Belleville Gospel Hall, KS

The assembly met from 1895 (or before) thru 1945 (or after), in Belleville, Republic County, Kansas.

Contents

1890's

1895

In the February 1895 issue of The Witness, a long-running British Open PB monthly publication, in the Lord's Work and Workers section, it was reported: Republic County, Kansas - "In the entire county, so far as we know, only 49 are separated to and meet in Jesus' name alone. We give away tracts and sow the good seed in much weakness. Pray for us."

The bold print is editor's choice. "Only 49" would suggest that the Belleville assembly was meeting long prior to 1895, and/or the evangelistic efforts of the 1890's in Republic County (and elsewhere) were tremendously blessed, as a Brethren assembly today of "only 49" in Kansas is considered modestly sized.

1897

Belleville Telescope

2-8-1897: "Gospel and Prayer Meetings: In the vacant store, 124 West Third street, began on Sunday, February 7, at 3 p.m., by an address to Christians. Gospel meeting at 7:45 p.m. every evening, excepting Saturday, until further notice. Donald Ross, Scotch evangelist, and Rev. James Erskine, of Fort Scott, will conduct the services. No collections made. All welcome. Come."

1899

There was a general store opened in 1899 in Belleville by A.H. Loomis and W.A. Hollandsworth. The relevancy of this is simply that the Loomis name is significant of leadership Diamond Springs Gospel Hall, KS from the early 1900's thru 1940's, and within the Elm Springs Bible Hall, KS near Gypsum, from the late 1930's thru the mid 1970's, the latter of which played a notable role in the founding of the Sunset Bible Chapel, KS started in the 1960's in Salina that still exists, as of 2020.

1900's

1900

Republic City News

7-20-1900: "In the Pulpit at 98: Although 98 years of age, the Rev. R.C. Chapman continues to preach regularly. Seventy-eight years ago he gave up a lucrative practice as a solicitor in London and started religious work in connection with the Plymouth brethren at Barnstaple. Since then he has preached regularly, and old age has in no way diminished his vigor." From the London Express for Republic City News.

1902-1904

In 1902, Mike Hardesty moved from Belleville to help start first assembly in Colorado (Longmont) along with "William Milner, and his sons David & Joseph".

In the 1904 assembly address book, under Kansas is listed: Belville (sic?) with a contact of Rob Milner.

• Robert Milner (1826-1907), with his wife Saloma Zea Milner (1835-1901). Presuming Robert's middle name was surely William. Two of their several children included:
  • David Leroy Milner (1859-1927) married Ina Belle Muth (1866-1956). Ina curiously died in forementioned Longmont, Colorado, where the first Brethren assembly was planted in 1902 by William Milner.
  • Joseph Sharp Milner (1857-1940) first married Laura B. Morehead (1858-1890), then married Mary Margaret Oliver (1866-1914), then his third wife was Sophonia (b. 1849).
    
    It is worth noting that a Rev. Milner served as the charter treasurer of Washington Township, in Republic County, in 1872.

1910's

1915

Belleville Telescope

4-8-1915: "James Erskine of Topeka spent last week with Belleville friends while holding special gospel meetings here. He left for Republic to visit friends near that place."

1917

Belleville Telescope

3-22-1917: "Mrs. Andrew Glenn: Elizabeth Phimister was born in Wick, Scotland, Nov. 6th, 1842, and died of pneumonia at her home in this city March 18th, 1917, aged 74 years, 4 months and 12 days. She was married to Andrew Glenn on October 22, 1866 in Edinburgh, Scotland, removing from there to this country and coming to Republic county, Kansas, as part of the New York Excelsior colony in January, 1870. With her husband she settled immediately on their homestead in Liberty township where she bore all the burdens of early frontier life.

Mrs. Glenn was well and favorably known over a large area of this county, the large concourse of people attending her funeral testifying eloquently to the extent that her kindly, self-sacrificing, Christian life had ingratiated her in the hearts of our people; her life has not been misspent, and the present superior type of social and religious life in Liberty township at least, is traceable in no small degree to her person efforts. Early in life she accepted Christ and at the close of a well-rounded out life could say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith".

She was the mother of eight children, little Andrew, who is buried in Greenwood cemetery, Brooklyn, N.Y., Mrs. Jessie Childs, of Liberty township, Mrs. Maggie Stearns, of Ada, Minnesota, Miss Agnes Glenn, of Choshi, Japan; Mr. William Glenn, of Frazierton, Alberta, Canada; Miss Lizzie Glenn, of Seattle, Wash.; Mrs. Edith Myers, of Liberty township, and Mr. Alex Glenn, of Kansas City, Mo.

Mrs. Glenn was one of a family of nine children, only one of whom, Mrs. Donald Stewart, of New York City, survives her. Seven children, five girls and two boys, with her husband, survive her. Services were conducted at the home on Jefferson street by evangelist James Erskine, of Topeka, Kansas, and interment was made in the Belleville cemetery. Mrs. Glenn's sister, Miss Janet Phimister, of New York, passed away at the Glenn home in this city last week. The sisters died of the same disease and both were ill one week and a day. They had not met for forty-eight years and immediately upon Miss Phimister's arrival she was taken sick, Mrs. Glenn becoming ill a few days later."

Narka News

9-14-1917: "C.B. Higgs went to Abilene Tuesday to attend the annual conference of the Plymouth Brethren and to visit friends, expecting to be gone about a week."

1918

Belleville Telescope

1-17-1918: "James Erskine of Topeka was here last week to conduct the Rule Price funeral near Republic, and spend a few days with friends."

Republic City News

1-17-1918: "Ruliff Smith Price was born at White Oak, Ill., July 18, 1861, and died Jan. 8, 1918. Aged 56 years, 5 months and 21 days. He came to Republic County, Kansas with the family New Year's day 1883. He has lived here continuously since that with the exception of eight years residence in Sheridan county, from 1886 to 1894.

He was married to Cora May White on June 26, 1888 and from this union were born five children, Aaron Albertus and Alice Amelia who are living. Three other children died in infancy, one of these, Rulie John lived for 18 months. He leaves three brothers and two sisters, Enhu and Amet of Republic, Charles of Wynona, Kans., Mrs. John Campbell of Republic, and Mrs. H.O. Marshall of Union Valley.

Returning from western Kansas in 1894 buying the Tom Mercer homestead. About ten years later he bought the old Clark farm east of Republic improving it and making a good home. He was a very successful farmer and stockman, active in business life, a friend to everyone, a good neighbor, kindly indulgent to his family.

His last and fatal illness began two years ago in December and was a gradual lowering of vitality with no improvement until during last summer when he rallied somewhat. But this improvement was not lasting. The last few weeks friends gave up hope. During a meeting conducted by the Rev. James Erskine about nine years ago he was converted and always lived up to his faith. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. James Erskine of Topeka at the family residence in Republic, Saturday, Jan. 11, where the relatives and friends of the family listened to a splendid scriptural address, with burial in Washington cemetery."

1920's

1922

Belleville Telescope

4-13-1922: "Evangelist William Miller arrived from Omaha Saturday night, and began a series of Gospel meetings at the Gospel Hall above Calkins' store, Sunday, to be continued each night, for a week or more."

6-22-1922: "Thomas J. Erskine, 91 years old, died yesterday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mamie C. Hunter, 2107 Brooklyn Avenue. He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Lillie G. Porter, Peculiar, Mo.; Mrs. Laura J. Rowlee, Warren, O., and Mrs. Hunter, and two sons, Jesse G. Erskine and James M. Erskine, 2107 Brooklyn Avenue."

9-30-1922: "Legion To Have Charge Of Hay Military Burial: Members of Murray Davis Post and 140th Infantry Urged to Be Present: Military funeral services for Corp. Thomas G. Hay, company L. 140th, infantry, who was killed in action, September 29, 1918, near Exermant, France, will be held at 3 o'clock this afternoon at the Central Bible Hall (in Kansas City, Missouri). Services will be under the auspices of the Murray Davis Post of the American Legion. Dr. Walter L. Wilson, the Rev. Alex Leishman and the Rev. James A. Small will officiate. Burial will be made in Forest Hill cemetery.

Corporal Hay was 24 years old. He enlisted in the Third Missouri Regiment the day after war was declared April, 1917. He served on guard duty at Camp Funston and from there went to Fort Sill, Ok., where he was transferred to the 140th infantry. He went overseas with his regiment in April 1918, and served in the battles around St. Mihiel and later took part in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. he reached Exermont with his company September 26, and three days later was killed at that place by the same shell which ended the life of Maj. Murray Davis, who organized his company.

Corporal Hay was born in Republic county, Kans., he had lived in Kansas for eighteen years and graduated from Manual Training high school in 1910. Prior to his enlistment he was employed by the Goodrich Rubber Company for five years. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Hay, 3226 Charlotte street, and a sister, Lillian."

1923

Belleville Telescope

10-25-1923: "Evangelist Page, of Kansas City, who last week began a series of Gospel meetings in the Gospel Hall in Belleville upstairs first door south of the Telephone office is continuing the same this week and possibly next, to be followed by a conference on Friday, October 2nd all day and over Sunday."

1924

Republic City News

10-30-1924: "Mrs. Dorcas Z. Milner, wife of W.E. Milner, former Longmont resident, passed away at the resident home 3725 Eliot St., Denver, Colorado, Wednesday, Oct. 8th. The family had left Longmont about three years ago, going to New Mexico in the hope of benefiting Mrs. Milner's health. They had resided in Denver for the past year.

Mrs. Milner was a true christian woman. She is survived by her husband, two daughters, Mrs. Lena Coates of Denver and Mrs. May Walter of Pueblo; two grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Anna Hardesty of Longmont, Colo., and Mrs. Ida Morehead of Republic, Kansas; two brothers, D.L. and J.S. Milner of Longmont. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon Oct. 12th, from the Believer's Gospel Hall in Longmont, Colo., and interment in the Mountain View cemetery, Longmont."

1927

Albert Burton Bachelor

The contact for the Belleville assembly in 1927 was Albert Burton Bachelor (1849-1930), 1203 Sixteenth St. Albert was born on Nov. 20, 1849 in Sterling Heights, Michigan, to Elijah (1808-1880) and Eunice (1808-1877) M. Wales Bachelor. Elijah was born in London, Ontario, Canada, and by 1840 thru 1850, living in Sterling, MI, then by 1860 farming in Melrose (near Cedar Falls), Iowa, then by 1870 farming in Clay, IA, then Brownville, Nebraska, and dying in Scandia, KS. Elijah's wife Eunice was born in Newfoundland, Canada, they were married in 1831 in Michigan.

Albert was employed by 1900 as a hardware merchant in Belleville, married in 1873 to Martha James (1846-1915), who was born in Belmont County, Ohio to Henry James (1818-1880) and Eleanor James (1822-1903), who also both died in Ohio. Eleanor's parents were Quakers in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Albert and Martha had at least two children that lived and died in Belleville:

• Jesse Guy Bachelor (1879-1966) married Mary Blanche Hinman (1877-1951)
• Frank Russel Bachelor (1876-1954) married Minnie Mabel Stone (1879-1958). Minnie was a daughter of Dr. Edward Stone (1841-1894), the first physician in nearby Narka, who also built a local store there later occupied by William Thomas.

After Martha's death, Albert remarried Alzina E. Burge Hill (1854-1921), who was born in Monroe Center, Ohio to Josiah Burge (1812-1868) and his wife Fanny A. Everts Burge (1820-1890). It's worth noting that Alzina's aunt Maria (1852-1925) married George Sharp Milner (1842-1918), Civil War veteran who was a grandfather to Archie Irvin Milner (1904-1971) who is the sole online mention having attended primary school at the Milner Schoolhouse which coincidentally hosted a Brethren assembly in 1927.

Milner Schoolhouse

There was apparently an assembly initiative, perhaps known as the Milner Schoolhouse Gospel Hall, KS meeting by 1927, separate from Belleville Gospel Hall, no further information is presently available, except that it is listed in the 1927 Assembly Address Book, published by Faithful Words Publishing in St. Louis, Missouri.

1940's

1945

Belleville Telescope

11-29-1945: "Gospel Hall Notes: Services are held weekly at 10 and 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. each Sunday and on Wednesday evening at 7:30 o'clock. Sunday morning's theme will be, "The Real Meaning of the Communion". Sunday evening's topic will be, "The Nature of God and its Effect on the Destiny of Man".

1960's

1962

There was a Phil Schwartz in Belleville doing a “Christ For Everyone” campaign in an old Safeway building, highlighting an evangelist Clifford Lewis. A man by the same name left Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian (Abilene) for Grace & Truth Gospel Hall in the late 1920’s. Unknown if the same man.

Sources

• The Witness, 1895 February
• "(1904) List of Some Meetings in the British Isles and Beyond"; Printers & Publishers - London: Dawe & Son; Distributed by H.A. Raymond (London), Pickering & Inglis (Glasgow), and D.T. Bass (New York);
• "(Jan. 1927) Address Book of some assemblies of Christians"; Faithful Words Pub. Co., 2933 Park Ave., St. Louis, Mo.
• "A History of Republic County, Kansas" by I.O. Savage; Jones & Chubbic, Art Printers, Beloit, KS: 1901
• All newspaper clippings courtesy of NewspaperArchive.com