The first religious services of a public character that occurred in what is now Blandinsville township were held at the Hays school house, three miles east of the city of Blandinsville. Peter Akers, John S. Barger, Chauncey Hobart, John Morey, David Oliver, J. Kirkpatrick, J. B. Quinby, W. J. Smith, U. J. Giddings and others held services here at various times. The first preaching in the town of Blandinsville was in a school house, since moved, and now occupied as the post office. It was at the Hays school house, however, that the first society of this denomination was formed. The following is a list of the various pastors who have filled the pulpit of this charge, from the organization of the church, in 1854. J. S. Cummings, 1854; W. J. Beck and J. Cowden, 1855; B. E. Kaufman, 1856; H. Presson and B. E. Kaufman, 1857; H. Presson, 1858; G. W. Miller, 1859-60; B. B. Kennedy and V. M. Dewey, 1861; B. B. Kennedy, 1862; H. H. Crozier, 1863; S. Brink, 1864-65-66; J. C. Millington, 1867; John Luccock, 1868-69; B. E. Kaufman, 1870; B. E. Kaufman and T. J. Pearson, 1871; B. F. Tallman, 1872; B. F. Tallman and G. N. Dorsey, 1873; B. F. Tallman and A. C. Calkins, 1874; G. B. Snedaker and W. B. Alexander, 1875-76-77; T. P. Henry, 1878-79-80; B. C. Dennis, 1881; C. W. Ayling, 1882; W. W. Carr, 1883; C. Springer, 1884-85.

There is a membership of nearly 300 at this time connected with Blandinsville charge. The church edifice in Blandinsville is a beautiful structure, in good repair, and refects credit upon the congregation and community.

History of McDonough County, Illinois, 1885, Continental Historical Co., Springfield, Illinois
Transcribed by Robin Petersen for McDonough County ILGenWeb

Copyright 1999, 2000 Robin L. W. Petersen; all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright must appear with the information.

 
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