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LAKE FORK
PREDESTINARIAN BAPTISTS


These pages were scanned by Pamela Erlenbush. Some pages are very difficult to read. At this point we do not know if we can scan the remaining pages which seem to be even more fragile in many cases.


Record Set 1

Record Set 2

Record Set 3


The Lake Fork Church of the Predestinarian Baptists was the first organized religion in south Logan County and perhaps in Logan County itself. Amazingly, two copies of the contemporaneous records of this denomination have survived. They appear to be identical and are in extremely fragile condition. Many years ago the late Dalen Shellhammer, a genealogist in this area for more than 50 years, read one copy and made some notes. Cheryl Rothwell read pages of the other copy and made additional notes, including some history and genealogy related to the group and its members.


The Lake Fork Church of the Predestinarian Baptists, a strict, fundamentalist group, was organized January 20, 1827, at the house of James Turley by William Kenner, Hiram Bowman and Phillip Stephens. Hiram Bowman was chosen as moderator and James Turley as Clerk. James Turley and his wife were the first white settlers in south Logan County, arriving from Kentucky and locating in section 30 of what is now Mt. Pulaski Township.

The seven original members of the Lake Fork Church of the Predestinarian Baptists were: James L. Turley, Charles Barney1, James Scot (sic), Carter Scroggin, Agness Turley, Margaret P. Turley and Phebe Scroggin.

Meanwhile, in Greene County, Ohio, the Regular Baptist Church of Indian Run, for reasons unclear, decided to migrate en masse to Illinois. Most of those who did not migrate in the first wave came within a couple years. The original members of that church were: (men) Abraham Lucas, Michael Mann, Philip Stevens, Solomon Wood, Lewis Chance, John Turner, Ebenezer Perry, James William Wilson, Peter P. Lucas, Joseph Lucas, Thomas Lucas, Samuel Nives, and William Copeland; (women) Sarah Copeland, Elizabeth Chance, Massy/Marcy Kelsey Lucas [wife of Abraham], Sarah Price Lucas [wife of Joseph], Rachel Perry, Mary Lee, Elizabeth Mann, Margaret Smith, Mary Lucas Turner, Sarah Hoblit Lucas [wife of Thomas], Sarah Lucas Copeland, Phebe Lucas Wood, and Elizabeth Stanberry. Most of them ended up in south Logan County and became part of the Lake Fork Predestinarian Baptist Church, soon to become the Regular Baptist Church of Lake Fork (1833).

Religious services were held at the home of James Turley until March 1828 when the home of Boston Finders was purchased. This served as the meeting house until June 1831 when, according to the minutes, Brother Collins and Turner were appointed to choose a spot for a new church building. "Selected a spot on William Copeland's land at or near a spring and Brother Copeland agrees to give one acre of land to bild (sic) said meeting house on and to make a deed to the same." The trustees were authorized to sell the old meeting house and "convert the money toward bilding (sic) a new meeting house" (November 1831) [Several researchers believe this spot was north of the Lake Fork ditch a little over a mile south of Steenbergen Cemetery on the east side of the road. Nothing remains.]

In 1836 William Copeland was made Clerk and Michael Mann, Moderator. The meetings were held on Saturday, before the first Sunday each month. Many families would come great distances, bringing baskets of food and prepared to stay over night. Michael Mann and Stephen Hukill both preached, as a rule.

In April of 1841 John Turner succeeded Robert Burns, who later joined the church at Buffalo Hart, as trustee. John R. Burns, who also transferred to the Buffalo Hart church, served as Clerk of the Lake Fork church, succeeding William Copeland in April 1856.

The discomforts caused by cold weather were apparent in the church minutes when in 1856 and 1857 they voted to hold their meetings in Copeland Schoolhouse. In February of 1857 the minutes show that $618.00 was "in the hands of the building committee" and the church instructed the committee "to go on and enclose the house with windows and doors and the church will be responsible for what is lacking." This apparently solved their problem as the winter of 1857 they used the "old meeting house as usual."

July 12, 1859 - James Cheatham was appointed deacon to replace late Carter Scroggin
August 1860 - A. L. Clayton replaced Stephen Hukill as trustee
April 1862 - James Cheatham replaced J. L. Mann as Clerk
May 31, 1866 - Michael Mann, pastor for 30 years, died

In July 1868 the members voted to move the building from "where it now stands to a place near Brother J. L. Mann's residence." J. L. Mann and G. N. Simpson were to be superintendents of the moving. In Nov 1869 they voted to "fense house known as Lake Fork Baptist meeting house with a good plank fense". The moving committee was discharged and the deed received for the land from J. L. Mann and his wife.

Brothers and Sisters from Buffalo Hart Grove who requested letters of dismissal to form their own church (December 1871) were: Robert and Patsy Burns, John and Lucy Burns, Benjamin and Ellen Luckett, W. A. and Emily Burns and James Elder.

The records for the Lake Fork Baptist Church end in August 1894. There was no mention of the church closing but it is believed that the church closed its doors about this time. No one has located any pictures of any of the church buildings.

MEMBERS

This listing is drawn from several listings in the record and is known to be incomplete. It does not include some of the earliest members -- example: Abraham Lucas and his wife Massey/Marcy. We also know some of these people left the church and moved further west.


A. J. Tolbert

dismissed

Rec. by experience Apr 1883; letter granted June 1888

A. L. Clayton

Dead

Rec. by letter with wife, Holland July 7, 1857

Agnes Wade

Joined

Mar 1830

Agnes Edwards

Dismist

Dec 1838

Agnes Turley

Dead

 

Alister Benson

Dismist

Mar 1860

Allen Turner

Dismist

Rec. & baptized Sept 1843

Anas Mileham

dismissed

Rec. May 1840; dis. to join another church Apr 1841

Ann Turner

dismissed(?)

Rec. & baptized Apr 1844

Ann E. Turpin

dismissed

Rec. by experience July 1879; dis. Aug 1893

Ann Turley

Dismist

Presented letter from Spencer Grove Church & rec. June 1837; dis. Mar 1840

Anna Lynn

Rec.

by letter Jan 1854; dis. Apr 1854

Anna Hukill

dismissed

Rec. Mar 1853; dis. May 1859

Benjamin F. Davis

Dismist

dismissed Mar 1853

Benjamin Luckett

Dismissal

Rec. by letter Oct 1870, dis. to form Buffalo Hart Church Dec 1870

C. L. Ashurst

Rec.

by experience Oct 1885

Carter Scroggin

Dead

 

Catherine Lane

Rec

by letter Apr 1832

Catherine Lane

Joined

by experience Apr 1832

Charles Harper

Dead

Joined by letter Mar 1833

Charles Barney

Dismist (sic)

Letter granted, June 1839

David Peals

Dead

Rec. by letter from New Hope Church Sept 1861

David F. Lee

Dismist

Rec. Nov 1849; letter of dis. May 1851

Deborah Barney

Dismist

Letter granted June 1839

Elijah Friend

Dismist

Letter in Sept 1847? May have been for Nehemiah - rec. says Mr. Friend

Eliza Bowman

dismissal

Rec. by letter from Lebanon Church Oct 1862; Dis. May 1866; Rec. again from Lebanon Church, Logan Co, Ill Nov 1874; Dis. Oct 1875

Eliza Foster

Dismist

Joined by experience Feb 1834; joined another church Mar. 1840

Eliza J. Tolbert

dismissed

Rec. May 1885; Letter granted June 1888

Elizabeth Scroggin

dead

Rec. by experience July 3, 1858; died Nov 1888

Elizabeth Mann

Dead

from Bethel Church July 1837

Elizabeth Terpin

Dismist

Rec. by letter from Danville, Hendricks Co, Ind. Nov 1867; dis. Aug 1893

Elizabeth Clayton

dead

Rec. by letter July 7, 1857

Elizabeth Dotson

Joined

by letter Jan 1832

Elizabeth H. Scroggin

Rec.

from Hopewell Church, Vermillion Co, Ind June 1890

Elizabeth Bowman

dismissed

Rec. by relation Dec 1863; letter of dis Sept 1865

Elizabeth Jane Huston

Rec.

by experience June 1888

Elizabeth Barns (?)

Letter

Aug 1833

Elizabeth P. Landis

dead

Rec. by letter July 1855

Elizabeth Collins

Dead

Rec. by letter Oct. 1827

Elizabeth K. Landis

dismissed

Rec. by letter July 1855; dis. Sept 1861 (letter of dis. to Elizabeth Piper)

Elizabeth Burks

Rec.

by experience Oct 1830

Ellen Luckett

dismissed

Rec. by letter Oct 1870; Dis. to Buffalo Hart Dec 1871

F. H. Clayton

Dead

Rec. by letter with wife, Eliz. July 7, 1857

Franky Scott

 

Letter of dis. Feb 1833

G. N. Simpson

Dismist

Rec. by letter from Horse Prairie Church, Randolph Co, Jan 1867

George Reaves

Dismist

Rec. by letter, July 1851; Letter of dismissal Dec 1851

Hannah Lucas

Dead

Rec. Dec 1828

Hannah Huston

dismissed

Rec. by experience Sept 1865; Dis. Mar 1866

Hannah Friend

Dead

Joined by experience Mar 1834

Hiram Bowman

Dismist

Rec. by relation Dec 1863; letter of dis. Sept 1865 (wife, Eliz.)

Holland Clayton

Rec.

by letter July 7, 1857

Hugh Collins

Dead

Joined by letter May 1833

Isham (sic) Birks

Dead

Rec. by letter from Providence Church, Newton Co, Mo July 1874 (he signed name Birkes)

J. B. Ralston

Dead

Rec. by letter Nov 1870

Jacob L. Mann

Dismist

Rec. by experience July 4, 1858; Letter of dis. Jan. 1878 with wife, Mary Ann, returned by letter Apr

James W. D. Taylor

Joined

by Letter July 1830

James Ashurst

 

Rec. Oct 1871

James H. Ring

dismissed

Rec. by letter from New Salem church, McLean Co. Apr 1882; dis. May 1889

James L. Turley

Dead

 

James Elders

Dismist

Rec. by experience July 1869; to Buffalo Hart Dec 1871

James Cheatham

Dismist

Rec. by letter Aug 1856; Dis. Sept 1867

Jane Benson

dismissed

Rec. by experience & baptized June 1856; dis. Sept 1860

Jane Baldwin

Rec.

Nov 1850 by letter; however, must have died before trans. as minutes say "late sister".

Jane Rankins

Rec.

by letter from Lebanon Church, Mar 1862

Jane Rankins

dismissed

Rec. Nov 1850; Letter of dis. May 1851

John More (sic)

Dismist

Rec. by letter, Mar 1853; Dis. July 1853

John Turner

Dismist

Letter for him & wife, Mary Sept 1849; Rec. Nov 1827

John Reed

Dismist

Rec. by relation Dec 1847; letter of dismissal May 1851

John Edwards

Dead

Joined by letter July 1830

John L. Ludwick

dismissed

Rec. by letter June 1879 from Horse Creek Church, Pawnee, Ill; dis. June 1880; Rec. from Bethel Indian Grove, May 1882; Dis. May 1886.

John Robertson

Joined

Mar 1827; dis. Apr 1829

John R. Burns

Dismist

to Buffalo Hart Church Dec 1871

Joseph Richardson

Dismist

Rec. by letter June 1861; Dis. Mar 1862

Joseph Lucas

 

Letters of dis. Dec 1838 for he and Susannah, his wife

Katharine Cheatham

dismissed

Rec. by letter Aug 1856; Dis. Sept 1868

Katharine Wheeland

dismissed

Rec. by letter Nov 1854; Dis. Sept 1870

Keziah Lykins

Dismist

from church in Shelby Co. July 1837; Letter of dis. Mar 1842

Levi Welch

dead

Rec. by experience Oct 9, 1879 at baptism of Mary Welch

Lucy Scroggin

Dismist

Mar 1880

Lucy Emily Burns

dismissed

Rec. by experience June 1871; Dis. to Buffalo Hart Dec 1871

Lucy Edwards

Dead

 

Lucy Burns

Dismist

to Buffalo Hart Dec 1871

Lucy Turley

Joined

Jan 1830

Luther Barney

 

 

Luther Barney

Dismist

March 1840

Margaret P. Turley

Dismist

July 1843

Martha (Patsy?) Burns

Dismist

Dis. to Buffalo Hart Dec 1871

Mary Girtman

Dead

 

Mary Bowman

dead

Rec. and baptized Oct 1846

Mary Ashurst

Rec.

by experience Oct 1871

Mary Welch

dead

Rec. by experience Oct 1879

Mary Ann Birks

 

Rec. by letter from Providence Church, Newton Co, Mo July 1874

Mary Broadaway (sic)

dismissed

Rec. by experience & baptized July 1855

Mary Cast, Jr.

Dead

 

Mary Burks

 

 

Mary Eliz. Ludwick

dismissed

Rec. by letter June 1879 from Horse Creek Church, Pawnee, Ill; dis. June 1880; Rec. from Bethel Indian Grove, May 1882; Dis. May 1886

Mary Turner

Dismist

Rec. Nov 1827; letter Sept 1849

Mary G. McLean

dismissed

Dis. Nov 1866

Mary (Polly) Cast, Sen

Dead

Rec. by letter Jan 20, 1827

Mary Burks

Joined

Oct 1827

Mary Metcalf

Rec.

by experience Oct 1879

Mary Harper

Dismist

Joined by letter Mar 1833

Mary Lee

Dismist

Aug 1893

Mary Cast

Rec.

by experience July 1830

Mary A. Ring

dismissed

Rec. by letter from New Salem church, McLean Co, Apr 1882; dis. May 1889

Mary Ann Mann

dismissed

Rec. by experience July 3, 1858; Letter of dis. Jan 1878; ret. by letter Apr 1879

Mary Peale

Rec.

by experience Sept 1861

Michael Mann

Dead

Rec. with wife, Eliz. from Bethel Church, July 1837; died May 31, 1866

Milton L. Billings

dismissed

Rec. by experience Oct 3, 1886; Letter granted Feb 1888

Nancy Taylor

Joined

Oct 1827

Nancy Wheeland

dismissed

Rec. July 7, 1857 (Wheeling)

Nancy Cutright

Dismist

Letter from North Fork Church Jul. 1837; Dis. Mar 1838

Nehemiah Friend

Joined

by experience Feb 1834

Norman Roberts

Rec.

by letter from Walnut Grove Church, Warrick Co, Ind May 1870

Peter Wheeland

Dismist

Rec. by letter Nov 1854; Dis. Sept 1870

Peter Cutright

Dismist

He & wife, Nancy came from North Fork Church. July 1837; Letters of dis. Mar 1838

Phebe Scroggin

Dead

 

Polly Cast

Rec.

by letter Jan 20, 1827

Polly Curtis

Rec.

by experience Aug 1877

Polly Girtman

Rec.

by experience Aug 1830

Polly Skiner

Rec.

by experience with Rhoda Copeland

Polly Harper

 

 

Polly Mills

dismissed

Dis. Nov 1861

Rebecca Landis

 

 

Rhoda Copeland

dead

Rec. & baptized July 1856

Rhoda Mann

dead

Rec. by experience June 4, 1859

Robert Cast (Cass)

Dead

Rec. by letter Jan. 20, 1827

Robert E. Burns

Dismist

to form Buffalo Hart Church Dec 1871

Rowland Lane

Rec.

by letter Apr 1832

Russell S. Scroggin

Rec.

by experience June 1883

Salina Tipton

dismissed

Rec. Apr 1854

Sally Martin

 

Letter Oct 1830; excluded July 1831; Rec. back in church Feb 1833

Samuel B. Campbell

Dismist

Oct 1876

Sarah Lucas

Dead

Rec. by letter De. 1829 with Thomas

Sarah Finders

Dismist

Joined Mar 1830; dis. Mar 1840

Sarah Lee

dismissed

Rec. Nov 1849; Letter of dis. May 1851

Sarah M. Ring

Rec.

Aug 1884

Sarah Turley

Dismist

Jan 1841

Sarah Copeland

Dead

Joined by letter June 1830

Stephen Hukill

Dismist

Rec. by letter Mar 1853

Susan Ring

Rec.

by letter from Lancaster, Oh church July 1872

Thomas Lucas

Joined

Dec 7, 1829

Virginia Gibson

Dismissed

Rec. By Experience Jan 1887; Dis. May 1889

William A. Burns

Dismissal

Rec. by experience Dec 1870; dis to form Buffalo Hart Church Dec 1871

William Copeland

Dead

Joined by letter June 1830

William Lynn

Rec.

by letter Jan 1854; dis. Apr 1854

William Rankin

Dismist

Rec. Nov 1850; Letter of dis. May 1851

William Deatheridge

Dismist

Rec. by "relation" May 1841; Dismissed Sept 1844



1 Charles Barney and his wife Deborah, dismissed from the church in 1839, went to Nauvoo and then to Utah among the pioneer Mormons. Going to Utah from the church a few years later was the widowed Marcy Lucas Williams, a granddaughter of Abraham Lucas. In 1865 in Utah Marcy married Henry Charles Barney, son of Charles Barney.


This page is "Lake Fork Predestinarian Baptists" on the Logan County, ILGenWeb site. The address of this page is http://logan.illinoisgenweb.org/lakeforkbaptists.htm.