2025 Journal-Yearbook

Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook

organizer and Peter Cartwright was its first president. Organized as the Illinois Female College, it was one of the earliest attempts for providing education to females. Later known as MacMurray College, the college went coeducational in 1955 and ceased operation in 2020. 16. Illinois Wesleyan University, a co-educational, liberal arts school was established in Bloomington in 1850. Hedding College in Abingdon merged with Wesleyan in the late 1930’s. The school is highly rated as an educational institution in the Midwest. 17. Chaddock in Quincy, began as a coeducational German and English College in 1853. The college continued until 1875 in its original location then moved to the John Wood mansion and was renamed Chaddock College. The college closed in 1899 but reopened a year later as Chaddock Boy’s School until it was simply Chaddock in 1983. Chaddock is an internationally recognized leader in the treatment of children suffering from the psychological, emotional, and spiritual effects of significant abuse, neglect and trauma. 18. Sunset Home in Quincy began as a gift of the Charles Pfeiffer residence to the St. Louis German Conference in 1889 to create “The Old People’s Home.” It became known as Sunset Home in 1940, with expansions in 1950 and 1971. Sunset Villa was added in the 1980’s. 19. The Baby Fold in Normal, where Nancy Mason donated her home in May 1902 to be used as the Mason Deaconess Home for the Aged. By 1905, the home began operation to care for homeless and orphaned babies. Through many changes in program, the Baby Fold continues to serve children in need. 20. First Vacation Bible School was organized in Hopedale by Mattie Miles, wife of the Rev. D. T. Miles in 1894. Thirty-seven children attended the classes held in the local school with an adjoining park used for recreation. High school students were recruited as “practice teachers” to assist. 21. Lizzie Johnson, an invalid from Casey, made a quilt to “redeem an African slave girl.” When it didn’t sell, she began making silk bookmarks with a scripture verse on them. The bookmarks raised more than $20,000 for missions. Bishop Francis Wesley Warne, missionary bishop in India, took the quilt and raised another $100,000. A church was built in India and bore the name Lizzie Johnson Church. Lizzie was in constant pain and her physical movements were limited to her hands and forearms. 22. Methodist Medical Center in Peoria, where Methodist deaconesses opened the first Methodist Hospital in 1900. The facility, now operated by Carle Health Methodist Hospital provides highly accessible, high-quality care and service to improve health in communities throughout central Illinois and beyond. 23. Langleyville Settlement, which was an outreach to an immigrant population that settled outside Taylorville. Taylorville First, through its Women’s Home Missionary Society (a predecessor of United Women in Faith) began in 1924 to establish a community center. Miss Zoe King became the director in 1928 and remained there for 40 years. Clubs, classes and activities of all sorts were conducted to teach Christian values.

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