and Twenty-second Street, and enlarged. On I )ecem-
ber 3, 1865, Rev. Edward A. Pierce preached his first
sermon as pastor, and he was installed on December
22. He remained as pastor until his death, March 8,
1868. He was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Lord, who
was pastor until the union of this Church with the
First Presbyterian, which occurred soon after the great
fire of 187 1 ; when the latter Church erected a building
at the northeast corner of Indiana Avenue and Twenty-
first Street.
The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
was organized in 1855. The first pastor was Rev.
Archibald Nisbet. For some time the Church was
quite prosperous, but, in purchasing a lot and erecting a
church-building, a debt was incurred which became
quite a burden to the society. A portion of the mem-
bers, including the pastor, in order to liquidate the
debt, favored uniting with a wealthy congregation, and
in this way obtain assistance. A majority, therefore,
withdrew from this Church, and formed the American
Presbyterian Church (O. S.\ retaining, however, the
church property.
Some time after this, another division of the Church
ensued. Those who remained were unable to pay off
the indebtedness, and in due time the church property
was sold by the sheriff, the Church became extinct, and
its members, with the exception of a mere handful, be-
came scattered among other churches. After some
years, the minority, who had held together; formed the
First United Presbyterian Church.
The First United Presbyterian Church. — This
Church was organized in i860, by a number of mem-
bers of the Associated Reformed Church , Rev. Mr.
Nesbit's upon a division of the latter Church. This
minority being few in numbers and of limited means,
â– I- 2
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
accomplished but little, became discouraged, and dis-
tributed themselves among other churches, with the
exception of Robert Livingston and George McPher-
son, who corresponded with the United Presbyterian
Denomination, and in due time procured preaching
from the United Presbyterian Assembly. Rev. Benja-
min Waddell was the first supply, being succeeded by
Revs. Ormstead Reed, of Pittsburgh, Mr. Bigger, and
others. Most of this work was previous to the organi-
zation of the Church.
At the time of the organization, three elders were
elected : Robert Livingston, George McPherson and
T. G. Spriggs. Afterward, Hugh Alexander and Alex-
ander Ferrier were elected elders. Rev. W. C. Jackson
was the first regular pastor. For some time the Church
was not self-sustaining, but was assisted by the General
Assembly. At the time of its organization the mem-
bers were Scotch, but soon Americans joined the con-
gregation, and in five or six years the membership was
composed of some forty families, about equally divided
between Americans and Scotch.
Rev. W. C. Jackson commenced preaching for this
Church May 5, 1861. At that time the congregation
was worshiping at the corner of Washington and Jeffer-
son streets in the morning, and at old Trinity Church,
on Madison Street, in the afternoon. In May and June,
1862, Rev. W. B. Truax, superintendent of missions of
the American Sunday-school Union for the Northwest,
preached for this Church, and at the annual meeting of
this year the finances were reported to be in good con-
dition. In 1864, the Church removed to Green Street,
between Madison and Monroe, where it remained until
1871, when it erected its present handsome edifice at
the corner of Monroe and Paulina streets. In 1867,
Rev. Mr. Jackson retired from the pastorate, and, after
a vacancy in the pulpit for about two years, Rev. J. M.
Baugh was called.
The Edwards Presbyterian Church was organ-
ized late in the year 1861, its first elders being ordained
on the 13th of December. On the 15th, services were
conducted by Rev. Arthur Swazey in the morning, and
by Rev. Z. M. Humphrey in the evening. Rev. A. L.
Brooks was ordained pastor on the 20th of the month,
and installed June 24, 1862. The church was located
at the corner of Halsted and Harrison streets, in a por-
tion of the city containing nearly twenty thousand
people, neglected, up to that time, by the Presbyterians.
In the fall of that year the church-building was en-
larged, and was dedicated October 12, 1862. In
August, 1865, the name was changed from the Edwards
Presbyterian Church to the Seventh Presbyterian
Church, and Rev. J. W. Larimore was elected pastor on
September 21, 1865. In 1866, the building was again
enlarged. Rev. Mr. Larimore was installed on April
16, 1866, the services being conducted by Revs. R. VV.
Patterson, Z. M. Humphrey, Alfred Eddy, E. A.
Pierce and Glen Wood. He remained pastor until Oc-
tober, 1867, when, on account of differences of opinion
between himself and the Church, as to the management
of its temporal affairs, he resigned, and was succeeded
by Rev. Mr. McLeish, who remained two years, and
was the last pastor of the Church under the name of the
Seventh Presbyterian. During his pastorate, this
Church exchanged its property on the corner of Harri-
son and Halsted streets for that of the Free-Will Bap-
tist Chun li. on the corner of Jackson and Peoria streets,
which, seen in the light of the present, was a grave mis-
take. At the end of the pastorate of Rev. Mr. McLeish,
the Seventh Presbyterian Church practically disbanded,
but existed for some years as a mission, sustained by
the Third Presbyterian Church, and was, in later years,
revived as the Westminster Presbyterian Church.
The Eighth Presbyterian Church was organ-
ized by a committee from the Presbytery of Chicago,
December 20, 1S64. The original membership was
twenty-five. The Church was the outgrowth of a neigh-
borhood prayer-meeting, commenced on Thanksgiving
evening, November 23, 1863, through the instrument-
ality of Rev. Glen Wood, S. R. Bingham, Mr. and Mrs.
E. H. Whitney, Thomas Hood and others. The meet-
ing was held in the thinly-settled region west of Union
Park, and continued weekly until the Church was organ-
ized and a place of worship completed. In September,
1864, Mr. Bingham secured a lot at the northwest cor-
ner of Washington and Robey streets, upon which to
build a house of worship. A neat chapel was erected,
and dedicated February 9, 1865, the entire cost of land,
chapel and furnishing being $5,600. The congregation
increased so rapidly that the chapel was soon too small
to meet the wants of the prosperous society, and it was
sold to be removed, and the building of a new edifice
commenced. The basement was finished and occupied
for worship in December, 1866, and the main audience
room in June, 1867, the entire building costing about
$32,000. The building is a tasteful structure, and is
surmounted by a steeple containing a bell furnished by
children's contributions, and bearing the inscription
" The Children's Bell."
At the organization of the Church, Rev. James T.
Matthews was elected pastor, and served between two
and three years, but owing to feeble health, which, at
length, compelled him to resign, he was never installed.
He was succeeded by Rev. Lewis H. Reed, from Syra-
cuse, N. Y., who was installed July 7, 1868, and resigned
April 1, 1874.
The Fifth Presbyterian Church was formed by
the union of the South Presbyterian and the Twenty-
eighth-street Presbyterian churches. Early in 1867, a
number of people in the Second United Presbyterian
and Calvary Presbyterian churches, thinking there was
need of a Church in the south part of the city, where
pew rents and church expenses generally would be
within the reach of people of moderate means, decided
upon attempting to supply the want. Rev. Ebenezer
Erskine, then editor of the Northwestern Presbyterian,
raised funds necessary for starting the work. A lot on
Twenty-eighth Street, between Michigan and Wabash
avenues, was purchased, and services were begun April
8, 1867, by Rev. Dr. Erskine. An organization was
effected June 7, with members from the two churches
above referred to. Though Dr. Erskine declined a call
to the Church, he continued to supply the pulpit until
September. A building was erected on the lot, capable
of seating four hundred persons, and costing $5,000.
Rev. William McConnell was installed pastor on No-
vember 17, but assistance expected from various sources
was not rendered, and the small congregation becoming
smaller, Rev. Mr. McConnell was dismissed September
20, 1868. Occasionally supplies were provided by Rev.
Drs. 1'atterson, Erskine and Marquis until the following
May, when Rev. W W. Fairs was appointed to take
charge of the pulpit for six months. His labors closed
September 11, 1869. About a year before, the South
Presbyterian Church made overtures to the Twenty-
eighth - street Church for a union with them, which
resulted successfully, as elsewhere shown.
Thirty-first-street Presbyterian Church had
its origin January 15, 1868, in a meeting held at the
house of Joseph Meeker, for the purpose of organizing
a corporate society under the above name. A constitu-
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
42;
tion was adopted, and the following persons elected
trustees : H. H. Cooler, James L. Otis, Henry Mallory,
Elijah Smith and Joseph Meeker. On the 27th, the
contract was signed for the erection of a frame building
on Wabash Avenue, near Thirty-first Street. Rev. G.
W. Mackie was engaged to secure subscriptions from
people in the neighborhood, and the new and beautiful
edifice was dedicated November 22, 1868. About the
1st of April, 1869, Rev. G. W. Mackie accepted a call
to the pastorate. His installation occurred on April
27, 1869; but, after serving the Church about a year, he
resigned.
About this time negotiations were commenced which
resulted in the union of the Twenty-eighth-street with
the Thirty-first-street Church.
The old South Presbyterian Church owned a build-
ing on Wabash Avenue, the rent of which and the
property of the Twenty-eighth-street Church were trans-
ferred to the new organization, which was known as the
Thirty - first -street Church. After this union, which
occurred July, 1870, a call was extended to Rev. John
H. Brown, D.D., of Springfield, 111., who entered upon
his pastorate almost immediately. He remained until
February 23, 1872, when he died.
Rev David Swing, pastor of the Central Church, was born
at Cincinnati, Ohio, August 23, 1830, the youngest son of David
and Karinda (Gazley) Swing. The Swings were a German family,
and came to America in 1726. David Swing, Sr , was for many
years engaged in steamboating on the Ohio River. He was a man
of ability and of sterling character. He was honored for his man-
hood rather than for his doctrinal Christianity. He died of
cholera in 1S32, leaving two sons to the care of their mother, who
was a devoted Christian, and who inculcated into the minds
of her children the fundamental principles of the Christian
life. In 1837, Mrs. Swing married the second time, and re-
moved to Reading, Ohio, and in 1840 settled on a farm near
Williamsburg in the same State. On this farm young David
lived eight years, attending the public school in the winter
season and at such other times as it was possible. Farm labor
gave him a vigorous constitution, and contact with nature
developed in him, to an unusual degree, the observing and
reflective faculties, and also that originality and independ-
ence of thought which characterize all his utterances and
writings. At the age of eighteen, having prepared himself
by private study, he entered Miami University, at Oxford,
Ohio, from which he graduated as Bachelor of Arts in 1852.
t®eouk,£)
UAA^fy
commodate the increasing congregation, the services were trans-
ferred 1.) McVicker's Theatre; but upon the pletion of the new
Fourth Church edifice, he resumed the pastorate "f this Church.
This building also was soon filled to overflowing by members and
strangers temporarily sojourning in the city, all anxious to hear
Professor Swing, whose fame had become widely extended. Pro-
less,,!- Francis L. Patton, then pastor of Jefferson Park Presby-
terian Church, and professor in the Presbyterian Theological Semi-
nary of the Northwest, believing the teachings of Professor Swing
to be heretical and subversive of true Christian doctrine, inaugu-
rated the trial which has since been so famous, and which resulted
in Professor Swing's withdrawal from the Presbyterian Church.
I lis friends then inaugurated the movement resulting in the
organization of the Central Church. His relations as pastor of the
Fourth Presbyterian Church terminated December 1, 1875, and ne
commenced preaching for the new organization in McVicker's
Theatre in April, 1876. This theatre was used until the fall of
18S0, when the services were transferred to Central Music Hall,
which continues to be used until the present time. His fame, and
the intrinsic merit of his powerful sermons, have rendered his
name one of the most celebrated in the country, and the vast
auditorium of Central Music Flail is weekly filled to hear him.
Professor Swing was married, on July 3, 1855, to Miss Elizabeth
Porter, daughter of Dr. James Porter, of Oxford, Ohio. Mrs.
Swing died on August 3, 1879, leaving two daughters — Mary, now
Mrs. Jewett E. Ricker, of Cincinnati, and Helen, who lives at
home with her father.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
First Methodist Episcopal Church. — The
history of this Church in the preceding volume closed
with the change of name from the Methodist Episcopal
Church of Chicago to the First Methodist Episcopal
Church of Chicago. At that time, Rev. James Baume
was pastor. The building erected in 1845 was still in
He then commenced his Divinity studies under Rev. Dr. N.
L. Rice, of Cincinnati, with whom he remained one year. |w|
In 1853, he returned to Miami University as Professor of ftsH
Ancient Languages, and remained in that capacity thirteen SS
years. In 1866, he was invited to the pastorate of Westmin- Jjljl
ister Presbyterian Church, Chicago In this Church his ser- £2?
mons were characterized by liberality of thought, and by a isS=
want of dogmatic teaching respecting certain doctrines which S-Jr
underlie Calvanism, and which were believed by some to be
essential to Presbyterianism. Large congregations listened
to his sermons, and his popularity became so great that the
North Presbyterian Church was led to seek a consolidation
with Westminister Church, which was effected February 6,
1 871. and the united bodies named the Fourth Presby- -\, y
terian Church. The church-building was soon afterward
destroyed by the great fire, as were also the residences of
all but two of his parishioners. Rev. David Swing himself saved
nothing, and with his wife and two daughters spent the night on
the open prairie. On the second Sunday after the fire, October 22.
he commenced preaching in Standard Hall, on the southwest
corner of Michigan Avenue and Thirteenth Street. There he
preached nearly a year. But when the hall became too small to ac-
CHUKL'H BLOCK, COR. CLARK AMI WASHINGTON" STREETS.
use, but the city was growing in wealth as well as size.
and the members saw their building being surpassed by
other churches. On February 6, 185S, a meeting was
held to consider plans for a new edifice " which should
be fully up to the grade of modern architecture." A
4^4
HISTORY OF CHICAGO.
committee of fifteen was appointed to take charge of
the matter. Soon after the old building was torn down
and work on the new one commenced. In the mean-
time the congregation worshiped in Mechanics' Hall,
on the southwest corner of Clark and Washington
streets. The corner-stone of the new building was laid
August 4. 1S5S, by Rev. D. D. Kidder, of Evanston.
The new building was an elegant marble structure,
presenting the appearance of a fine business block, four
stories high. The lower or main floor was given up to
stores, the second to offices, and the two upper stories
to the purposes of the Society. The main audience
room was the height of both stories. It had a gallery,
and would seat two thousand people. The congrega-
tion commenced worshiping in the lecture-room on
Sunday, December 5, 1858. Rev. James Baume
preached his last sermon to them two weeks later, be-
fore starting to India as a missionary. The new church
was dedicated April 28, 1859. The cost of the en-
tire structure was about $70,000. After the depart-
ure of Rev. Mr. Baume, there were various supplies,
among whom were Rev. E. M. Boring and Dr. Kid-
der; and on October 21, i860, Rev. O. H. Tiffany
preached his first sermon as pastor. Dr. Tiffany
resigned in May, 1862; after which the pulpit was
supplied by Rev. T. M. Eddy, D D., from 1st of June
until the following fall, when Rev. Francis D. Hem-
in way was appointed. In 1864, he was succeeded
by Rev. C. H. Fowler, who remained three years.
The next pastor was Rev. W. C. Dandy, who was
succeeded by Rev. John A. King, and he by
Rev. \V. H. Daniels, who was pastor at the time
of the great fire of 187 1, which destroyed the
building.
In 1865, an appeal was made to this Church
by the West Indiana Street Church for pecu-
niary aid, and a resolution was passed that this
application should be first on the list, after the
lot on Indiana Avenue, which was purchased for
what is now Trinity Methodist Church, should
be paid for. Nearly every Methodist Church
in the city, organized since that date has re-
ceived assistance from the First Methodist Church, which
before the great fire had given away over $70,000. The
loss occasioned by the great fire was $130,000, but as
the insurance on the building and organ had been
placed in solvent companies, the Church realized from
that source $65,501.68. From funds collected from
abroad, in excess of chapel fund, there were $10,000.
So that the net loss was a little in excess of $50,000.
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church had its
origin in the summer of 1S55, when Clark-street Mission
was organized in the Orphan Asylum, on Michigan Av-
enue, near Twenty-second Street. In August, 1856,
the school was removed to the school-house on Indiana
Avenue, near Twenty-second Street, and organized as
St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Sabbath - school. The
building was removed in December, 1859, and the
was temporarily disbanded. In 1862, it was re-
organized in Calvary Presbyterian Church, at the cor-
ner of Indiana Avenue and Twenty-second Street, as
the Trinity Methodist Church Sabbath-school, with John
Hay ward, superintendent, and Frank Carley, secretary.
In 186 -building was erected on Indiana Av-
enue and "r%fenty-first Street, which being completed,
was dedicated April 10, 1864, by Rev. T. M. Eddy,
D.D. During that year, Rev. C. H. Fowler had official
,'ht of the new society. In the fall of 1864, Rev.
John H. Vincent wa^ appointed pastor, and, in 1865, he
was succeeded by Rev. William August Smith. In 1866,
Rev. S. A. W. Jewett was appointed, and was succeeded,
in the fall of 1868, by Rev. T. M. Eddy, D.D. In
March, 1869, Rev. E. B. Snyder was transferred to this
Church from the Pittsburgh Conference. In the follow-
ing fall, Rev. J. H. Bayliss became pastor.
About that time the project of erecting a new build-
ing began to be discussed, but work was not begun be-
fore the summer of 1870. The property at the corner
of Indiana Avenue and Twenty-first Street was sold to
RUINS, M. E. CHURCH BLOCK.
Calvary Presbyterian Church and the lot at the corner
of Indiana Avenue and Twenty-fourth Street was pur-
chased. The corner-stone of the new edifice was laid
October 5, 1870, the exercises being conducted by
Bishop Janes, of New York. The work was actively
pushed forward until the fire of 187 1, which to a great
extent cut off the resources of the members. Notwith-
standing this, however, the lecture-room of the new
building was dedicated in January, 1872.
Grace Methodist Episcopal Church. — After
the loss of the lots at the corner of Erie and Wolcott
'State) streets, this Church, as has already been re
counted, was roused to renewed efforts in the direction
of purchasing lots for a new location and erecting suit-
able buildings thereon. Lots were purchased at the
northwest corner of EaSalle Street and Chicago Ave-
nue, costing over $9,000, the money being raised by the
ladies of the Church. At a meeting held June 8, 1863,
the Society was re-organized, and, at the suggestion of
the ladies present, the Church was named Grace Meth-
odist Episcopal Church. The following trustees were
then elected : Abner R. Scranton, Andrew J. Brown,
Oliver S. Goss, Alfred L. Sewell, Alfred L. Scranton,
W. F. Moss, Jr., and F. N. Gould. The trustees were
instructed to procure title to the lots, and to erect a
chapel on the northeast corner. The corner-stone of
this chapel was laid by Dr. Bugbee, in the fall of 1863,
and the chapel dedicated by Bishop Simpson July 3,
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
425
1864. The building, which, including the organ, cost
$25,000, was completed without incurring a debt.
Rev. Dr. L. H. Bugbee, who had been appointed in
the fall of 1 86 1, was succeeded, in 1863, by Rev. J. C.
Stoughton, who was followed, in 1S64, by Rev. O. H.
Tiffany. During his ministry, large additions were
made to the membership, mainly by conversion, and the
congregation became so large that it was deemed nec-
essary to commence work on the main building, the
foundations of which were laid in the fall of 1866. The
superstructure was completed in 1867, and in the spring
of 1868 the entire building, with the exception of the
tower and spire, was finished. It was dedicated in the
summer of that year by Rev. A. J. Jutkins, who had
succeeded Rev. 6. H. Tiffany in the preceding fall.
The debt of the Society at the time was $37,000, but on
the day of the dedication, subscriptions were given for
the entire amount. During the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Jut-
kins and that of Rev. M. M. Parkhurst, which com-
menced in the fall of 1870, the increase in membership
was steady. The church-building was a source of pride
to the members. It was of stone, rock-faced, of the
English-Gothic style of architecture and capable of ac-
commodating one thousand persons.
This elegant structure, on the night of October 9,
1S71, was swept away, and nothing remained but ashes
RUINS, GRACE M. E. CHURCH.
and smouldering ruins. For a time despair seemed to
possess the hearts of all; but the pastor, Rev. Mr. Park-
hurst, was perhaps less discouraged than any member
of the Church.
On Sunday, October 15, a considerable number of
the widely separated members assembled upon the ruins
of their temple, and there resolved to stand by the So-
ciety. On Sunday, November 5, a second meeting
was held upon the ruins, the pastor and a majority of
the trustees being present, and it was resolved to imme-
diately erect a temporary structure. The latter was so
far completed that, on Sunday, December 3, religious
services were held therein. This was fifty-six days after
the fire. The Church, during the succeeding winter,
sold the old site, purchased that of their present build-
ing, at the corner of LaSalle and Locust streets, and
prepared plans for the erection of the new edifice.
Rev. Matthew M. Parkhurst, D.D., pastor of Grant Place
M. E. Church, was born at Mexico, Oswego Co., N. Y., July 13,
1S34, the son of Simeon ami Mary Ann (Henry) Parkhurst. His
mother was a communicant of the Roman Catholic Church, anil
young Matthew M., was, when a babe, baptized by a Roman
Catholic priest. Both father and mother were converted to
Methodism in 1S44. Matthew M. was kept constantly in the
public schools until he was seventeen years of age, when he became
an apprentice to a coach-maker. During the second year of his
apprenticeship he was converted; and within one year from the
time of his conversion, under a conviction that it was his duty to
preach, he commenced studying Greek and Latin, placing his
grammars in the tool-rack before him while at work. After serv-
ing three years in the shop, he commenced his classical course of
study at Fally Seminary, at Fulton, Oswego Co., N. Y., where he
prepared for college. Afterward he attended the Concord Biblical
Institute (now the Boston Theological School), graduated there-
from in 1859. He is an alumnus, by honor, of the Syracuse Uni-
versity, located at Syracuse, N.Y., which, also, conferred upon him
the degree of Master of Arts in 186S. In April, i860, he joined the
New England Conference, and was located at Barre, Mass., where
he remained one year. Upon the breaking out of the Civil War.
in 1861, he enlisted and went to the front as first lieutenant in