THE OHIO STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The partial organization of a Methodist Episcopal Church was effected in Sedalia, in July, 1864, by Rev. C. E. Carpenter, now deceased. It was then a part of the Sedalia Circuit, the bounds of which reached from California, Mo., to Warrensburg, and from the Missouri River to Osceola, within which bounds there are now over thirty stationed or circuit preachers of this denomination. Rev. Mr. Carpenter began preaching in this extensive circuit in 1860, and remained until the following year; not having any appointment, however, in Sedalia, his nearest preaching place being about eighteen miles south of the present city. After his departure in 1861, there was an interval of some months in which there was no preaching in the circuit. Rev. C. E. Carpenter died at Fairfield, Iowa., in May, 1867, at twenty-nine years of age.

In 1862 Rev. Stanford Ing, now stationed at Aullville, Mo., preached in a school-house in or near Sedalia, but the house having been occupied as a hospital for sick and wounded soldiers, the preaching was necessarily discontinued. In 1864 Rev. Mr. Carpenter returned, at which time the partial organization above referred to was effected.

In November, 1865, Rev. George McKee, formerly of the Pittsburgh Conference, effected a permanent organization in Sedalia, with a membership of seven, viz: Elizabeth Hulland, Dr. J. F. Tobias, Jas. N. Johnson, A. McAlpine, Eliza McAlpine, Sarah A. Russell and Rachel McKee, the wife of the pastor. Two of the original seven still remain members of the church in Sedalia, viz: Elizabeth Hulland and Rachel McKee.

Under the direction of Rev. Mr. McKee the present church edifice was commenced, the corner stone being laid in 1865. The building was enclosed and the lecture-room was dedicated by Bishop E. R. Ames in March, 1867.

Rev. George McKee served the church faithfully during three years, after which, on account of ill-health, he was granted a superannuated relation to the conference, in which relation he continued until his death, which occurred at Little Rock, Ark., April 2, 1872. He was forty-one years of age at the time of his death, and had been in the ministry sixteen years.

Rev. J. W. Bushong, now of Cincinnati, succeeded Rev. Mr. McKee in the pastorate charge of the Sedalia Church in 1867. During the first year of his pastorate, the main audience room was finished, and was dedicated in June, 1868, by Rev. Dr. Bowman, now one of the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The church, located on the corner of Ohio and Fourth stseets, is a substantial brick building 45x65 feet, two stories high, with an audience room above and lecture and class rooms below. These, however, have been

converted into business rooms, the upper story only being used for church purposes. A neat and commodious parsonage adjoins the church building.

By a wise location in the beginning this society has come into the possession of a property that is increasing in value every year, so that there will be no difficulty in disposing of it whenever it is desirable to do so with a view to building elsewhere.

The society now numbers 238 members. There is connected with it a flourishing Sunday School having an average attendance of 175. For several years Mr. C. G. Taylor was superintendent, under whose able direction the school enjoyed continued prosperity. He was succeeded by Mr. Geo. C. McLaughlin, and he by Dr. Ira T. Bronson, who is still in charge. The following named ministers have sustained the relation of pastor to the Ohio Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Sedalia. Rev. Geo. McKee, whose work and death have been already mentioned. Rev. J. W. Bushong, who subsequently was stationed in St. Louis and Springfield, and was afterwards transferred to the Cincinnati Conference and stationed at Trinity Church, where he now is. Rev. L. M. Vernon, D. D., now superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Mission in Italy and stationed in Rome; Rev. J. J. Bently, at present a presiding elder in the Missouri Conference; Rev. J. N. Pierce, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Clinton, Mo., and formerly presiding elder of the Sedalia District; Rev. G. W. Derment, afterwards presiding elder of the Springfield District, which was his last regular appointment in the ministry; he was granted a superannuated relation in 1879, and died in the same year at Paoli, Indiana, at the age of forty-one years. He was succeeded in the pastorate of the Ohio Street Church by Rev. W. H. Stephens, who has since been transferred to one of the Penn. conferences; Rev. W. K. Marshall, D. D., succeeded Rev. Mr. Stephens, and was subsequently stationed at Central Church in St. Louis, and from that charge was transferred to St. Paul, Minn., where he still remains. His successor was Rev. H. R. Miller, who remained in charge of the church about a year and a half, when he was transferred to San Antonio, Texas. He has returned from Texas and is again a resident of Sedalia, having charge at present of the Montgomery Street Church. Rev. A. H. Heinlein succeeded Mr. Miller, and he in his turn was followed by the present incumbent, Rev. H. G. Jackson, D. D., who came to Sedalia from the pastorate of the Grand Avenue Church in Kansas City, having previously spent some ten years in the superintendency of the missions of his church in Buenos Ayres, South America.

The above facts with regard to the various pastors of the Ohio Street Church are given not only because of their bearing on the history of the

charge, but also as an interesting illustration of the vicissitudes to which the lives of the ministers of the M. E. Church are subjected.

The present Trustees of the church are C. G. Taylor, President; F. A. Sampson, Secretary; Geo. E. Dugan, J. W. Mills, E. J. Smith, J. C. McLaughlin and Mat. Zenor.

The church is at present in a flourishing condition, and bids fair to continue its career of usefulness in the years to come.

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The Sedalia Democrat of April 9, 1882, speaking of the present pastor has the following: "Rev. H. G. Jackson, D. D., the new pastor of the Ohio Street M. E. Church, is a native of Indiana. He graduated at Asbury University, Greencastle, of which Bishop Bowman was president, in 1862. Immediately after graduating he was elected Principal of Stockwell Collegiate Institute, an institution under the supervision of the Northwest Indiana Conference of the M. E. Church. While here engaged Bishop Clark and Bishop Janes selected him as a missionary to South America, and he was assigned to Buenos Ayres. In this field a special fitness for the service was so rapidly developed that after one year he was appointed Superintendent of the Missions of the M. E. Church in South America. Ten years of active service were given to this work. During this period Asbury University conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. During his stay in South America a most terrible scourge of yellow fever swept away 25,000 people of the city of Buenos Ayres where Dr. Jackson resided. In testimony of his untiring faithfulness among all classes during the great affliction the citizens afterward presented him with $1,000 in gold. Upon the rumor that the Dr. was carried away in the fierceness of the scourge the notice of his death was published, as in a former instance, in a large portion of the church papers.

After his return from mission fields he was appointed pastor of Grand Avenue Church in Kansas City where he has just closed a successful pastorate of three years. During the first and second years the church was relieved of a debt of $9,000. During the third year Dr. Jackson's congregation assisted in building new churches for weak and struggling charges in Kansas City to the extent of $5,500. Dr. Jackson leaves his former charge entirely free from debt and in a most promising condition. He leaves the largest Sunday School west of the Mississippi River. During the recent session of the St. Louis Conference in the city of St. Louis a special effort was made to appoint Dr. Jackson to the Central M. E. Church of that city, but through the persistent effort of those friendly to Sedalia, he was, in harmony with his own preference, assigned to duty in this city."

THE EAST SEDALIA BAPTIST CHURCH.

This church was organized under the direction of Rev. E. T. Brown, at 3 P. M., Friday, March 19, 1875, and according to the best authorities

the following persons constituted its first members: Rev. E. T. Brown, Mrs. E. T. Brown, Elder J. B. Hopps, Mrs. J. B. Hopps, Miss M. Hopps, S. H. Olmsted and wife, J. L. Thomas, sister Emma Hubbard, sister L. Pickard, sister Retta Titus.

S. H. Olmsted was the first church clerk, and Rev. E. T. Brown the first pastor.

THE EAST SEDALIA BAPTIST CHURCH.

Elder Geo. Balcom, an Evangelist, held meetings in East Sedalia, immediately after the organization of the church, at which about seventyfive persons were converted, and received into membership.

It is an interesting fact that Elders Geo. Balcom and E. T. Brown died in the same year; the former, Dec. 20, 1879, and the latter, June 9, 1879. They were associated in their labors for Christ here, and then soon joined one another in their reward in the better world.

April 17, 1875, the little church called Elder Brown to its pastorate, and with the exception of one year, in which Rev. John Letts was pastor, Elder Brown continued to minister to the church till three months before his death. Elder Brown, whose biographical sketch appears in another portion of this volume, was a zealous worker in the Baptist cause, was the prime mover in the establishment and building of the Baptist Church in East Sedalia. He built the church at a cost of $3,000, with his individual means, except about $200 in work and lumber contributed by other parties.

Rev. S. D. Fulton was the second pastor, commencing his labors, March 15, 1879.

Rev. J. M. Plannett, a young man of marked ability and flattering prospects, now occupies the pulpit, having accepted the call of the church in the summer of 1881. He is a diligent worker and an able expounder of the word. .

The church edifice, neat and convenient, is situtated on the corner of Fifth and Summit streets. It is provided with baptistry, bell, organ, infant class room, and other conveniences. A memorial tablet is handsomely set in the wall on the left side of the pulpit with this inscription:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF

REV. E. T. BROWN,

Born, November 22, 1818.

Suddenly called to his rest, June 9, 1879.

In grateful recognition of the efficient labors of this worker of God in various fields, but especially in this place, as the founder of the church, the donor of its first house of worship, and until his death its friend and supporter; this tribute is inscribed by East Sedalia Baptist Church.

The church now numbers one hundred communicants, and though young is considered one of the most prosperous and promising churches in the growing city. James Bryson is present Church Clerk; Rev. J. M. Plannett, Supt. of the Sunday School; and Mrs. Plannett, Sec'y of the Sunday School.

THE MONTGOMERY STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH,

situated on the northeast corner of Fourth and Montgomery streets, in the city of Sedalia. The Church Society was organized in the private house of the first pastor, Rev. Frank Oechsli, situated on the corner of Fourth and Summit streets, on Wednesday evening of May 21, 1877. The following named persons united with the church at this time, and constituted its original membership, viz: David D. Wright, Benjamin F. Abbott, Cornelia Mathews, Rosa Demeal, Sarah E. Oechsli, William B. Hukill, Emily Gleason, and Laura B. Hukill. The society thus organized at once set about securing a place for meetings. In the absence of