Local architect designed attractive church edifice

The Southside Christian Church is featured in this undated photo, which is part of Steve Chou’s vast collection. To the right of the church is the parsonage. This parsonage was previously the Joseph Peyton residence; the house was moved in order to make room for the church construction. Elder Elba Martin (1913-1996) and his family lived in the parsonage from 1951 until 1965, and his daughter, Ruth Martin Ellison, retains fond memories of growing up in this historic dwelling.

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

In 1909, Earnest Schmitt (1864-1921), a Hannibal-based architect, was tapped to design a stately edifice at the corner of Madison and Cypress, South Hannibal, which would ultimately serve as a center for neighborhood worship for the better part of a century.

In addition to this church - the South Side Christian Church - Schmitt, who started his Hannibal architectural career circa 1893 - also worked on such noteworthy projects as:

The design and superintending of the Hannibal County Club club house in March 1910;

The design of the Dulany Mahan residence, 1001 Center;

The design of the John C. and Elizabeth West house, originally numbered 313 Stillwell Place, later renumbered 7 Stillwell Place. Built circa 1904.

The Anderson Dubach flats.

The annex for the South School building on Fulton Avenue, in 1910.

Also in 1910, he served as associate architect for the new Farmers and Merchants Bank, 212-214 Broadway.

Cornerstone

At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1908, the South Side Christian Church cornerstone was put into place. Elder Levi Marshall, assisted by Dr. (Charles Reign) Scoville (1869-1838), conducted the ceremony. An estimated 500 people were present.

The new South Side Christian Church was a branch of Hannibal’s Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, located on Broadway. One hundred members of the church, all South Side residents, signed a letter requesting an affiliated church in their neighborhood.

Col. W.H. Dulany (1818-1914) made a generous offer; if the congregation could raise $5,000 to go toward the new church, he would contribute an additional $10,000, so that the new church would be debt-free when opening.

The congregation thus met that challenge.

At the cornerstone laying ceremony, according to the March 17, 1908 edition a Hannibal newspaper, “S.F. Schultz stepped forward and told the contents of the copper box that was to be placed in the building. This box contained the following articles:

“The bible which belonged to Robert Bridgeford;

“One song book, which was the property of the late P.H. Stone;

“A copy of the history of the movement for the organization of the South Side Christian Church and a list of those who gave towards the enterprise (the list contains 274 names, 102 of them being residents of the South Side);

“The picture of Col. William Dulany;

“A history of the old parsonage which was found while at work on the foundation;

“A copy of the Hannibal Morning Journal and the Hannibal Courier-Post;

“A copy of the Christian Evangelist and a copy of the Songs of the King, which is the book being used in the present revival at the Christian church.

“The box was placed in position by Elder Marshall, who offered a prayer, after which Mrs. Scoville, Mrs. Rockwell and Mr. Rockwell and Mr. Van Camp sang as a quartet that grand old song, ‘I am so happy in Jesus’.”

Bell rings

At 7 p.m. March 25, 1909, the bell in the steeple of the new church rang for the first time. August Carlson asked to be the first person to ring the bell.

Charter members

On May 1, 1909, the following requested church letters from the First Christian Church, for the purpose of becoming charter members of the new South Side Christian Church:

Barger, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. F.

Beadle, Mr. and Mrs. Ed

Bowe, Mr. and Mrs. C.S.

Campbell, Mrs. Nova 

Christian, Mrs. Ernest W.

Cole, Mr. and Mrs. John H.

Cole, W.A. 

Davis, Earl 

Davis, Mr. and Mrs. J.A. 

Dyer, A.E.

Engnehl, Mrs. Mary

Fuqua, George W. and Ida

Hunt, Mrs. Dove E. 

Keith, Lenora

Keith, Mary

Lacy, Mrs. Lucile

Ling, Chas. H.

Ling, H.H.

Lowe, H.J. and Margret E.

Lucas, Mrs. E.O.

Lucas, E.O.

Lucas, Miss Leta

McComas, Mrs. P.K.

McOwen, Miss Viva

McOwan, Mrs. W.H.

McOwan, Floyd

McOwan, Alpha

Marseilles, Mrs. Wm. P.

Owens, Mr. and Mrs. Henry

Peck, E.J.

Peck, Mr. and Mrs. W.S.

Peterson, Mrs. John

Pollard, Linda

Rigler, Mrs. Hiram

Roland, Mr. and Mrs. Roy

Sanders, Mr. and Mrs. Chester

Sanders, John

Sanders, Mrs. M.

Scott, Maggie

Scott, Milton

Stone, Mr. and Mrs. John

Taylor, John

Wallace, George

Wilson, Mrs. Lura,

Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. D.A.

Wallace, J.H. and wife

White, Mrs. M.E.

Yancey, Mrs. Ellenor

Yancey, E.H.

Yancey, Mrs. Wm. L.

Church description

A description of the new church building was included in the March 26, 1909, edition of the Hannibal Morning Journal:

The church consisted of a large auditorium, and a separate room for each Sunday School class.  There was a balcony running almost around the church auditorium. The basement, finished with cement, is large and roomy, accommodating for socials and suppers. The choir stand is elevated over the pulpit. The windows are all of colored glass, and were purchased at a great expense.

Dedication

The church was dedicated on May 9, 1909.

Early funeral

Perhaps the first funeral to take place in the new church was for Mrs. Mary E. Engnehl, wife of A. Peter Engnehl, 305 Tenth St., South Side, who died Thursday, June 25, 1909. The funeral was scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, June 28, 1909, in the new church building.

Mary Lou Montgomery, Suburban Newspapers of America Editor of the Year, Dailies, 2010, retired as editor of the Hannibal, Mo., Courier-Post in 2014. She researches and writes narrative-style stories about the people who served as building blocks for this region’s foundation. Books available on amazon.com by this author include: “The Notorious Madam Shaw,” “Pioneers in Medicine from Northeast Missouri,” “Hannibal’s ‘West End,’” “Oakwood: West of Hannibal,” “St. Mary’s Avenue District,” and “Live, on stage in Hannibal 1879: ‘H.M.S. Pinafore.’” Montgomery can be reached at montgomery.editor@yahoo.com Her collective works can be found at www.maryloumontgomery.com