Fountain Green, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Fountain Green, Illinois
, is an unincorporated community located about eleven miles northeast of Carthage, Illinois
in Fountain Green Township
, Hancock County, Illinois
, USA.
, who, somewhat prior to 1830, led a group from Kentucky in an attempt to establish a Catholic
settlement in this part of Illinois, presaging by several years the Mormon
settlement in nearby Nauvoo
. He was followed by other southerners who were mostly Baptist
in faith, including Baptists who had lived close to Mordecai near Springfield, Kentucky
. Some of the Baptists settled along Baptist Creek to the northeast of Fountain Green.
The Catholic settlement foundered, in part because of the difficulty in obtaining a parish priest. The Baptist theology was better able to cope with such problems on the frontier.
In the 1850s coal was discovered, and railroads were extended into the area. With the railroads came coal miners from Pennsylvania. The coal miners were mainly descendants of Northern Irish Protestants who had fled the Irish Rebellion of 1798
. An Irish Protestant church (Calvinist
) was soon established in Fountain Green, attracting members from the earlier groups. This seems to have been a local manifestation of the general movement in the North away from the Baptist church, which, in the 1850s, supported slavery.
By 1880, Irish Catholics began settling in the area to work the mines, establishing new Catholic churches and cemeteries in nearby communities, with no apparent recognition of the earlier settlement, which seems to have been forgotten.
The original Catholic settlers are buried in the Old Catholic or Lincoln Cemetery near Fountain Green.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, is an unincorporated community located about eleven miles northeast of Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
in Fountain Green Township
Fountain Green Township, Hancock County, Illinois
Fountain Green Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 329.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Fountain Green Township covers an area of ....
, Hancock County, Illinois
Hancock County, Illinois
Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 19,104, which is a decrease of 5.1% from 20,121 in 2000. Its county seat is Carthage. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County, with Carthage being the second largest...
, USA.
Geography
Fountain Green is located at 40°28′33"N 90°58′09"W at an elevation of 682 feet.History
One of the earliest settlers in this area was Mordecai LincolnMordecai Lincoln
Mordecai Lincoln was the uncle of President Abraham Lincoln. He was the son of Captain Abraham Lincoln, and brother of Thomas Lincoln. He was married to Mary Mudd. He is buried at the Old Catholic or Lincoln Cemetery near Fountain Green, Illinois...
, who, somewhat prior to 1830, led a group from Kentucky in an attempt to establish a Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
settlement in this part of Illinois, presaging by several years the Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
settlement in nearby Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
. He was followed by other southerners who were mostly Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
in faith, including Baptists who had lived close to Mordecai near Springfield, Kentucky
Springfield, Kentucky
Springfield is a city in and county seat of Washington County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,634 at the 2000 census. It was established in 1793 and probably named for springs in the area.-Geography:...
. Some of the Baptists settled along Baptist Creek to the northeast of Fountain Green.
The Catholic settlement foundered, in part because of the difficulty in obtaining a parish priest. The Baptist theology was better able to cope with such problems on the frontier.
In the 1850s coal was discovered, and railroads were extended into the area. With the railroads came coal miners from Pennsylvania. The coal miners were mainly descendants of Northern Irish Protestants who had fled the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
. An Irish Protestant church (Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
) was soon established in Fountain Green, attracting members from the earlier groups. This seems to have been a local manifestation of the general movement in the North away from the Baptist church, which, in the 1850s, supported slavery.
By 1880, Irish Catholics began settling in the area to work the mines, establishing new Catholic churches and cemeteries in nearby communities, with no apparent recognition of the earlier settlement, which seems to have been forgotten.
The original Catholic settlers are buried in the Old Catholic or Lincoln Cemetery near Fountain Green.