“a man of great energy, and of unflinching integrity of character. He had a mature, vigorous and well cultivated mind; was a successful and excellent teacher; was much respected as a preacher; was a good and faithful presbyter, and an able defender of the doctrines of the Presbyterian church” — Rev. James T. Bliss
1800 – Apr 4. born in Cornish, NH, son of Moody & Lucy (Farnum) Chase
Attended Phillips’ academy, Andover, MA, under John Adams
1827 – graduate of Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (3 brothers & 2 sons also)
1827+ – head of a private school in Shelbyville, Kentucky; also studied theology, under care of Rev. Archibald Cannon and the Louisville presbytery
1831 – licensed to preach by Presbytery of Louisville
1832 – married Salina A., daughter of Judge Joseph Morton Venable, of Shelby county, Kentucky
1836 – transferred to Schuyler Presbytery
1836 – helped organized an Old School branch at Huntsville, Schuyler Co, IL
1837 – Apr 7 – ordained & installed at Shiloh Presbyterian, McDonough Co, IL; served here until 1846
1837 – June 3 – had oversight of McDonough College, “a gentleman of celebrity as a teacher in Kentucky” (Sangamo Journal article)
1838 – Jan – being paid to teach at McDonough College
1839 – May – attended General Assembly in Philadelphia on behalf of Schuyler Presbytery. Elder was Oakey M. Hoaglund (born 1803 in Kentucky, lived near Bardolph, founded Bardolph Church)
1839 – organized Shiloh church (?)
1840 – Census of McDonough Co, IL: 8 in household: 7 males & 1 female
1843 – Jul 29. assists with formation of church at Doddsville, Schuyler Co, IL; he served as a supply pastor there.
1843 – mother dies in McDonough Co, IL
1845 – father dies on James’ birthday
1846 – Dismissed from Shiloh; stated supply at Camp Creek Presbyterian, McDonough Co, IL; served here until 1858; cultivating a farm and supplying churches in the vicinity
1848 – Jan. Employed 3/4 time by Camp Creek; continued until Nov 1851
1848 – birth of son George F. (photo of George F. as an adult)
1850 – McDonough Co, IL census
1851 – Sept 29. wife Salina dies; 7 children
1853 – preaching at Mt Sterling, IL
1854 – married Andrea C. Lang, of Quincy, IL, & a native of Denmark
1854 – professor of the Greek and Latin languages at McDonough college
1854 – pastor at Ebenezer (??? too early??)
1855 – McDonough Co, IL census
1860 – McDonough Co, IL census
1861 – Dec 21. Elected to fill pulpit at the newly formed Ebenezer church in McDonough Co, IL
1862 – son James Morris Chase enlists in Co I of 78th IL Infantry
1862 – Sept 25. Installed as pastor at Ebenezer, served until his death
1863 – Sept 21. son J. Morris Chase captured at Chickamauga, spends next 14 months in Confederate prisons; released Nov 1864 & mustered out in June 1865 (see http://www.all-biographies.com/soldiers/james_chase.htm)
1863 – Nov; to Chattanooga, TN as agent of U.S. Christian Commission
1863 – Dec 25. son William Thomas Chase enlists in Co. A of 89th IL infantry
1864 – Feb 21. son William Thomas dies near Knoxville, TN
1865 – Feb 10 – died at his home near Macomb. of typhoid pneumonia contracted while in Christian Commission to army at Chattanooga, TN.
Three of his brothers also graduated from Dartmouth: Rev. Moody Chase, 1829, George Clement, M. D., 1841, and Albert Chase. M. D., 1844.
Sources:
Carter, N. F. (1906). The native ministry of New Hampshire. Concord, N.H: Rumford Print. Co. (http://books.google.com/books?id=ALQsQX07_Z4C)
Child, W. H. (1911). History of the town of Cornish, New Hampshire, with genealogical record, 1763-1910. Concord, N.H: Rumford Press. (http://www.archive.org/details/historyoftownofc01chil)
Wilson, J. M. (1859). “James Morris Chase.” The Presbyterian historical almanac and annual remembrancer of the church. Philadelphia, Pa: Joseph M. Wilson. pp. 97-98. Online
Ploughe, Sheridan (1917). History of Reno County, Kansas: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume 2. B.F. Bowen & Company. http://books.google.com/books?id=i3cUAAAAYAAJ