Life and Letters of Rev. Aratus Kent Introduction

“Going to New York City, 1829, under great depression and sore trial of mind which had continued long to oppress me, while in Bradford, in reference to a field of labor at the West, by which I thought only of Niagara County, New York, I must needs [sic] call on Dr. A. Peters, Secretary of the A.H.M.S., and inquire after a field of missionary labor. He proposed the lead mines of the upper Mississippi, of which I knew nothing before, but where there were several thousand souls with no preaching. I go, Sir, was my prompt reply.”^63[63]

Kent’s commission was dated March 21st, 1829. Kent did not wait. He gave his horse to the American Tract Society, and on April 3rd, he wrote: “I am as one that dreams, with my paper on a trunk and my pen trembling with the jarring of the steam boat contending with the strong current of the Mississippi, I am urging my way up the great valley to the lead mines, not knowing the thing that shall befall me there.”^64[64]

The trip to Galena from New York was not an easy one, and it was punctuated by frequent stops. Kent even visited Hannibal, the eventual home of Sam Clemons. Several years later Mark Twain could not help poking fun at the “tract scattering preachers” like Kent, as an illustration from his Life on the Mississippi depicts. Kent felt an obligation to make the trip a working missionary expedition, and described his activities for Dr. Peters:

By the Kind Providence of God I was kept in safety amidst the dangers incident to a journey of 2000 miles, and after a quick passage of 18 1/2 days, exclusive of 8 days during which I lingered in Missouri, I arrived in this place on the 19th of April and felt that I had more than ordinary occasion for devout thanksgiving to the Preserver of men.

I sent you a line from St. Louis [not located] and after leaving that place I considered myself as having entered into my own broad Diocese and felt it my duty there to get all the information possible and form acquaintance with all the various people within my reach; since there is not any clergyman of any denomination, to my knowledge, on the Mississippi above that city.

I should think that Pike County, Missouri, is an important location for a Missionary. At Clarksville, a little village 110 miles above St. Louis, I called upon Mr. Warren Swain. They are intelligent eastern^65[65] people and seem anxious to have preaching. They gave a flattering report of the Sab. School which they established last summer. I thought proper to promise them the Home Missionary for one year on condition that he would pay the postage and circulate it.

At Louisiana, a larger village 10 miles above, I called and left some tracts. Pike county is said to be very good land, to be settling fast, and to contain 2 or 3000 inhabitants.

I cannot however give you definite information for I felt it my duty to proceed as fast as possible to the place of my destination.

Twenty or 30 miles above are 2 other villages: Hannibal^66[66] and Palmyra. The latter is two miles off the River, to which I forwarded some tracts by a citizen. From information I thought it might be well to forward the Home Missionary to Henry Snow or William Porter who live at Quincy, Adams County, Illinois, and who were represented to me as intelligent Presbyterian professors.

At Rock Island, 100 miles below this place (at the foot of the upper Rapids), are stationed two companies of soldiers. I was informed that Dr. Sprague, the surgeon, and his family are Presbyterian professors.

Were it not for the tax on my time and purse I have thought it might be well to attend the Indiana Synod which meets at Shoal Creek, Greenville 50 miles east of St. Louis in Oct., visiting these and other places in my route.

During my journey I did not lose sight of the object of my mission, and, though the people of these Western Waters are generally disinclined to reading or religious conversation, yet I kept some little volumes in my berth which were read to some extent. I also circulated 3000 pages of tracts among the passengers, including those that I left at the various stopping places or sent ashore by persons proper.

The vices of Sabbath breaking, Profane swearing, the free use of strong drink, and the practice of Gambling everywhere prevalent at least beyond anything I ever saw. But I have not thought it my duty to make a direct attack upon them from a persuasion that if they were not restrained from respect to the Ministerial presence, nothing would be gained by incurring their displeasure, which by wearing an affable demeanor and impressing their minds with the conviction that I feel the importance of religion, and am tenderly alive to their spiritual welfare, I should take a sure method of securing their esteem and of recommending the Religion I profess to love. And having a passage of 4 or 5 days I found opportunities to converse with many individuals on the subject of personal piety, the result of which eternity discloses.

Kent abhorred the breaking of the Sabbath, and he campaigned vigorously on the issue of “keeping the Sabbath.” A certain irony exists in the fact that he himself traveled on a “Sabbath breaking” steamboat to get to Galena. This small hypocrisy was probably not lost on Kent. One biographer of Kent made a careful point of claiming (erroneously) that Kent had actually arrived in Galena on Saturday the 18th.^67[67] Kent’s arrival and initial impressions are recorded in his own words:

On Sabbath morning I stepped ashore at this place, presented the letters kindly furnished me at St. Louis, procured a place and preached at 3 o’clock PM to about 50 persons.^68[68] And I ought to say that I have received many tokens of kindness and approbation from the people both of St. Louis and this place. This village of 200 houses, very compactly built on two streets or benches, one about 20 or 30 feet above the other, closely copying the circular direction of Fever River in front and a high bluff of 100 feet immediately in the rear. The hum of business is heard on the margins of the River while abundant scope is afforded for the display of taste in the little yards and gardens which seem already to be creeping up the steep ascent of the surrounding hills.

Here are thrown together like the tenants of the grave yard without any order, people of every country and every race, and you may see in one day Indians, French, Irish, English, Germans, Swiss and Americans, and such a variety of national customs and costumes as are rarely to be met within any other place. I have been out in the country as far as Dodgeville which is 50 miles distant and 12 miles from the Ouisconsin. I preached in 5 different nights to assemblies ranging from 2 to 150 of whom 3/4 were males.

Out of 24 Prof. of Dif. Denom. that I have discovered in this village one half are in the not known at all, or known only as Backsliders, thus they remind one of the 10 virgins. They are of different denominations and may be adverted as a beacon to warn the churches to examine whether their Religion is such as will live only in the mansions they now occupy, or whether they could still flourish if transplanted to some lonely distant and deprived of all moral culture.

A combination of unpropitious circumstances have already produced & sustain still greater embarrassments in this place and the adjoining country. The present regulations of Government are oppressive. I shall not take it upon me to say that they require too great a proportion of the lead, but the requisition that those who live 50 miles out should deliver their tithes here, and the restrictions by which people are prevented from cultivating the soil and are thus made to depend on markets 1000 miles distant are oppressive beyond endurance. The merchants and smelters have sold their goods on credit to such an unwarrantable extent that the country is becoming bankrupt. The price of lead is so low that under present disadvantages it will scarcely pay for digging, smelting, & conveying to market.

The waters of the Mississippi are so low as to threaten a famine both because of the difficulty with which provisions are brought to us and because the lead with which they are purchased cannot be transported at least without great additional expense. In addition to this, the Capitalists who sustain him at a distance are taking the alarm and using oppressive measures to call in their funds. The consequence of all this is that the people are already fast retreating and the present prospect is that but few comparatively will remain here though the winter.

The state of things is untimely & is regretted for this is a good country, a land of hills and valleys and brooks of water, a land promising great fertility of soil & salubrity of air and a land of immeasurable beauty of appearance, and multitudes would gladly live and die here, if dire necessity did not drive them away. If encouragement were afforded them to open farms and raise their own provisions, this land would then supply them with cash while at the same time permanent residence in the country would greatly check the prevalence of the fires and thus promote the growth of timbers.

Kent was cordially received and made a good initial impression, as Mr. Robert reported to New York:

On my arrival I was much gratified to find that he was very popular and I think he still continues to be so : as far as I am competent to judge, he possesses that kind of manner and tact which will enable him to do his duty as a faithful servant of his Lord & master without giving offense. He will tell them their duty in such a way that they cannot help but see it : very probably they may like the admonition or reproof : yet they cannot take exception to the germ of it : I think him an excellent judge of character and of human nature generally. These with the qualifications I have not mentioned are frequently necessary for a man to possess who comes to preach the gospel to this people. Mr. K informed me that he likes the place and inhabitants full as well as he expected from the account I gave him. I am pleased that he does so, as I was unwilling to have him get a more favorable impression from me than he would realize. He does not let these people know that I was in the least instrumental (if I was) in getting him here. If they thought I had anything to do with it would in a measure destroy his popularity and impair his usefulness. You must not think me uncharitable when I say that there are some here who from their conduct appear to think that a man who makes a profession of Religion must never ask for what justly is his own. I therefore advise and consult with Mr. K when he wishes to the best of my ability but take no active part in these measures for erecting a church, for I feel sensible that my doing should be an injury as I fear there are some who would throw obstacles in the way of an object which they thought I was desirous of attaining.^69[69]

Just where Kent preached his first Galena sermon is a bit uncertain. Dr. Newhall gave the following account:

“Mr. William Watson was building a frame house on Bench Street two lots south of the present Young Ladies' school house.^70[70] The house was enclosed but no floors laid. A few enterprising young men laid some boards upon the sleepers at one end of the building on which was placed a borrowed pine table and after considerable search a Bible and Watts' Hymn Book were found. Notice was given in the Miner's Journal of the 9th of May that Mr. Kent would preach the next day, Sunday 10. The congregation was composed wholly of young people; there were no old ones here, occupying the sleepers for seats, very conveniently resting their feet upon the ground, there being no cellar under the house. The whole congregation sung the good old tunes of St. Martin's, Mear, and Old Hundred. Here was preached Mr. Kent's first sermon.”

But Kent himself reported that he had preached “to about 50 persons” on April 19th. He may have utilized a log building just opposite the DeSoto Hotel, for that long extinct structure was often given in early accounts as the site for sporadic religious activities. Chapin wrote “the largest dining hall in the place” was the site of Kent’s inaugural sermon.^71[71] Unfortunately, although the pious Dr. Newhall recalled the songs, the text of Kent’s sermon escaped his recollection.

Kent wrote his impression: “Here is opened a great and effectual door to preach the gospel. I have long desired to know what was the will of God, and if I have found my place, I hope now that amid all discouragement’s, I may remember that I said I was willing to go to the world’s end, if I could but be in the place that God designed I should occupy.”^72[72]

By mid summer Kent gave some evidence of loneliness and isolation when he reported to Dr. Peters: “I have felt at times as inclination to accompany [C.R. Roberts back to St. Louis], but then the question had occurred ‘With whom will thou have those few sheep in the wilderness’.” Kent had identified about 40 persons of varying denominations who exhibited “a spark of grace.” To minister to this scattered flock required a hundred miles of travel and fifteen preaching sites. He told Peters he intended to make this circuit once in four weeks and hoped that Peters would approve of the scheme “...as long as Galena is supplied on the Sabbath.”

Kent also had a confession for Dr. Peters: “I reproach myself for having so little regard for these sheep. Oh what feelings must it occasion a minister of Christ to hear him saying, “the diseased ye have not strengthened neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which is broken, neither have you brought back that which was driven away.’ A passage this which needs to be often considered by one that occupies such a post as I now do.”

Although Kent was a thirty-five year old veteran preacher, he may have been naively optimistic about his Galena prospects. Three months after his arrival he reported: “My hopes of forming a church and of erecting a house for divine worship have been disappointed.”

The problem of monetary support was ever present for frontier missionaries, and Kent was no exception: “I shall be under the necessity of drawing on you for money and, indeed, I think if I get through the year on the sum allowed I shall deserve some credit for economy.”

Although he had been only resident in Galena for about four months, Kent felt compelled to attend the Synod meeting held at Greenville, Bond County, Illinois, about fifty miles east of St. Louis. Initially he reported: “I shall not feel much inclination to go by water to attend Synod if the river continues so low as to make the passage of 20 or 30 days.”^73[73] A restless spirit compelled him to change his mind and he convinced himself that it was his duty to attend.^74[74] Kent’s travel report, lifted from his diary, is a scarce contemporaneous description of early Illinois. He made the trip on horseback due to the low state of the Mississippi.

Being provided with money and tracts and letters and with blankets where the former could be of no use, I left Galena Sept 29. I rode to Apple River,^75[75] 15 miles, where I have often preached, then to Plumb River,^76[76] 12 miles, where are 3 families.

Sept 30 : In company with two guides whom Providence furnished me when I had lost my way, I rode 40 miles to the first house, 2 miles above the first of the upper Rapids of the Mississippi.

Oct 1st: Rode to Farnamsburgh^77[77] (18 miles) opposite Rock Island Fort and 2 miles from the juncture of Rock & Mississippi Rivers. Fifty families have settled along the river here within 15 months. Visited 6 families and distributed tracts.

Oct 2nd: Preached a funeral Sermon and made appointments for the Sabbath.

4th: Preached on Rock Island to a very attentive congregation of about 75 including officers and soldiers & at 3 pm on the Illinois shore to about 40. This is a post that merits attention from the Home Miss. So. for several reasons: 1) There are about 150 souls connected with the fort and including 6 families quite respectable and anxious to have preaching. 2) The Island and the Illinois shore present most beautiful, healthy, and commanding situations which in a few years will grow in importance. 3) This point of land between Mississippi and Rock Rivers has now come into market and will settle rapidly.^78[78] It is very healthy and has an excellent soil and an unusual supply of timber. The settlers will find markets for their produce from this proximity & the fort and the lead mines. Coal is found on both these rivers near this spot and in case timbers for smelting runs out the mineral might be floated down and smelted with coal. Dr. Sprague, a Presbyterian & Surgeon of the Fort remarked; “There will be a large population here in five years.” 4) They say they would build a church if they had a preacher, and I think they would give him near half his support immediately, for they offered 5 dol a Sabbath to a Methodist preacher to supply them and could not obtain him as he was engaged in piloting boats over the rapids. They would as soon have a Presbyterian.

Oct 5th: Rode 40 miles to Henderson River, no house on the way...having seen neither quadruped nor biped during the day.

6th: Followed up the forks of the River 5 miles, gave notice, and preached to about twenty five, though the day was very wet.

7th: Went down the river about 18 miles collected about 20 persons...and preached apparently with great acceptance. Proceeded to the mouth of the River to preach again but my appointment did not reach and I could not tarry without losing company that I could have next day. Between 60 & 80 families have moved in to this River, all within 18 months. No Presbyterian Preacher has visited them before. They were ready for a tract society.

8th:Rode 35 miles and preached in the evening to about 15 souls.

9th: Proceeded to the head of the lower rapids (Hancock Co.) 10 miles and preached to about 20 souls. It was a very rainy day. They urged to stay and spend the Sabbath : about 20 families destitute of preaching.

10th: Rode 32 miles and passed Fort Edwards at the foot of the lower Rapids. South of which houses are to be found every few miles to St. Louis.

11th: Crossed Bear Creek at the peril of my life and rode 10 miles to the settlement, called and preached at the house of the Methodist preacher... Congregation about 40: this settlement is increasing rapidly.

12th: Proceeded to Quincy (Adams Co.) 8 miles, preached in the evening to 60 persons, this is destined soon to be a very important place. They were circulating a paper to raise 100 dollars to encourage a Presbyterian by the name of Porter to preach to them.

13: Rode in the company of Mr. Porter to Mill Creek 10 miles and preached to about 40

14- Rode to Atlas (Pike County) 30 miles and preached to about 50 souls. This is a post that deserves attention.

15: Preceded to Coles Grove (Calhoun County) 35 miles & collected a congregation of 40.

16: Crossed over to St. Charles and lodged with Mr. Lindsey. On my arrival at St. Louis on the 17th and found I had been misinformed concerning the time of the meeting of Synod, but could not regret my tour which was one of more than ordinary interest to me.

21: Arrived at Carrolton (Green Co.) and spent Sab. Religion very destitute in this region.

26: Went on my way to Jacksonville.^79[79]

27: Walked out to the elegant site of Illinois College. Called on Mrs. Ellis and rode to Springfield spent the night with Mr. Bergen, and having got necessary information I kept on the east side of the Ill. River until I arrived, Sabbath, Nov. 1 at Union Grove 10 miles below the foot of the Rapids, where is a Presbyterian settlement. They seem quite spirited to have preaching and I preached the first sermon in the first meeting house north of the Sangamon River which they have just built. This settlement will await immediate attention. About 70 families have moved into this region in a little time and being near the route of the canal it will settle rapidly. I think I may say that the population between Sangamon River and the Miss. will double every year for some time. I am gratified to hear that seven young men are coming out but shall soon need seventy times seven, or a great many more. Illinois is indeed in its infancy but this infant will soon become a giant, and if the infant has imbibed the spirit of infidelity : the giant will defend it with the strength of manhood and the deep depravity which “Pride and fullness of brass and abundance of idleness” will generate. We should be behind, if we should tell the eastern people how easy it is to raise provisions here, but I fear this will prove them injury. What eastern Christians do for us then must be done quickly.

While on this journey on one of the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi and the prairies on either side, Kent alighted from his horse and proclaimed aloud: “I take possession of this land for Christ.”^80[80] No matter that he was jumping the claim of Father Marquette. Even as he claimed for his King a vast nation, he failed miserably in nurturing himself with the company of his fellow missionaries. As he noted, he had been “misinformed” as to the dates of the Synod and arrived a week after it was over. He had written Dr. Peters that he had intended to return “through the interior,” but he did not. On his return trip he visited Saukenuk, and the wigwam of Black Hawk.^81[81]

As his first Galena winter approached he wrote to Dr. Peters: “I have nothing of special interest to relate concerning this place, except that I have been chased until I have purchased a house for Sab. school and Public worship on my own responsibility and drawn on J.W. & B. Levitt for funds. My limits will not allow of further particulars at present...I am more than ever impressed with the importance of this post notwithstanding the embarrassments under which I labor, and only wish to stay here until you can send a better man and give me a humbler home in the same state.”

Not everyone was pleased with their station in Galena. Newspaper man Hooper Warren, destined to be an important Illinois abolitionist, wrote of his impressions of Galena that winter.: “Thank God, the winter is almost over; and I hope it is the last I shall ever spend in Galena, unless I am better prepared. Since the commencement of cold weather there has been nothing here but balls, parties, gambling, and frolicking. Men who can not pay a cent of their just debts, find no difficulty in spending $20 or $30 a week in these amusements. These parties are general in this place, the exceptions but very few. I am sorry to say that my partners come in for a large share of this description.”^82[82] One of those newspaper partners was Aratus Kent’s pious friend, Dr. Horatio Newhall.

When I returned from my late tour to St. Louis I found the weather extremely cold.^83[83] I had no room, no place for public worship and the Sabbath school. And I seemed to have little or no prospects for doing good and secretly wished to be a part of the time at some other place, but I found your “instructions” were to persevere and to confine myself to Galena. Thus I was exceedingly strengthened and thrown upon my own resources. I formed a plan which I have strictly pursued apparently with success.

I purchased the house in which we had worshipped^84[84] and issued a subscription paper to solicit aid to repair it (being determined to try whether they felt interest in me or my work, as I had heretofore been unable to ascertain what their feelings were toward me). In four weeks time $200 were raised and paid out for completing the repairs on my house (as they understood it to be) Public worship and Sabbath school were resumed under circumstances of increasing interest and much greater promise. A singing society having much the aspect of a moral society of 25 male members started in to being of itself; and a day school of 60 scholars was commenced and has been conducted with great prosperity until the recent occurrence.

I have a bible class 5 days in the week and following the lesson in order I did them (23 in number) away to Mount Sinai and then there expounded the law of the Lord. It is also my frequent practice to make the whole school repeat after me the ten commandments with an occasional short and familiar exposition of one.

Sabbath morning will average about 60 of the most respectable people. The merchants are disposed to shut their shops and come to meeting and teamsters come in and find it difficult to do business as usual on the Sabbath. In the evening, i.e. at 6 pm, I have about as many of another descript who will not attend the day. So that there are at the 2 services and the Sabbath School about 150 under religious influence every Sabbath. I have also a weekly prayer meeting and Sunday School concert. And though we mourn that we have none inquiring after Salvation yet impressions are made as you will discover by the spirit of the proceedings with which I commenced.

But all this labor is too much for my two eyes and they are failing me so that I tremble but I shall be desist [sic] and again have recourse to travelling. If i can hold out 4 weeks I think of attending Presbytery at Springfield which I deem very important and which will permit me the necessary traveling and enable me again to visit Rock I[sland] and U[nion] Grove...

You will appreciate this when I tell you that about 1/3 of the Catholics, most of those that have any influence attend service occasionally. Many of their children are in the day school and several are in the Sabbath school : confidential.

We have an average of 2 balls a week this winter : card parties abound and other vices.

I had liked to have forgotten that I have no money to pay my board, and must ask you to send me one hundred dollars.

Believing as I do that the soil, the minerals, the salubrity and the waters afford a combination of inducements to setters unequalled in the U.S. as will soon render it a prosperous district. I am extremely anxious that laborers should take the field in time and not linger until the weeds or error and vice shall (like those in the bottoms) get over our heads....I consider that among all this population there are not materials enough to organize one Protestant Church. My feelings would prompt me to raise my voice till it should reverberate among the hill-tops of my much loved New England, saying “Brethren come over to Mississippi and help us.”

And so Reverend Kent spent his first industrious, if stressful, winter in Galena. Kent’s failing eyesight was a source of constant worry. His restless spirit, and his need to “itinerate” seemed to be a merger precipitated by his vision trouble. He could ride into the face of a blizzard, and his blurred vision served him adequately. But to study scriptures or to correspond was too taxing for his weak eyes.

By Spring, 1830, Kent, like Hooper Warren, was having financial trouble due to the lack of promised financial support of his sponsors: "Poverty and insolvency constitute a serious difficulty. I requested 100 dollars 3 month since but have not received it (as I hoped accompanied by some words of advice) and I fear it has miscarried."^85[85] To make matters worse, Kent was in trouble with the authorities again, this time for failing to serve on a jury: "I was yesterday fined $5 Dol. for not serving on the petty jury. But the judge^86[86] spoke kindly to me and said: 'We make it up the money ourselves.' He is a worthy man and attends church regularly...You will conclude that my spirits are depraved but I hope I shall feel better next time I write."^87[87]

The summer brought Kent an unusual invitation: "I started July 5th for Prairie du Chien by request of Genl. Street, Indian Agent, fulfilled several appointments in my circuitous route, and after great fatigue arrived in time to meet my engagement to Preach there on the 11th at the meeting of the Council with the Indians of whom 800 of different tribes were present. My congregation of 200 presented as great a variety of the human family as was perhaps ever assembled at the same time by an ambassador of Christ."^88[88]

At Prairie du Chien Kent rubbed elbows with some celebrated men, but the mosquitoes had a larger and more lasting effect on him. The post surgeon was a fellow son of Connecticut, William Beaumont, and with him was his famous fistulous patient, Alexis St. Martin. Indeed, Beaumont was in the midst of performing the experiments on gastric physiology that would immortalize him and his subject. William Clark was there from St. Louis in his role as Indian Agent, along with several young army officers who would later rise to prominence, including Zachary Taylor, Robert Anderson, and James Kearny. Just as Kent was constantly bothered by his "weak eyes," Beaumont was afflicted with near deafness, and also a tendency towards Jeffersonian Deism. If the Doctor did not attend (and perhaps he did) Kent's sermon, the more orthodox Deborah Beaumont did.^89[89]

The summer was a particularly unhealthy one in Prairie du Chien, for the mosquitoes breeding conditions were ideal. Beaumont wrote a paper on the resulting malaria epidemic: The History of the Intermittent Fever as it Prevailed at Prairie du Chien in the Summer and Fall of 1830. The prevalent fever that Beaumont described was not confined to Prairie du Chien. Kent's layman’s description from Galena was similar:^90[90]

"God has scourged this sinful place with a distressing sickness and every family and about every person has been brought low with it. I have visited 30 or 40 in a day before I was taken down myself. But the affliction has been mingled with mercy for amidst the general prevalence of disease there have been but two deaths that can be traced to the vicinity of the Mississippi and the bottom lands which are inundated when this Jordan overflows its banks.

I was attacked by a bilious fever^91[91] on the 6th of Sept since which I have been unable to preach nor yet now am I able, though it is more than 9 weeks that I have been laid aside. I attempted it once about three weeks since but my strength entirely failed and I was compelled to sit down before I was half through my discourse and the congregation was a fever and ague of which I had been forewarned that it would most likely follow that with which I was first attacked. It seems very difficult and a very hard process to recover one’s strength after being sick in this country.

I thought to promote the restoration of my health by going into the country and at the same time to do good by riding extensively and visiting those scattered inhabitants who are so disposed that they cannot be collected for preaching, but I soon got quite down again and returned to Galena miserable enough., but I am now recovering and hope to be able to preach in a few days."

The winter of 1830-1 was not much better than the preceding one for spiritual efforts, and the blizzards were the stuff of legends. Kent complained:

"The people of this country are mainly a floating population and vast numbers left us last season on account of the pressure of the times, and the congregation is small, nor can we expect much good will be accomplished until the land is offered for sale and permanent improvements encouraged. During the winter the snow has been unusually abundant and the winter remarkably cold. Several men have been frozen to death though they were generally intemperate and it is at the peril of life to ride over these prairies without a tree or a house to break the force of the wind for many miles."^92[92]

Two of Kent's comments that winter were: "I have been prevented by the depth of snow from executing my purpose of visiting Prairie du Chien (90 miles)... The traveling this winter is such that nearly all communication with the civilized world is cut off..."^93[93] But Kent's Yale colleagues to the south at Jacksonville were in even more dire straits. "The situation of the people," wrote Dr. Sturtevant, "was alarming. It was not at first apparent that sufficient food and fuel could be got to keep everybody from starving or freezing."^94[94] The floods the following spring lead to many drownings in the swollen streams and rivers. Only the powerful arms of young Abe Lincoln saved two men from drowning in the Sangamon River in April.^95[95]

Dangerous streams notwithstanding, Kent spent the spring prospecting for souls. "I visited Rock Island (the seat of war at this moment)^96[96] on the first of may and spent a Sabbath there. [While there Kent was one of 38 signers of a petition to Gov. Reynolds complaining about Black Hawk’s presence east of the Mississippi.]^97[97] And I spent a Sabbath at Prairie du Chien in March where I was received with utmost cordiality. They are exceedingly anxious that I should spend a part of my time with them or that you should send another laborer and they gave me substantial proof of it by contributing $13.37/100. I have been desirous of visiting them & other military posts around here, vis that at Chicago and Fort Winnebago (at the portage between Wisconsin and Fox Rivers) and the Fort at St. Peters. but it has not been convenient. I have been several times to Mineral Point, 37 miles north, and the next Sabbath I am to preach on the Pekatonica (30 miles east), agreeably to my plans of itinerating for the present every third Sabbath. These as preaching posts are important, but it embarrasses the Galena Sabbath School to have the Superintendent absent so often."^98[98]

Local financial support continued to be wanting. A promise to circulate a subscription for the year had been made, but not accomplished by June.^99[99] A bell for the meeting house had been ordered, and it consumed an alarming proportion of the available funds. Kent's letters made many references to the perplexing bell, and to the difficulties he had in getting the materials and labor to install it. By late summer Kent feared that his commission would not be renewed: "It does not appear (by the Home Miss.) that my request for reappointment has been granted, and perhaps your esteemed Committee have become discouraged by the prospect of this barren fruit, or are waiting for some evidence of good accomplishment."^100[100]

His commission was renewed in spite of the fact that he was the penman of a protest over a general salary reduction imposed on Illinois missionaries. He assured the Secretaries that "...such a measure would never have originated with me," and that he had merely been the recording clerk. He also assured his superiors that he would not need more than $200 for the coming year from them. Then he announced a milestone: "You will be pleased to learn that on Sabbath Oct. 29 a Presbyterian Church of 6 members was organized in this place and the Lords supper administered in this village."^101[101]

Kent's moral presence was beginning to affect the town's character: "In brackets I would mention some tokens of improvement. Such a little increase of seriousness: a total silence about those winter amusements which have usually prevailed. The success of the Grand Jury in breaking up and banishing the house of ill-fame. And the circulation of a paper pledging abstinence from “brag-playing” which was commenced last week." Prostitutes and Presbyterians would henceforth not cohabitate Galena.^102[102]

Kent was always interested in Temperance, and he was making good progress on that front, too. “The Moral Association (Alias, Temperance So.) at a late meeting resolved to hold meetings in the country for the purpose of extending a knowledge and influence on the subject. They voted to recommend to their members to abstain from the use of wine and appointed a Committee of 5 (Sab. School Teachers) to invite the youth to enlist in this work of reform and to aid them in organizing a Juvenile Temperance Society, which will be formed next week.”^103[103]

Sabbath breaking was a constant source of irritation to Kent: “It is due to the citizens of this village to say that the more intelligent and influential part of the people manifest a disposition to observe the Sabbath. But the embarrassments that they constantly meet with from extraneous causes are too great to be encountered by men who are not yet brought under the influence of an inflexible religious principle. These embarrassments are the arrival and departure of the mail, of steam boats, and of teams with lead which must be weighed...The multitudes of strangers who visit us and leave on the Sabbath and the practice of miners and smelters of coming in to do business on that day. All these causes combined operate to prevent a due observance of the Sabbath and constitute an annoyance which is greatly to be deprecated.”^104[104]

The ever vigilant Rev. Kent found an opportunity to strike a blow to the evil of wagering, and he moved on several fronts.

“Perhaps it will amuse and perhaps inform you of the character of this country to note some things in relation to gambling. The two Methodist ministers and myself are enrolled on the list of Grand Jurors for the avowed purpose of putting a check upon this vice which has rapidly become flagrant. But another method has been adopted. It was taken up among themselves and agreeably to public notion a “Benevolent Society” was formed and 24 subscribers obtained upon the spot to pledge of entire abstinence from gambling. I would state further (enter not)^105[105] one man refused to sign the paper because the pledge was not restricted to Galena and its vicinity, another because it was contrary to his profession, asserting he could see but 2 or 3 in the room which whom he had not played.”^106[106]

Kent gave examples of how advanced the crisis had become:

“A laboring man as he laid down his dollar said that was the last of 183 which he had spent through this winter. Another sold his “lead”, i.e. his mineral grant for 150 dollars to have a “spree” : came to Galena, returned penniless and had well-nigh died from the excruciating disease brought on by his excesses. He now promises to be temperate. The vice had become so public that the boys were enlisting extensively, and perhaps the credit of the reformation should be awarded to a Negro who established a Faro Bank. This created alarm among the gentlemen for they saw their craft was in danger of falling into disrepute.”^107[107]

Illinois had outlawed most forms of gambling as early as its third session of the legislature, when it was decreed: "If any person shall hereafter bring in the State...or shall sell or offer for sale any pack of playing cards, or any dice, billiard balls, or any other device of thing intended, or made for the purpose of being used at any game; shall on conviction shall be fined in the sum not exceeding $25."^108[108] But even Kent's Presbyterian zeal coupled with the law of the land were insufficient forces to put a total end to gaming.

Kent had been a lonely bachelor in Galena for three years. Now he planned a trip back to the east, and its purpose was matrimony. He must have known Caroline Corning of Hartford, Conn., from some association, but details of their courtship are lacking. Kent’s weak eyes hampered his missive campaign, but he must have had assurances that his trip east would be productive. Kent's stated purpose for making the trip was truthful, if a trifle too broad: "...to persuade good people to come west."

Charles Fenno Hoffman, a New York journalist who visited Galena about then, explained the real reason for Kent's trip. “...There is another defect in the place [Galena], and, indeed, in almost all western towns where you get so far beyond the mountains, that is not so easily got over, and that is, the want of female society. The number of males in proportion to females on the frontiers is as least five to one; and girls of fifteen (I might say twelve), or widows of fifty, are alike snapped up with avidity by the disconsolate bachelors...I was told by an old borderer, he had traveled twenty miles only to get a look at a petticoat, where it was rumored that there was actually one in the neighborhood... Even now they talk seriously in Galena of getting up an importation of ladies, for the especial amelioration and adornment of the place.”^109[109] Kent brought three specimens of the rare creature back with him.

By June Kent was in New York City, and he wrote to the Secretaries that he needed more missionaries. He incorrectly assured them that the threat of serious Indian hostilities was exaggerated, though he accurately predicted a swift resolution of any disturbance.^110[110]

“Allow me again to direct your attention to the Northwestern territory as an important field for a missionary from your Society. And here I may be met by the arguing are not the Indians over running the country. They are at this moment creating great alarm and confusion, but from my knowledge of their movements for 2 years past I am well satisfied that they are instigated by one restless spirit (Black Hawk) and that the result of their disturbance will be the adoption of a train of measures which will secure the inhabitants from apprehensions in future. So that these various alarms some of which are greatly exaggerated should have no influence on any plans of operation which are to take effect 6 or 9 months hence.”

Kent took great pains to paint the picture of the frontier life of the missionary, for he wanted only “good soldiers.”^111[111]

“But we want a man who can endure hardship as a good soldier, : A man who can face prairie winds in winter and swim the swollen creeks in spring, and eat what is set before him asking no questions and making no invidious allusions to other days; : A man who can sleep sweetly on the “soft side” of an oak plank or on the green sod of Mother earth with no covering but his blanket and no company but his horse, or perchance a passing wolf or a benighted whip-poor-will, and in the mean time can preach with apostolic zeal whenever he can collect a dozen precious souls to listen. Oh and he must have patience withal, to delay his journey an hour or two while they are collecting, though it should subject him to inconvenience of riding in the night and the danger of loosing his trail which conducts him to the next cabin. You will be surprised if I say at the next breath that we want a man of easy manner, but this is always important, especially in one who would expect any considerable influence on the officers of those Forts [Crawford, Snelling, Armstrong, Winnebago] of which mention was made. Perhaps you would inquire what “school” he should belong to. By all means let us have one that has been taught in the school of Christ and one who had made such proficiency in the lesson of self-denial that he can be cheerful under the regimen prescribed above and account himself honored in being permitted to serve the Lord Christ in a post of so much distinction.”

On September 4th, 1832, Aratus Kent and thirty year old Caroline Corning were married in Hartford. Of Caroline's life before her marriage nothing is known. That she was possessed of a good education cannot be doubted. She immediately served as a teacher in the Sabbath school, and often acted as scribe for her husband during periods when his chronic ocular affliction flared.

Aratus Kent's career was frequently a contradiction to the conventional wisdom. His marriage was no exception. One of Kent's colleagues wrote to Reverend Peters: “...if an eastern minister comes here with a wife she will be discontented, and casue him to return. If he comes here without a wife he will probably go to the east for one and we shall see no more of him before there is no chance of keeping him, unless he marry in this country.”^112[112] If Caroline Kent had any qualms about her life in the west, she kept them to herself.

An account of the return trip of Kent's party was recorded years after the fact by Caroline Thompson, who later married Rev. Phelps, the long time Home Missionary at Lee Center, Lee County, Illinois.^113[113]

AN EARLY DAY JOURNEY

The Story of a Trip from New York City to Galena Taken

by Caroline Thompson afterwards Caroline Phelps,

when a Girl, as Told by Herself

Early in September 1832 I left New York for Galena with Uncle and Aunt Kent, my parents expecting me to return by the first safe opportunity after a year had passed.

We left by boat for Hartford where we spent a few days with Corning relatives. Next we went to Suffield, Conn., Uncle Kent's birthplace and home, a typical New England home. Then we went by stage to Enfield to take up Miss Clarissa Pierce who wanted to go west to teach and help in mission work Then next to Blanford, Mass., by stage to pick up Eli Edwin Hall, a young man of 19, who was to finish fitting for college with Uncle Kent and later enter Illinois College at Jacksonville, Ill., in preparation for Home Mission work. Then by stage, our party of five came to the Hudson River, took boat for Albany, then across New York State via Erie Canal to Buffalo. From Buffalo to Niagara Falls where we spent two days with a friend of Uncle Kent. From Buffalo again we took stage for Wheeling, Va., where we took steamboat for Cincinnati to "spend the Sabbath" as Uncle Kent would not travel on Sunday.

Sickness of some of our party delayed us in Cincinnati for four weeks. We then took boat for Maysville, Kentucky, where we waited several days for the boat for St. Louis in which place we finally arrived about the middle of October, the time set for our arrival in Galena. We were delayed in St. Louis by trouble with Uncle's eyes and it was nearly the end of November before we could go on. We then took the night and day stage for Springfield, Ill., and learning to our dismay on arriving that the stage was then laid off for the winter and only a horseback mail once a week sent to Galena. But it was decided to push on at all risks. The whole country from points not far north of Springfield has been devastated in the summer and autumn by the Black Hawk war and was still unsettled, Indians roaming about, and but few of the white settlers who had fled had returned. man and beast were most uncertain and we were assured that after the first night north house or cabin would not be seen more than once in forty miles.

However, Uncle bought a span of stout horses, blankets robes, feed and other supplies, with a large sack of crackers and a ham of smoked beef for provisions. With five people and three trunks that wagon was filled to capacity. The weather was mild for December but the ground was frozen and traveling rough. First night out was spent in Hennepin. We set out next morning on a forty mile stretch of prairie for Daddy Chambers' cabin. We dined on crackers and dried beef and drank water from the streams we crossed, reaching Chambers' mansion at night fall. Daddy and Ma'am Chambers gave us a warm welcome. The cabin was log with mud floor and a "stick and daub chimney" and a swing window, a mere board shutter on leather hinges. Daddy and Ma'am had formerly kept a tavern for the stage route but the Indians had burned the house. They had in this cabin, formerly the kitchen, a few chairs, a home made bedstead, trundle bed, a small table and a few dishes, coffee pot and an iron three legged bake oven with iron cover, the only cooking utensils they had. After a supper of biscuit and bacon I slept with Miss Pierce in the root house made of sod while the others were stowed in the cabin, Mr. Hall sleeping in the wagon.^114[114]

After a breakfast of soggy biscuit and bacon we started at daylight for a forty mile stretch to Dixon's ferry. Late in the afternoon we reached Daddy Joe's cabin, some ten miles from Dixon's Ferry; but a peril lay before us in the Winnebago Swamp, three miles from Dixon's Ferry which must be crossed.

After the "howdye" and preliminary greeting Uncle Kent asked him for directions to the swamp and the safe crossing but Daddy Joe advised waiting until the next day as night might overtake us before we got through and that it was dangerous except in the light. Uncle Kent being very desirous of completing the journey, decided to risk the crossing and with careful directions given by Daddy Joe we pushed on. The horses made the best progress possible but it was dark by the time we reached the swamp. After a time the trail seemed to fade out and the crossing hard to find. Finally following what seemed to be the crossing the horses were turned down a bank only to land in a mire at the bottom so deep it reached the bed of the wagon. In vain the horses tried to pull the wagon out and after working for two hours one of them got down and only with difficulty were they unhitched so they could reach the bank. We were taken from the wagon by means of some sapling poles placed so as to make a kind of a bridge.

After rubbing most of the thick mud from the horses with the coarse prairie grass, robes were put on the horses and the two women placed thereon and we walked the three miles to the Ferry. On reaching the Dixon home we found between two and three thousand Indian warriors encamped prepared to sign a treaty of peace with the U. S. Government whose interests were represented by U. S. troops. We were given the comforts of home in the Dixon house and we were given a glad welcome by Mrs. Dixon and her daughter. It was long past midnight before we got to bed. Early the next morning Uncle Kent and Mr. Hall assisted by the Dixon men took horses with them and went back to where the wagon was still mired and after a time succeeded in pulling it out. In the meantime I had opportunity to go out among the Indians. I had not a particular of fear of them, I hardly know why. The chiefs were in a large tent and I went about among them to see their gay feathers, blankets and moccasins. Their leggings and earrings looked so queer to me. Some of them took me on their knees and touched my cheeks and called me brave squaw because I did not turn pale as they laughed and chatted together.

After an early and very good dinner we were again on our way. Mr. Dixon and his sons went with us to the ferry which consisted of a flat bottomed boat with pulleys to haul us across the Rock River. The horses objected to going on the boat and with difficulty were finally persuaded to go aboard. Mr. Dixon had given us minute directions as to finding our lodging place for the night, a lone house on the stage road. Snow had fallen and as dusk approached and made it impossible to follow the grass-overgrown stage road. The night shut down upon us lost upon the trackless prairie without even a star for guidance. There was nothing to do but halt, unhitch, make the best camp we could and wait for morning. No fire could be kindled for fear of attracting some wandering Indians. We did the best we could to keep warm but little sleep was had that night. The next morning we discovered a column of smoke about half a mile away and no time as lost in breaking camp and getting to the house where we were most hospitably welcomed, warmed and fed and started on the last stage of the journey. It was Saturday and we must reach Galena by the night of December 13th our jaded horses pulled us into Galena. Our trip from New York ended in the deep clay mire of Main St., Galena, before one of the warehouses near the levee. Uncle Kent left us there, the wagon wheels nearly up to the hubs in mud, while he hastened to the home of Reuben Brush on Bench St. He soon returned with Mr. Brush and we were given a warm welcome by his good wife and most hospitably entertained, giving us a good supper which we ate like wolves for we had eaten nothing but a noonday lunch of crackers and dried beef. We stayed with the Brush family until a house could be procured and furnished. The only shelter that could be found was a little frame house on Bench street, next door to the corner of Hill street, which Uncle Kent purchased of John Delany later, that was the family home for so many years.

The John Delany corner, he lived in a house with a big stone chimney, had been used for the block house, a palisade fort of hewn logs set upright, close together, and banked with earth. It had a rough roof and many portholes for firing guns in case of attack by Indians. Hither the people hastened from all parts of the region round about in times of alarm.

The only stove that could be procured for heating and cooking was a tiny Franklin. It had a tin reflector to set upon its hearth, wherein to bake. An old log hut stood in the rear of the house, called a kitchen, with a roofed space between called a porch. This little hut had a small swing window of four panes, a mud and stick chimney for a fireplace. It had a puncheon floor and here a ' bunk" was put for Miss Pierce and me.

When we landed in Galena, Mr. Delaney had begun to turn the fort into a dwelling and Uncle Kent bought the corner and the side hill back of it, employing Mr. Delaney to finish it as soon as possible; meanwhile Mr. Hall had his bed in a corner of the old court house (with jail under it) partitioned for a study for uncle.

The court house he had bought a year or two before and had it for a church and school room, first occupied by Deacon Wood.

Caroline T. Phelps^115[115]

The Kent party was detained in Cincinnati at “...great expense of time and money” due to an exacerbation of Kent's chronic ocular inflammation. By the time they reached St. Louis all the steamboats had ceased running for the season, and they were obliged to travel overland “...along a road but ill provided with accommodations, and embarrassed with unbridged water courses. Our family being not yet inured to the hardships incident to a new country and my own eyes so weak that we were in constant apprehension of snow which would have prevented our traveling across the prairies. This last consideration forbade the employment of any conveyance which we could not control. We therefore purchased horses and a covered waggon which served us for parlor, dining hall and sanctuary not to say ferry boat and lodging place which lastly was true in one instance.”^116[116] In 1858, Kent recalled the 1832 trip to Galena this way:^117[117]

There is an Old School Ch. at Union Grove, whose large and overgrown house of worship has been a bone of contention for many years. I recall some pleasing reminiscences in reference to my first visit there in 29 or 30. Several pious families has some in from Bond Co. (or there abouts) and I preached the first sermon in the little log church as yet had neither bottom door nor puncheon floor. But there was a sweet harmony and brotherly love such as the wide house with strife cannot contain. But my third visit there in Dec. 32 affords more pleasure in the review than we found in the bitter experience of our journey. On my return from a tour to the East to persuade good people to come West, I was accompanied by Mrs. Kent, Miss Pierce, a truly missionary spirit, E.E. Hall a youth of 17, now preaching at Rome or Paris, and a child of 9, now Rev. Mrs. Phelps of Lee Center. We were detained by sickness on the rivers until they were frozen and we were obliged to travel from St. Louis by land and from Springfield by means of a big waggon which providence furnished and I purchased. And as we proceeded our weary way we reached this grove at evening and finding no one to entertain us, we kindled a fire and made a kettle of mush with which we welcomed the return of the family. And if you will allow the interpolation of some “Prairie Missionary” adventures to these dry statistics you may follow the big waggon and listen to our songs and our prayers, for we had some good singing and some precious prayer meetings. While Rev. E.E. Hall acted alternatively as Postillion or officiated as chaplain. Having crossed the Ill. River and arrived late in the evening we found ourselves in a “muddy run” with 10 high banks that our high and powerful horses could not get out. But we left the vehicle and rode as best we could to Dixon, where we were kindly entertained by Mrs. Dixon amidst a group of Indians stretched out before the fire. There was but one house and that a log cabin. The next morning we went back 3 miles and “took up our carriages” and passed on to Chambers Grove, where a part of our company were lodged in the root house, the Indians having burned their cabin during the summer. Two days later we were overtaken by night and bewildered by a snow storm., but the big waggon served us for a lodging place and the next day (13th) we reached Galena and if ever we knew how to be thankful for domestic comforts it was in our own limed log house with one room and a shed and a small Franklin stove.

Lest it be suspected that the danger of travel across Northern Illinois was exaggerated by Miss. Thompson and Rev. Kent, remember that the Black Hawk War was then over by only a couple of months. Two of Kent's ministerial colleagues were murdered during the hostilities. A newly married Methodist minister and his bride died a horrible death in Bureau County that summer, if the following lurid tale is to be believed.^118[118]

The Indians bound their victims with strong cords, put them on their own horses, and carried them back to camp. On arriving at camp, the warriors held a council over their prisoners, and it was decided, in order to avenge their dead comrade, they should be burned at the stake. Sample was well acquainted with one of his captors, Girty,^119[119] a renegade half breed, having met him a number of times on Bureau, while on his ministerial excursions. Sample offered Girty all he possessed as a ransom for the life of himself and wife. But all to no purpose, nothing but revenge could satisfy this blood-thirsty savage.

Divested of all their clothing, bound hand and foot to a tree, the Samples stood waiting their doom. A fire of dry limbs was kindled around them, while the Indians stripped themselves of their clothing, with their faces painted red, in preparation for a dance. Everything being now ready for the execution, Girty took his long knife and scalped the prisoners, saving the scalps as a trophy of war. Taking the scalp of Mrs. Sample, and tying the long hair around his neck, leaving the bloody scalp to hang on his breast. In this way, Girty, assisted by the other Indians, danced around their victims, jumping up and down, and yelling like demons.

Mr. and Mrs. Sample were bound to the tree, surrounded by burning fagots, their scalps taken off, with the blood running down over their faces, and covering their naked bodies with gore. Soon the flames began to take effect on the victims, and in their agony they besought the Indians to shoot or tomahawk them, and thereby terminate their sufferings. But their appeals were in vain; with fiendish laugh the Indians flourished their tomahawks over their heads, dancing and yelling in mockery of their sufferings. Mrs. Sample, whose youth and innocence ought to have moved the hardest heart, appealed to Girty, for the sake of humanity, to save her from this terrible death. But her appeals were without effect; nothing could change the purpose, or soften the heart of this devil incarnate.

Then there was the case of Rev. Adam Payne. Payne was ordained an Elder in the Christian church, then called “New Lights,” but who preached independently in Northern Illinois. Payne left Chicago in May of 1832, and reached Plainfield, where he stayed with the Methodist Minister, Rev. S.R. Beggs. Rev. Beggs cabin was surrounded with pickets, and was referred to as “Fort Beggs.” The Plainfield settlers were about to abandon their homes and flee to Fort Dearborn for safety. They urged Rev. Payne to accompany them. Payne had preached to the Indians, and he believed they would not harm him. He set out for his brother’s (Aaron, who also was wounded during the War and treated by Dr, Beaumont at Prairie du Chien) in Putnam County. Payne was attacked near Holderman’s Grove, and murdered. His head was placed on a pole and used in an ugly celebration by the Indians.^120[120]

By the spring of 1833 Kent's vision and spirits were clear enough for him to begin traveling again. This time he headed east to visit the shores of Lake Michigan. He visited Putnum County and followed up the Illinois River to explore.

He was pleased to find fellow Presbyterian Rev. Jeremiah Porter at Chicago and, Kent had “... rarely addressed a more attractive and apparently pious congregation than that which I met on Sabbath morning in the Garrison [Fort Dearborn], and which combining the people of the village and gentlemen of the army constituted a large assembly for this country.” On Sunday, May 26th, 1833, Kent preached the second known Presbyterian Sermon in Chicago history (Porter had preached the first the Sunday before). Kent’s “excellent sermon” was from Hebrew, xi, 24-46.^121[121]

Kent hoped Porter would remain at Chicago, and predicted that “...if the pier now commencing should be permanent and the harbor a safe one, Chicago will undoubtedly grow as rapidly as any village in the western country.”

Kent described the return trip to Galena:

On my return I preached at Fountaindale,^122[122] so called from the numerous springs of pure water which form the DuPage one of the head waters of the Illinois River. Here I found a large settlement of eastern emigrants but lately come in and about 20 professors of religion of our denomination. They will soon be able to support a preacher. Br. Porter will spend the next Sabbath with them. From this grove, 30 miles west of Chicago, I came home in 3 days following the trail of Gen Scott’s army, and was obliged to “camp out” but one night. The whole distance by that route could not be more than 175 miles. And my way lay through a tract of country possessing many advantages which will give it the preference over the lower parts of Illinois in the estimations of emigrants from New England.^123[123]

This “Army Trail” was the route taken by General Scott’s army the summer before to reach the front during the Black Hawk War. (Scott traveled the more conventional southern route through Dixon). The Army Trail was cut through the prairies by a train of fifty wagons and the remnants of Scott's army so recently decimated by cholera. They crossed the Des Plains River near its headwaters, and the Fox between Elgin and St. Charles, thence on to Genoa and Belvidere. The trail was originally an old Indian trace between Chicago and Beloit, the site of a large Winnebago village. The Army Trail became an artery for immigration and commerce immediately following the Black Hawk War. Kent's trip in May of 1833 would have been among the first, however.^124[124]

Aratus and Caroline toured to Fort Winnebago at the Portage between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers during the summer of 1833. Kent “...was persuaded to linger there 2 Sabbaths and was treated with such marked attention and politeness as in a good degree obliterated the impression of the perils attending such a journey. I received 32 1/2 dollars from individuals unsolicited but in as much as I have received nothing from the people for about 10 months and my tour to Chicago was at an expense of 13 dollars (not to mention $500 expense in getting here last fall) I concluded to with hold any acknowledgment of that very liberal contribution.”^125[125] Julia Kinzie, the refined and literate wife of the Indian Agent, recalled the visit as “...being the first occasion on which the Gospel according to the Protestant faith, was preached at Fort Wiinebago.”^126[126] In March of that year Jefferson Davis, stationed at Fort Winnebago, had been promoted to first lieutenant. He may have been one of the polite and generous acquaintances made by Kent.

Cholera remained as a legacy of the Black Hawk War of the previous summer. Kent recounted: “It should be noted that during the prevalence of Cholera about 25 deaths occurred, among these was the Catholic priest [Rev. J. McMahon], a man of full habit (& said to be fond of strong drink).”^127[127] With a touch of envy he also reported: “The Methodists have succeeded through the kindness of a merchant in completing a neat little chapel which was dedicated last Sabbath. But up to that time they have had the gratuitous occupancy of the house of worship belonging to the Presbyterians [i.e., the house that Kent purchased] every other Sabbath when their own minister was absent by harmonious arrangement.”^128[128] Kent no sooner related the bad news about the cholera when he was laid low himself by a recrudescence of the malarial fever of the year before. This time he was stricken while traveling with Caroline to synod, and he was forced to spend 3 weeks “...under Brother Watson’s hospitable roof”at Jacksonville.^129[129]

By New Year, 1834, Kent could “...see but little evidence of good done, except I admit to the mischief resulting from 8 or 9 months absence. I can see that great evil attended that period of time in which the people were destitute of Gospel ordinances... It was remarked to me recently that the influx of vice during that period (which included the Indian war) had thrown us back 2 years in moral improvement. This is especially true of the vices of gaming, intemperance and Sabbath breaking. The temperance cause has not prospered and I attribute its want of success to the cholera during the prevalence of which the members thought it necessary to use brandy, but chiefly to the unfortunate defect in the pledge, for they are not required to abstain from the traffic, hence many merchants belong to the society and continue to sell spirits. But I hope we shall be able ere long to new model the constitution. We have just forwarded money to obtain 45 copies of the American Temp. Pledge, and I hope that this measure will give us a new impulse.”^130[130]

Kent’s pessimism about the prospects of religion were not unique. His fellow A.H.M.S. missionary, Lucien Farnam, wrote from Princeton, Illinois, in the same period: “Among us, it is now what I should call a time of stupidity, in respect to religion. Not that we have any neglect of the means of grace. Meetings are well attended:on the Sabbath out house is generally filled:people listen with attention:but no sinners are converted. The word is heard but not obeyed. To human view the prospect is dark.”^131[131] And Princeton was primarily a settlement of “devout” New Englanders, not the rag tag mixture of humanity that comprised Galena’s more cosmopolitan population.

Kent felt he must justify to New York the large “family” he was now supporting: “If my family is expensive, it is also useful, furnishing 4 teachers for the Sabbath School, an infant school teacher and is the main support of the female prayer meeting and a weekly benevolent society. Besides great assistance is realized in visiting the people and conversing on religious subjects.”^132[132]

Clearly Kent was anticipating becoming independent from the financial support of the A.H.M.S., but in March of 1835 he was forced to apply for renewed aid. He reported on conditions:

But we have much to contend with in this village. There are at least 25 places where ardent spirits are sold. Our temperance society is reduced to about 30. We have found it necessary to alter the constitution so as to exclude wine and the traffic in spirits which furnished some hope that we shall succeed better than heretofore.... Sabbath breaking prevails woefully. There are several Faro banks or other gaming houses one of which has declared a net profit of $15,000 this winter. The fashionable amusements have prevailed more and religious meetings have been frequented less than during one or two winters previous. And the church, though increased in numbers and containing some very excellent persons both male and female has not been so zealous and so efficient as at some former times. There is appearance of seriousness in a few of late and some desire to prepare for a protracted visit from Dr. Nelson & Mr. Turner in May. We can boast of entire harmony among ourselves and great unanimity with those of other sects. My Methodist Brother (minister) and myself have commenced a new plan which is to visit together from house to house exhorting and praying and urging attendance or preaching.^133[133]

Competition was formidable from the Methodists, and Rev. Alfred Brunson gave a somewhat partisan account of Methodist supremacy in Galena: “In the course of the day I viewed the place & found some acquaintances, one of which was with Rev. Mr. Kent of the Presbyterian church. He is the only preacher of his order in the mining country. He is very catholic & friendly in his views & feelings, & evinces a great warmth of piety. I preached for him at night, to a less congregation than we had, the night before, in our own church. Our respective churches are about of a size, say 30 members each, but his includes all the members of his church in the mines, while ours extends but little out of the town.”^134[134]

Methodists were not Kent’s only competitors: “A pamphlet has recently been published here that renounces the scriptures and the being of God and places Jesus Christ between Mahomat and Jo. Smith & Co. (leaders of the Mormons, I suppose).”

During the middle years of the 1830’s Kent concentrated his efforts in Galena to build up his church. He organized several revival meetings with the help of members of the “Yale Band” from Jacksonville, including Dr. Nelson, Rev. Edward Beecher, Rev. Asa Turners and others. Moneys were being husbanded to raise $7500 to construct a church building of brick or stone. Some representative reports to New York in this time include:^135[135]

It gives me pain to think that I have been so long in the field without witnessing more cheering results because I believe that it is to be attributed to my own unfaithfulness. I do not doubt but that good is done by my instrumentality and that is well worth all the expense by which this mission has been sustained but I am perfectly certain that I have not accomplished what even I might have done if I possessed more of a self-denying spirit.

In visiting the sick I meet with two very interesting cases last week : they are included in the 11 married women in the village and 5 in the vicinity who have died within six months : of these Mrs. Strother (the wife of a man who has purchased 7/8 of a steam boat and who will command it himself and observe the Sabbath strictly) was very satisfactory. She seemed as tranquil as if going to yield herself to the influence of an ordinary sleep.

I think myself happy if I can assist in smoothing the dying pillow of a saint.

But I cannot pass over the case of this excellent Brother of the Episcopal church. He is a Virginian of noble blood If I may judge of the blood from the disposition for uncompromising obedience which he evidences. I regard his purpose to run a Sabbath keeping boat on the Mississippi as one of the boldest and most important adventures that individual enterprise could attempt.^136[136]

We have no arrivals and no conversions of late but we have the promise of arrival in less than a year according to the fruits of one of our visits in the country. The church seems to possess more of the elements of efficiency, for they are disposed to work in the Lord’s vineyard. We have a monthly concert, and a good collection as you will see by the amount $45 of which was contributed by the Female Bible Society. We observe the Sabbath school concert. We have also commenced the monthly distribution of tracts in the village and vicinity and we have adopted a method which promises what I have long desired but have never been able to accomplish before a more familiar acquaintance of the members with each other which is ordinarily attended with difficulty is a village like this.

At our Sat night prayer meeting of the church it is presumed that the absentees necessarily are detained and accordingly the role is called and those who are present volunteer to visit one and another of the absentees, until we have a promise that each one will be visited during the coming week. And we cannot doubt but that such a plan adopted by the churches in your city with some little variation would be attended with most beneficial results.

Our Sabbath School continues to be very interesting and we hope in a few (5) years to have 10 young men preparing for the ministry. We think this a spiritual and very important movement. Please charge me one dollar and give credit to A.G. Hawthorne for the Home Miss.

During the year our church has recruited by certificate 4 by conversion 4 and now numbers 45: 1 Sab Sc, 75 scholars... the new members of the Church have subscribed over 1000 dollars toward the church.

This country will grow with rapidity. We shall need greatly a preacher for Cassville or whatever place is made the seat of territorial government, and one more south to visit the settlements on Rock River and its tributaries.

Our population and my domestic cares are increasing and render it every year more difficult for me to be absent itinerating as formerly. Few ministers ever probably have more company than we and love to “use hospitality” but it is a tax upon the weak vessel.^137[137]

There is hardly a day passes but we have calls or visits from persons from New England who dislike the confused state and Sabbath breaking of the public houses and they are not infrequently persons who broke the Sabbath on their journey hither.

The prospect of gaining ground by the conversion of sinners in Galena becomes only more dark but there are other ways in which good may be done.

The wheels of the temperance car are clogged by the men of influence who are engaged in the traffic. We have had monthly meetings but these men will not attend or if they do attend it is only to return to their [evil?] course. Mr. A Turner has been with us, and after lecturing 3 evenings he obtained 72 names to his tee-total pledge, but this makes no perceptible impression on the drunkenness of Galena.

I also accompanied this indefatigable agent in a visit to the principle places in the country. At Dubuque I preached in the day time and he lectured in the evening of the Sab. and obtained 30 names. We hope this minister will speedily return and have the pleasure of organizing a church there for the religious aspect of that village is brightening. Being disappointed by the Sab. keeping. Steamboat is going to Rock Island to spend the last Sabbath in June as I had proposed.

I went to Belleview a little village scarcely six months old on the west bank of the Mississippi about 12 miles before Galena. The back country is settling rapidly by agriculturalists: I had a large congregation most of whom had been there but a few weeks. They were the first sermons ever preached in that place.

I suggested a Sab. School; three apparently efficient teachers volunteered. I proposed if they would raise 5 dollars I would furnish $10 worth of books. They immediately collected $11.50 and paid over and I have forwarded a library. They urged me to come again. But there are 6 or 8 places on this side equally important that I have not visited for many months.

There are 20 places around me where a Sab. School of 20 or 25 scholars might be secured if but one pious family would come and settle down in each neighborhood and take hold of this work but for the want of them these children are growing up in ignorance.

Our Sabbath School is increasing in numbers and interest. Our celebration on the 4th was attended by 130 children. They were furnished by their teachers with an address and each a good piece of cake, a bunch of raisins and a flagon of water.

The Captain of the Sabbath Keeping boat has succeeded so well that he has bought another and employed as captain and clerk 2 of the best men in our church, who are determined to keep holy the Sabbath. Would that the friends of Zion would pray over this experiment for it involves the last hope of the west and of the world.

Kent kept up a grueling pace of itineration, He travelled with Rev. Hale into Wisconsin and Hale reported the results to Dr. Peters:

The year 1837 brought finacial collapse to the western frontier. The period of wild land speculation and soft money culminated when “The whole financial system of the country has fallen to the ground,” as The Cincinnati Daily Gazette put it in May of 1837.^139[139] Certainly the mechantile and banking interests of Galena were not immune to the effects of the national calamity.

None the less, by early 1837, Kent was ready to sever his financial ties with New York:

I have been seven years a recipient if the bounty of your society and am deeply and painfully conscious of the Christian and ministerial unfaithfulness. But I have had difficulties to grapple with and burdens to bear which cannot be well be estimated by those who have occupied a more highly cultivated field. For more than two years I laboured alone, without Christians enough to form a church or to maintain a prayer meeting.

Our church now numbers 63. We have morning and evening meetings for prayer, a formal Benevolent Soc., a Maternal Association, and prayer meeting. The monthly distribution of tracts has been in successful operation for a year. We have commenced a house for public worship and have $4000 subscribed.^140[140] We have good schools taught by members of our church.

We have had during the whole time an interesting Sabbath School and men are now scattered over the country who were once under our influence. Last fall I met in one day at a distance of 300 miles 3 of its earliest pupils, two were merchants, and one a mechanic, 2 hope they are Christians and all, so far as I can learn, sustain a good moral character amidst the crowds of vicious people with whom they are in daily and hourly mingling.

In taking my leave of your society^141[141] I must express my grateful acknowledgments for the promptness with which every wish has been met and my growing conviction that your society is performing a service for the West and for our country, and for the church which none can so well appreciate as those who witness its happy results.^142[142]