Wayne County Researchers I ran across an interesting tidbit in the current issue of "The Preserver" from Jefferson County Genealogical Society. Article is titled "History of the Saline District Friends to Humanity Association of Emancipation Baptist Churches Principally of Southeastern Illinois" by The Rev. Ronald L. Nelson. Starts with a description of this group: "The Friends of Hamnity (anti-slavery) Baptist Association was formed out of the old Illinois Association and had its beginnning in the heart of Elder James Lemen, Sr. Two Hundred years ago, in February of 1794, the ice was cut in Fountain Creek and James Lemen was baptized by Josiah Dodge. Lemen became the first Baptist convert baptized in what would become Illinois. Elder Dodge came to Illinois from Severn's Valley Baptist Church of Hardin County, KY. Dodge was a leader in the emancipation movement in Kentucky and, it was said, "His iemancipation sentiments destroyed his influence, and he died young." (Spencer Vol. 1, p. 188) The interesting part is a mention of a church in Wayne County that I had not heard of. Here's the statement: "In 1829, the Orkshire Creek Friends to Humanity Baptist Church was organized, in what is now the south part of Wayne County. The spelling of this church's name is different from the current spelling of Auxier Creek, but its location can be established by its members, who lived in the area of Auxier Creek. By the all of 1829 it is listed with 22 members. Some of the early ministers were: Elder John Williams, Elder James Bellows, Elder Phillip Wells and Elder Thomas Hamilton." If anyone wants more information about this group, let me know as the article is quite long. There's also a very good article about "Dowsing With Divining Rods", which explains how and why this works for finding sunken gravestones among other uses. Author was William Hill Dawson, Metropolis, IL (now deceased). -- Sandy (Whalen) Bauer http://www.whalen-family.org "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO - What a Ride!"