This Society, the first organization of this denomination at Pattonsburg and in Belle Plain, held a quarterly meeting at the place named, in Daniel HOLLENBACK's barn, in July, 1839. S. W. D. CHASE, Presiding Elder of the Lacon District, attended, and the preachers were Rev. Zadock HALL and Rev. R. H. MOFFIT.
The organizers and leading members were John WILSON, Martha HOLLENBACK, Charles GULICK, Dr. Levi WILCOX, Mrs. Nancy WILCOX and John ROGERS. Services had previously been held at the old school house, and in barns as was found convenient, as was the case afterward, until 1859, when the first meeting house, a small frame structure, was put up. This lasted until the winter of 1867-8, when it was burned down. It stood about one-fourth of a mile north of the village. The new one is in Pattonsburg, and is a neat frame structure, capable of seating 300 persons, has a good organ, comfortable pews and tasty church furniture.
Among the early ministers who held forth here was one named WHEAT, succeeded by another named STUBBLES, from which peculiar circumstance the good people were wont to say: "First came Wheat and then Stubbles." Among other noted preachers of the Gospel who visited this Society at different times were Revs. David BLACKWELL, Daniel DICKINSON, Mr. BABCOCK, "Father CUMMING," G. M. IRWIN and A. C. PRICE.
Extracted from Records of the Olden Time
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| Peoria | Woodford | ||
