The Early History of Alton
Madison County ILGenWeb Coordinator - Beverly Bauser
Before the city of Alton existed, the area was wild and
untamed. In 1673, Father Jacques Marquette and fur trader Louis
Joliet floated by the
area, noting in their journal two strange
creatures (the Piasa Bird) painted on the bluffs by Native
Americans. In later years, when the French controlled the area,
it was used as a fur trading post. In 1763, the British gained
control of the area after the French and Indian War. In 1783,
the Treaty of Paris extended the U. S. boundary to include
Illinois Country, including the future site of Alton.
The
first settlement on the site of the future city of Alton was
made about the year 1783, by a Frenchman named Jean Baptiste
Cardinal. Cardinal settled at what was called at that time
“Piasa” - so named because of the Piasa Creek which emptied into
the Mississippi River at that point. He built a house and
resided with his family, but was taken prisoner by the Indians.
His family fled to Cahokia. According to historical records,
there was no proof that Cardinal had placed any land under
cultivation. Cardinal must have survived and escaped his
captures, as records show he conveyed his lands in 1795 to John
Edgar, then a prominent and wealthy citizen of Kaskaskia. The
deed was witnessed by La Violette in September 1795, and
acknowledged before William Morrison five months afterward.
Cardinal affixed his mark to the deed, but Edgar, to show the
fairness of the transaction, produced a letter from Cardinal
dated July 1795, offering Edgar the land, which was signed by
Cardinal himself. Since the papers presented appeared irregular,
the Commissioners became suspicious of the transfer, and they
recommended that the claim be confirmed by Congress.
In
the year 1807, there was one small stone building standing in
the future site of Alton. It was near where the corner of Alby
and Front Streets, and had been used as a French trading post.
It was constructed of loose rock, without mortar, and its roof
was a covering of elm bark. The early settlers could not tell
how long it had been standing.
The Founding of Alton
Colonel Rufus Easton came to St. Louis, Missouri in the year
1804. He was appointed postmaster of St. Louis in 1808. Colonel
Easton purchased the site of the future town of Alton as an
investment, and in 1817 laid out a town, which he called Alton,
in honor of his son, Alton R. Easton. Later, in 1846, Alton
Easton would command a regiment known as the St. Louis Legion
during the Mexican-American War. Some of the streets of Alton
were named after other children – Langdon, George, and Alby
Streets. The original town plat extended from Market Street on
the west, to Henry Street on the east, and from the river north
to Ninth Street.
The first step which Colonel Easton
took towards building up the town was the establishment of a
ferry. This ferry was located above the mouth of the Wood River,
and was conducted by Eli Langford. Later, a man by the name of
Piper conducted a ferry at the mouth of Hop Hollow, above Alton.
This ferry afterward came into the possession of Michael Squire
and a man named Smeltzer, and at the time of Alton’s founding,
was known as Smeltzer’s Ferry. Smeltzer built a brick house on
the Missouri side with brick made on the Illinois side of the
river. This house was called “Brick House Bend,” and was in
existence until 1866, when it fell down. Smeltzer was known as a
great miser. Once when sick, he told his brother-in-law that he
had a barrel of silver dollars buried, but died without telling
where the money was hidden.
In the interests of Colonel
Easton, a ferry was established at Alton which was called
Fountain Ferry. The landing place was at the mouth of the Little
Piasa – or as the ferrymen called it – “Fountain Creek.” It is
likely that the name of “Fountain” was given to the creek and
ferry because of the well-known cave and spring which was its
source. This cave was located at the foot of the hill just west
of Belle Street, near E. 16th Street, or “Five Points.” A few
log cabins were soon afterward built, one of which was used as a
ferry house to accommodate travelers crossing the Mississippi
River at this point.
In 1818, Reverend Thomas Lippincott
was employed by Colonel Easton to make a copy of a plat, or map,
of Alton, which had been laid out the previous year. This map
was to be used for exhibition in the East, in order to affect
the sales of lots in Alton. Lippincott stated he took great
pains to make it look well, to give satisfaction. Colonel Easton
suggested to Lippincott that he establish a store at Alton or in
the neighborhood. He brought him to Alton, where there was a
cabin near the corner of William Street and Broadway, occupied
by a man and his family who ran Fountain Ferry. The home was
modest and primitive. It was not in Alton that Lippincott
decided to open a store – but in the small settlement of Milton,
further east near the Wood River.
At a very early date, a cabin
was built on Shields Branch by James Shields, who lived in it a
number of year. Hunter’s Spring, on the northeast corner of
Broadway and Spring Streets, is said to have been discovered in
1804 by James Preuitt and James Stockden, who at that time were
living on the bluff below what was later known as East Alton.
Near this spring, in 1811, a man named Price was killed by
Indians. In 1810, Price and a man named Colter built a log cabin
on the hill above the spring, and cleared a small tract of land
in the bottom. On July 20, 1811, they were in the field at work,
with Price hoeing corn and Colter plowing. They discovered two
Indians approaching. Price said, “I will go to the cabin and get
the gun.” The Indians approached, pretending to be friendly, and
the large one gave his hand to Price, but at the same time
seized the gun and held Price, while the other Indian ran up
behind Price and shot him in the back. The gun shot was so
close, that the powder burned a hole in his shirt as large as a
person’s hand. Colter, seeing what was happening, mounted his
horse to escape, but was shot in the leg by the Indians. He
succeeded in giving the alarm. Solomon Preuitt and two of his
brothers, with others, gave pursuit until coming into the heavy
timber in Wood River’s bottom. With night coming on, they gave
up the pursuit. The next day they found that the Indians had
taken refuge under a large tree that had been blown down, and
escaped.
In 1818, William G. Pinckard, William Heath,
and Daniel Crume settled on ground now comprised within the city
of Alton. Pinckard’s and Heath’s families each consisted of a
wife and one child, and Crume was their brother-in-law. They
immigrated from Springfield, Ohio, and arrived at what is now
known as Bozzatown, on Shields’ branch, on October 15, 1818.
This would be in the area north of Broadway, between Washington
Avenue and Pearl Street. Along the way on their journey, they
were told that the country they were heading to was unhealthful,
and that they would all die – it was the “graveyard of the
West.” On their arrival, they took possession of a “half-faced”
camp, as it was called, where they lived for two months in the
most disagreeable weather of that winter. Soon after their
arrival, Major Charles W. Hunter, proprietor of what was
afterward called Hunterstown, made an offer of town lots to the
party If they would establish a pottery on his land. The
proposition was partially agreed to, and Pinckard and him
comrades built a cabin of round logs on Shields’ branch. It had
only one room, sixteen feet square, and into the cabin the
families moved into one week before Christmas, 1818. During the
winter of 1818-19, William G. Pinckard and Daniel Crume made a
contract to build a house for Colonel Easton. This house was
built of hewed oak logs, and had two large rooms with one open
space between them. This house was used as a stopping place, or
hotel, of the small town of Alton. For many years it was
occupied by Thomas G. Hawley, and became known as the Hawley
House. It stood near the corner of Broadway and Piasa Street,
and was torn down in 1868. Although other small cabins had
previously been erected, this cabin was the first house built
upon the site of the city of Alton. About four hundred yards
above the bridge over Shields’ branch, Pinckard, Heath, and
Crume built a large log cabin, intending to start a pottery, but
their plan was not carried out. For many years was used as a
Methodist meeting house. William Heath built a cabin for himself
on Shields’ branch, just below the covered bridge, in which he
lived until August 1829, when his wife died. In 1819, William T.
Pinckard, assisted by Crume and Heath, built a frame house for
Major Hunter, which was the first frame building erected in
Hunterstown. This house stood on Broadway.
Joel Finch
became a resident of Alton in 1819. He was a carpenter, and
began building houses. During 1819, he built a house for Major
Hunter, in which Hunter moved into the same year, and in which
his wife died not many months afterward. In this year, a row of
small tenements were built under the brow of the bluff,
extending along where Broadway is now, west of Piasa.
To
induce travelers to come to Alton, a road was necessary from the
old town of Milton, which was located in the forks of the Wood
River, east of Alton. A bridge was built over Shields’ branch by
Joel Finch, under contract with Colonel Easton, who agreed to
pay him $200.00.
On February 23, 1820, Eneas
Pembrook advertised in the newspaper to the traveling public:
“The subscriber has caused the roads leading to and from
Fountain Ferry [in Alton] to be put in good repair, and he has
an excellent set of boats and hands.” So travelers were not
misled or delayed, he gave the following directions: “On leaving
Milton for the river, keep the left-hand road to the foot of the
bluff. It is level and dry. In traveling to the east from St.
Charles to the State of Illinois, take the righthand road, when
you get within about a mile of Smeltzer’s, where you will
observe the marks of a sign-board knocked down. In passing this
way, you will not be detained by high winds.”
In 1821,
the advantages of the town of Alton were recognized by some of
the leading men of the state, who obtained possession of a claim
to the land on which Alton had been laid out, which was adverse
to that of Colonel Easton. Among his opponents were Ninian
Edwards (territorial governor) and Nathaniel Pope, who for many
years sat on the bench of the U. S. District Court. Easton had
the wealth, legal talent, and experience of influential
adversaries to content with. Meanwhile, as there was no clear
title to the land, people who would have become buyers were
driven away. No permanent improvements were made, and Alton
languished. This difficulty was finally compromised by a
division of the land. Among the portion allotted to Edwards and
Pope were some blocks in the northeastern part – now partly
included in what is called Middletown.
By an act of the
Illinois State Legislature in February 1827, Shadrach Bond,
William P. McKee, and Gershom Jayne were appointed commissioners
to select and procure a suitable site for a penitentiary on the
Mississippi River, at or near Alton, in Madison County. During
the summer of 1829, the commissioners selected about seven acres
on the bluff, which William Russell ceded as a site for the
penitentiary. The contract for erecting the building was let to
a man named Ivory, who brought mechanics and worked on the
building for some time. For some reason, he failed and left the
country. The contract was then re-let to Joel Finch, who
completed the wood work, and to Laurence Stone, who constructed
the masonry. Work was begun late in 1830, but little was done
until the following spring. In June 1828, block one, bounded by
Front, Broadway, Alby, and Market Street was purchased from
William Russell, who had succeeded to the interest of Colonel
Easton, by Gershom Flagg, who a few days afterward sold a
portion of the block to William Miller, who had recently arrived
from Edwardsville. Mr. Miller occupied the ferry house, kept a
small grocery, and acted as agent for William Russell, who
resided in St. Louis.
On August 21, 1829, Beal Howard and
Charles Howard arrived in Alton from Maryland. There was at that
time an old frame building on a portion of the ground later
occupied by the flour mill of D. R. Sparks, which had been
previously used by some old Indian traders. This building in
1820, and for some time afterward, was occupied by Winthrop S.
Gilman as a warehouse. It was later replaced by one larger and
more substantially built of stone, which was the base of
operations for Godfrey, Gilman & Co., so widely known among the
early business men of Alton. Beside this old frame house and the
ferry house, there were only a few log cabins to constitute the
old town of Alton. These cabins had been inhabited occasionally
by transient residents for ten years previous.
In the
year 1829, a frame building was erected at the southeast corner
of Market and Broadway. It was two stories high, about thirty
feet in length, and was occupied by Beal Howard as early as
November 1829. This is said to have been the first frame
dwelling on the original town site. In September 1829, Gershom
Flagg sold the east half of block one to Charles Howard, who on
the southeast corner of the block erected a small log dwelling.
It stood just opposite the place later occupied by the Alton
House, at the northeast corner of Front and Alby Streets. In
1829, Mr. Minton also became a resident of Alton. He purchased a
piece of ground, west of the Little Piasa Creek, and south of
where Third Street is. He built a steam sawmill, which stood a
Broadway. After running this mill about two years, Mr. Minton
sold it to Ninian Edwards. It came into the management of J. S.
Lane, a son-in-law of Governor Edwards, who leased it for a time
to Don Alonzo Spaulding. With the exception of a cooper shop
operated by William Miller, this was the first step in the way
of establishing manufactories in Alton.
1831-1836 – Prosperous Growth
The vigorous and healthy growth of Alton began in 1831.
Immigrants began to flow in, and mercantile houses were
established. Among those that immigrated to Alton in 1831 were
Samuel Avis, Edward Bliss, Robert M. Dunlap, Dr. William
Emerson, Mr. Fleshman, Stephen Griggs, Benjamin I. Gilman,
William Hayden, Elijah Hayden, A. C. Hankinson, Jonathan T.
Hudson, William Manning, Mark Pierson, Jacob D. Smith, and
Samuel Wade. In 1831, Lower Alton had 32 families, with 170
people. There was one steam sawmill, one warehouse for packing
beef and pork, one carpenter, one wagon maker, one tannery, one
cooper, one blacksmith, two shoemakers, one lawyer, one tavern
and boarding house, and one retail store. There was also the
Illinois State Penitentiary located in Alton, with a warden’s
house and offices, mechanic shops, yard, and twenty-four cells
for convicts, three or four wholesale and retail stores, one
physician, one week-day and Sabbath school, and several
mechanics’ shops.
In 1831, William Manning was making
preparations for a steam flouring mill. This was the first
important manufacturing establishment in Alton. The mill was not
completed and in running order until the year 1833. Lewis J.
Clawson did the stone work and masonry, and Boss Lee was the
first contractor to complete the frame work, and William Hayden
superintended the construction of the building. When the frame
was ready to be raised, invitations to attend the raising were
sent to all the settlements for several miles, and on the
appointed day, not less than 150 men were present – some from
curiosity, and other to help. In raising the first “bent,” the
poles broke and down came the massive timbers – fortunately
without seriously injuring anyone. After a few days, the damages
were repaired, and a larger number of persons assembled to
complete the task. A whole day of hard labor was spent in
getting into position three “bents,” or about one half of the
two lower stories. It was then necessary to procure an outfit of
building rigging, with which the work of raising was completed.
During the latter part of 1831, Stephen Griggs became associated
with Mr. Manning, and a stock company was organized, called the
“Alton Manufacturing Company,” which was chartered by the
legislature on February 1, 1833. Mr. Manning was a large
stockholder, along with David R., Stephen, Nathaniel, John, and
Thomas Griggs, Winthrop S. Gilman, Jonathan T. Hudson, Elijah
Lincoln, William Miller, Nathaniel R. Cobb, and Aaron D. Weld.
The building was four stories high, with a basement of stone. It
stood along the riverfront. The mill remained under the
management of this company for some years, and later was leased
to various parties, including Mr. Olney, George and Joseph
Brown, and McElroy, Tibby & Co. Messrs. Sebastian and Peter Wise
made important improvements, and ran it from 1839-1843. The
stock of the company passed into the hands of J. J. & W.
Mitchell, who added a distillery. F. J. Shooler was successor to
the Mitchells, and was the last occupant. In 1863, the property
passed into the possession of the city of Alton, and the mill
was taken down and removed.
In 1836, the Alton Branch of
the State Bank of Illinois was established, with Benjamin
Godfrey as president, and Stephen Briggs cashier. A branch of
the Shawneetown Bank, with D. T. Wheeler as cashier, was
established in 1837. On February 7, 1836, the Alton Marine and
Fire Insurance Company obtained a charter. Benjamin I. Gilman
was president, and E. Marsh was secretary.
The Year 1837
At the
beginning of 1837, Alton had twenty wholesale stores, thirty-two
retail stores and groceries, four hotels, four large
pork-packing houses, and shops of numerous mechanics. There were
eight lawyers, seven physicians, and seven clergymen. Four
newspapers were published – the Alton Spectator, the Alton
Telegraph, the Alton Observer, and the Illinois Temperance
Journal. There were two schools and five churches. Seven or
eight steamboats were owned, either in whole or part, by
citizens of Alton. Arrivals and departures occurred every day,
and the river landing was a place of activity. On July 31, 1837,
Alton was incorporated as a city by the State legislature, with
John Marshal Krum elected as Alton's first mayor. A
regular police force was not established until 1838.
The
most tragic event that occurred in the history of Alton was the
murder of Reverend Elijah P. Lovejoy, on November 7, 1837. This
event is detailed on another page of this website. The
commercial crash of 1837, the murder of Lovejoy, and the
collapse of the State railway system, of which Alton was to have
been the center, all contributed to the downfall of the business
prosperity of Alton, and for some years, trade was stagnant and
property depreciated. Many of the most enterprising business
firms met with financial ruin. About 1842, business revived
again and growth in Alton began.
The Railroad
The first
railroad to Alton was completed in September 1852. The Chicago
and Mississippi Railroad (later called the Chicago and Alton)
extending to Springfield, began running at that date. Benjamin
Godfrey was credited with the construction of this railroad. The
railroad terminated several blocks from the river, and St. Louis
passengers were transferred to boats until 1864, when the
company secured railroad connection with East St. Louis by means
of the Terre Haute and Alton Road, which was used until the
completion of Chicago & Alton Company to East St. Louis in 1864.
Alton’s Court System
The Alton City Court was organized in 1859, with its first
session held on April 11. It had jurisdiction of all chancery
and common law causes, except murder. Henry W. Billings was the
first judge. He was succeeded in 1866 by Henry S. Baker, and
then alexander H. Gambrill in 1881.
Early Hotels
The best-known
hotel in Alton was the Alton House, at the corner of Front and
Alby Streets. A frame building was erected on this spot in 1832
by Jonathan T. Hudson. This building was destroyed by fire in
1837. Calvin Stone replaced it with a brick building. For many
years, Amos L. Corson kept the hotel. The Alton House was
destroyed by fire on January 8, 1870.
The Franklin House,
which still stands today on the west side of State Street, near
Third Street, was built by Mr. Blakeley. It was afterward
purchased by Benjamin Godfrey, who made additions to it. For a
period of ten years, George W. Fox was the proprietor. He was
succeeded by Ephraim Bliss. Samuel Pitts then took charge for
six years preceding 1861. The next proprietors were Edward S.
and Rufus H. Lesure, and then it came into the possession of W.
H. K. Pile. In later years it lost the distinction of being a
popular and well-kept hotel. Later it was known as the St.
Charles Hotel.
The Piasa House stood on the northeast
corner of Fourth and Piasa Streets, and was at one time a
prominent and well-patronized hotel. It was built by Judge
Hezekiah Lawley, previous to the year 1835. Among its
proprietors were Mrs. Wait, Mr. Reno, William Wentworth, Captain
William Post, Samuel Brooks, Jacob C. Bruner, and John Hart and
sons.
The old Union Hotel was located at the southeast
corner of Broadway and Market Streets, and was erected by Beal
Howard in 1829. It was afterward known as the Virginia House,
and was destroyed by fire. In 1846, the First Presbyterian
Church was built on this location. The Laura Building is now
located on this property.
Early Alton Schools
The first free public schoolhouse was
constructed in 1845 on Alton Street. It was a two-room building.
Later, a one-room frame addition
was constructed. Rev. L. S. Williams was appointed the first
teacher. In the early days, the schoolhouses were named after
the City War they were in. Consequently, this schoolhouse was
known as School No. 2.
Within seven years, two more
schoolhouses were constructed. One was built in 1851 on the
corner of Fifth and Langdon Streets, called Schoolhouse No. 3
(later called Garfield School). The second schoolhouse was built
in 1853 on State Street, and called Schoolhouse No. 1 (later
called Irving School).
In 1856, two more buildings were
erected. The first was on Common Street, and was named
Schoolhouse No. 4 (later called Washington School [not to be
confused with another Washington School, built in abt. 1896 on
Milnor Street]). The next schoolhouse was erected in 1856 on
Central Avenue, near Fifth Street, and was called Schoolhouse
No. 5 (later called Humboldt School).
The “Advanced
School,” or high school, in 1853, was located in the basement of
the Unitarian Church, at the northeast corner of Third and Alby
Streets. James Newman was the first principal. In later years,
the high school moved to the third floor of Lincoln School.
The building known as Lincoln School was erected in 1866 on
Alton Street, between Tenth and Eleventh Streets. This building
had twelve classrooms. The high school was moved to the third
floor.
A new Garfield School was constructed in 1891 on
Sixth Street, on the north side of Seminary Square.
In
1896, Highland Park was added to the city of Alton. At this time
a new Washington School was constructed on Milnor Avenue.
In 1898, Lowell School was constructed on Joesting Avenue.
In 1902, the McKinley High School (later re-named
Roosevelt High School) was constructed at 6th and Mechanic
Streets, next door to the new Garfield School
Early
Alton Churches
The Presbyterian Church in Alton was organized
by Revs. Edward Hollister and Daniel Gould, on June 9, 1821,
with members: Enoch Long, Mrs. Mary Long, Isaac Waters, Henry H.
Snow, Elnah Hatings, Abigail Waters, Lavina Bishop, and
Brittania S. Brown. In March 1826, a resolution was passed
incorporating the church at Alton with the church of
Edwardsville, in consequence of the removal of all the members
of the church except Enoch Long and Mrs. Mary Long. Rev. Thomas
Lippincott served as minister until June 1832. He was succeeded
by Elisha Jenny, who remained until April 1835, and was followed
by Frederick W. Graves, Albert Hale, Augustus T. Norton,
Cornelius H. Taylor, and C. Solon Armstrong. The church of 1821
was located in Upper Alton in various places. In Lower Alton,
the worship was located in a frame building on Broadway, just
east of the residence of Simeon Ryder. The next building
occupied for worship was in the Lyceum Hall on the northeast
corner of Alby and Broadway. This building was destroyed by fire
July 30, 1874. Captain Benjamin Godfrey united with this church
on November 8, 1833. That same year, he erected with his own
money a stone church with a spire and basement, on the northeast
corner of Third and Market Streets. He gave the property to the
trustees of Monticello Seminary, who sold it to the
Episcopalians in the Spring of 1845. After the sale the bell was
taken down and moved. The next place of worship was in a small
frame church on the northeast corner of Third and Alby Streets.
The pressed brick building was erected at a cost of $3,500, and
was dedicated June 14, 1846. In 1853 it was enlarged by an
addition of twenty-five feet to the front. The chief renovation
was made in 1875 at a cost of $4,000. A re-dedication was held
October 17, 1875. A large parsonage of brick was purchased in
1871.
A second Presbyterian Church in Alton was
organized June 19, 1831, by Rev. Thomas Lippincott, with these
members: Enoch Long, Mrs. Mary Long, William A. Robertson,
Eleanor M. Robertson, Mrs. Mary Ann Tolman, Samuel Thurston, and
Doreas Thurston, and George W. Fuller.
The First Baptist
Church of Alton was constituted March 10, 1833, with 19 members:
Ebenezer Marsh, Ephraim Marsh, William Manning, William Hayden,
D. A. Spaulding, Henry Evans, and their wives. Also, Mark
Pierson, Stephen Griggs, Herman Griggs, R. Johnson, Joseph S.
King, James W. D. Marsh, and Mary D. Bruner. Rev. Alvin Bailey
was the first pastor, and served until April 1834. Rev. Hubbell
Loomis served until the following Fall. In November 1834, Rev.
Ebenezer Rodgers became the pastor of the Upper Alton and Lower
Alton First Baptist Church. He resigned in December 1835. Rev.
Dwight Ives served from June 1836 until May 1839, and then for
more than a year the church was supplied by Washington Leverett
and Zenas B. Newman, Professors at Shurtleff College. The first
meetings were held in Lyceum Hall, at the corner of Broadway and
Alton Streets. Then for several months, the congregation met at
the stone meeting house owned by Captain Benjamin Godfrey, at
the corner of Market and Third Streets. In 1834, their first
meeting house was erected on the corner of Third and Alby
Streets. It was sold to the Methodists for $8,000. In 1836, a
lot was purchased on the corner of Broadway and Easton Streets,
and a church edifice was erected at a cost of $18,000. This
church was destroyed by fire in March 1860. The bell, organ,
town clock, etc., all perished in the flames. In December 1860,
the church occupied the basement of their new church building,
which was completed and dedicated in September 1867. The church
was made of brick, and held 350 people.
The Union
Baptist Church of Alton for the African-American population was
organized at the house of Charles Edwards in Upper Alton, in the
summer of 1836. The ten members were: Mr. Ogle, Eben Rodgers,
Mr. Edwards, and wife, Alfred Richardson, Mr. Mariman, two by
the name of Lemen, William Barton, and William Johnson. The
church immediately moved to Alton at Alby and Easton Streets,
between Third and Fourth Streets. After a brief period, the
church moved to Middletown, and again returned to Alton,
locating on Third Street, between George and Alton Streets.
Their first house of worship was a small frame building. This
church was small, but had a beneficial influence upon the black
population of the city. After a revival in 1843, twenty-nine
members were added. Its first deacons were William Johnson and
William Barton. The following were pastors in the order named:
Livingstone, Robinson, Anderson, James H. Johnson, Wilbert
Steward, R. J. Robinson a second time, Elder Bolden, James P.
Johnson, J. Henry McGee, James P. Johnson a second time, Henry
Howard, R. T. Robinson, G. W. Clarke, and Elder Pierman.
The Lower Alton African Methodist Episcopal Church was
organized by elder William Paul Quinn in the winter of 1839. He
came to Alton in 1839, and found seven African Americans who
were of the Methodist persuasion, who occasionally attended the
Methodist Episcopal Church to hear the gospel of the Son of God.
The names of the seven people were: William Barton, Jane Barton,
Loudon Parks, Shadrach Stewart, Jane Parks, Eliza Ellesworth,
and Thomas Ellesworth. The first sermon was preached by Rev.
Quinn in William Barton’s house in Alton, located between Alby
and Easton Streets. This house was the worship place for years
afterward. William Barton was the first local preacher of the
African Methodist Church in Madison County and in the State of
Illinois. He was licensed the same week as the organization.
Shadrach Stewart was the first A. M. E. preacher in charge of
the A. M. E. Church in the State. The second place of worship
for the A. M. E. Church was in a house on Sixth Street, between
Easton and Market Streets. The third place of worship, and the
first church building owned by the congregation, was a small
brick house on Third Street, between Walnut (Central Avenue) and
Vine Streets. This church cost at that time $500, and was later
converted into a dwelling house. The congregation bought a lot
on Third Street, between Ridge and Henry, and erected a brick
building, one story high, 40x60, in 1867 – at a cost of about
$4,500. Brother Henry Depugh was pastor at that time. It was
dedicated by Bishop J. P. Campbell, and the church building was
named Campbell Chapel. The membership of the church decreased,
and the principal nor the interest on the loan was paid. In
1876, Mr. William Eliot Smith, the creditor, made a proposition
to Rev. H. Depugh and the members, that if they would raise
$500, and pay the interest that year, he would give them credit
for $1,400, thus giving the church $900 as a donation. It was
not paid that year, but Rev. R. C. Cooper, who followed Depugh,
raised the $500 and paid the interest. Mr. Smith gave the credit
for $1,400, and by this act of charity, he did more to encourage
the congregation than anything previously done. The Sunday
School was organized by Rev. J. C. Emery in 1866.
There
were fourteen Catholic families in Alton in 1840. Their first
services were held in a small frame building in Upper Alton,
owned by Mr. Clifford. In the spring of 1842, a lot was
purchased on Third Street, and a stone church was completed in
1843. In 1853 this church was destroyed by fire. After this,
services were held in a hall on Third and State Streets, over
Hart’s livery stable. A lot was secured on State Street, and a
large stone church erected there, and named Saints Peter and
Paul’s Cathedral. Service was first held in the new, but
unfinished church in 1856. Rt. Rev. Henry Damian Junckers was
appointed the first bishop.
The German Methodist
Episcopal Church at Alton dates its beginning to the year 1845,
when Rev. Lewis Kunz, who preached occasionally at Fosterburg,
visited Alton, attended by J. H. Appel, a member of the church,
as a guide. The first services were held in the American M. E.
Church in “Lower Alton.” A Sabbath School was organized,
consisting of about 30 scholars. The first Quarterly Conference
was held on January 1, 1852. In 1854, a church was constructed
at Hunterstown, at Third Street and Central Avenue (then called
Walnut Street), under the administration of Rev. Jacob Miller.
The church building was 40x25, and cost $800. It was soon
discovered the location was not the most suitable, and it was
exchanged for the American Methodist Episcopal Church on Union
Street, which was a building 60x40. Early ministers include
(1854 – 1862) Thomas Heger, H. Pfaff, H. Hankemeyer, E. Kriege,
J. Miller, and J. Ritter. In April 1880, the church on Union
Street was destroyed by fire. A new church building was erected
on Henry Street, 67x48, and cost about $10,000. At the same
time, a parsonage was constructed.
St. Mary’s German
Roman Catholic Church was dedicated and blessed in 1858.
Services were held here until June 2, 1860, when a tornado
destroyed the church. Rev. F. A. Ostrop, the first rector of the
church, was buried under its ruins, but was uninjured. It was
rebuilt soon after. In 1860, the Brothers of the Cross took
charge of the parochial school connected with the Cathedral. The
Sisters of Notre Dame were in charge of St. Mary’s parochial
school since 1875. The Bishops “palace” was erected in 1863. It
was partly destroyed by fire on May 25, 1877, but was rebuilt.
The first services of St. Paul’s Church in Alton were
said to have been held by the Rev. Amos Baldwin, who came to
Alton and Edwardsville and preached in 1823. The Alton church
organized in 1838, with Rev. Dr. S. Y. McMasters as the first
Rector. The church purchased the Presbyterian house of worship
at the corner of Third and Market Streets at a cost of $2,000.
On July 5, 1857, a new church was erected on the site of the old
one, and consecrated by Bishop Whitehouse. On June 2, 1860, a
tornado destroyed the roof, tower, and bell. The tower and bell
were never restored.
The Cumberland Presbytery Church
began with a missionary society organized by a Vandalia
Presbytery. In 1853, Rev. T. H. Hardwick was employed as a
missionary in Alton. He first met in Upper Alton. In 1855, Rev.
J. B. Logan moved to Alton was took charge. In June of that year
he organized a congregation of 18 members (mostly female), and
they met in the Lutheran Church on Henry Street. The Lutherans
had promised the use of their church each afternoon to the
Presbyterians, but one Sabbath they found the door locked and
could not enter. Only a few services were held after this until
the first Sabbath in January 1856, when the basement of the
building they were constructing was finished enough for worship.
The entire building was finished and dedicated in June 1856.
The Church of the Redeemer of Alton began with the
organizing of a Sunday School in the Spring of 1858, under the
auspices of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). The
first meeting was held at the German Methodist Church. Before
the close of the year, over one hundred were attending. It was
decided to build a building of their own in 1868. In 1870, a
meeting was held, and it was decided to organize a church of
their own. This organization took place on July 29, 1871, with
48 members, and Rev. H. D Platt of Brighton presiding. Rev. M.
K. Whittlesey of Ottawa, Illinois was called to be the first
pastor. In December 1873, Rev. Robert West was called as pastor.
An organ was donated to the church by Samuel Wade.