Presbyterian church. Two years afterward Rev. Wm. Steele, who lived in Peoria, ministered to the flock at this place and also at a mission in Peoria county. Two years he remained in the work and in a short time afterwards went south. From this time until 1884, ministers from Bloomington and other places held services occasionally. In '84 Mr. Steele returned and has since ministered to his people every two weeks. The work of Mrs. John Hoagland, now deceased, in church work and in the starting and maintaining a large Sunday school is worthy of note in this connection. Services in an early day were held in the old school house of Dist. 4 (East side) and later in the old Christian church. For the past eight or ten years rooms over T. Doyle's have been used for this purpose. In December, 1895, the church purchased a corner lot on First street, of Mr. L. S. Calkins, and by the fall of '96 a handsome little church will adorn that spot and the worshippers will have that for which they have so often longed, a church home of their own.
 

REV. WM. STEELE.
 
 

In the 60s a thriving Congregational society was organized and they built the church now occupied by the United Evangelical people. Deaths and removals to other places weakened their forces and they were obliged to give up the work. Most of the members remaining in this city took up the good work in other churches. The Methodist Episcopal church, South, made an effort to organize here once but no permanent establishment was perfected.

Total value of church property in the city, $52,500.

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