
 either directly or incHrectly into a 
 "life hid with Christ in God." 
 
 Praying that this book may be a 
 God's blessing to us and a fitting 
 tribute to him we lovingly dedicate 
 it to the memory of our beloved 
 and sainted brother. Rev. Henry 
 Smith Gordon. And if this prayer 
 be answered this volume will be 
 an honor to Christ for He said, 
 "Inasmuch as ve did it unto one of 
 the least of these my brethren ye 
 did it unto me." 
 
 Rev a. J. Rendleman. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 •<* 
 
 Of making books there is no 
 end (nor need there be,) and 
 much study is a weariness of the 
 flesh. This vohmie need not be- 
 come wearisome since it eschews 
 all controverted subjects, deals not 
 in theological abstractions, phili- 
 sophical deductions, nor ethical 
 science, but is to give a brief 
 history of the life and labors of 
 Rev. H. S. Gordon, and a few of 
 the men and "women who have 
 labored in the Gospel with us.'' In- 
 stead of weariness then it will no 
 doubt be "to those of like precious 
 faith'' a source of spiritual strength 
 and helpfulness. 
 
 It is difificult for those of one 
 generation to grasp clearly the 
 conditions that prevailed in a form- 
 er, and the material changes are in 
 some respects no more marked 
 than the mental, moral, spiritual 
 and social, especially is this true in 
 a country where primitive condi- 
 tions prevail. 
 
 Some things, however, remain 
 forever unchanged, as for instance, 
 the old-fashioned hope of immor- 
 tality, and the energy with which 
 certain men push forward into the 
 rank of world's Messiahs, willing. 
 yea anxious to be smitten by the 
 hand of ecclesiastical bigotry, 
 crowned with the obloquy of the 
 unthinking, who fail to sense the 
 
 force of a principle, nailed to the 
 cross of public censure, and laid 
 in the tomb of official displeasure, 
 from which invariably they rise in 
 the triumph of after judgment, and 
 the approval of a redeemed peo- 
 ple. 
 
 The above statement is made in 
 general terms without special ap- 
 plication to the subject of this me- 
 morial book. I leave the reader 
 to judge how nearly our quiet, un- 
 assuming, scholarly leader came to 
 placing himself in that illustrious 
 rank. Your temple of fame is full 
 of niches and you may place him 
 where your own judgment directs. 
 
 In the beautiful tribute of Oliver 
 
 Goldsmith to his father, in "The 
 
 Village Preacher," there are some 
 
 passages that might have been 
 
 written for Bro. Gordon. 
 
 "A man he was to all the country 
 
 dear, 
 
 ****** 
 
 Unpracticed he to fawn or seek 
 
 for power, 
 By doctrines fashioned to the 
 
 varying hour. 
 But in his duty prompt at every 
 
 call. 
 He watched and wept, he prayed 
 
 and felt for all. 
 
 At church with meek and unaf- 
 fected grace, 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 His look adorned the venerable 
 place, 
 
 Truth from his lips prevailed with 
 
 double sway, 
 And fools who came to scoff re- 
 mained to pray." 
 
 This book is created to fill no 
 "long felt want."" nor is it born of 
 sheer necessity, but unlike some of 
 life's luxuries is in reach of all ; we 
 send it to you in proud confidence 
 that it will create its own place in 
 your life and in the world. 
 
 It will lie on your table in silence 
 and not complain, or it will speak 
 to vou oft if desired ; it is our trib- 
 
 ute to our absent friend and father 
 who "being absent yet speaketh." 
 For one I shall welcome this 
 book, and give one or more vol- 
 umes a place in my library, and 
 then in after years if "I shall live 
 to be the last leaf on the tree/' it 
 will come as a friend of former 
 years and, 
 
 ''Sweet memory wafted by thy gen- 
 tle gale, 
 To view the fairy haunts of long 
 
 lost hours^ 
 Oft up the stream of time I turn 
 Blest with far greener shades, far 
 lovelier flowers." 
 
 Rev. J. L. Meads. 
 
OPEN COMMUNION. 
 
 OPEN COMMUNION. 
 
 There has been a growing senti- 
 ment in the Baptist Church in fa- 
 vor of free or open communion for 
 perhaps a hundred years, but that 
 was not the difficuhy with which 
 Benj. Randall had to contend. 
 
 In the year 1780 he was called 
 to order by his brethren for not 
 preaching the doctrines of John 
 Calvin, he had considered these 
 doctrines but little as they had not 
 been in dispute in the community. 
 He was now called upon three or 
 four times to answer for "his er- 
 rors." And on one occasion the 
 debate lasted two days, on the last 
 day of the meeting, the leading 
 ministers made public declaration 
 of non-fellowship with Randall's 
 principles, to which he replied that 
 it made no difference to him so 
 long as he knew that the Lord 
 owned him. Thus without seek- 
 ing it Randall was driven either to 
 stand by himself or to accept doc- 
 trines the odious sentiments of 
 which he did not believe. With his 
 characteristic firmness he stood 
 alone. Thus we see Randall was 
 disowned by the Baptist Church 
 because he preached "free will" 
 and "free grace," two very promi- 
 nent doctrines in the larger Bap- 
 tist Church today. The Lord's 
 Supper was not a question of dis- 
 putation at this time, and not for 
 
 three years after the first organiza- 
 tion by Randall of the Free Bap- 
 tist Church, but when it did come 
 up for settlement they decided to 
 make Christian character the test 
 for admission to the Lord's table. 
 
 In 1850, Rev. H. S. Gordon, an 
 earnest consecrated minister of the 
 Baptist Church, preaching under 
 the direction of the Association to 
 which he belonged, as their mis- 
 sionary, with a heart warm with 
 love for souls, was preaching 
 
 "free grace" and "free will," and 
 was studying more earnestly the 
 great question of how to lead souls 
 to accept Christ, than the doctrinal 
 dogmas of his church. And God 
 
 was blessing his labors and as a 
 result souls were being saved and 
 churches organized, and among 
 the number organized was Looney 
 Springs (now Campbell Hill), to 
 which he was called as pastor, and 
 at their first communion service 
 the church members asked that 
 any of their neighbors who were 
 accustomed to worship with them, 
 might have the privilege of com- 
 nnming with them. He was not 
 connnitted to the idea himself, but 
 knowing one of the cardinal 
 doctrines of the Baptist Church 
 to be, that each individual church 
 has the entire control of its affairs 
 without interference on the part 
 
OPEN COMMUNION. 
 
 of anv external power, so he acted 
 as their servant and gave the invi- 
 tation as they required. And for 
 this he was called to account by his 
 lirethren, and charged with heresy. 
 This very serious charge brought 
 about a very earnest investigation 
 upon his part for the grounds for 
 such charge, and as a result, he de- 
 cided that the action of himself and 
 his church was entirely scriptural ; 
 and thus he was driven to take a 
 stand that caused him to be dis- 
 owned by his brethren. So we 
 see him confronting the same diffi- 
 culties on the communion question 
 that Benj. Randall did on the doc- 
 trines of Calvinism. 
 
 Today almost the entire Chris- 
 tian world, including the denomin- 
 ation from which Randall was ex- 
 -cluded, teach the same doctrine on 
 
 the atonement and its provisions 
 that he taught. 
 
 And Bro. Gordon lived to see a 
 church in Southern Blinois num- 
 bering four or five thousand, hold- 
 ing the same doctrines which he 
 held, and that, too, as a result of 
 his work and teaching, and also to 
 see a growing sentiment in favor 
 of scriptural communion among 
 the leading ministers of the Baptist 
 Church. 
 
 And it is only a question of a 
 few more years of earnest evan- 
 gelical preaching and Bible study 
 in the light of true spiritual ad- 
 vancement until the entire Baptist 
 Church will teach and practice in 
 the main what Bro. Gordon taught 
 as they are now doing in regard to 
 the teaching of Randall. 
 
 Rev. T. O. McMinn. 
 
10 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 a 
 
 GORDON." 
 
 The first Gordon of whom there 
 is a distinct race is Richard of 
 Gordon, who was Lord of the Bar- 
 ony of Gordon in the Merse be- 
 tween 1 150 and 1 160. AHcia IV 
 of the Gordon family married her 
 cousin, Adam Gordon. Their 
 grandson. Sir Adam, was the an- 
 cestor of all the Gordons of Scot- 
 land, says Douglas. Robert ist 
 gave to him a charter to the lands 
 of Strathbogie (or Huntley). Sir 
 Adam Gordon, in descent tenth of 
 Gordon and Huntley, was killed at 
 
 the battle of Homildon in 1402, 
 leaving only a daughter, who mar- 
 ried a Seton. Their eldest son, 
 Alexander, assumed the name of 
 Gordon, and in 1449 was created 
 Earl of Huntley. The line of Hunt- 
 levs and Gordon was warlike in- 
 deed. 
 
 The fighting force of the Clan 
 estimated at 1,000 claymores in 
 1 71 5. The Earls of Aberdeen, so 
 created in 1682, are descended 
 from Patrick Gordon of Methlic, 
 cousin of the Earl of Huntlev. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 11 
 
 THE OLD FARM HOMESTEAD NEAR PERCY, ILL. 
 
 Where he settled in 1887 and raised a family of 10 children, 9boys and 1 girl, with but 
 one death in the family for 50 years. This building was erected in 1863, and still stands. 
 Around it was a large farm of about 400 acres. 
 
12 
 
 I,IFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 THE REV. HENRY S. GORDON MEMORIAL BOOK. 
 
 o 
 
 Rev. Henn- Smith Gordon was 
 born in Franklin Co., Pa., June 
 19th, 1816, and vvas^he oldest child 
 of Geo. and Nancy Gordon, who 
 were both descendants of the old 
 Scotch stock or family of Gordons, 
 many of whom figured conspicu- 
 ously among the Highlanders of 
 Scotland, and were one of the lead- 
 ing clans, some of whom were 
 quite warlike and held enviable po- 
 sitions of rank for manv centuries 
 back in the history of the Scotch 
 people. The family from which 
 the subject of this sketch immedi- 
 ately descended emigrated to 
 this country from Scotland in 1697, 
 and his great grandfather was 
 born upon the Atlantic Ocean dur- 
 ing the voyage to this country. 
 This particular l)ranch of the Gor- 
 don family is known on this side 
 of the Atlantic as the Cumberland 
 Valley Gordons, being very num- 
 erous in Pennsylvania and Mary- 
 land. 
 
 When l)ut a child he came west 
 with his parents, crossing the Mis- 
 sissippi river at St. Louis before 
 they had any ferry boats, but took 
 the wheels off their wagon and 
 took the horses and wagon across 
 separately in a flat boat, making a 
 dozen trips perhaps with a skiff 
 
 and flat boat to get the outfit 
 across. His grandfather's name was 
 also George, and he had gone to 
 Missouri about 1800, long before 
 it was admitted as a state, and be- 
 cause of some complicity in the 
 rightful ownership of a number of 
 negroes in which his wife held first 
 claim, he was foully murdered one 
 morning on his own door steps by 
 some one in ambush across the 
 road from the house. The accused 
 was the first person ever hanged 
 in Missouri, and in St. Louis, un- 
 der law. and that was territorial 
 law, in which the oldest son had the 
 reprieving power, but his son, 
 George, then a lad 14 years old. re- 
 fused to commute the sentence, 
 and the village of St. Louis wit- 
 nessed the first legal hanging. 
 George then went back to Penn- 
 sylvania, grew to manhood, mar- 
 ried aiid had three children, the 
 oldest of whom was Henry, the 
 subject of this sketch, and with his 
 little family was wending his way 
 back to his early home in Missouri. 
 W'lien St. Louis was yet but a 
 little l'"rench village with not a 
 hundred tin\- dwellings, I have 
 heard his wife tell how she felt 
 when she with the three little chil- 
 dren were set across the river and 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON 
 
 13 
 
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14 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 the skiff had gone back for an- 
 other load, how the Indians came 
 to the bank and looked down upon 
 her and the children with their 
 blankets wrapped about them, and 
 paint on their faces ; before the 
 perpendicular bluffs had been cut 
 away, and only one narrow^ cut in 
 the bank to provide a means of 
 exit. The family located back of 
 St. Louis about i6 miles on the 
 Meramec river, where his father 
 built and operated for many years 
 a grist mill and carding factory. 
 Here he grew to manhood, learn- 
 ing habits of industry and frugal- 
 ity. He became in time a practical 
 miller, an engineer, and acquired 
 some education. 
 
 At the age of 19 he was united in 
 marriage to Miss Rebecca Young, 
 in 1835, at which time his father 
 gave him 100 acres of land and he 
 began to improve it, but finding 
 this a very slow and uphill busi- 
 ness he sold his land for $1,200 and 
 removed to Southern Illinois in 
 the year 1837, locating on wild 
 prairie land in Short's Prairie, one 
 and a half miles east of George- 
 town, (now Steelesville), in Ran- 
 dolph county. At this early day 
 there were a great many difficulties 
 to encounter and discouragements 
 to face, and among other things he 
 lost his first born, a little two year 
 old girl. Another soon took her 
 place, however, and following this, 
 three boys gladdened the home, 
 the oldest of whom was born in 
 1 8.:; 2, while he was attending 
 
 Shurtleff Theological College at 
 Alton, 111. The daughter's name 
 was Mary, and the boys' George, 
 
 Henry and Parker. And in 
 
 1848, death came and took his wife 
 away, which was a sore affliction, 
 and brought an increase of cares 
 and responsibilities, so he man- 
 aged to get along for a time, car- 
 ing for a part of his little family 
 at home while some went to live 
 with their grand parents. The 
 youngest was taken by a brother- 
 in-law, Capt. Senica Parker and 
 wife, wdio became so attached to 
 the child that they kept and raised 
 him. And on November 6th, 1849, 
 he was again married, this time to 
 a Airs. Nancy Hill, of Centerville, 
 111., who had one son ; and to this 
 marriage was born five sons. 
 Abram G., Noel R., Charles S., 
 Edward B., and Ora C. ; these with 
 the step-son, Wm. S. Hill, made a 
 family of ten children, all of whom 
 they raised to man and woman- 
 hood, and all were married and had 
 homes, and for fifty years there 
 was not a death in the family (ex- 
 cept the second son, Henry, who 
 died in 1893), from the death of 
 his wife in 1848 to his own death 
 in 1898. He continued to live on 
 and improve his farm, l)ut failing 
 health compelled him in 1852 to 
 make the long and tedious trip 
 across the plains to California. 
 That year was one of the years 
 when so many people were afflicted 
 with gold fever, and crossed the 
 plains in all kinds of trains in 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 15 
 
 search of wealth. Some with 
 horses, some with oxen, but he se- 
 lected the unique and unusual, a 
 team of milk cows, thus providing 
 themselves with means of subsist- 
 ence as well as transportation. I 
 can remember well when they yok- 
 ed the cows together and began to 
 break them in to work. Thus 
 equipped he took with him two 
 neighbors, Westly Higgerson and 
 Noah Guymon, and for over six 
 months they trudged along over 
 that long and tiresome journey. 
 Higgerson was a partner, but Guy- 
 mon worked his passage by driv- 
 ing grazing and watching the team 
 of nights. Six months later found 
 them all in California, and with 
 health much improved. After 
 spending a few months he re- 
 turned by vessel by way of Panama 
 route, only to be taken at New Or- 
 leans with a fever, which resulted 
 in bringing on dyspepsia again, and 
 thus returned to his family after a 
 year's absence almost as sorely af- 
 flicted as when he went away. He 
 renewed his efforts and labors on 
 the farm, but in 1855 was com- 
 pelled again to give it up, and re- 
 moved this time to O'Fallon, 
 in St. Clair Co.. 111., and embarked 
 in the mercantile business in a 
 small way, being the first person 
 to start any kind of business in the 
 place, now grown to be quite a 
 city. The B. & O. Southwestern, 
 then called the "Ohio & INIississip- 
 pi R. R.," had just been built, and 
 we were there when the third rail 
 
 was laid changing it from a broad 
 gauge to a compromise gauge. 
 
 This business he continued for 
 about one year. Health growing 
 better he again returned to the 
 farm, and it being rented for a 
 longer period the man would not 
 give it up, so he built another 
 house on another part of land and 
 enlarged his farm until it was now 
 about 400 acres. Here he contin- 
 ued to live and raised his large 
 family, giving them all a fair edu- 
 cation, sending three of them off 
 to college, making of them a 
 preacher, a lawyer and a doctor, 
 and in 1885, being advanced in 
 years, he left the old farm and 
 moved to Campbell Hill, 111., his 
 family having all married and he 
 and his wife lived alone there for 
 about seven years. Selling this 
 property they went to Percy, III, 
 near the old homestead, and built 
 them a house where they lived 
 comfortably to the date of his 
 death, at the advanced age of al- 
 most 82 vears. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 I have no exact data to guide 
 me, as to the time of his conver- 
 sion and entering the ministry, as 
 he kept no diary or memorandum 
 of his work ; always had the 
 strongest aversion to anything like 
 egotism or self-praise, or of what 
 he had done, and thus no record 
 is left as to dates and work accom- 
 plished. 
 
16 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 REV. H. S. GORDON. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 17 
 
 But about the year 1837 he 
 united with the Baptist church at 
 Georgetown, 111,, sometimes called 
 Steele's Mills, and Steelesville, in 
 honor of old Uncle Geo. Steele, 
 who was the founder of the town 
 and owned and operated a large 
 grist mill driven by wild cattle or 
 horses on an old-fashioned incline 
 wheel. And shortly after, the 
 church passed a resolution asking 
 Bro. Gordon to exercise his gift 
 in the way of public speaking. This 
 he did, and shortly thereafter he 
 was ordained to the Gospel minis- 
 try by the usual forms of the Mis- 
 sionary Baptist Church. 
 
 He soon realized, however, that 
 his education was not adequate to 
 this very important undertaking, 
 and there being no facilities or ad- 
 vantages convenient at hand, he 
 arranged to take his family, being 
 a wife and one child, at that time 
 with him to Alton, 111., and in 
 1841 he entered the theological de- 
 partment of Shurtlefif College. 
 Here he remained for about two 
 years, working nights and morn- 
 ings and Saturdays for his board 
 and his wife's at the very desirable 
 occupation of chopping cord wood 
 and splitting rails, and as troubles 
 never come singly, it was at this 
 time that the first boy came to 
 their home. When he had finished 
 school he moved back again and 
 took up his work already begun, 
 and for the first eight years he 
 preached all over Southern Illinois, 
 became quite popular, as he was a 
 
 very able preacher ; organized 
 churches and made himself gener- 
 ally useful. In fact he was the 
 only college man in the Associa- 
 tion, and was employed by the As- 
 sociation in the capacity of a mis- 
 sionary to preach throughout the 
 bounds of the Association and or- 
 ganize churches, the parent society 
 at New York to pay one-half of 
 his salary, which was to be $400 
 per year. He had entered upon 
 this work, meeting with fair suc- 
 cess. The reader will bear in mind 
 that the first ten or twelve years 
 of his ministry was given to the 
 Missionary Baptist Church, and 
 the church to which he belonged 
 was a member of the Nine Mile 
 Asssociation. 
 
 On April 28th, 1850, in the 
 prosecution of his work as mission- 
 ary he organized a church at 
 Looney Springs (now Campbell 
 Hill), in Jackson county, 111., with 
 nine members as follows : John 
 McLaughlin, John Burlison (still 
 living), Mary Henry, Sarah White, 
 Serena Bradley, Mary White, 
 Nancy Petty, Jane Burlison and 
 Susan Harrison, all of whom so 
 far as they understood endorsed 
 the doctrines of the Missionary 
 Baptist Church. It was announc- 
 ed that at the next meeting the 
 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 
 would be administered, which in 
 the meantime was discussed in the 
 neighborhood by the members of 
 the new church as well as others, 
 and there was quite a general feel- 
 
18 
 
 I,IFE AND I,ABORS OF 
 
 ing- among the meml)ers (for 
 churches were very scattering in 
 Illinois at this time) that their 
 Methodist a n d Presbyterian 
 neighbors, of which there was two 
 or three in the vicinity, might com- 
 mune with them. This was said 
 by some to be contrary to the us- 
 ages of the Baptist Church, and it 
 was agreed among themselves to 
 leave the whole matter to their 
 new pastor. Bro. Gordon, when he 
 came, for their meetings were held 
 monthly. However, the agitation 
 was continued with nutch earnest- 
 ness until the time came and he ar- 
 rived, and they presented the mat- 
 ter to him privately, one by one. 
 And now the great and important 
 question must be met somehow. 
 These people are right and my 
 Church is wrong- on this vital ques- 
 tion, and in his own words : "I 
 yielded to their entreaties and gave 
 my consent, although I had never 
 publicly advocated free commun- 
 ion in my life," but their claim was 
 just and their cause scriptural, "so 
 I yielded my acquired denomina- 
 tional prejudices." And after 
 preaching. I invited the members 
 forward to the front seats. "Also 
 if there are any persons of our 
 'faith and order" you will come 
 forward and be seated with us." 
 A few came who were members 
 of the Georgetown church. Now- 
 said he, "I have extended the in- 
 vitation as far as my denomination 
 allows me; does this church wish 
 it extended farther? All wjio do 
 
 please stand to your feet." And the 
 church all stood. Now said he. "I 
 invite all believers present to a seat 
 with us at the Lord's table," which 
 offence in the eyes of Close Com- 
 munion Baptist was so heretical 
 that he had hardly got back home 
 from his appointment until charges 
 were preferred against him and he 
 was called to appear before his 
 church and give an account for this 
 departure from Baptist usages, for 
 which offence he was excluded 
 from his church for — in the lan- 
 guage of the Moderator — "damna- 
 ble heresy." 
 
 That this history may be com- 
 plete, and set forth all the facts 
 connected with the trial and ex- 
 clusion of Rev. Henry S. Gordon 
 from the Missionary Baptist 
 Church at Georgetown (now 
 Steelesville) I will give the report 
 of the committee in full, as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 Trial and Exclusion of Rev. H. S. 
 
 Gordon from the Baptist Church 
 
 at Georgetown. Randolph Co., 
 
 111.:— 
 
 We whose names are hereunto 
 assigned, being a committee ap- 
 pointed by the newly organized 
 Baptist Church at Georgetown, 
 Randolph county. Illinois, to pre- 
 pare and publish an account of the 
 trial and exclusion of Rev. H. S. 
 Gordon from the old B)aptist 
 Church of that place, make the fol- 
 lowing as our report in compliance 
 of their recpiest. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 19 
 
 At a meeting- of the Baptist 
 Church December 17th, 1850, Rev. 
 T. Rawson enqtiired of the Church 
 to know whether the conduct of 
 some of the members of this 
 chtirch in comnuming with the 
 Looney Springs church was a 
 pubhc ofifence or not. In order 
 that Church might fully under- 
 stand the motion Bro. Gordon 
 made the following explanation : 
 
 The Looney Springs church, 
 said he, which I assisted in con- 
 stituting in April last with 9 mem- 
 bers, and selected me as pastor is 
 in a prosperous condition and 
 numbers now between 50 and 60 
 members. The last meeting was a 
 sacramental occasion. The breth- 
 ren and sisters were requested to 
 come and take their seats, the in- 
 vitation was then given to visiting 
 members of the Baptist denomina- 
 tion ; among others that accepted 
 this invitation were several mem- 
 bers of the Georgetown church. 
 Now, said he, I have extended the 
 invitation as far as our denomina- 
 tion is in the habit of extending, 
 but do you wish to extend it any 
 further? I submit the matter with 
 you. All who wish to extend it to 
 all Christians please rise up. The 
 church unanimously rose ; all 
 Christians were then invited to 
 come and partake with them. Sev- 
 eral came. 
 
 After this explanation of the 
 matter they resolved to investigate 
 the subject at its next meeting, and 
 that a council of ministers of the 
 
 denomination be invited to attend, 
 whereupon Elders Peck, Boykin, 
 Peters. Lemon, Arnett, Phillips 
 and Hale were invited. 
 
 January 18. 1851, Church met 
 agreeable to appointment, P. Heg- 
 lar. Moderator. On motion the 
 subject was taken up for investiga- 
 tion, but instead of investigating 
 it the Church was formed into a 
 regular court to try the said Gor- 
 don and others for being "public 
 ofifenders." Mr. Rawson then pro- 
 ceeded to read several letters, one 
 from D. L. Phillips, also some ar- 
 ticles from the Western Watch- 
 man, one written by Peck and an- 
 other by Boykin, in answer to the 
 invitation sent them by the Church. 
 
 The defendants then enquired to 
 know whether these letters were to 
 be taken as evidence in this case, 
 and were answered in the affirma- 
 tive. These letters set forth Baptist 
 principles and Baptist usages, says 
 the Chtirch. therefore they are to 
 be taken as evidence. The de- 
 fendants then urged that they 
 should be tried by the Bible and 
 not by usages ; if our conduct has 
 been contrary to the Bible, we 
 will acknowledge and forsake it, 
 but try us by the Bible ; the Bible — 
 the Bible alone, and not by usages. 
 But they urged in vain. The Bible 
 was not to I)e the rule in this case. 
 Every church has a right to make 
 its own laws, said Arnett. 
 
 Gordon then urged the impropri- 
 ety of making usages the rule of 
 our conduct, and mentioned sev- 
 
20 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 eral historical facts as illustrations 
 of what usages had been, and that 
 there had been usages, and many 
 of them had been wrong. He had 
 not proceeded far before some of 
 the brethren became exceedingly 
 restless, and began to mutter and 
 talk. At length their indignation 
 rose so high that they could not re- 
 strain their feelings any longer, 
 and springing from their seats, 
 brethren * * * in a tone of perfect 
 rage, cried out : Put him out ! Turn 
 him out ! He is not of us ! Turn him 
 out ! We are not going to be abus- 
 ed in our own house in this way. 
 Put him out ! And the defendant 
 was not allowed to proceed any 
 further. Bro. Arnett was then 
 called on to give his opinion in this 
 matter. He arose and gave a very 
 sympathetic exhortation to those 
 who had violated Baptist usages, 
 but charged all the sin on Bro. 
 Gordon. He had no doubt if it 
 was to do over again, these mem- 
 bers would not do so any more ; 
 exhorted Bro. Gordon to be an ex- 
 ample to the flock and adhere to 
 those customs of the Church which 
 had been long in use, telling him 
 that Methodists and Presbyterians, 
 &c., would not come if he did in- 
 vite them ; that they were all close 
 communionists, and that he 
 would lose his reputation if he 
 would have such notions ; that the 
 ministers of the South District As- 
 sociation always thought a great 
 deal of him, but now abandon him, 
 and that his course would hurt his 
 
 brothers' feelings ; that he himself 
 had always been a great friend of 
 his and had taken him in one cold 
 night, and treated him kindly, and 
 concluded by urging him to ac- 
 knowledge his fault, to all of which 
 Gordon made a short reply. Elder 
 Hale then rose to speak in behalf 
 of those who were charged, but 
 was refused to be heard in their 
 favor, but they urged that he had 
 a right to speak, for the Church 
 had invited him there. The Mod- 
 erator then decided that he should 
 only give his opinions on the sub- 
 ject, and the defendants were not 
 allowed to have any council what- 
 ever. After a great many ques- 
 tions by various brethren by way 
 of cross-examination, a motion 
 was made to adjourn, but the de- 
 fendants objected, unless the 
 Church would agree to meet again. 
 We don't want the matter to stop 
 in this manner, said they. 
 
 The defendants are charged with 
 making this difficulty ; if they will 
 just let us alone, said the Modera- 
 tor. Bro. Gordon then arose and 
 asked the congregation who made 
 this difficulty? and if there was a 
 single person in the house who had 
 ever heard him preach or teach the 
 doctrine of free communion. No 
 one said they had. Well, if we 
 have never preached nor talked 
 about it, why does the Moderator 
 ask us to "let them alone?" 
 
 Now, said he, I do for the first 
 time publicly avow it. I do believe 
 all Christians should commune to- 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 21 
 
 gether. Then asked time to give 
 some reasons why he beheved so. 
 Ten minutes were then allowed 
 him, when he stated some eight or 
 ten objections to restricted com- 
 munion. On motion the question 
 was then put to the Church to say 
 whether these persons had violated 
 Baptist usages, and it was decided 
 they had. After this decision was 
 made it was unanimously agreed 
 that those sisters should be excus- 
 ed on the score of ignorance ! but 
 Bro. Gordon knew better ; there- 
 fore he should make his acknowl- 
 edgements. He replied that he 
 was not convinced that he had 
 done wrong, therefore he could 
 not make any acknowledgment 
 until he was convinced of his er- 
 ror from the Bible. More than 
 that, no acknowledgment could be 
 satisfactory to the Church, be- 
 cause a very respectable part of it 
 thought he had done right. Af- 
 ter much confusion and evidently 
 angry feelings among the accusers 
 themselves, they finally succeeded 
 in forming the following resolu- 
 tion : 
 
 Resolved, that H. S. Gordon be 
 excluded from the fellowship of 
 this Church. 
 
 It being suggested by some one 
 that if these other parties were 
 excused they would now be al- 
 lowed to vote in this case ; but that 
 privilege was refused them, and 
 they were not allowed their vote, 
 although thev were exonerated 
 
 from all charge. The question 
 w^as then put and carried by a 
 small majority, and the said Gor- 
 don was excluded from the 
 Church. The Moderator then re- 
 marked by way of sympathy that 
 he had no doubt but those persons 
 were good Christians, but they 
 were not good Baptists, and the 
 meeting adjourned. 
 
 R. A. BRADLEY, 
 
 J. A. BRADLEY, 
 
 E. T. REESE, 
 
 THOS. MARTIN, 
 
 DR. JOB LAWRENCE, 
 
 Committee. 
 The following was printed on 
 the back of the sheet containing 
 the above account of the trial : 
 
 In view of the above facts, the 
 unreasonableness of the charge, 
 and the base injustice that was 
 done the man, a great part of the 
 Church became greatly dissatis- 
 fied, and the following notice was 
 read on the following Sabbath in 
 the meeting house : 
 
 In view of present circumstances 
 it has been thought proper that a 
 meeting be held in this place at 
 one o'clock next Saturday for the 
 purpose of taking into considera- 
 tion the propriety of forming a 
 new^ church. 
 
 The old house was refused 
 them, and on Saturday, February 
 I, 1851, one o'clock, the congre- 
 gation assembled at the residence 
 of Deacon Jno. T. Short. The 
 meeting was called to order by ap- 
 pointing R. A. Bradley, Esq.. 
 
21 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 chairman, and Jno. McLau^^hlin 
 secretary. After prayer by H. S. 
 Gordon, the chair explained the 
 object of .the meeting. The meet- 
 ing being properly organized, pro- 
 ceeded to discuss the propriety of 
 a new church organization. The 
 brethren and friends conversed 
 freely on the subject, and the 
 meeting was addressed by Rev. H. 
 S. Gordon, Dr. Job Lawrence, 
 Rev. Jno. Mathews and M. E. Lof- 
 ton, Esq. After the subject had 
 been freely discussed for some 
 time, Bro. Gordon offered the 
 form of a constitution for the fur- 
 ther consideration of the meeting. 
 After sufficient deliberation it was 
 proposed that all who wished to 
 form a new organization and 
 adopt such a constitution should 
 come forward and take their seats, 
 whereupon twenty-five presented 
 themselves — all members of the 
 Baptist church at that place — and 
 organized themselves into a 
 church, adopting the following 
 covenant and constitution : 
 
 We whose names are hereunto 
 subscribed, being personally ac- 
 quainted and having confidence in 
 each other's piety, agree to asso- 
 ciate ourselves together in church 
 relationship for the purpose of 
 each other's mutual benefit, to 
 watch over each other in the spirit 
 of Christian kindness, to pray with 
 and for each other, and in all pru- 
 dent manner seek each other's 
 present and eternal good. Agree 
 to adopt the following as our con- 
 stitution : 
 
 Article i. We wish to be called 
 the Baptist Church of Christ. 
 
 Art. 2. We agree to take the 
 scriptures of the Old and New 
 Testaments as the all-sufficient 
 rule of our faith and practice. 
 
 Art. 3. We understand the 
 Scriptures to teach the sovereign- 
 ity of God — the accountability of 
 man — the divinity of Christ — the 
 influence of the Spirit — the resur- 
 rection of the dead — the final judg- 
 ment — the everlasting happiness 
 of the righteous, and the misery of 
 the \\icked. 
 
 Art. 4. We understand the 
 Scriptures to teach the necessity 
 of repentance for sins, faith in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ : the all import- 
 ance of humble devout prayer to 
 God ; salvation through the merits 
 of Jesus Christ alone, and free for 
 all who would embrace it. 
 
 Art. 5. We view Baptism as an 
 indispensable duty that all believ- 
 ers in Christ should perform, and 
 that immersion is the proper mode 
 of receiving it. 
 
 Art. 6. We believe it to be our 
 duty to invite all Christians to par- 
 take with us in communion at the 
 Lord's table, and to exercise 
 Christian charity to all mankind. 
 
 Art. 7. We further believe it to 
 be our duty to extend the preached 
 Gospel to the destitute as far as 
 in our power lies. 
 
 Art. 8. We also believe it to be 
 our duty to live peaceably with all 
 men, as far as possible, and keep 
 a conscience void of offence to- 
 ward God and man. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 23 
 
 Art. 9. This constitution may be 
 altered or amended at any regu- 
 lar meeting of the Church ; pro- 
 vided notice has been given at a 
 preceding meeting, and two-thirds 
 of the members present are in fa- 
 vor of the alteration. 
 
 Thus you will observe how God 
 providentially seems to have led in 
 this whole matter, whereby Bro. 
 Gordon became the leader and 
 founder of a body of Christians in 
 Southern Illinois, without an}^ sel- 
 fish interest, ambition or motive 
 prompting, only to be true to his 
 convictions. 
 
 There were now two churches, 
 and shortlv after he organized 
 Pipestone, at what is now called 
 Denmark ; also another near 
 Rockwood, still called Pleasant 
 Ridge. These four he organized 
 into an association in 1851 and 
 named it the Southern Illinois As- 
 sociation of Free Communion 
 Baptists. Under his ministry these 
 churches grew very rapidly, and 
 the new church at Georgetown had 
 l)uilt a new house within the first 
 three months and had increased 
 its membership to 60. His preach- 
 ing was pungent and powerful and 
 at every service persons were add- 
 ed to the Church, and baptisms oc- 
 curred every month. 
 
 Bro. Gordon's ability as a 
 preacher, his remarkable vocabu- 
 lary, fine use of language, native 
 oratory, great earnestness, and 
 natural adaptability to the work 
 
 to which he had been so unexpect- 
 edly called, admirably fitted him 
 to become the leader of a more 
 advanced and liberal view of Chris- 
 tianity at a time in the history of 
 the Baptist Church when it was 
 anything but popular. But it was 
 not popularity he was seeking af- 
 ter. Although the people came by 
 thousands to hear him preach, and 
 every service witnessed conver- 
 sions fre(|uently by the score, and 
 every monthly meeting" baptisms. 
 
 With this t'errible pressure he 
 continued to go from place to 
 place, everywhere preaching the 
 Gospel. 
 
 I would not be saying too much, 
 no, not enough, if I should say 
 that he had done more to create a 
 moral and religious sentiment in 
 the towns of Percy and Campbell 
 Hill, where he had preached and 
 lived, than any other dozen men 
 in the community. 
 
 In the home he was very social, 
 fond of company and enjoved a 
 joke, sometimes quite facetious. I 
 asked him to tell me something of 
 his early life, and his reply was, 
 "There was nothing remarkable 
 about my early life except my ex- 
 treme awkwardness." 
 
 Free \\'ill, h^ree Grace, and Free 
 Communion, became the theme on 
 every tongue, and calls to preach 
 elsewhere multiplied upon him, 
 and the work broadened and en- 
 larged until it had reached over 
 several counties. He organized 
 a church at Ava, then called Head- 
 
24 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 quarters. Camp Creek, Sato. De 
 Soto, several across Muddy river 
 and eastward into Franklin and 
 Hamilton, counties. The apostle 
 of a new doctrine, and success 
 crowned his efforts and the enor- 
 mity of the work began to dawn 
 upon him and how God was mys- 
 teriously impelling him forward 
 not only as the founder but leader 
 in this very popular movement, 
 and bringing to his assistance such 
 men as Hon. R. A. Bradley and 
 Judge Wm. Bradley, who were 
 both brought into the church and 
 the ministry under his preaching. 
 He began to cast about him for 
 somebody who held to and believ- 
 ed the Bible as he did, and hear- 
 ing of a people in Indiana who 
 preached and practiced baptism by 
 immersion and free communion, 
 resolved to go and see for himself 
 what there might be. And so in 
 the fall of 1854 he associated with 
 himself Rev. Wm. Bradley and 
 Deacon John T. Short, and 
 equipped with wagon and team, 
 blankets and some provisions, cof- 
 fee pot and fry pan. started out on 
 what in that day was a long and 
 tedious journey (for there was not 
 a railroad in Southern Illinois at 
 that time), to attend a meeting of 
 the Liberty Association of General 
 Baptists, and there he met their 
 founder. Rev. Benoni Stinson, 
 learned from whence they came, 
 who and what they were, their 
 doctrines, &c., which visit resulted 
 in a fraternal and reci]:)rocal cor- 
 
 respondence which was continued 
 for many years. Finding them 
 one in doctrine and church gov- 
 ernment, two years later he with 
 his people adopted the name "Gen- 
 eral Baptist," which name they 
 bore for about twenty years. 
 
 Father Gordon was truly a re- 
 former, and took advanced stands 
 upon all the moral questions of the 
 da}-, a very pronounced temper- 
 ance man, 30 years before the 
 Murphy movement began, and a 
 strong advocate for legal prohibi- 
 tion, he voted as he preached, and 
 from 1880, when Neal Dow ran 
 for President on the Prohibition 
 ticket to the date of his death he 
 voted the Prohibition ticket 
 straight. All questions that came 
 to him received careful considera- 
 tion. A profound thinker, a care- 
 ful and logical reasoner, a safe 
 councilor, a philanthropist, and 
 the true friend of humanity. There 
 was a sternness of character and 
 determination of purpose in him 
 that was equaled only by his gen- 
 tleness and kind heartedness. So- 
 lemnity rested upon him as a man- 
 tle when he approached the mercy 
 seat, and when he communed with 
 God he talked as man to man. A 
 friend to education, his voice was 
 always heard in behalf of our public 
 school system, having given some 
 time to the school room, the ferule 
 and the recitation class himself. 
 
 He still continued to preach and 
 organize churches and to enlarge 
 his field of usefulness. He went 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 25 
 
 through heat and cold, through 
 dust and mud, crossed swollen 
 streams and traversed trailless ways 
 to reach his appointments ; travel- 
 ed more miles, preached more ser- 
 mons and baptized and received 
 into membership more persons 
 than any Baptist minister of his 
 dav. His life work was an illus- 
 tration of the possible strain and 
 endurance of the human body, and 
 with all his manifold duties and 
 labors, the oversight and care of 
 the churches he never for a mo- 
 ment lost sight of home responsi- 
 bilities, the care of a large family 
 and the cultivation of a large 
 farm, all of which under God's 
 blessing enlarged and prospered. 
 
 Aside from doctrinal sermons 
 his preaching was of a peculiar 
 type, his favorite themes being 
 "Love," "The Angels," and 
 "Heaven," and his descriptions of 
 the New Jerusalem, or his celestial 
 flights among the angels, or his 
 dissertations upon the "Love of 
 God," were not only a pleasure 
 and delight to hear, but an inspir- 
 ation to any one ambitious to 
 preach or hear the good news of 
 the Kingdom. 
 
 He was not made up of idiosyn- 
 crasies, nor attracted the people 
 by his eccentricities, nor was he 
 unlike common humanity in the 
 main, but there was one thing he 
 did not like, and that was chicken. 
 Returning one Monday morning 
 from his appointment, as the day 
 began to wear away he thought 
 
 he would stop at the house of an 
 old friend and get some dinner. 
 Dismounting he hitched his mare 
 at the gate and went in. After the 
 usual salutation he told his busi- 
 ness, and presently he saw two of 
 the girls after a chicken. He 
 sauntered leisurely down to the 
 gate and mounting his old black 
 filley he rode away. Here we 
 have one case at least on record of 
 a preacher who did not like 
 chicken. He possessed a very keen 
 sense of honor, and held truth in 
 verv high esteem, fond of flowers, 
 music and poetry, especially did he 
 admire Milton, Pollock and 
 Young, and in his preaching quot- 
 ed very largely from the poets. I 
 remember hearing him tell of a 
 vain search for his poet's name, 
 how he forgot what the poet said, 
 and so had to inform his audience 
 that he had "forgotten the poet's 
 name and what he said." Soon af- 
 ter his return from college he was 
 honored with having a minister of 
 considerable ability to hear him 
 preach. After the service the 
 minister approached him with, "I 
 was nmch refreshed under your 
 preaching.'" Indeed? "Yes; I had 
 a real good nap." He enjoyed a 
 joke, especially if it was on him- 
 self. 
 
 For many years he had associ- 
 ated with him Rev. Wm. Bradley. 
 They had grown to be very fast 
 friends. In the troublesome times 
 of the Civil War, when the nation 
 was shook from center to cir- 
 
26 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 cumferencc. and men were wild 
 with excitement, and war's terri- 
 bly demoralizing- influence was af- 
 fecting the social fabric in every 
 department, they w-ent everywhere 
 preaching the Word, and amidst 
 the excitement and strife, such as 
 this country never felt before or 
 since, he went straight forward 
 with the Master's business. 
 
 The doctrine of open commun- 
 ion among Baptists in the West 
 was an unknown factor in relig- 
 ious circles anterior to 1850, and it 
 took a fearless and courageous 
 man to declare for it. Perhaps it 
 required as much firnuiess to es- 
 pouse the Free Communion ques- 
 tion in 1850 as it did in the days 
 of Randall to launch out against 
 the Baptists and Congregational- 
 ists on the doctrine of Calvinism, 
 the freedom of the will. Of course 
 he incurred the displeasure of the 
 Close Baptists. While today it is 
 rare to find a Missionary Baptist 
 church in any of our cities exclud- 
 ing any Christian from the Lord's 
 table, but simply set the table and 
 say nothing about it, let come to 
 the table who may, doing virtually 
 the very same thing for which they 
 excluded him from their fellow- 
 ship. He lived in advance of his 
 age, not only on the conuiiunion 
 question, but many other c[ues- 
 tions. This, however, was the 
 pivotal point then. This was the 
 question of all others, and devel- 
 opments in the past few years has 
 proven him more farsighted than 
 they all. 
 
 He and his followers were quite 
 frequently dubbed "Freewillers," 
 "Free Communionists," ''The 
 '•Freewills," &c., in derision, of 
 course, but in time they "benevo- 
 lently assimilated" the first part 
 of the name and since 1876 have 
 been known as Free Baptists, hav- 
 ing in that year been connected 
 with the larger body of Baptists 
 in the East, holding identically 
 the same views on Free Grace, 
 Free Will, Free Salvation and 
 Free Communion. 
 
 It is a matter of some regret 
 that no memoranda was kept of 
 his travels, churches organized, 
 sermons preached, number of mar- 
 riages solemnized, persons bap- 
 tized, &c., by which an adequate 
 idea of his indefatigable labors 
 might be set in order, giving facts 
 and dates, that it might be an in- 
 centive to others to emulate his 
 busy, active life. But 'tis enough 
 to say that for 60 years he never 
 faltered, nor hesitated but went 
 where duty called. The last few 
 years of life he did not take much 
 regular work, but did continue to 
 preach to the end, preached the 
 funeral of xA.unt Mary Under- 
 wood, one of his oldest members, 
 only about two weeks before he 
 died, and these last years when he 
 could not go out of nights or bad 
 weather, he took great delight in 
 working in the Sunday school each 
 Sabbath morning. The night he 
 died he spent about an hour ex- 
 plaining to two of the teachers the 
 
EEV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 27 
 
 quite obscure lesson of January 
 9th. 1898, of the "Temptation of 
 Jesus/' as recorded in Matthew, 
 fourth chapter and i-ii verses, 
 where he was "led of the spirit 
 into the wilderness to be tempted 
 of the Devil," and when "he was a 
 hungered," and "the pinnacle of 
 the temple,'' and the "exceeding 
 high mountain," they both re- 
 marked how clear his brain and 
 how beautifully he set forth this 
 rather difficult and perplexing 
 scripture. In spite of almost 82 
 years, his mind seemed to have lost 
 none if its former vigor, nor his 
 tongue to speak in that remark- 
 ably wide vocabulary that to him 
 was a special gift, but few men 
 are endowed with so broad a range 
 of words or gifted in choosing just 
 the right ones in the right place. 
 This accounted largely for his abil- 
 ity as an orator. He could hold 
 an audience spell-bound for hours. 
 The sixteenth annual meeting of 
 the Southern Illinois Association 
 of General Baptists was held with 
 Mount Olivet church in Hamilton 
 Co., in October, 1866. Bro. Gor- 
 don preached the introductory 
 sermon, "and on motion. Rev. J. 
 S. Brown, of the Union Baptist 
 Church, of near Lebanon, 111., be- 
 ing present, was invited to sit with 
 us in council ; also the correspond- 
 ence to be reciprocated. Rev. H. S. 
 Gordon was chosen to visit the 
 above church." I was clerk of that 
 meeting, and remember quite well 
 when those two brethren met at 
 
 that time, both having been ex- 
 cluded from the Baptist church be- 
 cause of the communion question ; 
 how they fell upon each other's 
 necks and wept. This visit re- 
 sulted in bringing their three 
 churches into the Association. In 
 1869 the annual meeting was held 
 at Georgetown, (now Steelesville,) 
 and the Association had grown so 
 large and unwieldy, embracing 
 Randolph, Franklin, Jackson, 
 Saline, Williamson, Hamilton. 
 Washington. St. Clair and Perry 
 counties, that upon a motion by 
 Rev. Wm. Carlyle "that the ter- 
 ritory be divided and all the 
 churches east of the Illinois Cen- 
 tral railroad be formed into a new 
 association, to be known as the 
 Mt. Olivet Association of General 
 Baptists, which was carried," and 
 "H. S. Gordon, Wm. Bradley, J. 
 C. Gilliland and G. A. Gordon be 
 appointed from this meeting to as- 
 sist them in their organization." 
 Father Gordon was Moderator of 
 this meeting. The labors of Bro. 
 Gordon began to bear fruits across 
 the Mississippi river in Alissouri, 
 and about this time a quarterly 
 meeting was organized over there, 
 known as the St. Francois Quar- 
 terly Meeting. So churches con- 
 tinued to increase in numbers, 
 ministers were gathered about 
 him, the membership of the 
 churches increased rapidly. A lack 
 of religious literature, suited to the 
 needs of his people, with no 
 schools or colleges at all, created a 
 
28 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 demand on this line that needs 
 must be satisfied. Acquaintanceship 
 with the Free Will Baptists, who 
 had two religious newspapers and 
 a number of good schools had 
 ripened into personal visitations 
 by this time, that opened the way 
 for a consolidation of our forces, 
 Avhich now numbered six Quarter- 
 ly Meetings. About this time 
 there was a general movement all 
 over the states among liberal Bap- 
 tists in this same direction, and 
 conventions were being held to 
 further this end. Rev. J. C. Gilli- 
 land, Wm. Bradley, the writer and 
 others were active in this direc- 
 tion, and on the fourth Sunday in 
 March, 1877, a convention was 
 called by the writer to meet at 
 Looney Springs church, to deter- 
 mine upon what action should be 
 taken in the matter. Rev. H. S. 
 Gordon was Moderator of this 
 meeting, and it was unanimously 
 agreed to adopt the name "Free- 
 will" and report to the next ses- 
 sion of the Central Illinois Year- 
 ly Meeting, which had been 
 organized at Flkton the fall before 
 by four of the smaller Quarterly 
 Meetings of this Association. 
 Franklin Co. Quarterly Meeting 
 did the same thing, and now the 
 whole entire body of six Quarter- 
 ly Meetings were thrown together 
 in the work. 
 
 Bro. Gordon still continued to 
 lead and direct in this grand work 
 for God and humanity, and was 
 imanimously regarded as our 
 
 greatest preacher, and acknowl- 
 edged leader, and to whom all 
 looked for council and advice. The 
 result of these years of labor so far 
 is dilificult to properly estimate, as 
 in those days there were many 
 people restless and unsettled, a 
 condition in part growing out of 
 the years of war that had pre- 
 ceded and partly the very common 
 custom of going West and "grow- 
 ing up with the country." Natural- 
 ly ministers would be affected in 
 the same way, thus a number of 
 our ministers went to Missouri, 
 Kansas and elsewhere, who con- 
 tinued to preach the doctrine of 
 the Free Baptist Church. And 
 thus has gone out an influence 
 from Bro. Gordon's preaching 
 and teaching that has in a measure 
 entered into the warp and filling 
 of a number of bodies of Liberal 
 Baptists. The Mt. Olivet Associ- 
 ation of General Baptists, a direct 
 result, the Southeast Missouri 
 Yearly Meeting of Free Baptists, 
 and individual churches scattered 
 all over the adjacent territory can 
 trace their origin to the work and 
 teachings of Father Gordon. In 
 all these years of constant travel 
 and preaching, seldom missing a 
 Sabbath in a year, he strove care- 
 fully not to be burdensome to the 
 churches, and so sensitive was he 
 upon this subject that he received 
 comparatively no salary at all, or 
 at best only such things as would 
 be given him — a ])air of knit 
 woolen mittens, or wool socks, a 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 29 
 
 wagon load of pumpkins. During 
 the war when a great deal of cot- 
 ton was grown in Southern Illi- 
 nois, he brought home a bushel of 
 cotton seed, which was planted on 
 the farm, and when gathered and 
 ready to sell, was obliged to be 
 hauled in wagons over hilly roads 
 for 35 or 40 miles to a cotton gin 
 to get the seed out of it. Occa- 
 sionally a good old sister who 
 wanted to help spread the Gospel 
 would give him a pair of hand knit 
 gloves in two colors. These, of 
 course, were something fine, such 
 as only a preacher could afford. 
 The wonderful part of it all is that 
 for 60 years a man would continue 
 to go constantly, persistently, with 
 no let up or rest, and it did always 
 disgust him with a minister who 
 was worked so hard that his church 
 would have to give him a vacation 
 every summer. The fact is he had 
 but little patience with such weak- 
 lings. If he had a weakness him- 
 self it was an indisposition to kill 
 anything for food, such as a beef 
 or hog or chicken. Others could 
 kill if they chose, but he would 
 do without flesh to eat all of his 
 natural life before he would take 
 the life of anything for food. And 
 accustomed to hard labor he 
 never shirked the hardest place up- 
 on his farm, and then in that day 
 farming was not as profitable as it 
 might have been. I remember 
 hearing him tell of raising one 
 year a corn crop which when gath- 
 ered, shelled and sacked, had to 
 
 be hauled in wagons 17 miles. His 
 crop that year (to sell) was 100 
 bushels, for which he received a 
 $10 bank note, and it proved to be 
 a counterfeit, and the man would 
 not take it back. In telling this 
 circumstance he said it was hard 
 to ever forgive that fellow. In 
 his personal habits he was sys- 
 tematic and orderly, was rather 
 averse to fashionable dressing and 
 finery ; while very unaffected and 
 unassuming he always graced the 
 pulpit with dignity, and while ex- 
 tremely social with all with whom 
 he came in contact, he was always 
 dignified and genteel. 
 
 He held moral character in very 
 high esteem ; have often heard him 
 say that morality was a large half 
 of Christianity. He especially 
 disliked untruth and deceit. 
 
 He respected the opinions of 
 those who differed with him so- 
 cially, politically or religiously, 
 but tied himself down to no man's 
 theories, notions nor opinions, 
 carefully investigated for himself 
 all subjects and doctrines that pre- 
 sented themselves or came up for 
 solution or consideration. And in 
 all those 60 years of public life 
 was not sidetracked, but kept 
 steadily on, right on. And in 
 those years very many theories 
 and fads flourished and grew fat. 
 for instance, Millerism, which al- 
 most run the country wild, Mor- 
 monism which carried ofif its 
 scores and hundreds to Nauvoo 
 and Salt Lake, Spiritualism which 
 
30 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 swept this country like wild fire 
 and in places took whole commu- 
 nities, but our leader pursued the 
 even tenor of his way, and turned 
 neither to the right hand or to the 
 left. He was quick to discover 
 truth, and equally quick to detect 
 error. In argument he was logi- 
 cal and scholarly, and above all 
 intensely scriptural. He was mas- 
 ter of his text book, the Bible, 
 quoting whole chapters from mem- 
 orv. He moved around among its 
 promises, its parables and its mira- 
 cles, as familiarly as friend with 
 friend. Nor is its history, law, 
 poetry or prophesy any the more 
 perplexing. Truly a man of God, 
 and learnedly learned in the deep 
 things of his word. It was a real 
 pleasure to sit and hear him ex- 
 pound the Bible, to unravel the in- 
 tricate and perplexing questions 
 that almost defy solution. And with 
 the lapse of years there seemed to 
 be no abatement of his intellec- 
 tual forces, but to almost 82 years 
 of age his mind was as clear and 
 as active as at 50. He attended 
 Quarterly Meetings in his last 
 years and took as profound inter- 
 est in them as before, in fact such 
 a meeting was held at his old 
 home church at Percy, 111., on Fri- 
 day, Saturday and Sunday before 
 he died on Monday. All of its 
 sessions he attended, except Sun- 
 day night, and took his wanted in- 
 terest in the business of the ses- 
 sion. A discussion upon the pro- 
 priety of establishing a religious 
 
 newspaper in the bounds of the 
 Central Illinois Yearly Meeting 
 was before the body, and he spoke 
 upon the subject, which was both 
 prophetic and pointed. He intro- 
 duced his remarks by saying, "My 
 work is finished, and I have noth- 
 ing more to do, but if I was a 
 3'oung man I should not hesitate 
 a moment, but know what I should 
 do." And then pointing to the 
 clerk of the Quarterly Meeting 
 said. 'Tf I was you I would start 
 the proposed paper.*' And so with 
 any business of importance that 
 was considered he took the same 
 lively interest as in former years. 
 
 The eighty-two years had not 
 whitened his hair, and bent his 
 form and bow'ed his head, as is 
 most generally the case. His step 
 had grown unsteady, which was 
 the most visible sign of advancing 
 age. but in spite of all those many 
 years of activity, mentally and phy- 
 sically, he was a remarkably well 
 preserved man. I have often 
 heard him ask the Lord that when 
 he came to die he might retain his 
 mind. And it would seem this his 
 prayer was answered and his de- 
 sire granted, for he passed away 
 without a struggle. 
 
 The Quarterly Aleeting was to 
 close that night with a sermon, 
 preceded by the young people's A. 
 C. F. Society, and as the church 
 was crowded to overflowing, hun- 
 dreds being turned away. I remain- 
 ed at the house to talk with him 
 and mother until the young peo- 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 31 
 
 ]ile"s meeting was over, so stayed 
 until about 7 o'clock, and upon bid- 
 ding them good-by, for I was going 
 home on the night train after 
 church was over, he holding on to 
 mv hand complimented my sermon 
 that I had delivered that day at 1 1 
 o'clock, which was the first time 
 in mv thirty years that I had stood 
 I)y him in the pulpit he had ever 
 said a word complimentary or oth- 
 erwise about my preaching. I 
 went down to the church, and two 
 of the neighbors, J. S. Weedon 
 and Isaac Rury, who could not get 
 in the church, called at the house, 
 and they spent about an hour talk- 
 ing on the Sunday school lesson, 
 in w^hich he took the leading part, 
 explaining some Scriptures hard 
 to understand. And immediately 
 upon their departure the old folks 
 retired. He slept like a child all 
 night, and the next morning at 6 
 o'clock he complained of being 
 cold. Sister Mary Grizzell had 
 stayed all night, being in attend- 
 ance at the Quarterly Meeting. 
 She and mother did what they 
 could to make him comfortable, 
 but in an hour he was unconscious 
 and died the following evening, 
 doubtless without a pain, at least 
 without a struggle. I was noti- 
 fied and was earlv at his side next 
 
 morning, and as I watched the 
 "last sands falling from the hour 
 glass," and saw that life going out. 
 which could rise to the dignity of 
 founding and leading a denomina- 
 tion to victory, or stoop to relieve 
 the smallest want of his helpless 
 child, I felt that his prayer, "give 
 me a peaceful hour in which to 
 die," had been fully answered. 
 
 It was meet that a life so well 
 rounded up should spend his last 
 waking hour on earth talking and 
 teaching from the Book. He was 
 held in high esteem by all who 
 knew him, old and ycoung. Every- 
 one who approached his door re- 
 ceived a hearty and a cordial greet- 
 ing, and the very large funeral cor- 
 tege that followed his remains to 
 the grave was a fitting expression 
 of the affection that thus found ut- 
 terance. The funeral services were 
 appropriately conducted by Rev. 
 J. C. Gilliland, T. O. McMinn and 
 
 at the old home 
 
 church at Percy, 111., vvhere his 
 voice had been so often heard for 
 almost half a century, speaking 
 words of encouragement and 
 hopefulness to afflicted and sor- 
 rowing humanity. January 12th, 
 1898, we laid him to rest under the 
 wide spreading limbs of a sturdy 
 old oak in the Jones grave yard, 
 one mile west of Percy 111. 
 
Zl 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 NANCY GORDON. 
 
 MARY S. MACE- 
 
 NANCY GORDON, 
 
 MARY S. MACE, 
 
 Widow of Rev. H. S. Gordon, to 
 whom she was married November 
 6th, 1849, daughter of Robt. and 
 Mary Gooding. She was born 
 March 4th, 1820. Married John 
 Hill in 1840; had one child. Her 
 hnsband died, and by her last mar- 
 riage five boys were born to them, 
 which with four step-children, 
 made a family of ten children, all 
 of Vv'hom she raised to manhood 
 and vvomanhood. They lived on 
 the farm, and she was a helpmeet 
 to him indeed, both in his ministry 
 and on the farm, for about 50 
 years. She still lives at the ad- 
 vanced age of 80 years in their 
 old home in Percy, 111. 
 
 The oldest child and only daugh- 
 ter of Rev. H. S. and Rebecca 
 Gordon, born March 3d, 1838. 
 Converted and joined the Free 
 Baptist church at Steeleville 
 September 6th, 1851. United in 
 marriage with Hon. S. P. Mace 
 March 9th, 1856, who was a mem- 
 ber of the Illinois Legislature 1876 
 to 1878; the mother of three sons 
 and one daughter ; was true to her 
 church and faithful to her God for 
 almost a half century. Removed 
 to St. Louis with her family in 
 1880, where she died December 
 30tii. 1899, leaving her children 
 the example of a well spent life. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 .U 
 
 REV. G. A. GORDON. 
 
 HARRIET GORDON. 
 
 REV. GEO. A. GORDON, 
 
 Oldest son of Rev. H. S. and Re- 
 becca Gordon, born at Alton, 111., 
 April 14th, 1842; lived at Percy 
 and Campbell Hill. Converted 
 April i8th, 1861. Married Harriet 
 Glore December 25th. 1866. Or- 
 dained August, 1868. Did pastoral 
 and evangelistic work to 1895, 
 State agent ever since. Organ- 
 ized a number of churches ; 
 preached in Illinois, Missouri and 
 Indiana. Was delegate to General 
 Conference in 1880 at Wiers, N. 
 H.; 1889 at Harpers Ferry, W. 
 Va. ; 1892 at Lowell, Mass. ; 1895 
 at Winnebago, Minn., and 1898 
 at Ocean Park, Me. A member of 
 the General Conference Board for 
 10 years, helped in starting the 
 Manning Bible School at Cairo, 
 
 111., and at present editor of the 
 "Illinois Free Baptist," and State 
 agent for Illinois, and resides at 
 Campbell Hill, 111. 
 
 HARRIET GORDON, 
 
 Oldest daughter of Jeptha and 
 Margaret (Crisler) Glore, and wife 
 of Rev. Geo. A. Gordon, born 
 January 26th, 1846, at Shiloh Hill, 
 111. Converted and joined the Free 
 Baptist Church at Steelesville, 111., 
 January ist, 1867. Has been an 
 active worker in the Church and 
 Sunday school and Children's 
 Band ever since, and has rendered 
 her husband invaluable assistance 
 in his ministry. While busied with 
 tne cares of a large household she 
 always found time for her church 
 work. She has been a faithful and 
 true pastor's wife. 
 
34 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 PARKER L. GORDON. 
 
 PARKER L. GORDON, 
 
 Son of Rev. H. S. and Rebecca 
 Gordon, born September ist, 1847, 
 near Steeleville, 111. At 18 entered 
 the army as a drummer, and serv- 
 ed through the Civil War; came 
 home and married ; had one son. 
 Married again and the second 
 wife dying, he was married Oc- 
 tober 27th, 1887, to Jane Weedon, 
 being the third time. They have 
 two children, whom they have 
 adopted. He united with the 
 Campbell Hill Free Baptist 
 Church November, 1885, and in 
 March, 1896, changed his mem- 
 bership to Ava. He has been all 
 his life engaged in the mercantile 
 business. Now resides in his com- 
 fortable home in Ava, 111. 
 
 HENRY H;. GORDON. 
 
 HENRY E. GORDON, 
 
 Second son of Rev. H. S. and Re- 
 becca Gordon, born November 
 28th, 1844. Married S. Jane San- 
 ders March 25th, 1869. Was con- 
 verted and joined the Free Bap- 
 tist Church in April, 1866, at 
 Steeleville, 111.., and served the 
 church as clerk for a number of 
 years. Spent most of his life at 
 Percy, 111., but later lived in St. 
 Louis for about four years before 
 his death, which occurred April 
 1 8th, 1893, leaving a wife and an 
 only son, Chas. H. Gordon, who 
 followed his father on March 9th, 
 1900, aged almost 26 years, leav- 
 ing mother, who now resides at 
 Frankfort, Ind. Henry E. was for 
 a number of years a member of 
 the Board of Deacons of Percy 
 church, at Percy, 111. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 35 
 
 DEACON ABRAM G. GORDON. 
 
 DR. NOEL. R. GORDON. 
 
 ABRAM G. GORDON, 
 Son of Rev. H. S. and Nancy Gor- 
 don, born November 6th, 1849, at 
 Steeleville, 111. Converted and 
 joined the Free Baptist Church 
 April, 1866. Attended Mclvendree 
 College, studied law and admitted 
 to the bar in 1871. Practiced his 
 profession ever since at Chester, 
 111. Married Jane Short Novem- 
 ber 6th, 1872, and they have 
 three children. Went into the or- 
 ganization of a Free Baptist 
 Church in Chester in 1896; served 
 on the Board of Deacons since. 
 Now resides in Chester, 111. 
 
 DR. NOEL R. GORDON, 
 Son of Rev. H. S. and Nancy Gor- 
 
 don, born May 15th, 1851, at 
 Steeleville, 111. Labored on the 
 farm. Attended district school ; 
 graduated from McKendree Col- 
 lege at Lebanon, 111., 1872. At- 
 tended St. Louis Medical College, 
 from which he graduated in 1875. 
 Married Miss Emma Hoskinson, 
 of St. Joe, Mo., in 1875, and has 
 two daughters, both married. 
 Practiced medicine in Campbell 
 Hill, 111., from 1875 to 1881 ; re- 
 moved to Sparta, 111., where he 
 continued his profession up to 
 1885, when he took up special 
 practice and located at Springfield, 
 111., where he still resides and prac- 
 tices as a specialist in the treat- 
 ment of eye, ear, nose and throat. 
 
36 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 CHAS. S. GORDON. 
 
 CHAS. S. GORDON, 
 
 Son of Rev. H. S. and Nancy Gor- 
 don, born at Steeleville, 111., March 
 19th, 1858. Received a lil)eral ed- 
 ucation, and was united in mar- 
 riage with Mattie E. Hammond. 
 Joined the Percy Free Baptist 
 Church October, 1874. Been en- 
 gaged in the mercantile business 
 most of his life. Now resides in 
 Ava, 111., with his family of a wife 
 and six children, and is a member 
 of the Free Baptist Church at that 
 jilace. 
 
 MATTIU U. GORDON. 
 
 MATTIE E. GORDON, 
 
 Wife of Chas. S. Gordon, born 
 September 14th, i860, in St. Louis, 
 Mo. Her maiden name was Ham- 
 mond. She was married September 
 14th, 1880, the mother of six chil- 
 dren, two boys and four girls. She 
 joined the M. E. Church early in 
 life, of which she still remains a 
 member, and now presides over 
 her little home, consisting of a 
 husl)and and six happy, hopeful 
 little ones in Ava, 111. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 37 
 
 DR. L. E. GORDON, 
 Adopted son of Rev. Geo. A. and 
 Harriet Gordon, born December 
 19th, 1871. Received his early edu- 
 cation at Campbell Hill, 111. ; grad- 
 uated from the Dental Depart- 
 ment of Washington University 
 at St. Louis, Mo. Married Evan- 
 geline Rogers November ist, 
 1893. Lived at Carbondale, 111., 
 five years, where he united with 
 the M. E. Church and practiced 
 his profession, in which he was 
 very proficient. Removed to Me- 
 tropolis, 111., where he was taken 
 sick, brought back home and died 
 June I ith, T(;;oo. 
 
 E\ANGELINE GORDON, 
 Wife of Dr. L. E. Gordon, born 
 July 29th, 1874, at Campbell Hill, 
 111. Attended school at home and 
 at Waterloo, 111., and St. Louis, 
 Mo. Alarried Dr. Gordon Novem- 
 ber I St, 1893, by whom she bore 
 two sons, Ralph Emmerson and 
 Neal Dow, the former died No- 
 vember 15th, 1900, at the age of 
 4 year, 5 month and 21 days. She 
 united with the M. E. Church at 
 Carbondale, changing her mem- 
 bership to Metropolis. 111., where 
 she now resides. 
 
38 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 REV. RICHARD A. BRADLEY. 
 
 REV. WM. BRADLEY. 
 
 REV. RICHARD A. BRAD- 
 LEY, 
 
 Son of Joshua and Ann (Giles) 
 Bradley, born in Sumner Co., 
 Tenn., January 3d, 1802. Came to 
 Illinois early. Was converted and 
 joined the Looney Springs Free 
 Baptist Church (then General 
 Baptist) June 23d, 1850, and was 
 ordained to the Gospel ministry 
 by Rev. H. S. Gordon on the 4th 
 Sabbath in March, 1852, and was 
 elected pastor the following 
 month. Served as pastor for a 
 number of years ; represented his 
 county in the Illinois Legislature 
 three terms, first in 1842 to 1844, 
 then to 1846, and again from 1848 
 to 1850, being 13th, 14th and i6th 
 General Assemblies. 
 
 In 1842 he was chairman of the 
 jCommittee on Elections 
 
 presented a bill to move the 
 county seat to Murphysboro. In 
 1844 was chairman of the Commit- 
 tee on Public Buildings and 
 Grounds, and presented a bill to 
 reduce the fees of County Judges. 
 Circuit and County Clerks, County 
 Commissioners and Justices of the 
 peace. In 1848 a bill to charter 
 the Chester & Wabash R. R. At- 
 tended 48 days, traveled on horse- 
 back 400 miles and received for 
 the two years $136. 
 
 Married Elizabeth Oliver Oc- 
 tober 24th, 1826; had 9 children. 
 Lived in Campbell Hill, 111., where 
 he died April i6th, i860, aged 58 
 years and 3 months. 
 
 REV. WM. BRADLEY, 
 Son of Joshua and Ann (Giles) 
 and Bradley, Iwrn in Sumner Co., 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 39 
 
 Tenn., February 13th, 1814. Con- 
 verted 1850; ordained October, 
 1852. ^Married Serena Draper in 
 1835. She died and in 18 — he mar- 
 ried Mrs. Ross Reese, and died 
 August loth, 1887. He preached 
 in Southern IlHnois ; baptized sev- 
 eral hundred converts and helped 
 organize a great many churches. 
 
 A man of wide acquaintanceship 
 and wonderful influence. Twice 
 elected County Judge and once 
 Associate Judge of Jackson Co., 
 and universally loved and respect- 
 ed. Did pastoral work principally 
 for 35 years. For the last 25 or 30 
 years he resided in Murphysboro, 
 
 in. 
 
 THE OLD LOONEY SPRINGS CHURCH. 
 
 THE OLD LOONEY SPRINGS 
 
 CHURCH, 
 Organized April 28th, 1850, by 
 Rev. H. S. Gordon, who was its 
 first pastor. This being the third 
 house built, the first was built of 
 logs, the next of boards and plas- 
 tered inside, this of brick and was 
 erected in 1865, w-as 36x50 feet 
 and 12 feet high ; one-half mile east 
 
 of Campbell Hill, 111., and was torn 
 down in 1900, although it had not 
 been used since 1883, when the 
 new house was built in town. The 
 original 9 members were : Jno. 
 McLaughlin, Jno. Burlison and 
 Mary Henry, Sarah White, Serena 
 Bradley, Mary White, Nancy Pet- 
 tie, Jane Burlison and Susan Har- 
 rison. 
 
40 
 
 I.IFK AND LABORS OF 
 
 CAMPBELIv HII^I, FREK BAPTIST CHURCH. 
 
 CAMPBELL HILL FREE BAP- 
 TIST CHURCH, 
 
 Better known as Looney Springs 
 church, buih in 1883, at a cost of 
 about $3,000, and is the first Free 
 Baptist church in this part of the 
 State, and is the one over which 
 the difficuhy arose that resulted 
 in the exchision of Rev. H. S. 
 Gordon from the Close Baptist 
 Church, and started the movement 
 for Free Communion in 1850. 
 Membership is about 200, and has 
 a neat five room parsonage ad- 
 
 joining. Its pastors have been 
 Rev. H. S. Gordon, 2 years ; R. A. 
 Bradley, 7 years; Wm. Bradley, 
 1 1 years ; H. S. Gordon, 2 years ; 
 Wm. Bradley, 4 years ; G. A. Gor- 
 don, I year; Wm. Bradley, i year; 
 G. A. Gordon, 13^ years ; Wm. 
 Bradley, 21/2 years ; G. A. Gor- 
 don. I year ; J. W. Phelps, 2 years ; 
 T. O. McMinn, i>4 years; W. R. 
 Wilson. I year; J. W. McMillan, 
 I 2-3 years; G. A. Gordon, i year; 
 H. S. Gordon, 3 years; G. A. Gor- 
 don I year; J. L. Meads. 2 years, 
 and A. J. Rendleman, 4 years. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 41 
 
 REV. J. L. TATUM. 
 
 S. EMMA TATUM, 
 
 WIFB OF J. L. TATUM. 
 
 REV. J. L. TATUM, 
 
 Born September i8th, 1856, son 
 of Wm. B. and Emily (Johnson) 
 Tatum. Gained a liberal education 
 and was a successful school teach- 
 er. Converted at 15 and joined the 
 Baptist Church, and in 1888 unit- 
 ed with the Free Baptist Church 
 at Percy, 111. Felt called to preach 
 soon after conversion, and was 
 licensed in 1890, and ordained to 
 the ministry by the Looney 
 Springs Quarterly Meeting of 
 Free Baptists ; served as pastor at 
 Percy, and has been quite success- 
 ful in evangelistic work. Now re- 
 sides at Percv, 111. 
 
 SUSAN E. TATUM, 
 
 Wife of Rev. J. L. Tatum, born 
 Covington, Ky., September 30th, 
 1856, daughter of W. H. and In- 
 diana (Minter) Stephens. She was 
 married to W. J. Robins March 
 27th, 1879. He died October 28th, 
 1 88 1, and she married Rev. J. L. 
 Tatum July 8th, 1885, ^"^ ^^ the 
 mother of six children. Was con- 
 verted and joined the Free Baptist 
 Church at Percy, 111., in 1888, with 
 which church she is still a faithful 
 member, and president of the 
 Woman's Missionary Society. 
 
42 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 REV. GEO. C. BAGWILIv. 
 
 MARY J. BAG WILL, 
 
 WIFE OF REV. GEO. C. BAGWILL. 
 
 REV. GEO. C. BAGWILL, 
 
 Son of Daniel and Sarah Bagwill, 
 born at Campbell Hill, 111., Sep- 
 tember 14th, 1870. Received a 
 common school education, and 
 Avas united in marriage to Mary 
 Jane Higgins December 31st, 
 1 89 1. Joined the Free Baptist 
 Church at Murphysboro, 111., in 
 1893, and was licensed to preach 
 in 1894, and ordained in 1898, and 
 has done local work most of the 
 time since. On September ist, 
 1900, he was appointed president 
 
 of the seventh sub-district U. M. 
 W. of A., and resides with his 
 wife and three little children at 
 Percv, 111. 
 
 MARY J. BAGWILL, 
 
 Wife of Rev. Geo. C. Bagwill, 
 born January 12th, 1875, ^^^'^ was 
 married December 31st, 1891. 
 Was converted and united with 
 the Free Baptist Church at Mur- 
 physboro. 111., in 1893, of which 
 church she is still a faithful mem- 
 ber. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 43 
 
 
 
 
 iSi. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 /' 
 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 ---^vf.^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^1!V 
 
 -^. 1 
 
 
 
 
 -" 
 
 -■— -^ 
 
 
 ;.#:; 
 
 
 
 ■'•, J 
 
 k 
 
 DEACON WM. c. Mccormick. 
 
 MARTHA E. Mccormick. 
 
 DEACON WM. C. McCOR- 
 MICK, 
 
 Born August 2d, 1832, in Indiana, 
 son of A. G. and Frances McCor- 
 mick, came to Illinois in 1837. 
 Married Martha E. Talbot Janu- 
 ary 14th, 1858, lived on their farm 
 near Dry Hill for 41 years ; raised 
 a large family of children, six of 
 whom are living. For 27 years he 
 lias been a worthy member of the 
 Free Baptist Church. He has ac- 
 ceptably filled the ofBce of deacon 
 for many years, and for twenty 
 years has been superintendent of 
 the Sunday school. Served 
 through the Civil War, and was 
 seriously wounded at the sieee of 
 
 Atlanta August 20th, 1864. Now 
 living a retired life at Ava, 111. 
 
 MARTHA E. McCORMICK, 
 
 Wife of Deacon Win. C. McCor- 
 mick and daughter of Wm. E. and 
 EHzabeth (Crain) Talbot, born 
 October 27th, 1841, in Jackson 
 Co., 111. Married January 14th, 
 1858; the mother of ten children, 
 six of whom are now living. She 
 joined the Free Baptist Church 
 at Dry Hill, 111., at its organiza- 
 tion and for many years was clerk 
 (jf the Church, and an active 
 Sunday school worker, and a true 
 helpmeet to her husband in the 
 church work. 
 
44 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 C. M. BRADLEY AND WIFE). 
 
 C. M. BRADLEY, 
 
 Oldest son of Jas. H. and Ruth 
 (CuUey) Bradley, born near Shi- 
 loh Hill, III, Jan. 26th, 1848. Was 
 converted and joined the Free 
 Baptist Church at Sugar Hill, 
 Jackson Co., 111., in 1865. Was for 
 a number of years a member of 
 De Soto Church, but for the past 
 few years of Murphy sboro Church. 
 United in marriage with Mary E. 
 
 Bandy December 12th, 1867. She 
 was born in Herrin's Prairie, Wil- 
 liamson Co., 111., August 8th, 1846. 
 Came to De Soto and was there 
 married. Joined the M. E. Church 
 in 1858, and in March, 1878, united 
 with the De Soto Free Baptist 
 Church. They have raised a large 
 family, and now reside in Mur- 
 physboro, where he has a prosper- 
 ous business. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 45 
 
 J"*^ 
 
 
 i^^^^l^^r ^F ''S/^HlBi 
 
 ^^^^^b^ ^^HHI 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^^^' fe^^^^^^H 
 
 rb;v. morrili, a. shspard. 
 
 MARY JANE SHEPARD. 
 
 REV. MORRILL A. SHEPARD Nichols to come from the east to 
 
 Illinois, where the}- engaged very 
 successfully in evangelistic tent 
 work, which under his direction 
 proved a great blessing. The past 
 12 years has been largely in evan- 
 gelistic work ; has traveled and 
 preached, especially emphasizing 
 the doctrine of holiness. His pres- 
 ent wife was formerly Mrs. Mary 
 E. Griffin. He was three times a 
 delegate to the General Confer- 
 ence, attending the Centennial 
 Session in 1880 at the Weirs in 
 New Hampshire. Died Jan. 31, 
 1901, at Grand Bay, Ala. 
 
 MARY JANE SHEPARD, 
 Oldest daughter of Major Jno. T. 
 and Jane Moorehead, born near 
 New Harmony, Ind., June 2d, 
 1 83 1. Married' to Rev. M. A. 
 Shepard July 7th, 1857. Mother of 
 four children, two living, Olive B., 
 and John A. She died March 15th, 
 1898, and was a consistent mem- 
 ber of the M. E. Church from her 
 1 2th vear. 
 
 Was born of old Puritan stock 
 September 27th, 1833. His parents 
 came from New Hampshire to 
 what is now known as Linn, Wa- 
 bash Co.. 111., the same year, and 
 lived in that vicinity for 33 years. 
 In order to give his children the 
 advantages of an education he re- 
 moved to Lebanon, 111., in 1871. 
 July 7th, 1857, '1^ married Miss 
 Mary J. Moorhead. They had four 
 children, two died in infancy ; 
 Olive Belle and John A. are still 
 living. He was converted January 
 28th, 1858, and was licensed to 
 preach in 1863, and was ordained 
 in 1865 by the Freewill Baptists of 
 Bone Gape, Edwards county, 111. 
 On November 23d, 1887, he ex- 
 perienced the blessing of sanctifi- 
 cation ; from that time he has been 
 quite active in Christian work. In 
 1888 he was instrumental in get- 
 ing Rev. J. N. Noble, Belle D. Sis- 
 son (now Smith) and Carrie M. 
 
46 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 RiCV. THUS. O. r.IcMINN. 
 
 REV. THOS. O. McMINN, 
 Son of Jno. and Elizabeth (Black) 
 McMinn, born in Jackson Co., 111., 
 December 20th, 1852. Converted 
 when 17 years of age, joined the 
 Free Baptist Church at Freewill, 
 baptized by Rev. W. H. Blanken- 
 ship. Married July 31st, 1872, to 
 Georgia Ann Blankenship ; again 
 June 29th, 1879, to Sarah E. 
 Hampton; again June 8th 1898, to 
 Ida Elsey. Ordained November 
 loth, 1875. Was a member of the 
 1883 General Conference at Min- 
 neapolis, and in 1895 at Winneba- 
 go, Minn. Preached continuously 
 since ordination. Organized sev- 
 eral churches, and still active in 
 pastoral work. Now resides at 
 Murphysboro ; has nine children, 
 the oldest son is in the ministry. 
 
 REV. A. J. RENDLEMAN. 
 
 REV. A. J. RENDLEMAN. 
 Son of Harris and Elizabeth 
 (Knight) Rendleman, was born in 
 Williamson Co., 111., March 3. 
 1867. He was converted Novem- 
 ber 22, 1887, and joined the Drury 
 Free Baptist Church. Taught 
 eleven terms in the public schools. 
 Was licensed to preach April, 
 1894; ordained July, 1895. Has 
 ministered to Drury, Camp Creek, 
 Cottage Home and Meads Chapel 
 churches and since 1896 has pas- 
 tored Campbell Hill and Pipestone 
 churches, and is also pastor of 
 Willisville church, which he or- 
 ganized July, 1899. Has baptized 
 223 converts. He was married to 
 Miss Maggie Monroe April 29, 
 1887. Four children have blessed 
 their home, three of whom are liv- 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 47 
 
 REV. J. J. TATU.M. 
 
 REV. JOE A. COCHRAN. 
 
 REV. J. J. TATUM, 
 
 Son of Wm. B. and Emily (John- 
 son) Tatum, born at Steelesville, 
 111., May 22d, 1863. Married Tlet- 
 tie K. Mason June 22d, 1886. Con- 
 verted August 1 6th, 1877, and 
 joined the Close Baptists, but never 
 did believe their doctrine, and was 
 reclaimed and united with the Free 
 Baptists at Campbell Hill January 
 1st, 1889. Licensed to preach July 
 13th, 1889, and ordained Septem- 
 ber, 1893. He has been actively 
 engaged in pastoral work ever 
 since, and has for the past four 
 years been pastor of the Ava 
 church, where with his family he 
 resides in the beautiful six-room 
 
 two-story parsonage which the 
 church built through his instru- 
 mentality. 
 
 REV. JOE A. COCHRAN, 
 
 The son of J. A. and Susan Coch- 
 ran, was born in Runnells Co., 
 Mo., October 14th, 1869; was 
 converted and joined the Free 
 Baptist Church in November, 
 1889; baptized by Rev. A. J. 
 Lyons; licensed to preach in 1891, 
 and was ordained in 1897. Labored 
 some as an evangelist ; now a pas- 
 tor in the Wayne Co. Quarterly 
 Meeting. Married Miss Lenora 
 Schee in 1898, and lives at Long 
 Prairie, 111. 
 
48 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 MURPHYSBORO CHURCH. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 49 
 
 MURPHYSBORO CHURCH, 
 
 Organized February 19th, 1875, 
 by Revs. G. A. Gordon and F. W. 
 Newell, 20 members ; J. H. Brad- 
 ley and F. W. Smith deacons, C. 
 C. Culley clerk. G. A. Gordon pas- 
 tor. 1885 discontinued meetings. 
 Reorganized June 21st, 1893, by 
 Revs. J. L. Meads. G. P. ^Ic- 
 Bride and G. A. Gordon, with 12 
 members : Mollie Benson, ■Mr. 
 and Mrs. Lem Pate, Geo. C. Bag- 
 will, Lillian B. Phoenix, Lizzie 
 Snider, Mr. and Mrs. John Pout- 
 son, Leander Bradley, Susan 
 Bradley, Missouri Berry and Bet- 
 tie A. Phoenix. In this meeting- 
 
 90 persons united with the Church. 
 Under the pastorate of Rev. J. L. 
 Meads the church grew, and in 
 1895 they began to build. Rev. G. 
 P. McBride, pastor. On April 23d, 
 1896, this building was dedicated. 
 Dr. H. j\L Ford delivered the ser- 
 mon. September, 1898, Rev. J. L. 
 Meads was called as pastor again 
 and remained two years. The pres- 
 ent pastor is Rev. T. O. McMinn. 
 The church sustains weekly ser- 
 vices, Sabbath school, prayer 
 meeting and A. C. F. society. 
 
 It has had frequent revivals and 
 earned for itself a reputation for 
 spirituality, cleanliness and power. 
 
50 
 
 LIFK AND I^ABORS OF 
 
 HON. J. H. BRADLEY, 
 
 RUTH JAN]<; BRADLEY. 
 
 JUDGE JAMES H. BRADLEY, RUTH JANE BRADLEY 
 
 Born August 22d, 1821, in Ran- 
 dolph county, 111., the son of Jas. 
 H. and Martha Bradley. Married 
 to Miss Ruth J. Culley July 2d, 
 1844. To them were born fourteen 
 children, five of whom are living. 
 He enlisted September, 1861, and 
 spent almost four year in the 
 Civil War. On his return home he 
 united with the Free Baptist 
 Church at DeSoto, under the la- 
 bors of Rev. Wm. Bradley, and 
 was faithful until his death, Aug- 
 ust 22d. 1888. He was a lawyer, 
 professionally, and an ultra pro- 
 hibitionist. 
 
 Was born in Posey Co., Ind., Jan- 
 uary 23d, 1828. Daughter of Jo- 
 siah and Elizabeth Culley. Married 
 to James H. Bradley July 2d, 
 1844. To them was born fourteen 
 children, five still living. Aunt 
 Jane united with the Looney 
 Springs church in 1850; was con- 
 verted under the preaching of Un- 
 cle Henry S. Gordon, and has been 
 true to her Church all these years 
 and faithful to her God. Still lives 
 at Dc Soto, 111. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 51 
 
 RBV. J. Iv. MKADS. 
 
 REV. JOSEPH LEVI MEADS, 
 
 Son of G. W. and H. L. (Hatfield) 
 Meads, born February 25th, 1868, 
 at St. Louis, Mo. Family removed 
 to Murphysboro, 111., and in 1874 
 to Ava. Converted and united with 
 the Ava Free Baptist Church in 
 1886; licensed in 1889 and or- 
 dained to preach July 12th, 1889. 
 Organized Murphysboro, Chester, 
 Marion, Creal Springs, Carter- 
 ville, Bushnell and other Free 
 Baptist churches. Received 2,000 
 or more into the Church ; baptized 
 over 700; served Camp Creek, 
 Sato, Ava, Campbell Hill and 
 Murphysboro churches as pastor, 
 and now at Chester. Delegate to 
 General Conference in 1892 at 
 Lowell, Mass., and delegate-elect 
 to next General Conference at 
 Harpers Ferrv, W. Va. Married in 
 1893 to Stella M. Waldo, of Ben- 
 ton, 111. 
 
 Politically he is a radical Pro- 
 hibitionist. 
 
 MRS. STELLA M. MEADS, 
 
 WIFE OF REV. J. L. MEADS. 
 
 STELLA M. MEADS, 
 
 Daughter of Richard E. and Jen- 
 nie (Spence) Waldo, born De- 
 cember, 1867, in Marion Co., 111. 
 United in marriage with Rev. J. 
 L. Meads May loth, 1893 ; to them 
 have been born five children, two 
 of whom are dead. She was con- 
 verted and united with the M. E. 
 Church at 15 years of age. After 
 marriage she united with the Free 
 Baptist Church and was baptized 
 by her husband in Campbell Hill 
 church. When 16 years old she be- 
 gan teaching school, also instru- 
 mental and vocal music, and al- 
 though now busied with the cares 
 of a family, she still finds time to 
 render invaluable aid to her hus- 
 band in the work of the Church, 
 where her musical talent is great- 
 Iv blessed. 
 
52 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 REV. S. L. MORRIS. 
 
 REV. S. L. MORRIS, 
 
 Born in Ohio in 1856. Converted 
 at 13 years of age ; joined the M. 
 E. Church at 23 ; entered the min- 
 istry at 28, and later joined the 
 Free Baptist Church at Ava in 
 1896. Ordained in 1897, at Ta- 
 maroa, 111., and has done pastoral 
 work ever since ; organized Lone 
 Oak church, and now pastor of 
 Tamaroa church. Was married to 
 Josephine David in 1879, and has 
 three children, and now lives at 
 Tamaroa, 111. 
 
 REV. jNO. w. McMillan, 
 
 Oldest son of Thos. and Sarah A. 
 McMillan, born in Meade Co., 
 
 REV. JNO. W. MCMILLAN. 
 
 Ky., in 1844. Came to Illinois in 
 1859. Converted and joined the 
 M. E. Church March 3d, i860. Li- 
 censed in 1870; united with the 
 Free Baptist Church at Campbell 
 Hill and ordained January, 1866, 
 and took up Pastoral work ; 
 served Camp Creek, Dry Hill, 
 Sato, Campbell's Hill, Pleasant 
 Ridge, Pate's Chapel, De Soto, 
 Drury, Kinkaid, Marion, Union 
 and Oak Valley churches as pas- 
 tor. Was appointed Yearly [Meet- 
 ing Evangelist in 1895, sevred 9 
 months, but had to give it up on 
 account of throat troul)le. Xow 
 lives in Campbell Hill with his 
 family. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 53 
 
 REV. GILES P. McBRIDE. 
 
 REV. GILES P. McBRIDE, 
 Born March 4th, 1867, near Ava, 
 111. Professed faith in God at the 
 age of 20 years ; joined the Pres- 
 byterian Church at Ava ; elected 
 elder ; not satisfied with baptism 
 united with the Free Baptist 
 Church and was licensed to preach 
 January, 1891, and ordained the 
 following May. United in mar- 
 riage with Clara Russell Septem- 
 ber 20th, 1892. Has served Marion, 
 Creal Springs, De Soto, Murphys- 
 boro and Chester churches as pas- 
 tor. Labored as Yearly Meeting 
 evangelist two years ; done consid- 
 erable evangelistic work ; organ- 
 ized several churches and A. C. F. 
 societies ; built two churches and 
 is acting as State agent for the 
 State of Indiana now. Is a Free 
 Baptist and a Prohibitionist. 
 
 CLAKA RUSSEL McBRIDE. 
 
 CLARA RUSSEL McBRIDE, 
 Wife of Rev. G. P. McBride, born 
 September 7th, 1870, near Carter- 
 ville. 111. Her father died when 
 she was four years old, and at 12 
 she had to make her own living 
 working summers for small wages, 
 winters for board and schooling; 
 attended school at Carterville and 
 Carbondale ; taught her first 
 school at the age of 17. Was con- 
 verted in July, 1891, at a tent 
 meeting held by Meads and Mc- 
 Bride ; joined the Free Baptist 
 Church and was baptized the 
 same month. Married September 
 20th, 1892, and is the mother of 
 four children, R. Gordon, Beulah 
 E., Wendell S., and Ralph W. Is 
 verv active in church work. 
 
54 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 Ryv. J. A.JONES. 
 
 REV. JAS. A. JONES 
 
 Was born November 26th, 1853, 
 in Williamson Co., 111., the son of 
 John and Purlina Jones. Received 
 a fair education, taught school 
 and attended college, and is now 
 teaching his 34th term. He em- 
 braced religion in 1874, and joined 
 Harmony Free Baptist Church in 
 May, 1876, and was its clerk many 
 years; was clerk of Makanda 
 Quarterly Meeting for seven 
 years, was licensed to preach Feb- 
 ruary, 1892, and was ordained 
 September, 1892; has had the pas- 
 toral care of a number of churches, 
 and is still actively engaged in the 
 ministry. Married Miss Ellen Grif- 
 
 EI^LEN JONES. 
 
 fin April 3d, 1879, and is the 
 happy father of two girls and two 
 boys. 
 
 ELLEN JONES, 
 
 Wife of Rev. J. A. Jones, was born 
 May 2d, 1858, in Franklin Co., 
 111. Attended the district school. 
 Was converted April i8th, 1874. 
 under the preaching of Sister 
 Emma Snider ; united with Har- 
 mony Free Baptist Church May, 
 1875, and has continued a true and 
 consistent member. Married April 
 3d, 1879, and has had five chil- 
 dren ; one died in infancy, the oth- 
 ers remain at home in Christo- 
 pher, 111. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 1 ^^ 
 
 ■ ,:^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 "^ ^ 
 
 
 ^^ fli 
 
 REV. CHAS. T. ROGERS. 
 
 KEV. H. M. TURNEY. 
 
 REV. CHAS. T. ROGERS 
 
 Was born at Fort Scott, Kan., July 
 4th, 1866; removed to Florida in 
 1879, and to Wayne county, 111., 
 in 1895 ; the following winter was 
 converted and joined the Free 
 Baptist Church at Johnsonville, 
 111., under the pastorate of Rev. T. 
 O. McMinn, by whom he was bap- 
 tized. Licensed to preach at the 
 May Quarterly Meeting following. 
 Was ordained September, 1896, 
 and is one of our best young pas- 
 tors. He married Orra E. Alvis, 
 who is indeed a true preacher's 
 wife, cheering and encouraging 
 her husband in work for the salva- 
 tion of souls. Has pastoral care 
 of four churches, and lives at Fair- 
 field, 111. 
 
 REV. H. M. TURNEY 
 
 Was born May 17, 1850, in Louis- 
 ville, Ky. For many years was 
 a traveling salesman. Through 
 the social glass he became, the vic- 
 tim of strong drink. March ist, 
 1891, found him in the docks of 
 Cleveland, Ohio, a total wreck — 
 home, friends, reputation all gone. 
 Homeless, friendless, Godless, he 
 found his way into the floating 
 Bethel, where he was saved, and 
 immediately began telling the won- 
 ders of grace ; joined the Free Bap- 
 tist Church, and was ordained Oc- 
 tober 1st, 1899. Is at present 
 Yearly Meeting evangelist of the 
 Central Illinois Yearly Meeting. 
 God has used him in the salvation 
 of manv souls. 
 
56 
 
 I.IFE AND IvABORS OF 
 
 REV. J. B, DAVIS AND MARTHA J. DAVIS. 
 
 REV. J. B. DAVIS 
 
 Was born in Jackson Co., 111., 
 January loth, 1837. A son of 
 Richard Davis. Joined the army 
 in 1861 ; served four years in the 
 Civil War. United in marriage 
 with Francis Spurgeon in March, 
 1866. Converted and joined the 
 Baptist Church in November, 
 1866; baptized by Rev. Wm. Car- 
 ner. Moved to Denmark, 111., in 
 September, 1871, and joined the 
 Free Baptist Church ; was ordain- 
 ed April, 1888, at the Quarterly 
 Meeting at Dry Hill. Has had the 
 pastoral care of Pipestone, Du 
 Quoin, De Soto and Macedonia 
 clnirches. Wife died and married 
 
 again to Mrs. M. J. Benedict, and 
 lives at Denmark, 111. 
 
 MRS. M. J. DAVIS, 
 
 Wife of Rev. J. B. Davis, born 
 May 1 6th, 1849. i" Washington 
 Co., 111. Was raised by her uncle, 
 and in 1868 was married to S. 
 Benedict. He died, and in 1896 she 
 was again married, this time to 
 Rev. J. B. Davis. In 1875 she was 
 converted and joined the Nine Mile 
 Baptist church, and was baptized 
 by Rev. P. Hagler. On removing 
 to Denmark, 111., she united with 
 the Free Baptist Church in 1878, 
 where with her husband she now 
 resides. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 57 
 
 REV. BEN KELLER. 
 
 REV. SAM'L T. ESSICK. 
 
 REV. BEN KELLER, 
 
 Born in Bedford Co., Tenn., Oc- 
 tober 2 1 St, 1829. Married Mary J. 
 Latimer March 27th, 1851 ; they 
 had five children, four still living. 
 Converted October 13th, 1847. 
 Licensed to preach December 
 13th, 1877; ordained February 
 9th, 1879; united with the Free 
 Baptist Church in 1876, and died 
 April 27th, 1900, near Scheller, 
 111., a very devoted, active Chris- 
 tian man, beloved by all who knew 
 him. 
 
 REV. SAM'L T. ESSICK 
 
 Was born in 1843 ""^ Pennsylvania. 
 He was married, and died on De- 
 cember 2nd. 1898, leaving a wife 
 and nine children. Was converted 
 and joined the V. B. in Richland 
 county. 111. Moved to Jackson 
 county in 1883, and united with the 
 Christian order, and in both of 
 these churches did good service in 
 the Sunday school work. In 1887 
 he joined the Free Baptists and was 
 ordained to preach the Gospel 
 April loth, 1892, after which he was 
 pastor of different churches in this 
 and adjoining counties. 
 
58 
 
 LIFE AND I^ABORS OF 
 
 TAMAROA CHURCH. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 59 
 
 TAMAROA CHURCH. 
 
 This church was organized De- 
 cember 7th, 1889, by Rev. AI. A. 
 Shepard with 17 members, the re- 
 sult of tent meetings held by him- 
 self, Rev. J. N. Noble, Carrie Nich- 
 ols, Belle D. Sisson and ^\'. S. 
 Smith, most if not all the member- 
 ship believing in Bible holiness. 
 
 Rev. H. F. Carter was the first 
 pastor, until September, 1890. Rev. 
 J. F. Kirk served the church one 
 year or until 1891, then Rev. T. O. 
 McMinn was called and served the 
 church for seven years. It was 
 prosperous, enlarged its member- 
 ship greatly and built a parsonage 
 
 under his pastorate. Then Rev. S. 
 L. Morris was chosen pastor and is 
 now entering on his second year. 
 Have a nice church worth about 
 $1,500, a comfortable parsonage 
 worth about $800 ; have a prosper- 
 ous Sunday school, A. C. F. So- 
 ciety, W. F. M. Society, prayer 
 meeting and Children's Band ; 
 have given for home and foreign 
 missions and education about 
 $415. Added to the church since 
 organization about 200. A large 
 number of converts went to other 
 churches, some have fallen by the 
 way. The church is still prosper- 
 ous. 
 
60 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 K^V. CHAS. F. STALKER. 
 
 SUSAN C. STALKER, 
 
 WIFE OF REV. CHAS. F. STALKER. 
 
 REV. CHAS. F. STALKER. 
 
 Was born in Du Quoin, 111., 
 June 25th, 1871 ; a direct descend- 
 ant of the French Hugenots who 
 so nobly bore the persecution in- 
 flicted upon them by the enemies 
 of Christ. Was converted August 
 19th, 1890; united with the Free 
 Baptist Church in November ; be- 
 gan preaching in 1891 ; ordained 
 in 1892; has pastorate of Percy, 
 Rock Springs, Pate's Chapel and 
 Crainville churches. Has used gos- 
 pel wagon, and did other evangel- 
 istic work. An expert chalk talker, 
 he illustrates his sermons and lec- 
 tures on the board. Married June 
 
 22d, 1890; two children living, 
 three dead. With his family now 
 resides at De Soto, 111. 
 
 SUSAN COUNCE STALKER, 
 
 Wife of Rev. C. F. Stalker, born 
 at De Soto, 111., November ist, 
 1872; converted August 20th, 
 1890; joined the Free Baptist 
 Church November following. Has 
 been consecrated to the cause of 
 Christ since receiving pardon for 
 her sins, and by her wisdom and 
 council has been a tower of 
 strength to her husband in the 
 great work of the ministry. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 61 
 
 REV. J. C. GILUIvAND. 
 
 SUSAN SCOTT. 
 
 REV. J. C. GILLILAND, 
 
 Born 14th Alarch, 1833, in Mis- 
 souri. Converted in 1847; joined 
 the M. E. Church and was Hcensed 
 in 1849. I^"^ 1863. being dissatisfied 
 with infant baptism, joined the 
 Hillerites ; in 1864 joined the Free 
 Baptists at Steeleville, 111. Labor- 
 ed as pastor, organizer and evan- 
 gelist. Organized a great many 
 churches in Wayne, Jefferson, 
 Washington, Perry and Jackson 
 counties. Married to Susan A. 
 Waldrop and had two children. 
 She died and he married again 
 Martha E. Johnson. Now resides 
 on his farm at Scheller, 111., and 
 
 is sorely 
 tism. 
 
 af^icted with rheuma- 
 
 SUSAN SCOTT, 
 
 Mother of Jno. A. L. Scott, born 
 in Muskingdom Co., Ohio, near 
 Fainsville, May 31st, 1823. Came 
 with her parents to Illinois in 
 1855. Converted February, 1870, 
 and entered the Orchardville Free 
 Baptist Church as a charter mem- 
 ber November 4th, 1889, and is 
 one of the most humble, faithful, 
 loyal members of the church, and 
 has taken care of the church since 
 its erection. Resides at Orchard- 
 ville, 111., with her only son. 
 
62 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 PKRCY CHl'RCH 
 
 PERCY CHURCH, 
 
 Erected in 1873 by Daniel Hart- 
 ley and G. A. Gordon, building 
 committee, and was first located 
 in Steeleville, being built there in 
 185 1 by Rev. H. S. Gordon when 
 he was excluded from the Mission- 
 ary Baptist Church. Site was re- 
 moved to Percy when the rail- 
 
 roads were built, thinking the 
 town would doubtless be moved. 
 Rev. H. S. Gordon was pastor of 
 this church over 30 years, G. A. 
 Gordon 10 years, R. A. Bradley, 
 Wm. Bradley, J. C. Gilliland and 
 W. F. Newell and J. H. Bagwill 
 one year each, and the present 
 pastor is Rev. C. F. Stalker. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 63 
 
 REV. PHILLIP H. DOWNING AND WIFE). 
 
 REV. PHILLIP H. DOWNING, 
 
 Born December 15th, 1851, in Jef- 
 ferson county, la., son of Wm. D. 
 and Sarah M. Downing. Convert- 
 ed in 1872; joined the NcwHtes. 
 afterward the Free Baptist Church 
 in 1895. Licensed to preach in the 
 same year, and ordained in 1898. 
 Married Elvina Snook. She died 
 
 and he married again to Evila 
 Glasco in 1892. 
 
 EVILA DOWNING, 
 
 ^^'ife of Rev. P. H. Downing, 
 born January i6th, i860, in Davis 
 county. la. Converted in 1878, and 
 united with the NewHtes, and in 
 1895 joined the Free Baptist 
 Church, and Hves with her hus- 
 band at Downing, 111. 
 
64 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 REV. JNO. H. BAGWILL. 
 
 REV. JNO. H. BAGWILL, 
 
 Son of M. A. and Cynthia Ba.i^will, 
 was born at Campbell Hill Janu- 
 ary nth, 1874. Married Ollie M. 
 Bradley June 12th, 1895. He was 
 converted December, i8qo, joined 
 the Campbell Hill Free Baptist 
 Church ; licensed to preach Octo- 
 ber 1st, 1892, and was ordained 
 July 5th, 1895, by Revs. G. A. 
 Gordon, M. A. Shepard, J. L. 
 Meads and J. W. McMillan. 
 
 The greatest meeting of his life 
 was at Percy in 1898; in 12 days 
 120 accessions, 102 baptized — the 
 largest number baptized in any 
 one church that year in the de- 
 nomination. Resides at Marion, 
 
 111., and is our pastor there ; also 
 Lone Oak, Creal Springs and 
 Spillertown. Was delegate to 
 General Conference at Ocean 
 Park, Me., li 
 
 OLLIE M. BAGWILL, 
 
 Wife of Rev. Jno. H. Bagwill and 
 youngest daughter of Jas. H. and 
 Ruth J. Bradley, was born at De 
 Soto, 111., June 21st, 1873; was 
 converted at De Soto in 1889, and 
 joined the Free Baptist Church. 
 She was united in matrimony 
 June I2th, 1895, with Rev. J. H. 
 Bagwill. Has done what she could 
 in woman's missionary work, and 
 been of lasting benefit to her hus- 
 band in his ministry. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 65 
 
 REV. R. C. ALLEN AND MARTHA E. ALLEN. 
 
 REV. ROBT. C. ALLEN, 
 
 Son of Clement and Esther (Stor- 
 mont) Allen, born at Princeton, 
 Ind., August 30th, 1838. Came to 
 Illinois in 1845. Converted and 
 united with the Reformed Presby- 
 terian Church in his 19th year. 
 Married Elizabeth McCoUough in 
 1866. She died 1871 ; married 
 again in 1890 to Martha E. Culley. 
 Joined the Free Baptist Church 
 in ]\Iurphysboro in 1896. Was li- 
 censed in 1897; since then has la- 
 bored as pastor and evangelist. 
 Now resides in Murphysboro, 111. 
 
 REV. M. E. ALLEN, 
 
 Wife of Rev. R. C. Allen, daugh- 
 ter of Wm. and Alary (Loy) Car- 
 ter, born in Jackson Co., 111. 
 L^nited with the Free Baptist 
 Church at Looney Springs under 
 the preaching of Rev. Wm. Brad- 
 ley in her 13th year. Married to 
 C. C. Culley in i860. Six children, 
 two living, Alva and Joel Culley. 
 Married second time to R. C. 
 Allen in 1890. Licensed to preach 
 in 1897. Has been active in the 
 Free Baptist Woman's Missionary 
 Society, of which she is now sec- 
 retary and treasurer. Her only 
 daughter died September 30th, 
 1899. 
 
66 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 REV. THOS. O. FRANKUN. 
 
 DEACON JOHN LOGAN FRANKLIN. 
 
 REV. THOS. O. FRANKLIN, 
 
 Son of Jno. Franklin, born May 
 30th, 1840, in Franklin Co., 111. 
 His father died in 1848, and he was 
 the principal support of his moth- 
 er. Entered the army in Septem- 
 ber, 1862, and served to the close 
 of the war. Was united in marriage 
 with Sarah W. Drummond Sep- 
 tember 15th, 1865, and they have 
 ten children. Converted in 1863, 
 and joined the Hillerites in 1866; 
 was licensed to preach in 1873. In 
 1874 united with the Free Baptist 
 Church and ordained same year. 
 Helped organize the Franklin Co. 
 Quarterly Meeting, and was its 
 clerk. Now resides on his farm 
 near Benton, 111. 
 
 DEACON JOHN LOGAN 
 FRANKLIN, 
 
 Son of Rev. T. O. Franklin, born 
 February 26th, 1870, received a 
 liberal education, attended Ew- 
 ing college and Enfield Normal 
 University. Does not remember 
 when he was not a Christian. At 
 12 joined the Palestine Free Bap- 
 tist Church, w'here he is now clerk 
 and deacon. Has been clerk of the 
 Franklin Co.. Quarterly Meeting 
 for eight years. Was married to 
 Miss Etta B. Roberts August 
 nth, 1890, and now lives happily 
 with his wife and three boys on 
 his farm north of Benton, 111. 
 
REV. HENRYiS. GORDON. 
 
 67 
 
 DEACON THOS. GRIZZELL AND WIFE, MARY E. 
 
 DEACON THOS. GRIZZELL 
 AND MARY E. GRIZZELL 
 
 Was born in Kenton county, Ky., 
 in 1840. Moved to Illinois in 
 1862; married Mary E. King Oc- 
 tober 20th, 1863. She was born in 
 Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1845 ! 
 brought to Illinois in infancy. Both 
 have lived near Sato continuously ; 
 
 had born to them twelve children, 
 only three of whom are living. 
 Joined the Free Baptist Church 
 soon after marriage, and have 
 lived faithful, devoted lives ever 
 since. Sister Grizzell was visiting at 
 Father Gordon's at the time of his 
 sudden death, and rendered every 
 assistance that loving hands could 
 do. 
 
68 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 AVA freh; baptist church. 
 
 AVA FREE BAPTIST 
 CHURCH, 
 
 Organized by Revs. H. S. Gordon 
 and Wm. Bradley October, i860, 
 with 12 members, in an old log 
 house west of Ava, 111. Rev. Wm. 
 Bradley was pastor first four 
 years, Rev. G. D. Ward four 
 years, Rev. A. L. Asberry to Aug. 
 1874. Records lost up to Jan., 1886. 
 when Revs. G. A. Gordon and 
 Thos. O. McMinn reorganized it 
 in Johnson's old store house with 
 1 1 members, as follows : A. J. Griz- 
 
 zell and wife, B. L. CuUey and 
 wife, W. B. Jernigan and wife, 
 Gideon Carr and wife, Lucretia 
 Cheatham, Nancy Payne and Hen- 
 rietta M. Husband. This meeting 
 continued for six weeks, closed 
 with 82 members. G. A. Gordon 
 was pastor almost nine years, J. 
 L. Meads two years, and J. J. Ta- 
 tum has been the pastor since 
 1896. They built the present house 
 in 1890, near it a neat two-story 
 seven-room parsonage. From this 
 church has gone out some of our 
 best and most talented young 
 ministers. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 69 
 
 be;nj. r. re:dfi£;ld. 
 
 BENJ. R. REDFIELD, 
 
 Born in Gilford, Conn., May nth, 
 1821, came to Illinois September, 
 1842, and has lived on his farm 
 near Campbell Hill 50 years. Mar- 
 ried Elizabeth Jane Cheatham 
 March 28th, 1849, ^^^^ raised a 
 family of eight children. Joined 
 the Looney Springs Free Baptist 
 Church February ist, 1871, and 
 has been one of its trustees for 
 many years, and lives with his 
 youngest son on the old farm near 
 Campbell Hill, 111. 
 
 ELIZABETH J. REDFIEI^D, 
 
 WIFE OF liENJ. R. REDFIELD. 
 
 ELIZABETH JANE RED- 
 FIELD, 
 
 Wife of Benj. R. Redfield, was the 
 daughter of Robison Cheatham ; 
 was born October 30th, 1830. 
 Died September 4, 1882. 
 
 She joined the Looney Springs 
 Free Baptist Church February ist, 
 1 871, and lived a consistent and 
 Christian life ; left a husband and 
 five children to mourn her death. 
 
70 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 DEACON BURPHET L. CUI.I,EY AND WIFE, JANE. 
 
 DEACON BURPHET L. CUL- 
 LEY AND WIFE, 
 
 Born June 7th, 1830, at Mt. Ver- 
 non, Ind. Married Permelia Clus- 
 ter December loth, 1856, had four 
 children, one girl and three boys. 
 Married again to Lucinda J. Heg- 
 lar December 22d, 1863. By this 
 wife six boys and one girl. Joined 
 
 the Looney Springs Free Baptist 
 Church June, 1858, and baptized 
 by Rev. R. A. Bradley the follow- 
 ing month ; was a member of Ava 
 church from 1886, and on its 
 Board of Deacons to the date of 
 his death, June 22d, 1898. She has 
 been a member of the Church 
 from childhood, and now lives at 
 Ava. 111. 
 
REV- HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 71 
 
 DEACON WM. D. RUSSELL. 
 
 MARY ETTA RUSSELL. 
 
 DEACON WM. D. RUSSELL 
 
 Was born at Willisville, 111.. 
 May 7th, 1864. Went to St. Louis 
 and learned the trade of carpenter. 
 September 5th, 1889, married 
 Angie E. Heiple. of De Soto, 111. ; 
 had four children. He and wife 
 joined the Free Baptist Church in 
 Murphysboro. 111., June, 1896, and 
 in March, 1898, she died and he 
 again married September, 1898, to 
 Miss Mary Etta Thompson. They 
 have one child. He has been quite 
 an active member of the Church 
 
 — chairman of the Offtcial Board, 
 superintendent of the Sunday 
 school, and a member of the 
 Board of Deacons, and now re- 
 sides at Murphysboro, 111. 
 
 MARY ETTA RUSSELL 
 
 Was l)orn July 28th, 1873, "ear 
 Campbell Hill, 111. ; moved to Mur- 
 physboro, 111., May 1890; was 
 converted in 1895; married to 
 Wm. D. Russell September, 1898, 
 and united with the Free Baptist 
 Church the same year. 
 
12 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 MATHEW SNIDER. 
 
 ADDIE SNIDER. 
 
 MADISON W. SNIDER 
 
 Was born April 5th, 1878 at Camp- 
 bell Hill, 111. Since 1887 has resid- 
 ed in Murphysboro, 111. Was con- 
 verted in 1893, and united with the 
 Free Baptist Church, and married 
 October 14th, 1897, to Miss Addie 
 Butler, who was born October 
 
 15th, 1879. at Oraville, 111.; came 
 to Murphyboro in 1886, and joined 
 the Free Baptist Church in 1893. 
 The former is a grandson of 
 Rev. Wm. Bradley, deceased, and 
 both of them are faithful and inde- 
 fatigable workers in the Church. 
 She has been for years the organ- 
 ist. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 73 
 
 sche;i«le;r church. 
 
 SCHELLER CHURCH, 
 
 At Scheller, III., was organized by 
 Revs. G. A. Gordon, J. C. Gilli- 
 land and B. H. Keller, May 30th, 
 1897, with 30 members. Rev. T. 
 O. McMinn was its first pastor, 
 
 and continued to serve the church 
 for three years. The present pas- 
 tor is Rev. A. J. Cochran. They 
 have a comfortable house of wor- 
 ship, and some of the members 
 were self-sacrificing and faithful 
 in its erection. 
 
74 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 JOHN R. WEEDON. 
 
 GEO. WM. HAI.I,. 
 
 JOHN R. WEEDON, 
 
 Son of Joe S. and Cornelia (Cul- 
 ley) Weedon, born September 
 I2th, 1871, in Randolph Co., 111., 
 and grew to manhood at Campbell 
 Hill, 111. Converted and joined the 
 Free Baptist Church at Campbell 
 
 Hill, 111 Attended 
 
 college at Hillsdale, Mich. Taught 
 school, but failing health com- 
 pelled him to go to New Mexico ; 
 there health was regained. 
 
 GEO. WM. HALL 
 
 Was born in Williamson Co., 111.. 
 March 14th, 1876; converted and 
 joined L^nion Free Baptist Church 
 January 30th, 1899. under the 
 preaching of Revs. T. O. and J. B. 
 McMinn ; baptized and received 
 into full membership May 3d, 
 1899. Is the clerk of the Makanda 
 Quarterly Meeting at the present 
 time, and lives at Herrin, 111. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 75 
 
 DEACON JOHN B. WII^LIAMSON AND WIFE, ALICE- 
 
 DEACON JNO. B. WILLIAM- 
 SON AND WIFE, 
 
 The only son of Judge Henry Wil- 
 liamson, was born September 8th, 
 1855, at Sato, and raised in Jack- 
 son county. 111. Married Alice C. 
 Coyle November 22d, 1877, and 
 raised a large family of children, 
 seven of whom are still living. 
 L^nited with the Sato Free Baptist 
 Church February, 1894, and has 
 acted as clerk and deacon of the 
 ■church for the past six years, and 
 
 now resides in their beautiful 
 home on a magnificent farm near 
 Sato, 111. 
 
 ALICE WILLIAMSON, 
 
 Wife of Deacon Jno. B. William- 
 son, and daughter of Archy and 
 ^lary Coyle, born March 3d, 1861, 
 and united in marriage with Jno. 
 B. Williamson November 22d, 
 1877. Was converted and joined 
 the Sato Free Baptist Church 
 February, 1894, where she still 
 holds her membership. 
 
UFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 REV. JAMES WESLEY McKINNEY. 
 
 REV. JAMES WESLEY Mc- 
 KINNEY, 
 
 Son of Jas. H. and Manerva J. 
 McKinney, born March 13th, 
 1873, near Carterville, 111., and 
 converted in 1887. Received a lib- 
 eral education at Marion and Car- 
 bondale, 111. Was licensed to 
 preach at the age of 18, and nine 
 months later he was ordained. 
 Taught school and preached con- 
 tinuously. Married March 24th, 
 1895, to Agnes Neilson. Has 
 preached seven years. Received in- 
 to the Church 143, baptized 121, 
 solemnized 47 marriages, and 
 traveled 6,985 miles, and lives on 
 his farm in Williamson county, 111. 
 
 HARTLEY A. McBRIDE. 
 
 HARTLEY A. McBRIDE 
 
 Was born near Ava. 111., August 
 nth, 1854. Received but a limited 
 education. In 1884 went to x\rkan- 
 sas for a short time, then back to 
 Ava, and in 1885 he moved to 
 Franklin Co., 111., and followed his 
 trade of blacksmith. Married 
 Florence I. Duncan March 2d. 
 1876; had three children. Wife 
 died October 20th, 1882, and was 
 again married November 28th, 
 1886. to Martha E. Greenwood, 
 and has five children. Was con- 
 verted and joined the Bear Point 
 Free Baptist Church October 24, 
 1897; baptized the following 
 month. His grandmother, Polly 
 Polk, was a cousin to President 
 James K. Polk. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 77 
 
 DEACON A. J. BARROW. 
 
 MARY t, BARROW. 
 
 DEACON A. J. BARROW, 
 
 The son of James and Catherine 
 D. Barrow, was born in Jackson 
 county. III., March ist, 1852. His 
 youth was spent upon his father's 
 farm, a part of which he now re- 
 sides upon. Attended the district 
 school ; married Nancy A. Mus- 
 grave August 29th, 1872; joined 
 the United Baptist Church April, 
 1876; was married again to Miss 
 Mary L. Merrell September ist, 
 1885 ; united with the Free Bap- 
 tist Church at Campbell Hill Jan- 
 uary, 1889, and was elected on the 
 
 Board of Deacons in June, 1890, 
 and still resides on his farm near 
 Campbell Hill, 111. 
 
 MARY L. BARROW, 
 
 Daughter of Alfred S. and Aman- 
 da P. Merrell, was born near Belle- 
 ville, 111., December 28th, 1867; 
 removed with her parents to Jas- 
 per county, Mo., in 1868. Then to 
 Randolph county. 111., in 1874. 
 Married A. J. Barrow in 1885, and 
 united with the Free Baptist 
 Church at Campbell Hill, 111., in 
 January, 1889. 
 
78 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 DE;aCON ARCHIBALD ROBISON AND WIFE). 
 
 DEACON ARCHIBALD ROBI- 
 SON, 
 
 Born January 6th, 1838, near 
 Steelesville, 111., joined the Bap- 
 tist Church in 1866. Married to 
 Sarah I. Simons in 1867. In 1896 
 he united with the Free Baptist 
 Church in Murphysboro, 111., of 
 which he is a faithful member and 
 one of its deacons. 
 
 SARAH I. ROBISON, 
 
 Wife of Deacon A. Robison, born 
 in Wright Co., Mo., in 1845, 
 united with the Baptist Church in 
 
 1866. Married at Steeleville in 
 
 1867. Joined the Free Baptist 
 Church in Murphysboro in 1896, 
 of which she is a faithful member 
 and a worker in the home and 
 foreign missionary work. , 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 79 
 
 DEACON JNO. A. L. SCOTT. 
 
 DEACON JNO. A. L. SCOTT, 
 
 Born March i6th, 1862, in Wayne 
 Co., 111., and was "born again" Oc- 
 tober 15th, 1889, and united with 
 the Free Baptist Church Novem- 
 ber 17th, 1889, and at once chosen 
 deacon. He served in various ca- 
 pacities in the church, and promi- 
 nent in every forward movement 
 of the denomination. Of modest 
 and quiet manner, yet strictly busi- 
 ness-like. For five years he has 
 been president of the Wayne Co. 
 Sunday school Association, and 
 is a member of the State Execu- 
 tive Committee and County and 
 
 MARTHA SCOTT. 
 
 District chairman of the Prohibi- 
 tion party, and was a candidate for 
 the State Legislature in the last 
 election. He was married to Miss 
 Martha Vaughn August 17th, 
 1884. 
 
 MARTHA SCOTT, 
 
 Wife of Deacon Jno. A. L. Scott. 
 Her maidenname was Vaughn, and 
 they were married August 17th, 
 1884, and have lived in the little 
 village of Orchardville, in Wayne 
 Co., 111., ever since, where their 
 lives and work have been a bless- 
 ing to the Free Baptist Church at 
 that place. 
 
80 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 DEACON THOS. LEMING. 
 
 MARY ANN LEMING. 
 
 DEACON THOS. LEMING 
 
 Was born in Indiana in 1830; came 
 to Illinois in 1836; married Mary 
 Ann Heard in 1851 ; raised a family 
 of four girls and three boys ; con- 
 verted in 1878 under the preaching 
 of Rev. G. A. Gordon at Percy, 111. 
 Has proven himself a true, devoted 
 Christian, and a strong advocate 
 of legal prohibition. Now lives in 
 Willisville, 111., and is one of the 
 
 deacons of the Free Baptist Church 
 there. 
 
 MARY ANN LEMING, 
 
 Wife of Deacon Thos. Leming, 
 was born in 1828; converted under 
 the preaching of Rev. Wm. Bradley 
 during the Civil War in 1862 ; join- 
 ed the Looney Springs General 
 Baptist Church. Since has united 
 with the Free Baptist Church at 
 Willisville, 111. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 81 
 
 DEACON H. D. SANDERS. 
 
 MARY E. SANDERS. 
 
 DEACON H. D. SANDERS, 
 
 Born October 26th, 1856, in Wil- 
 liamson Co., 111. His parents were 
 devoted Christians. He was mar- 
 ried August loth, 1879, to ]\Iary 
 E. Lipsey. Converted in a meet- 
 ing held by Rev. Chas. Hayes in 
 1892, and united. with the Chris- 
 tian Church, and in the spring of 
 1895 he joined Union Hall Free 
 Baptist Church, and was elected 
 one of its deacons soon after. Now 
 lives on his farm near Christo- 
 pher, 111. 
 
 MARY E. SANDERS, 
 
 Wife of Deacon H. D. Sanders, 
 born July 9th, 1859, at Frank- 
 fort, 111. Was converted in 1892 
 under the preaching of Rev. Chas. 
 Hayes, and with her husband unit- 
 ed with the Free Baptist Church 
 in 1895. She was the mother of six 
 children, one boy and two girls 
 living. She is a kind and devoted 
 wife and mother. 
 
82 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 CHESTER CHURCH. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 83 
 
 CHESTER FREE BAPTIST 
 CHURCH. 
 
 July, 1896, Revs. J. L. and W. 
 E. Meads. J. H. Bagwill and G. 
 A. Gordon began a series of tent 
 meetings, which residted in the or- 
 ganization, xA.ugust 2d, of a church 
 with 6 members, as follows : A. G. 
 Gordon, Ella Short, Mary J. 
 Hood, Mrs. Wm. Henson, Mrs. 
 Hugh Grain and Mrs. Geo. Ham- 
 met. Rev. Kate Veach Haines 
 early took the place of Bro. Gor- 
 don on the stafif of workers. Soon 
 proceeded to build a commodious 
 brick church house, and a seven- 
 
 room parsonage. Membership 
 now of 100. The following have 
 served as pastors: G. A. Gordon, 
 J. C. Daisey, J. H. Bagwill, G. P. 
 McBride and J. L. Meads, the 
 present pastor. Officers are A. G. 
 Gordon, H. H. Wilkinson and 
 Wm. Hecht, trustees; H. H. Wil- 
 kinson and Geo. Azlyn, deacons ; 
 Cora Miller, Clerk, and A. G. Gor- 
 don, treasurer. Sustains a Sabbath 
 school, Y. P. society. Woman's 
 Missionary society and a Mite so- 
 ciety. The success of this church 
 is mainly due to the service and 
 sacrifice of A. G. Gordon and the 
 untiring efiforts of Bro. J. H. Bag- 
 will while pastor of it. 
 
84 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 DEACON JAS. L. BIBY. 
 
 MARY J. BIBY. 
 
 DEACON JAS. L. BIBY, 
 
 Born March 2cl, 1846, in Franklin 
 county, 111. Converted November 
 I2th, 1890; baptized and united 
 with Union Hall church ; was dea- 
 con and trustee, which offices he 
 held until his death, March 30th, 
 1893. Was united in marriage to 
 Mary J. Harris in 1875. 
 
 MARY JANE BIBY, 
 
 Born November nth, 185 1, in 
 Franklin Co., 111., and was the 
 
 daughter of Joseph and Nancy 
 Harris. Was converted at about 
 15 years of age; joined the United 
 Brethren in Franklin county, and 
 remained with them until the or- 
 ganization of Union Flail Free 
 Baptist Church, when she joined 
 it. She was married to Jas. L. 
 Biby in 1875. He died in 1883, and 
 she married again to F. M. Biby 
 May 5th, 1885, and died August 
 28th, 1899. Lived near Christo- 
 pher, 111. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 85 
 
 DE;A.C0N MOSES harris. 
 
 NANCY S. HARRIS, 
 WIFE OF DBACON MOSES HARRIS. 
 
 DEACON MOSES HARRIS, 
 
 Of Tamaroa, 111., born in 1844; 
 married August 8th, 1861, to 
 Mary S. French, has five children 
 living. Joined the army in 1864; 
 served until 1865. Converted un- 
 der the ministry of Rev. J. C. 
 Gilliland in 1875, and joined the 
 Free Baptist Chvirch. Is now one 
 of the Deacons and a member of 
 the Board of Trustees of Tamaroa 
 
 church, at which town he still re- 
 sides. 
 
 NANCY S. HARRIS, 
 
 Wife of Deacon M. Harris, born 
 in 1844, in Perry county. 111. Con- 
 verted in 1868, and joined the 
 Free Baptist Church in 1875, and 
 is now with her husband, and a 
 member of Tamaroa church. 
 
86 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 DEACON JOHN W. JOHNSON. 
 
 NORA A. JOHNSON. 
 
 DEACON JOHN W. JOHN- 
 SON, 
 
 Born January i6th. 1846, Jackson 
 Co., Tenn. Moved to Missouri in 
 1854; to Perry Co., 111., in 1861. 
 Entered Civil War February 9th, 
 
 1864. Married Nora A. Cleary in 
 
 1865. Was converted and joined 
 the Free Baptist Church at Union 
 Hall in 1893. Elected on the Board 
 of Deacons and still serves his 
 Church as such. Lives near Chris- 
 topher, 111. 
 
 NORA A. JOHNSON, 
 
 Born March 29th. 1841, in Wil- 
 liamson Co., 111. ^Mother died and 
 she lived with her aunt in Perry 
 Co. ; later removed to Franklin 
 Co. Converted and became a 
 member of Union Hall Free Bap- 
 tist Church at Christopher, 111., in 
 1892. United in marriage to Jno. 
 W. Johnson in 1865. and still re- 
 sides on their farm near Christo- 
 pher. 111. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 87 
 
 WIlvBURN CAMPBELL. 
 
 MANERVA CAMPBELL. 
 
 WILBURN CAMPBELL, 
 
 Born May 4th, 1839, in Franklin 
 Co., 111. Was converted and united 
 with the Free Baptist Church 
 November 12th, 1890; was elected 
 clerk of the church and continued 
 to be ever since. Married Mary E. 
 Hogue September ist, 1864; has 
 10 children. She died and he again 
 married, this time to Manerva 
 Howell, November 25th. 1886, and 
 lives near Christopher, 111. 
 
 MANERVA CAMPBELL, 
 
 Wife of Wilburn Campbell, born 
 December 25th, 1838, in William- 
 son Co., 111. Converted in 1883 and 
 joined the Christian Church, and 
 continued in that Church until 
 November 12th, 1890, when she 
 united with the Free Baptists at 
 Union Hall. Daughter of David 
 and Sarah Robison. Married Jas- 
 per Howell in 1856. Mother of 13 
 children. Lastly to Wilburn 
 Campbell, with whom she still 
 lives on their farm, Christopher, 
 111. 
 
LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 WM. carte;r and wife;, margarkt. 
 
 WM. CARTER, 
 
 Son of Wm. Carter, born July 22d. 
 1820, in East Tennessee. Came to 
 St. Clair Co., 111., in 1834, and to 
 the vicinity of Campbell Hill, 111., 
 1840. About this time he married 
 Mary Loy. They had nine chil- 
 dren. His wife died May 2d, 1862, 
 and he married Vitulia Canaday. 
 She died October 3d, 1863, and he 
 married Mary Moore, by whom 
 he had three children. She died 
 October 6th, 1871, and he married 
 Martha Reese. She died Septem- 
 ber 22d, 1895, and he then married 
 Margaret Shaw July 23d, 1896, who 
 survives him. He with his first wife 
 LofC. 
 
 joined the Looney Springs church 
 July 30th, 1850, and remained a 
 member of the church to the date 
 of his death, February 28th, 1898. 
 
 MARGARET CARTER, 
 
 Widow of Wm. Carter and daugh- 
 ter of Henry Loy, was united in 
 marriage with David Darrough, by 
 whom she had three children. Af- 
 ter his death she married Daniel 
 Shaw. He died and on July 23d, 
 1896, she was united in marriage 
 with Wm. Carter, and for many 
 years a member of the Presby- 
 terian Church. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 89 
 
 ROBERT SOPER. 
 
 MRS. MOSES JONES. 
 
 • ROBERT SOPER, 
 
 Son of Andy and Polly Soper, 
 born in 1822. Joined Free Baptist 
 Church under the preaching of 
 Rev. H. S. Gordon at Percy, 111. 
 Married to Parthena Holt, and 
 died in 1886, leaving four children. 
 
 MRS. MOSES JONES, 
 
 Born January loth, 1844, daugh- 
 ter of G. W. Eubanks. Was con- 
 verted and united with McGlasson 
 church under Rev. J. W. McMil- 
 lan's preaching in 1895. Married 
 in 1862, and is the mother of 
 seven children. 
 
90 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
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REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 91 
 
 REV. JAMES F. KIRK. 
 
 EMANUEL STEELE. 
 
 REV. JAS. F. KIRK. 
 
 Son of Ulissus and ^lartha J. 
 Kirk, born in Benton county, 
 Tenn.. January 15th, 1843, P^O" 
 fessed faith in Christ in 1873, join- 
 ed the Free Will Baptist Church 
 in Williamson Co.. 111. : ordained 
 in 1881, and has done pastoral 
 work every year up to date. ]\Iar- 
 ried Nancy A. Spirs August ist, 
 1869. Married second wife, Mar- 
 tha Jones, January 14th, 1880, and 
 now resides at Crainville, 111., and 
 is still in the pastoral work. 
 
 EMANUEL STEELE, 
 
 Only son of James C. and Serena 
 Steele, born in 1847 ^^ Steeleville, 
 111. Converted in 1878, and united 
 with the Missionary Baptist 
 Church at Steeleville, 111., and in 
 
 1897 joined the Hickory Grove 
 Free Baptist Church near Chris- 
 topher, 111., where he still holds 
 his membership. He was united in 
 matrimony to Saraphine Thomas, 
 and they had one son, Ottis, and 
 she died. He now resides with his 
 sister in Franklin Co., 111. Was for 
 a time clerk of the Church ; is now 
 its treasurer. 
 
92 
 
 LIFE AND LABORS OF 
 
 ^ ^^ If?^ 
 
 DEACON LEVI A. JONES. 
 
 DEACON LEVI A. JONES, 
 
 Was born in Indiana in 1826. Came 
 to Williamson county, 111., in 1841. 
 Married Lydia Moore, who dying 
 left him with nine children. In 1863 
 he married Hester J. Odam, by 
 whom he had ten children. He was 
 converted and joined the church, 
 but differed with his brethren in 
 his religious views. In 1870 he 
 joined the Free Will Baptist 
 Church under Rev. W. H. Blank- 
 enship's preaching at Harmony, 
 and became a very devoted worker, 
 always faithful to his pastor, true 
 to his Church, and loyal to his de- 
 nomination. Died January 15th, 
 1892. Revs. T. O. McMinn and J. 
 L. Meads preached his funeral. 
 
 HESTER J. JONES. 
 
 Truly may we say of him, as of 
 Enoch of old : "He pleased God." 
 
 HESTER J. JONES, 
 
 Widow of Levi A. Jones, born 
 May 26th, 1 84 1, was converted 
 young and joined the M. E. 
 Church. Is the mother of nine 
 children. In 1871 she united with 
 Harmony Free Baptist Church ; 
 lived seven miles away, yet seldom 
 missed a church meeting. In 1900 
 she went into the organization of 
 a new Free Baptist church at 
 Spillertown, 111. Her pious life and 
 religious teachings won all her 
 children for Christ and the 
 Church. She resides on the old 
 homestead and is a successful 
 farmer. 
 
REV. HENRY S. GORDON. 
 
 93 
 
 RICHARD W. JONES. 
 
 RICHARD W. JONES, 
 
 Born in Lake Creek, III, Febru- 
 ary 13th, 1866, son of Levi and 
 Hester Jones, attended the district 
 schools, gained a fair education 
 and has been a very successful 
 and popular teacher for many 
 vears. Was converted November 
 
 15th, 1884, and joined Harmony 
 Free Baptist Church. He is edi- 
 tor of the "Progress" and has been 
 for some years. Active in church 
 work, his influence is largely felt. 
 Married August, 1897. to Miss 
 Nannie Harris, and now resides 
 at Johnson City, Williamson Co., 
 111. 
 
Mar- 2! 10O1 
 
'^^^