206 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI pointed to the Cape Girardeau circuit, and Asa Overall began work in the New Madrid circuit. There was also formed this year a new circuit to include the territory between the Maramec and Apple creek. This was given the name of Saline circuit. Preaching was held at several points within this circuit, principally at the Murphy settlement, Cook settlement, Callaway settlement and new Ten- nessee. The Murphy settlement was the oldest Methodist comnniuity west of the Mississippi river, and probably contained more Method- ists than any other. The first Methodist ser- mon west of the river was preached in the Murphy settlement in 1804, by Joseph Ogles- by. This was at the house of Mrs. Sarah Murphy. One of the early IMethodist preach- ers in the Saline circuit was Jacob White- side. This circuit had, at the close of the year 1815, one hundred and fifteen members. The conference in 1815 appointed Philip Davis to the New Madrid circuit, Jesse Haile for the Cape Girardeau circuit and Thomas Wright for the Saline circuit. In 1816 a new conference w'as organized at Shiloh meeting house near Belleville, Illi- nois. It comprised Saline, Cape Girardeau, New Madrid and the St. Francois circuits and w-as called the Missouri Conference. Samuel H. Thompson was made presiding elder of the conference, and Bishop Roberts presided at the meeting. The conference appointed Thomas Wright and Alexander ]IcAlister to the Cape Girardeau and New Madrid circuits, and John C. Harbison to Saline circuit. In 1817 Thomas Wright was sent to Saline cir- cuit, Joseph Spiggott to New Madrid circuit and Rucker Tanner to St. Francois circuit, while the Cape Girardeau circuit was left to be supplied. Tanner was a rather remarkable man. He had been a very reckless youth and had spent his early life in the New Madrid district. It is related of him that on one occasion he and an elder brother made a trip to New Orleans, and while there ran short of funds. After all their money was exhausted, it was ar- ranged between them that R. Tanner, whose complexion was very dark, should be sold by his brother as a slave. This arrangement was carried out and the elder brother departed with the money. After a considerable diffi- culty, R. Tanner succeeded in regaining his freedom and escaped from the country. He started to walk home but on the way hired himself out to a local Methodist preacher. He lived with this preacher for some time, becoming converted and professing a desire to preach. It may be imagined that his re- turn home was a great surprise to his friends, who had thouglit him long since dead. Almost immediatel}' upon his return he announced an appointment to preach. It was such a sur- prising thing that this reckless youth should be preparing for the ministry, that a very large congregation assembled to hear his first attempt. He was very soon admitted to the conference and appointed, as we have said, to the St. Francois circuit. For the years 1818 and '19 Saline circuit was served by Thomas Wright, Cape Girardeau circuit by John Scripps and the St. Francois circuit by John McParland. There is a question as to when the first con- ference west of the river was held. Septem- ber 14, 1819, is sometimes given as the date of the beginning of the first conference. This conference was held at McKendree chapel. There is some authority, however, for believ- ing that there had been a conference held in 1818 at Mt. Zion church in the IMurphy set- tlement, at which conference Bishop JIcKen-
