According to the Free Baptist Cyclopaedia, published in 1889 by northern Free-will Baptists (the Randall movement),
The denominational interests in this state have been developed from three sources, viz.: The inflow of denominational influences from the East, the accession of kindred bodies already organized, and the work of the Mission to the Freedmen in Cairo and vicinity.
This source was able to list the names of more than 30 Quarterly and Yearly Meetings of churches in all parts of Illinois at that time, with many churches organized well before 1850. But when the northern line of the denomination merged into the Northern Baptist Convention in 1910-11, most of these churches ceased to be Free Will Baptist. Only in the south central part of Illinois did a small group of Free Will Baptists maintain their distinct identity. These churches were in the Franklin County and Wayne County Quarterly Meetings. Before the merger, these two Quarterly Meetings were part of the Central Illinois Yearly Meeting. The Cyclopaedia indicates Free Will Baptist churches in this particular area of the state were founded as a result of influences other than the Randallite missionaries from the Northeast. The names of H. S. Gordon, J. C. Gilliland, and S. S. Branch are prominently mentioned. After the merger, these two Quarterly Meetings formed the Southern Illinois Yearly Conference of Free Will Baptists.
Preparation for a State-wide Organization
As Illinois Free Will Baptists began to realize the need for a state organization, a study committee composed of Eugene Norris, Claude Childers, Curt Rogers, George E. Ritter, Dwight Dame, Lawrence Thompson, Kenneth McNeely, Jesse Bosewell, Claude Hampleman, and George Waggoner were appointed to represent the various Quarterly Meetings. These men recommended the reorganization of the 44 churches in the state into four Quarterly Meetings of roughly equal size. Two churches in the Chicago area, Liberty and Des Plaines, additionally requested permission to form a Quarterly Meeting and join the Southern Illinois Yearly Conference as the Northern Illinois Quarterly Meeting.
Organization of the State Association
The Illinois State Association of Free Will Baptists was formed August 20, 1960, at a meeting held at the campground tabernacle (chapel) in Benton, Illinois. George Waggoner presided as delegates formed the new association. The 1960 minutes of the Southern Illinois Yearly Conference lists the member organizations: the Southern Illinois Yearly Conference, including four quarterlies (Franklin County, Freedom, Northern, and South Central) and the Canaan District Association, made up of two quarterlies, the East Central and the West Central.
Regular officers elected: Leon McBride, moderator; Claude Hampleman, assistant moderator; Jesse Boswell, clerk; and Betty Hampleman, treasurer. A constitution and by-laws were presented and adopted, and the first annual session scheduled to meet at the Campground Tabernacle, Benton, Illinois, June 23-24, 1961.