The following paper was researched
and written for a course on Evangelical Congregational Church
History as a part of Rev. Ray's Master's Degree program. It was
completed in May, 1986.
Jefferson Township, a large parcel of open
prairie located west of the Chicago River and north of North
Avenue, was opened for development by the federal government
in 1838. A few adventurous pioneers had settled in the areas
several years earlier—among them, George Powell, who established
a hotel and trading post at Milwaukee and Armitage Avenues in
1832 and Martin Kimbell, who operated a farm in the vicinity
of Wrightwood and Kimball Avenues. Kimball Avenue is named for
Martin Kimbell, the spelling being changed at the time Jefferson
Township was incorporated into the city of Chicago.
The area remained a farming community until
1871, when people displaced by the Great Chicago Fire looked
for a place to rebuild their lives. Due to strict building codes
enacted after the fire, many found Jefferson Township to be an
ideal place to build since it was still outside the city limits.
Not only was building less expensive and unencumbered with red
tape, but it was also a convenient area since transportation
systems were already in place. The Northwest Plank Road (now
Milwaukee Avenue) was opened in 1848, and the Chicago and Northwestern
Railroad opened the Maplewood station in 1870. Streetcar lines
were later established on Milwaukee Avenue, Armitage Avenue (to
Pulaski Rd.) and Fullerton Avenue (to California Avenue). The
elevated train to Logan Square was put into service in May, 1895.
Development increased throughout Jefferson Township after incorporation
into the city on July 15, 1889.
Eleven years after Jefferson Township became
a part of the city of Chicago, (1900), the United Evangelical
Church in Chicago existed in six established missions and stations.
But Chicago was the "Metropolis of the West" in those
days and was rapidly expanding. Because the United Evangelical
Church was historically German speaking, all but one of those
six works ministered in the German language. The spiritual needs
among English speaking populations was great.
So it was the Rev. E. K. Yeakel, Presiding Elder of the Naperville
District, reported to the Annual Conference of March, 1900, that
"more aggressive missionary work ought to be done in our
larger cities, especially in Chicago with its teeming millions."
While "teeming millions" was an exaggeration, Chicago
was in need of more churches as it expanded westward.
Four months earlier in December, 1899, a small
group of believers, led by John N. Filar, R. S. Welch and John F. Bly, withdrew from the Weaver Memorial
United Brethren Church, located at Kedzie and McLean Avenues
in Chicago, and formed an independent church. They called themselves
the "United Christian Brethren" and met in rented quarters
at 887 Armitage Ave. (presently on Armitage between Albany and
Whipple). Filar, Welch and Bly, all untrained laymen with a zeal
for God, shared preaching responsibilities for the group.
