Church parsonage memories outlive this historic structure

This photo of Teddy (Ruth Martin’s dog) shows off the vast woodwork inside of what formerly served as parsonage for the South Side Christian Church. The house originally served as homestead to the Joseph Peyton family. Photo contributed by Ruth Martin Ellison.

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

Ruth Martin Ellison of Hannibal grew up in the historic Peyton homestead, when it was a parsonage for the South Side Christian Church.

She was 4 when her family moved to Hannibal. In 1951 her father, Bro. Elba Martin, was called to pastor at the  Southside Christian Church. The family settled in at the church parsonage, and remained there until 1965, when Bro. Martin accepted the pastorate at the newly formed Lindell Avenue Christian Church.

Soon after she graduated from high school, in 1965, “we moved up on Park Avenue,” she said.

Ruth has fond memories of growing up at the parsonage, 210 Cypress St., where Fulton Avenue once connected.

“It was a beautiful house,” she said, “the crown molding was beautiful.

“There were three big rooms downstairs. When you opened the door there was a long hallway that went to what we called the living room. To the right of the hallway there was a big room that probably would have been called the parlor, to entertain guests. To the left of the hallway was another big room, which would have either been the living or dining room. And there was another big room straight at the end of the hall.

“Dad used the room to the left as his study; then the kitchen was at the back of his study.

“The parlor was supposed to be always picked up and clean, there were paintings there. We kept it nice for company.

“My dad did house weddings. Couples would come to the house and be married. I knew that room was off limits.

“Under the parlor room, my mom always thought there was a cave under there; it had a musty smell. Through the years, we learned that there were caves all over” the South Side.

“It was a big house.”

Yet, “upstairs only had two bedrooms and a bathroom.

“For a long time I slept in a small room with my mom and dad. When I got to be around junior high age, they fixed up an attic room into my bedroom.

“It was always amazing to me, why there were not more bedrooms upstairs.

“The house had tall ceilings, beautiful woodwork. There was a pretty wood staircase when you entered the front door; next to the hallway was the stairway.

“It was not air-conditioned. It originally had a coal furnace in the basement, and a coal bin that was fenced off. A truck would come, put a chute in the window and throw in the coal.

“The giant furnace took up half of the basement.”

She remembers the coal dust.

“When the church converted it to a gas furnace, that was a blessing.

“I loved that house. It had a big front and back porch, each with a swing.

“There was a nice yard and my dog, Teddy, (I got him when I was 2 years old) is buried there somewhere.

“In those days, we used to have hobos come through. They had some kind of communication system, houses where they would feed them.

“Mom always fixed a good Sunday dinner.

"The hobos would sit on the swing or porch steps and dad would talk to them and learn about hobo life. They liked traveling from town to town; Dad was always interested in people’s stories. Always interested in the underprivileged.

“Hobos fascinated me, but Mom wouldn’t let me go out there. She would take a plate out, then we’d eat our dinner, and she’d take a dessert out. 

“We have the homeless today, but that’s different from the hobos of that day,” Ruth said.

Church building

She also remembers the church building next door to the parsonage.

“The baptistery had steps that went down to the dining hall area, they were very narrow and it was kind of scary to go up and down those steps.”

She hated to see that church go. “I know it had lots of stairs, and was not handicap accessible. They needed a new church, but I hated to see it torn down.”

The congregation built the Clover Road Christian Church around 2002, she said. They sold the building to another congregation.

Then, in about 2004, the school district approached them about selling the building, to be torn down to make room for the new Stowell School. 

When they tore down the church, “I got a few bricks,” she said.

A fond neighborhood memory was the Burns Store, 614 Fulton, at the intersection with Riverside. It was operated by Elmer E. Burns. “I used to walk up there with my dog, and sat on the porch. That didn’t happen real often, but I could buy a whole sack of candy with five pennies.”

Note: See associated story.

Bro. Elba M. Martin, left, with his family, including his wife, Fern, and daughters, Shirley and Ruth. This photo was taken shortly before Ruth married, she said. Photo contributed by Ruth Martin Ellison.

Front porch of the South Side Christian Church parsonage, which was once located at 210 Cypress Street. Photo contributed by Ruth Martin Ellison.