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Archiver > ILJEFFER > 1998-09 > 0906928452


From: David Walker< >
Subject: [ILJEFFER-L] Mount Vernon Free Press Article
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 15:34:12 -0500


Thursday, April 25, 1872

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY BY A. CLARK JOHNSON

The earliest religious settlers were Methodists -- a majority of
them, at least; and of course the first society organized and the first
church erected belonged to that demonination. Some of the very earliest
settlers were not only Methodists, but ministers. Such were ZADOK CASEY.
EDWARD MAXEY and LEWIS JOHNSON. The next strongest denomination was the
Baptist, of which HICKS, HARLOW, &c. belonged and of which HARRIS was a
preacher. The JORDANS, also, were of that faith. J.E. DAVIS was a
Cumberland Presbyterian, but being alone, took a place, pro tem, with the
Methodists. A majority of the people, of course, were outsiders, and
this majority grew more decided as you went further south. Such was
about the relgious make up of the county at the beginning.

The first sermon in the county, as already noticed, was preached
by ZADOK CASEY, in the house that ISAAC HICKS had just erected, in the
fall of 1817, and every man, woman, and child in the bounds of what now
is Jefferson county was present. The next fall, 1818, EDWARD MAXEY and
J.E. DAVIS came, and LEWIS JOHNSON in the spring of 1819, and ARCHIBALD
HARRIS about the same time or earlier; so the people were pretty well
supplied with preachers and preaching. It was remarkable, however, that
while there were five preachers in the county, a line a mile long swung
from a centre near TOM MOSS' house would have reached them all.

In the spring of 1819, a log house was erected a little northwest
where WARNER WHITE lives, designed to answer for both school-house and
church. It was not finished - at least such a house would not now be
considered so - the entire structure consisting of a rough log wall and a
clapboard roof held on with weight poles. The floor was one that had
been there all the time -- the ground. JOEL PACE came out soon after
this house was built, and notwithstanding he filled the offices of county
and circuit clerk, and notary public and recorder, he found time to teach
a school in this house -- the first school in the county. This church or
school house was used with great pleasure and pride by the people till
late in the following autumn. The grass was rank and the leaves
abundant, the latter being drifted into banks around the house and in it;
fire got out as usual at that season, swept through the woods and when
the smoke cleared away only a few smouldering logs were left to tell the
fate of the little house that had begun to be the centre of hallowed
associations.

TO BE CONTINUED --

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