McDonough ILGenWeb

The Baptist church of Prairie City was organized November 9, 1856, by Elder E. J. Lockwood, with the following 14 members: Alonzo Barnes, Martha L. Barnes, William Davis, Susan Davis, Kate Smith, J. B. Robinson and wife, Ann Legg, M. Heminover, Martha Macomb, T. C. Luther, Porter J. Jack, Ruth H. Bell and Rebecca Barnes. Meetings were held in the school house until 1850, when a good frame church edifice was erected, at a cost of $2,000. It is 32x48 feet, with a spire containing a fair-sized bell. It is situated on Smith street, near Main. The first deacons chosen were M. Heminover and Alonzo Barnes. Mr. Barnes was also chosen clerk. The following have served this church as pastors: S. A. Kingsbury, H. S. P. Warren, C. Hutchins, E. J. Lockwood, Danforth C. A. Hewett, A. J. Colville and S. H. D. Vaughn.

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Source: The History of McDonough County, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, 1885, pages 468-469. Transcribed by Karl A. Petersen