Loucks - Wellington E.
Source: H. W. Beckwith History of Montgomery County, Indiana (Chicago: HH Hill), 1881
Rev. Wellington E. Loucks, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Crawfordsville, was born in Peoria, Illinois, October 12, 1854. His father, Judge Wellington Loucks, was born in New York, near Albany.
He attended Hanover College, Indiana, and Oxford College, Ohio. He emigrated from New York to Detroit, Michigan, and in 1835 settled in Peoria, where lhe was a very successful merchant for a time, during which he read law. He began the practice of law and was elected judge of Peoria County, which position he held eight years. He has ever since been one of the leading lawyers of Peoria. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and an active Sabbath-school worker.
Mr. Louck's mother, Rebecca A. Loucks, is a member of the Presbyterian church, and early taught her children the rudiments of education, and those moral and religious principles that have guided them in life.
At seven years of age the subject of this sketch entered the intermediate department of the city schools of Peoria, and graduated in the complete course in the class of 1873.
After graduating he began teaching school, and continued reading medicine with Dr. J. C. Fry. In June, 1873, he was converted and joined the First Presbyterian church of Peoria, which changed his whole course of action. He immediately resolved upon the ministry, which he had hitherto tried to avoid, and began the study of theology under Jonathan Edwards, D.D., now professor of theology in Danville Seminary, Kentucky, but then pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Peoria. The interest shown him by Dr. Edwards was of great value to him in unfolding the principles of a correct theology.
Mr. Loucks was married January 21, 1875, to Miss Emma R. Johnson, of Peoria, and in March moved to Madison, Indiana, for the purpose of graduating in Hanover College. He became connected with the Y. C. A. S., and worked in the great revival of 1875 in southern Indiana, going from city to city. That fall he was taken very sick and came near losing his life.
Upon recovery, fearing that the demands of christian work in that place would interfere with his college work, he removed to Crawfordsville in November 1875, and entered Wabash College, beginning with the lowest preparatory class in Greek, and graduated in the regular classical course with the class of 1877.
In 1876, he took charge of the Darlington and Bethel churches.
In April, 1877, he was licensed to preach, and ordained for the Presbyterian ministry by the presbytery of Crawfordsville at an adjourned meeting at Darlington October 11, 1877. He remained pastor of the Darlington and Bethel churches until September 1, 1879, when he received a call from the Presbyterian church at Bloomfield, Iowa, and from the First Presbyterian church of Crawfordsville.
He took charge of the latter church, of which he is still pastor. In 1879 he was elected stated clerk of the presbytery of Crawfordsville. Mr. Louck's ministry has been successful in the building up and increasing the membership of each church where he has labored.
He is a man of strong convictions, an ardent believer in the good old doctrines of Calvinism, and preaches the truth as he understands it. He is held in high esteem by his brethren, and his standing with the church and the world is in the highest degree favorable to his reputation. He writes his sermons but delivers them without manuscript or notes.
So accurate and wonderful is his memory that nothing he reads escapes him. He has a passion for music, also the study of elocution. He has a well selected library to which he is constantly adding. His sermons are characterized by beautiful language, apt illusstration, accurate expression, breadth of thought, and a correct delineation of the motives of human nature, the springs of human action, and an application to the wants of human life.
There have been born to him three children: Myra A., Edward W., and Ruth. The last one died in infancy. Mr. Loucks has an amiable and lovely wife, who assists and sympathizes with him in his labors, makes many warm friends, and fills his home with the sunshine of love. -- typed by kbz