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Because the Bond County Presbyterian Churches are the center of the McCord community, the following summary is quoted from Warren E. McCaslin, Editor. Illinois Historical: Bond County Biographical. Chicago: Munsell Publishing Company, 1915, pp.646-47. Shoal Creek The Town(ship) of Shoal Creek is in the northwestern corner of Bond County, and is bounded on the north by Montgomery County, on the east by the Town of LaGrange, on the south by the Town of Old Ripley, and on the west by Madison and Montgomery counties. It is watered principally by Shoal and Dorris creeks. Alexander Robinson of Tennessee settled here about 1816, but there were white men here before that, although he is the first of whom there is authentic mention. He was accompanied by Robert and Daniel McCord (Samuel Dixon) of Virginia. They made their first camping place where Bethel cemetery now stands and named it Bethel. About 1825 a church was built on the spot. James Wafer was an early pioneer, who located northwest of Bethel in 1819, as were James Denny, George Donnell, George and John Denny, William and Lawrence Stewart, Jesse Margraves and Newton Coffee. It is impossible to say anything about this town without mentioning the churches for they played a very important part in the community. Old Shoal Creek Church is regarded as the mother of all the Presbyterian churches in this section. It was organized by Rev. Solomon Gidings of St. Louis, Mo., on March 30, 1819, and was located on the present site of Union Grove Church in La Grange. So much of the history of this town centers about Bethel Church, that we give it considerable space, and are indebted for the history to Miss Lucy Dressor, an active member, who is a daughter of Francis Dressor, one of the early pioneers and a member and supporter of the Bethel Church. "On the 15th day of September, 1825, 'Shoal Creek' Church was divided into three churches, known as Bethel, Shoal Creek and Greenville. The Bethel Church began its separate existence on the 15th day of September, 1825, on the site where Alexander Robinson and Robert and Daniel McCord took a general view of the surrounding territory and decided to cast their lot, drove a stake in the fertile soil, and said 'this shall be the central point of our neighborhood,' knelt upon the green sward and consecrated the place and prairie to God, and gave the place the name which it so fittingly bears to this date. Thomas A. Spillman was the first pastor. The first church was a log structure with no fireplace or stove. The only warmth was obtained from charcoal, furnished by the members, and placed upon a mound of earth in the center of the building, the smoke escaping through a hole in the roof above the mound. All of the sixty-two members with which the church was organized have gone to their reward.... It is needless to say that a church organized with such fearless and devoted Christians was sure to prosper. In the first thirty years of its existence it was necessary to rebuild on a larger scale each time, until the third church was erected in 1855. In connection with this church was a schoolroom and dormitory for the accommodation of pupils from a distance who had come to attend the academy. During the pastorate of Rev. Albert Hale, a Yale graduate, the importance of education for the people was pressed by him, and some time between 1832 and 1836 the academy was built a short distance north of the present Bethel Church. It flourished for a quarter of a century under such leaders as Rev. Hale, Rev. Lemuel Foster, Prof. Jacob Clark, David A. McCord, J. N. McCord, James Hall McCord, Mr. Floyd, Rev. Smith Howell, T. H. Holmes, Smiley Denny, Miss Margaret Andrews, Mrs. Melinda Potter and Rev. N. A. Hunt. Many of the relatives of these pioneer teachers are now numbered among the leading citizens of the community and are still devoted to the mother church, Bethel.... Village of Augusta class=Section4>Early in the history of the Town of Shoal Creek, it is said, someone built a sod fence, from which sprouted a beautiful grove of cottonwood trees, hence the name given to the little village which was surveyed on June 9, 1836, by Ashahel Enloe, for John Mitchell & Co. proprietors. It, like many other villages of the county has had its metamorphosis. It was settled as Bethel, nicknamed Cottonwood Grove, for the reason heretofore given, and platted as Augusta. The Village of Reno class=Section5>On the coming of the Jacksonville & Southeastern Railroad, the present village of Reno was platted by John Kingsbury for Julian H. McCord and D. B. Harned. The plat was recorded April 3, 1883. According to the records of plats, the village of Reno is directly east of the old village of Augusta.... Bethel Church Records, Book #1, 1825-1859 Pursuant to a petition from the congregation of Shoal Creek, a commission of the Presbytery of Missouri consisting of the Rev. Gidings & Rev. Lacy and Mr. Collins met at Shoal Creek on the 15 day of Sept. 1825 to take into consideration the expediency of a division of said Congregation. After mature deliberation on the subject it was resolved to erect three congregations out of the then existing congregation of Shoal Creek and ? the following members were separated as constituting a new church by the name of Bethel. Names of the members of Bethel church 1. Robert McCord 8. James B. McCord 15. John Margrave 2. Samuel Dickson 9. Robert McCord 16. George Denny 3. David McCord 10. James Robinson 17. James Wafer 4. Alex Robertson 11. Robert W. Denny 18. Alex Denny 5. John D. Alexander 12. Isaac Robinson 19. John H. McCord 6. Elihu R. McCord 13. James Denny 20. Samuel Patterson 7. James Scott McCord 14. Robert McCord 21. Fanny Alexander Page 2 22. Jane McCord 40. Eliza A. McCord 58. Margaret C. McCord 23. Rebecca McCord 41. Joseph Paisley 59. Elenor Short 24. Sally Robinson 42. Samuel W. Denny 60. Ann Robb 25. Ann McCord 43. Alvin M. Dickson 61. Nancy Barr 26. Martha White 44. Ephraim Rosin 62. Nancy Ross 27. Polly Denny 45. James Armstrong 28. Jane Robinson 46. John Short 29. Lucinda McCord 47. Henry Briggs 30. Mary S. McCord 48. John W. Barr 31. Sally Patterson 49. Hannah McCord 32. Sally Denny 50. Nancy Margrave 33. Betsey B. Denny 51. Sally Wafer 34. Margaret Dickson 52. Polly Paisley 35. Fanny Dickson 53. Betsy Rosin 36. Cynthia White 54. Lettitia White 37. Mary Denny 55. Ann Demma McCord 38. R.? E. McCord 56. Polly Armstrong 39. Polly Alexander 57. Tabitha W. McCord Infant Baptisms Date Given Name Parent By Whom 18 Sep 1825 James Henry George Denny Rev. B.T. Spilman Wm. Edward ? Alex Denny Franklin Spilman James Denny Polly James Wafer Nancy " " Katharine Loreno ? " " Jean " " Patsy " " 25 May 1826 Lucinda Ephraim Rosin Rev. B. T. Spilman Wm. Franklin " " Demas McCord John D. Alexander John Newton John McCord Elizabeth Jane Samuel Dickson Franklin Spilman Robert McCord Delilah Elizabeth James Armstrong Annabel ? Jane " 4 Aug 1827 Jediah Franklin Fanny Alexander Rev John M. Ellis William Robinson James B. McCord (born 5 Mar 1827) James Hall James S. McCord Branden ? McKibbon Polly White 30 Sep 1827 Emily Jane Alex. Denny Rev. B.T. Spilman Thomas Black Robert McCord Jr. (born 28 Aug 1827) 8 Mar 1828 David Calvin John McCord Rev. Solomon Hardy Wm. Samuel Elihu R. McCord 15 Jun 1828 Robert Paris John Short Rev. Solomon Hardy David Jediah Robert E. McCord Matilda Jane Polly White 17 Aug 1828 James I.A. Tillson Samuel Dickson Rev. Solomon Hardy Melancthon Hill John D. Alexander 28 Sep 1828 Silas McGrady John Margrave Rev. Solomon Hardy Polly Hardy George Denny John White James Denny Sarah Jane James Wafer 30 Nov 1828 Joseph B. Newton James B. McCord Rev. T.A. Spilman 21 Dec 1828 John Matelon ? James Armstrong " " 27 May 1829 Margaret Elmiry Ephraim Rosin " " 9 Aug 1829 John Barber Alex. Denny " " Elizabeth Jane John H. McCord 15 Nov 1829 Alastair ? Domino James Alexander (born 11 Oct 1829) Hannah Katharine James S. McCord Rev. T.A. Spilman 20 Dec 1829 Harriet Orindo Elihu R. McCord Rev. T.A. Spilman Mary Minerva John Short 17 Jan 1830 Mary Ann Robert McCord Jr. (born 3 Dec 1829) 29 Jun 1830 George Leonuell George Denny (born 12 Nov 1829) 4 Sep 1830 Silas Newton Walker Barr (born 18 Aug 1825) William Harris " " (born 30 Nov 1829) Mary Letitia Polly White (born 2 Oct 1829) 25 Sep 1830 Robert Weeks Elias W. Alexander (born 5 Jan 1827) Elias Jasper " " (born 5 Mar 1830) 15 Aug 1830 Olive Clinton James Denny Rev. T.A. Spilman 12 Sep 1830 Susannah Henry Briggs " " 26 Sep 1830 John Milton John Margraves (born 7 Mar 1830) Nancy Malissa " " (born 7 Mar 1830) Hannah Elizabeth Isaac Robinson (born 7 Aug 1830) Mary Joanna Robert E. McCord (born 3 Sep 1830) Robert Leeper James B. McCord (born 7 Aug 1830) James Hervey Polly Johnston (born 24 Sug 1830) 3 July 1831 Harriet Clotilda ? James Armstrong Rev. Tho. Lippincot Ninian Alphonso James S. McCord " " John Lafayette John Alexander " " Alfred Nelson John Denny " " Hilton James John McClain " " 21 Sep 1831 Wallace Elihu R. McCord Rev. Wm.J.Lanceford James ? Smith Samuel Denny " " Nancy Olive John McCord " " ? ? Pleasant ? " " Mary Eleanor Alexander Denny " " Elias John Calvin Josiah Alexander " " Sarah ? Jane ? Harvey ? " " " " Rufus Newel Rufus Beach " " James Cameron James Alexander " " 22 Apr 1832 Nathaniel Douglas Ephraim Brawly Rev. Albert Hale John Milton " " " " James Dennison " " " " Wm. Houston " " " " Elizabeth Ann " " " " Sarah Pamela " " " " 22 Sep 1832 Theron Baldwin James B. McCord Rev. Albert Hale James Edwards James Denny " " James Hamilton Polly White " " Hannah Almira Elihu R. McCord " " Nancy Minerva Matthew M. Wright " " Mary McFinney ? " " Rebekah ? Ann " " 3 Oct 1832 Joshua Harvey Mrs. Ruth Young Rev. Albert Hale Robert Rufus " " " " Mary Elizabeth " " " " 4 Oct 1832 Mary Elizabeth James Lingo Rev. Albert Hale Tyra Miles " " " " Archibald Alexander " " " " Martha Jane " " " " Hartly Jehoiada " " " " Catharine Malvina " " " " America Cynthia Ann " " " " 9 Dec 1832 Narcissa Jane Deborah Baker Rev. Albert Hale Apr 1833 Albert Hale Nathaniel Douglas Rev. Albert Hale Margaret John Laughlin ? " " 2 Jun 1833 James Elder James McClung ? Rev. Albert Hale Ruth McCracken " " " " Harriet Newel " " " " Caroline Baldwin James McCord " " 15 Jun 1833 Alexander Seals James Robinson Rev. Albert Hale 16 Jun 1833 Albert Hale John A. McClain " " John Alexander George Denny " " 7 Aug 1833 Sally Stephenson James D. Armstrong Rev. Wm. S.... (born 11 Dec 1832) 20 Oct 1833 Alvin Beecher James M. Douglas Rev. Albert Hale 27 Oct 1833 Amelia Josephine John D. Alexander " " Michael Van Buren Samuel Denny " " John Thomas Clelland ? James Black " " 30 Mar 1834 Henrietta Roxana Baker Rev. Albert Hale Charles " " " " James " " " " Harriet " " " " Carolina " " " " 8 Jun 1834 Robt. Littleton Unreadable Rev. Albert Hale John Blackburn " " " Thomas Henderson " " " Nancy Jane " " " Margaret Samantha Samuel Dickson " " Mary Caledonia James Y. Davis " " Rebeckah Hess ? Elihu R. McCord " " Elizabeth Caroline Alexander Patterson " " Washington Ewing John Denny " " Nancy Rebekah James C. Multon ? " " William Russell Hannah Moore " " David Sylvester " " " " 31 Aug 1834 John F. Brooks James S. Alexander Rev. Albert Hale 21 Sep 1834 Nancy Alzira ? Polly White Rev. Albert Hale 21 Oct 1834 William Alphonse John McClean Rev. Albert Hale John Davis James B. McCord " " Leonidas Dwight John H. Black " " 17 May 1835 Samuel Bloomfield Nathaniel Douglas Rev. Albert Hale Ann Scott ? Hopkins John H. McCord " " Julia Hastings James Denny " " 29 May 1835 Cynthia Catharine James D. Armstrong Rev. Albert Hale 14 Jun 1835 Aaron Hill ? Matthew M. Wright Rev. Albert Hale 21 Feb 1836 Mary Catharine Isaac W. Robinson Rev. Albert Hale 4 Apr 1836 Naomi Ira B. Davis Rev. Albert Hale 14 Apr 1836 Lucinda Thomas Cunningham Rev. Albert Hale Nancy Eliza " " " " 17 Apr 1836 Mary Jane Elihu R. McCord Rev. Albert Hale William Joseph Matthew M. Wright " " 18 Sep 1836 Armina ? Matilda James Y. Davis Rev. Albert Hale Sarah Ann James Douglas " " Samuel James Robert Stephenson " " Mary Catharine " " " " Alexander Robinson Jane Forest " " Polly Ann Dudly William Ross " " James Watts Alexander Patterson " " Lucinda Evelina James Lingo " " 29 Jan ? 1837 Joseph Albert Ephraim Rosin Rev. Albert Hale 19 Mar 1837 Elizabeth Jane Edward B. ? Dickinson Rev. A. Hale Edwin Kimball James B. McCord Rev. Albert Hale Lucy Jane John Douglas " " 20 Mar 1837 Mary Jane Milton Armstron Rev. Albert Hale 27 May 1837 Elmer Wilson James Denny Rev. Thos. Lippincott Theron Lovejoy " " " " William Thomas Wm. H. King ? " " John Kimball Matthew M. Wright " " Julien Hale James S. McCord " " 28 May 1837 Amos Huntington James B. Davis Rev. E. L. Huntington Ruth Larane ? Nathaniel Douglas Rev. T. Lippincott 1 Sep 1837 Vilet ? Amanda John A. McLain Rev. E. L. Huntington James Burton Fanny Blizzard " " Samuel Carroll " " " " Wm. Alfred " " " " Jane Gould Esther McLaughlin ? " " Wm. T. Caldwell " " " " 4 Oct 1837 Rebecca Jane ? L. Young Rev. E. L. Huntington Martha Ann " " " " 18 Mar 1838 Julien Henry John H. McCord Rev. A. Hale Addison Pease J. T. Davis " " 15 Sep 1838 Thomas Beacher Mary White Rev. T. Lippincott Robert Jasper Elizabeth Moore " " Samuel Punch ? Lovejoy E. W. Robinson " " 14 Oct 1838 Samuel Emery A. C. Jackson Rev. T. Lippincott Ruth ? Matropia ? J. M. Douglas " " 3 Jan 1839 Wm. ? Tyler ? Milton Armstrong Rev. A. Hale Roxeley ? Cynthelia Robert C. Jackson " " Emil ? D. Nose George Clark " " Ruth Amanda Rob Stephenson " " Lander ? Shields " " " " James Halifax James Black " " 6 Oct 1839 John Lanning Amasa ? M. Davis Rev. Lemuel Foster William Harmes Mary Hamilton " " Samuel Stebbins " " " " James " " " " Charlotte Augustus John C. Gray ? " " 1 Dec 1839 Louisa Ann John Douglas Rev. L. Foster 1 Mar 1840 Martha Jane James W. Robinson Rev. L. Foster 12 Nov 1840 William Caswell Robert C. Dickson Rev. L. Foster 12 Apr 1841 Nancy Evaline Edward W. Robinson " " William Bloomfield Ira B. Davis " " James Robinson Milton Armstrong " " Mary Avia Amsi G. Dickson " " John Thomas James Barber " " Agnes Rosanna Elihu R. McCord " " Malinds " " " " 5 Sep 1841 Morris Pleasant Foster Joseph B. McCord Rev. L. Foster 11 Sep 1841 Lucinda Harrington Joel H. Morse ? Rev. L. Foster 3 Oct 1841 Daniel Douglas James Black Rev. L. Foster Jul 1844 Mary Albina Ira B. Davis Rev. L. Foster 21 Apr 1845 Mary Louisa William Hamilton " " Rebeca Emeline David A. McCord " " Aletha Rosetta Isaac Robinson " " Mary Elizabeth Nathaniel McLain " " Jan 1846 Josef ? Cannon Demas Alexander Rev. Charles Barton William Alfonso Nathaniel McLain " " Aug 1846 John Francis David A. McCord Rev. Charles Barton Sarah A. Hesseltine ? Mary Wafer " " Oct 1846 James Silvester Elizabeth ? Rev. John Gibson Sarah Eveline Charles TORN AREA Albert Dale Thomas Hale 4 Aug 1849 Lorreta ? Janetta Nathaniel McLain Rev. E. B. Orrestat ? Hannah Jane Ira B. Davis " " Jul 1850 Charles Clonso ? Franklin McCord ? " " Margaret Jane Koderil ? Morris " " John Kermit " " " " William Erwin " " " " Mar 1852 Julia Alice John N. Adams Rev. S. Wandt ? Sarah Janeta John H. ? Ross " " Cornelia Hananda Nathaniel McLain " " Charles Louis Thomas Wafer " " Alexander Theodore Thisnac ? Stephenson " " Louis Clark Franklin McCord " " Louis Foster J. B. Saars ? " " Apr 1852 Sarah Sophia TORN AREA Josiah McCord Holdelia Flora Carl Archibald Robert Elam |