Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1891-04-10

*S4344S4
lIdtf EtsphsSn alI1 Similiar-
II Wn ~ F3thof passed
Jnlle stonS lesS Monday.
Y ssvsfAi ye6tsM ~ besn the
tenda custom IA xezider ! birth.
deSieluon md 10 bus never yet
iaiIsd iii preaching his sermon with
n 1yseek Az two Of bis birthday.
n1kEunday hS waa too feeble 10
|Attompt The task, but hopes in 4
Weok D. 10, to be able 10 carry out
his purpose. AZ MI. Beggs is
HIS oldest minister, II not the Oldest
person III Will county We feel that
y short Biographical sketch Of his
careeer will be Of interest to our read.
ers, nearly all of whom have heard
more or less of our subject.
Mr.. Beggs Is the Oldest preacher
of The Methodist denomination in
Illinois. He was born on a farm in
Rockingham county, Va, March 30,
1901, 4 son OF James Beggs, who
was born IN the same county IN 1868.
Thomas Deggs, the grandfather Of
our subject was born in New Jersey,
mud James Beggs, his father, was Of
Irish birth, came to this country in
colonial times and settled in that
state. The grandfather Ut our sub
iect was reared and married in his
native state Sarah Barnes becoming
His wife, and before the breaking out
loflhe revolution, migrated to Rock
ingham, Va. He joined the patriot
army and became All officer Of the
co,nmissary department and died
Til the service l779 or 80.
Tho father ofour subject was rear
ed md married in Rockingham Co,
and resided there until 1862, when
he removed to Kentucky making the
journey on horseback, his wife also
riding q horse and CARRYING Stephen
IN her IMP. They resided in Ken.
lucky three years aud then settled
III Clarke county, Ind, where MIR
Beggs cleared q farm from the tim
Der ind made it his home until hi:
death May 1885. His remains ar,
hurled in the Gazaway chnrchyard
The maiden name Of the mother o
our subject was Mary Custer.and sh'
was born III Virginia and Of Englisl
ancestry. The father of our subjec
was 4 wing and was 4 member .
the Indiana territorial senate for tel
years. He and his wife both be
longed to the Methodist Episcopa
church. The latter died DULY Z, Is
30. They were the parents Of fiv'
sons md four daughters. Our sub
Jet was early instructed in religion
and At the age Of nineteen was con
yerted and at twenty-five con-
meneed preaching at his father
home. LII the same fall he joine,
the Missouri conference that the
embraced all Of Illinois, Indians
Missouri aud Arkansas. He remain
cd in Indiana until the fall Of 1884,
aud was appointed to the Tazewe.
circuit. which included Peori,
Bloomington and Pekin. At tina
time there were three families rcsid
ing on the present site Of Blooming
ton, then called Blooming Grow
at Peoria not not more than a ha
dozen families, and the country VIZ
wild and unsettled. In July, 1888
he went TO the village of Chicag
|, and organized the first Methodi,
church ever started there and /
was the first minister ever statione
Mt that point. In 1882 he came |
Plainlield and has called this b
home since that time, though |
/, has lived away from here one or tw
!. years at 4 time while preaching
different places. 1881 lie held
! campineeting at Walkers Grove,
P~lainlield was then called, the fir
3 held in this section.
] Rev. Beggs Is the father ofour 70
mer townsman G. w. Beggs, who
& known to nearly all Of our reader
&Ma