Davenport Democrat Davenport, Scott, Iowa July 20, 1924 CIRCUIT RIDERS BROUGHT GOSPEL TO EARLY DAVENPORT Peter Cartwright, Famous Backwoods Preacher, Rode Circuit Here in Early Days Religious services in the twentieth century are held in edifices so magnificent that it is difficult to realize the difference between present-day worship and that of the days when Davenport had not yet become a town. Back in 1828, Peter Cartwright, the most picturesque of the many backwoods preachers, traveled a circuit from Galena to Kentucky and it was then that Methodism first reached Iowa. Wm. D.R. Crotter first broke ground in Iowa at Burlington. Cartwright, his father-in-law, followed soon after. "There was but a scattered population," Cartwright says of his first preaching in Iowa. "Yet when they came out to meeting the cabins were so small that not one in the settlement would hold all. We repaired to a grove and hastily prepared seats. With an old bent-over tree trunk as a pulpit, I declared the unsearchable riches of the gospel of Jesus Christ." The Old Time Religion. Religion today is a dignified ceremony compared to the time when Cartwright rode the circuit. Decorum characterizes the worship of our huge cathedrals. Occasionally there is a revival, and people hit the sawdust trail; but even a red-hot revival produces no such varieties of religious experience as Cartwright frequently witnessed. "A new exercise broke out among us called the jerks," he says, "which was overwhelming in its effects upon the bodies and minds of the people. Whether saints or sinners, they would be taken under a warm song or sermon and seized with a convulsive jerking all over, which they could not avoid. I have seen more than 100 persons jerking at one time. To obtain relief they would rise up and dance. Some would run, but could not get away. "To see these proud young gentlemen and young ladies dressed in their silks, jewelry and prunella from top to toe, take the jerks could often excite my risibilities. The first jerk or so, you could see their fine bonnets, caps and combs fly; and so sudden would be the jerking of the head that their long loose hair would crack almost as loud as a wagoner's whop. Riding the Circuit. Cartwright was appointed to the Quincy district in 1832 and cared for a number of missions commencing at the mouth of the Illinois river and running up the Mississippi to Galena. There were 1400 Methodists in the district. His district consisted of new settlements. His travel entailed long hard rides, cabin parlors, straw beds and bedsteads made of barked saplings, and puncheon bedcords, but the people were kind, and showed genuine frontier hospitality. The men were hardy, industrious, enterprising. The women were also hardy- would think nothing of turning out and helping raise cabins, and would mount a horse and trot 10 to 15 miles to meeting or to see the sick! Disliked "Hothouse Plants" Cartwright did not like the ladies of fashion. Of them he says they would faint if they had to walk 100 yards in the sun without a parasol; that they were braced and stayed to such and extent that they could not step more than six or eight inches at a time. "Should they by an accident happen to lose their moorings and fall, they were imprisoned with so many unmentionables that they could not get up again." Almost Pawns His "Benny." It was in the late 30's or early 40's that Cartwright first visited the mission at Rock Island, in charge of Philip T. Cordier, " a man of feeble talents, unstable, one who did but little good, and was finally expelled." The mission was located at what was then called Wells' settlement, a few miles above the mouth of Rock river. The river was high, and the preacher did not want to swim. He asked the ferryman to take him across, promising to pay him on Monday. The ferryman, " a very mean man who charged high and imposed travelers," would not do it without Cartwrights pawning something. He suggested that an overcoat be left. Cartwright needed the coat, and so was unable to ride. A little further, he saw a horseman fording the river, which appeared not to be deep, and crossed. When he asked the stranger about his experience with the ferryman, the latter said, "You have made a blessed escape, for if you had left your overcoat you never would have got it again. He is a great rascal and makes his living by foul means." Falls in the River. On another visit to a quarterly meeting on the Rock Island mission, he was accompanied by Brother Summers, a traveling presiding elder. The two decided to cross the upper ford on Rock river. Both were riding horses and carrying many religious books. Cartwright's horse slipped on a rock in the middle of the stream and fell. The saddle turned and Cartwright was thrown into the stream. He left his horse and swam after his saddle bags, which he recovered just before they began to sink. His books and clothes were ruined. His Visit of 1861. In his 76th year, Cartwright returned to Rock Island to preach. The Davenport Gazette for Oct. 3, 1861, said: "This octogenarian lectures this evening at the Methodist church in Rock Island this evening. In all probability it will be the last opportunity our citizens will have to hear the celebrated man. They should avail themselves of it. The proceeds of the lecture are to be given to the Methodist church of Rock Island." A Picturesque Character. The noted circuit-rider was born in Amhurst county on the James river in Virginia, Sept. 1, 1785, and died near Pleasant Prairie, Ill., Sept. 1, 1872, in his 87th year. His work among the pioneers suffered many hardships. When the slavery question, which split the Methodist church into two factions that are not attempting to unite, was broached to him, he said, "I believe that the most successful way to ameliorate the condition of the slaves and Christianize them and finally secure their freedom is to treat their owners kindly and not to meddle politically with slavery." Talks with Mormon Leader. At Springfield, Cartwright once met Joseph Smith, who was head of the Mormon church, at Nauvoo, where it took refuge after having been expelled from Missouri. They fell into a conversation on the subject of religion. "I found him to be a very illiterate and impudent desperado in morals, but at the same time he had a vast fund of low cunning," Cartwright said of the incident. "He made his onset by flattery and laid on the soft sodder thick and fast, called me one of God's noblest creatures. He believed that among all the churches in the world the Methodist was nearest right, as far as they went, but had stopped short by claiming the gift of tongues, prophecy, and miracles, and quoted a batch of scripture to prove his positions correct. Pretty well for clumsy Joe, I gave him rope." Later Smith said of the circuit rider, I will show you that I will raise up a government in these United States that will overturn the present government; I will raise up a new religion that will overthrow every other form in the country." Yes, Uncle Joe, but my bible tells me 'the bloody and deceitful man shall not live out half his days'; and I expect the Lord will send the devil after you some of these days and take you out of the way." "No sir, I shall live and prosper while you will die in your sins." "Well, sir," Cartwright came back, "if you live and prosper you must quit your stealing."- and here the preacher made an illusion to Smith's polygamy in no polite terms. "Thus we parted to meet no more on earth; for in a few years after this an outraged and deeply hurt people took the law into their own hands and killed him and drove the Mormons from the state." Cathy Joynt Labath Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm Iowa Old Press http://www.IowaOldPress.com/