Webster is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Fountain Green Township,

Hancock County, Illinois Hancock County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 17,620. Its county seat is Carthage, and its largest city is Hamilton. The county is made up of rural towns with many farmers. Hanc ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It was originally known as Ramus and was settled under the direction of Joel H. Johnson. The settlement here was largely due to the presence of Ute and Sarah Perkins who had moved to the area in 1826. This area became known as Perkins Settlement. A short time later a group of Catholic families moved from Kentucky, led by Mordecai Lincoln. In 1838 Lincoln established the Catholic Church of St. Simon the Apostle in the area, which was supervised by the diocese of St. Louis. The Perkins family joined

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...

in 1839, responding to the teaching of Joel H. Johnson. The Perkins became the center of the community. The Perkinses were so central to the community that at times it was called Perkins Settlement. Johnson moved to the area in February 1840. In July 1840 a stake of

was organized giving the place the name of Ramus. Some of the Perkins land was purchased, and set out into a town of 24 blocks. Johnson set about promoting the town to Mormons elsewhere as a worthwhile place with plenty of surrounding agricultural land and a growing settlement. In 1841 nine blocks were added to the town. In about 1841, the Latter Day Saints built a meetinghouse in Ramus, which may have been the first meetinghouse built by Latter Day Saints. Other sources call this building a schoolhouse.Rugh, p. 153 Another notable early resident of Ramus was Benjamin F. Johnson who operated a store there. By the end of 1842 there were between 500 and 600 people in Ramus. In 1843 the town was renamed Macedonia when it was formally incorporated by the Illinois legislature. By 1845 the population had declined to 380. Doctrine and Covenants sections 130 and 131 are gathered from remarks given by

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, ...

at Ramus. Today the Webster Community Church, built in 1897, occupies the site of this early Latter Day Saint meetinghouse.

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NACo
{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Hancock County, Illinois Unincorporated communities in Illinois Populated places established in 1840 Significant places in Mormonism 1840 establishments in Illinois