484 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI each faction should retain the original name. At its meeting in 1843 the Synod of Missouri (Old School) passed a resolution allowing the organization of the Presbytery of Potosi. Southeast Missouri Presbyterian Churches At a meeting of the Synod of Missouri in St. Louis, October 23, 1843, it was ordered that the churches in Southeast Missouri should be organized into a Presbytery called the Presbytery of Potosi. The meeting for the purpose of effecting this organization was held in the Presbyterian church in Farming- ton April 2, 1844. The assembly was called to order in the old brick church building which afterward became the property of the Disciples or Christians. The opening sermon was preached by Rev. John T. Cowan and after the sermon the organization was per- fected. There were three ministers present, John F. Cowan, D. E. Y. Rice, and James M. Covington. There was only one other minister within the bounds of the Presbytery, Jolin McLean. The elders present were John Mc- Neely, of the 1st Apple Creek church, Peter Statler of Whitewater church, Seth Hall of the 2nd Apple Creek church, Robert Sloan of Bellevue and Potosi, John D. Peers of Farm- ington, William Patterson of Clark's Creek, and Peter Whittenberg of Steelville. The churches not represented were Brazeau, Pleasant HiU, Jackson and Castor, making a total within the bounds of the Presbytery of five ministers and twelve churches. It will be noticed that the Presbytery was somewhat larger than the territory of Southeast Mis- souri, as we have defined it, for it included thirty-three counties in this part of the state. During the first ten years following the or- ganization of the Presbytery the ministers received were as follows: In 1845, Amos H. Rogers, who had charge of the Farmiugton church; Asael Muuson, who was received in June, 1845, and for 23 years was in charge of the 1st Apple Creek church, afterward becoming a member of the St. Louis Presby- teiy, but returning to Potosi Presbytery in April, 1870, where he supplied the Potosi and Irondale churches until his death in 1876; J. T. Paxton, who was received into the Pres- bytery in April, 1853, and supplied the church of Farmiugton ; A. A. Mathis, on the same date, and was supply at Bellevue and after- ward pastor at Brazeau ; John McLean, one of the ministers of the Presbytery was a member for five years, but during that time was not in charge of any church. During these ten years two new churches were organized, one at Cape Girardeau and one at Benton in 1852. During the same period Jackson, Castor and the 2nd Apple Creek churches were dissolved, so that at the close of the first decade there were five min- isters and eleven churches. Presbyterianism in 1854-64 During the second decade, extending from 1854 to 1864, there were a number of changes in the ministry of the church. The Rev. D. E. Y. Rice died in 1854; he had been a mem- ber of the Presbytery for more than ten years and served as a stated clerk, was pastor at Pleasant Hill and Cape Girardeau and, as we have seen, was president of the Wash- ington Female Academy. In 1854, Rev. John F. Cowan was dismissed from the Presbytery after a service of more than 20 years. In 1855 J. H. Moore was ordained as a minister and supplied Brazeau for a number of years. At the same time J. G. Wells was ordained and was made principal of Pleasant Hill Academy. W. F. P. Noble was also made a minister, but seems to have had no charge ;
