St. Francisville's Christian Church was organized in October 1894 under the leadership of Elder W. R. Couch of Wabash County with W.H Highfield as clerk. According to the records, a business meeting of the members of the Christian Church was called June 24, 1895, for the purpose of making arrangements to build a Christian Church in the village of St. Francisville. It is interesting to note that up to this time no provision had been made for a building; the 25 members met in h

Fruit trees were then in bloom and from appearances there would be an abundance of fruit if nothing happened to destroy or blight it. Farmers were rejoicing over the fine weather and the outcome of the wheat. Health was good in general. Croquet seemed to be the principal amusement of the young folks. Simon Vandermark had disappeared; information was wanted as to his whereabouts. Lou Hite, a young man well known in the county formerly clerking in the drug store of Ed Schmalhau

The history of the Edward Dobbins Lodge Building can be found in the Abstract of Title of Lot 69 in Valentine J. Bradley’s Addition to the Town of Lawrenceville. The building may be the oldest in the city. The first entry is the land patent from the United States to Toussaint DuBois that was granted on August 28, 1788. The land Patent covered a group of seven locations comprising what was known as ‘the Schoals’, a part of the Northwest Territory France ceded to the colony of

Plan to attend the program “The Little Town with a Big Heart” on February 21, 2026, at 1:30pm at at Sumner’s new City Hall, 224 S. Christy Ave. Free admittance and refreshment courtesy of the city of Sumner. Presentation by George Zwilling. Black churches in Lawrence County, Illinois formed the spiritual and social backbone of the county’s early African American communities. Congregations such as the AME churches provided far more than Sunday worship—they were places wher

Occasionally, an artifact arrives in the mail unexpectedly and tells a long-forgotten story. Such is the case with this key tag rescued...

Old winter had almost “marched” out in April of 1880. Sumner News: Business improved as the roads got better. The surplus wheat that...

The year 1880 was to be an eventful one. The census of the United States would be taken, a new President elected, and it was a leap year....

Churches of Bridgeport (Religious leaders as of 1957) Assembly of God-- George Rutledge Minister 3rd and Jefferson Church of God- - Mrs....

The new Christian Church building at St Francisville was under construction in September 1974 but had come a long way since the first...

Our researchers continue to deep dive into Lawrence County’s history in 1879. In February 18 deaths were recorded. One set of twins was...