#52Ancestors, Week 12... Membership

 #52Ancestors... Week 12... "Membership"

This was a hard one to think of something to write about...  A lot of people in the group were writing about the Masons or Oddfellows...and things of that sort.  I do have ancestors that belonged to the Oddfellows, but I was trying to come up with something different.  

One thing that's been a constant for generations and generations... is religion.  It's been important to me and my generation, and every generation before me.  So I am writing about church membership.

My Great Grandparents, John and Clara Belle (Lively) Rosan, were married March 1899, in Perry County, IL.  John was 22 years old, and Belle was 23.  In the 1900 census, they were living in DuQuoin, IL.  John was a coal miner in a local mine.  Their first child, Weston Lively Rosan, was born in 1899 and died a short time later in 1902.  The second child, Nolan Albert Rosan, was born in 1902 (died 1985).  Their third child, Norton John Rosan, was born in 1909 (died 1985).  And finally my grandmother, Clara Flossine Rosan, was born in 1911 (died 2000).

Rosan family, circa 1916

While living in DuQuoin, the family were members of the DuQuoin First Baptist Church.  John was a Deacon there (and coincidentally enough, also belonged to the Oddfellows Lodge, as well!).

DuQuoin FBC, circa 1910

One day while I was skimming through some online images on FamilySearch.org, I came across some images from the DuQuoin First Baptist.  I felt like I hit the jackpot when I found the Rosan's mentioned in the records dated April 1915.  They were being granted permission to move their church membership to the Christopher First Baptist Church.  I had never known until then, what time frame they had moved from one town to the next.  

DuQuoinFBC record from 1915

Christopher FBC, circa 1920's

At some point, the Christopher church built a brick building.  I don't know who took it or why, but I'm happy to have a picture of my Great Grandfather on the front steps of that building...

Christopher FBC brick building

John P. Rosan at Christopher FBC