The Carthage Republican
Carthage, Illinois
Wednesday
February 26, 1890
Page 1“THE OLD BRICK CHURCH” — OTHER ITEMS.
FEB. 24. — Will answer “Newsboy” and others interested in regard to Brick Church, Carthage township. In 1830 Thomas H. Owen settled where the venerable Mary Cravens now lives. Mr. O. was a regular Baptist preacher, a man of considerable learning, fine speaker, and a first-class citizen in every respect. About the spring or summer of 1840 Mr. Owen burned the brick and began the erection of the church. It was enclosed as early as ’41 and occupied. There was no floor for years. We taught school in the house in 1849. Some loose boards were laid on the south side, perhaps covering one-half the width. About the year 1851 or ’52 the floor was permanently put in and finished in other respects. In 1849 Rev. Thomas H. Owen moved to California. He wrote a history of the Baptist church, a work of merit and highly prized by the good people of that church everywhere. Mr. O. was in early days our representative in the state legislature, and was quite a prominent member. He died 6 or 7 years ago, aged, I think, 81 years. He was a member of the California legislature some years after becoming a citizen of that state.
COUNTRY JAKE.
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