Person:Edward Pierce (9)

In 1862, Edward is described as 5' 6" and dark hair, dark eyes, dark complected, and as a druggist, in the muster roll for the Illinois 67th Regiment, Co. D. In the 1860 Census, he is living in Chicago, and describes himself as a painter or possibly a pastor. By 1863 he is a chaplain in a Civil War regiment of "colored" troops and continues as a minister or pastor for the rest of his life.

http://mlsandy.home.tsixroads.com/Corinth_MLSANDY/histcw6.htm This URL describes the camp of runaway slaves in which Sarah and Edward were missinary teachers. They are mentioned seveal times in the article. The "colored" regiment in which Edward served was made up of freed slaves from this camp.

He was Baptist -- he appears as the pastor of The First Baptist Church in Red Wing Minnesota in 1880. Other parishes -- Woosung, Illinois; White City, Kansas; McIntyre, Iowa; Floating Bethels in Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota. He is residing in Newport Minnesota in 1887 when his mother dies, unclear whether he is with a Floating Bethel or a Baptist church. He was also chaplain of the Julius White Post of the GAR in Chicago, IL, late in the 1890's. In the 1870 census he is living in Chicago, and describes himself as a "minister of the gospel."

Edward is NOT to date in any 1850 census that I can find. We know that he is in Constantine before 1854, and that he left Constantine around March of 1859, to move to Chicago (Sarah asked for a letter of "dismisunion?" from the Presbyterian church in Constantine.

Sarah Higgins Pierce was baptized as a Presbyterian, in May of 1854 -- within a few months of their marriage and their son William Henry was also baptized as a Presbyterian (records of the First Presbyterian Church, Constantine.), while Edward seems to have been a Baptist minister. Most of the rest of the Pierce family, as far as i can tell, were Presbyterians.

When Edward resigned from his regiment in March of 1865,he gave as his reason that he was going to Africa to be a missionary. We don't know if he ever did this, and there are no records in the Prebyterian or Methodist archives to indicate that he was associated with these denominations' ministries in Africa.

White City--North Central Morris County In Chicago, in 1870, a group of Englishmen, headed by a Mr. Pierce, organized themselves into a colony. Their eagerness to secure homes in the far west led them to send three representatives to seek a good location for the Colony, which numbered about thirty-six. McKenzie, the main street of White City, was on the old Mormon Trail. Water on the north side of McKenzie drains north but the flow of the opposite side drains south toward Council Grove. The first and only jail still exists untouched by progress. Good water, sewer, an elementary school and original brick pavement are but a few of White City's attributes. An authentic collection of nearly 700 pieces of intimate apparel is owned by Phyllis and Bob Taylor, and is housed in an old railroad flop house (Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway).

Pierce, Chas Lewis and E. Rietenour were sent to select a good townsite and a good farming community. They selected the land in and around what is now known as White City. The Colonists drew lots for their land numbers. The colony came in the spring of 71 and settled on their land, later going back to Chicago to bring their families. Mr. McKenzie entered the land on which the town is laid out and for which the principal street is named. Mr. Pierce tried to have the land located about a mile east of the town and to call it New Chicago. The land platted belonged to Mr. McKenzie. He neglected to file his plat and during that fall, a colony of Swedes headed by Erick Johnson, came to this place and laid out a town site on the other side of the MK&T, filed their plat and called it New Swedenland. Mr. Dunbar and James Thornley built the first building in White City using it for a grocery store and post office. A hotel was built by a Mr. Eldredge, this the first victory of White City over New Chicago. The following year, Sept. 17, 1872, a charter was granted to White City by the state. The incorporates were: P.C. Johnson, Thos Eldredge, Amos Calwell, James Thornley, WH Mulnix, C. Crawford, W. A. Staley, E. R. Pierce and C.H. Eldredge. This did away with White City and New Chicago, except the Post Office which still bore the name of White City. This continued for some time when the citizens of the town agreed to change the name back to White City, in honor of Mr. White, a popular MK&T official. In February 1872 the now Katy RR was completed to Burlington and mail service was put on the road. The next store was by Larson & Co. when Mr. Case opened a grocery store.

In the spring of 1872 a school house was built. In 1873 the Congregational Church was organized as well as a Sunday school. The first 4th of July celebration was held in 1873. In 1874 the grasshoppers, known as Rocky Mountain Locusts, came and ate all growing crops. They departed only to return the following year. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1878. The Baptist Church in 1882, the Presbyterian

Church in 1884 and the Christian Church in 1886. In 1885 the first Newspaper was the White City WHIG. The first bank organized in 1886 through the efforts of John Taggart, who helped lay out the town of Nortonville. The first track of the Rock Island Rail Road was laid through in 1886-87. In 1886 a grade school was erected.

A SECOND ACCOUNT:

The Missouri, Kansas, and Texas (Katy) Railroad, built through the county in 1868, passed through White City south of Junction City.

In 1869 a colony was organized in Chicago under one Rev. Pierce, with the object of making themselves homes in some of the Western States. While in course of formation a correspondence wsa opened up between Mr. Pierce and Mr. Somers of Council Grove, the latter gentleman at that time being agent for a large amount of railroad lands. When the colony was about ready to start westward, Mr. Somers proceeded to Chicago to see to the completion of its organization, and to accompany it to Morris County. It numbered about forty families. The place first selected for its location was about three miles from Parkerville, but afterwards it moved about two miles further to the north to land owned by T. S. and W. J. Mackenzie, who took and active part in organizing the colony. In 1871 the Mackenzies had the town site surveyed, and shortly thereafter building commenced. The first house built in the village was by Thomas Eldridge in 1872 and the first store erected was by James Thornley and W. N. Dunbar in 1872. In 1873 a good school was built, the first teacher in which was Adam Dixon. There are now in the village three general stores, one drug store, one grocery store, one millinery shop, two wagon shops and two elevators. Three of four years ago the Methodists put up a frame church building, and the Congregationalists have now in course of erection an edifice of like material. It depends for support upon the agricultural country surrounding it, and is quite a shipping point for grain. Its population is about 200 according to A. T. Andreas in 1883.

Names proposed first for White City were "Swedeland" and "New Chicago" as so many Swedes settled there. White City was named for F. C. White, superintendent of the Neosho division of the Katy Railroad, who was responsible for the construction of the road from Parsons to Fort Scott.

White City, about the first day of May 1887, celebrated the completion of the Rock Island Railroad to that point

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This village is located about five miles north of Parkersville on the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad. In 1869 a colony was organized in Chicago under one Rev. Mr. Pierce, with the object of making themselves homes in some of the Western States. While in course of formation a correspondence was opened up between Mr. Pierce and Mr. Somers, of Council Grove, the latter gentleman at that time being agent for a large amount of railway lands.

1. ↑ Arcidiocesi di Monreale. Certificato di Battesimo.
2. ↑ State of Illinois --death certificate.