977.365 H28^m v..';'.v;'i-,V, a-*-, ■- ': 'iii'l m w • W. •fa->i:!>.VL- Cil^it Loo* ise T:?* /-/'^'i^'^wa.y. The Mann's Chapel Country: A Chronicle of a Pioneerl Community, Church, and School . (ns^)) 1 ! ! ; ; 1 ■ ■ : i 1 977.365 H284m COUNTRY mm^ mm]:^:m::i:/mwM^. A CHRONICLE OF A. PIONEER COMMUNITY- CHURCH-SCHOOL IllINniS KISTORICAL SURVEY THE MANN'S CHAPEL COUNTRY A CHRONICLE OF A PIONEER COMMUNITY, CHURCH, AND SCHOOL MANN'S CHAPEL •Vermilion County's Most Beautiful Pioneer Church Building Erected 1857 Located between Danville and Rossville, near Illinois Route 1 — historic "Hubbard Trail." All day Service was the custom, with a dinner spread; Friends and neighbors all partaking — spirits and bodies fed. They came in joy, came in sorrow, seeking strength and grace — Whate'er the need, it was found, in this hallowed place. Excerpt — from poem, "Mann's Chapel," by Muriel Davison Roach This booklet is published by the Mann's Chapel Restoration Committee Rossville Woman's Club Rossville Junior Woman's Club Rossville Civic Woman's Club Funds received from the sale of this booklet are to be used for restoration and maintenance of Mann's Chapel. BY — LOUISE G. HATHAWAY COVERS AND DRAWING BY SHARON L HATHAWAY Rossville, Illinois July. 1959 MILLS PUBLICATIONS HOOPESTON, ILLINOIS Price $1.00 Mann's Chapel — 1857 Resembled a Rural English Church Samuel and Elizabeth Gilberf, on April I, 1855, deeded land for the church and set stakes for the foundation. .Samuel, however, did not live to see the chapel built. Abraham Mann, a devout and wealthy Eng- lishman, who was preparing to build a new house on his estate NE of the church site, decided that at the time the need for a church was greater than his need for a home. He donated the bricks that he had burned for his own use to the chapel, which the congre- gation later named .Mann's Chapel, in honor of his family. % .. , ■ f Mann's Chapel — 1959 Has become thoroughly Americanized photo — Louise G. Hathaway H Sl^f -rn ^^^ MANN'S CHAPEL COUNTRY North Fork Mann's Chapel, Vermilion County's most famous pioneer church, stands on a winding country road just east of the point where the old "Hubbard Trail" bridges the Xorth Fork of the Vermilion River south of Rossville. For over a century it has stood there while its red brick walls weathered to pink, the little graveyard at its back became dotted with new stones and new names (five generations in some families), and Hubbard's Trail changed from a silent wilderness path to a noisy concrete speedway. The Mann's Chapel plot lies in an area of rich prairie farm land. Along the njad. and in small woodlands nearb\-, there grows an amazing variety of na- tive trees and plants. Small wonder the pioneers were attracted to this part of the country: it was bountiful beyond compare. Wives of the early settlers found wild strawberries, raspberries, grapes, and elderberries for fine preserves; or wild gooseberries for plump pies. The chil- dren made a game of gathering baskets of black walnuts, hickory and hazel nuts to crack by the winter fireplace ; dug aromatic sassafras roots to be steeped into that hot steamy brew known as "sassafras tea," highly regarded as a fine spring tonic. The pioneer's ax had broken the stillness which lay on the land for thou- sands of years. With constant clanging it brought down wood for building or burning— oak or maple, wild cherry or ash. maybe straight-splitting hackberry to fence the clearings, perhaps a cottonwood to hollow into a little log cradle. An old Vermilion county history tells us: "Wild game was plenty. You could shoot prairie chickens from the roofs of houses. Wild geese were plenty on the prairies, staying here awhile spring and fall. Deer were so plenty as hardly to attract much comment, and" (here we have a sour note) "wolves would hardly keep away from the dooryard." That last phrase was to be taken literally, and figuratively, too. for money was scarce in those old days. Rut the land was rich. It gave promise of good harvests and comfortable living. Just how promising this particular acreage around Mann's Chapel ap- peared in the early 1800's is illustrated here: In those years, probably no person knew Illinois from Chicago to the Wabash and east and west of the "Trail" better than Guerdon Hubbard him- self. The winter of 1827-8 Robert Horr had come from the East via Ohio and had stayed with Hubbard at his trading post at Bunkum on the Iroquois River. In the spring of 1828 "Mr. Horr, accompanied by Hubbard came and looked out a place on the Xorth Fork of the Vermilion, a little west of the present site of :\Iann's Chapel." To Guerdon it appeared to be an excellent spot for a farm, having the advantages of good water supply, drainage, and bordering wood- lands ; to the Government Land Office at Danville it was simply Section 25, Twp. 22 X., Range 12 W., in Ross Township, which at that time included what is now South Ross and Grant. When Hurr died in 1834, he had already sold the farm purchased at Hub- bard's advice to his son-in-law Alvan Gilbert, who added acreage and in 1839 sold out to his father and brother, Samuel and James Harvey Gilbert. The Gilbert family gave the land for the cemetery when eleven-day-old Samuel, son of James, died in August, 1839. Later, they gave a plot for the school and church as the need arose. EARLY SETTLEMENTS As late as 1917 the log cabin of the Gilberts stood on the southwest corner of the intersection of the highway and the river. Running south along the stream there also was evidence of seven log cabins in the space of a mile and a half. Cool spring water fed the stream from high gravel banks on the west and attracted early settlers. This community became known as North Fork. Going a few miles farther down along the river to what is now the Bis- marck road, Myer's Mill gave the name of Myersville to a little settlement. Pioneers north of that location were the Davisons, Gundys, Chenoweths, and Kerrs, all of whom came from Ohio in 1828. It is believed that they, along with Robert Horr at North Fork, were the first permanent settlers in Ross Town- ship. As tracks were laid for the criss-crossing railroad lines, little stops along the way were given names now almost forgotten. Rayville, named for Reuben Ray, was on the Havana, Rantoul & Eastern track as it crossed the Trail south of Mann's Chapel (near where Edna Mace, great granddaughter of Reuben now lives) ; Gilbert, named for Alvan Gilbert, was below the present town of Alvin (formerly Alvan) on the Chicago, Danville, and Vincennes Railroad. THE GOOD NEIGHBORS Rapidly, the little community of North Fork grew. New neighbors, near neighbors, were a cure-all for loneliness. All were transplanted people. They missed their old homes and friends ; so with their neighbors they shared their hopes and fears, difficulties and success to a degree we cannot realize today. And if they needed neighbors, they needed the comfort of religion even more. FIRST CHURCH CLASS By 1837 the Methodists had already formed a class with eight members : Sarah, Sally, Harrison, and Joseph McHenry; James and Elizabeth (McHenry) Gilbert ; and Albert and Rhoda Comstock. Earliest church meetings were of necessity held in the homes. "Samuel Gilbert's house was one of the early preaching-places of the Methodists, and was the real forerunner of Mann's Chapel, which stands very near the spot where his house was." John Demorest was one of the first local preachers. "He and Daniel Fairchild were much together in the ministry, and went here and there holding meet- ings. No one can over-estimate the results for good of these earnest plain men." "It was customary for the worshippers to take their rifles along with them when they went to church, and, when returning, should a stray deer come waltz- ing around in an ungodly crusade against the quiet of the Sabbath, he was very apt to get shot for his temerity. Few such Sabbath-breaking deer were ever actually known to return to the cool retreats." The first schoolhouse, built in 1856, did double-duty as a preaching place; but the need for a church was generally recognized, and with much enthusiasm plans were laid to erect a real church building. Henry Cortelyou, who lived just east of the church site, placed this clause in his will: "I give $500.00 to the church that is contemplated being built at the burying ground near Gilbert school house if such church is built . . ." The Chapel Is Built The committee picked "to see that a good place of w^orship was put up" was J. H. Gilbert, Noah JMessic, L. A. Burd, John Demorest (Shawnee Prairie, Ind.), B. C. Green (Ontario County, N. Y.), Reuben Ray (Ohio), and Abe Mann (filling the place of Joel Helmick who resigned). The main rectangle of the building was to be 30' x 45' — finished it mea- sured 34'4" X 46'4''. When Abe Mann had offered to give brick for a church, he had specified "the larger, the better." The original bricks were made on the Mann farm from subsoil from the timber at the prairie's edge. They were large brick 4^ x 2^ x Sj/j inches. Some brick was brought from Attica. Indiana, and James Cornell, just arrived from England, helped in the hauling. One brick with "1855" scratched into its face can be seen several rows above the north window on the east wall. But why was it laid upside down? Tradition has it that Samuel IngersoU and son Charles walked from Po- tomac to do the brick work. Green on the building committee is known to have been a brick mason at one time, so it is safe to conjecture that he also helped. Like the old barn-raising, building the church without doubt was also a social event involving all the able-bodied men of the community as workers, and the old, feeble, and unambitious as "side-road superintendents." During the work there were differences of opinion among the membership. Some folks objected to having a bell, and refused to contribute for it, but Mr. Mann and the Gilberts agreed together to pay for bell and cupola in which to hang it. The bell, solid bronze and about 30" across, was made in 1857 in West Troy. N. Y., by IMeneely's, and was set on a Meneely's Rotating Yoke. We wonder how the New Yorkers, Gilbert and Green, convinced the others that the bell should be ordered from New York when most church bells at the time were obtained from Cleveland, a much nearer point of supply. Xaturally, ihc buildin<4' project was of much conversation and interest. On July 23. 1857, Alvan Gilbert wrote James who was visiting in Wisconsin, "I think ii would be much better to have pews in a part of the church so a person wishing one could take his family into it and keep them behaving in time of meeting and hv would always know where his seat was." On August 31, he again wrote — "The bell is hung and is a good one. I learn that it has been heard at Myersville and all up and down the East Fork." On September 8 — "I stopped at the new church this evening to see how they were getting along. They have completed the pulpit and altar. It is a nice job and is good enough for any city church. They are ceiling it now and expect to finish this week." The lovely church, looking like an English rural chapel, was completed. On Saturday, Sept. 19, 1857, Samuell Elliott, old circuit preacher, gave the first sermon from the text John 12:43. Sunday he preached the dedicatory sermon from the text Matt. 16:18 .... "and upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The cost of the building was $3,000 ; the amount pledged on dedication day was $2,000. The financial storm of 1857 had not frightened this congregation, who reached deeply into their pockets. That Sept. 20, it was agreed by the congregation, to call the new church "Mann's Chapel." ALTERATIONS ON CHAPEL Mann's Chapel, like the family it was named for, lost its English accent over the years and became gradually Americanized. The first change was to lower the pulpit which was several steps above the floor. In the fall of 1889 a new slate roof was added, the spire was re- modeled and slated, ("C. A. Maguire, 1889" is pencilled in the belfry), and the ceiling was lowered. A vestibule was built at the front of the church, the win- dows altered, and the seats remodeled. Later the floor was completely carpet- ed with yellow and red ingrain carpet of scroll design. A furnace was installed, necessitating a new chimney on the north, and removal of the east and west chim- neys. The brick used did not match the original brick and was smaller, size 3% X 2% X 8 inches. The first side-bracket oil lamps gave way to the more efficient, but less beautiful carbide ceiling fixtures. These were thin brass pipe fixtures like in- verted capital T's. Carbide gas was pumped in from a tank on the east side of the chapel. Movable-louvered shutters were placed at all the chapel windows. These were dark green which weathered to a pleasant blue. At the date of writing, these shutters have been removed for repairs. by Sharon Hathaway from an old print Alvan Gilbert He xcrotc: "It is a nice job . . . good enough for any city church. The Gilberts and the Manns Merc jacfs diid dales can heroine firesonie. It Is irlien we read of men and women and their daily lives Ihat liisforj/ comes ulivc for us. The people who built Mann's Chapel were no natnhii-pamhies, their lives unfold enough adventure for a dozen r/reat American novels. In a way. Mann's Chapel, was the tangible realization of a dream for many of them. a)id for these two fannlies in particular: THE GILBERTS Samuel Gilbert gave the land for the church. His family was of English origin but had been in America since before the Revolution. In 1825, Samuel, his first wife Mary, and three sons, Alvan, James H., and Elias M., left On- tario County, New York, and made their way down the Allegheny in an emi- grant boat, landing safely at Crawfordsville, Indiana. In the spring of 1826 they moved to a spot two miles below what would later be Danville. Convinced by Samuel's letters that Danville was a town of great oppor- tunity, his brothers Solomon and Jesse came west. Solomon built the first log hotel in 1827, and bought the first mill in that township. Jesse put up the first section of the famous McCormack House in 1833. "It was a frame buildinsf, the planks being fastened on with wooden pins, before nails came into very general use here." For a while Samuel operated the grist and sawmill and ran a ferry service across the North Fork of the Vermilion River. "Grain was very cheap, and the commissions on grinding were necessarily small," but "the price for sawing was universally fifty cents per hundred feet, or a share, so that it will be seen that a sawmill was about the best piece of property, financially speaking, which could be had in those days." Then, in 1838, his wife, Mary, died. Samuel and James Harvey decided to leave Danville. When Alvan offered to sell them his farm on the North Fork, they quickly made the purchase and moved. Alvan bought land a little farther north which today is in the town limits of Rossville. Samuel was appointed first Postmaster in Ross in 1839. The post office was known as North Fork. After the mail had been held up for six weeks by the flooded river, it is related that only one letter came across when the water receded. He had time to take on the added duties of Justice of the Peace. His fine and useful life ended just two months after he had deeded land for the church. His second wife. Elizabeth, was again a widow. Samuel's sons, James Harvey and Alvan, carried on the family tradition and became respected leaders in the community, always working to promote the public good in matters of education, religion, or civic worth. THE MANXS The man who gave the bricks for the church intended to use them for a new home. He was Abraham Mann, Sr., who had entered land across the Trail and to the north ; beautiful prairie land with waving grass taller than a man on horse- back. Abe Mann was an Englishman, born in 1785 in Bedfordshire, England. His father, John, had been in America before the Revolution, selling paints and oils, and traveling up the Mississippi by canoe as far north as wlnal is now St. Paul, ]\Iinnesota. For losses he suffered during the hostilities, the United States had given him 30,000 acres of land in New York and Louisiana. Later, he returned to England. Abe Mann listened to his father's stories of the new land, and in 1832 he could no longer resist the urge of adventure. It was seven weeks by sailing ves- sel from Liverpool to New York. From there he started inland with his broth- er-in-law Joseph Smith. At Detroit the}^ purchased saddle horses and rode cross-country to the little settlement which was to become Danville. For miles around stretched the wild prairie. Most of it belonged to the Government. Abe entered claim for 650 acres across the trail on the Xorth Fork and built a cabin there. He sent for his family, and for a while they resided at Danville. Abraham, like the Gilberts, saw great possibilities in the development of Vermilion County. When he purchasd the hotel "Pennsylvania House" and greatly enlarged it he became part of the lively, far-seeing group we might call Danville's first busi- nessmen. Abraham bought more land, but turned the management of his extensive property over to Dr. Brickwell and returned to England with his family when his wife died. That was in 1839, and Mary Ann, wife of Abraham Mann, daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary Smith, was the first of their family to be laid to rest on American soil, on a rolling rise of prairie southeast of the house. Today, this private cemetery, in size about fifty by twenty-seven feet, has thirty-five markers within its black iron fence. Mary Ann's grave and six others were moved to the Mann's Chapel cemetery when the Mann family sold their estate on the highway in the 1900's. "From 1846 to 1851, Mr. Mann, together with his sons, Abraham and John, made several trips between the two countries, but finally, in the latter year, set- tled down and resided permanently in America." Abraham, Sr., also had two daughters, Mary Ann and Katherine. Katherine married Thomas Bennett, Jr. The twenty-room mansion of the Mann's did not materialize until 1875, ten years after old Abe had died. It was a fabulous home with conservatory, dairy, and laundry — innovations for those old days. The large servants' house accommodated a huge staff. Entertaining was lavish. It is recounted that a horse and buggy was always kept hitched at the door with a driver ready to go to town on a quick errand. Abraham Mann, Sr. The church was given Jiis family name. The Mann family was always ready to help the needy or promote matters of church or school. Abraham Mann, Jr. It IS written that Abraham was plain and simple in his habits, and his kindness was as abundant as the sunshine. John Mann John kept a pack of hounds for hunting and a stable of spirited horses. Today the Mann estate is owned by Dr. and j\Irs. A. A. G. deRevey, who kindly gave permission to the author to visit the old private cemetery of the Mann's to procure some of the information necessary for this book. .VOffffe^^ Thomas Bennett, Jr., Pillar of the Church, and for nearly forty years Sunday School Superinten- dent. His father had been a class leader and preacher for many years. The Church Organization Taken from "^Mann's Chapel — A Brief History, 1932" The Sunday School Class which had its beginning at Samuel Gilbert's home in 1837 grew and prospered and "became known as Bennett Class, being named for Thomas Bennett Sr.. who was the leader and a local preacher. This class enjoyed only occasional services by traveling ministers for nearly twenty years. '^m \ Original Mann's Chapel Bible [In safekeeping of Mrs. Clarence Morgan) Photo - Max Thomas ■"This appointment was at first a part of the Vermilion Circuit, which em- braced a territory of very broad expanse. While in this Circuit — 1856-1864 — this charge was served by eight preachers. In 1864 \^ermilion Circuit was divided and the northeast part of the county became ]\l3-ersville (now Bismarck) Mann's Chapel, and Ross' School House. (Afterwards East Fork Church, and moved into Alvin). Tw^o pastors served in this arrangement until 1868. William Groom was the first chorister and organist. "In the minutes of the Quarterly Conference held at }\lann's Chapel, Aug- ust 11, 1868, Rossville first appears as an appointment and is credited with ha\ ing paid $100 to the support of the pastor. The minutes of the Quarterly Conference held Dec. 14, 1867 gives as part of the pastor's report the following: — The East Fork Society voted that I give Brother Issac Dale license to exhort, which I have done in due form. "Growth continued and in the Ouarterly Conference of August 22, 1868, the question of dividing the Myersville Circuit was discussed and a recommenda- tion was made to the Annual Conference that a new Circuit be formed at Mann's Chapel. This change was made and Rossville Circuit was formed with John A. Kumler as the first pastor. Rossville became the head of the Circuit because there was the beginning of a town there. This Circuit extended five miles west of Mann's Chapel, north to the count}- line and east to the state line. Mann's Chapel was the only church l)uilding on the Circuit. This Circuit continued until in 1926 during the ministry of Rev. J. A. Betcher, regular services were discon- tinued with the exception of the annual homecoming in August. The membership was combined with that of the Rossville Church. Original silver Mann's Chapel Comnnunion Service and Baptismal Font, in safekeeping with Mrs. Wayne (Goldie Bennett) Pruitt photo — Max Thomas "Early day ministry was quite strenuous. The minister would preach every day, at homes, churches, and school houses, making a complete round of his ap- pointments in two to four weeks, according to the size of the circuit. And on Sundays he would often fill three appointments. In those days money was scarce and support of the preacher was meager. The number in the preacher's family and stock was taken into account when the expenses were estimated. In the year 1858 the committee to estimate the table expenses of the preacher's family was James H. Gilbert, James W. Villars and Abram Lynch. The original report read as follows : 4 bbls. flour at $6 $24.00 800 lbs. pork at $5 40.00 300 lbs. beef at $4 12.00 100 lbs. sugar 12.50 20 lbs. coffee 3.33 3 lbs. tea 3.00 75 lbs. butter at 15c 11.25 5 bu. meal at 50c 2.50 Sundries, as salt, pep- per, apples, etc 15.00 2.3 bu. corn at 25c 43.75 2 tons hay 12.00 1 box candles 12.00 16 cords of xvood 32.00 Potatoes, dried fruits, etc 20.00 $243.33 This total zvas crossed out and $250.00 zvritten underneath." In later years, and in the memory of people now living, these people should be honored for their faithful work at the Chapel : "Aunt I'>ank" Bennett, thirty- five years primary teacher in Sunday School ; Mr. and Mrs. Clark Green ; William Satterwhite, teacher; William Bush and family, John J. Dale and family, John Abbott, Jennie Kuns Ridge, The LeNeves, Matthews, Sellers, and others. The Schoolhouses The first schoolhouse built in 1865, did double-duty as a preaching place for a year until the chajtcl was built. The lillle frame building stood southeast of the spot where the Chapel wtjuld be built the next year. "Schoolhouses were not so popular then, and the plan of having the best schoolhouse in the county was likely to fail," if everyone favoring the plan did not vote. B. C. Green who lived closeby, having bought land of his brother-in-law Albert Comstock, told in later years how he had walked from Danville where he was working at the time to vote for the schoolhouse. He was proud that he had thought it worthwhile U) lose two days' wages "when as yet he had no child." Later many Green youngsters trudged the mud, dust, or snow of the Chapel Road (depending on the season) to attend the little country school. It was a fine building for those days, and well-equipped. The desks were walnut with fancy wood overlay; the first teacher Lyman Kingsbury disciplined any "initial-carvers" and passed the willow switch of authority on to Lewis Thompson, the second teacher. Tn the early years, James H. Gilbert was a school Trustee ; Abe Alann, Jr., was on the Board of Education ; Thomas Bennett was a school Treasurer. Around 1875 the second schoolhouse was put on the site of the first one. From a receipt book of School Trustee Samuel LeNeve covering the period from April, 1891 to April, 1899, we find that the men teachers were supplanted for a w^hile by women. From 1891 to June, 1896, for a salary of $36.00 a month, Barbara Redpath, Jennie Holloway, Jennie Ridge, and Lottie Borland did their utmost to stoke coal into the stoves and knowledge into their young pupils. Elizabeth Andrews taught from September, 1896, first for $42.50, then for $45.00. A man was hired to tend the fires during her regime. Some of the later teachers at Mann's Chapel School were : Ella Flagg, Aliss Clara Taylor, Mabel Allison, Foy Reinbold (1909-10, 1911-12), Mr. Tarpley, Earle Meade, Ouinn R. Sanks, Mabel Fetters, Elizabeth Barnes, Clara Starkey, Aliss Tyler, Boyce Borders, Mrs. Helen (Borders) Bennett, Mrs. Bernice (Young) Walker, Mrs. Murrell (Sellers) Briglow, and Mrs. Florence (Hanson) Willey. Xo longer used as a school, the little green-shuttered w'hite frame school building was moved east of Rossville around 1946. and incorporated in the dwelling house of Roy Haas. The foundation can still be traced in the lawn near the church. In the summer of 1958 a group of former teachers and pupils of Mann's Chapel School District 58 held a reunion. They plan to make it an annual event. >- o 2 o S t_ "> 0~>Q qfs c u] ^ . _Q 3 0) ^ o C^ 2 0^0-5 >. -Q 2 -£ a c _o hols, 1 a Cha Neve, Id Ma O I- 0) o — 10 _| >- ^^I >- . 5 ^ c ^ i5 0) E a *" a) ID c |0"'l _c a O 3 >• " -o .oi^ c Q- n ^ O E "D -X " 5 •- m 3 3 oi a. s^S ^ ID »- 1- in 0_2_: r- 00 ^•-^ L. .. = c" E 3 J3 g*^ -O .^"0 i t j: '3 ^ J-o ^ -cj 2 "0 ^0 :5 a£ -C tfj 00 ~v ^0 < Q. ID -C ^11 i? O 0) o- c 3 o 10 — Q. I ^ > ^■ o o Qi 4) ' ^ Q c o i: Photo - Florence Wllley 1887 Carrie (Weed) Dwiggins Nellie (Dingle) Swift Mary (Kuns) LeNeve Mary Ann Mann 1891-93-95 Barbara Redpath 1891-92 Jennie Holloway 1895 Lottie Borland 1896-99 Elizabeth Andrews Clara (Taylor) Blackburn 1903 Mabel (Allison) Smith 1909-10-11-12 Foy C. Reinbold Amelia (Brown) Grimier Miss Lynch Bernice (Young) Walker Helen (Borders) Bennett James Cunningham Freeman McConnell Derald McConnell MANN'S CHAPEL SCHOOL TEACHERS (PARTIAL LIST) 1927-28 1928-29-30 1939-46 Goldie (Hughes) Ellis Alta Tyler Eliz. (Barnes) Paulson Clara Starkey Mabel Fetters Mr. Tarpley Quinn R. Sanks Evans Maury Miss Hutchison Irma Lee Earl Meade Murrell (Sellers Fk Briglow Hanson) Willey EARLIEST LIST OF MEMBERS OF MANN'S CHAPEL OBTAINABLE FOR YEAR 1869 Thomas Bennett Sr., Leader Rebecca Bennett, Thcs. Bennett Jr.. Catherine Bennett, Harriet Bass, Mary Bass, Henry Bass, Gillian Dennorest, Eliza Demorest, John R. Dennorest, Laura Elwell, Frances Beal, Mary Mattheus, Geo. W. Goetschius, M. J. Goetschius, Elizabeth Davis, Sarah W. Davis, James B. Davis. Abraham Mann, Mary A. Mann, Reuben 8. Ray, Sarah A. Ray, Susan Poulter, Emma Weeden, Elizabeth Murphy, Sarah Gilbert, ■ : • • ; . ■ i Jennie Gilbert, Elias Gilbert, . Ellen Gilman, B. Clark Green, Josephine Green, " Jennie Caldwell, John A. Caldwell, James F. Thomas, Elizabeth Marshall, Charles R. Smith. PASTORS OF MANN'S CHAPEL VERMILION CIRCUIT 1856-57— A. R. Garner 1858 — Edward Rutledge. W.' H. Webster. 1859— W. C. Harris. I860— W. C. Harris T. J. Orr. 1861— J. Muirhead. 1862-63— J. C. Long MYERSVILLE CIRCUIT 1864-65— J. Muirhead. 1866-67— D. P. Lyon. ROSSVILLE CHARGE I86S 1871 1872 1873 1876 1879 1882 1885 1886. 1881 1894 1898 Part 1901- 1903- 1906 1914 1915. 1920. 1923. 1925 1926 1927. 1930. -70— J. A. Kumler. — B. F. Hyde. — D. D. Alkire. — B. F. Hyde. 75 — James Miller. 78 — James Shaw. 81 — Robert Stephens. ■84 — Job Ingram. — M. M. Davidson. .90— W. T. Beadles. 93 — J. Winterbottom. 97— M. Auer. 00— W. S. Phillips. 00— J. P. Morton. 02— E. A. Hamilton. 05— T. L. Hancock. 13— E. H. Lugg. — M. M. Want. 19— J. F. Wohlfarth. 22— J. A. Biddle. 24— J. S. Tharpe. — O. H. Meyers. —J. A. Betcher. 29— J. E. Reynolds. 31— P. P. Carson. PRESIDING ELDERS DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS 1855-56- -S. Elliott. 1857-59- -L. C: Pitner. •• •■ I860 - -J. L. Crane. 1861-64- -W. H. H. Moore. 1865-68- -S. Shinn. 1869-72- -P. Wood. 1873 - -T. W. Phillips. 1874-76- -J. H. Noble. 1877-80- -W. M. McElfresh. 1881-84— H. Buck 1885-90- -W. H. Webster. 1891-96- -Geo. E. Scrimger, 1897-02- —Robert Stephens. 1903-08- -S. H. Whitlock. 1909-14- -H. C. Gibbs. 1915 — W. N. Tobie. 1916 - -W. D. Fairchild. 1917-20- -J. C. Nate. 1921-26- -A. K. Byrns. 1927-32- -E. L. Tobie. MANN'S CHAPEL RESTORATION COMMITTEE Mrs. A. R. Whistler, Chairman Mrs. George Young, Treasurer Mrs. Harold M. Nash, Secretary BUILDING COMMITTEE Mrs. James A. Darley Mrs. Stanley E. Hathaway, Sr., Historian WAYS i MEANS COMMIHEE Mrs. Ralph Briglow Mrs. Joe Brown Mrs. Larry Matthews Mrs. Maurice Satterwhite Honorary Members Mrs. Lewis Schlecht Miss Bertha Thomas BIBLIOGRAPHY ADVISORY - RESTORATION Architects — Skadden, Sheehan and King, Danville. Electrical — Chas. Meredith Ross, Rossville. Artist — Lue (Mrs. Clarence) Morgan, Rossville. Legal — Attorneys V. W. Mclntyre, Tom Stifler, Danville. Sen. Contractor, Exterior, Gordon McBride, Hoopeston. (Brick work by Leon Goodrum, Hoopeston). "Historical Atlas Map of Vermilion Co., III." W. R. Brink & Co.. 1879. "History & Romance of Danville Junction, The" C. C. Burford; Guy Smith; Interstate Printers and Publishers, Danville, HI. 1942. "History of Vermilion Co.," H. W. Beckwith, 1879. "History of Vermilion Co.," Lottie Jones, Vol. I Illinois, the Story of the Prairie State, Grace Humphrey. Letters — Pearl Gilbert, Audrey H. (Mrs. Chas.) Gilbert, John C. King (Architect), Marie Lewis Marley, Chrysta Radebaugh, P. K. Ray. "Mann's Chapel — A brief history, 75th An- niv., Aug. 28, 1932." Newspaper Articles: Danville Commercial News, Jan., 1937; Mar. 5, 1957; Rossville Press, May 16, 1946. "Vermilion Co.," Clarke Pub., Chicago, 1903. 'it THOMAS BEKNETT SM. 1651' /)"n ^ CEMETERT lai^- :§: MANN'S CHAPEL JSSl'^i SCHOOL -la^b- \jfiENB)rc6RTELV0U MRS. NOAH WEBSTER MRAUWOOm 1630' M'THEWS^ lass- RICHARD BRICKWELL I83h' BAVISOM KERBS 1828' r??\ DBMORBSTS laZB- TO MYERSVILLBi A. aUMDY w i ;ijit 1 i ■ i H ii n ij t :i t 1 i