Springfield-Greene
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REV. WILLIAM D. SIDMAN. Any conflict waged on our planet between good and evil belongs to the basic work of divine mind before it belongs to us. The "power not ourselves that makes for righteousness," is more interested in the success of the good cause than we can be. The constitution of this moral universe is against evil and oppression and injustice. The stars in their courses eternally fight against Sisera. The thought should gird one with strength for mortal endeavor. He who strikes with a hammer finds all the force of gravitation adding force to his blow. And he who combats any of the gigantic evils under the sun has the support of infinite and invincible allies. Let the fact nerve the arm and cheer the spirit of each halting reformer to the end of time. May it encourage us all to believe with Tennyson in that "one far-off divine event to which the whole creation moves.
Believing in the above theory, Rev. William D. Sidman, superintendent of the Springfield district of the St. Louis Conference Of the Methodist Episcopal church, left a lucrative practice as a physician to take up the work of the ministry of the gospel in order that he might accomplish more good "between these walls of time," to which Longfellow referred in his poem, "The Builders." Rev. Sidman was born in Vinton county, Ohio, June 9, 1860. He is a son of Wesley C. and Rebecca (Rose) Sidman. The father was born near Syracuse, New York, September 11, 1834. When a small boy he came to Ohio, where he grew to manhood and received a common school education. He was a carpenter and cabinet maker by trade and became a very skilled workman. When the Civil war broke out he joined the Union army, in which he served four years, after which he returned to Ohio, but later removed to Illinois, where he continued to work at his trade, then went back to Ohio, and after spending a few years there came to Springfield, Missouri, and worked at his trade for some time. He retired from active life six years ago. His wife, Rebecca Rose, was born near Logan, Hocking county, Ohio, where she grew to womanhood and received a common school education. Her death occurred September 27, 1909. To these parents seven children were born, namely: William D., of this sketch; John W. lives in St. Louis; Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton lives in Carterville, Missouri; Mrs. Delia Jones lives in Springfield; Robert R. is deceased; Mrs. Captolia Irving resides in St. Louis, and Bessie M. is teaching in Springfield.
William D. Sidman grew to manhood in Ohio, and there he received a good education, was graduated from the Nelsonville high school, later studied medicine and was graduated from the medical department of the University of Cincinnati in 1884. He began the practice of his profession soon thereafter at Rushville, Ohio, and he came to Springfield, Missouri in 1887. He engaged successfully in the practice of his profession for a period of six years, building up a large practice as a general physician, but, believing that the ministry was his true calling, he abandoned the practice of medicine and joined the conference of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1895, and has remained in the same to the present time, having had charge of churches of this denomination at the following places: Stockton, Republic, Greenfield, Osceola, Poplar Bluff and Marionville, Missouri.
He is at present superintendent of the Springfield district of the St. Louis conference, to which responsible post he was assigned on March 18, 1913. He is widely known throughout the conference as an able and earnest church worker and a learned theologian and forceful and accomplished pulpit orator.
Rev. Mr. Sidman was married February 23, 1882, to Ina M. Carnes, who was born in Nelsonville, Ohio, and there grew to womanhood and received a high school education. She is a daughter of Alfred H. and Emily (Bridges) Carnes. Mrs. Sidman is a lady of admirable Christian character and is an active member of the various societies of the Methodist Episcopal church, and she has made a host of warm personal friends since coming to Springfield, as has also her husband. Their union has been blessed by the birth of one child, Emma, who was born February 5, 1885, who has remained single and is living at home.
Fraternally, our subject is a member of the Masonic order.
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