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A Chronicle of a Pioneerl
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A CHRONICLE OF A. PIONEER
COMMUNITY- CHURCH-SCHOOL
IllINniS KISTORICAL SURVEY
THE MANN'S CHAPEL COUNTRY
A CHRONICLE OF A PIONEER
COMMUNITY, CHURCH, AND SCHOOL
MANN'S CHAPEL
•Vermilion County's Most Beautiful Pioneer Church Building
Erected 1857
Located between Danville and Rossville, near Illinois Route 1 —
historic "Hubbard Trail."
All day Service was the custom, with a
dinner spread;
Friends and neighbors all partaking —
spirits and bodies fed.
They came in joy, came in sorrow, seeking
strength and grace —
Whate'er the need, it was found, in this
hallowed place.
Excerpt — from poem, "Mann's Chapel," by Muriel Davison Roach
This booklet is published by the
Mann's Chapel Restoration Committee
Rossville Woman's Club
Rossville Junior Woman's Club
Rossville Civic Woman's Club
Funds received from the sale of this booklet are to be used for restoration
and maintenance of Mann's Chapel.
BY — LOUISE G. HATHAWAY
COVERS AND DRAWING BY
SHARON L HATHAWAY
Rossville, Illinois
July. 1959
MILLS PUBLICATIONS
HOOPESTON, ILLINOIS
Price $1.00
Mann's Chapel — 1857
Resembled a Rural English Church
Samuel and Elizabeth Gilberf, on April I,
1855, deeded land for the church and set
stakes for the foundation. .Samuel, however,
did not live to see the chapel built.
Abraham Mann, a devout and wealthy Eng-
lishman, who was preparing to build a new
house on his estate NE of the church site,
decided that at the time the need for a
church was greater than his need for a home.
He donated the bricks that he had burned for
his own use to the chapel, which the congre-
gation later named .Mann's Chapel, in honor
of his family.
%
.. , ■
f
Mann's Chapel — 1959
Has become thoroughly Americanized
photo — Louise G. Hathaway
H Sl^f -rn ^^^ MANN'S CHAPEL COUNTRY
North Fork
Mann's Chapel, Vermilion County's most famous pioneer church, stands
on a winding country road just east of the point where the old "Hubbard Trail"
bridges the Xorth Fork of the Vermilion River south of Rossville.
For over a century it has stood there while its red brick walls weathered
to pink, the little graveyard at its back became dotted with new stones and new
names (five generations in some families), and Hubbard's Trail changed from
a silent wilderness path to a noisy concrete speedway.
The Mann's Chapel plot lies in an area of rich prairie farm land. Along
the njad. and in small woodlands nearb\-, there grows an amazing variety of na-
tive trees and plants. Small wonder the pioneers were attracted to this part of
the country: it was bountiful beyond compare.
Wives of the early settlers found wild strawberries, raspberries, grapes, and
elderberries for fine preserves; or wild gooseberries for plump pies. The chil-
dren made a game of gathering baskets of black walnuts, hickory and hazel
nuts to crack by the winter fireplace ; dug aromatic sassafras roots to be steeped
into that hot steamy brew known as "sassafras tea," highly regarded as a fine
spring tonic.
The pioneer's ax had broken the stillness which lay on the land for thou-
sands of years. With constant clanging it brought down wood for building or
burning— oak or maple, wild cherry or ash. maybe straight-splitting hackberry
to fence the clearings, perhaps a cottonwood to hollow into a little log cradle.
An old Vermilion county history tells us: "Wild game was plenty. You
could shoot prairie chickens from the roofs of houses. Wild geese were plenty
on the prairies, staying here awhile spring and fall. Deer were so plenty as
hardly to attract much comment, and" (here we have a sour note) "wolves
would hardly keep away from the dooryard." That last phrase was to be taken
literally, and figuratively, too. for money was scarce in those old days.
Rut the land was rich. It gave promise of good harvests and comfortable
living. Just how promising this particular acreage around Mann's Chapel ap-
peared in the early 1800's is illustrated here:
In those years, probably no person knew Illinois from Chicago to the
Wabash and east and west of the "Trail" better than Guerdon Hubbard him-
self. The winter of 1827-8 Robert Horr had come from the East via Ohio and
had stayed with Hubbard at his trading post at Bunkum on the Iroquois River.
In the spring of 1828 "Mr. Horr, accompanied by Hubbard came and looked
out a place on the Xorth Fork of the Vermilion, a little west of the present site
of :\Iann's Chapel." To Guerdon it appeared to be an excellent spot for a farm,
having the advantages of good water supply, drainage, and bordering wood-
lands ; to the Government Land Office at Danville it was simply Section 25, Twp.
22 X., Range 12 W., in Ross Township, which at that time included what is now
South Ross and Grant.
When Hurr died in 1834, he had already sold the farm purchased at Hub-
bard's advice to his son-in-law Alvan Gilbert, who added acreage and in 1839
sold out to his father and brother, Samuel and James Harvey Gilbert. The
Gilbert family gave the land for the cemetery when eleven-day-old Samuel, son
of James, died in August, 1839. Later, they gave a plot for the school and church
as the need arose.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS
As late as 1917 the log cabin of the Gilberts stood on the southwest corner
of the intersection of the highway and the river. Running south along the
stream there also was evidence of seven log cabins in the space of a mile and a
half. Cool spring water fed the stream from high gravel banks on the west and
attracted early settlers. This community became known as North Fork.
Going a few miles farther down along the river to what is now the Bis-
marck road, Myer's Mill gave the name of Myersville to a little settlement.
Pioneers north of that location were the Davisons, Gundys, Chenoweths, and
Kerrs, all of whom came from Ohio in 1828. It is believed that they, along with
Robert Horr at North Fork, were the first permanent settlers in Ross Town-
ship.
As tracks were laid for the criss-crossing railroad lines, little stops along
the way were given names now almost forgotten. Rayville, named for Reuben
Ray, was on the Havana, Rantoul & Eastern track as it crossed the Trail south of
Mann's Chapel (near where Edna Mace, great granddaughter of Reuben now
lives) ; Gilbert, named for Alvan Gilbert, was below the present town of Alvin
(formerly Alvan) on the Chicago, Danville, and Vincennes Railroad.
THE GOOD NEIGHBORS
Rapidly, the little community of North Fork grew. New neighbors, near
neighbors, were a cure-all for loneliness. All were transplanted people. They
missed their old homes and friends ; so with their neighbors they shared their
hopes and fears, difficulties and success to a degree we cannot realize today.
And if they needed neighbors, they needed the comfort of religion even
more.
FIRST CHURCH CLASS
By 1837 the Methodists had already formed a class with eight members :
Sarah, Sally, Harrison, and Joseph McHenry; James and Elizabeth (McHenry)
Gilbert ; and Albert and Rhoda Comstock.
Earliest church meetings were of necessity held in the homes. "Samuel
Gilbert's house was one of the early preaching-places of the Methodists, and was
the real forerunner of Mann's Chapel, which stands very near the spot where
his house was."
John Demorest was one of the first local preachers. "He and Daniel Fairchild
were much together in the ministry, and went here and there holding meet-
ings. No one can over-estimate the results for good of these earnest plain men."
"It was customary for the worshippers to take their rifles along with them
when they went to church, and, when returning, should a stray deer come waltz-
ing around in an ungodly crusade against the quiet of the Sabbath, he was very
apt to get shot for his temerity. Few such Sabbath-breaking deer were ever
actually known to return to the cool retreats."
The first schoolhouse, built in 1856, did double-duty as a preaching place;
but the need for a church was generally recognized, and with much enthusiasm
plans were laid to erect a real church building.
Henry Cortelyou, who lived just east of the church site, placed this clause
in his will: "I give $500.00 to the church that is contemplated being built at the
burying ground near Gilbert school house if such church is built . . ."
The Chapel Is Built
The committee picked "to see that a good place of w^orship was put up"
was J. H. Gilbert, Noah JMessic, L. A. Burd, John Demorest (Shawnee Prairie,
Ind.), B. C. Green (Ontario County, N. Y.), Reuben Ray (Ohio), and Abe
Mann (filling the place of Joel Helmick who resigned).
The main rectangle of the building was to be 30' x 45' — finished it mea-
sured 34'4" X 46'4''. When Abe Mann had offered to give brick for a church,
he had specified "the larger, the better."
The original bricks were made on the Mann farm from subsoil from the
timber at the prairie's edge. They were large brick 4^ x 2^ x Sj/j inches. Some
brick was brought from Attica. Indiana, and James Cornell, just arrived from
England, helped in the hauling. One brick with "1855" scratched into its face
can be seen several rows above the north window on the east wall. But why was
it laid upside down?
Tradition has it that Samuel IngersoU and son Charles walked from Po-
tomac to do the brick work. Green on the building committee is known to have
been a brick mason at one time, so it is safe to conjecture that he also helped.
Like the old barn-raising, building the church without doubt was also a social
event involving all the able-bodied men of the community as workers, and the old,
feeble, and unambitious as "side-road superintendents."
During the work there were differences of opinion among the membership.
Some folks objected to having a bell, and refused to contribute for it, but Mr.
Mann and the Gilberts agreed together to pay for bell and cupola in which to
hang it. The bell, solid bronze and about 30" across, was made in 1857 in West
Troy. N. Y., by IMeneely's, and was set on a Meneely's Rotating Yoke.
We wonder how the New Yorkers, Gilbert and Green, convinced the others
that the bell should be ordered from New York when most church bells at
the time were obtained from Cleveland, a much nearer point of supply.
Xaturally, ihc buildin<4' project was of much conversation and interest. On
July 23. 1857, Alvan Gilbert wrote James who was visiting in Wisconsin, "I
think ii would be much better to have pews in a part of the church so a person
wishing one could take his family into it and keep them behaving in time of
meeting and hv would always know where his seat was."
On August 31, he again wrote — "The bell is hung and is a good one. I
learn that it has been heard at Myersville and all up and down the East Fork."
On September 8 — "I stopped at the new church this evening to see how they
were getting along. They have completed the pulpit and altar. It is a nice job
and is good enough for any city church. They are ceiling it now and expect to
finish this week."
The lovely church, looking like an English rural chapel, was completed. On
Saturday, Sept. 19, 1857, Samuell Elliott, old circuit preacher, gave the first
sermon from the text John 12:43. Sunday he preached the dedicatory sermon
from the text Matt. 16:18 .... "and upon this rock I will build my church: and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
The cost of the building was $3,000 ; the amount pledged on dedication day
was $2,000. The financial storm of 1857 had not frightened this congregation,
who reached deeply into their pockets. That Sept. 20, it was agreed by the
congregation, to call the new church "Mann's Chapel."
ALTERATIONS ON CHAPEL
Mann's Chapel, like the family it was named for, lost its English accent
over the years and became gradually Americanized.
The first change was to lower the pulpit which was several steps above
the floor. In the fall of 1889 a new slate roof was added, the spire was re-
modeled and slated, ("C. A. Maguire, 1889" is pencilled in the belfry), and the
ceiling was lowered. A vestibule was built at the front of the church, the win-
dows altered, and the seats remodeled. Later the floor was completely carpet-
ed with yellow and red ingrain carpet of scroll design. A furnace was installed,
necessitating a new chimney on the north, and removal of the east and west chim-
neys. The brick used did not match the original brick and was smaller, size
3% X 2% X 8 inches.
The first side-bracket oil lamps gave way to the more efficient, but less
beautiful carbide ceiling fixtures. These were thin brass pipe fixtures like in-
verted capital T's. Carbide gas was pumped in from a tank on the east side of
the chapel.
Movable-louvered shutters were placed at all the chapel windows. These
were dark green which weathered to a pleasant blue. At the date of writing,
these shutters have been removed for repairs.
by Sharon Hathaway
from an old print
Alvan Gilbert
He xcrotc: "It is a nice job . . . good enough for any city church.
The Gilberts and the Manns
Merc jacfs diid dales can heroine firesonie. It Is irlien we read of men and women and
their daily lives Ihat liisforj/ comes ulivc for us. The people who built Mann's Chapel were
no natnhii-pamhies, their lives unfold enough adventure for a dozen r/reat American novels.
In a way. Mann's Chapel, was the tangible realization of a dream for many of them. a)id for
these two fannlies in particular:
THE GILBERTS
Samuel Gilbert gave the land for the church. His family was of English
origin but had been in America since before the Revolution. In 1825, Samuel,
his first wife Mary, and three sons, Alvan, James H., and Elias M., left On-
tario County, New York, and made their way down the Allegheny in an emi-
grant boat, landing safely at Crawfordsville, Indiana. In the spring of 1826
they moved to a spot two miles below what would later be Danville.
Convinced by Samuel's letters that Danville was a town of great oppor-
tunity, his brothers Solomon and Jesse came west. Solomon built the first log
hotel in 1827, and bought the first mill in that township. Jesse put up the first
section of the famous McCormack House in 1833. "It was a frame buildinsf,
the planks being fastened on with wooden pins, before nails came into very
general use here."
For a while Samuel operated the grist and sawmill and ran a ferry service
across the North Fork of the Vermilion River. "Grain was very cheap, and the
commissions on grinding were necessarily small," but "the price for sawing was
universally fifty cents per hundred feet, or a share, so that it will be seen that
a sawmill was about the best piece of property, financially speaking, which could
be had in those days."
Then, in 1838, his wife, Mary, died. Samuel and James Harvey decided to
leave Danville. When Alvan offered to sell them his farm on the North Fork,
they quickly made the purchase and moved. Alvan bought land a little farther
north which today is in the town limits of Rossville.
Samuel was appointed first Postmaster in Ross in 1839. The post office
was known as North Fork. After the mail had been held up for six weeks by
the flooded river, it is related that only one letter came across when the water
receded. He had time to take on the added duties of Justice of the Peace.
His fine and useful life ended just two months after he had deeded land
for the church. His second wife. Elizabeth, was again a widow. Samuel's sons,
James Harvey and Alvan, carried on the family tradition and became respected
leaders in the community, always working to promote the public good in matters
of education, religion, or civic worth.
THE MANXS
The man who gave the bricks for the church intended to use them for a new
home. He was Abraham Mann, Sr., who had entered land across the Trail and
to the north ; beautiful prairie land with waving grass taller than a man on horse-
back. Abe Mann was an Englishman, born in 1785 in Bedfordshire, England.
His father, John, had been in America before the Revolution, selling paints and
oils, and traveling up the Mississippi by canoe as far north as wlnal is now St.
Paul, ]\Iinnesota. For losses he suffered during the hostilities, the United
States had given him 30,000 acres of land in New York and Louisiana. Later,
he returned to England.
Abe Mann listened to his father's stories of the new land, and in 1832 he
could no longer resist the urge of adventure. It was seven weeks by sailing ves-
sel from Liverpool to New York. From there he started inland with his broth-
er-in-law Joseph Smith. At Detroit the}^ purchased saddle horses and rode
cross-country to the little settlement which was to become Danville.
For miles around stretched the wild prairie. Most of it belonged to the
Government. Abe entered claim for 650 acres across the trail on the Xorth Fork
and built a cabin there.
He sent for his family, and for a while they resided at Danville. Abraham,
like the Gilberts, saw great possibilities in the development of Vermilion County.
When he purchasd the hotel "Pennsylvania House" and greatly enlarged it he
became part of the lively, far-seeing group we might call Danville's first busi-
nessmen.
Abraham bought more land, but turned the management of his extensive
property over to Dr. Brickwell and returned to England with his family when
his wife died. That was in 1839, and Mary Ann, wife of Abraham Mann, daugh-
ter of Thomas and Mary Smith, was the first of their family to be laid to rest
on American soil, on a rolling rise of prairie southeast of the house. Today, this
private cemetery, in size about fifty by twenty-seven feet, has thirty-five markers
within its black iron fence. Mary Ann's grave and six others were moved to the
Mann's Chapel cemetery when the Mann family sold their estate on the highway
in the 1900's.
"From 1846 to 1851, Mr. Mann, together with his sons, Abraham and John,
made several trips between the two countries, but finally, in the latter year, set-
tled down and resided permanently in America." Abraham, Sr., also had two
daughters, Mary Ann and Katherine. Katherine married Thomas Bennett, Jr.
The twenty-room mansion of the Mann's did not materialize until 1875,
ten years after old Abe had died. It was a fabulous home with conservatory,
dairy, and laundry — innovations for those old days. The large servants' house
accommodated a huge staff. Entertaining was lavish. It is recounted that a horse
and buggy was always kept hitched at the door with a driver ready to go to town
on a quick errand.
Abraham Mann, Sr.
The church was given Jiis family name.
The Mann family was always ready to help the needy or promote matters
of church or school.
Abraham Mann, Jr.
It IS written that Abraham was plain and simple in his habits, and his kindness
was as abundant as the sunshine.
John Mann
John kept a pack of hounds for hunting and a stable of spirited horses.
Today the Mann estate is owned by Dr. and j\Irs. A. A. G. deRevey, who
kindly gave permission to the author to visit the old private cemetery of the
Mann's to procure some of the information necessary for this book.
.VOffffe^^
Thomas Bennett, Jr.,
Pillar of the Church, and for nearly forty years Sunday School Superinten-
dent. His father had been a class leader and preacher for many years.
The Church Organization
Taken from "^Mann's Chapel — A Brief History, 1932"
The Sunday School Class which had its beginning at Samuel Gilbert's home in
1837 grew and prospered and "became known as Bennett Class, being named for
Thomas Bennett Sr.. who was the leader and a local preacher. This class enjoyed
only occasional services by traveling ministers for nearly twenty years.
'^m
\
Original Mann's Chapel Bible
[In safekeeping of Mrs. Clarence Morgan)
Photo - Max Thomas
■"This appointment was at first a part of the Vermilion Circuit, which em-
braced a territory of very broad expanse. While in this Circuit — 1856-1864 — this
charge was served by eight preachers. In 1864 \^ermilion Circuit was divided and
the northeast part of the county became ]\l3-ersville (now Bismarck) Mann's
Chapel, and Ross' School House. (Afterwards East Fork Church, and moved
into Alvin). Tw^o pastors served in this arrangement until 1868. William Groom
was the first chorister and organist.
"In the minutes of the Quarterly Conference held at }\lann's Chapel, Aug-
ust 11, 1868, Rossville first appears as an appointment and is credited with ha\ ing
paid $100 to the support of the pastor. The minutes of the Quarterly Conference
held Dec. 14, 1867 gives as part of the pastor's report the following: — The East
Fork Society voted that I give Brother Issac Dale license to exhort, which I
have done in due form.
"Growth continued and in the Ouarterly Conference of August 22, 1868,
the question of dividing the Myersville Circuit was discussed and a recommenda-
tion was made to the Annual Conference that a new Circuit be formed at Mann's
Chapel. This change was made and Rossville Circuit was formed with John A.
Kumler as the first pastor. Rossville became the head of the Circuit because
there was the beginning of a town there. This Circuit extended five miles west
of Mann's Chapel, north to the count}- line and east to the state line. Mann's
Chapel was the only church l)uilding on the Circuit. This Circuit continued until
in 1926 during the ministry of Rev. J. A. Betcher, regular services were discon-
tinued with the exception of the annual homecoming in August. The membership
was combined with that of the Rossville Church.
Original silver Mann's Chapel Comnnunion Service and Baptismal Font,
in safekeeping with Mrs. Wayne (Goldie Bennett) Pruitt
photo — Max Thomas
"Early day ministry was quite strenuous. The minister would preach every
day, at homes, churches, and school houses, making a complete round of his ap-
pointments in two to four weeks, according to the size of the circuit. And on
Sundays he would often fill three appointments. In those days money was scarce
and support of the preacher was meager. The number in the preacher's family
and stock was taken into account when the expenses were estimated. In the
year 1858 the committee to estimate the table expenses of the preacher's family
was James H. Gilbert, James W. Villars and Abram Lynch. The original report
read as follows :
4 bbls. flour at $6 $24.00
800 lbs. pork at $5 40.00
300 lbs. beef at $4 12.00
100 lbs. sugar 12.50
20 lbs. coffee 3.33
3 lbs. tea 3.00
75 lbs. butter at 15c 11.25
5 bu. meal at 50c 2.50
Sundries, as salt, pep-
per, apples, etc 15.00
2.3 bu. corn at 25c 43.75
2 tons hay 12.00
1 box candles 12.00
16 cords of xvood 32.00
Potatoes, dried fruits, etc 20.00
$243.33
This total zvas crossed out and
$250.00 zvritten underneath."
In later years, and in the memory of people now living, these people should
be honored for their faithful work at the Chapel : "Aunt I'>ank" Bennett, thirty-
five years primary teacher in Sunday School ; Mr. and Mrs. Clark Green ; William
Satterwhite, teacher; William Bush and family, John J. Dale and family, John
Abbott, Jennie Kuns Ridge, The LeNeves, Matthews, Sellers, and others.
The Schoolhouses
The first schoolhouse built in 1865, did double-duty as a preaching place for
a year until the chajtcl was built. The lillle frame building stood southeast of
the spot where the Chapel wtjuld be built the next year.
"Schoolhouses were not so popular then, and the plan of having the best
schoolhouse in the county was likely to fail," if everyone favoring the plan did
not vote. B. C. Green who lived closeby, having bought land of his brother-in-law
Albert Comstock, told in later years how he had walked from Danville where
he was working at the time to vote for the schoolhouse. He was proud that he
had thought it worthwhile U) lose two days' wages "when as yet he had no child."
Later many Green youngsters trudged the mud, dust, or snow of the Chapel
Road (depending on the season) to attend the little country school.
It was a fine building for those days, and well-equipped. The desks were
walnut with fancy wood overlay; the first teacher Lyman Kingsbury disciplined
any "initial-carvers" and passed the willow switch of authority on to Lewis
Thompson, the second teacher.
Tn the early years, James H. Gilbert was a school Trustee ; Abe Alann, Jr.,
was on the Board of Education ; Thomas Bennett was a school Treasurer.
Around 1875 the second schoolhouse was put on the site of the first one.
From a receipt book of School Trustee Samuel LeNeve covering the period from
April, 1891 to April, 1899, we find that the men teachers were supplanted for a
w^hile by women. From 1891 to June, 1896, for a salary of $36.00 a month,
Barbara Redpath, Jennie Holloway, Jennie Ridge, and Lottie Borland did their
utmost to stoke coal into the stoves and knowledge into their young pupils.
Elizabeth Andrews taught from September, 1896, first for $42.50, then for
$45.00. A man was hired to tend the fires during her regime.
Some of the later teachers at Mann's Chapel School were : Ella Flagg,
Aliss Clara Taylor, Mabel Allison, Foy Reinbold (1909-10, 1911-12), Mr.
Tarpley, Earle Meade, Ouinn R. Sanks, Mabel Fetters, Elizabeth Barnes, Clara
Starkey, Aliss Tyler, Boyce Borders, Mrs. Helen (Borders) Bennett, Mrs. Bernice
(Young) Walker, Mrs. Murrell (Sellers) Briglow, and Mrs. Florence (Hanson)
Willey.
Xo longer used as a school, the little green-shuttered w'hite frame school
building was moved east of Rossville around 1946. and incorporated in the
dwelling house of Roy Haas. The foundation can still be traced in the lawn
near the church.
In the summer of 1958 a group of former teachers and pupils of Mann's
Chapel School District 58 held a reunion. They plan to make it an annual
event.
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Photo - Florence Wllley
1887 Carrie (Weed) Dwiggins
Nellie (Dingle) Swift
Mary (Kuns) LeNeve
Mary Ann Mann
1891-93-95 Barbara Redpath
1891-92 Jennie Holloway
1895 Lottie Borland
1896-99 Elizabeth Andrews
Clara (Taylor) Blackburn
1903 Mabel (Allison) Smith
1909-10-11-12 Foy C. Reinbold
Amelia (Brown) Grimier
Miss Lynch
Bernice (Young) Walker
Helen (Borders) Bennett
James Cunningham
Freeman McConnell
Derald McConnell
MANN'S CHAPEL SCHOOL TEACHERS (PARTIAL LIST)
1927-28
1928-29-30
1939-46
Goldie (Hughes) Ellis
Alta Tyler
Eliz. (Barnes) Paulson
Clara Starkey
Mabel Fetters
Mr. Tarpley
Quinn R. Sanks
Evans Maury
Miss Hutchison
Irma Lee
Earl Meade
Murrell (Sellers
Fk
Briglow
Hanson) Willey
EARLIEST LIST OF MEMBERS OF MANN'S CHAPEL OBTAINABLE FOR YEAR 1869
Thomas Bennett Sr., Leader
Rebecca Bennett,
Thcs. Bennett Jr..
Catherine Bennett,
Harriet Bass,
Mary Bass,
Henry Bass,
Gillian Dennorest,
Eliza Demorest,
John R. Dennorest,
Laura Elwell,
Frances Beal,
Mary Mattheus,
Geo. W. Goetschius,
M. J. Goetschius,
Elizabeth Davis,
Sarah W. Davis,
James B. Davis.
Abraham Mann,
Mary A. Mann,
Reuben 8. Ray,
Sarah A. Ray,
Susan Poulter,
Emma Weeden,
Elizabeth Murphy,
Sarah Gilbert, ■ : • • ; . ■ i
Jennie Gilbert,
Elias Gilbert, .
Ellen Gilman,
B. Clark Green,
Josephine Green, "
Jennie Caldwell,
John A. Caldwell,
James F. Thomas,
Elizabeth Marshall,
Charles R. Smith.
PASTORS OF MANN'S CHAPEL
VERMILION CIRCUIT
1856-57— A. R. Garner
1858 — Edward Rutledge.
W.' H. Webster.
1859— W. C. Harris.
I860— W. C. Harris
T. J. Orr.
1861— J. Muirhead.
1862-63— J. C. Long
MYERSVILLE CIRCUIT
1864-65— J. Muirhead.
1866-67— D. P. Lyon.
ROSSVILLE CHARGE
I86S
1871
1872
1873
1876
1879
1882
1885
1886.
1881
1894
1898
Part
1901-
1903-
1906
1914
1915.
1920.
1923.
1925
1926
1927.
1930.
-70— J. A. Kumler.
— B. F. Hyde.
— D. D. Alkire.
— B. F. Hyde.
75 — James Miller.
78 — James Shaw.
81 — Robert Stephens.
■84 — Job Ingram.
— M. M. Davidson.
.90— W. T. Beadles.
93 — J. Winterbottom.
97— M. Auer.
00— W. S. Phillips.
00— J. P. Morton.
02— E. A. Hamilton.
05— T. L. Hancock.
13— E. H. Lugg.
— M. M. Want.
19— J. F. Wohlfarth.
22— J. A. Biddle.
24— J. S. Tharpe.
— O. H. Meyers.
—J. A. Betcher.
29— J. E. Reynolds.
31— P. P. Carson.
PRESIDING ELDERS
DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS
1855-56-
-S. Elliott.
1857-59-
-L. C: Pitner. •• •■
I860 -
-J. L. Crane.
1861-64-
-W. H. H. Moore.
1865-68-
-S. Shinn.
1869-72-
-P. Wood.
1873 -
-T. W. Phillips.
1874-76-
-J. H. Noble.
1877-80-
-W. M. McElfresh.
1881-84— H. Buck
1885-90-
-W. H. Webster.
1891-96-
-Geo. E. Scrimger,
1897-02-
—Robert Stephens.
1903-08-
-S. H. Whitlock.
1909-14-
-H. C. Gibbs.
1915
— W. N. Tobie.
1916 -
-W. D. Fairchild.
1917-20-
-J. C. Nate.
1921-26-
-A. K. Byrns.
1927-32-
-E. L. Tobie.
MANN'S CHAPEL RESTORATION COMMITTEE
Mrs. A. R. Whistler, Chairman
Mrs. George Young, Treasurer
Mrs. Harold M. Nash, Secretary
BUILDING COMMITTEE
Mrs. James A. Darley
Mrs. Stanley E. Hathaway, Sr., Historian
WAYS i MEANS COMMIHEE
Mrs. Ralph Briglow
Mrs. Joe Brown
Mrs. Larry Matthews
Mrs. Maurice Satterwhite
Honorary Members
Mrs. Lewis Schlecht
Miss Bertha Thomas
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ADVISORY - RESTORATION
Architects — Skadden, Sheehan and King,
Danville.
Electrical — Chas. Meredith Ross, Rossville.
Artist — Lue (Mrs. Clarence) Morgan,
Rossville.
Legal — Attorneys V. W. Mclntyre, Tom Stifler,
Danville.
Sen. Contractor, Exterior, Gordon McBride,
Hoopeston.
(Brick work by Leon Goodrum,
Hoopeston).
"Historical Atlas Map of Vermilion Co., III."
W. R. Brink & Co.. 1879.
"History & Romance of Danville Junction, The"
C. C. Burford; Guy Smith; Interstate
Printers and Publishers, Danville, HI. 1942.
"History of Vermilion Co.," H. W. Beckwith,
1879.
"History of Vermilion Co.," Lottie Jones, Vol. I
Illinois, the Story of the Prairie State, Grace
Humphrey.
Letters — Pearl Gilbert, Audrey H. (Mrs.
Chas.) Gilbert, John C. King (Architect),
Marie Lewis Marley, Chrysta Radebaugh,
P. K. Ray.
"Mann's Chapel — A brief history, 75th An-
niv., Aug. 28, 1932."
Newspaper Articles: Danville Commercial
News, Jan., 1937; Mar. 5, 1957; Rossville
Press, May 16, 1946.
"Vermilion Co.," Clarke Pub., Chicago, 1903.
'it
THOMAS BEKNETT SM.
1651'
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MANN'S CHAPEL JSSl'^i
SCHOOL -la^b-
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MRS. NOAH WEBSTER
MRAUWOOm 1630'
M'THEWS^ lass-
RICHARD
BRICKWELL I83h'
BAVISOM
KERBS 1828' r??\
DBMORBSTS laZB-
TO MYERSVILLBi
A. aUMDY
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