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From the History of the Church of Christ, the True and Faithful Followers of Jesus. Exemplified by Their Church Polity and Doctrine. From its Organization to the Present Time, by Elder Thos. H. Owen (Sentinel Company, Printers and Binders: Indianapolis, 1872). |
Thomas Harvey Owen was born June 25, 1797 in Buncombe County, North Carolina to parents of Welsh decent. The Owens family moved to Franklin County, Illinois in 1817, and Thomas married Mary Paine Wren, a native of Kentucky, in Franklin on April 2, 1818. Shortly there after, he became a dovout Baptist preacher of the Old School. In 1830, he moved his family six miles east of Carthage. There he established the first church in the area (as well as subsequent others). Not accepting to collect a wage as Baptist ministers did back then, Thomas made his living as a farmer. Carthage became the permanent county seat of Hancock County in 1833. Elder Owen also took a keen interest in social and civil affairs, and was selected as the Hancock County representative to the Illinois State Legislature. He was elected to that post thirteen times duirng his residency in that county. He also preached on a regular basis at several of churches which he help found (as well as helped construct), and was known widely for his "indomitable energy" and sterling character. In 1839, the Mormons came to the nearby town of Commerce, settled there, and renamed it Nauvoo (Beautiful Place). They were escaping the 1838 "Extermination Order" issued by Missouri Governor (and later Sonoma and Napa County resident and alcalde of the Northern District of California), Lilburn W. Boggs. The population of Nauvoo grew quickly to 20,000 with an intense Anti-Mormon friction being generated among its surrounding neighbors. The violence escalated and in June of 1844, the Mormon founder Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were murdered while in jail in Carthage. A year after their murder, the Nauvoo City charter was repealed eliminating the strong Mormon political (and military) base of power. Finally, in February of 1846 the Mormons were driven from their homes in Nauvoo, leaving Illinois to begin their exodus to Salt Lake City. Being an Elder of the Primitive Baptist Church, Thomas H. Owen was also in strong opposition to Mormonism, whose very existence he said was "a great nuisance and detriment to the country." However, consistant to his calling, he also was strongly opposed to any mob rule or illegal activity. Because of his stance against such violence, Elder Owen was known in the community to be "without prejudice or partial feelings on either side" of the Mormon issue. He was selected as one of two elisors to draw up a list of "good & lawful men" to serve on the October 1844 Hancock County Grand Jury to deal with the murders. From Carthage Conspiracy, The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith, by Dallin H. Oaks and Marvin S. Hill (University of Illinois Press, 1979), p. 104: |
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Owen... was a forty-nine-year-old North Carolina-born Baptist clergyman, known as a Jack Mormon. Thomas Owen claimed the distinction of being the first resident of Carthage, where he settled in 1831. In 1833 he had supervised the building of the original log cabin courthouse in Carthage. Often selected for reponsible offices by his fellow citizens, Owens had served in the general assembly from Hancock County in 1834 and 1842. In the later election he was supported by the Mormon vote and had loyally and capably represented their interests, notably in opposing the unsuccessful effort to repeal the Nauvoo Charter. Since that time, he had been sympathetic with the Mormon cause in resisting what he called the "wretched purposes" and "blood thirsty dispositions of those demons" who were advocating anti-Mormon mob action... |
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In April of 1849, Elder Owen with two of his sons, came out to California via the Southern route, and establlished a trading post and small ferry on the Tualomne River in the place later known as Angels Camp. One son operated the ferry, while Thomas built sluice-boxes, rockers and wheelbarrows to sell to the 49'rs. In 1851, they left the gold fields and established a large ranch to raise hay and stock cattle near the rapidly growing town of Suisun in Solano County. Thomas' two sons worked in town as carpenters, and by 1853, Thomas was able to bring most of the rest of their family out from Illinois. Elder Owen continued establishing Baptists churches (the first ones in the area), and as a circuit minister, he traveled and preached throughout Solano and Sonoma Counties for the next 16 years. He also served as Solano County's representative to the state legislature between the years of 1853 and 1854. In 1867, the Owen family moved to Napa County and established homesteads above Monticello. There, Elder Owen wrote a history of the Primitive Baptist Church. He also continued delivering services to churches in Suisun, Santa Rosa and Sonoma, twice a month, using a horse and buggy as he had in the past as his means of convience on his circuit. When his wife passed away in 1876, he moved to Santa Rosa, and lived with his daughter. He passed away at her house at the age of 83, on February 27, 1880. He is buried in Fairfield. In the History of Hancock County, by Thomas Gregg (Charles C. Chapman and Company: Chicago, 1880), page 737, a "Sketch of the Life of Elder Thomas H. Owen" is also available. |
The present minister of the Carthage Primitive Baptist Church is Elder Robert Webb. He is also the church's historian, librarian, and church webmaster. Of Elder Thomas H. Owens and the Primitive Baptists of early California, Elder Robert Webb writes: |
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I have a file of information on Elder Thomas H. Owen, as he was the first pastor of the church called Providence... in Hancock County, Illinois. [The] Providence church is still active, also, Elder Thomas H. Owen wrote a Church History, after he went to California... He wrote this in about 1859 or 1860, and he died in 1880. In this book, the minutes of the Old School Corresponding Meeting of California, for 1859 and 1862, are reproduced. They were published in a church periodical (still being published), called Signs of the Times, which was published in New York state. Many Primitive Baptist subscribed to this paper, so it was decided to publish the minutes each year in this paper. I have almost a complete set of this periodical on microfilm or hard copy, from 1832 to the present. I found the minutes of 1859, 1860, and 1862, published in its columns... The four churches shown on our website for California, started this annual joint meeting, in 1859. I'm not sure how long it continued. I found some information about it as late as 1865 in the Signs of the Times, but I think it continued till at least 1880. Each church chose two or three messengers to represent them in doing the business of the "Corresponding Meeting" when it convened. That is how I obtained the names of the members I have given you for each church. I have a total of about 16 or 17 names for these churches in my database. There had to be two or three times as many members in the churches, or more. If the records could be found, they would list all the members names. One never knows about church records, but it seems unlikely at this late date that we can find them with so few clues. But I've said that before and been wrong. I've been working on finding church records in Illinois for 30 years, and have found perhaps a hundred or more, and have many for other states also... Both Elder Thomas H. Owen and Elder William Kendall, came from this county in Illinois where I live. They are the only ordained ministers whose names I have found connected with this Corresponding Meeting, the first churches of Primitive Baptists in California, so far. The churches all died out, probably over a hundred years ago, and the Primitive Baptists in California today (maybe 30 churches or so), have been planted by people who moved into the state mainly from further south, - Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, etc. I plan to copy the minutes of 1860 out of the Signs of the Times, as I didn't take time to type it after finding it last week. The names of A. Cockrill, John S. Cockrill [Hagans?], William D. [B?] Cockrill, and L. D. Cockrill all appear in the minutes of one or more of these three years - 1859, 1860, and 1862. The dates these churches were organized, 1854 being the earliest, agrees with what you have stated about them coming to Santa Rosa in 1853. Messengers to this meeting would usually be male members, usually the most prominent or active members in the church. These churches were probably quite small - probably all four of them were less than 15 members each, maybe less than that. They probably met in homes and schools, maybe of log construction. Elder Thomas Owen helped make brick for the the first church (of any faith) in this county [Hancock Co., IL], so he was capable of building such a structure, but whether he did so, I do not know [there is a description of the "Old Brick" Middle Creek Church which Owens help build available]. Here, the churches were larger and he would have had more help. His address at first, in California, was Suisun City. He served in the California legislature in 1852. I noticed a different address in later years, but can't recall what it was. There was a Primitive Baptist church at Pleasant Gap, Missouri, also. I don't have the records, and don't know whether they have survived. That would be a big help in this case, if they could be found... Here are the members
names I have for these four churches (very, very incomplete)... ... I found William D. Cockrill (the middle initial could be wrong, but that's how it is listed), and A. Cockrill, both listed as messengers from the Santa Rosa church, in Sonoma County, which was organized in 1854 (the first PBC in California). L. D. Cockrill was listed as a member of Liberty Church, which met in the Liberty school house, also somewhere in Sonoma county, but I don't know the exact location. Henry Beaver is listed as a messenger from Santa Rosa church, and also Alfred H. Hagans, who was licensed to preach. J. S. Hagans is also listed from Santa Rosa church. Other names I've found for these two churches include (Liberty): Thomas Vanwinkle, Josiah Dorris, and William E. Flanary; (Santa Rosa): E. Burrus. I know that there were other members besides these mentioned above, but don't have their names. There was also a church at Ione in Amador County, (the Fithian surname appears there), and one at Suisun City, in Solano county... ...I found a reference to the fact that Santa Rosa church met at Church-hill churchhouse (or meeting house) when they hosted the joint session. Have you ever heard of "Church-hill" meeting house? I also found another reference to William Cockrill and this time it gave the middle initial as "B" [for Barrett]. So I would say that is the answer to that problem. I have a file of indexes of obituaries in some of the volumes of the Signs of the Times, and while going through what I have in this file I noticed some hopeful or possible California people: Hannah Fithian (1887)
We have this periodical in bound volumes from 1897 to present, almost a perfect set. From 1832 to 1897, we have most of it on microfilm - and we have 1832-1881 for sale, on seven reels if I remember right. I noticed in the note with Alfred Hagans' obit (1908) that it mentions six churches, being in the Corresponding Meeting, rather than four. In one account I came across, written by Elder Thomas H. Owen, he mentions going to Mark West for the meeting. That makes me wonder if a church might have been organized there - although it sounded like it was very close to Santa Rosa, so am not sure. The obit also told that he (Alfred Hagans) had moved to Oregon or Washington for several years, but in 1891 returned to California - Los Angeles. Found some reference to members living at Brentwood, Calif.... D. B. Holman, who is on my list of members, I learned was also ordained as a minister. He also served in the California legislature from Solano Co in 1860-1861. If I recall correctly, I noticed that Wm. B. Cockrill also served in the legislature. Counting Elder Thomas H. Owen, that makes 3 legislators in the bunch, out of 30 member names so far. The Signs of the Times was published at two or three different places in those days [c. 1862]... During the time Gilbert Beebe was editor (1832-1881) it was published most of that time from [New Vernon] New York state except for a space of time when he lived (I think) around Alexandria, Virginia. You may have noticed that I am a PB minister, myself, and conduct a PB Library. The Library has republished two old hymnals, both of which are still in use. One, common referred to as the "Goble" hymnal, has no musical notation, except meters - C. M. (common meter), S. M. (short meter), L. M. (Long meter), etc. Those churches which have used this book for a hundred years or more, know different tunes for these various meters, and dont need the notes. The other book, common referred to as the "Daily" (John R. Daily was its compiler) hymnal, has musical notation on most of the hymns. The notes are "shape notes." Shape-note singers all over the country, as well as our churches, order this book from us to use at their singings, or to study, or whatever. There are several other Primitive Baptist hymnals in use around the country, as well. Some have notes for all the hymns, some have none, some are in between. We have a collection of hymnals in our library, some are in print and some are not, some are very rare. [The use of Shape Note Singing notation since the 19th century has been a common practice at Primitive Baptist Church meetings as it has been in many other primarly Southern churches. In the Primitive Baptist Church in particular, they are still singing from the same hymnals now as they used over a hundred years ago. There has been a lot of interest lately in the "shape-note music" common to older American churches. A significant site which contains information about this subject can be found at www.fasola.org The site also includes links to recordings of this style of singing, some done by Primitive Baptist congregations among others.] Regarding the typical construction of our church buildings I would say that most were rectangular buildings similar to the typical country frame country school, many of them had rather high ceilings, maybe 12' or so, and little or no thought was given to acoustics. A typical building 30 by 40 feet dimensions, would have two front doors, and then two rows of pews inside, with shorter pews at the sides of the pulpit at the far end of the church from the doors. This is not by rule, it was just often the case... I should have said regarding pews that there could be two rows with a center aisle, or three rows with two aisles (wider pews in the center, and short pews on each side), regardless of whether there was one front door, two back doors, two front doors, or whatever. I know of cases where the pews were in a semi-circle, but the typical situation was rows of pews.
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| The following articles were also sent to me by Elder Robert Webb. An "account of our progress in California," by Elder Thomas H. Owen, June 16, 1859 from Suisun City, California. "Constitution of the Old School Baptist Corresponding Meeting of California" -- the 1859 minutes of the founding of the Primitive Baptist Church in Sonoma County. "Minutes of the Fourth Session of the Old School Baptist Corresponding Meeting of California" -- the 1862 minutes of the Primitive Baptist Church in Sonoma County.
Coincidently, my grandfather, the great-grandson of Anderson Cockrill, along with his family lived for many years about a block away from the home of Elder Thomas Owen's granddaughter on Coombs Street in Napa. It is not known if they knew each other.
It appears that the Cockrill family had a long association with the Primitive Baptist Church and this area of family history warrants much more study. This also appears to be the case with other families associated with the Cockrills -- in particular, the Beaver Family had a significant history with the Primitive Baptist Church in the Massanutten area of Virginia. One assumes that a similar history could be uncovered for the Hagans family as well.
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This page created on 12/18/03 20:39. Updated 01/01/06 12:52.