AREA CHURCHES STAND TEST OF TIME (PART 1 OF 2)

These are members of the anniversary committee. Front row, Joan Sebaugh, Joyce Kester, Carolyn Ludwig, Linda Seabaugh, Imogene Sebaugh and the late Mary Barks. Back row, Ed Sebaugh, Mike Kester, Dan Sebaugh, Roy Barks and Buford Sebaugh. Not pictured, Wayne Ludwig.

The inside of the Sargent's Chapel today. You can usually find between 20-30 people filling those pews on Sunday. Like any church, they'd like to have more members. (Photo by Scott Moyers)

This is the log cabin church that Thomas W. Sargent first ministered at before it became known as Sargent's Chapel Lutheran Church.

Rev. D.C. Hurst, the pastor of Sargent's Chapel from 1907-1912.

There are many historic churches in the area that are rich with history. Sargent's Chapel Lutheran Church in Sedgewickville is but one.

And if Sargent's Chapel could talk, it would have over 125 years worth of stories to tell.

Last year, several members of the beautiful old white church celebrated its 125th anniversary by printing a book that tells the church's long rich history.

The book committee consisted of Imogene Seabaugh, Mary Barks and Joyce Kester.

Seabaugh said it took them over six months to research all the material and get it to the printer.

"It's an old historic church," Seabaugh said. "And we wanted to do something special for the anniversary."

Seabaugh and her husband Buford have been married for 55 years and have attended Sargent's Chapel for 50 of those years.

This seems only natural when you consider that both of their parents attended Sargent's Chapel.

The Seabaughs were farmers before they retired and moved from Sedgewickville to Jackson. The church's membership has always consisted of mainly farmers and teachers, but many professions make up the congregation.

The membership today averages around 30 people per Sunday, and -- like any church -- they would like to see their membership grow.

"This church means an awful lot to us," Seabaugh said, "or we wouldn't be driving from Jackson up here."

The Seabaughs have to drive nearly an hour to come to Sargent's Chapel, as others do, but they say it's worth it.

Because, Seabaugh says, a church is like a family to its members, and Sargent's is no exception.

"A family always has to give and take," she said. "And that's what a church has to do, too."

The history before the history

The Sargent's Chapel history, ironically enough, begins before this church structure was ever built.

The story begins in 1796, when Maj. George Frederick Bollinger of North Carolina became one of the earliest settlers of this Northern Louisiana Territory.

While here, he became acquainted with Commandant Don Louis Lorimier of Cape Girardeau, who promised him a large concession of land if he would bring a certain number of colonists into the district.

Bollinger realized that this land had much potential, because White Water River and the many springs in the area gave it an abundance of water.

So he returned to North Carolina for his wife and brought back 20 families in 1800. They went down to White Water River, where they made their settlements. All were either German or Swiss, and spoke the German language.

It is interesting to note that the White Water River was named by the Indians not for the water's color, but for the color of the men's skin that settled along its banks.

Soon, however, the settlers realized that they were missing one thing: a minister.

This was so important that Bollinger again went to North Carolina to bring back Rev. Samuel Weyberg of the German Reformed Church.

Before 1803, the population here was predominately French, thus the church sermons were Roman Catholic.

Rev. Weyberg was most likely the man who preached the first Protestant sermon west of the Mississippi River.

According to the Sargent's Chapel history book, this was at the home of a German settler, about a mile south of where the city of Jackson now stands.

Weyberg organized a number of churches over a wide area. He spread the Christian message as far south as Jonesboro, Ark.

Weyberg died in 1833 of cholera, and two days later his wife followed him.

The book explains the importance of Weyberg to the Sargent's Chapel.

"His story is part of the heritage that intertwines with the stories of our church and so many area churches," the book says. "For he effectively planted a seed that was to grow and thrive, because in the years that followed, Sargent's Chapel and other churches became active rural churches, serving a wide area of devoted families for 191 years."

Thomas W. Sargent

Thomas W. Sargent, who came to the community in 1868, was working with the goal of organizing a Lutheran church.

Through his efforts, Sargent's Chapel was organized on Jan. 17, 1869.

Sargent was 74 years old and is said to have energy seldom surpassed by anyone his age.

It is said that Sargent was greatly loved by the people and was a "source of spiritual guidance to many."

He worked out of a small log cabin church that was known as Propst Church until he resigned in March 1869. Then the church became known as Sargent's Chapel.

Many pastors came and went after that, each doing good work and leaving a legacy of love behind him.

In 1884, the church council began to make plans for a new church. The site was chosen -- five acres of land where the church now stands that had been deeded to the church in 1869 by Andrew and Sarah Cheek for $1.

The new church was started July 16, 1887 and was completed sometime in 1890 for $850.

The new church had a bell that is still there. It has rung for many years and is in good condition.

Years ago, the bell was rung to alert people of a death, burial or a neighborhood emergency.

A basement was dug in 1930. There were no tractors at the time, so this was all done by hand with shovels -- a major chore, no doubt.

In 1934 the church was reroofed and a coal furnace was installed.

According to the older minutes, the 5th annual "Harvest Home Festival" at Sargent's was held Oct. 8, 1933.

This was a celebration of the harvest that had good food, good attendance and a sermon.

In 1952, a new alter set, cross and candle sticks were presented to the church.

The church interior was renovated during January, February and March of 1953. The work was done by members of the church. A new chancel, new ceiling, hardwood floor and enclosed entrance were built. The walls and woodwork were also refinished.

A wagon was disassembled and brought inside the church and then reassembled to put scaffolding on. It was then moved around over the floor to put up a new ceiling.

An amplifying system was added to the church in 1955. A dining hall and kitchen were built in the grove on the church ground in 1956-57.

Much more work has been done to the church since then. Stained glass windows have been put in, new water systems have been added, a new kitchen has been built and more. The stained glass windows were special because they were made by a former pastor at Sargent's.

Despite all these modifications, Sargent's hasn't lost its old-time religious feel, and for that the congregation must be thankful.

Editor's Note: Next week, join us as we finish up our two-part series on historic churches in the area when we look at the German Evangelical Church in Dutchtown.