Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-06

In this country the journey was con-
tinued from New York to Pittsburg,
where they remained during the win
ter, the river being frozen so that they
could not travel farther west by water,
which they wished TO do, as travelling
overland was tedious. 1t was before
even the largest cities were connected
by railroads. In the spring of 1888
they came on to st. Louis, and there
saw the famous Indian, Black Hawk,
and a company of his warriors. Not
| finding desirable location there, his
father came the same spring to Drury
township, Rock Island county, this
state, where he settled with his fam
lily
Embraces the Church.
In the fall of 1889 the subject of
| this sketch, then at the most critical
period of his religious life, was invited
| by one of the neighbors to go with
them to a campmeeting held near Swe-
dona then called Richland Grove, at
which meeting he was converted. Rev.
Bergman was presiding elder. Rev.
Wilson Pitner. son-inLaw of Peter
Cartwright, was one of the preachers
1
viction by the singing, by two men, of
the hymn, 20, How Happy Are They
Who Their Savior Obey" By the in
vitation of the pastor, a Rev. Smith,
he went to the altar, and the same
night united with the church At home
he attended regularly cottage prayer
meeting held in the house of a man
who was a Baptist and his wife Meth
odist. The nearest preaching point
was at Eliza Creek about eight miles
distant. He frequently walked TO serv-
ices at that place until church services
were established at Illinois City four
miles from where they lived, IL miles
west of EdgingtOn, near which latter
place he afterward lived many years
with his own family. In the earlier
years he went on horseback to attend
the Presbyterian church in EdgingtOn,
as we'll as to other services. This1
catholicity of spirit regarding other de-
nominations than the one to which he
belonged was ever characteristic of
him. Previous to his marriage to Miss
Margaret Dunlap, at Edgington, in
1915, he had been leader of the Meth
odist class for some time at Illinois
City. After marriage he lived in the
Dunlap settlement, as the Edgington
community was originally called, NOV
ing after two years onto land obtained
from his wife's father, Joseph Dunlap.
BY his industry, and through means
received from his father, the property
was much improved. This was the fam
lily residence about twenty years.
During the pastorate of Rev. Joseph
Kirkpatrick of the Methodist church
he was licensed to exhort. The Ii
cense was signed by Rev. Richard Ha-
ney. He was afterward licensed to
preach, and was eventually ordained a
local elder. was sent as supply 10
the Knoxville circuit when his eldest
son, Rev. T j. Wood, was but a child. |
Rev. Isaac Pool was senior preacher |
on the work at this time. 1t required |
four weeks to complete the circuit, |
which embraced Galesburg, Abingdon
and Oxford (now Viola). Some re-
markable revivals attended his minis
try There were instances of old-time
shouting and violent demonstrations.
Taken Sick.
He was afterward a supply (Rev. |
John Chandler, presiding elder) on the !
Indian town circuit, with Tiskilwa as
the main point. Here he was taken |
sick and had to give up his work, Rev.
Sheppard taking his place. At Sun
beam, where he was afterward sent, |
there were "a conversions (Rev. Ros- |
well Morse, presiding elder. He was
also sent to Wyoming with Rev. Jacob |
Matthews. He preached also at Osceo-
la and Bradford He did not move his
family to any point but Knoxville Dur
ing the civil war he took the place of
the pastor on the Milan work, the lat
ter having been appointed on the
christian commission. An incident
shows his interest in young men and
his wisdom in counsel. Joseph c.
Hartzeil. now bishop to Africa. when a
young man. asked his advice whether
he should enter at once upon the work
of the ministry, as his presiding elder
desired him to do, or seek further edu-
cation by way of preparation. He
said to him:
Get a thorough education first; II
then you will not be embarrassed in
the presence of the learned, and You
will be able to converse with them in
telligently upon any subject" The adj
vice was taken, and his subsequent
career shows the wisdom of it,
About the year 1865 he, with his
family, moved to Abingdon, to get bet
ter school advantages for his children.
Here he remained about eighteen years,
during which time he took an active
interest in the regular work of the To-
cal church and also in the special meet
ings held weekly for several years,
mainly in cottages, for the promotion
of holiness. For a year he assisted
Rev. Isaiah Reed, of the Presbyterian
church. in evangelistic work. He fire.
quently went with young men of He'd
ding college, who were preparing for
the ministry, to their schoolhouse ap-
pointments, as they were sent out by
the college ministerial association.