Parent of Lies Children of Bondage Northfield Arts Guild December 9

George Alkire: Begetting the Testimony Faithfully

past Erma Jean Loveland
Special Services Librarian
Dark-brown Library, Abilene Christian University

"Faith and The Founding of the American Republic" was a 1998 exhibition at the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C. The exhibition essay contends, "The organized religion of the new American democracy was evangelicalism which between 1800 and the Ceremonious War was the thou absorbing theme" of American religious life. This evangelicism found expression in revivals. The Great Revival in Kentucky spawned past the Baptists, the Methodists and the Presbyterians, was used to illustrate this thinking.

The Virginia Alkires were ane family unit who was a part of this Great Revival. They moved westward from Moorefield, (W) Virginia to Kentucky, then to Ohio within one generation. Later generations scattered into Indiana, Illinois, and and so beyond the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains into Oregon.

The early American records indicate Harmonus Alkire, married Mary Cramer most Northfield, Virginia in 1720.⁽¹⁾ Where they came from is even so left to guesswork; merely as German language immigrants, likely, they landed in the settled colonies and so flowed down the valleys between the mountain ridges from Pennsylvania to Virginia.

Harmonus Alkire II, was born in Moorefield, Hampshire County, Virginia in 1730. Moorefield still exists as a hamlet built on a grassy meadow near the joining of the Moorefield and Southward Co-operative of the Potomac Rivers. The mountain ridges parallel one some other, running north and south, with the rich overflowing plain beneath. Grain fields were producing in the 1740s and the mills were already grinding meal. 1 of Harmonus' civic duties was to view, mark, and keep in repair the road from his place upwards to Peter Reed's mill on the Due south Fork.⁽²⁾ At this time, valid titles to the land had non been given to anyone.

Harmonus II was 17 when James Genn, a Virginia certified surveyor, surveyed the 55,000 acres of the Due south Branch Manor for the Correct Honorable Lord Thomas Fairfax, Baron of Cameron in Scotland.⁽³⁾ George Washington, 16, was in the survey party. He recorded in his diary on Monday, March 23 [1748] that a keen company of Dutch [German] people who lived along the S Branch River accompanied the surveyors while they worked.⁽⁴⁾

Between 1747 and 1748, at least three missionaries made their manner into this "back" land of Hampshire County. Leonhard Schnell and Vitus Handrup wrote in their diaries, "the people are and so forsaken that they haven't been to the Lord'southward Supper for four years." Mathias Gottlieb Gottschalk, another Moravian missionary, plant "instruction of the Saviour very dear to them."⁽⁵⁾ The people asked him to send someone to teach the truth of the Gospel to the sometime besides as the immature. These pioneers expected their churches to follow them wherever they traveled.

The Alkires had German neighbors who were Lutherans, Mennonites, Dutch Reformed Church members, with a few Dunkers and Presbyterians.⁽⁶⁾ The merely record of the Alkire behavior now to exist constitute is in the E. Westward. Humphrey record where John Alkire was reported equally a Deist.⁽⁷⁾

Harmonus II, 21, married Lydia Patten, 12, in 1751 at Moorefield. All of their children were [Westward] Virginians: William, Adam, Catherine, Margaret, Elizabeth, John, Dolly, Deborah, Michael, George, Sarah, Lydia and Harmonus.^(viii)

Lord Fairfax, Proprietor of the Northern Cervix of Virginia, granted the Championship to Lots sixteen and 17 to Maunis Alkier on May 6, 1765.⁽⁹⁾ Maunis made his marking, a backards "N," for acceptance. "Maunis" was one of the many means Harmonus' name was spelled.

In 1774-1775, Harmonus was listed on Captain James Parson's roll as a showtime lieutenant in the colonial army of Virginia. He served under Lord Dunmore in the Indian battles with Cornstalk in the Ohio country.⁽¹⁰⁾ The treaty was made at Camp Charlotte in the Scioto Valley, Ohio.^(111213) In the 154 days that Lt. Alkire served, he had seen the westward side of his mountains. He carried the visions of lush growth and opportunity to the folks back dwelling. In 1788, Harmonus' sons: William (and his wife, Elizabeth Moore) and John (and his wife, Susan Nave(Naef)) were settled in Bourbon Canton, Kentucky.⁽¹⁴⁾

Over 7,000 people populated Moorefield by 1800, including 454 slaves.⁽¹⁵⁾ Harmonus II and Lydia Alkire started selling their Virginia land in 1789^(sixteen) and purchased 20 acres for 41 pounds on the waters of Huston'southward Fork, Bourbon County, Kentucky.⁽¹⁷⁾

After the sales of their Virginia lands, Harmonus II and his family unit drove loaded pack-horses to the Kanawha River, built a keel boat and floated downwards the Ohio River to the mouth of the Slate River and thence to Harrod's Station, Kentucky.^{(18 xix)} Harmonus I died there in 1796 at the reported age of 96 years.

Harmonus 2 purchased another 250 acres on the waters of the Huston'southward Fork of the Licking River, close to downtown Paris, Kentucky. An early historian of Bourbon County described these early pioneers equally hardy, fearless, and self-reliant people where a man was esteemed for his merit, non his money.^(twenty)

In 1800, Harmonus Alkire II, died at the age of seventy. His will names his half dozen sons: William, John, Adam, Michael, Monis, George and six daughters: Catty, Elizabeth, Deborah, Margaret, Sally, and Liddy. Most of them signed an "X" to legal land documents; reading and writing were not common achievements on the w side of the Appalachians Mountains.⁽²¹⁾

Several of the Alkire families were in Bourbon County on Baronial six, 1801, when the Cane Ridge revival meeting occurred. No doubt, the Alkires were aware of the meeting, if not actually in omnipresence. John Alkire, as recorded in Humphreys, "was converted at Cane Ridge, by hearing the young converts in that great revival speak of the goodness of God." He began preaching before long thereafter. Elderberry Long, one of his converts, said John "had a loud, strong vocalization� corking reformations followed his preaching wherever he went."⁽²²⁾ Subsequently public records indicate that ordained ministers, John and George Alkire, officiated at weddings and funerals.

Shaw, in Buckeye Disciples,⁽²³⁾ notes that many religions were experiencing "awakening" during those days. Dr. Abner Jones, a Baptist, organized a church building in 1802 in Lynden, Vermont. Elias Smith joined him before long. James O'Kelley and Rice Haggard in Virginia were Methodist; and Barton West. Rock was Presbyterian. Barton W. Stone came to Williamsport, Ohio, where George Alkire and his blood brother, Michael, lived and held meetings in George'southward house in 1803. Stone returned in 1804 and organized a church there. The charter members included: Isaac Cade⁽²⁴⁾ and wife; John Teverbaugh and wife; George Alkire and married woman Catharine Rush; brothers Isaac Westward. and Simon Hornback and their wives. Simon Hornback was married to George Alkire's sister, Sarah. Until the first coming together house was built of hewed logs in 1810, the group met in each other's homes.⁽²⁵⁾

This congregation had already been organized for 3 years when Thomas Campbell came to the United States in 1807.

Humphreys described George Alkire as "tall and slim in person; his peculiar forte, as a preacher, was his earnestness as a reasoner. He was plain and somewhat old-fashioned in his appearance....He had an contained mind, a good centre, and a self-sacrificing disposition....Elder Alkire was an honest man, somewhat inclined to speculation, and when an idea struck him favorably he embraced information technology. He was then free from sectarianism, that it might properly be said of him, that he was partially a member of all churches, and of none, as to entire union of faith."⁽²⁶⁾

The Williamsport church, the oldest church in the Deer Creek township⁽²⁷⁾ hosted several well-known preachers, including these noted editors: Barton W. Stone withThe Christian Messenger, Joseph Badger with The Christian Palladium,⁽²⁸⁾ and Isaac North. Walter with Gospel Herald. Joseph Thomas, a nephew of the White Pilgrim Joseph Thomas, was a good friend and traveling companion of George Alkire.⁽²⁹⁾

Other preachers mentioned included George Zimmerman,^(thirty)William Kincade James Hays,⁽³¹⁾ Matthew Gardner,⁽³²⁾ James Marom, George Alkire, James Burbridge,⁽³³⁾ South. Bradford,⁽³⁴⁾ Daniel Long,⁽³⁵⁾ John L. Green, Isaac Cade,⁽³⁶⁾ Benjamin Seevers, John L. Perkins, Enoch Harvey,⁽³⁷⁾ Thomas Hand, N. Dawson, C. A. Morse, T. A. Brandon, Peter McCullough, William Overterf, B. H. Chrisman, Josel Osgood, A. C. Hanger, and E. Due west. Humphreys.⁽³⁸⁾ Humphreys was later instrumental in establishing the Union Christian College in Merom, Sullivan Canton, Indiana. When he wrote The Memoirs of Deceased Christian Ministers, he was well acquainted with the Alkires and Williamsport.

This list of names indicated a diverseness of leaders, some educated past self-education and others past schooling. The ministers in the listing were from the Christian Connection, the O'Kelly, or the Stone movements.

The White Pilgrim, Joseph Thomas, was baptized past James O'Kelley in 1807. He wore white apparel both summer and winter with his long pilus combed down on his shoulders.⁽³⁹⁾ He described Deer Creek country in his writings: "The grass is now on a level half leg high, spear-grass, clover, and what is called prairie grass covers the earth and makes information technology the all-time summertime range for cattle and horses in the known world." Thomas was delighted with the beauty, fertility and natural grandeur of the state.⁽⁴⁰⁾

The White Pilgrim noted that the people were working hard in corn planting season while he was there; nevertheless, he was chagrin that the women would non "trouble themselves to walk half-dozen or 7 miles to meeting."

Saturday. 4th, [May four, 1811] "I came to Alkier's (sic) coming together house (every bit it is called). This was a cold day for information technology snowed a picayune.

Sun. 5th. "A large congregation attended at this place. At that place is a large society of members here, and one preacher. They appear to exist in a prosperous state. The most of them take been baptized.... The Christian church building was established hither before whatsoever other denomination; no other has succeeded hither since....The inhabitants are generally industrious, hard working people, much given to farming what may distinguish the people is their plainnes [sic]�. One thinks himself no higher than the other and the other no lower than he. They may exist said to be crude and somewhat uncouth to people of polish manners and refinements merely announced to exist easily pleased, seem to take a happy turn to be agreeable to each other....They are not given to such extravagancies in gambling, fighting, stealling (sic), etc...; just this perchance importantly owing to their beingness men of age and families....I suppose the most of them are republicans, for they hate slavery and bondage from every point of view."⁽⁴⁰⁾

Humphrey reported that John Alkire⁽⁴¹⁾ and Forgus Graham⁽⁴²⁾ were both converted at the Cane Ridge revival. Farmers and ministers past 1812, Alkire and Graham held camp-meetings near their homes and fed their own beef to the corking crowds who came to hear them. Forgus came to Madison County, Ohio, in 1807 and organized the offset Christian society in Pleasant township on June thirty, 1812.

Abner Jones, O'Kelley, and Stone movements were meeting in a General Conference by 1820.⁽⁴³⁾

John Alkire'due south son, Leonard, bought his first land in Sangamon Canton, Illinois, from the regime in 1824, a practice which he connected until 1854.⁽⁴⁴⁾ His parents, John and Susan, joined him in Sangamon County in 1824, and began to purchase land by 1825.

David Millard, an influential spokesperson for the Jones-Smith movement from New York, established

The Gospel Luminary in 1825. In June, 1826, a report of the Christian Briefing held at Deer Creek, Pickaway County, Ohio, and signed by George Alkire and Enoch Harvey, Elders, was published on the front page of the Millard paper.⁽⁴⁵⁾

The conference discussed church building regime and support of the ministry. Many preachers traveled among the brethren without back up, in hazardous conditions, leaving their ain families to fend for themselves at home. "Their funds are nearly wearied�scarcely e'er is there a drove made of money to bear their expenses." Many church people believed that was the way that information technology should be. No uncertainty, George Alkire could understand this problem since he had been an itinerant preacher for more than 20 years by this fourth dimension.

Church building authorities was a major business of George Alkire. He had fabricated his ain observations of what happened to church building groups who were left to flounder and/or disappear later on the visiting preacher traveled on. He believed the new converts would proceed to meet and worship if they were organized with a fledgling leadership.

In Joseph Badger's study of a trip he made to Williamsport, Ohio in 1925, he spoke in "respectful terms" of George Alkire.⁽⁴⁶⁾ The next year, Badger noted in his journal: "In Elder Alkire's vicinity the churches have received big additions of belatedly."⁽⁴⁷⁾

Gospel Luminary ⁽⁴⁸⁾ carried the proceedings from the 1826 yearly meeting and conference at Williamsport. The list of elders present included: George Alkire, James Burbridge , Samuel Wilson, Enoch Harvey, Alexander Owen, Isaac N. Walter⁽⁴⁹⁾, Martin Bakery, Joseph Thomas, Joseph Baker,^(l) George Limmerman,⁽⁵¹⁾ Samuel Rogers, Benjamin Breton, Matthew Gardner, George A. Patterson, James Baker, Isaac Cade. Unordained preachers were: Zarah Curtiss,⁽⁵²⁾ William Dickinson, and Isaac Hornback.⁽⁵³⁾

After the conference was ended, a church meeting was held. Outdoor stands in four dissimilar places were attended past "respectable and well behaved" folks. By noon Sunday, thousands were on the ground; however, a rainstorm drove the crowds for shelter. The meeting house soon overflowed and many from the crowd went away. A big collection was taken for the visiting preachers. "The nigh perfect decorum was observed" George Patterson, clerk of the conference, wrote and "all appeared solemn as that eternity which had been preached to them." This was a direct contrast to what had happened 25 years before at Cane Ridge.

Gospel Luminary had an editorial about the April 12 meeting at Deer Creek, "it will be seen that active exertions are beingness fabricated past 'our brethren' [The Christian Connexion was recognizing Deer Creek every bit our brothers] at the w to set the things in order that are wanting among them." The editors continues, "We solicit a correspondence with Elders Stone, Smith, Purviance, McCoy, Adams, Gardner, and others whom though unseen we love." This was a listing of Rock people with which theGospel Luminary, a Christian Connection paper, wanted to represent.⁽⁵⁴⁾

Barton W. Stone's paper, Christian Messenger, was outset published in 1826 in Georgetown, Kentucky.

However showing a business organization almost the shouting, barking and such similar in the worship service, Alkire wrote to the Christian Messenger ⁽⁵⁵⁾ "God in a gracious and powerful manner, has again visited u.s.a. on Deer Creek....The converts come out firm and solid, with less dissonance than I always saw in a revival."

In an Apr, 1832 article in the Luminary,⁽⁵⁶⁾ Alkire stated he was near l, had been a minister for 25 years and had been ordained when he was xx years old. The eight-page article, started on the forepart page of the Luminary, was an essay nearly the quality of church leadership needed. Alkire bemoaned that he had planted many churches that were prospering when he left them only to render to discover not a trace nor a mark of that church. "I am confident for want of a proper administration of the regime and in this state of confusion the greater part of the labours of the travelling [sic] preacher is lost."

Barton West. Stone and "Raccoon John" Smith, every bit a representative of Alexander Campbell, shook hands on an agreement of unity betwixt the two groups in 1832 at the Hill Street Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. Before long thereafter, in 1834, Rock moved on west to Jacksonville, Illinois, taking The Christian Messenger with him. He had started purchasing Illinois Government Land in October, 1830.⁽⁵⁷⁾

The Christian Palladium ⁽⁵⁸⁾ reported that the Ohio Central and Deer Creek Conferences met in Hebron, Ohio, on December 26, 1834. Derostus F. Ladley was elected president,⁽⁵⁹⁾ William B. Harding was secretary. Others present included: George Alkire, James Hayes, Harry Ashley.⁽⁶⁰⁾

Thomas Cotterill, George Alkire, and D. F. Ladley were to draft a circular letter about church building government, support of the ministry, and Christian Sunday School. D. F. Ladley wrote that at the public worship later on the conference airtight, Elders Alkire and Long delivered two very interesting and impressive discourses.

Co-ordinate to Illinois State Records, George Alkire purchased lands from the federal government in Illinois on May 11 and Baronial ane, 1836.⁽⁶¹⁾

Ohio Deer Creek Briefing was held in Palestine August eighteen, 1838, and was reported in the Christian Palladium.⁽⁶²⁾ Elder David Roberts was elected chair and John 1000. Green as assistant clerk. Elders present: George Alkire, David Roberts, Henry Due south. Bradford,⁽⁶³⁾ Samuel R. Dawson,⁽⁶⁴⁾ James Light-green. Licentiates: Cyrus Gordy, John R. Light-green. Representatives from Williamsport included: Cyrus Gordy, Ebenezer Davis, and Abraham Halstead,⁽⁶⁵⁾ Williams Francis, and John Hornback.

Christian Palladium carried a study from Christian Union Briefing coming together at Williamsport, September 6, 1838. A newly organized conference, Anglaise (Ohio), presented its letter to petition for admission into this conference and was accustomed.George Alkire, Enoch Harvey, and James Smith were appointed to send a letter of the alphabet to unrepresented conferences, asking for their views on how to attain "a more perfect marriage also every bit how to plant and organize churches."⁽⁶⁶⁾

Deer Creek Christian Conference of Ohio, Mt. Sterling, April 17, 1840, charged George Alkire, William B. Hand, John Northward. Perkins, and James Smith to write a letter of the alphabet to the periodicals asking the conferences to consider the post-obit four points and to publish their findings: church regime, the operation of the Spirit, a proper name for the church (whether that be Christian church, Church of Christ, or Disciples), and the design and objective of baptism.⁽⁶⁷⁾

An invitation was extended to all conferences to join in a general convention with a delegation of "holy men" from each congregation. The time and identify suggested were Cincinnati in October, 1840.

Christian Palladium reported the minutes of Ohio Cardinal Christian Briefing that met in Mt. Freedom, August 18, 1840. Elder Zarah Curtiss, which had been unlicensed at the 1826 conference, chaired the coming together.

The subject of a general convention to reconcile certain differences existing in the churches was discussed at length by George Alkire, D. Long, D. F. Ladley, J. W. Marvin, A. Stevens,⁽⁶⁸⁾ John Hayes, J. O. Harris, J. Plumb, O. True.⁽⁶⁹⁾

After the speeches were over, the Ohio Central Christian Conference passed a resolution "that this conference do (sic) not as yet encounter the storm our brethren are so fearful of, nor do they think information technology expedient to meet in such a convention." There were 124 members at the conference, 36 Elders, 25 licentiates, ii female laborers, 61 delegates representing ane,484 communicants which showed an increase of 718 over the last year's number.⁽⁷⁰⁾

From Pittsfield, Illinois, Dec nineteen, 1840, Yard. Alkire writes to Stone that he is thankful he can again preach fifty-fifty though he cannot come across his audience because of his failing eyesight. Depressed, he writes that the sun of his life will set soon; but fifty-fifty in this land of health, he reported travels in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.⁽⁷¹⁾

In January 27, 1841, George writes from Pittsfield, Illinois to the church building at Jamestown, Ohio. The epistle was a travel log of his journeying from Ohio to Illinois. Alkire preached regularly and set up in order the things that were wanting on his "long merely pleasant" journey. He visited overnight with Blood brother Stone in Jacksonville. He had been preaching in Pike County at the Highland, Pittsfield, Barre, and Perry congregations. Most of the congregations in the West have seemed in full general union, with only a few exceptions where lines of distinction had been drawn between "the Reformers" (Campbellites) and the Old Christians. Once again Elder Alkire made the plea for unity and closed with "Finally, Brethren, bye; be perfect, live in love and the God of honey and peace shall be with yous�."⁽⁷²⁾

The Christian Messenger carried minutes by B. F. Van Dooser⁽⁷³⁾ of the Christian conference at Highland, Superhighway County, Illinois, April 9, 1841. Present were: George Alkire, B. Westward. Stone, J. Burbridge, D. Roberts, Wm. Stiff, Wm. Gale, D. Henry, C. Bolin, J. Sweet, J. Green Jr., Wm. Gilliam.

Elderberry Yard. Alkire gave the opening accost. Wm. Gilliam was asked to chair the conference and B. F. Van Dooser to be secretary. A committee of five, including Alkire, was chosen to arrange the business that was to come earlier the meeting.

The agenda of issues and resolutions was printed:

i. What qualifies a person to go a member of the church? Conference decision: faith, repentance and obedience to the Gospel.

2. How is a church building organized? Conference determination: apprehensive, obedient believers do by giving themselves first to the Lord and then to one another. The group becomes fully organized when they appoint and ordain elders and deacons.

3. Who are proper officers of the church and their duties? Conference conclusion: Elders should attend to the spiritual concerns of the church; deacons are to care for its temporal matters.

4. By what proper noun shall the church be called? Conference decision: church of God or of Christ.

five. Does God give his spirit to his children? If so, how? Briefing decision: Yes, by organized religion and obedience.

6. Shall nosotros ship out and support one or more than evangelists? Conference decision: send out D. Roberts and Wm. Gale and plan to back up them.

7. What cooperation should exist betwixt the preacher and those to whom they preach? Briefing decision: The congregations should contribute to the preachers' temporal wants and encourge them in their piece of work.

Reportedly, the briefing experienced a great unity of mind and spirit, equally rarely seen before.

Chair William Gilliam requested the Christian Palladium (Christian Connexion) and the Christian Messenger (Rock) to publish these minutes.⁽⁷⁴⁾

In the Christian Palladium, Alkire wrote to Brother Marsh that during the last year he had traveled 2,300 miles in poor health also as poor eyesight. Elder Alkire had been confined to his abode for four years before 1841.

Alkire detailed some of his travels during the terminal calendar month. He visited with Brother Riggs in Scott County; Riggs had served in the Illinois State Legislature in 1818 and after in the 48^th and 49^th United states of america Congress.⁽⁷⁵⁾ Alkire journeyed on to Jacksonville to meet with Elders Stone, Jones, Henderson, Vandozer. Alkire writes, "the church building in this identify seems to be spiritual and intelligent, manifesting the spirit of union and friendship." At Island Grove, he attended a meeting at Brother Wm. Grants where he met Elderberry Scott.

Traveling on, 1000. Alkire crossed the Sangamon River at Elder Marshs, the publisher'southward brother. Elder Marsh did not accuse George for crossing the river fifty-fifty though Marsh was a rigid Reformer [Campbellite].  George held a meeting at his nephew's house, Wm. B. Cautrell, where he again met Brother Bandozer.⁽⁷⁶⁾ Subsequently leaving relatives and brethren, he traveled to Fountain County, Ia.⁽⁷⁷⁾ He preached 4 times almost Covington to divided congregations, part Reformers and part Sometime Christians. Some objections were made by the Reformers to Alkire's sermons; however, all came to give him "the right hand of fellowship" at the shut of the coming together.

He stayed with Judge Burbridge in Crawfordsville. While crossing the stream at Alexander's crossing, h2o ran into his carriage. This reminded him of an before blow crossing the Big Vermillion in eastern Illinois. "My papers and books were spoiled and vesture much injured."

In New Paris, Ohio, he met with Elders Purviance and Adams; Alkire said he preached to big, attentive, intelligent crowds here. Purviance with a classical teaching had represented both Kentucky and Ohio in state legislatures. Purviance and Stone were long-time friends, both coming from the Presbyterian movement to sign "The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbtery."

Traveling on to Eaton in Preble Canton, he preached, by candlelight at the dwelling house of Judge Munfort. Brother Hathaway, a nephew of Levi Hathaway, closed the meeting. In Dayton, Alkire stopped to see Dr. Bowen, in Enon to run across Elder Ladley with whom he had worked at Deer Creek, and so to Ebenezer to spend the night with Elder Briney. He met his proficient friend, Joseph Thomas, whom Alkire had wished for in one of his messages from Illinois, and Dr. Winans Borgman. The iii men preached that night and "airtight in all good feeling." Near of these preachers were of the Christian Connexion. Alkire seemed to travel freely among the Christian Connectedness and the Rock people; he very much wanted a union of these believers.⁽⁷⁸⁷⁹⁾

Christian Palladium reported Deer Creek Church building Conference, at Mt. Sterling August 12, 1841. Elder Joseph Thomas was chair and Henry S. Bradford, Clerk.George Alkire, J. N. Perkins, E. Harvey and others discussed a religious periodical and a hymn volume for the churches in the state of Ohio. Delegates to the Marriage Christian Conference in Ohio were to nowadays the necessity of a paper and a hymn book to this gathering. The delegates were C. Gordy, J. Due north. Perkins, J. Thomas, Geo. Alkire, Bradford. Also,  the briefing agreed to requite Elder George Alkire a letter of the alphabet of commendation to accept with him to Illinois.^(fourscore)

George, Catharine and four of their children (Mary, Rebecca, Barton W., and Abner) migrated to Hadley Township, settling on department 31. The other four children joined them in the next year: Wesley J., Lydia, Gideon, and Josiah. The sons took care of the farming of the land.⁽⁸¹⁾

Christian Palladium reported that the Illinois Matrimony Conference met at the Baptist Church building in Barry, Pike Canton, Illinois, on November 19, 1841. William Gilliam was the chair and Job Sweet the secretary. Elder G. Alkire gave the opening address and served on the coming together agenda committee.

Alkire was an active participant in debating the issues to grade a new conference. The resolutions included: Efforts would be fabricated past elders and brethren to preach for the destitute.

The brethren were to contribute to sustain those who were preaching. Freeway County would be the territory for the briefing to be called Christian Union Conference. Membership would include elders, deacons, delegates, and brethren. The briefing would patronize the Christian Palladium, the Christian Messenger, as well as other not named papers. Elder David Roberts would exist the book amanuensis.

At the decision of the report, it was noted that Elder G. Alkire had been received as a fellow member of the conference upon the presentation of his letter of commendation from the Deer Creek Conference. He was in a leadership position before the letter was presented.⁽⁸²⁾

In the Christian Messenger, the Winchester, Illinois coming together report was given with the following preachers present: Barton W. Stone; Barton West. Stone Jr., George Alkire, James Burbridge, William Gale, David Roberts.⁽⁸³⁾

A few weeks subsequently, Rock died in Hannibal, Missouri, in November, 1844. He was buried for 3 years in Jacksonville, Illinois, and and so removed to Cane Ridge, Kentucky. Alkire'south relationship with Stone connected from 1803, if not earlier, until Stone's expiry in 1844. Alkire and Stone had attended the State Meeting in Winchester, Illinois together, Stone's terminal one. One of Alkire's sons was named Barton W. Alkire, no doubt, considering of George's fondness of Stone. In Alkire'south prospectus for his autobiography, he promised to related "many interesting incidents - not earlier published - connected with the life and public services of Elder Barton W. Stone."⁽⁸⁴⁾

George's son, Barton W., joined the California Gold Rush in 1849-fifty and returned to Illinois the side by side year a richer man able to support his parents and unwed sisters.

As far as known, George Alkire'southward brothers did not publish any writings. However, the family was interested in educational activity. The proceeds from Elder Alkire's volume were to get to Christian University, Canton, Missouri, and Due north-Western Christian University at Indianapolis.

John Alkire's daughter, Sarah, married Joseph Powell.⁽⁸⁵⁾ Three of their sons, John Alkire Powell, Noah Powell and Alfred Powell led the big group of Christians migrating to Oregon in 1851. Jerry Rushford'sChristians on the Oregon Trail, Chapter x, describes this generation of Alkire grandchildren in the Restoration Motion. John A. Powell was on the Board of Trustees of Christian College, just as his son, Franklin Smith Powell was.⁽⁸⁶⁾

This generation also produced J. North. Halstead, son of Nancy A. Alkire and Elliot Halstead. Nancy was the daughter of George's brother, Michael. Dr. J. Northward. Halstead moved to Merom, Sullivan County, Indiana and invited his Williamsport, Ohio, government minister, E. W. Humphreys, to preach at his house nearly the Wabash River in Indiana. Merom had recently lost the county seatstatus to Sullivan, leaving a lovely courthouse empty. E. W. Humphreys, with the support of J. N. Halstead, acted as the General Amanuensis to convince the Christian Church Conference to locate the Spousal relationship Christian College at Merom, where information technology stayed from 1860 to 1924.⁽⁸⁷⁾

In 1854, an announcement of a prospectus for the life of Elder George Alkire was published in the Christian Evangelist, Ft. Madison, Iowa. The volume was to include the journal of Alkire's life. Later, the Christian Recordreported Elders Henderson and Shannon had taken the Alkire periodical in manus and would bring it out before long. At the time of this writing, a copy of the journal has not been located.

Likewise, in 1854, a volume written past Elder George Alkire,The World That is and That is to Come or a treatise on the archaic condition of human being was published by Picket in Springfield, Illinois. Likely,The World That Is ... was the outcome of the prospectus. Alkire, in his writing over the years, had been concerned with church government and church unity.⁽⁸⁸⁾ G. Alkire's writings had reflected peace, love and unity. The World That Is ... is a renouncement of Roman Catholicism. It would seem this volume might have reflected more the thinking of the editors, Elder Henderson⁽⁸⁹⁾ and Shannon, rather than Alkire.

Elderberry Alkire's terminal printed article to be located was in 1854 on Church Regime.⁽⁹⁰⁾ He seems to have not published after 1854, even though he lived until 1868.The Palladium, The Christian Messenger, the Luminary were no longer publishing; the editors he had worked with were no more.

Where he obtained his pedagogy is a mystery. George Washington reported in his journals the being of a schoolhouse at Erstwhile Fields, nearly Moorefield in Virginia, and likely there were other schools in Kentucky; simply about of George's syblings signed the deeds selling their father'southward estate with an "X". Yet George wrote clearly, developed his themes logically, and had a command of grammar and writing.

He mourned when his books became wet when he tried to cross a stream in his wagon. He mentioned these authors without titles in his writings: Mosheim, Adam Clark of England, Chronology of Usher, Clinton, and Dr. John Cuming of London. Whether past self-instruction or schooling, he used the tools of education.

The thunderstorm passed leaving only the droplets of water falling off the tree leaves onto the tombstone of George Alkire in Barry, Hadley township, Pike County, Illinois. The inscription reads:

George Alkire
b. 1781 d. July 21, 1868

Here lies a man that has died at his post aged 87 years.
Having embraced the Christian religion in Kentucky at the age of 17 years.
Begetting the testimony faithfully until the 24-hour interval of his death.

---

NOTES

1. Wilmer L. Kerns, Historical Records of Old Frederick and Hampshire Counties, Virginia (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 1992), 103.

two. Lyman Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish gaelic Settlement in Virginia: extracted from the original courtroom records of Augusta County, 1745-1800 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1980), vol. 2, 55, 361.

3. Commander Alvin Edward Moore, History of Hardy County of the Frontier (Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Printing Company, 1963), 15.

iv. Ibid., 18.

5. William J. Hinke and Charles Due east. Kemper, eds., "Moravian Diaries through Virginia," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, XII (June, 1905), 57.

six. Moore, lx.

7. Eastward. W. Humphreys, Memoirs of Deceased Christian Ministers; or, Brief Sketches of the Lives and Labors of 975 Ministers Who Died Betwixt 1793 and 1880 (Dayton, Ohio: Christian Publishing Assn., 1880), 15.

viii. Daughters of American Revolution record number 445811 proven by Esther Muriel Hurst Haines.

9. W Virginia State Archives, Lord Thomas Fairfax State Grant to Maunis Alkier (Charlotte, Westward Virginia, half-dozen May 1765), 243.

10. James R. Glacking, "Alkire Family unit," Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly Fourteen:11 (Summer, 1982), 77.

xi. Virginia. Executive Department.Romney Payroll (Richmond, Virginia: Virginia State Library), 4-5.

12. Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Patriot Index. (Washington, D. C., 1966), 8.

13. John H. Gwathmey, Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution (Richmond, Virginia: The Diety Printing, 1938), 8.

14. Glacking, eighty.

15. E. Fifty. Judy, History of Grant and Hardy Counties, Westward Virginia (Charleston, West Virginia: Charleston Printing Company, 1951).

sixteen. West Virginia, Hardy Canton, Deed Volume 2, (Moorefield, West Virginia, 1789-92), 36-37.

17. Kentucky, Bourbon County, Deed Book D (Paris, Kentucky), 424.

18. Approximate James Thousand. Carter, The Carter, Alkire, Kennedy, Williams, and Related Families (Common salt Lake Urban center, Utah: Genealogical Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, n.d.), p. 430.

nineteen. Esther Muriel Hurst Haines letter (Boca Raton, Florida, 5 May 1971). Copy in my possession. Mrs. Haines was the granddaughter of Sarah who was the daughter of Michael Alkire.

20. William Henry Perrin, ed., History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky (Cincinnati, Ohio: Art Club Reprints, 1882), 39.

21. Kentucky, Bourbon County, Will Book B (Paris, Kentucky), 82-83.

22. Humphreys, 15.

23. Henry K. Shaw, Buckeye Disciples: A History of the Disciples of Christ in Ohio (St. Louis: Christian Board of Publications, 1952), eleven.

24. Humphreys, 76.

25. E. M. T. "Peek at the Past," Williamsport [Ohio] News, 23 March 1978.

26. Humphreys, 16-17.

27. Aaron R. Van Cleaf, History of Pickaway County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens (Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co., 1906), 113.

28. Humphreys, 33.

29. Ibid., 363.

30. Ibid., 402.

31. Ibid., 165.Hayes was a author for early on volumes of Gospel Herald.

32. Ibid.,138-141,

33. Ibid., 71. Burbridge was a companion of George Alkire in Ohio and later in Pike County, Illinois. He wrote for early periodicals.

34. Ibid., 64-65.Bradford, born in New York, was the government minister of Williamsport and Mt. Sterling churches and wrote for the Palladium.

35. Ibid., 207-209.Long, born in Maryland, was a prominent figure in Fundamental Ohio and Deer Creek Conferences.

36. Ibid., 76.

37. Ibid., 157-158.Harvey, a physically massive-sized human, was a prominent minister of the Deer Creek Conferences.

38. Robert A. Chocolate-brown."Historical Minutes of the Proceedings of the Peru Convention, the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees of Union Christian Higher," Story of Union Christian College Merom (Sullivan County) Indiana 1859-1924, (Owensboro, Kentucky: McDowell Publications, 1981)x-fourteen.

39. Joseph Thomas.The Life of the Pilgrim Joseph Thomas containing an accurate business relationship of his Trials, Travels and Gospel Labours upwards to the Nowadays date (Winchester, Pennsylvania: J. Foster, Printer, 1817), 181.

xl. Ibid., 183-190.

41. Humphreys, fifteen.

42. Ibid., 145.

43. Shaw, 18.

44. Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales. http://world wide web.sos.state.il.the states/depts/athenaeum/data_lan.html.

45. George Alkire and Enoch Harvey, "Accost of a Christian Conference, held at Deer Creek, Pickaway County, Ohio, to churches inside that Briefing and to the saints scattered abroad," Gospel Luminary 2:six (June, 1826) 125-132.

46. Due east. Thou. The netherlands, Memoir of Rev. Joseph Badger, 281.

47. Ibid., 290.

48. George A. Patterson, "Yearly Meeting and Conference at Williamsport Ohio," Gospel Luminary ii (1826)234-236.

49. Humphreys, 376-378.Walter, built-in in Ohio, preached in New York City and baptized 2,343 persons. He was an editor of Gospel Herald.

50. Ibid., 37-39.

51. Ibid., 402. Zimmerman is probable the correct spelling.

52. Ibid., 103-104. Curtiss, born in Plymouth, Conn., was a armed services man of the staff of General Howe.

53. Ibid., 173. Hornback was ordained by George Alkire.

54. David Millard, ed., "The Christian Brethren at the West," Gospel Luminary,(June 1826), 140-141.

55. George Alkire, "Letter to Brother Rock," Christian Messenger, 4 (1829), 119-120.

56. George Alkire, "Ohio Church Government," Gospel Luminary, five:7 (April, 1832), 205-213.

57. Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales.

58. Derostus F. Ladley and William B. Harding, "Ohio Fundamental Conference," Christian Palladium, three (1834-5), 318.

59. Humphreys, 197. Ladley, born in Chester County Pennsylvania, came to Ohio in 1832. He was ordained by Elders Walter, Currier, and Badger. As a human of taste, precision and order, Ladley caused a library of well-selected books. He preached and wrote for the Palladium.

threescore. Humphreys, 28-29.

61. Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales.

62. David Roberts and James Smith, "Ohio Deer Creek Briefing," Christian Palladium, seven (1838-39), 200.

63. Humphreys, 64-65. Bradford, built-in in 1809 in New York, moved to Ohio in 1832; and by 1839, he was the minister in
charge of the church at Williamsport.

64. Ibid., 107. Dawson, a colonel in the militia, married Dorothy Abigail Alkire, daughter of Adam Alkire, George's brother, and his wife, Margaret Hornbeck.

65. Ibid., 405. Halstead was ordained by George Alkire, Isaac Cade, and George Zimmerman in 1806. Two of Halstead's children married children of George's brother, Michael Alkire. Hannah Halstead one thousand. Benjamin Alkire and Albartis Halstead m. Ruanna Alkire.

66. Enoch Harvey, "Ohio Marriage Conference," Christian Palladium, 8 (1838-nine) 199-200.

67. George Alkire, Wm. B. Mitt, John Due north. Perkins, James Smith, "Letters," Christian Palladium, 8 (1839-xl), 45.

68. Humphreys, 343-344. Stevens, born in Vermont, compiled and published Wedlock Hymn Book in Vermont, joined the Fundamental Conference in 1839 and became the briefing president in 1842.

69. Ibid., 367. True, born in Connecticute, a theologian, wrote for papers.

70. Isaac N. Walter, "Conference Minutes," Christian Palladium, nine (1840-41), 156-57.

71. George Alkire, "Alphabetic character to Blood brother Stone," Christian Messenger, eleven (1840), 178-179.

72. George Alkire, "To the Church at Jamestown, O., with the Elders and Deacons," Christian Palladium, viii(1939-40) 366-67.

73. Humphreys, 94. Van Dooser was born in New York. He wrote frequently for the Palladium.

74. Wm. Gilliam, "Minutes of a Christian Conference at Highland, Pike County, Illinois, April 9th, 1841,) Christian Messenger, vii (June, 1841), 342-iii.

75. Nathaniel South. Haynes, History of the Disciples of Christ in Illinois 1819-1914 (Cincinnati: Standard Publishing Co., 1915), 590.

76. Likely B. F. Van Doozer from New York.

77. Likely Fountain County, Indiana, which lies betwixt Illinois and Ohio.

78. George Alkire, "Letter to Br. Marsh," Christian Palladium, nine (25 My 1841), 78-79.

79. G. Alkire, "Alphabetic character to Br. Marsh," Christian Palladium, 10 (ane Oct 1841), 170.

80. Joseph Thomas, "Ohio Deer Creek Briefing," Christian Palladium (Dec. 1841), 239.

81. Barton W. Alkire, History of Pike Canton Illinois; Together with sketches of its cities, villages, and townships, educational, religious, civil, armed forces, and political history; Portraits of Prominent Persons and biographies of Representative Citizens. (Chicago: Chas. C. Chapman and Co., 1880), 741.

82. Wm. Gilliam, "Illinois Union Conference," Christian Palladium 10 (15 March 1842), 351.

83. P. Henderson, "Land Coming together," Christian Messenger (October, 1844), 183-186.

84. D. Bates, ed., "Eld. Alkire's Life," Christian Tape (February 1854), 61-62.

85. James R. Glacking, "Alkire Descendants," Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly, Fifteen:1 (Spring, 1983), 39.

86. Jerry Rushford, "3 Brothers for Oregon 1851," Christians on the Oregon Trail (Joplin, Missouri: College Press Publishing Co., 1997), 129-143.

87. East. W. Humphreys, "The Rising of Union Christian Higher," Our Piece of work I (May, 1876).

88. Elder George Alkire, The Earth That Is and That Is To Come or a treatise on the primitive condition of man (Springfield, Illinois: Sentinel Book and Job Office, 1854).

89. Henderson was an editor of the Christian Messenger, a clerk of the court in Jacksonville and a long-standing minister.

90. George Alkire, "Church Government--No. 1," Christian Evangelist, v:four (April, 1854), 132-136.

Erma Jean Loveland
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, Texas
lovelande@acu.edu

boucherwherch.blogspot.com

Source: https://webfiles.acu.edu/departments/Library/HR/restmov_nov11/www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/galkire/alkire.html

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