October 2024 Current

SPECIAL HISTORICAL ME SSENGER

Celebrating

Years

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL HAS ITS ROOTS IN ILLINOIS

Peter Cartwright’s daughter killed in freak 1824 accident

McLEANSBORO – Cartwright Chapel, formerly the old Mt. Pleasant church, located southwest of McLeansboro, has a unique niche in Hamilton County history. In 1978, the old wood framed structure was destroyed by fire. Two things in particular add extra dimension to the history of this old church. First, its location on a famous Southern Illinois roadway. Second, the unusual accident that took the life of Cynthia Cartwright and her burial in its vicinity. The Goshen Road dates back to 1808. At Cartwright Chapel, it is the west border of the churchyard and cemetery. A memorial monument to Cynthia Cartwright stands in the cemetery and its inscription gives a very brief sketch of her untimely death. The old Goshen Road, beside which this church stood, connected the Goshen Settlement near

family set up camp for the night almost in sight of two cabins containing families. A faulty tree, at the base of which the Cartwrights built their evening campfire, burned to the extent that in the morning hours it toppled over, falling on Cynthia their daughter, crushing her life away. Traveling about 20 miles from the scene of the freak accident they buried the little girl in Hamilton County. In April 1902, the District Conference of Methodists, meeting at Eldorado, appointed a committee to locate the gravesite of Cynthia Cartwright. Robert Morris, Attorney, Methodist minister and noted singer, led in the search for the burial site at that time. Where was Peter Cartwright's daughter buried? Morris placed such a query in local newspapers. He received opinions from many persons, locating the grave in three different places. First, on the farm of Henry Seel, south of Dahlgren. Second, at or near

founding McKendree college at Lebanon, in 1828. Cartwright served in the Illinois Legislature, elected in 1828 and 1832, but was defeated for the U. S. Congress in 1846 by Abraham Lincoln. He died Sept. 25, 1872. The memorial monument was unveiled on Thanksgiving Day 1906, by W. F. Short, D. D. of Jacksonville, Illinois--a personal friend of Peter Cartwright. Dr. Short also delivered a lengthy address, said to have been filled with most interesting reminiscences and of great historical value. The audience request the address be printed in the Mt. Carmel District Advocate . 1906 was an active year for Cartwright Chapel. Robert Morris and pastor Phillips of Belmont, preached there in a springtime revival. The membership grew to 32. Three persons who joined were Mrs. Betty Oneal, John Hungate and "Sis. Huffstutler who had been member of the old M. E. Church that went down years ago." The memorial monument placed in the Cartwright Chapel cemetery does not and was not meant to mark the grave of Cynthia Cartwright. Neither did its placing bring complete agreement as to her burial place as shown by the following paragraph taken from the McLeansboro Times for November 29, 1906. "People are welcome as they are free to their beliefs, but facts are facts. The little Cartwright child was buried at Knight's Prairie. 'T'was the first grave ever dug at this place. A Flint child was the next. This church was organized on this hill in 1847, about fifty-nine years ago and was put there because the cemetery was here. Colonel Hall will tell any one who wishes to know that his mother took him many times to the little Cartwright grave. Col. Hall ought to know for he was raised near this place.'" (Adapted from “Cartwright Chapel, alias Mt. Pleasant Church of Hamilton Co., IL,” by Ralph S. Harrelson, Goshen Trails, Vol. 15, No. 2, April 1979. Additional details concerning the Cartwright’s migration to Illinois and Cynthia Cartwright’s death is from Peter Cartwright: Legendary Frontier Preacher by Robert Bray, 2005, University of Illinois Press)

Under the supervision of Rev. Ernest J. Campell, pastor of Taylorville First and Dr. Harry McPherson, Springfield District Superintendent, John Colegrove donated the lot for the 24 x 40-foot building which was dedicated Oct. 18, 1925. When the pledges were collected and the bills paid, there was just 20 cents left to carry on the work. Later, a gift from Mrs. L. M. Schweitzer of Peoria made possible the addition of land for a playground. Miss Van Winkle served as superintendent for three years and provided a firm foundation for the work of Miss Zoe King of Harlan, Iowa, who came in September 1928 Unofficially, some say vacation Bible schools began in the 1870’s near Lake Chautauqua, New York, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, which offered summer Sunday school programs to the general public. These educational and cultural programs were soon copied in Chautauquas all over the country. However, most persons trace the beginning of our modern-day Bible School to Mattie Pritchard Miles. Mrs. Miles was born in Fisher on July 9, 1870, and married the Rev. D. T. Miles on June 9, 1890. Rev. Miles served 17 years of active ministry, interrupted by illness after 12 years. He returned for five years of ministry LANGLEYVILLE FROM PAGE 8 HOPEDALE – The name Martha “Mattie” Pritchard Miles may not be a household name among Illinois Methodists, but her impact on children’s ministry during the summer months in Christian churches is great. In 1894, 24-year-old Miles, the wife of Rev. David Thomas Miles, who was pastor of the Hopedale Methodist Episcopal Church, was both a Sunday School and public school teacher. She saw the need for children to be educated during those summer months of being out of school and so she started a daily Bible school for children. She also felt limited by time in the public schools for teaching Bible studies so she made plans The initial effort in May 1894, lasted four weeks and became the genesis for Vacation Bible School. And while others would follow Miles’ lead, she was the first. An Everyday Bible School was organized in 1898 at New York City’s Epiphany Baptist Church by Eliza Hawes, which primarily was developed for underprivileged children and was conducted at a rented beer parlor. In 1922, Dr. Robert Boville of the Baptist Mission Society founded the World Association of Daily Vacation Bible School. In 1923, Standard Publishing began printing VBS curricula with enough lessons for five weeks and written on three different age levels – kindergarten, primary and junior.

Edwardsville with Shawneetown on the Ohio River. In Hamilton County four towns were surveyed on its course: Walpole, Middletown, Mellonsville and Independence. Peter Cartwright traveled over the roadway in October 1824 as the Illinois Conference was to hold its inaugural session Oct. 23-28, 1824. The entire Cartwright family left Kentucky in early October for Illinois – Cartwright, his wife Frances and their seven children – five girls and two boys, ranging from 14-year-old Eliza to 15-month-old Sarah. They headed northwest along

old Mt. Pleasant cemetery on the old Goshen Road. Third, within the Knight's Prairie church cemetery not far from Mt. Pleasant ME Church. In a published declaration written September 1902, Robert Morris stated: "The preponderance of information received so far seems to favor Knight’s Prairie cemetery as the place." In the spring of 1906 the Methodist District Conference

before retiring in 1903. Rev. Miles died Nov. 11, 1930. Rev. Miles began his ministry in 1886 was served at Savoy, Seymour, Versailles, Ashland, Hopedale (from 1893 to 1894), Waynesville and Casey. And returning after a year’s leave of absence, the Miles concluded their active service at Harristown and Maroa.

meeting in McLeansboro, changed the name of Mt. Pleasant ME Church to Cartwright Chapel in honor of Peter Cartwright. They also decided to place a memorial marker in the cemetery in honor of Cynthia, the daughter. Peter Cartwright was a son of a Revolutionary soldier. As a pioneer Methodist circuit-riding preacher he became quite famous. He wrote several books and Waller's Brief History of Illinois gives him credit for

In 1947, a cottage was purchased as the home of the Langleyville Settlement worker by the members of the Women’s Society of Christian Service (another predecessor of United Women in Faith) of the Illinois Conference (the Central Illinois Conference merged into the Illinois Conference in 1927) and the cottage was furnished by the Wesleyan Service Guild and by special gifts from women of the Illinois Conference. A 4-H Club was started in 1929; membership varied from 10 to 30 members. The girls were taught sewing, with all work being done at the Settlement House. They also had recreation, health and social activities. They reported that better grooming ideas were gleaned from Woman’s Day magazine purchased at the A & P Store. In 1948, the huge Christmas tree at the Settlement House symbolized the blessings and memories of the meaning of the settlement to the community. Annual activities included parties for many community groups, making gifts for mothers, a Christmas program for the community and for more than 20 years, a gift for each child in Langleyville provided by the faithful women o the Illinois Conference. One of the early efforts was the collection of books that comprised a library for both adults and children. Knitting, sewing and handicraft classes were held. Following her husband’s retirement, Mrs. Miles continued her work with children for many years as superintendent of the primary department at Urbana: Trinity Methodist Church (which later became Urbana Wesley in 1957) where she was a devoted member until her death on Dec. 21, 1949. The Miles are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Urbana. A time capsule was buried for 200 years at Hopedale. It is due to be opened in 2094. “All who knew Mrs. Miles in the later years of her life could not help but be kindled by her ever radiant

Tradewater River, ferried across the Ohio River into Shawneetown and skirting the forest, continued up the Saline River toward Hamilton County. The afternoon of Oct. 22, the hired teamster who was to manage the wagon of “plunder” lost control of the wagon and overset it, almost killing daughter Eliza. By the time the wagon was righted and repacked, it was too late to go on and so the

During World War II, a Victory Club, consisted of Langleyville women. They raised money for gifts for local servicemen and provided a great deal of labor toward Red Cross sewing projects. Sunday School was held every Sunday morning at 9 a.m. The session opened with a worship service and then classes were held under teachers who had been trained by Miss King. Once a month, there was a family fellowship with a program, group singing and refreshments. In 1955, the Settlement House had conducted kindergarten for 31 years at a cost of $1 per week per child with a daily lunch included. In 1949, major remodeling of the original building was completed and included a new entrance hall, bell tower, a basement kitchen and restroom. In 1954, a new recreation hall (52 by 72 feet) was dedicated and included a stage, private office, full kitchen and adequate space for gatherings and indoor play. The original building became the chapel. Langleyville is about two miles west of Taylorville in Christian County. (Adapted from The Heritage and History of First United Methodist Church, Taylorville, Illinois, 1844-1997, accessed from the Christian County Geneological Society) Christian spirit, which shone steadfastly to the end,” her memoir in the 1950 Journal-Yearbook of the Illinois Conference noted. “Back of those were other busy years of devoted service as wife and mother, as faithful partner in the Methodist ministry.” Speaking of her contribution with Vacation Bible School, the memoir noted, “What an amazing movement has come from such humble beginnings and what blessing to the whole church from the initiative and concern of this devoted woman.”

Langleyville Settlement House ministered to new immigrants

LANGLEYVILLE – World War I created much interest in missionary work in Europe among the many Europeans residing in America. The Centenary Fund was raised to carry out these ministries. Some of these ministries began among the people of the coal-mining regions of Illinois with large foreign-born populations. Settlement houses, which reached their peak popularity in the early 20th century, were marked by a residential approach to social work: the social workers ("residents") would live in the settlement house, and thus be a part of the same communities as the people they served. The movement began in England in 1884 but quickly spread; the first settlement house in Chicago was Hull House, founded in 1889. The purpose of the settlement (or community center) was to develop the human resources – individual and social – of the local area it served and to promote the participation of people of the local area in the work of and the control of the community center, state and nation. Peabody Mining Company opened a shaft coal mine (#9) in open country 4 ½ miles northwest of Taylorville. Larg numbers of immigrants came from Southern Europe, especially Italy and the village of Langleyville came into being. Residences were built and stores opened,

but no effort was made to establish a place of worship. In 1923, Taylorville First Methodist Church decided some action would be taken to establish a means of worship. Eunice Van Winkle of Waverly was the first worker and Miss Cora Rape was president of the first Langleyville Board. Miss Rape went before the Central Illinois Conference Board of the

who served as Superintendent for 40 years. She died Aug. 22, 1977, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Taylorville. Miss King’s program consisted of religious education, community service, 4-H Club work, Boys and Girls Club work, kindergarten, adult service, missionary activities for children and youth, plays and pageants, programs for special

small room was partitioned off from the saloon for the Center. As there was no bus service then, high school age students would gather at the center to be transported by Mr. Collebrusco to Taylorville High School each day with the students riding in the back of his pickup truck. In the beginning, the work consisted of Sunday School and Home Visitation, making friends and giving assistance with personal problems. The response of the people indicated the great need for a religious center in the community. In 1925, the Conference woman having seen the result of efforts to this point, made plans to build a Community House.

Women’s Home Missionary Society (a predecessor of the current United Women in Faith organization) and presented the project as a challenge to the women of the Conference. Among those present was May Leonard Woodruff, sister of Bishop Adna Wright Leonard (bishop of the conference, 1925-26). On her advice, the project was adopted as a Conference project. In September 1924, a room in the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Whaling was obtained for the center and used for a short time. The next working center was in the Star Theatre, owned by Biagio Collebrusco. The building housed a theater and saloon during Prohibition. A

KING

occasions and personal counseling.

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