Livingston county history
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH WHEELING, MISSOURI
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH WHEELING, MISSOURIOn May 3, 1875, the first services were held of the First Baptist Church, Wheeling, Missouri. The church had no building in which to meet at this time, so for a while they met at the Wheeling School house and later at the Wheeling Methodist Church. During the year 1888, the church secured property in the northern part of the city of Wheeling where the present church stands today. The people erected a building and furnished it at a cost of $1860.00. Dedication services were held in January of 1889. By 1890, they were having preaching services twice a month and were able to build a baptistry. In the early 1900’s, electrical wiring was installed in the church. In 1923, the Baptist and the Methodist decided to call a pastor on the field to serve both churches. The ladies of the church were very important in the early years as they would hold annual chrysanthemum shows in order to help support the church. By 1929, the church was able to put a full basement under their building, to add three rooms to the north of the building, plus installation of a pipeless furnace. In 1948, the Methodist church decided to hire their own full time pastor which led the Baptist to do likewise in 1954. A parsonage for the church was acquired in 1953 when John Walkup presented the church with a gift of some property which presently, as through the years, serves as a home for the pastors of the church. The church decided in 1959 to build an educational building at the north of the existing church and completion and dedication was in November of 1963. Through the years a lot of beautification to the Lords House in Wheeling was done through gracious gifts left to the church by members and also through gifts given as memorials. The church today is very active with a G. A. (organization for girls) which has been active since 1938; a W.M.U. (womens organization) which began in early 1924; and through the years they have had organizations for boys. The present pastor of the church is Rev. Steve Pinnell. The deacons are Wayne Seifert and Winston Buckner. Trustees are Bob Kimmis, Clarence Arthaud, Cecil Buckner, and Hal Norwood. FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCHThe First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Chillicothe, Missouri was organized November 7, 1844, by Reverend J. S. Allen and the Reverend Thomas Thompson. The organization took place in the old brick court house, built in 1840, and located in the center of where the square is today. The church met there until 1856 when the first building was erected at the southwest corner of Clay and Washington streets. The first building cost $2,000.00. In January 1864, David T. Wright became minister of the church here. Following a fire of a publishing house in Trenton, Missouri, Reverend Wright made arrangements to have the Christian Pioneer published in Chillicothe. The Christian Pioneer was the first state religious paper printed by the Christian Church in Missouri, and because of its publication Chillicothe became the central meeting point of the early Christian Church preachers in Missouri. On April 5, the second church building was erected by the congregation at the corner of Jackson and Cherry Streets (its present location) at a cost of $10,000. A few years later 1892 the first organ was provided for worship service. During the years from 1892 to 1923 the church organized missionary circles, Bible Classes, various committees were formed to carry on the mission of the church. On January 30, 1927, the third church building was dedicated” costing $90,912.15. The great depression of the 1930’s struck the church as it did our nation and because of heavy debt the bondholders foreclosed. For a time the church held its meetings in the Masonic Temple. By 1943 the indebtedness was paid and the members moved back into the building. The Alice Roe Chapel (now Memorial Chapel) was installed and dedicated on January 26, 1947. Dr. Kenneth Kuntz was minister during this period. The congregation voted in, November 1966 to remodel the existing church, rather than purchase new land and construct a new building. A fund-raising campaign was held and over $73,000.00 was pledged. On June 21, 1970 a re-dedication service was held with Dr. Lesster Rickman, General Minister and President of the Christian Church in Missouri as speaker. The cost of the remodeling was $183,457.19. A loan from the Board of Church Extension for $80,000.00 was secured to be paid in ten years. That debt was paid in five (5) years, with a mortgage burning service held June 29, 1975 to celebrate the event. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHThe First Presbyterian Church of Chillicothe, Missouri was organized November 27, 1858, by the Reverend Ralph Harris, after a year of work by a small group of Presbyterians. James Love of Liberty, Missouri donated a lot at the Northeast corner of Elm and Ann Streets. A small brick building was erected and the Reverend Mr. Singleton supplied the pulpit for the first two years. During the Civil War, soldiers took possession of the building and used it to house negroes, until a Presbyterian minister obtained permission to use it for a school. In 1866, the church was again organized, with the Reverend John Pinkerton as pastor. There were 27 members, and a Sunday School was organized. In 1892, the second brick building was constructed. It was a large square building, accommodating 300 persons. There were tall stained glass windows in the west and south walls. On the southwest corner was a tall, square bell-tower and entrances on the west and south - a style commonly used in that period. Dr. George Miller supplied the pulpit until 1897. In 1951 this building was razed and the present structure erected. In this interim, services were held in the Ben Bolt Theatre, with the Reverend James A. McNeilly as pastor. The present building, of Williamsburg brick, is built on simple Gothic lines. With the balcony, the seating capacity is about 275. It was dedicated on April 20, 1952. In 1959 an addition was completed, to the north of the church. This added 5,000 square feet of space. A new entrance was provided into a hall between the two sections. Downstairs is a large hall for gatherings, with a convenient kitchen. The upper level provides a large study, a secretary’s room, a comfortable lounge, a large nursery and two classrooms. A library is now in the planning stage. The Reverend William L. Lindblom has served as pastor since 1963, being the longest period to be served by one pastor. He has initiated many changes and improvements. The church enjoys an outstanding music program; Mrs. Oscar M. Cooke as organist and Mr. Jack Brookshire the current director of music. In 1966 a new pipe organ replaced the one used for over 50 years; a church lounge was decorated and furnished; and in 1974 a dedication was held for 7 new stained-glass windows, depicting the “Symbols of the key acts of God as recorded in the Testaments.” At the same time an eight foot cross of ash was dedicated, to grace the east wall of the chancel. This was built by W. L. Shaffer, Jr. and presented to the church by Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer. 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