Excerpt from A Memorial of the Congregational Ministers and Churches of the Illinois Association, on Completing a Quarter of a Century of Its History: Consisting of a Commemorative Discourse

In that year, 1844, a General Association for the State was formed at Farmington. There were present at that meeting six ministers - Rev. Messrs. J. T. Holmes, R. M. Pearson, M. N. Miles, L. H. Parker, John Cross and myself, and about as many Churches were represented. This General Association has proved, as it was intended to be, a bond of union for all the Churches of our denomination in the State. There are now one hundred and ninety-five Congregational Churches connected with the General Association through the local Associations. In 1844, at the time of the organization of the General Association, there were but two local Associa tions in the State - the Illinois Association and Fox River Union. N ow there are ten local Associations.

The increase of Congregational Churches has been gradual, probably about in proportion to the increase of population in the State. From 1833 to 1844, the increase was about five in a year, on an average. From 1844 to 1854, about six in a year. From 1854 to 1860, about ten in a year. The greatest number organized in any one year, was nineteen in 1858. There were eleven organized in 1854 and 1857 each.

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