John, I have lost your email address. Hope you are still on the Cato List. You have
doubtless seen this book, but it's nice to have it online. This is your Joseph
Johnson, I think?
Best,
Cynthia Benua
http://www.archive.org/stream/historicalsketch00tong/historicalsketch00to...
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF THE Baptists of Southeast Missouri.
EMBRACING :
An Account of the First Baptist Families of the Great West;
the First Churches; the First Associations, and Biographical Sketches of the First
Ministers. Including an Account of the twelve Associations of Churches, and the Ministers
going out from these First Baptist Churches from 1796 to 1886. The
Founding of the First Institution of Learning under Baptist Patronage in Southeast
Missouri.
The First Baptist Periodical and other Important Matter.
By H. F. TONG,
With an Introduction by
^VM. H. MAYFIELD. M. D., Of St. Louis, Mo.
ST. LOUIS, MO. : NATIONAL BAPTIST PUBLISHING CO., 1888.
(page 121)
Shady Grove, located two and one-half miles
northeast of Fredericktown, is quite an old
church. We find, as early as 1854, Elder Joseph
Johnson, now of Marysville, Cal., was preach-
ing to this community. Some time after a
church was established. Of its constituent mem-
bers old Father Ely Desha was doubtless among
the most prominent, as he was Clerk for many
years ; though only a lay member, he was a good
example of faithfulness and piety. He died in
the year 1874. L. W. Revelle is a resident min-
ister of this community. He has a splendid farm
and residence and is therefore able to do much
for the cause. He is an able donor to the May-
field-Smith Academy. Elder Joseph Johnson,
first mentioned in connection with the Avork of
this church, and who resided in what is called the
Creek Nation, some eight miles southwest of
Fredericktown, was probably the first pastor of
this church, having spent about fifteen years
preaching in the bounds of the St. Francois Asso-
ciation. He was a great revivalist, full of the
spirit of exhortation and prayer ; and therefore
spent much time in protracted meetings. We
here orjve the following amusing statement of an
old Hardshell Baptist brother who did not be-
lieve in protracted meetings like these Missionary
Baptists held.
*'Why, sir," said the old Hardshell brother to
another of like faith with himself, "if there isn't
a stop put to these missionaries" (referring to
Johnson's protracted meetings) "they will soon
have the Gospel preached to all the world, and
the first thing we know the end will come right
here among us."