Edgar County IL Archives History .....Early Schools And Churches Of Edgar County IL 1921
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000719 August 2, 2009, 7:05 pm

EARLY SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES OF EDGAR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

By Rose Moss Scott.

The first school in Edgar County was opened in a log building in Hunter 
Township, in what is known as the North Arm neighborhood.

It is worthy of note that the goose quill pen was but three years behind the 
pioneer's axe. The honor of teaching this school is generally given to Amos 
Williams. Mr. Williams was considered a competent teacher for this time, 
especially in writing, as shown by the early records of the county. His method 
of writing his name officially is worthy of note. It was signed "A. Williams," 
all the letters of his name being capitals and joined very closely.

The first school district of this county was organized by the County 
Commissioners Court on March 7, 1826, and embraced the village of Paris and 
the adjacent farms. A petition was presented by Smith Shaw, praying for a 
school district, which was granted. The boundaries of this district almost 
conform to those of the "Paris Union School District."

The Paris schools have had an official existence since 1826. The same Amos 
Williams, who had the honor of being the first teacher in the county, was the 
first teacher in Paris in the year 1824. The first school building was a rude 
structure of logs surrounded by a stockade and stood at the south end of the 
alley which divides the block on the south side of the public square. This 
school house stood on the southeast corner of a lot then owned by General 
Alexander, which was part of his homestead.

This school was taught by Amos Williams in 1824. Isaac Alexander taught school 
in the same house in 1828. In 1835 one room in a building south of where the 
Baptist church now stands, was used as a school room. The first school houses 
were of logs. The seats were benches without backs, desks were shelves along 
the wall. Here pupils sat to learn to write. In building the school house one 
log was left out above this shelf to furnish light. A fireplace heated the 
building.

Whatever book a child could procure was his text book. The teacher was paid by 
the father, paying a fixed price for each child he sent, and the 
teacher "boarding around" for at least part of the pay.

The boy or girl who could "read and write and do sums" was considered well 
educated.

There were schools kept in various places in the county as people came, but 
until 1855, and the enactment of the Free School Law, educational 
opportunities in Edgar County were limited to those who were able and willing 
to pay the expense, which that law required the public to pay.

After the enactment of the Free School Law of 1855, the Paris School District 
at once took the steps necessary to receive the benefits of that law, by 
selecting a site and erecting a good building with seven rooms. The same 
enterprise was exhibited throughout the county and school districts organized. 

The public school system at first met with some opposition, but the beneficial 
results soon became apparent. For a person to speak of the public schools in 
any manner other than to acknowledge their merits would classify the speaker 
as opposed to good government.

Provisions were made by the General Government before the organization of 
Illinois as a State or Territory, for the education of its people, by the 
donation of Section 16 of each township of public lands for the maintenance of 
public schools within that township.

The present office of County Superintendent of Schools had its origin in the 
office of School Commissioner, who was appointed by the County Commissioners' 
Court to negotiate the sale of the Sixteenth section. His duties were similar 
to those of a real estate broker. His only compensation was a percentage on 
lands sold. The first School Commissioner was Jonathan Mayo, who was appointed 
in 1843. Mr. Mayo was succeeded by Garland B. Shelledy, who was succeeded by 
Mr. Kelly.

During this time a law was passed by the Legislature giving the County 
Commissioner power to examine and license teachers.

The first man called to this important duty was Sheridan P. Bead, in 1858, 
after the public school system had been in operation about four years. We find 
in his report to the State Authorities the following: "Under the present law 
there has been a great improvement in the schools of this county. The 
districts are erecting good comfortable houses, and I do not fear but that 
Edgar County will take a high stand in educational matters hereafter. The 
great want that is felt here now is for well qualified teachers." In 1841 
Edgar Academy was established by Bev. Henry I. Venable on a tract of about six 
acres, where the Catholic church and school are now situated.

This school was opened on the first of December, 1841, by Rev. and Mrs. 
Venable, as a private enterprise. It was intended this should be a school for 
girls, but during the first year several boys made application for instruction 
in the language and mathematics; it was then decided to change the plan and 
take both males and females.

Rev. Venable was assisted in his efforts to meet the wants of the country for 
educational facilities by funds furnished to him without the payment of 
interest in most cases. The erection of the buildings and the employment of an 
adequate supply of assistants involved a heavy expenditure. In the Spring of 
1848 a subscription was made to make the school a Presyterian[sic] 
institution, and the property was passed to the control of a Board of Trustees.

This school was continued until 1868. The young men and women who received 
their academic education at this school numbered more than one thousand, some 
students coming from Indiana. John C. Means, John "W. Blackburn, Miss Nancy 
Stout and Miss Jane Dayton were teachers. Mr. Nelson succeeded Rev. Venable as 
principal. Most of the students came on horse back. Those living some distance 
would spend the week end, when the weather was inclement, with those living 
nearer the school. In those days if you wished to go for a visit you went, and 
when you arrived it was not necessary to present your card. Soon after the 
Edgar Academy was placed under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church of 
Paris by Mr. Venable in 1848, the Methodists of Paris instituted the Methodist 
Seminary under the auspices of the Methodist Church.

Colonel Mayo gave a block of ground between East Court and East Wood streets 
for a site—a beautiful tract covered with forest trees. A two story brick 
building was erected thereon for the school.

Rev. Jesse H. Moore was the principal. This school to some extent was a rival 
to Edgar Academy. In 1869 the Paris Union School district was organized under 
a special charter, and this building was then used for public schools.
Churches.

The first church in this county was in the North Arm neighborhood. In 1818 the 
Rev. Joseph Curtis and his wife, Hannah, came to North Arm, and he established 
a Methodist Class at the home of Jonathan Mayo (who lived there at that time). 
The class consisted of Mr. Curtis and wife, Jonathan Mayo and wife, John 
Stratton and wife, and Sallie Whitley. Mr. Curtis was the first minister to 
preach the word of God in Edgar County. The place of meeting was soon moved to 
the Curtis home on the Clinton road, where for 24 years they worshipped. The 
North Arm brick church was built in 1842 and stood at the first cross roads 
east of the present church.

The first church organized in Paris was the Methodist Episcopal in 1823 by 
Rev. H. Vreedenberg, and the Presbyterian Church was organized in 1824. Both 
denominations worshipped in private residences or in the court house for some 
time and until church buildings could be constructed.

The Methodists generally met at the home of Smith Shaw, who was one of the 
original members of the church. In 1837 a brick church was erected by the 
Methodists on West Wood street, which was used as a place of worship until 
1855. Some of the first Methodists of Paris were the Shaws, the Mayos, 
Munsells, Sandfords, Lawrences, Elliotts and Cranes.

In the log cabins in the forest or on the edge of the prairie could be found 
people who longed for the coming of a missionary, that they might hear the 
gospel. Even the trails of that time were not barriers, as people would go 
miles to church. Rev. Isaac Reed was such a missionary. The following extracts 
are from his diary:

Spring, 1821—A Macedonian call has been sent to me at Vincennes, from Paris, 
Ill. I returned word I would come.

Summer—Paris is the county seat of Edgar County, but a very small place of 
about eight cabins. It lies on the prairie.

November—At a meeting held in the school house at Paris, Ill., Nov. 6, 1824, 
after public worship, members of the Presbyterian Church were by prayer 
solemnly constituted into a church, by the name of the Presbyterian Church of 
Paris, John Bovell, William Means, James Eggleton, Adriel Stout, Amzi 
Thompson, Samuel Vance, Christian Bovell, Nancy Thompson, Barbara Alexander, 
Elizabeth Blackburn, Hannah Baird and Vary Vance. Samuel Vance, John Bovell 
and William Means were elected Ruling Elders.

In 1835 the Presbyterians erected a church on East Washington street, on a lot 
given to them by Samuel Vance. This was the first church erected in the 
county. This building was used until 1855. That year the Presbyterians built a 
new church on North Central avenue. The Methodists built a church the same 
year on North Main street. These churches were the chief attraction in Paris 
for many years.

In 1826 the New Providence Presbyterian Church was established in Elbridge 
Township, in the Ray and Ewing settlement. Religious services were held there 
with more regularity during the next few years than in Paris. The church 
building was of logs and stood where the New Providence Cemetery now is, on a 
very handsome site in the midst of a grove of large beech and sugar trees.

In 1831 the settlers in Richwoods formed an organization to be known as 
Concord Baptist Church. The names Redmon, Bennett, Frazier, Kester, Johnson 
and Black were some of the pioneers of Kansas Township who believed church 
principles the right basis for community life. They met in homes for some 
mouths, and built a log church in 1832. The first pastor was Rev. Newport, who 
served for twelve years.

The church at Grandview has an interesting history. A foresighted pioneer, 
named John Tate, gathered a party in Augusta County, Virginia, and led them to 
Illinois, where they arrived in September, 1837. They came in wagons and by 
families.

In this spot on the grand prairie they settled, giving it the name of 
Grandview. The thoughtfulness of these emigrants and their high valuation of 
religion and education appear when it is known they brought with them a 
minister and school teacher, the Rev. John A. Steele, also a doctor, a brother 
of the clergyman.

Divine services were held in the simple Presbyterian fashion in their houses 
and the church duly organized on the 27th of July, 1838.

In 1837, under Rev. John A. Steele, a Presbyterian Church was organized at 
Hitesville. Capt. James Hite donated the site and helped generously with the 
building. Since 1831 a Sunday School had been conducted in the Hite home. He 
brought the literature from Kentucky.

The Old School Baptist Church was organized at Paris by Rev. Daniel Parker in 
1824. For ten years the meetings were held in the court house.

The Baptist Church at Bloomfield was built when Bloomfield was a thriving town 
in the 40's and the stores equaled those of Paris. Bloomfield at this time was 
an important point on the highway laid out in 1823 from Vincennes to Chicago.

The Sunday Schools of Edgar County were begun at an early date. In 1832 Adriel 
Stout organized a Sunday School in the court house at Paris. Mr. Stout was a 
Presbyterian, but he invited all who would to attend his Sunday School. From 
that time as churches were organized, Sunday Schools were instituted. In the 
country they were generally opened in May and closed in October, bad roads 
hindering the attendance during the Winter months. During the Summer basket 
meetings were held in groves or school houses, ministers preaching in the 
morning and afternoon. These hardy pioneers were the people who brought 
civilization to Edgar County and the Illinois country.

"Then let us sing of the pioneer,
The hero hardy and strong, Who "blazed the way" for better days,
When the road was dark and long; They were heralds of a better time,
These men who went before, For they wrought for coming ages,
In the brave days of yore; Though hands were hard and calloused,
And cheeks were brown with tan, They knew each drop on the wrinkled brow,
Was the sweat of an honest man. And thus it is in every cause,
Which lifts aloft the rights of man, Some one must travel on before,
Some one march in the van; And every sacred, God born truth
Which to this world hath come, Hath had its sturdy pioneers
Who bore the torch of faith alone."

Information about North Arm Church received from Mrs. J. T. Musselman. 
Richwoods Church from Miss Ita Briscoe of Kansas. Diary of Rev. Isaac Reed 
from paper written by Rev. Ira Allen when pastor of church at Paris, Ill.
Other information taken from History of Edgar County edited by H. Van Sellar.




Additional Comments:
Source: Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Published Quarterly 
by the Illinois State Historical Society, Springfield, Illinois. Vol. 14 April-
July, 1921 No. 1-2.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/edgar/history/other/earlysch280gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/

File size: 14.1 Kb